Wednesday, December 19, 2012 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Budget 2013: Reps adopt $79 benchmark Senate set to pass Appropriation Bill tomorrow

TORDUE SALEM AND GEORGE OJI Okonjo-Iweala

Vol. 2 N0. 516 GEORGE OJI, EMMANUEL ONANI AND A ZA MSUE

he Senate yesterday kicked against the use of military aircraft by officials of the Federal Government even as it ordered an investigation into the frequent air accidents. The upper chamber, debating a motion sponsored by Senator Chris Anyanwu and co-sponsored by Senator Ahmed Markafi on the crash of the Nigerian Navy CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

he House of Representatives yesterday adopted $79 per barrel of crude oil as the benchmark for the 2013 budget.

The Presidency had insisted on $75 per barrel benchmark for the Appropriation Act. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Musdapher delivers National Mirror’s anniversary lecture tomorrow P.4

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

N150

Senate flays abuse of military aircraft Yakowa’s body arrives Kaduna amidst tears Police deploy 10,000 men for burial

Remains of the late former Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa and former National Yakowa’s body being carried by Catholic Knights of St. Mulumba on arrival at the Kaduna Airport, yesterday. Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi being airlift from Bayelsa State, yesterday. More pictures on page 6. PHOTOS: NAN

We’re trailing N3.3trn stolen pension fund –PRTT

Okonjo: Army releases 63 suspects

Lack of funding responsible for insecurity –IGP P.12,52

Lagos raises N33bn, says Fashola

Ihejirika

Residents flee as pipeline explosion rages in Lagos

P.2,9 P.10

News

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We’re trailing N3.3trn stolen pension fund –PRTT ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

hairman, Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, Abdulrasheed Maina, has disclosed that the team has commenced action to recover N3.3trn misappropriated by various government agencies. Speaking yesterday on the management of the pension fund, Maina told journalists in Abuja that the task force had been

given the mandate to sanitise the pension system to ensure that pensioners did not suffer unnecessarily before collecting their pension. He explained that the task force would ensure that the pension fund was recovered, stressing that all necessary steps would be taken in the recovery process. Maina, who spoke yesterday against the backdrop of the ongoing investigation into the fraud,

said that the team had uncovered a huge fraud in pension administration. He, however, declined to disclose the agencies or government officials involved in the alleged fraud. “I want to tell you that what we have uncovered will surprise Nigerians. We have found that pension fund up to N3.3trn was stolen by the cabal and we are going to recover all the money,” he said. Maina added that the

pension fund the task force had so far recovered and saved was over N241bn in October this year. He added that the task force had also detected and deleted 73,000 ghost pensioners from the Head of Service Pension Office. Maina also said that the team was able to stop the monthly misappropriation of N4.25bn from Head of Service while it also cut off N1bn police pension monthly releases

from N1.59bn to N500m. He also disclosed that N74bn of the N181bn discovered and saved by the pension task team had so far been mopped up for utilisation in the 2012 budget. Maina said that the Senate Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service, State and Local Government Administration investigating the management of Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Office had not

been fair to the task team. He alleged that the committee was biased, stressing that the task team had not been given the opportunity to come out with the facts and full details of the pension reform going on in the country. “I wrote a protest letter the Senate President to complain how the committee is biased. They don’t allow us to answer questions because they will insist on yes or no answer and that is unfair,” he said.

Commissioner arrested for failing to appear before lawmakers

L-R: Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada; former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; former President Shehu Shagari and President Goodluck Jonathan during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblem appeal launch in Abuja, yesterday.

he Enugu State Commissioner for Poverty Reduction, Mr. Godwin Ogenyi, was yesterday arrested for failing to appear before the state House of Assembly. The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the commissioner’s arrest was on the orders of the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Eugene Odo. Odo gave the order for the arrest while members of the Assembly were deliberating on the commissioner’s absence during its plenary session.

Senate flays abuse of military aircraft CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Augusta 109 helicopter at Okoroba, Bayelsa State, on Saturday flayed the incessant use of military aircraft by civilians. The Senate investigation is to be conducted by its joint committees on navy, air force and aviation. The lawmakers also asked the Federal Government to publish reports of investigations of previous air accidents in the country. This was as the upper chamber condemned the resurgence of the crashes in Nigeria and the seeming inability of government to unravel the causes of the incidents. Senator Adetunmbi Olubunmi said that the helicopter that crashed was designated as naval training helicopter. He said that the relevant question to be asked was who authorised the use of the helicopter for other uses apart from the military training it was pur-

chased for. He said: “The aircraft was for training by the Nigerian Navy. The trip that led to the crash cannot be described as military training. The question to ask is who gave the approval for the use of the aircraft on that day? Who is picking the bill for the several shuttles the helicopter made that day to and from Bayelsa to Port Harcourt? Is it the public or the beneficiaries of the trip?” The lawmaker wondered that if military aircraft crashed as often as they did in Nigeria, then the combat readiness of the nation’s military to foreign threat must be questioned. Adetunmbi said the nation must be held responsible for the crash because of our inability to have learnt from the outcome of the past air crashes in the country. “We are completely responsible for the deaths of these people because if we

had used the report of the previous investigations perhaps we would have averted this avoidable calamity,” the lawmaker said. Senator Ganiyu Solomon argued that the Senate must not embark on any investigation panel that would not produce tangible results, stressing that if the Senate must set up any probe panel, it must produce a report that would assist in averting future air mishaps. He noted that the trend of incessant air crashes questions the nation’s military capability in terms of foreign invasion. The lawmaker also questioned the use of military air planes for social functions. “Must we use our military equipment for social events? They should be used for purely military operations. The current practice must be condemned and stopped forthwith,” he said.

Senator Uche Chukwumerije noted that in the past 15 months, the nation’s military had recorded five military air crashes, a development he described as not too well. He explained that in today’s warfare, the air had taken over as the battleground, adding that “the recent statistics of the nation’s air crashes show that the country is ill-prepared for any foreign aggression.” The lawmaker stated that if the country allowed the perceived ills in the nation’s aviation industry to affect the military, then the country was in trouble. He called for the release of all the reports of past aviation disasters and the prosecution of all those indicted by the various reports. Chukwumerije also called for a wider investigative panel on the level of Nigeria’s military preparedness. The Deputy Senate Pres-

ident, Ike Ekweremadu, in his closing remarks noted that over the past three to four years, Nigeria had lost about 50,000 lives through avoidable accidents. “We have recorded a lot of deaths in Nigeria since 2006 from kidnappings, terrorist activities, accidents, diseases, road accidents and air disaster,” Ekweremadu said. Meanwhile, the remains of the late Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, and his aide, Dauda Tsoho, yesterday arrived Kaduna in green-whitegreen national colour caskets amidst tears by thousands of sympathisers that thronged the Kaduna Airport. The two corpses conveyed in a cargo plane were accompanied by Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd); former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and other state top

The Speaker expressed surprise that the commissioner, said to be in the premises, disappeared when he was asked to come into the chamber. He said the commissioner did not commit any offence and was invited for a friendly discussion. According to him, the commissioner was invited to explain to what extent the state government had provided palliative measures for commercial motorcyclists following the ban on their operation in the state capital.

government functionaries and was received by Kaduna State new governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero; Yakowa’s widow, Amina, at Kaduna International Airport, at 2:40p.m. Others at the airport include the former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje; Senators Bukola Saraki, Andy Uba, Ahmed Makarfi, Esther Nenadi Usman, emirs and other dignitaries. The corpses were taken in an ambulance and passed through Nnamdi Azikiwe byepass to Command Junction and from there to St. Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kakuri mortuary where they were deposited. Archbishop Mathew Ndagoso of Kaduna Catholic Archdiocese, Bishop George Dodo (Zaria Diocese) and Bishop Mathew Kiakh (Sokoto Diocese) led prayers at the airport. The usual praises, hails and songs of supports from CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Publisher, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, OFR and the Management of Global Media Mirror Limited (Publishers of National Mirror Newspapers) cordially y invite the Public to its

2ND ANNIVERSARY LECTURE

Law, ry t n u o C For

W, FOR LA

& BOOK PRESENTATION

For

UNTRY FOR CO H NS WIT RSATIO CONVE

NATIONAL MIRROR

l Media

ed Obe Taiwo nde & Ayori Steve

BENCH

stands , 2011,

THE R AND THE BA

ng nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the the

ions ersat Conv with the ch e Ben nd th a r a B ited by

on ublicati ROR P L MIR

ONA A NATI

Date: Thursday, 20th December, 2012 Venue: Muson Centre, Lagos Time: 10 am Guest Speaker: Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher, GCON, Immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria Host Governor & Chairman: Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN Lagos State Governor Book Reviewer: Chief Presenter: Louis Odion Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN Chairman, Bi-Courtney Special Guest of Honour His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR President & Commander-in-Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria R S V P: STEVE AYORINDE MD/CEO, National Mirror 08054500808, 08094000019

PhotoNews

Wednesday December 19, 2012

L-R: Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar; Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), ‘D’ Department, Mr. Peter Gana and DIG, ‘B’ Department, Mr. Philemon Leha, at the IG’s meeting with Police Mobile Force Squadron commanders in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

L-R: Chairman, Media and PR Committee, Rotn. Larry Agose; Rotn. Charles Chijide; District Governor, Rotary International District 9110, Rotn. Kamoru Omotosho and his wife, Susan, at the launch of the Roll Back Malaria campaign of the district in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (middle), First Lady, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola (4th right), wife of the Speaker, State House of Assembly, Mrs. Mayowa Ikuforiji (3rd right), wife of the Head of Service, Mrs. Adenike Ogunlewe (right), during the cutting of the cake to commemorate the Year 2012 children’s annual end of the year party in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Former Lagos State Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Council, Comrade Deji Elumoye and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, at the Lagos NUJ Legend Awards Nite in Lagos, recently.

National News

Musdapher to deliver National Mirror’s anniversary lecture tomorrow

lobal Media Mirror Limited, publishers of the National Mirror newspaper titles, will on Thursday, December 20 host a public lecture as part of activities to mark its second anniversary. The lecture to be delivered by the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, will hold in Lagos. The two-in-one event will also see the public presentation of a book entitled; “For law, for country: Conversations with the Bar and the Bench.” At the lecture, which will hold at the Muson Centre, Musdapher will examine the relationship between the law and emedia practice in Nigeria and how a balance could be struck. However, the book presents divergent views of legal practitioners, especially Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, in both private and public practice on one hand and judges on the other on

various topical issues in the judiciary, including policies. It also offers lawyers belonging to different generations, areas of specialisation and holding various philosophies, the opportunity to freely express their views on the current challenges facing the judiciary and the rule of law. Global Media Mirror said the book was a humble contribution of the newspaper to safeguard the integrity of the judiciary and the rule of law. According to the organisation, the annual lecture will also present a rare opportunity for very important personalities, especially in the legal community in Nigeria, to reunite and discuss the judiciary and the all-important topic of e-media practice and the law. The event is expected to be chaired by the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who is an accomplished legal practitioner and member of the inner bar. Other notable person-

alities expected at the lecture are Governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Godswill Akpabio (AkwaIbom), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Ibrahim Shema (Kastina) and Sullivan Chime (Enugu). President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, is expected as the special

guest of honour at the event. Global Media Mirror’s maiden lecture held at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja last year was delivered by legal luminary and Chairman of the Association of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), where he spoke on Africa

and the Challenges of the 21st Century. Eminent Nigerians in attendance such as Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), among others, exhaustively discussed the paper presented. It was attended by President Jonathan, who

was represented by the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku. At the event, Maku, Musdapher, the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Bello Adoke (SAN), among several others, commended the editorial quality of National Mirror newspapers.

INEC may reverse deregistration of parties –Jega OMEIZA AJAYI AND JOEL AJAYI

he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, disclosed yesterday that it might reverse its decision to deregister the 28 political parties if ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed this yesterday at the Stakeholders’ Validation Conference of the commission’s 2012 - 2015 strategic plan in Abuja. Jega also said that the agitation for the creation of special polling units for

the physically-challenged would not be realistic before the 2015 general elections due to inadequate funds. The chairman, who urged the stakeholders to join hands with the commission to ensure free and fair general elections in 2015, said since the deregistration of 28 political parties was an issue already in the court, “the commission as a lawabiding entity would wait patiently for the court order.” According to him, there is room for any political party that meets up with the legal requirements to be properly registered.

Jega said the stakeholders parley was to review the draft strategic plan document, as well as action plan, which INEC drafted, following the most elaborate consultative process ever undertaken by the commission. He said although “poverty in the society seriously affects the conduct of free, fair and credible election,” the five-year strategic plan was to improve voter education, training and research. According to him, it is also to provide electoral operation system and infrastructure to support the delivery of a free and fair credible election and

to re-organise and reposition INEC for sustained conduct of a free and fair poll. Jega added that the issue of colluding to rig the election by INEC staff, police and politicians would be properly handled. He added that stealing of electoral mandates remained an issue that would be properly resolved even before the swearing-in of any candidate. One of the consultants to INEC, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, noted the importance of the strategic plan which he said would enhance leadership at all levels of the commission.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Budget 2013: Reps adopt $79 benchmark CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The lower chamber also adopted the Medium Term Economic Framework, MTEF 2013-2015, and Fiscal Strategy Paper, before the National Assembly. The House benchmark was adopted at yesterday’s plenary session after the Appropriation Committee Chairman, Hon. John Enoh (PDP-Cross River), briefed a joint conference that the National Assembly had agreed on the $79 benchmark as against the $80 earlier approved by the House. The Senate had adopted $78 but with the harmonisation, both chambers will now work with the new benchmark proposal. Hon. Enoh told the House that a National Assembly Joint-Committee of Appropriation, had decided “that the Federal Government should exercise extreme caution on foreign borrowing; that Corporate Tax and VAT rates of 30 per cent and five per cent respectively be adopted for 2013-2015 and that the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme, CISS, Account be transferred to Nigerian Customs Service, NCS.” He said that the joint conference also rejected the structures in states, senatorial zones and local governments over Federal Government’s SURE-P intervention programmes. Enoh added that the details of SURE-P to be executed under the programme be attached as addendum to the annual appropriation for scrutiny and approval by the National Assembly. Others are: that crude oil production levels be retained at 2.526 million barrels per day for 2013, 2.61 for 2014 and 2.648 for 2015. *That the revenue target of the NCS for 2013 should be increased. *That government must take urgent steps to review all laws that allow its agencies to expand their revenue base with little or no operating surpluses. *That government should increase funding for frontier exploration services to increase the nation’s crude oil resources and that government and its agencies must comply fully with the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

He said the joint conference also agreed that the sustenance of people in the Niger Delta should be given priority attention and prominence in order to guarantee unfettered production of crude oil. *That the use of an Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information system, IPPIS, which commenced some time ago should cover all MDAS to effectively reduce the wage bill in line with overall objective of reducing recurrent expenditure. *That the habit of poor budget implementation and return of unspent funds is at variance with the hallmarks of best practices and should not be encouraged. *That the additional funds arising from the $4 increase in the $79 per barrel benchmark will be substantially used to reduce domestic borrowing and deficit as well as fund execution of critical infrastructures. Meanwhile, the Senate is expected to pass the 2013 appropriation bill tomorrow. Senate President David Mark last week reminded his colleagues that the budget must be passed before the National Assembly would proceed on Christmas and New Year break on December 20. Mark gave the committees up till the end of the week to submit their budget defence reports to the joint finance and appropriation committees for compilation preparatory for the third reading of the bill. Mark had threatened that any committee that failed to submit its report before the weekend, the joint committees would be compelled to take government’s estimates as the approved budget estimate for the affected MDAs. Also yesterday, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the day’s plenary reiterated that the Senate must pass the Appropriation Bill before proceeding on vacation. In another development, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Eta Inang, last week said that the only issue that would be listed on the order paper tomorrow would be the Appropriation Bill. Inang while fielding questions from newsmen

assured that the Senate would discuss and pass it same day before closing the day’s proceedings. President Goodluck Jonathan presented the 2013 budget to the joint sitting of the National Assembly on October 10, 2012. The budget, which the President christened “Budget of fiscal consolidation with inclusive growth,” proposed an aggregate expenditure of N4.92trn for the 2013 fiscal year, representing an increase of about five per cent over the N4.7trn appropriated for 2012. The budget was predi-

cated 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/barrel, an increase from the $72/barrel approved in the 2012 budget. There were two separate meetings between the principal officers of the National Assembly and the President at the State House Abuja last week. The meetings, which were described by the Senate President Mark as routine and normal between the parliament and the executive and meant to

ensure cordial relationship by the two arms of government was said to have been targeted at smoothening the rough edges of the budget. It was believed that the meeting also harmonized the three different positions on the crude oil benchmark. In another development, the Senate will start consideration of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, today. The bill, which was listed for debate yesterday, could not however go as majority of the senators opposed the motion by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor NdomaEgba to introduce the bill.

Senators were of the view that given the mood of the country, particularly concerning the Bayelsa helicopter crash, which led to the death of former Governor Patrick Yakowa and former National Security Adviser, NSA, Andrew Azazi and four others, it would be inappropriate to go on with the debate yesterday. Ndoma-Egba had argued that he should be allowed to read the lead debate while further contributions would be taken today. He was however overruled through a voice vote by other senators.

L-R: Prof. Pat Utomi; Dr. Kanyisola Ajayi; Nobel laureate and author of the book, Prof. Wole Soyinka and former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, during the launch of the book, Harmattan haze on African spring in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Senate flays abuse of military aircraft CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

bystanders that usually accompany the late governor’s convoy was missing as solemn residents in clusters gathered by the road side to bid farewell to the deceased. Senate President David Mark also joined the entourage at the hospital to pay tribute. Kaduna State Government yesterday released the programme for the burial of the former governor. A statement issued in Kaduna by Governor Yero said a Valedictory Executive Council meeting would be held on Wednesday, December 19, at the Government House by 10a.m. to be followed by a wake-keep in the evening. It said that the corpses will leave St. Gerard Catholic hospital on Thursday, for Fadan Kagoma, Yakowa’s birth place for burial.

The statement said funeral mass would be conducted at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Fadan Kagoma on Thursday, December 20 at 11a.m. Also, the State House of Assembly will hold a valedictory session in honour of the former governor today. The information officer of the Assembly, Shaibu Abdullahi said that the session would be presided over by the Speaker, Alhaji Usman Gangara. The late governor left behind a wife, Mrs Amina Yakowa and four children: Peter, Kyola, Rose and Benedicta. Also, no fewer than 10,000 combined security forces have been deployed for the burial of the late governor. A security source said the tense security situation in the state since the death

of the former governor informed the decision to flood the state with heavy security personnel to maintain law and order. “I can tell you authoritatively that over 10,000 security personnel have been deployed to the state to protect life and properties throughout the burial. You know how volatile Kaduna State is, we are leaving no stone unturned,” the source said. Our correspondent who went round the metropolis noted the presence of Army, police and other security operatives on the streets, major roads, markets and government establishments, while military helicopters were on surveillance. In a telephone interview with National Mirror, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Col. Sani

Kukasheka Usman, said the Army would not compromise any security breach. “Yes, we have deployed soldiers because we can’t compromise security of life and property,” he said. Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mallam Aminu Lawan, also confirmed the security blanket. “All our security manpower has been deployed across the state for the burial of Governor Patrick Yakowa. We are expecting more security personnel from other neighbouring states. We are calling on the public to cooperate with security agencies. We will not tolerate any breakdown of law and order during this period. We can’t disclose the number of security personnel but I told you all our manpower were deployed in Kaduna State,” he said.

News

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

BAYELSA CRASH

The widow of former Governor Patrick Yakowa, Amina (left) being consoled by the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Helen Mark, and her husband, David Mark, in Kaduna, yesterday.

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, paying his last respect to the late Governor Patrick Yakowa, during the special valedictory service in honour of the deceased in Yenagoa, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

FG must make report of crash public –CAN AZA MSUE KADUNA

resident of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday urged the Federal Government to make public the outcome of investigation into the naval helicopter crash, which killed former Kaduna State Governor Ibrahim Yakowa, former National Security Adviser, NSA, Andrew Owoye Azazi, and their aides in Bayelsa State. Declaring support for the probe panel, Oritsejafor said that his call stemmed from the fact that similar reports in the past had never been acted on. He said the Bayelsa State crash report should be acted on. Oritsejafor, who spoke with journalists shortly after signing the condolence register at the Kaduna State Government House, commended the new Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, for promising to follow his predecessor’s footsteps. The CAN president spoke through the National General Secretary of the association, Rev. Musa Asake. Oritsejafor said CAN members would continue to pray for the new governor to succeed. He said: “CAN supports the Federal Government for setting up a panel of investigation; we support it and we are looking forward to the report. But we have heard of panels of investigation being set up and reports submitted in the country. We hope and pray that the Federal gov-

ernment would release the report of this one and take action. “The Federal Government should please this time around release the report of this very crash. It is not just setting up the panel; we want an outcome of the panel. So CAN is solidly behind the Federal Government in doing this and we are calling on the Federal Government that if the report is submitted, it should please act on the report. “We were shocked, if there is anything more than shock, we will use that word. We were not prepared for it. We are here

representing our national President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who is out of the country at this very moment. He has asked us to come and greet the family and the people of Kaduna State to tell them that it is only God who can comfort us. “And so to the family we want to say our God is able and He will comfort them. To the people of Kaduna State, the Lord gave us Yakowa, the Lord has taken Yakowa. “We welcome the new governor and promise to pray with him so that the Lord will give him success.

We are so happy to hear that he is going to follow the footsteps of the late governor. We pray that the Lord will help him to do exactly what he has said. “We enjoyed a lot of cooperation from Yakowa. We enjoyed watching him do what he did during the short time he was governor of Kaduna State. We pray that the same relationship will be extended to the new governor. “Our advice to politicians and every human being is that they should take a day at a time and work with their God because you never can tell.”

Sambo’s wife in Kano, visits Navy pilot’s family AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

ife of the VicePresident, Hajiya Amina Namadi Sambo, was in Kano yesterday to condole with the family of the Navy Commander, Murtala Mohammed Daba, an indigene of Kano who was the pilot of the crashed helicopter. Wives of Katsina and Borno governors were with the vice-president’s wife to condole with the bereaved family over the sad incident and prayed Allah to grant the departed souls eternal rest. Sambo’s wife said the

Yakowa died building bridges of friendship –Dickson EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

ayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson yesterday said former Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State died while building bridges of friendship and fraternities across the country. Dickson, who described Yakowa’s death as tragic, spoke in Yenagoa at a special valedictory service in honour of the late governor. He said his demise was a solemn moment for the state. Yakowa, the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi and four others died last Saturday in a plane crash at Okoroba, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on their way to Port Harcourt. Dignitaries that graced the valedictory session in-

cluded former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Commander of the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, Major Gen. Johnson Ochogar, Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Yenagoa, Presidential Adviser on Research and Strategy, Oronto Douglas, Rear Admiral Johnson Olutoyin, other service chiefs, aides to the late governor, among others. The black casket bearing the remains of Yakowa was conveyed into the Executive Council Chambers of Government House about 9am by soldiers. Yakowa’s casket left Yenagoa in an helicopter for Kaduna about 11.30am. Four caskets bearing the remains of the naval pilots, Yakowa and Azazi’s aides were also conveyed in helicopters to various destinations. Dickson said the country

had lost a great hero, friend and detribalised Nigerian. He said: “Our nation has lost a great servant and a patriot. Kaduna State has lost a leader. Bayelsa State has lost a great friend. I, Governor Dickson, have lost a great colleague. This is a solemn moment, we are gathered here today to honour all those who died in the ill-fated Navy helicopter crash last weekend at Okoroba, including dedicated officers and aides. “The valedictory session is to honour the remains of our friend and the governor of Kaduna State, Sir Patrick Yakowa as Bayelsa State remains grateful to all Nigerians. All good human beings are welcomed to Bayelsa State and all human beings are friends to Bayelsa State, including the late Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa.” Dickson promised that the state government would

always be with the families of the late governor, as he prayed God to grant the soul of the late Yakowa eternal rest. He said: “May this type of tragedy never befall our state, Bayelsa, again. May Almighty God also grant the soul of the departed governor rest, Amen.” Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Edmund Allison-Oguru, said the late governor was a detribalised Nigerian who made Christians and Muslims to cohabit in Kaduna State. Allison-Oguru recalled that Yakowa built bridges of unity, peace between Christians and Muslims and also between the North and the South. According to him, the only way to immortalise the late governor was to ensure that Bayelsa State preaches peace and unity to the world.

loss was not only to the immediate family members but to Kano State, the Navy and Nigeria at large, pointing out that the late Daba was a promising young officer of the Nigerian Navy. At the end of her visit, Mrs. Sambo gave money to the widow of the pilot and prayed God to grant her the fortitude to bear the loss. Mrs. Sambo also visited the Government House, where she presented a condolence letter to Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over the loss of an illustrious son of Kano State.

Obasanjo expresses shock

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed shock over the death of Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, former National Security Adviser, NSA, Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi, and four others in a helicopter crash. Obasanjo, who is in the United States, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on telephone that he received news of the men’s death with shock and regret. He said: “This is indeed a tragedy. Our nation has lost compatriots whose contributions have been invaluable and who would still have been giving their best to our development.” The former President condoled with the families of the bereaved and prayed that God should grant them succour. He said: “I pray that God in His infinite mercies grants the deceased eternal rest.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

National News

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

NASS queries NNPC’s excess N48bn expenditure GEORGE OJI ABUJA

he National Assembly Joint Committees on Petroleum (Downstream) yesterday queried the N48billion excess expenditure incurred by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in its 2012 operations. The committees also frowned at the discrepancy between what the corporation earned as income and what was its operational expenditure for the year. The Chief Strategist of the corporation, Dr. Tim Okon, who appeared before the joint committees to de-

fend the corporation’s 2012 budget told the committee that the NNPC made a total of N2.36trillion between January and September, 2012. He also said that the corporation’s total expenditure for the same period, tagged OPEX (Operating Expenditure) totaled N2.84trillion. According to him, the projected revenue for the period was N4.02trillion, which brings the corporation’s performance to 59 per cent, but noted that the full year performance is expected to be N3.23trillion. Okon said the 2012 plan for the three refineries was for the refining of 44million barrels, but only succeeded

in refining 23million barrels out of a total annual allocation of 162million barrels. He said the 162million barrels projected for 2012 was an aggregate of crude oil allocation to NNPC of 445, 000barrels per day. He further noted that a total of 10.1billion litres were refined out of the total expected 18billion litres for the same period. The committee, however, rejected the budget presentation, saying that it was a deliberate attempt by the corporation to “deceive and confuse” Nigerians and the committee. The committee was angry with the corporation

because it failed to furnish the lawmakers with details of how they arrived at the revenues they made during the period and the details of how they spent, what the corporation claimed to have spent. Senator Ayoola Agboola, who raised questions on the budget said; “This is not a budget. A budget should contain details of revenue and expenditure.” Chairman of the joint committees, Senator Magnus Abe, highlighted some of the expectations of the committee, demanding further details of the revenue profile and expenditure made in 2012. Abe’s words: “We can-

not consider the 2013 budget unless we understand how you arrived at the total figures. Tell us know what the sources of the revenues were and how the monies were spent.” Senator Benedict Ayade, also drew the committee’s attention to the discrepancy in the expenditure and revenue profiles. Reacting to this, Senator Abe asked; “Your expenditure is more than the revenue you received during the period. Why is that, where

Ministry, others oppose move to tighten sanctions against oil firms TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; Senator representing Taraba South, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha and celebrant, General T. Y. Danjuma, at a reception to mark Danjuma’s 75th birthday in Lagos, recently.

FG stops cement, sugar importation OLUFEMI ADEOSUN AND STANLEY IHEDIGBO

he construction sector of the Nigerian economy has received a boost as the Federal Government rolls out policies aimed at making cement available at affordable prices, starting from January 2013. In this regard, the Federal Government said importation of cement has been banned with a view to promoting local production. Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the policy, which entailed stoppage of cement importation as well

as the rolling out of a new set of policies that would force down the prices of cement in the country, would be in place in 2013. According to him, the move was necessitated by the determination of President Goodluck Jonathan to make Nigeria one of the leading cement exporting countries next year. The minister, who explained that paper work on the policy had been finalised, said the present administration would ensure that the patronage of local goods is followed by Nigerians as from 2013. He added that the slogan; “Buy Naija, create more jobs” embarked upon by his ministry would not only be

boosted next year, but also be sustained to improve the nation’s economy through jobs creation and increased wealth for Nigerians. Aganga said one of the aims of the ministry was to promote the patronage of local products with a view to promoting economic growth, creating more jobs and generating wealth for the populace. His words: “To achieve this, what we need is adequate information to develop ideas for Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), trade, industrialisation and fostering of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). “For any company to survive, it needs strong values, team work like the

one we do in this ministry. Team work is necessary to help each other succeed, especially among our parastatals and agencies,” he stressed. The minister also disclosed that the government of Qatar had given commitment to invest $390million in Nigeria’s transport sector with a view to helping improve on the country’s infrastructure next year. Aganga said the two countries have concluded arrangement to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the new investment, which he said would further create thousands of jobs for the nation’s teeming youths.

did you get the extra money from? Where did you get that money from?” Responding to the enquiries, Okon said, “The NNPC is a running business and it has reserves and we got the money from the reserves,” even though he had earlier told the committee that he did not have the details with him. He, however, argued that the budget document submitted to the committee was not “an audited account of the NNPC.

he Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Department of Petroleum Resources, and other oil and gas industry players yesterday kicked against a bill seeking to give the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) more powers against oil spillages in the Niger Delta. During its presentation at a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Environment headed by Hon. Uche Ekwunife (APGA-Anambra), on “A bill to amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment etc) Act 2006 and for other matters connected therewith,” the Ministry of a Petroleum Resources, the Department of Petroleum Resources and multinational oil companies opposed the piece of legislation. According to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Department of Petroleum Resources, the bill was more or less transferring the responsibilities of the ministry and the DPR to NOSDRA. The multinational oil companies that spoke at the hearing include Shell, Agip and Chevron that also cautioned that the bill’s regime of fines was more punitive than corrective. The amendment bill sponsored by Mrs. Ekwunife seeks an overhaul of the principal Act and seeks to give the agency far-reaching powers against defaulting environmental abusers. If the bill becomes law, NOSDRA would be vested “with responsibility for

preparedness, detection and response to all oil spillages, oily wastes and gas flare in Nigeria.” In the proposed bill, oil companies that do not report spills within 24 hours are to pay N500, 000 and those who fail to clean up spills N1 million. NOSDRA will also benefit 2.5 percent from the Ecological Fund annually for the management of major oil disasters, 0.5 percent operational funds of oil companies “for the enforcement of environmental legislation in the petroleum sector and 10 percent from the sale of each barrel of oil “for environmental management.” Head, Technical Services in DPR, Mr. Dozie Irrechukwu, opposed the proposed bill, saying it would not be right to hand over the responsibility of DPR to NOSDRA. “If it is considered that DPR is not doing its job because of weak laws, it should be strengthened. We have done well in the areas of monitoring the oil companies, NOSDRA should remain within its traditional responsibility of large spills. “We have only six large spills and if an agency is established, then they will be looking for work to do and this is the reason NOSDRA is looking for repairs of pipeline.”

News

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

VISA scammer, fraudster jailed 18 years ISE-OLUWA IGE

n Abuja High Court judge, Justice Adebunkola Banjoko, has sent a fraudster, Mr. Femi Maurice, to a four-year jail term. The sentence followed his conviction by the court on a four-count charge of obtaining under false pretence, contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act. Similarly, another Abuja High Court judge, Justice Salihu Garba, sentenced one Fidelis Teseer Tule to two years imprisonment for impersonation and obtaining money by false pretence. Tule was arrested following an intelligence report that he was parading himself as a Senior Crime Officer with the EFCC and defrauded unsuspecting Nigerians through a bogus claim that he could secure job placements for them with the anti-graft agency. Both Tule and Maurice were prosecuted by

the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Maurice road to prison followed a petition to the EFCC in which the complainant alleged that sometimes in February, 2007 on his way to Lagos via C.N. Okoli luxurious bus from Abuja , he met the convict who introduced himself as a visa

ABUJA

he Ministerial Committee on the Reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) administrative structure has canvassed the appointment of a civilian director general for the scheme. To facilitate the proposed leadership policy for the scheme, the seven-member committee recommended that NYSC directorate level officers should be trained over the next five years to prepare them for effective competition for the post of the director-general. Committee’s chairman, Dr. Adegoke Adegoroye, made these submissions yesterday while presenting copies of the report to the Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdul-Kadir, in Abuja. Adegoroye, a former permanent secretary, said the committee’s recommendations were based on rigorous consultations with experts and other stakeholders who believed that the appointment of the director-general

also told him that there are slots for four people but that he only succeeded in presenting three people including himself, his brother, Bello Kabir and his landlord’s son. The court was told that the accused person, after succeeding in convincing the complainant, collected the sum of N1, 1m under the false pretence of

procuring a U.K visa for him, his brother and his landlord’s son but that the visas which the convict procured were fake. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the fourcount charge. Prosecution counsel, Gift Odibo, called three witnesses and tendered about 16 exhibits. At the close of the pros-

L-R: Representative of South-West Coordinator of State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), Alhaji Amuda Yusuf; Permanent Secretary, Oyo State SUBEB, Mr. Amao Olugbenga; Chairman, Dr. Busari Adebisi and Consultant, University of Ibadan Ventures, Dr. Oyedare Oyeniran, at the 2012 Teachers Development Workshop in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Committee advocates civilian DG for NYSC JOEL AJAYI

agent and protocol officer with the National Assembly, Abuja . The complainant wrote that the convict claimed he processed visas for people and buttressed his claim by showing him six Nigerian International Passports with visas which he said could be procured at the cost of N350, 000.00 a piece and

for the scheme should be internalised in order to stop perceived frustration of officers who would have liked to end their career at the top most position of the scheme. He said: “A critical issue identified by the committee is the conventional practice of appointing the NYSC chief executive from a unit of the Nigerian Army, without the law expressly stating so. “This practice as the committee gathered from widespread consultation and observed from the general attitude of the staff has not only bred frustration among the top Directorate Officers but makes feel shut out from rising to the pinnacle of their career and also denying the scheme from benefiting from the experience of its pool of officers.” While accepting the report, the Youth Minister expressed satisfaction that it came at a point that the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was serious about reforming every sector of the nation.

ecution’s case, the defence called one witness and tendered no document. On November 21, 2012, the accused was convicted on all four counts and sentenced to four years imprisonment on each count which adds up to 16 years. The sentence is to run concurrently from the date of judgment. Tule, who was sent to two years imprisonment, was said to have operated within the judicial division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja by using a false identity card entitled: “Economy Fund Crime Commission” and bearing Mr. Fidelis T. Tule with ID card No: SCO/236/008 to hoodwink his victims. He was arrested and subsequently arraigned on an eight-count charge on November 10, 2011 for committing the offence contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code Law Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria ( Nigeria ) 1990 and punishable under Section 364 of the same Law.

Plateau LG workers may suspend seven-month old strike soon JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

ndications emerged yesterday that the seven months old strike embarked upon by the Plateau State local government workers may end soon. Addressing journalists yesterday in Jos, the state capital, Director of Research and Documentation to Governor Jonah Jang, Mr. Chris Kwaja, said the government was willing to pay the workers three months salaries while negotiation continues. Besides, National Mirror also learnt that the Federal Ministry Labour, the Plateau

State Government as well as the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have been meeting in Abuja for the past two days on how to end the lingering strike According to Kwaja, the decision to pay the workers was arrived at, after the state government discussed with the local government authorities. He said: “The state government is willing to pay the workers their salaries from October till December notwithstanding the government’s position on no-workno pay policy. That is not to say that discussions cannot continue; in every agree-

ment, discussions still continue, people still engage one another because we are all partners in progress.’’ But it was not clear if Labour would accept the three months salaries offered by the government. Kwaja, who expressed disappointment with the role played by the NLC national leadership over the strike, said it was unfortunate that the Congress National Working Committee could resort to violence and threat of fresh ultimatum when it should be playing a mediatory role to resolve the impasse. Meanwhile, a group called Plateau Patriots has ap-

pealed to the Labour leaders to prevail on the workers to return to their duty posts. In a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Jos by its spokesman, Mr. Danjuma Golu, the group appealed to the workers to put aside “all personal and selfserving agenda” and call off the strike in the interest of the state The group said: “This is not the time to display a show of superiority; the Labour leaders must recognise that there is the need to lay aside all personal and self-serving agenda to work for the common good of the generality of the workers.”

Ex-Head of State, Abubakar, decries carnage in North PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

ormer Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has decried the carnage and destruction of public property by some hoodlums in the North. Gen. Abubakar said the killings of innocent lives had been affecting the

national economy negatively, adding that the impact was more felt in the North. The former Head of State, who spoke in Lapai shortly after he and others were inaugurated as members of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Endowment Fund Board of Trustees by Niger State Governor,

Dr. Babangida Aliyu, said the insecurity must be addressed for the nation to develop. He said: “I believe people who have grievances against the government should come out to discuss their grievances and settle for peace.’’ Gen. Abubakar, however, urged parents to monitor the movements

of their children. Paying tribute to the late Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa, who died last Saturday in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa State, the former military leader said the nation had lost a worthy citizen. Also speaking, Governor Aliyu described the relationship between the late Yakowa and Gen. Abubakar as cordial.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Wednesday December 19, 2012

Lagos pension fund hits N33bn –Fashola

MURITALA AYINLA

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday said that the Lagos State Contributory Pension Scheme (LSCPS) fund has hit N33 billion, just as he presented retirement bond certificates worth N3,576,896,481.57 to the seventh batch of 604 retir-

ees in the in the state public service. Presenting the bond certificates to the benefiting retirees, Fashola reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the welfare of retired civil servants, adding that his administration would not allow those who had served the state meritoriously, suffer. His words: “It is worthy

of note that we have never failed to remit monthly contributions into the Retirement Savings Account of workers and to date, over N33 billion has been paid to the six Pension Fund Administrators by way of contributions. Similarly, “We have been consistent in setting aside the funds for the payment of accrued rights as provided for in the Pen-

sion Reform Law.” Fashola, who was represented by the state Head of Service, Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, said that the certificates represented accrued pension rights made up of gratuity and pension entitlements of every worker before April 1, 2007, when the contributory pension scheme started in the state. The governor contin-

ued: “As of today, a total of N3,576,896,481.57 has already been transferred into the Retirement Savings Account of the 604 retirees in this seventh batch. “Today’s bond presentation has thus brought the total accrued pension rights already paid into the Retirement Savings Accounts of 2,539 retirees in Lagos State to N13,910,187,732. 47. This is made up of gratuity and pension benefits for entitlements under the old scheme. On his part, the Director-General of the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), Mr. Rotimi Hussain, said the state government would not relent in ensuring that the welfare of the retirees are taken care of, adding that automated pension administration mechanism had been put in place to ensure this.

“The commission has in place a highly automated pension administration mechanism and staff that have been trained to attend to retirees diligently. This has had a great impact on the administration of the pension scheme in the state,” he said. He assured retirees that the Fashola administration would continue to support and ensure that workers were comfortable at retirement through the regular payment of monthly contribution into their retirement savings accounts, even as he congratulated the new retirees for serving the state diligently. State Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Florence Oguntuase, said the state had remained a shining example for others in terms of pension administration.

Osun plans state burial for Kayode Esho ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife, Oba Adesesan Oguntayo (left) and Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, during a courtesy visit of Ijebu Ode Grammar School Old Students’ Association to the Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, yesterday.

Foundation decries violence, lauds National Mirror

he Damian U. M. Azubuike Foundation has roundly condemned the spate of violence ravaging the country, saying that Nigeria would not have been experiencing this security challenge if “we possess the art of understanding ourselves.” The foundation also lauded National Mirror for its “exemplary contribution to media development,” through which it was promoting good governance and sustainable de-

velopment in the country. Speaking during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of National Mirror in Lagos, the Eze-elect of Nneator Nweafor autonomous community in Isiala Mbano, Imo State, Remigius Nnanna, said the foundation is an international platform for positive discourse on strategic change, research and sustainable development and is also providing solution to contemporary issues in the country.

He added that as a result of the security challenges facing not only Nigeria, but the entire universe, the foundation is advocating for sustainable peace which he described as a peaceful state of the mind. He commiserated with the families of the victims of the insecurity pervading the nation, especially the ones occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency and the recent flooding which ravaged parts of the country. President of the foun-

dation’s trustee, Nnamdi Azubuike, who highlighted the aims of the foundation to include the promotion and celebration of excellence in innovation, education, research, leadership and entrepreneurship; identifying and addressing multi-dimensional challenges that inhibits women, youth and children, among others, solicited for National Mirror’s partnership as it strives to positively impact on the society.

MTN Entrepreneurship Business Grant winners emerge

n conclusion of this year’s leadership seminar, MTN, one of Africa’s largest telecommunications operators is set to unveil the budding Entrepreneurship Business Grant winners, at an event slated for Thursday, December 20, 2012, at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki. The business grant is an entrepreneurshipsupport initiative to assist Nigerian budding youths, who participated in the entrepreneurship compe-

tition, which took place earlier in the year. Following invitation for entries in April, over 2,000 business plans were received for which MTN set up a faculty that has pruned the numbers to the best 40 per region. Each of the best 40 entries was later screened for the emergence of the final 12 entries. But among the 12 have now emerged three winners, who were able to convince the faculty that

comprises of a select team of professionals and people of proven character, of the claims made in their business plans, regarding the viability and personal ability to execute the plan, if awarded the business grant. The first prize winner, aside getting a business grant of N20 million from MTN, will be given a sixmonth mentorship under the supervision of FATE Foundation, an entrepreneurship development

non-profit organisation. The first and second runners-up will receive a grant of N5 million each to breathe life into their business plans. The leadership seminar holds annually across Nigeria’s major cities. With a record turn-out in all the venues, the participants range from students to members of corporate Nigeria, who aspire to be either employers of labour or valuable assets, within their organisations.

s the body a legal luminary, Justice Kayode Esho, is to be laid to rest this Friday at his country home in Ilesha, Osun State, the state government and the family of the deceased have concluded arrangements to give the legal icon a heroic state burial. Chairman of the state burial committee, Hon. Oguntola M. Toogun, who made this known to journalists in Osogbo yesterday, said that the state burial was a necessity because of his contributions to the state, country and the legal profession. Toogun, who affirmed that Justice Esho was not only a courageous and fearless judge, said he was equally known during his life time for his brilliance and illuminating judgment in the judiciary. The state burial committee chairman stressed further that the late jurist had to his credit “many landmark judgments that stood him out as an exceptional jurist” thereby making him the only judge in the world that was invited twice by the United State Supreme Court for refresher programme. Such cases that stood him out, he said include

the Shagari vs Awolowo election judgment in 1979, where he delivered the only dissenting judgment. He hinted, however, that adequate security has been put in place by the state government to ensure a hitchfree burial ceremony for the deceased who was an “illustrious son of the state and a legend in the judiciary.” While giving the breakdown of the burial ceremony, Hon. Toogun said that; “the service of songs at Bodija International School, will be organised today while the state government will receive the corpse of the jurist tomorrow at the Asejire border between Oyo and Osun States. “Other events, he said will include Christian Wake-keeping at the Anglican Church of the Risen Christ at his residence, Oke Omi Iru, Ilesa while a farewell oratory session in honour of the jurist will be held by the state executive council and others at the Governor’s Office, Abere, Osogbo. His remains will be handed over to the family at the boundary between Ijesaland and Osogbo for burial after a funeral service at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Omofe, Ilesa on Friday.” It will be recalled that the late Justice Esho died in Great Britain at the age of 87.

South West

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Residents flee as pipeline explosion rages in Lagos • Fire fighters battle to access scene A pipeline explosion on Monday night occurred at Ijeododo in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, following the activities of some suspected vandals. The fire, which caused some residents of the area to flee their homes, continued to rage early yesterday. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that though fire fighters arrived at the scene four hours after the fire, which was said to have begun at about 8:00 pm on Monday, they could not immediately access the area. Speaking with NAN) the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said they contacted the fire service as soon as they got news on the fire. Farinloye said: “We contacted the fire fighters though they could not get to the scene because of the

nature of the area. “We have also contacted officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) ,who have immediately blocked all the outlets, which is why the fire is subsiding. “He also said that a special bridge would be erected immediately to allow the officials get to the spot of the vandalised pipes.” Farinloye spoke as residents of Ijeododo recounted their experiences on the pipeline explosion. Mr. Sunday Obiase, a dispatch rider, who resides in the locality, told NAN that he was in his wife’s shop between 7:0pm and 8:0pm on Monday night when they noticed the fire. Obiase said when the fire was noticed, everyone began to lock their shops and flee as they saw it increasing.

A landlord, Mr Sabinus Igbozuluke, said he gathered his important belongings and keep them away for fear of the unknown. “I immediately gathered my certificates and other important belongings because the fire could get beyond control,” he said. According to a man, who claimed he was a security man in the area and simply identified himself as Baba Tunde, the vandals came

through Festac and not Ijeododo. “There is no road from Ijeododo to the scene, everywhere is swampy, you can only pass through Festac which is closer,” he said. Another resident, who did not want to be identified, said vandals have their skills in getting to the site from both ends. “The vandals know themselves and ways to

get to the site even though the swamp is deep, there should be proper security there,” he advised. Another landlord, who just completed his house, Mr Vitalis Ukewui, said that such an incident occurred in 2011 which kept the area in darkness for over seven months. He said the community had to task themselves to restore electricity. “Last year, this same thing happened and we were left in darkness for

over seven months until we paid some levy,” he said. He expressed fear that this outbreak was more severe than the previous one and could leave the whole area in darkness. It could also not be immediately ascertained if there were casualties in the incident. NAN reports that some residents, who fled on Monday, were also returning on Tuesday to survey the situation while some school children stayed at home.

Arepo pipeline vandalism: Court fixes January 24 for trial

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday ordered the continued remand at the Ikoyi Prisons of six persons charged with vandalism of oil pipeline in Arepo, Ogun State. Those charged are Joel Inerepamu (25), Reuben Oluwole (60), John Isaiah (28), Ineye Okposa (40), Timi Gunugunu (22) and Olisa Saheed (25). Justice Mohammed Idris gave the order at the resumed hearing of the case and fixed January 24 and January 25 for the commencement of the trial. Justice Idris’ action followed an application for adjournment by Mr Emma Enang, a prosecution counsel, on behalf of the lead counsel, Mr Toyin Ibadin, who was said to be in Abuja on another official assignment. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants had been ordered to be remanded in prison custody on November 29 after their arraignment on charges bordering on oil pipeline vandalism and murder. The men are facing a seven-count charge bordering on vandalism of an oil

pipeline and the murder of three engineers with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). During their arraignment, the prosecutor told the court that the accused, on September 5, at about 6:00pm, at Arepo, Ogun State, conspired to vandalise an NNPC oil pipeline located in the vicinity. He alleged that the accused vandalised the pipeline and scooped out large quantities of petroleum products for illegal sale. Ibadin also told the court that on sighting NNPC engineers assigned to maintain pipelines in the area, the accused opened fire on them. He alleged that the engineers were shot dead by the accused. The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 3(6), 7(a), 7(b), and 17(a) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. He said that the offence of murder also contravened Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. However, all the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The explosion yesterday.

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) officials arriving at the scene yesterday.

Ex-CBN Governor, Sanusi, decries nation’s economy structure MURITALA AYINLA

ormer Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Joseph Sanusi has said that the nation’s economy structure is inimical to development. He said that there is the need for overhaul of the country’s political and economic structure to put the nation on the path of development. Sanusi, who decried the high current expenditure of the nation, said there is no way the country would progress with the economic policy which placed higher percentage of the country’s budget on current expenditure. Speaking with National Mirror during his visit to the Lagos State Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja, the former CBN chief said that the Sovereign Wealth

Sanusi

Fund (SWF) should still be maintained, adding that the rainy day for which he advocated for its creation, had not come since the oil price is high. Sanusi canvassed reassessment of the country’s values system to enable the nation embark on progressive ideals that would drive the economy. He said: “If you are expending so much of your money on current expenditure, how do you develop? They reduce to either from 72 to 70 percent or there about. Even 70 per cent for

current expenditure for God sake is too high! And people are not even stopping, they want more local governments, they want more. You cannot get development. We cannot continue to have oil money forever. “Then, apart from expenditure, there should be a change in our culture, culture of hard work; I think we have gotten it too free for a long time. People don’t want to work anymore. All they want is money and if you get it without creating value, you are only creating inflation.” Sanusi added that Nigerians no longer get values for the huge annual budget estimates as it were in the past due to little or no commitment to build a stronger economy, calling for the need to re-assess the ideals and values system to get the country back on the right track.

Amosun extols Eso’s virtues KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

overnor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State yesterday described the late retired judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Kayode Eso, as a courageous jurist. Amosun spoke during his condolence visit to the Ibadan residence of the Esos, recalling the late jurist’s dissenting judgment in the celebrated 122/3 of 19 states during the 1979 presidential poll dispute. According to him, the dissenting judgment was one of the defining moments in the political history of the nation, especially the South-West. He said: “We are here not to mourn Justice Eso, but we have come to celebrate the passage of a courageous jurist, a diligent man and a shining example. “The late jurist sacrificed his yesterday for our today so that we can raise our heads high.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South East

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

N13.5bn bond: Probe Okorocha, ex-LG chairmen ask EFCC, ICPC A nti-graft agencies have been asked to investigate the alleged misappropriation of the N13.5 billion bond proceeds purportedly handed over to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State by former Governor Ikedi Ohakim. The ousted chairmen of the 27 Local Government Areas of the state under the aegis of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, made the call on Monday. The chairmen, who petitioned the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission, ICPC, also called on the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to immediately disarm and disband Imo Security Network, a private armed gang, which they accused Okorocha of using to terrorise lawabiding citizens of the state. Addressing the press after submitting their peti-

tion to the anti-graft agencies, the Secretary of the group, Enyinnaya Onuegbu accused Okorocha of fleecing the local government funds. He said: “Since June 2011, the Joint Accounts Committee in Imo State has not functioned and all statutory allocations due to the local governments totalling over N80 billion has been misappropriated by Governor Okorocha. “Governor Okorocha has also used the allocations due to local governments in the state as a col-

lateral to borrow over N45 billion from Zenith Bank and another N28 billion from Diamond Bank. “These borrowings are clearly illegal. State governments are not allowed to borrow more than 50 per cent of their previous year’s allocation. Here again Governor Okorocha is showing his contempt to rule of law. By his own admission, he has committed Imo State to contractual obligations worth over N400 billion. Yet there are no documents for these contracts.”

Soldiers, SARS killing our members -MASSOB NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

he Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has accused soldiers, men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, and the Anambra State Vigilante Service, AVS, of indiscriminately arresting and killing its members in Onitsha. Its National Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, said in a statement issued in Onitsha, Anambra State yesterday, that on December 7, about 120 MASSOB mem-

APGA guber ticket not for sale –Masalla OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

factional National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Alhaji Sadiq Masalla, yesterday said that the governorship ticket of the party in Anambra State was not for sale. Masalla, who spoke on the background of the preparation for the governorship election in the state slated for December 2013, said the ticket would be claimed by the person that merited it at the congress. He described the purported reconciliation and unification of the party by Victor Umeh as a show of comedy, adding that the party was not averse to any peace move, but it must be genuine, sincere and sustainable. Addressing journalists in Abuja, Masalla, supported by party leaders, said APGA would come out strong from the crisis. He said: “All we are saying is that there must be a primary election in Anambra State gubernatorial election, nobody will emerge automatically. There will be free and fair primary by the grace of God. APGA ticket is not for sale, it will go for the person who merits it at the congress.” Masalla warned Umeh to desist from rubbishing the party through the use of propaganda as peace could not be achieved through such means.

L-R: Managing Director, Flour Mills Plc, Dr. Emmanuel Ukpabi; Abia State Governor Theodore Orji; his deputy, Sir Emeka Ananaba and Milling Director, Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Solomon Oguchukwu, during the presentation of relief materials by Golden Penny to Abia State flood victims in Umuahia, yesterday.

Obi presents N110bn 2013 budget CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

overnor Peter Obi of Anambra State yesterday presented a proposal of N110.890 billion for 2013 budget. The proposal christened: “2013 Budget of Integrated Development VI,” was presented by the governor at a special plenary of Anambra State House of Assembly in Awka. The budget represents an increase of 33.28 per cent over that of 2012. In the 2013 budget, N70.895 billion is allocated for capital expenditure while N39.995 billion is earmarked for recurrent expenditure. The projected revenue earning for the 2013 fiscal year stands a N66.5 billion comprising N12.5 billion

Obi

to be derived from the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, and N54 billion is expected from the state’s share of Federation Account. Presenting the budget, Obi said it was result-based and aimed at helping both the actualisation of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, by 2015 and steering Anambra State towards achieving comprehensive development. The policy thrust of 2013 budget, according Obi, is to sustain and intensify various interventions in

the area of poverty reduction, promote those programmes and projects that address the critical targets of the MDGs, intensify the enthronement of good governance and adopt public service and public financial management system in line with international best practices. It also aims at the promotion of measures to ensure maintenance of security of lives and property as well as to encourage fruitful Public Private for the overall development of Anambra State. After the presentation, the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Harford Oseke (Awka South 11) moved the motion for the adoption of the budget as a working document. After it was unanimously adopted, the budget was

referred to the Finance and Budget Committee, which was mandated to work on it and ensure its passage into law before January 31, 2013. The Speaker, Princess Chinwe Nwaebili, assured of speedy scrutiny and passage of the budget.

bers, were attacked by AVS men. He said his members were on a peaceful procession on Sokoto Road, Onitsha, in readiness for the burial of Uchechukwu Ejiofor, a MASSOB member, who was shot dead by soldiers on November 11. Madu added that while the peaceful procession was going on, leaders of AVS picked up their megaphone and announced that Governor Peter Obi was not comfortable with MASSOB activities and had ordered them to flush MASSOB out of Anambra State. He said after a series of intervention by some MASSOB officers on the ground to stop the men of state vigilante numbering about 50, with six security Hilux vans, 10 security motorcycles armed with assorted rifles, machetes, daggers, bows and other weapons, the AVS insisted that the MASSOB funeral procession would not hold and subsequently invited the Army, SARS operatives and mobile policemen from Onitsha to attack the armless MASSOB members. But reacting to the allegations, the AVS leader, Chinenye Ihenko (Okpompi), said he had no business trying to disrupt MASSOB activities, except that one of their members was caught after breaking somebody’s shop inside the market and stealing weavons. He noted that while the AVS men were trying to arrest him and hand him over to the police for stealing, some MASSOB members attacked his boys, hung a used tyre on the neck of one of their operatives and attempted to set him on fire.

Complete N1.5bn Zik’s mausoleum, ONICCIMA urges FG NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

nitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ONICCIMA, has asked the Federal Government not to renege on its promise to complete the 16-year-old abandoned N1.5 billion Zik’s Mausoleum project. The ONICCIMA President, Sir Tim Anosike, made the call at the chamber’s 23rd Annual Lun-

cheon and Award ceremony in Onitsha. He said the best thing to do to the Great Zik of Africa, in appreciation of his sacrifice to the country, was to give him a befitting resting place. Anosike noted that the chamber was delighted about the Federal Government’s promise to complete the abandoned mausoleum project, especially when it re-awarded the job to a new contractor at a cost of N1.5 billion.

South South

Wednesday December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Court awards N140m against police for unlawful detention SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

Benin High Court has ordered the Edo State Police Command to pay N140 million as compensation to one Mr. Omoruyi Ayori Ogundezi and six others for unlawfully detaining their vehicles since 2009. In a suit between Ogundezi, Anene Ugwoke, Alhaji Abu Sifyan Bello and four others v

the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command and the Divisional Police Officer of Igarra, counsel to the applicants, Mr. R.I.D Okezie, sought a declaration that the respondents’ illegal acquisition of the vehicles amounted to an infringement of their rights. The other applicants are Lucky Ukponwan, Onoba Jacob, Yusuf Aliu and Alhaji Abdullahi Suleiman.

Okezie prayed the court to grant an order against the respondents, making them to pay the applicants jointly the sum of N140 million being N20 million general damages per applicant for the unlawful detention of the vehicles. The applicants were initially arraigned before Wuse Magistrate’s Court 2 in Abuja on trump up charge of illegal possession of firearms.

They were among the 26 persons arrested and paraded by the police for allegedly possessing arms and ammunition during the August 22, 2009 Akoko Edo re-run election into the Edo State House of Assembly. But ruling on the case that was not challenged by the police even after the service of all the court processes, Justices J.O Okeaya-Inneh said that the absence of a counter-

affidavit from the respondents was an indication that the facts deposited to by the applicants in the affidavit’s evidence were true, uncontroverted and undisputed. The judge said: In this case before me, there is affidavit evidence by the applicants. There is no counter-affidavit by the respondents. They have been served with all the processes in this suit and there is proof of service

Okonjo: Army releases detained 63 suspects

Kidnapped fabrication worker regains freedom

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

he 63 suspects arrested last Saturday at Ozanogogo in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State in connection with the abduction of Prof. Kamene Okonjo, the mother of Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, have been released. The suspects were arrested by Army officials from the 4th Brigade Headquarters in Benin, the Edo State capital. National Mirror learnt from the Nigeria Army authorities that the suspects were released in the early hours of yesterday. The Public Relations Officer of the 4th Brigade, Capt. Rose Managbe, said that the Dein of Agbor, Keagborkuzi, sent three chiefs to sign surety for the suspects before they were released. Capt. Managbe, however, dismisses the allegation that the suspects were forced to pay for their food in detention. She also denied that none of the suspects was forced to pay N70, 000 to secure the release. One of the chiefs, Chief Gideon Okobia, did not deny that the monarch sent them to secure the release of the suspects.

Prof. Kamene Okonjo

in court file. “It would seem to me that either the respondent has no defence to the suit or they are not interested in the outcome of the entire suit. The respondents are hereby ordered to pay the applicants jointly the sum of N140 million being N20 million general damages per applicants for the forcibly take possession of the applicants’ vehicles without paying compensation to them since 2009.” Justice Okeaya-Inneh also ordered the police to immediately release all the vehicles impounded.

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

K L-R: Delta Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara and Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Rukeivwe Ugwunba, at the inauguration of the 2012 Free Rural Health Scheme in Illah, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Uduaghan flags off free rural health scheme Warns against sabotage

elta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has flagged off the 2012/2013 Free Rural Health Scheme with a promise that adequate and affordable healthcare are paramount to his administration. Besides, he warned health officials and dubious members of the public against extorting money from residents as the rural health scheme is free, saying anyone caught sabotaging the programme would be dealt with. Dr. Uduaghan, who spoke yesterday at the flagoff of the scheme at Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, said the initiative was to provide free healthcare for rural dwellers. Stressing that the health of the people is pertinent to maintaining a wealthy state, he said his administration was committed to building a healthy state. Uduaghan explained that the free mobile hos-

pital provided by the government was to enable health workers visit communities across the state for free treatment. He said: “The free mobile hospital is one of the best in the country. It is well equipped and better than many hospitals in the country. We have provided the hospital to enable health personnel go to the interior of the state to treat sick people.”

The governor appealed to residents, especially those living in the rural areas to embrace the scheme for qualitative healthcare delivery. He stressed that the treatment is free and asked women not to pay for medication whenever they visit any of the rural health centres. Uduaghan said: “This is a free treatment programme, there is no age limit. This scheme includes

general medical consultation, laboratory investigation, basic eye examination, surgical intervention, HIV counseling and immunization, among others.” In his brief address, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara, said the free rural healthcare include screening for early detection and treatment of diseases, preventive and curative care for all diagnosed medical and surgical disease conditions.

idnapped Nigerian worker of Hyundai Fabrication Company at Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has regained his freedom. The victim, simply identified as Mr. Giwa, regained his freedom barely two hours after his abduction by eight gunmen. Giwa was among four Chinese workers of the firm abducted on Monday. National Mirror learnt that the armed men dumped blindfolded Giwa in Odioma creek where he was for four hours before a local fisher woman accosted and conveyed him to Odioma Police Post. The police have, however handed the victim over to his company. The whereabouts of the four Chinese are unknown as at the time of filing this report as the gunmen are yet to contact their company.

Why my administration recorded success –Akpabio

overnor Godswil Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has disclosed what prompted his administration to provide good governance to the people. He said anger prompted him to invest tax payers’ money in projects that have direct impact in the lives of the people. The governor said: “Anger made me to achieve what I have done so far. I will hereby recommend positive anger to African

leaders so that we can move away from this present position we are to an advantaged one in the committee of nations. “The condition I met my state when I assumed office in 2007 caused great anger in me and that led to what has been widely recognised as uncommon transformation in my state where we declared free and compulsory education from primary to secondary school levels, free heath care for chil-

dren from five years and below, free medical treatment for pregnant women and the aged. “We have also been able to put in place an international airport and independent power plant to ensure that we have uninterrupted power supply to boast large and small scale businesses. “With all we have in Akwa Ibom, it is the safest destination for investors in the oil, gas and other sectors of the economy

and that is why I use this occasion to invite you to my state because it is safe for investments.” Akpabio spoke shortly after he was honoured by the Foundation in Nairobi, Kenya. He dedicated the award to Nigerians. He said: “This award by the Millennium Excellence Foundation is an indication that other Nigerian leaders and governors who have the genuine interest of their people at heart would be recognised.”

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Mimiko’s victory’ll be upturned – Alasoadura

Politics of Edo property law

INEC’ll continue to deregister political parties – Jega OMEIZA AJAYI AND JOEL AJAYI

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday stated that it will continue to deregister political parties that fail to meet electoral requirements. INEC had recently deregistered 28 political parties for failing to win a legislative seat. The Commission, howev-

er, expressed its readiness to abide by any genuine court order asking it to reverse itself also stated that agitation for the creation of special polling units for the physically challenged will not be realistic before the 2015 general elections due to inadequate funds. Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed this yesterday at the Stakeholders’ Validation Conference of the commission’s 2012-2015 strategic plan in Abuja.

He said: “We have taken a decision to de-register 28 political parties and as far as we are concerned we have acted legally. Of course, many political parties de-registered are not happy about the decision; we understand that some of them have gone to court or have said they are going to go to court. “But we await whatever decisions or judgements are to be made by the courts.’’ Jega cited the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) stat-

ing that ”Any political party which contests elections and does not win any electoral seat shall be deregistered.” “Our constitution allows for a multi-party system, but we have the power to de-register parties and we have started. It is a continuous process and we will continue to de-register parties that do not meet requirements for registration, therefore de-registration of the 28 political parties stands.

“As political parties meet the requirements of registration we register them and as they are in the breach of requirements and the breaches are such that they deserve de-registration, we will de-register them.” While urging the stakeholders to join hands with the commission in ensuring a free and fair 2015 general election, Jega said since the de-registration of 28 political parties was an issue already in the court, “the commission as a law-abiding entity would wait patiently for the court order”, pointing out that there is room for any political party that meet up with the legal requirements to be properly registered. He said the stakeholders parley was to review the draft strategic plan as well as action plan by INEC, following the most elaborate consultative process ever undertaken by the commission. He added that although

the trend of “poverty in the society seriously affects the conduct of free, fair and credible election”, the fiveyear strategic plan are to improve voter education, training and research. Others are to provide electoral operation system and infrastructure to support the delivery of a free and fair credible election and to re-organise and reposition INEC for sustained conduct of a free and fair poll. Jega added that the issue of colluding to rig the election by INEC staff, police and politicians will be properly handled. He added that the stealing of electoral mandates remain an issue that will be properly resolved even before the swearing-in of any candidate. One of the consultants to INEC, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, noted the importance of the strategic plan which he said would ensure that leadership at all levels of the commission is enhanced.

Don’t turn Kwara into battlefield, Kwara PDP warns ACN L-R: Benue State governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam(r) receiving a gift from the new Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Tactical Air Command Makurdi, Air Vice Marshal Chimechefulam Onyemaobi during a courtesy call on the governor in Makurdi yesterday.

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

Terrorism: NBA faults NASS’s stand on death sentence

EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

he Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday faulted the National Assembly recommending death sentence for persons convicted of acts of terrorism, saying such measure may not be adequate punishment to curb terrorism in the country. The National Assembly recently passed an anti-terrorism bill into law, where it recommended capital punishment for terrorists. Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN), said the body of lawyers has never considered capital punishment as a deterrent against the global scourge of terrorism, noting that

“adequate sentencing” could serve as a more veritable instrument to discourage the dangerous trend. This is even as Wali chided the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for blaming lawyers and judges for the difficulty and delay in securing convictions against accused persons in court. Wali said that the antigraft agency’s problem lies chiefly in its inability to carryout thorough investigations before charging suspects to court. This development, the NBA observed, stems partly from the fact that the commission is largely ill-equipped, as it lacks forensic laboratories and well-trained investigators to scientifically detect and

prove economic and financial crimes. Wali’s words: “The NBA has always been against capital punishment. Terrorism has taken a dangerous dimension in this country and no one feels safe anywhere, but strong as this may be, the NBA does not support capital punishment. “The temptation is very strong considering the bad image terrorism is giving the country outside, but we do not believe that the best way to deal with a miscreant is by killing him. Adequate sentencing is enough punishment.” On EFCC’s complaint that lawyers and frequent adjournments by courts often frustrate the quick determination of corruption cases, NBA president

warned the commission against “buck passing”, stating that, “Oftentimes, EFCC starts their investigations only when the matter has been charged to court. “The problem we have is that investigation is never thorough; EFCC should stop passing the buck. Where are the forensic laboratories? EFCC is not equipped,” he said. Meanwhile, the NBA has reiterated its determination to address indiscipline and professional misconduct among practising lawyers. The NBA made known yesterday, during the inauguration of two Committees, namely - the NBA Disciplinary committee as well as the Governing Council of the Young Lawyers Forum.

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has warned the state chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) not to turn the state into a battle field for political thugs. The PDP, apparently reacting to a reported freefor-all by ACN supporters over the weekend, resulting from a supremacy battle between the party’s National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed and its gubernatorial flag bearer in the 2011 election in the state, Dele Belgore (SAN), wondered why ACN’s registration exercise would turn into gun wielding and sporadic shooting exercise. In a statement issued by the state Publicity Secretary, Mas’ud Adebimpe, the PDP said that it is now

more than ever obvious to the good people of the state that the ACN in Kwara is a party of thugs which does not mean well for the state. His words: “Why should a simple democratic process lead to violence and political terrorism? Kwara does not need the distraction that the ACN is trying to foist on it and as a party that believes and upholds democratic norms, we condemn in its entirety the ACN recent violence in the state, being promoted by the gladiators in their quest for the 2015 gubernatorial ticket which has now taken ethnic dimension.” Cautioning ACN members not to defile the subsisting peace in the state, the PDP said that it was not surprised at the unfortunate drama the ACN staged over the weekend, describing it as another manifestation that the ACN is peopled by desperate elements.

Politics

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN writes on the Edo Land Use Charge Law 2012, which has been the major issue Governor Adams Oshiomhole has to contend with after his reelection.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Politics of Edo property law cent. After 135 days, BIR is empowered to go to court to recover the charge with 31 per cent interest rate. According to the annual charge rates of the law, commercial property attracts 0.422 per cent; residential property being used for commercial purpose attracts 0.20 per cent; industrial property attracts 0.25 per cent; and owner occupied residential property attracts 0.04 per cent. For example, a chargeable owner occupied property valued at a modest N5 million should attract not more than N2, 000 per annum.

do State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on Friday, December 7, signed the Edo Land Use Charge Bill 2012 into law. Senior government officials, leaders of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and some members of the media attended the brief signing ceremony held at the Government House. Modelled after the Lagos State tenement law, the governor’s accent to the executive bill iced the cake of its passage by the Edo State House of Assembly on Wednesday, December 5, after several contentious debates. By the provisions of the law, property owners in the state are now liable to pay annual rates that will be determined and collected by the state government. Speaking after the signing, Governor Oshiomhole said he had no apology that his government sponsored the law for the purpose of taxing the rich for the poor and warned defaulters to prepare for prosecution. Addressing stakeholders at a meeting three days later, he said: “This law, which I have signed, which we will implement ruthlessly, all our poor people living in high density areas of the state will not pay. This tax is for people living in parts of the GRA. I want to assure you that in all our rural areas, nobody there will pay tax. But if you have a big house in the village in excess of 100 by 100, like me, you will pay. But taxes will not be imposed on family houses. Market women are my people, I know where majority of them live; so, this law is not about them. “My mission in government is not only to build roads, schools, hospitals, restore infrastructure, it is also to ensure that there is justice; that the rich respects the rights of those who are not so rich. Those who are benefitting from a system that impoverishes the poor will do everything possible to maintain their status. Those who do not wish the state well are doing everything possible to turn the truth on its head. From the governor downward, everybody must be under the law. I have the support of the only person who has what others do not have: that is, the paramount traditional ruler who can say he owns the land by reasons of our traditional law. “Those who are rich must be made to pay for the land because the most important resource in Edo State is the land, which nobody brought from heaven. You would have seen how families are squeezed in old traditional homes of ‘face-me, I faceyou’. In that same street, you would have another man who occupies 10,000 square metres from the beginning of the street to another. The truth must be told that before God, we are all equal. If one man could take so much land, and the rest of the people live in a small 50 by 50 land, as he acquired the land, he will pay for it.”

Summary of Land Use Charge Law Described on its headline as “A law to make provisions for the consolidation of all land-based rates and charges payable in

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Intrigues, politics and drama

Oshiomhole

Igbinedion

THOSE WHO ARE RICH MUST BE MADE TO

PAY FOR THE LAND...

IF ONE MAN COULD

TAKE SO MUCH LAND, AND THE REST OF THE PEOPLE LIVE IN A SMALL

50 BY 50 LAND,

AS HE ACQUIRED THE LAND, HE WILL PAY FOR IT Edo State into a single charge to be called land use charge, to make provision for the levying and collection of the charge and for the purposes connected therewith,” Edo Land Use Charge Law 2012 is a 27-item law that took effect on the day it was signed. Section 5 conferred powers on assessors appointed by the Edo State Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Housing to enter, inspect and assess property; request documents and take photographs of assessed property, which the owner or occupier has been duly informed with seven days’ prior notice. Section 6 held the owner of an assessed property liable to pay Land Use Charge while Section 7 empowers the Assembly to approve any alteration or review of rates by the executive organ. Notably, Section 9 exempted the following properties from payment of the charge: a property owned and occupied by religious body, approved exclusively for public worship or used for non-profit making purpose; public cemeteries and burial grounds; public libraries; palaces of recognised traditional rulers; any property specifically exempted from paying by the governor of Edo State through official gazette; owner occupied property that is either 100-by-100ft maximum in a non-choice area of urban settlement or 100-by100ft in a non-choice area of rural settlement; community property solely for meetings, activi-

ties and events; owner occupier pensioner property whose owner is above 60 years old; and family compound. While this section specifically outlawed the exemption of any property in the highbrow choice designated Government Reservation Area (GRA), it recognised, however, the exemption of public facilities for sports and recreation. Section 10 provided for the liability or not of a property, which status changes during the financial year. While section 11 empowered the Commissioner of Land, Survey and Housing to serve a 30-day notice of payment to an owner and forward same to the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), section 12 empowers the BIR as the sole collecting authority. On the other hand, sections 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 provided for the establishment of a Tax Assessment Review Tribunal. The tribunal will be adjudicating on improper valuation of properties, wrong calculation of rates and related issues of appeal filed by a complainant who must have complained same in writing to BIR within 14 days of service. A disagreeable issue is that an appeal requires the payment of a minimum of 10 per cent of charge to be heard. On the other hand, a property owner might be required by the tribunal to bring all original documents of the property to prove true valuation, a possible pitfall that scares many owners of properties without documents in Edo State. Section 18 dealt with the sharing of the proceeds between the state government and local councils, subject to the deduction of a minimum of five per cent from the collection in each council as cost of collection. Sections 19, 20 and 21 dealt with punishment for forced recovery of debt, non-compliance with the law, obstruction of officials, destruction of property identification plaques and fraudulent misrepresentation of chargeable capacity. The fines are: N100,000 for individual and N500,000 for corporate body, three months imprisonment or both. Another interesting insertion is that failure to pay between 45 and 75 days after notice attracts 10 per cent charge of the amount, between 76 and 105 days 20 per cent and between 106 and 135 days 30 per

There is no gainsaying the fact that before its passage, a crowd of people continually gathered daily at the Assembly gates to protest against the law, chanting war songs and hosting placards with various inscriptions, one of which read: “Oshiomhole, do not kill us with heavy tax before you give us infrastructural facilities.” At the height of the debate of the property bill, the ACN-dominated House split into two groups of supporters and opposers the bill. Those who supported the bill were the Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea; Majority Leader, Phillip Shaibu; and Razak Momoh and Johnson Oghuma. The latter group were led by: Patrick Osayinmwen, who argued intensely that the majority of residents that will pay the tax are in his constituency, Oredo. The group also included: Jude Ise-Idehen and Patrick Aisowieren. While the chamber was imploding with arguments and counter-arguments from the ACN lawmakers, protesters gathered outside the Assembly gates daily with threats of violence if it was passed, protesting under the coverage of the Independent Television and Radio (ITV/Radio) camera, whose owner and Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief (Dr.) Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, was unwisely named by a lawmaker as one of the targets of the law. However, there were also protesters that matched through the streets of Benin for the government. It was therefore not surprising to observers that in the final days of the lawmakers’ hurried passage of the bill, ITV/Radio were firmly locked up under the seal of BIR for a tax debt of N12, 882,596.43k, allegedly accumulated between 2005 and 2010. The hostility had already taken roots before then, according to analysts, when Chief Igbinedion insisted on picking the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar from the Benin Airport to his house instead of allowing the visitor to first visit Governor Oshiomhole at the Government House. The situation almost resulted into a violent altercation between the businessman and Oshiomhole’s Chief of Staff, Patrick Obahiagbon, before the governor’s security aides quickly whisked the Sultan away. From the airport, it was extended to Okada, where the governor attended the Sultan’s honorary doctorate degree award from the Igbinedion University. Close aides of the business mogul confided that he was disturbed by the new turn of events.

Voice of stakeholders While some members of the public, who barricaded the Assembly gates during the debates, prepared to confront the lawmakCONTINUED ON PAGE 16

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Politics

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mimiko’s victory’ll be upturned – Alasoadura Chief Tayo Alasoadura was the former Commissioner of Finance in Ondo State under the Olusegun Agagu administration. The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, who is now the National Director of Strategy for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), speaks with SAM OLUWALANA on the last governorship election which his party lost, local government autonomy and other salient issues as they affect his state and the country in general. Excerpts:

would have been enough to win an election; because Mitt Romney almost defeated Barack Obama with his planned massive employment campaign. That was the only point Romney campaigned about and Obama knew he sweated like hell before his victory. But here, people don’t have jobs, we promised we are going to give them jobs, yet they didn’t care. How then do we expect armed robbery and other crimes to stop in our society? Here, we said we will give money to the old in the society to feed, this is what we call social security, this is one of the programmes people in Florida and other places were fighting and yearning for and made them to vote for Obama and I know 20 per cent of the population in this state are made up of old people who should easily support such a thing, but I don’t know why they refused to vote for our party despite all these programmes. However, I believe as we go along, people will understand that they need to fight for their own future at the appropriate time and not for individual interest.

As a politician, how do you feel to be on a losing side? Well, sincerely I must tell you that up till now I feel as if I am dreaming, because it’s very unusual for me to find myself in this kind of position. It is still strange and unbelievable till this time that our party was said to have lost the last governorship election in Ondo State. But when one sits down and looks at all the circumstances, it was glaring that we lost under very bad circumstances. As the Director of Strategy for the party which came third in the election, why did you go to court? Coming third in an election does not mean you cannot go to court if you know that you have been cheated. And who says that the party that came second did not cheat also? So, if you are able to prove your case against the winner and the party that came second, of course your mandate can be restored to you. We have a very good case and I think the best place to seek redress is the court. What are your hopes? Well, our hope is that this victory of the Labour Party (LP) and Olusegun Mimiko would be upturned; looking at the manipulation, the massive electoral malpractices, I guess these should be able to give us our mandate back. But in the alternative, about two parties which participated in the last campaign that also registered candidates found that their names were omitted from the ballot cards, which I think was a very serious matter and if that is proved to be correct, then, that looks like a very good ground for upturning the result of the election. There is an impression that ACN did not have any structure in Ondo State before the election, how true is this? We did not have structure and we were able to garner over 130,000 votes! Did that come from the blues? Is it not human beings that campaigned to people and also build massive followership? Despite the fact that we knew that few mistakes were made here and there, that did not permit us to reap into full what should have been the result, I still believe that by the grace of God, we will ensure it does not happen in future. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 ers at a public hearing, the confrontation did not take place after all, as the lawmakers adopted the report of its standing committee that okayed the law without a public hearing. Clarifying the development, Speaker of the Assembly, Uyi Igbe, said it was neither deliberate nor intended as bills have been passed before without public hearing. Igbe said: “I do understand the feelings of the people. But the way I see it, the people were misinformed. They really do not know the content of the bill as such because if they were well informed, they will know that it is a bill that does not affect them. Today, we have passed the bill. We tried as much as possible to give it a human face. The way it is now, the taxes will be very minimal on the people.”

Alasoadura

LOOKING AT THE

MANIPULATION, THE MASSIVE ELECTORAL MALPRACTICES,

GUESS THESE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE US OUR MANDATE BACK As far as I am concerned, the ACN is the party of the people and a party to beat in Ondo State as of today and we only need to work harder to put our house in order and look at where mistakes were made and correct such and make sure we are fully prepared for future elections in the state. A lot of people believed that the ACN picked a wrong candidate for the election and that was what led to its loss at the poll. How far is this true? Well, I don’t know about that, but what I know is that we have a party and I have always been loyal to the party. So, to me, it did not matter who was picked as the party’s candidate, what I believe in is the collective project of the party and what the party has in stock for the people of this state. For instance, the party said it would create 30,000 jobs in its first 100 days in office. If you look around, you would see hundreds of thousands of our youths roaming the streets. If it were to be in the United States of America, that alone

As a former Commissioner for Finance, do you believe that local governments should have autonomy? Yes, of course. For the past four years, there was no local government election in Ondo State, so the money of the local governments is being spent by the state. Even if they have caretaker committees, these caretaker chairmen are like commissions of a state because they were not elected. They are the representatives of the governor and not of the people, so if they are spending money, it is high time we reasoned that it is the governor that is spending the money and not the people of the local government. So, from what you can see, what development can you point to in any local government in the state in the last four years? Nothing. We can only see market, one market per local government, is that development for God’s sake? I believe something dramatic needs to be done about the administration of local governments, particularly in Ondo State. What is your take on the situation of insecurity in Nigeria? Why do you think there is insecurity in the land? People flaunt their wealth indiscriminately, when you cajole people to vote for you during election and you give them N500 and from that time till another four years, you never bothered to bring any dividend of democracy to their doorsteps, no developmental projects for good four years, what do you think these people will be thinking when they know that you are making money and they know the money you are taking belong to all of us? They will also want to take their own share; those are the causes of insecurity in Nigeria. And then also, our security agencies need to be shaken up. Though we know they are not well paid, they are not alone in that regards, only few people can boast of having what they need in the country. What is your view on the creation of new states? As a politician, I don’t have an answer for that question because in Nigeria, the truth is always very bitter.

Politics of Edo property law The Speaker’s viewpoint was pontificated by Shaibu, who explained that the payment was far too minimal to have any negative impact on the lives of the common man. But a frontline lawyer in the state, Afolabi Olayiwola, disagreed with both the state governor and the Speaker. He said it is going to cause a huge setback to the lives of Edo State’s citizenry while tenants will suffer mostly as every tax imposed on a landlord is going to fall back on his tenants through increased rent. Afolabi’s objection is almost insignificant when compared with the definite opposition of another lawyer and social critic, Omon Irabor, who promptly initiated a legal battle against the

government for introducing the bill. The lawyer’s main grouse is that the lawmakers passed the bill without subjecting it to public scrutiny. In spite of some pronounced opposition, the government obviously enjoys the strongest support of the common man. One of such supporters is a tenant in Benin City, Joseph Obi, who is happy with the infrastructural revolution he has witnessed under the Oshiomhole administration. “It is good that the governor strongly warned landlords. If you look at the bill again, it does not affect the poor and middle class as much as those people that owned the big, sprawling and often abandoned properties in particularly Benin City. Look-

ing at how Oshiomhole has managed the state’s resources, he should be entrusted with the means to raise Edo State’s revenue base and development,” he concluded. According to residents, Edo State has risen in the past four years from the cesspit of underdevelopment to the forefront of developing societies. Analysts remarked, however, that it has not been an easy journey. According to BIR Chairman, Oseni Elamah, from a monthly N300 million of the pre-Oshiomhole era, Edo State is now recording a respectable N2 billion IGR. According to taxation lawyer, Adams Aliyu, the law will have a positive effect on the state’s purse and programmes. He urged support for the government. Indeed, the people can only reach a higher level if government has the fund to pursue development programmes.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Views

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Judiciary and the $12.4bn windfall PUBLIC DOMAIN

DELE

SETEOLU

deleseteolu@nationalmirroronline.net (08033137577 SMS only)

he Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and some civil society groups initiated a court action for a detail probe of the Pius Okigbo Report on the $12.4 billion oil windfall under the Babangida administration. The plaintiffs asked the court for ‘an order of mandamus’ compelling the President, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, individually and collectively, to publish detailed statement of account of the $12.4 billion oil windfall accrued to the country between 1990 and1991 as a result of the Gulf War which pitted Iraq under Saddam Hussein against USA and the West. General Babangida was the nation’s military President from August 1985 to August 1993. The civil society groups prayed the court to compel respondents to publish in major national newspapers a copy of the statement of account of the princely sum of money. The group sought order

to provide adequate reparation though restitution and compensation. In 1994, the Okigbo panel was constituted to investigate activities of the CBN and recommend measures for the reorganization of the apex bank. The Okigbo panel reportedly found that $12.4 billion reserved in a ‘Dedicated and Special Account’, but that it was depleted to $200 million as at June, 1994. Arguing against the request, the AGF and CBN had said that the Okigbo Report was not admissible in the court since no official white paper was issued on it. Rejecting the prayers of the plaintiffs, the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, averred that they lacked locus standi to file such suit; and upheld the preliminary objections by the AGF and CBN. The judge insisted that the legal action was predicated on ‘an incorrigible evidence of doubtful integrity’. The court verdict on the IBB oil windfall is unfortunate and will likely perpetuate political corruption in the country. The Babangida administration had institutionalized corruption and elevated it to state policy. It created dedicated accounts that violated all normal financial rules and due process. The Gulf War increased the price of crude oil beyond the budget estimate, consequently the Nigerian state was said to have had the bountiful excess crude oil earnings of $12.4 billion. Political and bureaucratic corruption has been the major social problem in the

THE COURT HAD EMPHASISED THE STRICT INTERPRETATION OF LAW WITHOUT RESPONDING TO THE LOGIC OF SOCIAL IMPERATIVES country. Nigeria had suffered huge loss of foreign and local earnings, social infrastructure collapse, economic crisis, abandoned and uncompleted projects, political instability, growing material poverty and underdevelopment as a result of the malfeasance of state actors. The collapse of the Second Republic was largely attributed to the leakages, flamboyance of state actors and pervasive corruption. The import licensing system was exploited by the political elite and it became conduit for enriching their cronies. The emergent military administrations, especially the Babangida administration, heightened the level of corruption. It annulled the freest and fairest elections (June 12, 1993 presidential election) in the country’s political history within a context that Larry Diamond, Kirk-Greene and Oyeleye Oyediran referred to as ‘Transition without End’. The successive administrations

failed to issue a white paper on the Okigbo Report thereby suggesting the absence of political will to expose the diversion of the country’s resources. The court had emphasised the strict interpretation of law without responding to the logic of social imperatives. The court should assume activist role and consider the socio-economic underpinnings of litigations. The SERAP suit was important to Nigerians who were eager to secure justice in court. It epitomized the resolve of Nigerians to challenge the misdemeanor of previous leaderships, including the Babangida administration. The court verdict will likely increase the perception of false propaganda by state actors to deal with corruption. Coincidentally, the Transparency International documented in its 2012 report perceptions of Nigerians about their state actors. The state actors are perceived as largely corrupt. I commend the civil society groups for the legal struggle to compel accountability of state actors, present and past. These groups should not relent in the struggle to realize a democratic and transparent society. The debate on Babangida oil windfall is not settled. The Nigerian populace will continue to ask questions; and will not relent till justice is attained. The civil society should continue to insist on public accountability and judicious management of the country’s resources. These are minimum requisites of a responsible and responsive government.

Who is afraid of Mahmood Yakubu? JOHN ADEJAH

HIS APPOINTMENT

WAS ALSO HISTORIC

o many people around the world, the prestigious PhD degree is a symbol of academic excellence signifying the attainment of uncanny proficiency and abilities in a particular field of endeavor and therefore deserving the respect, reverence and admiration of all, even when you disagree with certain positions canvassed by those who have acquired such knowledge. However, in contemporary Nigeria, this acronym seems to have assumed a different and very sinister meaning - PULL HIM DOWN. It is a syndrome of seeking to destroy people for no just cause. This syndrome comes into sharper focus with the malicious and diabolical attempts by some people to drag into the mud the unimpeachable integrity and achievements of the incumbent Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who has just finished his first term in office. In saner climes, the amiable Professor deserves a national honour for his achievements instead of the inglorious attempts by amateurish conscripts to associate his sterling efforts with criminal official impunity. But the question is who is fraud of this achiever? What are they scared of ? One can only answer these questions by taking a cursory look at the performance of Professor Mahmood against the backdrop of what he inherited in 2007 when he was first appointed. The TETFUND as an education interventionist agency established in 1992 merely existed as a palliative organ rendering grossly inadequate financial support to

IN ITSELF BEING THE FIRST ACADEMIC EVER TO HEAD THE INTERVENTION AGENCY public institutions across board, which was insignificant to the real and tangible needs of these institutions. Little wonder why there was a lot of clamor for its scrapping, especially from vocal members of stakeholder unions in the sector prior to the assumption of office of the Mahmoodled management. The late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, on assumption of office, recruited Professor Mahmood, the first and only first class graduate of history from the North, who was then a member of the very dynamic Oby Ezekwesili Educational Transformation Team, a team that received plaudits from Nigerians for its far reaching recommendations for the turnaround of the fortunes of education in Nigeria. His appointment was also historic in itself being the first academic ever to head the intervention agency. His passion to turn around the fortunes of tertiary education in Nigeria is best captured in the first public statement he made on appointment. Hear him: “I know that we complain in the corridors of the university that things are very bad, and therefore an opportunity to serve in ETF is an oppor-

tunity for me to try and make some difference, if not all the difference. And I have always said that I have a personal agenda to make the university system better because that’s where am going back”. With this ‘mission statement’, he engaged with the education stakeholders to strictly apply the interventions of the agency on their core mandates of teaching and research through the upgrading of academic physical infrastructure and the development of human capacity through the postgraduates training of lecturers of tertiary institutions within Nigeria and overseas. This was followed by the amendment of the ETF Act to give a new life to agency to meet the challenges of the 21st century. For this purpose, a National Book Development Fund that supports 102 journals of professional associations, was established. Similarly, a National Research Fund domiciled in TETFund was established. In addition, 5, 200 lecturers from tertiary institutions nationwide have so far been sponsored by TETFund for postgraduate studies, out of which 1, 200 of them are right now studying in various universities abroad. This is a deviation from the usual practice before him where the only effort made to sponsor academic staff for postgraduate studies was a one-off allocation of N1.75m to each university. Also, TETFUND under Mahmood, witnessed a more robust collection of Education Tax receipts. The sum of N284.9 billion was collected between 2008 and 2010 as against N178.0billion for the period 1994-2007. This was as a result of the development of more imaginative ways of collection of Education Taxes by the Fund in active collaboration with the FIRS.

With this improvement, the allocations to tertiary institutions also rose. This year alone, six Nigerian universities, for the first time, broke into the ranks of top 100 universities in Africa! Now in TETFUND, there exists the concept of High Impact Interventions for tertiary institutions wherein between one to three billion naira is awarded to various institutions at once. This massive injection of funds is to progressively upgrade facilities in the beneficiary institutions thereby turning them into Centres of Academic Excellence. So far, over 50 tertiary institutions have benefitted from this intervention. It is instructive to note that since Mahmood assumption, no single case of graft has been made against him. Naturally, these types of resounding successes comes with opposition from agents of the Pull Him Down syndicate. These people, who are averse to change and want the rot in the educational sector to continue so as to advance their pursuit of filthy lucre, will stop at nothing to checkmate this agent of revolutionary transformation. However, Nigerians now know better and urge the President to do the needful by not only reappointing Prof Mahmood for a second term, but also to support him. Dr. Adejah wrote from Abuja Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Wednesday, December 19, 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

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

Beyond FG’s N22.6bn bailout for capital market

he Federal Government’s recent decision to write off the N22.6 billion debts of stock-broking firms is a welcome development capable of bolstering public confidence in the nation’s capital market that was diminished by reckless margin loans and unscrupulous transactions that brought the once thriving market down on its knees. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had a few days ago, announced that the FG had pardoned the N22.6 billion bad debts of 84 stock-broking firms. The unscrupulous stock brokers had, alongside reckless, greedy and unscrupulous commercial banks, grievously messed up the country’s economy by wrecking the stock market n 2008, dropping the market’s capitalization from about N13 trillion to N6 trillion in the process. A large number of the stockbroking firms set up by commercial banks under the poor supervision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had rubbished the capital market through insider trading. Some days ago, the Investment and Securities Tribunal (IST) found guilty the former managing director of the Union Bank, Bartholomew Ebong and four other directors for share swindles that virtually destroyed the number two bank

THE SEC AND CBN SHOULD WAKE UP TO THEIR STATUTORY REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITIES IN ORDER TO NIP MARKET FRAUDS IN THE BUD in the country. An audit firm was said to have been appointed to determine the losses of investors and the recovered loot from the unlawful share manipulation deposited in an escrow account for refund to the affected investors. Union Bank’s share price had crashed from about N40 to N5 per unit. Although reckless commercial banks that generously dished out uncollateralized loans were bailed out with trillions of naira long ago, respite for the capital market is coming four years after; largely because of the repeated, uncomplimentary and derisive public statements of the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, that the capital market is a ‘casino’, whose patrons do not deserve a bailout like the banks the CBN, under his leadership, poorly supervised. Sanusi’s comments, without doubt, alarmed foreign investors who

hurriedly withdrew over $15 billion in stock investments, leading to the fatal crash of the market. The finance ministry had stated, for instance, that the Nigeria Stock Exchange’s (NSE) All Share Index (ASI) crashed from 66,000 points in March 2008 to 22,000 points by January 2009, a critical misfortune that wiped off N8 trillion or 70 percent of stock value. For one thing, the stocks of financial institutions accounted for between 60 and 80 percent of the NSE’s total value. In effect, the distress suffered by the affected banks heralded the crash in the value of stocks, owing largely to regulatory laxities by the CBN and the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), that ought to have checked market infractions. The cumulative result was that millions of investors lost their life savings and investments. Okonjo-Iweala had justified the FG intervention based on the experience of the World Bank and the International Monetary (IMF), that “solid economic growth in any country is closely linked to the joint development of the banking sector and capital markets. Many stock firms had closed shop when the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) seized their assets in order to retrieve debts owed fraud-wrecked banks. AMCON

had bought the bad margin loans taken by stock firms for N42.6 billion, but the value of collateralized assets was N19.96 billion, leaving an overhang balance of N22.6 billion, which the FG has now erased. To discourage excessive borrowings, bailed out stock firms were barred from trading in own stock for one year, providing professional services to AMCON and allowing debts above 100 percent of net capital. The FG also eliminated stamp duties and Value Added Tax (VAT) on stock transaction fees. It is nevertheless instructive that the government equally assured compensatory incentives for well-managed stock firms with clean records, so it does not appear its intervention is merely meant to help dubious ones survive to the detriment of sound firms. The FG should not renege on the incentives as promised. It should also consider bail-out packages for shareholder investors that lost money. More importantly, perhaps, the SEC and CBN should wake up to their statutory regulatory responsibilities in order to nip market frauds in the bud, and attract bigger market players in all sectors. By so doing, the market would be financially strengthened to be able to provide cheaper funds to boost the country’s ailing economy.

ON THIS DAY December 19, 2001 Argentine economic crisis: The Argentine economic crisis (1999–2002) was a major downturn in Argentina’s economy. It began in 1999 with a decrease of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The crisis caused the fall of the government, default on the country’s foreign debt, widespread unemployment, riots, the rise of alternative currencies and the end of the peso’s fixed exchange rate to the US dollar. But by 2002, the GDP growth had returned, surprising economists and the business media.

December 19, 1983 The original FIFA World Cup trophy, the Jules Rimet Trophy, was stolen from the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jules Rimet (October 14, 1873 – October 16, 1956) was FIFA’s 3rd and longest serving president, having served for 33 years. He also founded the French football club Red Star Saint-Ouen. The Jules Rimet Trophy was named in his honour.

December 19, 1946 The First Indochina War started. Traditionally, the First Indochina War (also known as the French Indochina War, Anti-French War, Franco-Vietnamese War, Franco-Vietminh War, Indochinese War, Dirty War in France, and Anti-French Resistance War in contemporary Vietnam) is said to have begun in French Indochina on December 19, 1946 and to have lasted until August 1, 1954. Fighting between French forces and their Viet Minh opponents in the South dates from September 1945.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health & Wellbeing FG targets 30% health insurance coverage for Nigerians by 2015

Sickle cell disease: NEXIM Bank to the rescue

We’re not eating right! ... now, physicians confirm increase of digestive disorders in Nigeria SAM EFERARO

re you likely to take your family out for a delicious meal of snacks, cakes, pasteries and other mouth watery cuisines now in vogue, especially in the cities? You may wish to read this before you step out: Experts say the change in lifestyles, especially in our diets has resulted in a major increase of digestive disorders in Nigeria and other African countries. Presentations by internal medicine physicians (Gastroenterologists) from different parts of the world at the recent 6th congress of the African Middle East Association of Gastroenterology (AMAGE) held in Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State reveal that diseases such as gastro oesophageal reflux disease, chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma, among several others are on the increase in many African countries. “We are not eating right,” Dr. Mary Yeboa Afihene, a Physician Gastroenterologist. Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Kumasi, Ghana, told National Mirror after her presentation. “We ought to be eating more fruits and vegetables but we eat lots of oily and fatty food and animal fats. The middle class is having lots of food. We eat fast food and so obesity is on the increase with its attendant problems such as gastro oesophageal disease.” Dr. Anokye, in her presentation titled Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Helicobacter Pylori Infection described GERD as a major public health problem both in developed and developing countries. She cited a study in a Nigerian medical school which revealed a prevalence of 26.34% among medical students, saying the prevalence of the disease has been on the increase for two decades. She estimated that this trend would continue with an annual rise of nearly 4% worldwide, especially in African countries which are adopting the western lifestyles. Like other speakers at the congress, Dr. Anokye disclosed that diarrhoeal diseases are also on the increase just as Africans now record more cases of cancer of the colon. “Inflammatory bowel disease is being diagnosed more than before. Previously it was thought that inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer were not common in Africa but we are seeing more of them

AMAGE President, Prof. Hussein Abddel-Hamid and Vice President, Prof. Olusegun Ojo

and we now look for them.” Indeed, a research team from Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital reported that Diverticular disease of the colon often thought to be a disease of western civilisation because of its striking geographical distribution and often reported as extraordinary rare in rural Africa and Asia is now being reported in Nigeria and other African countries. A diverticulum (plural: diverticula) has been described as a small bulging sac pushing outward from the colon wall. It is said to occur as a result of low intake of dietary fibre. According to the researchers, a prevalence

of 1.85 per cent cases of diverticular disease of the colon had been reported at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan between January 1984 and December 1985 while a 6.52% prevalence was reported in Enugu over a ten-year period between 1993 and 2003. The study aimed at looking at the pattern of chemical presentation of patients diagnosed with colon divercular revealed that no fewer than 23 cases were detected by the researchers. Dr. Afihene also disclosed that more Africans are now being diagnosed with liver diseases because of hepatitis B and C .

A cross-section of internal medicine physicians at the AMAGE congress

The experts believe most of these digestive diseases could be prevented through good diets especially with fruits and vegetables. “We need to go back to the days of our fathers,” one of the presenters told National Mirror. Dr. Afihene also believes that African countries must take the challenge posed by hepatitis b and c which are the common cause of liver diseases more seriously. “We should be serious about hepatitis b vaccination so that it is prevented. The consequences can be reduced by screening and vaccination across board. Thankfully, In Ghana hepatitis b vaccination has been incorporated into EPI for children since 2003.” Indeed, Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu believes the AMAGE congress would provide a good forum for the Gastroenterologists to address the upsurge of Digestive disorders in the African continent. Represented by the Chief Medical Director, University of Calabar, Dr. Thomas Agan, the minister said Nigeria would partner medical bodies around the world to address the growing incidence of the diseases which he also attributed to changing lifestyles among the people. He further told the delegates that Nigeria would be advocating the need for attitudinal change to reduce the increasing incidence of the disorders in the country.

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

First aid for kids

ntil medical help is available, the following first aid measures should help prevent a situation from becoming worse. Parents, other caregivers and older children should be supported in learning about these first aid measures. First aid for burns: If the child’s clothing catches fire, quickly wrap the child in a blanket or clothing or roll him or her on the ground to put out the fire. For minor burns, the following steps can be taken: Cool the burned area immediately. Use plenty of cold, clean water, which helps to reduce pain and swelling. Do not put ice on the burn; this can further damage the skin. Keep the burn clean and dry with a loose sterile gauze bandage or clean cloth. This will protect blistered skin. Do not break blisters, as they protect the injured area. If a blister is broken, the area is more susceptible to infection. Do not apply butter or ointments to the burn; they can prevent proper healing. A minor burn will usually heal without further treatment. For major burns that burn all layers of skin, emergency care is needed immediately. Until it is available, the following steps can be taken: Do not remove the burned clothing from the body. Make sure the child is no longer near any burning or smouldering materials or exposed to smoke or heat. Do not immerse large, serious burns in cold water, as this could cause shock. Raise the burned body part or parts above heart level, if possible. Loosely cover the burn area with cool, moist towels or cloths or a sterile bandage. If the child is unconscious, keep him or her warm. Roll the child onto his or her side so that the tongue does not block breathing. Check for signs of breathing, movement and cough-

ing. If there are no signs, follow the steps under ‘First aid for breathing problems or drowning’. First aid for broken bones, bruises or sprains: A child who is unable to move or is in extreme pain may have broken bones. Do not move the injured area and get medical help immediately. For bad bruises and sprains, immerse the injured area in cold water or put ice on the injury for 15 minutes. Do not put the ice directly on the skin; use a layer of cloth

between the ice and the skin. Remove the ice or water, wait 15 minutes and repeat, if necessary. The cold should help reduce pain, swelling and bruising. First aid for cuts and wounds: For minor cuts and wounds: Wash the wound with clean (or boiled and cooled) water and soap. Dry the skin around the wound. Cover the wound with a clean cloth and place a sterile bandage over it. For serious cuts and wounds: If a piece of glass or other object is sticking in the wound, do not remove it. It may be preventing further bleeding, and removing it could make the injury worse. If the child is bleeding heavily, raise the injured area above the level of the chest and press firmly against the wound (or near it if something is stuck in it) with a pad made of folded clean cloth. Maintain pressure until the bleeding stops.

Parents and caregivers should be aware of basic first aid on case of emergency

Research explores how children reason, think about others

s social creatures, humans must constantly monitor each other’s intentions, beliefs, desires, and other mental states. A particularly important social skill is the ability to take another person’s perspective and understand what the person knows, even when that knowledge may ultimately be false. Past research has shown that before the age of 4, children fail to pass standard tasks designed to measure false belief; however, new research has shown that very young children can pass nonverbal versions of false-belief tasks. Paula Rubio-Fernández of University College London and Bart Geurts of the University of Nijmegen tested 3-year-old children using a standard false-belief task called the Smarties task and using an altered, more streamlined version of the false-belief task called the Duplo task. The Duplo task was designed to minimize disruptions in children’s perspective-taking. The researchers found that while only 22.7% of children passed the Smarties task, 80% of children passed the Duplo task. This suggests that 3-year-old children are

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

able to pass a verbal false-belief task if they are able to keep track of the protagonist’s perspective. Although analogical reasoning is a core cognitive skill that distinguishes humans from other animals, its origins are still not well understood. Psychological scientists Lindsey Richland of the University of Chicago and Margaret Burchinal of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill analyzed data from children who were part of the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. They assessed children for vocabulary knowledge, sustained attention, short-term memory skills, executive functioning skills, and analytical reasoning skills and found that children’s early vocabulary knowledge and executivefunctioning predicted their analytical reasoning skills at age 15. These results indicate that composite executive-function skills make specialized contributions to the development of children’s analytical reasoning. They also support the idea that language and knowledge are necessary for the development of analytical-reasoning skills.

SCIENCE

niversity of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have discovered that the commonly used antidepressant drug paroxetine could also become a therapy for the vascular complications of diabetes. The scientists made their discovery after screening 6,766 clinically used drugs and pharmacologically active substances. “We developed this assay and used it to test literally every single existing drug and a good selection of other biologically active compounds,” said UTMB professor Csaba Szabo, senior author of a paper on the research published online by Diabetes. “We were quite surprised when paroxetine came out as an active compound -- a result, we later determined, of what seems to be a completely new effect unrelated to its antidepressant actions and not shared by any other known antidepressant drug.” The initial screening process tested the ability of different compounds to protect the cells that make up the inner linings of blood vessels from the destructive effects of the high sugar levels produced by diabetes, known as hyperglycemia.

Antidepressant could work for diabetes, study shows In people with diabetes, hyperglycemia causes these endothelial cells to generate toxic molecules known as reactive oxygen species (ROS), which ravage blood-vessel linings and lead to diabetic endothelial dysfunction, the key factor in such destructive diabetic complications as heart attacks, strokes, retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy. In subsequent test-tube studies, researchers found that paroxetine -- which is sold as an antidepressant under the trade name “Paxil” -- prevents hyperglycemia-initiated ROS damage to endothelial cells in two ways. First, it directly reduces concentrations of superoxide, a powerful ROS. Second, it suppresses superoxide production by mitochondria, tiny structures whose real job is making the energy-transfer molecules needed for most cellular processes. In a hyperglycemic environment, mitochondria are cells’ biggest source of superoxide. According to the researchers’ findings, paroxetine inhibits this activity without interfering with the mitochondria’s vital normal function. Further experiments yielded still more evidence that paroxetine protects endothelial cells under hyperglycemic conditions. Reactive oxygen species cause significant damage to DNA, RNA and proteins, but cell-culture experiments showed that paroxetine significantly reduced this effect.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Sickle cell disease: NEXIM Bank to the rescue ... partners government on local drug production

TOLA AKINMUTIMI

oubtlessly, the Nigerian ExportImport Bank has over the past few years, particularly under the present management team, has become one of the few proactive corporate entities that are re-defining the practice of banking in Nigeria, using the platform of efficient service delivery as their core strength. The Bank, through strong supports by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Ministry of Finance, has been giving farreaching supports to export-oriented business ventures in various non-oil-related industries with remarkable achievements to show for such interventions. Of strategic importance in the bank’s daring efforts to fulfil its mandate is the recent financing agreement it sealed with the Federal Government and the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) for the production of Niprisan, a sickle cell anaemia drug, which production had stopped for some years back in the country. Whereas other projects are crucial to its primary roles of export-import financing, the initiative to partner government in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) pharmaceutical product is clearly one of the most thoughtful and responsive strategies the NEXIM Bank’s management is adopting to demonstrate clearly its concern for the needy and commitment to its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) functions. While signing the agreement a few months ago with the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Pate and Director General of NIPRD, Professor Karniyus Gamaniel, Orya said the signing of the MoU was strategic as it had set the tone for the production of the highly needed drug for the nation’s health services delivery agenda. According to him, the partnership will ensure that the drug is not only consumed locally but also exported to other countries in demonstration of the bank’s concern for sickle cell patients and the need to minimise the scourge of sickle cell anaemia in the country and in other parts of the world. He said, “This is a project that we are excited about because we have been committed to the resuscitation of this project and to us as an EXIM bank, we don’t have purely indigenous product to export so this product is one of the purely indigenous product that we can export. “Aside from that, NEXIM Bank has been at the forefront for restarting the production of this product for so many reasons and we are not just looking at the monetary gains but from the perspective of the social gains for the country. The agreement would enable NEXIM Bank to provide funds for the commercial production of the sickle cell drug which is to be made from four botanical species indigenous to Nigeria” Orya projected. In his remarks, the Minister of State for Health said that an inter-ministerial committee will be set up to supervise the production of the drugs. He explained: “There are millions of

L-R: Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammed Pate, Director General of NIPRD, Prof. Karniyus Gamaniel and Managing Director, NEXIM Bank, Mr. Roberts Orya after signing the MoU.

Nigerians who suffer sickle cell disease and at the same time there are remedies that in many cases we will not be able to reach them. But we are fortunate now that a Nigerian product-Niprisan has been found effective at alleviating this and it’s as a result of the research that NIPRID had done. This will help millions of Nigerians get succour “As we sign this MoU, there will be a Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee that will oversee the social production of Niprisan and in the long term, we hope NEXIM and several other partners will work together to even make it more commercially viable and make the product go beyond the shores of our country”, the Minister projected. The socio-economic and health implications of the tripartite arrangement in which NEXIM Bank is playing the leading role of funding could only be captured when it is officially estimated that at least 100,000 children under one of age die of the disease annually in the country. Director of Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Mansur Kabir, who disclosed this at a recent symposium on sickle cell disease and formation of sickle cell clubs for secondary school students said that “sickle cell disorder is among the top 10 non-communicable diseases causing high number of disabilities and deaths.” According to him, available statistics indicate that almost 100 million people in the world are living with sickle cell disorder and the most severe form is responsible for more than 50 percent of the deaths, adding that “it is also disturbing that Nigeria is first in Africa with an annual death toll of 100,000 children under one year of age, which represents eight percent of infant deaths in Nigeria.” Worried by the increasing casualties and stigmatization against persons with the challenge, the Federal Government said it would, among other things, ensure that all secondary schools across the federation have a sickle cell club. Sickle cell disease is a group of disorders that affects haemoglobin, the mol-

ecule in red blood cell that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. People with the disorder have atypical haemoglobin molecules called haemoglobin “S”, which can distort red blood cell into sickle or crescent. Childbearing by affected opposite sexes increases the risk of SCD. Affected persons may resultantly have stroke, cerebrovascular accident, hemolytic, anaemia, acute chest syndrome, gall bladder disease, jaundice, growth failure, eye damage among others. Even when the real production of the drugs is yet to commence, stakeholders are however optimistic that the project remains a worthwhile venture deserving prioritised attention of government in

terms of providing the needed policy and infrastructure supports that are critical to the realisation of the agenda. Speaking with National Mirror on the project and its desirability for tackling the menace of sickle cell anaemia in the country, the Public Relations Officer of the NIPRD, Mr Martins Emeje, explained that “like what obtains elsewhere, this type of project that supports researches and production of the relevant drugs to cure the disease is a welcomed development” The NIPRD’s spokesperson, who is also the project manager for the drug production initiative while lauding the NEXIM Bank for looking at the health sector as one of the areas it could intervene to improve health care in the country, however believed that there was need for government to do more in terms of working towards the timely actualisation of the project in view of the potential positive impact on health care delivery system in the country. Many stakeholders, who lauded the NEXIM Bank for beaming its investment searchlight on the health sector and ready to restore hope to millions of SCD patients at the domestic and international levels through the production of Niprisan in Nigeria, believe that the Federal Government should immediately put in place all policy frameworks and appropriate structures required to kick-start the project without further delay. Indeed, they have not only called on the Federal Government to immediately inaugurate the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee but also demanded that funding, logistics and other necessary mechanisms must be put in place in the 2013 financial year for the production of SCD drugs in the country.

Facts you should know about sickle cell anaemia 1. Sickle cell disease is a global health problem, however, in Nigeria one in every four persons are carriers of the sickle cell gene. It is estimated that over 150,000 babies are born with symptomatic sickle cell anaemia each year in the country. 2. Sickle cell anaemia is a disease passed down through families where red blood cells form an abnormal crescent shape (Red blood cells are normally disc shaped) at low oxygen levels. These sickle shaped cells clog small blood vessels and disrupt normal blood flow to organs. 3. Sickle cell anaemia is inherited from both parents who are blood type AS to give an SS child. A child who inherits the S gene from one parents and a normal A gene from the other parent will have sickle cell trait. These children do not have symptoms of true sickle cell anaemia 4. Symptoms of sickle cell usually do not occur until after age 4 months since before this time the blood type is still in its foetal form (Haemoglobin F). After 4 months it changes to a more mature type (Haemoglobin S) that is capable of sickling at low oxygen levels 5. Symptoms of Sickle Cell Anaemia • Hand-Foot Syndrome: This is when small vessels to the hands and foot are

blocked causing pain and swelling. This may be the first sign in infants. • Fatigue, paleness and shortness of breath: This is due to low oxygen carrying ability of the sickled red blood cells • Pain (Crises) – unpredictable pain in joints and body. The frequency and amount of pain varies and can last minutes or hours. • Eye Problems • Jaundice (Yellowing of Skin and Eyes) – due to rapid break down of the weak sickled cells which release bilirubin that colors the skin and eyes • Delayed growth and puberty – Due to shortage of cells • Infections – due to damaged immune system organs (spleen) • Stroke – due to damaged brain blood vessels •Acute chest pain – this life long problem is similar to pneumonia and is caused by trapped sickled cells in the lungs. 6. A pregnant woman with sickle cell disease is at increased risk of preterm labor and needs careful monitoring throughout pregnancy. If the baby’s father has sickle cell trait, the baby has a 50 percent chance of having the disease. If he does not, the baby will have only the trait.

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

FG targets 30% health insurance coverage for Nigerians by 2015 MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

s part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage in Nigeria, the Federal Government plans to cover 30 per cent of the nation’s population in the National Health Insurance Scheme by 2015. This was disclosed by Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu in Abuja, yesterday when receiving the country’s new World Health Organization (WHO) Representative, Dr Rui Gama Vaz in his office. Vaz, who until his redeployment to Nigeria was the UN agency’s Representative in Angola, replaced Dr David Okello, who spent about two years in Nigeria before being reassigned to Zimbabwe by in October this

year. Prof Onyebuchi used the platform to itemize the challenges, goals and successes of Nigerian health sector. Welcoming the WHO official, the Minister said the country had challenges in the health sector, noting that Dr Vaz was right WHO candidate to help lift the sector in Nigeria. “One new area we are working on is the area of Universal Health Coverage. We are working hard. With time, we are going to share with you some of the steps we are taking. The target actually is to see whether 30 per cent of Nigerians by 2015 will have one form of health insurance cover or the other. It is not much but we have to start from somewhere. We are targeting 30 per cent for 2015. With hard work, we will get to that 30 per

cent,” the Minister said. The Minister highlighted efforts by the Federal Government to rid the country of polio and improve on maternal and child health care, promising Federal Government’s objective at getting to zero-level of polio cases in shortest time possible. The Minister added that there were about 300,000 new cases of HIV infections in Nigeria annually, which he said the Ministry of Health and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) were working together to contain. He lamented inadequate commodities for persons living with the virus. Speaking on malaria, the Minister remarked that there were challenges in eliminating the disease from the country. According to him, “If you want to eliminate malaria from Af-

rica, you should start from Nigeria.” He stated that it was costly for average citizen in the country to adopt the indoor residual spraying method to eliminate mosquitoes which cause malaria, adding that the country was faced with challenge of people who don’t use the Long-lasting Insecticide Nets as a result of heat. On his part, Dr Vaz said it was “an honour and privilege to work in a country like Nigeria which has been an example for the whole world”. He commended the Federal Government’s efforts in improving the health sector. While promising to explore opportunities to help Nigeria attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Vas asserted: “My responsibility is to build on my predecessor’s achievements”.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Expert expresses worry over unregulated organ donations MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

resident, Association of Pathologists, Nigeria, Dr Kenneth Iregbu has expressed concern over the rate of unregulated organ donation in Nigeria. Iregbu made this known in Abuja, on Monday to National Mirror. While decrying growing rate of the practice which according to him would only be controlled by the passage of the National Health Bill currently before the National Assembly, he said: “I feel very concerned about organ donation in Nigeria. I liken it to what happens in football where every spectator wants to become the coach. Medicine is of particular importance to everybody. Health care services is not like transport services or dry cleaning services. Health care is a delicate issue. “Talking about organ donation, these things are already going on in the country. But, there is no legislation guiding those practices and we are saying that it is not good enough. All over the world, there are laid down guidelines governing organ donation. The law will give you the gen-

eral principle; the expert will be empowered to do the job. Surprisingly, the people who are supposed to speak out have taken issues with the proposals that make the Bill, while those who know little or nothing about organ donation are the ones engaging in it. That is why I feel very concerned,” he remarked. He stated that unregulated organs donation could cause a lot of havoc to the donors and consequently undermine medical practice if not well-regulated. According to him, time might come in Nigeria when people would be killing or mutilating fellow citizens as means of getting organs from them, if the trend was not contained. “This has been happening in some countries around the world. You have international rogues who maim, kill and take people’s organs and run away. We are saying that we cannot get to that level before we take a decision. That is why we say this thing should be govern by law. And, that was the reason experts said it should be included in the National Health Bill,” he stressed.

Polio: Kano LGA wins governor’s award on vaccination

T Irish Minister of Trade and Development Mr. Joe Costello (middle) and other Directors, during his courtesy visit to the Nutricima Company in Lagos recently

Expert advocates free glaucoma treatment in govt hospitals L ATEEFAH IBRAHIMANIMASHAUN

phthalmic surgeon and glaucoma specialist, Eye foundation hospital Nigeria, Dr Adunola Ogunro has called on the Nigerian government to make glaucoma drugs free in government hospitals by investing and subsiding the importation of the drugs, saying a single blind per-

son could affect the economy of the country. Speaking at a media interaction in Lagos, recently, Dr. Ogunro disclosed that glaucoma ranks next to cataract with a prevalence of 20%, adding that the disease also constitutes major cause of blindness in Nigeria and in Africa, “If the optic nerve which is an extension of the brain is damaged, the blindness is permanent. It is also a disease

that increases with age in adult and because of the awareness and rates, research as shown that about 200,000 adults are glaucoma victim in Nigeria today”. He said it is not common in children and that the type present in children is called the juvenile glaucoma, and most children with it probably have a family history of glaucoma. “Because it does not give you any sign, symp-

tom, pain; in adult, the earliest notice is a blurred vision and by this time, about 60% of the nerve must have been affected, and this is why more advocacy, awareness, training is needed, government need to educate people about it. Screening is the most important thing, visual activities should be done, when there is no adequate vision, the income and manpower of the individual will be affected”, she noted.

he Local Government Area (LGA) of Sumaila, in Kano State, was among the worst-performing when it came to vaccinating children against polio. When then state Governor Dr. Rabin Musa Kwakwanso put out his July ranking of LGAs, Sumaila came 23rd out of 44. During the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) – a statistical method to determine the proportion of children remaining unvaccinated after a campaign – 13 children were found without the requisite marked fingers. By November, however, Sumaila made giant strides in its programme to reach children – not a single unmarked finger was found, and the LGA came first in the ranking, winning the Governor’s Award. Ibrahim Koné, the WHO

official responsible for supporting the local government, puts this speedy progress down to team motivation. “It’s not only about technique – we know the technique. It’s about the people.” Motivating the team, and instituting proper planning and training is what made the difference, according to Koné. When preparations were sub-optimal, the round was delayed in order to devote more time to getting the basics right. Sumaila has over 61,000 children under five years of age, the target group for polio vaccination. Now these children, born into this mostly rural LGA with its large Fulani population now have a fighting chance against polio thanks to their vaccination teams. – Global Polio Eradication Initiative

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arts Lounge

I’m not limiting myself to Rick Ross –Sheﬀ

‘I’ll continue to bite more than I can chew’ . Teju Kareem tells Duro Oni Oni

MBA COLLOQUIUM:

Minna honours Cyprian Ekwensi

JERRY ADESEWO

inna, the Niger state capital’s rising profile as the ‘emerging literary capital of Nigeria’ received yet another boost when writers, academics, politicians and other literary and art enthusiasts converged in ‘the power state’ for the annual Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (MBA) annual literary colloquium. The colloquium, jointly organised by the office of the Special Adviser to the governor on Research and Documentation, Association of Nigerian Authors, Niger Chapter and the Niger State Government, was initiated last year to celebrate the state governor’s birthday. With the theme: “Nigerian Literature, Conflict and National Unity” the organisers set out to showcase just how important writers and writings are to our development as a nation.

Immortalising Cyprian Ekwensi The first port of call was the old Education Resource Centre which has been renovated, refurbished and renamed Cyprian Ekwensi Library in honour of the late writer and pharmacist who was born in Minna, the Niger state capital in 1921. Professor Wole Soyinka, who was visiting Minna 20 years after he last visited, joined the Chief Servant of Niger State, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu; former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Alhaji Abubakar Gimba; current ANA President, Professor Remi Raji; writers, teachers and members of the academia from across the country, to commission the elibrary. Performing the commissioning ceremony, Prof. Soyinka paid homage to the late Ekwensi who he described as “a great thinker and lover of the arts”. He revealed that he had visited Minna several times on the invitation of Ekwensi and together they had ‘hunted’ in the forests of Minna.

Kongi who commended the Niger state government, described the gesture as “one action capable of entrenching national unity and cohesion as well as promoting literary works and writers”. The library is fitted with computers and internet service, with plans underway to stock it with copies of Cyprian Ekwensi’s published works notable among which are: ISKA, The Passport of Mallam Ilya, The Drummer Boy, African Night Entertainment, Jagua Nana’s Daughter and Burning Grass.

‘WS’ stole the show From the newly commissioned Cyprian Ekwensi Library, participants proceeded to another newly completed infrastructure, the Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, where the colloquium held. To the dismay of writers and special guests from across Nigeria, the hall had been filled by school children, politicians, and of course, a league of undergraduate students from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who had all come to see the silver haired Nobel Laureate –Wole Soyinka. The chairman of the colloquium, Vice Chancellor, Nassarawa State University, Keffi, Professor Shamsudeen Amali, commended Soyinka’s zeal for the arts and the awakening spearheaded by his personality, works and activism. Prof. Kuta Yahya, Chief of Staff to the Niger State Governor, in his welcome address, said the idea of the colloquium was to boost intellectual growth, which “is the hallmark of Dr. Aliyu’s administration”. When invited to the podium, WS was not in any way impressed by the praise chants from members of NANS. Though, he sure was impressed that the hall was full to capacity and did not let it pass. “Is there anyone else left in Minna?” he asked. “It seems everyone is here”, he commented. Kongi then went on to deliver his keynote address on “Nigerian Literature, Conflict and National Unity” and in his usual interrogative manner asked “What is

(2nd from right) Gov. Mu’azu Aliyu watches as Prof. Soyinka (sitting) launches the e-library

THE WRITER’S MISSION IS TO... PROPOSE ALTERNATIVE NATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES.

the duty of the writer?”. Without waiting for response from his audience, the renowned wordsmith went on to say that; “the primary duty of the writer is to write or else to pursue a different undertaking. His or her materials is word which is the basic unit of the entries of language and the writers duty is to deploy, manipulate, organise, refurbish and where necessary, even displace the normal meaning of words in order to transmit, in an arresting mode, experiences, to engage phenomena, to interrogate ideas, usually through characters which are created for that very purpose”. He stated unequivocally that the only uniting factor in Nigeria today is corruption. “This nation is already united in so many things. For instance corruption –that word springs very easily to mind. There is no question that there is one propensity that appears to unite Nigeria across region, state or faith, a hideous unity pole around which the nation dances in ever widening circle”. He however did not leave the

podium without posing a challenge to the writers: “Whether people read us or not is secondary. The writer’s mission here, as in other aspects of national life, is simply to bear witness and thus implicitly or explicitly, propose alternative national philosophies into which future generations can be inducted as a viable direction for social conduct and insight into existence itself. Beyond that, let no one look to the writer for salvation”. As he departed to a thunderous applause from the audience, the trio of Prof. Charles Nnolim, Odia Ofeimun and Barrister Ahmed Maiwada took to the podium to discuss his paper. Citing example of the roles played by Soyinka, Okigbo, Ekwensi and Achebe when the civil war broke out, Odia expressed disappointment at the role of the current generation of writers in times of conflicts. “Those who must not speak for us must never be allowed to speak for us”, he said in a voice expressing the anger bottled inside of him. For the growth of literature

Judging by the support of the Niger chapter and the National body of ANA regularly enjoys from the Niger state government since inception of Dr. Aliyu’s administration, it is obvious the governor is a lover of literature. In fulfilment of an earlier promise made to the writers’ body, the governor presented a N10million cheque to ANA for the establishment of the Nigerian Writers Series. “We don’t just want to be the literary capital of the north. Our desire is to make Minna the literary capital of Nigeria and there is no better way to achieve this than to respect our writers and provide the enabling environment for them to perform their calling while we perform ours”, he said. Prof. Remi Raji who received the cheque in company of his vice president, Mallam Denja Abdullahi; the national treasurer, Joy Esuku and the chairmen of Abuja and Kaduna chapters respectively, Mr. Eriata Orhibhabor and Mr. Usho Smith appreciated the kind gesture of the governor. “We are indeed grateful and would wish that more governors across the nation find it necessary to emulate the Niger state governor”, he said. The writers parleyed Once again, the colloquium train made a return journey to the Cyprian Ekwensi Library where the writers engaged in a round table session on various topical issues around Nigerian literature. The first session which had as panelists: Kamar Hamza, Abdullahi Ismaila, Prof. Vicky Sylvester and Olu Jacobs as moderator examined the growing influence of the free verse on the art of poetry writing around the world and especially in Nigeria, as against the structured form with plenty of rules and conventions. While Ismaila opined that attempts to use common placed language in the name of free verse ‘has diminished the quality of poetry’ churned out in recent time, Kamar Hamza posited that laissez faire is both a movement CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

VOICES

Informal art education through workshops BRUCE ONOBRAKPEYA

he man Professor Ben Enwonwu, (Member of the British Empire), almost two decades after his transition remains an icon and a reference point in the annals of Visual Arts in Nigeria. Under him I first worked when I left Zaria. Indeed he was truly a mentor and a man whose influence on me remains till today. Through his mentoring, I came to realise the importance and power of mentoring in the lives of young protégés. In one of his last paintings before he died titled Ogolo, Ben seemingly portrayed himself as towering above everyone else in the Visual Arts, which indeed was so. The Ogolo is the Ibo manifestation of the ancestral spirit during festivals. I liken the Ben Enwonwu lectures as the legend’s annual appearance as Ogolo, both to entertain and to instruct. It was from Ogolo that it came into my mind that one day, I will be painting large pictures, which I have since started to paint. This lecture title, “Informal Art Education through workshops: Lessons from the Harmattan workshops”, is a tribute to Ben Ewonwu as a teacher, not in the formal education setup, in which he became a professor, but in the informal way in which he used the apprenticeship system to develop budding artists. Fresh from the art school in 1962 I had the privilege of working with Enwonwu in his studio situated at No. 8 Cameron Street Ikoyi. From this experience I resolved to learn further under other masters in both studio and workshop environments. Following this example, as soon as I was able to bear the costs of interns in my studio I began to accept them. This was way back in 1972. So I had students on industrial attachment as well as artist-in-residence scholars writing dissertations for their degrees working in my studio. In time, my studio could not accommodate all the applicants who applied to work with me. This was when the idea of starting a workshop came to my mind. So my encounter with Ben Enwonwu played a significant role in founding the Harmattan workshop. I have defined Informal Education as a relaxed, rather than the ceremonious and stiff set up associated with art schools and academies, with no syllabi or permanent structures or teaching staff. According to Professor John Agberia, notable examples similar to the Harmattan Workshop in Africa, south of the Sahara include, the Cyrene Mission Centre in Zimbabwe, the Poto-poto workshop school established by Pierre Lods, the Poly Street Art Centre started by South African artists. In Nigeria we have the Mbari Art Centre, Owerri and the Oye Ekiti Wood Carving Centre established by two Roman Catholic priests, Fathers Sean O’ Mahoney and Kelvin Carroll for the African Missions Society. Others include Mbari Mbayo, Oshogbo; Ori Olokun in Ife; Abuja Pottery; Aftershave in Jos; the Ngala artists in Port Harcourt and those run by Nike Okundaye in Osun, Kogi and Lagos states. These workshops have had a profound effect on the development of the Visual Art

Lessons from the Harmattan workshops WORKSHOPS HAVE HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF

VISUAL ART ON THE AFRICAN THE

CONTINENT on the African continent. Lamidi Fakeye who was named a “Living Art Treasure” before he died in 2010 was a product of the Oye Ekiti workshop. Artists like Twin Seven Seven, Jimoh Buraimoh and Murainoh Oyelami, to mention but few, were some of the great names in Nigerian art discovered and nurtured at the Mbari Mbayo workshops in Oshogbo. I should mention that the famous Shona stone sculptors of Zimbabwe were discovered and developed in a workshop organised by Mr. Mc Ewen, who was at one time director of the National Gallery in Harare, Zimbabwe. The Harmattan Workshop, as an informal educational setup, is a retreat where artists meet, think, work, experiment and share ideas. They come with the view to develop and sustain their creative endeavours towards the development of the arts, particularly the visual arts. It takes place at the Niger Delta Arts and Cultural Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, Nigeria. Founded in 1998, it was patterned after workshops organised by Ulli Beier at Ibadan, Oshogbo and Ile Ife in Nigeria and the Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Crafts, Deer Isle, Maine, USA. These I attended in the 60s and 70s. The Harmattan workshop is the flagship programme of the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, a registered non-governmental organisation. It holds each year in several sessions of two weeks each. It starts in the middle of February and ends after April. Very intensive, it is also both interactive and instructive. In 2008, we began another session of two weeks which holds in August. This is different from the regular one in February as it is designed for already established professional artists who go there to develop their ideas undisturbed. Outside the sessions, schools and various groups come for special programmes. The art galleries have on display art works (traditional and modern) and are open to the public all year round. With permission, alumni members can work in the studios, using the facilities available, particularly the etching presses, when the Workshop is not in session. During the evenings, lectures, slides presentations and films are given by participants and invited experts with different backgrounds to share theoretical and practical experiences. Among guests that have visited the workshop, we have the one-time ambassador of the United States to Nigeria, Robin Sanders; the Director of the Copyright Council of Nigeria, Dr. Adiambo Odaga; the West African Director

Onobrakpeya

of Ford Foundation, Janet Stanley of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, Dr. Perkin Foss and Dr. Jean Borgatti, also of the United States. Facilitators for the various sections of the workshop are also participants who engage in their own creations during the sessions but are looked upon by participants for leadership and instruction. The facilitators are drawn from different backgrounds – professors, professional artists, local craftsmen, etc. Special craft programmes are designed to enable participants, in particular from the indigenous community, acquire skills that will make their practice a source of livelihood. Participants choose and specialise in one of the subjects available in a particular session. They are free to try their hands in other departments if time and materials are available. Subjects available are Painting (Oil, Acrylic, Watercolour), Drawing, Mixed Media, Sculpture (metal construction, wood carving, stone carving, cement and fibre glass sculptures), Bronze Casting, Textile Designs (Tie & Dye, Silkscreen, Weaving), Blacksmithery, Jewellery including bead works, Photography, Printmaking (Wood cut, Plastography, Etching, Lithography and Silkscreen), Macramé, Pottery, Ceramic and Computer Studies. In the choice of subjects, we try to revisit and revive old and dying crafts like stone carving and blacksmithery as well as upgrade popular craft to art. Art materials are sourced from found and recycled materials. The Harmattan Workshop has a reference library built around books donated mainly by Janet Stanley, the Smithsonian Institution librarian. Apart from the workshop participants, research students come from tertiary institutions around the country to use the facility. The Harmattan Workshop has chalets that can accommodate up to 60 participants at a time and facilities that can cater for them. It is within a walking distance from the Ibru Ecumenical Centre which we also use in accommodating guests. Life in the workshop camp can be very interesting. Because the environment is close to nature, the quiet mornings give room for meditation individually or in a group, in the multi-purpose hall. Some participants do exercises, while others engage in walking or jogging in the premises or along the township road. Participants

queue up for food. There is the popular joke about going back to take more soup to finish the eba or going back for eba to finish the soup. There are other jokes and we owe a lot to likes of Sam Ovraiti who brings in humour to everything and liven the camp always. In the nights after the lectures, participants discuss issues among themselves, sometimes going into the early hours of the morning. Some workaholics work during the nights undisturbed. Weekends are not relaxed but some participants go on excursion trips on Saturday to the Abraka Turf Club and attend services on Fridays and Sundays. The Harmattan Workshop with its gallery facilities serve schools and institutions far and near. School children and students who visit are taken round to learn and appreciate art. Some even participate in some of the creative processes. This is a great service to the formal educational system. The Harmattan Workshop facilities also attract visitors who come to enjoy art, shoot films or record music. In 2011, we recorded 186 participants who attended three sessions including one specially designed for 70 students from the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State. During the workshop session, the media are in attendance. Also art reporters and critics have helped us in letting the world know about the Harmattan Workshop. Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya (MFR), FSNA delivered this speech as the guest speaker for the 9th Distinguished Ben Enwonwu Lecture held in Lagos last month. Editor’s note: LET’S TALK WITH FAD returns next week.

MUSINGS Fair Share

Go on Spit in my face Cause when my Rose bloom I wouldn’t Be here wit’ my head bow My feathers will be Fully grown and I will be mixin’ porridge of laughter in the sun Ripples of smile Gliting in my eyes I will be ravish than A charm. A crownin’ grace. Alas, when you ‘re summon Before my court... I will give you A chance to live well Cause I’m a humanist So you will see how Pretty I will look Without your hate. © Matt Pantaleon, October 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net www.nationalmirror orro o onl on nlline n ine in ne..n .ne n t

ARTISTE UN UNCENSORED NCENSORED

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

I’m not limiting myself to Rick Ross –Sheff Sheriff, pop popularly known as Big Sheff, is an aspiring h hip-hop artiste and the son of two renown renowned traditional music artistes; Queen Salaw Abeni and General Kollington Salawa Ayin Ayinla. He is also brother to Candy, CEO of TV reality show ‘Opolo Orin’. This ch chain of music inspirations and an e encounter with American hip hop star, Rick Ross aka Rozay, has influenced the young final year student of Leadcity University, Oyo State.

Big Sheff (R) ( and Rozzay in the video of ‘Hold me back’

A DEBIMPE O LATUJA

ig Sheff, a Lagos state born who hails from Kwara state, has decided to step into the shoes of his mum and dad– but in his own case, he will be delving into the hip-hop world coupled with new development around his musical personality. He is now proudly known as Big Sheff aka ‘Young Ross’ courtesy of award winning U.S hip hop artiste Rick Ross. The change in Big Sheff ’s name began after Maybach Music’s head honcho, Rick Ross visited Nigeria in August to headline the St. EVE’s Summer Jam Fest in Lagos. Sheff was billed to perform at the concert because of the resemblance he shares with the rap star, but he was also lucky to get acquainted with RR and given the opportunity to feature in Rozay’s controversial “Hold Me Back” video shot in Nigeria. “It was actually Rick Ross’ publicist that saw me first and then went to tell him that he just saw someone that shares a striking resemblance with him. Rozay asked the organisers about me and I was introduced to him; the organisers said “this is our own Rick Ross” and he laughed. We shook hands and to my surprise he said “no, Young Ross sounds better”, and that was how he held on to the name Big Sheff explained. “That is what I call myself normally, Big Sheff aka Young Ross”. Shedding more light on his fam-

WORKSHOPS HAVE HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF

VISUAL ART ON THE AFRICAN THE

CONTINENT ily’s influence in pursuing a music career, the young entertainer has enjoyed support from his parents and he also reveals they do not have a problem with hip hop –his preferred music genre. “My parents are indifferent to the style I choose; my mum just appreciates all kinds of musicians”, Sheff said. Apart from the family’s music history and background, Sheff is additionally surrounded by people ‘through whose minds music flows’. This is one of the reasons why Sheff is promising music lovers to look out for him in 2013. The promising ‘do it all’ artiste, who flaunts his flair for different genres of music is working on the remix of one of his mum’s hit track. He is also signed under “Candiva Signature Empire”, the record label run by his sister, Candy. Asked what kind of music collaborations his connection with Rozay may bring, he said “we swapped contacts; his manager and I are in constant touch so I guess the relationship would grow but I’m not

limiting myself to just Rick Ross”. Sheff was a witness to the shooting of Rick Ross’s ‘Hold me Back’ video in Nigeria. Based on his direct involvement in the controversial music video in which he featured, he shared his view on criticism by Nigerians against the content. “My take on the video is neutral because I had already seen the American version which was also shot in their ghetto. Hence, I was excited when I heard that he wanted to shoot a video for the same song in Nigeria so I didn’t read any negative meaning to it and I wouldn’t have even if I wasn’t in the video. “Sincerely, he wanted to visit the ghetto and he was taken to Sura Market on Lagos Island. It’s not as if he handpicked that location and it definitely wasn’t planned because even the organisers weren’t aware, they just directed the drivers to Sura Market the minute he asked for a ghetto, He was also very friendly with the kid’s because he initially wanted to visit the orphanage”. Big Sheff has his eye big on the music industry but he doesn’t want to limit himself to just one opportunity. “I want to rather grab my music dreams with both hands”. Already, with his three singles In a minute, Kini tolo bumi and Ema lo binu being enjoyed by fans, he is taking his time to release an album as he reasoned –“I am not going to rush it”.

MIDWEEK JUMP

Awoh fights for widows NGOZI E MEDOLIBE

he plight of Nigerian widows has been a contentious issue which is why several civil society groups have advocated addressing the menace from the cultural perspective This is the thrust of an art exhibition of print and crafts which opens tomorrow at the Yusuf Grillo Gallery, Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, Lagos. Titled Hephzibah and Beulah, the show is Stella Awoh’s latest offering and will see the widow showcasing works of art to drive home the message during the two week long exhibition. On the exhibition and what prompted it, Awoh said: ‘‘In the first season of this exhibition, Hephzibah was traced to the Bible in 1 Kings 21 by God fearing Hezekiah. The second time is where God calls His people by this name in Isaiah 62”. The mother of three daughters, who is currently working

on a doctoral degree, is presently the Head of Fashion Design Department, at YABATECH and the acting Head, Society of Nigerian Artists, SNA, Lagos State Chapter. ‘‘The very fabric of our country is under attack; the traditional values that she was founded upon have been eroded by years of social decay. The breakdown of family values has increased in proportion. Widows are being dehumanised in some states. Riots and crime are issues faced by even small villages. Kidnapping is a major source of national concern. Stress and emotional exhaustion are common in many families,’’ she added. She has about 30 works ready to be exhibited.

‘Ekiti Women’s Riot’, Mixed Media, 2005 by Stella Awoh

Ola Rotimi’s play on London stage for 3rd day

he doors of the George Wood Theatre, Goldsmith’s College, University of London, Lewisham, London, United Kingdom, will open in continuance of a four-day stage presentation of Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again a play written by award winning playwright Ola Rotimi. Directed by Lookman Sanusi, the play’s two showings on Monday and yesterday at the same venue had drawn rave reviews from audiences and the drama continues this evening with final showing tomorrow. The famous play

features a talented cast of actors including Princess ‘Deun Adedoyin– Solarin, Moji Bamtefa, Femi Ogunjobi, Anthony Ofuegbu, Frank Williams, Peter Olorunisomo, Funke Adeleke, Julie Hewlett, Reginald Ofodile, Tayo Elesin, Biola Dosunmu, Tomi Ogunjobi, Ben Warwick, Segun Ogunfidodo, Abiola Dosunmu and Bidemi Alaran. Ola Rotimi, in this play, takes a comic swipe at ideological misfits and opportunists who strut the ever-accommodating political landscape of contemporary Africa.

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FAR AND NEAR LINUS KINGDOM

he proprietor of ZMirage, Mr. Teju Kareem, has notified the first professor of Technical Theatre Production in Nigeria and Dean of Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, Prof. Duro Oni that he intends to continuing biting more than a mouthful of ambitious projects. Teju Kareem made this assertion at a seminar to commemorate the 60th birthday of the university don on Thursday, December 13 at the Boardroom of the Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos. Tagged “Duro Oni@60”, activities to honour Prof. Oni included an evening of drama, dance, poetry, chants and music skits featuring celebrated Nigerian artistes some of whom were former students of the eminent professor. Kareem’s views were ex-

‘I’ll continue to bite more than I can chew’ bought in my car boot, drove down to this faculty car park to show Duro Oni. I off loaded everything and told him, ‘these are the lights I got to start up with’. I can still remember what Duro Oni said; he told me that it seems I am biting more than I can che’. I am telling Duro Oni now that I have bitten more than I can chew and I will continue to bite more than I can chew”. Kareem argued that works should be celebrated and not personality so as to drive the attention of young ones to learning. He further quoted the words of Aristotle that ‘morality is all about humanity’ urging the gathering that if personality is being celebrated, learning will

never occur. Kareem went further to counter the keynote address and some comments from respondents and discussants. “I am sad that the keynote address focused more on Duro Oni’s personality. I am sad that we have a lot of professors but graduates cannot make lines. I am sad that we are celebrating Duro Oni at 60 but there are many graduates that cannot even run a cable... I am sad”. Although the moderator of the seminar, respected art enthusiast, Mr. Ben Tomoloju did not request Prof. Oni to respond, afterwards, in a telephone conversation with Prof. Duro Oni, Arts Lounge gathered that Duro Oni’s statement to Teju Kareem some years back was just an advice. “I was only advising him to take things gradually so that he won’t burn out. I am very proud of him because he made it”, Oni said.

Banky W

Wizkid

• Teju Kareem notifies Duro Oni pressed after the keynote address titled; “Technical Theatre Practice in Nigeria, The Duro Oni Intervention”, had been delivered by Prof. Molinta Enendu of University of Calabar, Cross River State with discussants including Dr. Alphonsus Orisaremi of University of Ibadan, Oyo State and Dr. John Iwuh of Redeemers University, Ogun State; Prof. Jenks Okwori of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Prof. Charles Nwadigwe of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State who all poured glowing encomiums on Prof. Oni. On his part, the ZMirage boss had this to say: “When I was about to start my establishment I put all the equipment I

NCAC honours Olu Obafemi, others I JEOMA E ZEIKE ABUJA

he National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, at the weekend honoured distinguished Nigerians who have contributed to the development of the nation’s arts and culture within their chosen area of endeavour. The 9th edition of the honour lecture/award organised by NCAC brought together people who have excelled in unique areas covering administration of culture, Nollywood and the music industry, including an administrator of high repute in the person of Prof. Olu Obafemi from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). The Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, urged the recipients to utilise their creativity, talent and expertise to advance the culture industry with a view to contributing meaningfully to the nation’s development. “All over the world, the sector is emerging to becoming a preferred sector that has great economic prospect and when fully developed can be rated to be one of the greatest contributor to the national economy”, Minister Duke said. The Director General of NCAC Mr. Malgwi Maidugu said that it was after their wide consultations that they carefully chose the recipi-

ents “We tried to look at those artists who have struggled and thrived in their chosen areas of specialisation to promote the industry and in promoting the industry. We have also tried to select those who are not too controversial in whatever they do. The award will serve as an example to upcoming artists”, Maidugu said. One of the awardees Vivian Anani, a Nollywood actress, while expressing her gratitude said “I feel delighted for this great honour done by NCAC. I think my effort and contributions are recognised. “Though Nollywood is not where it should be now, we are getting there soon. We are improving and getting better every day”, Anani said. On what she will change in Nollywood given the opportunity, she said “If I can have my way in Nollywwod, I will reduce the way faces are being repeated in the movies. For instance, you go to market to buy 10 different films and out of those 10, a particular face will feature in nine of them. That is very unfair; there are many upcoming artists that should be given a chance. I sincerely think that it’s about time we encouraged the upcoming ones, give them a chance to showcase their ability”. The event also recognised NCAC staff that have shown distinction in handling their various assignments.

Baddest Concert to trill fans It’s our Xmas gift to Nigerians – Banky W

nternational Afro pop star Wizkid says his teeming fans are in for the big thrill this Friday, as he performs in Lagos with his label mates. The bestselling, MOBO-winning hit-maker who has had a great year winning laurels and inking big deals, says he has been rehearsing for weeks to make sure he delivers an unforgettable set. The Empire Mates Entertainment, EME, concert, tagged ‘The Baddest’, is produced by events company R28 and is the first in a set of bigbudget international standard concerts to be promoted by R28 and EME. “Headlining this concert with my boss Banky W and my colleagues Niyola, Shaydee, Skales, DJ Exclusive and others is truly a great way to end this fantastic year”, says Wizzy. “Trust me, we’re bringing a concert like never before”.

The Baddest Concert holds at The Grounds, Oceanview, Victoria Island, Lagos, this Friday. Apart from the EME crew, many Nigerian acts from different generations are also expected to hit the stage in what many have tagged the concert of the year. According to a spokesperson for R28, The Baddest concert “will feature themed performances, big band sets and all the electricity you’d expect to find in a truly international concert of this kind”. Banky W, one of Nigeria’s celebrated singers and performers, has said the Christmas concert is a special Christmas gift to Nigerians from organisers. “We’re truly grateful to Nigerians for the support and I hope they’ll come out so we can have an opportunity to say thank you…”

...Cyprian Ekwensi CONTINUED FROM 26 and an indulgence. “Free verse is about reality and modernism and it has put poetry on an upward progression”. Prof. Sylvester of the University of Abuja, responding to a question from the moderator whether she would encourage her student to embrace the free verse said “Circumstances determined what happens to you and what you do. The most important message for my student would be to read very widely. It is not all time that you consider structure, what is of importance to some is the conveyance of message”. Moderated by Prof. Charles Nnolim, the second session dealt with “Contemporary dearth in drama”, as the trio of Opeyemi Adedayo, Denja Abdullahi and Aminu S. Muhammad tried to provide answer to the nagging question of “Where are the playwrights?”.This session briefly examined the capacity of writers in Nigeria switching to the theatre and drama to portray their thoughts before veering to the perennial challenges facing the practice of theatre in Nigeria. “One thing is clear, theatre in Nigeria lacks patronage whether as a drama, text or in its theatrical form. And for as long as this continues, the motivation to continue writing will no longer be there”, argued Opeyemi Adedayo, author of Play things of Way. Poet and Social Activist, Odia Ofeimum charged the Nigerian government to ensure that art in Nigeria is properly funded. “Art is not properly funded in Nigeria and that is a huge mistake. We have no purpose built facility for theatrical productions in the whole of Abuja and I think the architects who design all those mighty buildings in Abuja should go to jail for that”. The third and final session of the parley made a case for the problems of standardisation in writing in indigenous languages. Edwin Eriata Orhibhabor, Prof. Yusuf Adamu and I.B. Ibrahim assessed the obstacles encountered by writers in indigenous languages, especially languages outside of Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo which have already gained lingua franca status. While Eriata Orhibhabor, the ANA Abuja chairman and a promoter of the Naija Languej (Pidgin English) spoke of efforts in place, even at international level, to standardise Naija Languej and earn for it a lingua franca status. Ofeimun however posited that “pidgin should remain a language of humour” but went on to read a poem ‘Pidgin Soup’ which contrary to his earlier stand, glorifies pidgin as an alternative lingua franca.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

My future is better at Bayelsa United –Okey Azubike 30

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Getting back up there can be tasking indeed. But I believe more than ever that it is achievable –Golf star, Tiger Woods

Match-fixing scandal won’t affect hosting –SAFA

Keshi to field only local pros against Catalonia Reuben Gabriel (left) is among the players to tackle Catalonia

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

nly home-based players will be fielded when the Super Eagles tackle Catalonia in an international friendly match on January 2. According to Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) spokesman, Ademola Olajire, players from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) who do not make the final cut to the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa will then return to the country after the match from their

Faro, Portugal camp. Olajire also said that the team will now fly out to Portugal on December 23, while a dinner to raise additional funds for the Eagles is planned for December 29 in either Lagos or Port Harcourt. Meanwhile, Coach Stephen Keshi has declared that the Eagles have reached a crucial bend in the preparations for the Nations Cup in South Africa next year and pleaded with Nigerians not to distract the team from focusing on set goals. Speaking yesterday in Abuja, Keshi

Laloko cautions on AFCON list AFOLABI GAMBARI

s Super Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Keshi, gets ready to release his provisional list of players for the Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for next month in South Africa, a former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Dr. Kasimawo Laloko, has asked the coach to exercise caution in the squad’s composition. A lack of coordinated approach to selection by the technical crew may threaten the Eagles’ expected good outing at the competition, with many expressing worries over Keshi’s delay in

announcing his squad. Laloko, who spoke to National Mirror yesterday, reckoned that the Eagles’ coach had slowed down progress by his approach. “I don’t see any reason for this delay, especially as it is against the fact that Nigeria is going to South Africa to restore itself in continental football after the failure to participate in the last finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea,” Laloko said. “There is also no need for Keshi to give an impression that he will give the home-based players a lion share of the team’s spots for the Nations Cup. It’s a fact that the players in the domestic league cannot be equal to the task as

he South Africa Football Association (SAFA) has assured that the matchfixing scandal rocking the association would not affect the preparation and hosting of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. SAFA Acting president, Mwelo Nonkonyana, told newsmen yesterday in Johannesburg that a commission of enquiry to be headed by a retired judge would be set up to investigate involvement of its officials in the scandal. SAFA president, Kisten Nematandani, and four other top officials were suspended by the emergency committee of the association on Monday. Others suspended are CEO, Dennis Mumble; head of referees, Adeel Carelse; head of national teams, Lindile Kika and former head of national teams, Barney Kujane. This was consequent upon the FIFA report implicating SAFA in matchfixing of the Bafana

said he was not averse to critics of the team but cautioned against those who are hell bent on distracting the team. “The entire team needs absolute concentration but everyday there are reports about divisions in the team and several other negative stories and that is not good for the type of team we want to build for the Nations Cup,” Keshi said. he Nigeria Football Keshi said that he had received 100 Federation (NFF) per cent support from the Alhaji Aminu has expressed Miagari led NFF Executive Committee regrets at the death of and hopes that it will continue all the Kaduna State Governor, way to the Nations Cup championship. Patrick Yakowa, in a helicopter crash in Okoroba Village, Bayelsa State on Saturday. “News of the death of Governor Yakowa struck they have been largely inactive. So, us like a thunderbolt,” it will amount to sheer waste of time NFF spokesman, Ademoto continue to engage in training the la Olajire, said in a stateplayers in Abuja when it is obvious ment yesterday . they can’t get more than two per cent “We recall how he was of the final team.” always there for the NFF The administrator contended that and Nigeria football when Nigeria was behind schedule in the he hosted the internationAFCON preparation, saying the Eaal friendly match between gles’ squad was the only incomplete the Super Eagles and team of the 16 finalists. Chipolopolo of Zambia “There shouldn’t be any fuss whatin Kaduna in November soever. After all, it was clear which 2011 and also hosted the players executed the qualifiers and I Annual General Assemdon’t think it is necessary to infuse bly of the NFF in Decemnew players to the team barely one ber 2012,” the statement month to the main competition,” he added. submitted. “He was also ready

Bafana warm-up matches ahead of the 2010 World Cup. Nonkonyana said suspension of the top officials does not imply that they were involved in the match scandal. “This action in no way implies that these individuals were involved in matchfixing. It is simply for good governance that this measure is being implemented,” Nonkonyana said. Nonkonyana, who is the current Vice-President of SAFA, would serve as acting president in Nematandani’s absence, while Pinky Lehoko had been appointed interim CEO. “This is a difficult situation for the association and for those who have been named in the report. We hope that there would be no speculation about their presumed guilt or otherwise. We need to allow the investigation to take place speedily and fairly, so those that are innocent can be separated from those who are not.”

NFF mourns Yakowa

to host the Super Eagles’ FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, but other circumstances made the venue unattractive for those games. “We pray God to grant the late Yakowa eternal rest and give his family and the people of Kaduna State the fortitude to bear the huge loss.” Yakowa died alongside former National Security Adviser, General (rtd) Andrew Owoye Azazi, their personal aides and the helicopter’s pilots.

Late Yakowa

Sport

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Messi stays at Barca till 2018 B

arcelona’s record-breaking star, Lionel Messi, has agreed a new contract to keep him at Barcelona until 2018. The Catalan club said yesterday that the Argentinian would sign the deal “in the coming weeks”. Messi’s current deal runs until June 2016 and the new agreement will keep him at the Nou Camp beyond his 31st birthday. The forward has enjoyed an extraordinary year, even by his own remarkable standards, netting his 89th and 90th goals of 2012 at the weekend. He is also in contention to claim a fourth successive FIFA Ballon d’Or crown, being named on a three-man shortlist alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and team-mate Andres Iniesta. Barcelona also confirmed contraction extension deals with Xavi Hernandez and Carles Puyol which will keep them at Barcelona for the rest of their careers and underline their commitment to the runaway Primera Division leaders under new coach Tito

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tit bits...

Beckham

Departing LA Galaxy midfielder, David Beckham, will not decide on his next club untilil the New Y Year. h N “I will make a statement only after Christmas,” the Manchester United and Real Madrid told journalists yesterday. “But it is certain that wherever I play, my family will be based in London,” he submitted.

Alves

Lionel Messi

Vilanova. They also reduce the chances of former boss Pep Guardiola being able to tempt them away if he returns to club management next season. “This news means that FC Barcelona has secured its ties with

three of its most important players,” a club statement said yesterday. “Over the course of the next few weeks, Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and Leo Messi will all be signing their respective new contracts,” it added.

This failed to happen in the summer but, while the current deal remains in place, the £7.5m buy-out clause will continue to be activated during each transfer window. Ba, whose current deal at St James’ Park expires in 2014, is aware of reports linking him with a move to Arsenal ahead of the January window. “It is true that Arsenal is among the clubs that are tempting,” Ba said yesterday. “Journalists are doing their job, they know Arsenal needs strikers and they know I have a clause in my contract so they start speculating,” he added. Manchester United Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, says there is no value in the January transfer window and has ruled out any new signings in the new year. With all teams in the Premier League chasing the tails of leaders United, as well as battling the drop, there is likely to be plenty of money exchanging hands next month. Ferguson has generally been reluctant to conduct any winter business, although Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic arrived in 2006 and keeper Anders Lindegaard the only high-profile Christmas signing (2011) since then. When asked yesterday if there were areas of his squad he wanted to strengthen, Ferguson said: “The January transfer market has never been the best market and that has proved itself over the years. You get very few big transfers-all the big transfers are done in the summer.” One acquisition during the summer that continues to delight Ferguson is striker Robin van Persie. A haul of 15 goals in 21 games in all competitions since his £24m move from Arsenal has helped the Red Devils open up a six-point gap at the Premier League summit.

Demba Ba

Gunners’ deal attracts Ba

ewcastle striker, Demba Ba, says a move to Arsenal would be appealing with his escape clause set to be reactivated in January. Magpies boss Alan Pardew has become increasingly frustrated in recent weeks with continued speculation over the 27-year-old and his contract situation. The Senegal forward, who has bagged 11 goals this season, has a condition in his contract which had to be activated by July by any club wanting to take advantage of it.

Arsene Wenger

Arsenal is being linked with an audacious move for Barcelona fullback Daniel Alves. Latest reports said Barcelona President, Sandro Rosell, is open to cashing in on Alves after confiding to fellow directors he regretted not accepting a massive offer from Manchester City for the Brazilian last summer. The reports also said Arsenal had been intimated of Alves’ availability and is under consideration as the Gunners prepare to lose defender Bacary Sagna.

Mourinho

Real Madrid coach, Jose Mourinho, has called on his players to show personal pride in their performance. “You’re not happy, you do not enjoy what’s happening, you lose too many times and you are far from the aims you had but you still have others,” Mourinho charged his players yesterday. “This is about the individual pride of each person wanting the best for himself and his club,” he said.

Aguero

Manchester City striker, Sergio Aguero, is unsettled at the Etihad, according to reports yesterday. Aguero, who scored the opener in City’s 3-1 win at Newcastle yesterday, was upset at City boss Roberto Mancini for publicly criticising his strike force over its lack of goals this season. He has been eyed by both Spanish clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona and City would expect to recoup his massive transfer fee if he moved on.

Villa Barcelona striker, David Villa, is ready to move to the Premier League, with latest reports in Spain claiming that he is upset with his treatment by Coach Tito Vilanova and is currently taking English lessons. Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal are favourites for the prolific forward, according to the reports. Liverpool has also been mentioned, though sources insist London is Villa’s most likely destination.

Vicent del Bosque

I’m done with cl

Despite being a huge su still endures media critic try’s bid to qualify for the FIFA.com

You have had so much success i years, but have you had any dou the way? Of course, in football you things even when you win, righ last EURO we played virtually fro without an orthodox centre-for preferred to use a player who’d to link up and would play a par ing attacks, but who could get i too. At the time we had our mo uncertainty too. It’s not easy. I d anyone should be certain that e they do is right. I question a lot o

After winning so many titles, how take any criticism that comes you I listen to the criticism and You can’t turn a deaf ear to wh say and in some cases, of cour right. The thing is, we’ve got a bi vantage now because we all know situation turned out. The day w against Italy, we had come up solution because of Andrea Pirlo it didn’t go all that well for us th a 1-1 draw), but we improved as nament went on. In fact, when Italy again in the final and won 4 out the same starting XI as that f

Do you still feel that you wouldn’ the club scene again after coach national team? I said that for age reasons. I’ and I’ve got little more than a before my work with the natio comes to an end. It’d be very d take on a club role, as I honestly myself still coaching at 70. That most likely call it a day after this

How different is coaching a club a national team? We’ve played 16 games this when you compare that to th matches that clubs play, it’s a p clusive piece of data. At club have day-to-day contact that enab

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

NASS staff seek sports unit TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

taff of the National Assembly under the auspices of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), have written a memo to the management of the parliament’s bureaucracy seeking the establishment of a sports unit. Chairman of the association, Comrade Bawa, who disclosed this recently at the National Assembly after he led other staff for a “Health Walk” around the complex and beyond, said it was about

time that the bureaucratic system took sporting events seriously. “I think our effort will help the National Assembly to develop sports-wise and that can provide a buffer our establishment of sports to compete professionally and nationally,” Bawa said. “The sporting events lined up by PASAN would not only make staff and legislators fit, but they would ensure good health for all of us,” he added, stressing, “We hope to raise football, basketball, tennis and other sporting teams to participate professionally at the national level.”

NOC makes coaches’ pledge YEMI OLUS

ub coaching –Del Bosque

uccess, Spain coach, Vicent del Bosque, cism on his decision-making and the coune 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. He spoke to

n recent bts along

question ht? In the om the off rward. We drop deep rt in creatin the box oments of don’t think everything of things.

w do you ur way? I value it. hat people rse they’re it of an adw how that we played with that o. Perhaps hat day (in s the tourwe played 4-0, we sent first game.

t work on ing the

’m 61 now year here onal team difficult to y don’t see t’s why I’ll s. side and

year and, he 50-odd pretty conlevel you bles you to

gradually improve certain areas of your team. At international level you get less time to work. At a club you get to work with the players more, but there could also be more conflict. What’s the first thing you say to a new player coming into a squad as successful as Spain’s? During the first conversation, the first meeting that I have with them as a matter of course, I always tell the new player to try and feel at home. I tell him that he’ll have plenty of support, he won’t have any problems and that he’ll fit in straightaway. It’s just a formality, because I know the squad regulars will treat the new guy like he’s been involved for ages.

he Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) has promised to organise more training programmes for Nigerian coaches. President of the Nigerian Olympic Committee, Engineer Sani Ndanusa, gave this assurance in during the Nigeria Olympic Committee/International Olympic Committee solidarity course held at the National Institute for Sports building at the National Stadium in Abuja. Over 30 basketball coaches attended the five-day course which had Mr. Ronnie Owino from Kenya who was appointed by the world basketball ruling body FIBA, as Resource Person and Mr. Augustine Odigie as Project Officer. Ndanusa, who compared the coaches to teachers, said the quality of training would determine the quality of their athletes’ performance.

“The NOC will continue to bring high calibre experts from across the world to conduct courses for Nigerian coaches,” Ndanusa said, adding, “We will try our best to keep them updated on modern coaching trends in their various disciplines while we exploit all the available opportunities presented to us by the IOC for the benefit of the coaches. Last week the NOC held two IOC solidarity courses for basketball and judo in Abuja and Lagos simultaneously.

NSF fallout: Land plots await FCT gold medallists YEMI OLUS

R NOC boss, Ndanusa

Eket indigenes hail Service Games

Can you tell during that first chat if a player’s ready to handle the pressure of pulling on the Spain jersey? Yes, I think that they all are. They’re IFEANYI EDUZOR not kids anymore. They’re young lads but they’ve cut their teeth in the game. What’s ports enthusiasts in Eket more, we’ve not had any lads who’ve come Local Government Area into the squad and got nervous. They’re of Akwa Ibom State have mature for their age. expressed delight to host some of the events at the ongoing Could you imagine a FIFA World Cup with- 31st Public Service Games in out the defending champion? Uyo, the state capital. Those are the rules and we have to acParamount ruler of Eket, cept them. We’ve won two games and His Eminence Akwaedem drawn one, which means there are still 15 Dr. Akpabio Udo Ukpa, who points left to play for. It’s true we have to expressed the people’s view play France away, but there are also other when organisers of the event teams that could make both teams drop visited him in his palace at the points along the way. weekend, said the community was highly honored to host Is it harder now taking on those teams that athletics events of the chamaren’t considered established forces? pionship, saying participants Of course, it’s getting harder all the would enjoy hospitality of the time. All our opponents know us very well town. and already know exactly how we play. The “I want to extend my royal most important thing is that we believe in blessings to all officials and what we’re doing, and that the players are athletes who are participating patient enough to break down any defen- in the games,” the ruler said. sive system. We can’t go thinking we need President of FEPSGA, Victo win every game in the first ten minutes. tor Orji, said the excellent fa-

FCT Minister, Mohammed

cility in town had attracted the organizers. Meanwhile, the football event of the competition has entered the semi-final stage with NYSC Sports Clubs, Court of Appeal, National Orientation Agency and Civil Defence battling for final ticket. In a related development, the Igue Festival Marathon will hold in Benin City on December 29. Organisers of the event said yesterday that the marathon would begin at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and end at the Oba’s Palace in Benin City. The marathon is aimed at promoting healthy living, general physical fitness of the Benin people and to help project the people’s rich culture and organizers enjoined all citizens to participate in the race to usher in the Igue festival in a unique way.

epresentatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who won gold medals at the recent 18th National Sports Festival will get a plot of land each for their efforts. The Federal Capital finished in 12th position at the festival with a total of 29 medals consisting of seven gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze medals. Director of Sports of the FCT, Mohammed Alim Musa, told National Mirror in Lagos that the gesture had received approval from the FCT Minister, Alhaji Bala Mohammed. “The greatest asset that the FCT gives all its gold medalists is land,” Musa, who rated the NSF high in facilities, said. “It’s not easy having land in Abuja so all of them are having assets that will last a life. Every athlete knows that if he gets gold and even though he doesn’t get the land in one or two years time, he will ultimately get it. “The land of those that went to Kaduna in 2009 is being processed because the present government wasn’t in place then, while the processes for those who went to Port Harcourt last year will commence soon. “The number is not as great as that of Kaduna because 41 plots of land were given out after Kaduna festival. They were about 18 in Port Harcourt so the government could be so generous as to combine it with those that won gold in Lagos. “ The DOS said a youth competition would be put in place following announcement by the Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi that the next edition of the NSF in Cross River would be open to all comers. “A youth game which will serve as a feeder for the festival or elite games will be introduced because once the NSF is open, not every state will compete and when you have professionals competing, there may be no room for the amateurs,” Musa explained.

Sport

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Nigeria N ig Premier League

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cricket

with IIKENWA NNABUOGOR ikenwa.nnabuogor@gmail.com

My future is better at Bayelsa United –Okey Azubike Omodiagbe reports

ayelsa United’s new signing Okey Azubuike says he believes he’s got a better future signing for the team than Enyimba, who also gunned for his signature. The young home-based Super Eagles midfielder was torn between signing for Bayelsa and Enyimba but took a hard decision in pitching tents with his former coach at Niger Tornadoes, Ladan Bosso. He told National Mirror that he was scared of Enyimba because of the stories flying around regarding the five-time league champions’ reluctance in letting their players go when foreign clubs beckon. The precocious kid, who is fast turning into the busiest player in the national teams having played for the U-17, U-20 and Eagles, said he was not comfortable with the stories hence his decision to sign for the newlypromoted Bayelsa United. “I’m still a very young player and my ambition is to play for top clubs in Europe and I wouldn’t want anything that would upset me,” Azubuike said. “I’m happy at Bayelsa United and I have since settled down and looking forward to the start of the Okey Azubuike new season. club with rich history and every player “It was a hard decision for me would love to play for them. to take because Enyimba are a big “But a player’s future is very impor-

Musa on loan at Kano Pillars

ano Pillars new signing Kabiru Musa has revealed that he is on a six-month loan contract at Pillars and will return to his Egyptian cub Arab Contractors on expiration of his deal. The lanky striker told National Mirror that he still has a year running in his contract with the Egyptian top division side. The Egyptian Premier League has been put on hold since February following the death of about 74 fans during the post match riot in the league between Al-Ahly and El-Masry in Port Said. The matter has left the egg heads at the Egyptian league board with some difficulties on reaching a perfect decision on the date for the new season. Musa was left with no choice than to return home to continue his career at the league champions who have beefed up their attack

ahead of the new season billed to start on February 16, 2013. Musa reasoned that with no concrete decision on when the league in Egypt would commence, he took a chance with Pillars, who are also campaigning in the CAF Champions League. “There was no need for me to keep hanging on at Arab Contractors training and not playing games because as a player, it’s really not good enough,” Musa reasoned. “It’s a kind of a transit situation for me at Pillars and I will only return to my club when the league in Egypt starts again. “It’s very interesting to come home to pick my career again because I really need to be in a competitive mood all the time.” Musa played for Kaduna United before he left the country to begin a pro career in Egypt.

Wolves to Senate

tant too and that was what I took into consideration too when I took the decision.”

stranged Warri Wolves midfielder Emmanuel Omodiagbe added another twist to his impasse with Wolves by taking the matter before the Senate President, David Mark, National Mirror can exclusively report. Omodiagbe, who captained the Warri-based team in the first round of the last season, has been at dagger’s drawn with his former employers over his unpaid sign-on fee for the two-year contract he penned with the club worth N4.8 million. The former Heartland midfielder also accused Wolves chairman Amaju Pinnick of refusing to foot the bill for his surgery he underwent in Germany few months ago. Omodiagbe told National Mirror that all his efforts to get the matter resolved at the Arbitration Panel in Abuja, were frustrated by the personnel at the panel who lashed out at him for taking the matter before them. He lamented that Pinnick was bent on frustrating him even after he tried to resolve the matter amicably. Omodigbe said he had no choice than to seek justice at the highest level hence the petition written by his lawyer to the senate President. National Mirror learnt that the senate president summoned the former Insurance midfielder to report in person where he was meant to state his matter before the Senate Committee on Sports. The Senate Committee on Sports was reported to have sent for the Wolves chairman to answer to the allegation before him on December 14 but National Mirror was informed that he wrote them and requested he would appear before them in January citing busy schedule as reason. Omodiagbe told National Mirror that the senate asked him where he wanted the matter to be resolved, suggesting the case be transferred to the Delta State House of Assembly but the Warri-born star argued that he would not get justice at the Delta parliament, insisting the matter be resolved at the highest authority.

Eyimofe gets career lift

Kabiru Musa

ormer Golden Eaglets’ left back Joseph Eyimofe has signed for Warri Wolves to put an end to a two-year inactivity occasioned by a careerdamaging knee injury. Eyimofe did not kick a ball for two years as he battled to knock his career back into shape. The former Dolphins left back needed a surgery to correct a knee complaint after which he was subjected to several months of therapy to get back his full fitness. Eyimofe is delighted to return to the pitch when the league starts in February and told National Mirror he cannot wait to prove he still has some good football left in him. He would regain his fitness as the last season hit the home stretch but decided to take his time on his bid to relaunch his career. Heartland, Dolphins and Wolves were reportedly in pole position to hand the Warri home boy another chance but he chose to wait till the end of the season. It was his home town club that finally won his signature and he has since joined them in the pre-season build ups ahead of the new season. “I’m grateful for God for making it possible for me to start playing again after two years,” Eyimofe said. “It was really a difficult period for me but I kept my faith in the lord because I knew He would be there for me. “I’m happy to be back and I’m looking forward to a bright season with Wolves. I want to also use this medium to express my gratitude to the Wolves management for giving me another chance.”

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance Aviation industry needs genuine investors and trained manpower

We’re ready for Nigerian retail business Co-founders, JUMIA, Raphael Afaedor, Tunde Kehinde

Chief Executive Officer of Mish Aviation School, Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia

42-43

Corruption, Insecurity, monetary tightening bane of industry growth in 2012, says LCCI ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

he Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has identified high cost of fund, in the economy and the tight monetary policy stance of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as major factors that dampened investors’ capacity to harness opportunities in

2012. The Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf said this while presenting the 2012 Business Environment Report which reviewed the challenges of key sectors in the outgoing year. Despite innovation in banking sector in 2012, a GDP growth of 6.6 percent, which is said to be

one of the best globally; rising foreign reserves which was $44.5 billion as at November 2012, excess crude account of $9.6 billion and a stable polity, bolstered by increased credibility of the electoral process, Yusuf said operating environment was generally adjudged to be unsatisfactory by many investors. “Funding was a major

problem for investors in 2012. The cost of fund in the economy is high and access to credit was even more serious problem. The tight monetary policy stance of the CBN was identified as a major factor that affected the credit conditions,” he stated. On security, the report stated that many firms lost sizeable portion of their sales as they could

L-R: Head, Legal & Regulatory Services, Starcomms, Mr. Bosun Hambolu; Interim-CEO, Starcomms Plc, Mr. Olusola Oladokun and Chief Executive Officer Designate, New Starcomms, Mr. Dem Eleso, at the Starcomms’ Shareholders’ Forum held in Lagos, yesterday.

ITF advocates scrapping of SIWES funding OLUFEMI ADEOSUN AND STANLEY IHEDIGBO

he Industrial Training Fund (ITF), has urged

ADVERT HOTLINES: For advert bookings and information, please contact the following:

LAGOS: 01-8446073, 08094331171, 08023133084, 08034019884 ABUJA: 08033020395, 08036321014

Federal Government to scrap the N2, 500 stipends being paid to the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). This is even as the agency voiced out its frustration at the rising profile of debtn owed to students on the programme, it put at N12bil-

lion. SIWES is a programme that is designed to enable student marry practical with theory with a view to certifying them for work place upon graduation. However, as desirable as this scheme may appear, the Director General, ITF; Prof. Longmas

Planning Commission boss tasks Joint Planning Board on devt

Wapmuk, said that the agency could no longer fund it due to inadequate funds. Wapmuk spoke in Abuja yesterday during the second annual seminar for Trade and Investment Correspondents and Business Editors. The training programme was organised

no longer access most part of the northern market while manufacturing firms sourcing raw materials from the north faced new challenges putting projects funded by banks in the affected states at risk. “Many bank branches have been closed, while the working hours for others have been drastically reduced; Sales representatives of many companies have fled the affected states; m any projects under construction in the north have been abandoned,” the LCCI report stated. The report further stated that apart from security concern and CBN tightened credit accessibility, the operating environment generally was unsatisfactory. The report states: “The operating environment was generally adjudged to be unsatisfactory by many investors. This had profound impact on returns on investment and profit margins. “The broad issues and challenges included weak consumer demand, cost and access to credit, cargo clearing processes, transportation costs, especially the collapse of the rail system; institutional problems, corruption, especially in relation to public sector transactions. by the Ministry of Trade and Investment. He explained that when the number of students under the scheme was manageable, the agency was up to date with the payment, stressing that however, when the number got blotted up due to addition of more courses and with dwindling funding, the debt kept risen until it got to N12.2billion.

Pensioners decry FG’s N500bn debt

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 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)

EXCHANGE RATES WAUA

234.6271

USD

155.84

CHF

159.2642

SDR

235.0535

CFA

0.2924

GBP

244.1701

EURO

191.3715

OIL / GAS FUTURES ICE BRENT

$123.39

-0.78

NYMEX

$108.45

-0.11

OPEC BASKET

$122.86

+1.16

NATURAL GAS

$2.83

-0.03

FG sets new target on electricity generation

Business Finance

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Planning Commission boss tasks Joint Planning Board on devt TOLA AKINMUTIMI

he Secretary of the National Planning Commission, Mr. Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo, has charged members of the Joint Planning Board, comprising permanent secretaries and directors of Planning and Development in Federal and States’ Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to commit their efforts to initiatives that would improve strategic planning, performance management system and by implication, far-reaching development of the country. Ugbo, who gave the charge in his welcome address at the meeting of the JPB in Makurdi, Benue State, explained that as technocrats the Board members’ roles in fashioning modalities for institutionalising medium term strategic plans and Performance Management System at sub-national level would go a long way in fast-tracking the ongoing Transformation Agenda of the government and realisation of the objectives of the Vision 20:2020.

L-R: Head, Direct Sales Force, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. John Okon; Principal Confidential Secretary, Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Ethel Nwobi; Chief Executive Officer, Advalue Ltd, Mr. Charles Monmuba and Assistant Director, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Lagos Zonal Office, Mr. Obi Ireabu, at the Sterling Bank Saver’s Promo Draw held in Lagos recently.

While recalling the unfortunate experiences in the past when planning was relegated to the background in national development agenda at all levels of government, the NPC scribe who is also the chairman of the JPB pointed out that the ugly trend had been reversed with the

Former CBN governor warns against sharing excess crude revenue

ormer Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Joseph Sanusi has advised the Federal Government not to succumb to pressure to share the excess crude oil revenue among the three tiers of government. Sanusi gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos. He said that spending all the money now could spell doom for the economy in future, but that the funds should be saved in the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) for the rainy day. NAN reports that the excess crude revenue, which currently stands at 9.6 billion dollars was realised from crude oil sales above the budgetary crude oil price benchmark. Accountant General of the Federation, Mr John Atunla, had said recently that there were demands by the 36 state governors for the release of part of the money to fund development projects in their respective states. The AGF, however, said the Federal Government and the governors were yet to reach a consensus on the matter. Sanusi said that it did not make any economic sense to spend revenue realised from the excess crude account now.

“I have always supported the idea of setting aside something like a fund to save for the rainy day and now SWF has been created. ``When I was preaching the idea in those days, as CBN governor, the state governors used to tell me that we should spend the money as the rainy day was already here. ``I don`t believe so because the price of oil is still high. “It is good we keep the excess revenue in SWF as a protection against the volatility of oil price and keep the economy stable. ``So, it is gladdening that we have the fund and I urge the Federal Government to be committed to it,” he said. The former apex bank governor described as unsustainable the huge recurrent expenditure of the budget in terms of jumbo allowances and salaries paid to political office holders. He called for a review of the country`s political structure in favour of small and inexpensive government, stressing that the government, as currently being run, was a threat to development. Sanusi also decried the perennial poor implementation of the budget, saying the trillions of naira rolled out yearly as budgets had not translated to development.

government’s Transformation Agenda serving as the roadmap of the key policies, programmes and projects to be implemented by the present administration from 2011-2015.

In addition, he explained that the Federal Government through the Planning Commission has developed the maiden Key Performance Indicators for all MDAs to facilitate the tracking of poli-

cies, programmes and projects at the federal level, adding that a replication of the monitoring and evaluation strategies at the sub-national level will aid the national development agenda. Ugbo stated: “As part of the efforts to improve strategic planning, performance management and the transformation process, the Government’s Transformation Agenda has been developed. This is a roadmap of the key policies, programmes and projects to be implemented by the Goodluck Jonathan Administration, 20112015. The key areas of focus for the Tramformation Agenda are, good governance, infrastructure and human capital. “The government has also established a specialised Department of Monitoring and Evaluation in the National Planning Commission. This is no doubt, a radical departure from the old experience, where lack of monitoring and evaluation became the bane of our previous development strategies.

National Assembly assures FMBN support on mandate STANLEY IHEDIGBO

he Senate yesterday vowed to support the Federal Mortgage Bank in its effort at providing affordable housing to all Nigerians. Giving the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank, Gimba Ya’u Kumo, in his office, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ikweremadu, said the Legislature would collaborate with the Bank in its efforts targeted at providing affordable housing for millions of Nigerians. The deputy Senate president

who describing the housing deficit in the country as one of the major factors that could be exacerbating the crimes in the society, noted that “when people live in shanties they are pruned to committing crimes, but when people live in a respectable atmosphere they behave like human beings. He explained further: “Therefore, the Mortgage bank must come in to ensure that Nigerians are given the opportunity to live like human beings by the giving them the type of houses which they deserve as inhabitants of a respectable nation and there is no way that will achieved without mortgage

because that is one thing that is lacking in our housing delivery scheme in Nigeria. “I want to assure of our support and cooperation to ensure that the exercise you are carrying on now is fully implemented to give Nigerians the benefit of the mortgage institutions to enable then own houses of their own and live in decent houses”, the lawmaker assured. In his remarks, the Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank explained that as a way of contributing to the Nigerian economy, the bank is now building on a pilot base of about 1000 houses in each of the six geopolitical zones.

Chanchangi Airlines recommence operations months after suspension OLUSEGUN KOIKI

ne of the oldest commercial airlines still operating in Nigeria, Chanchangi Airlines yesterday recommenced flight operations after months of closing shop due to inadequate aircraft. National Mirror observed a Boeing 737-300 painted in the airline’s colour took off from the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA2), Lagos. At MMA2, our correspondent also observed that ticketing officers of the airline were selling Abuja and Kaduna airports tickets to willing passengers. Although, the queue was scanty when compared to other airlines, however few passen-

gers patronised its services. Our correspondent gathered that the airline recommenced operations with only aircraft as against tens of aircraft it had in its fleet I’m the past. When our correspondent contacted the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the issue, the industry regulator confirmed the return of the airline to commercial operations. The spokesman for NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye said that the airline returned to flight services last Friday with its own aircraft. He said, they have actually resumed operations since last Friday with their own aircraft. Prior to that time, they have

been using leased aircraft for their operations while their routine maintenance lasted.” Besides, a source close to the airline confided in National Mirror that the airline was expecting additional three aircraft in the next couple of months, adding that a Boeing 747 would soon be acquired for hajj operations. According to him, Chanchangi is acquiring these aircraft through its agreement with Inland Bank, which is now under Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), that now handles the bank. AMCON continued with the facilities of Inland Bank and thus the rejuvenation of Chanchangi.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Business Finance

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Pensioners decry FG’s N500bn debt MESHACK IDEHEN

ensioners in the country have said they have become traumatised, and are not happy by the series of disappointments, frustrations and deprivation they have suffered and still suffering in the hands of the Federal Government. The pensioners who cut across all sectors, including ministries and agencies of government also said the Federal Government is owing pensioners unpaid entitlements totalling over N500billion as at November 2012. National President of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Mr. Ali Abatcha, told National Mirror on Tuesday that many pension arrears have remained unpaid, while hundreds of thousands of pensioners are not receiving any benefits from the

government. According to Abatcha, who spoke in glowing light of the sacrifices pensioners have paid for the development of the country, the pension and gratuity of retired workers are at times not paid in full, while there are always some disparities in the harmonised pension scheme which always ends up in pensioners not getting their dues in full, or not at all. The NUP president said further that names of pensioners are sometimes removed from the payroll by pension officials, while at the same time rejecting claims by the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, that over N181 billion pension funds had been saved so far from the exercise the task force has embarked upon. While calling for the immediate implementation of the report of the Senate Joint Com-

mittee on Pension Administration which indicted the Pension Reform Task Team officials of fraud, Abatcha also called for the prosecution of members of the pension reforms team that are found culpable in the pension scam. Speaking further, the pensioner’s union boss challenged the pension task force reform team to make public the report of its 2010/2011 biometric exercise, in order for stakeholders to see the quality of their work. He called for the immediate resumption of the inconclusive biometric verification of 2010 and 2011 exercise which according to him, has not in any way met the expectation of stakeholders, particularly pensioneers, while also commending pensioners in Oyo State on the foundation laying ceremony of Oyo State Pensioners House.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Chinese, Indian firms mining Nigeria’s solid minerals illegally, says NEITI MESHACK IDEHEN

he Chairman of the National Stakeholders Working Group of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Mr. Ledum Mitee,has said Chinese and Indian companies have been involved in illegal mining of Nigeria’s solid mineral deposits across the country Mitee, who spoke during the presentation of the inaugural audit report on Nigeria’s solid mineral sector, said also that several illegal artisanal operations in Nigeria’s solid mineral sector were being sponsored and executed by Chinese and Indian companies with support from local authorities in vari-

Guinness launches SNAPP in South-South, Abuja to increase market penetration ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

L-R: Chairman, UAC of Nigeria Plc, Senator Udoma U. Udoma; former Executive Director, Chief Samuel Bolarinde; former Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan and Group Managing Director/CEO., Mr. Larry Ettah, during a dinner party in honour of retired Bolarinde in Lagos recently.

NGO leads campaign on sustainable development UDO ONYEKA

Non Governmental Organisation, ‘NATURE CARES’ has provided an elaborate platform that will set new principles in dealing with development issues in the country in line with the practice in emerging markets. The organisation has therefore set out to lead a sustainable campaign that will provide information on new markets and of nations developing in a sustainable pattern. Speaking at a training workshop on information sharing for key NGOS’s in Lagos , Executive Director Nature Cares, Mr. Oshaniwa Toyin Abio said that Globalization has introduced many challenges thus making sustainable development an imperative and

not an option. He stated that today´s environment and market place presented very complex and changing landscape adding that there is great tremendous need for information on how to stay on the cutting edge and how to employ the best technologies and management practices. Abio explained that what his organisation has proposed to do is based on the need to build skills and knowledge to ensure proper utilization of resources and meeting the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations. ‘Sustainable Development is a phenomenon of the 21st century. Rio+20 is a positive indicator of the essential need for individual, communities, organizations, regions, nations, to develop on a sustainable pattern. The term sustainable development bears dif-

ferent names such as ecologically sustainable development, futureproof development, durable development, to name but a few’, he stressed. Examining sustainable Development in emerging countries Abio stated that twenty years after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro (1992), the international community is taking stock of progress made and setting new goals for the future of sustainable development at the Rio+20 conference. He pointed out that in this context, technology transfer and innovation have figured prominently in the submissions made by many countries including Nigeria in the preparatory process for Rio+20 but unfortunately they have not received sufficient attention in this process as a whole.

ous parts of the country. According to him, base-line information gathered from scoping studies that were conducted earlier in the sector has revealed great discrepancies in government receipts and operating companies’ payments within the periods, saying also that illegal mining has continued to thrive in the sector as a result of lack of regulation. “Illegal miners engage local artisans and government authorities to do this at ridiculously low rates and export to make extreme profits, but NEITI will do all that is required to provide information to enforcement agencies with which they can use to hunt down such firms in the sector,” he added.

fter a successful launch and increasing market acceptance in Lagos two months ago, Guinness Nigeria Plc, has officially launched its new brand, SNAPP, a naturally refreshing apple-flavoured alcoholic drink in Benin, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Abuja. The launching which is targeted at sophisticated, trendy female market segment, according to the leading brewer, took recently place simultaneously across four venues, two in each city. At the various top clubs in Benin, Calabar, Abuja and Port Harcourt where Guinness host consumers who are predominantly women, SNAPP was offered to guests as part of life time opportunity of offered by

Guinness Nigeria as a form of hospitality. Guess artists at various launch venues were thrilled with top Nigerian Rap Artiste, Mr. Incredible; M.I, MTN project Fame winner Chidinma among others. The Marketing and Innovation Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Austin Ufomba who unveiled SNAPP to the audience, invited Nigerian women to celebrate their confidence with style. He said, “SNAPP has been introduced into the ready to drink category in response to the increasing demand for an alcoholic drink that appeals to women who want to show their individuality and unique style when out socializing with friends. This is very much in line with Guinness Nigeria’s vision of celebrating life, everyday, everywhere”.

NAMA assures passengers of safety during harmattan

he Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), on Tuesday assured air passengers of their safety during this harmatan season and at all times. The agency’s spokesman Mr Supo Atobatele, gave this assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos. Atobatele disclosed that the agency has adequate navigational equipment to cope with flight operations during the harmattan season. “We are fully prepared to handle flights during the harmattan season that is obviously here with us. “Harmattan, as a weather phenomenon, sometimes reduces visibility below 800 metres and at such period, pilots are

advised to stay on ground until visibility improves. “This is a safety standard that NAMA imbibes all year round,’’ he said. He added that NAMA, as an Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), was adequately equipped to handle flights at all seasons. “This is reinforced with the completion of its new radar that has been in operation since it was inaugurated in Oct., 2010 by President Goodluck Jonathan,” Atobatele said. He said that most of the major airports across the country were presently equipped with digitalised Instrument Landing Systems (ILSs) that guide aircraft approaching landing or taking off within 800 meters of visibility.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Energy Week

udemea@rocketmail.com 07031546994

lectricity which many consumers, including households and companies put into different uses is very important to consumers, and by extension the economy of the nation. For instance, household utilise it for domestic cooking and food preservation. Companies, including industries also utilise to produce various goods and services for local consumption and export. Despite its centrality, power supply has not been sufficient and steady in Nigeria for some reasons. First, electricity generation which comes from hydro, thermal and other sources remains relatively low. This becomes a sad reality because of some factors, especially low water at the various dams and inadequate gas supply. Second, inadequate power supply is also a function of transmission challenges which culminated in losses, especially before the advent of Manitoba of Canada as the manager of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The losses often reduce the volume of energy available for distribution to consumers in the various parts of the nation. More than that, the nation encounters distribution problems, including inadequate infrastructure such as transformers, cables and meters which are needed to ensure electricity is delivered to consumers on a more sustainable manner. This has scuttled many activities in the economy. Take the case of small scale industries as an example. Many industries have closed shops as a result of poor supply of electricity which compelled them to take to the use of generators at higher cost. The cost which is reflected in the prices of various goods and services make them uncompetitive at the global market. This is worsened by high tariff imposed on electricity consumers. Already, small scale industries have stated in their petitions to the Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) that the high cost of the new Multi Year Tariff Order 11, introduced in June this year was counter-productive on their operations. A recent NASME sponsored survey also confirmed several negative implications of the new tariff on small scale business operators whose activities have assisted in various ways to reduce unemployment in the country. The Executive Secretary of the organization, Mr. Eke Ubiji who confirmed the development said NASME is ready to engage with relevant government institutions, especially Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in order to change the situation. Consequently, NASME has called for the creation of separate classifications specifically for NSMEs aimed at enabling them to reduce the high operational cost. It further called for

Afam power plant

FG sets new targets on electricity generation

For the past few years, power generation has hovered at a little over 4,000 mw, which is inadequate to meet the nation’s demand. UDEME AKPAN reports that plans are underway to increase generation to 40,000 mw in 2020. the elimination of all fixed charges. NASME stated that: “In the medium to long term future, NASME recommends that the fixed charge is completely eliminated and all charges become variable based on consumption.” The organisation explained that this would ensure that its members only pay for what they consume and ultimately encourage energy conservation in the nation. It also made a case for the introduction of a unified standard for information shown on payment receipts, explaining that: “The minimum information requirements for each distribution company to be the same, in order to improve transparency.” NASME further called for the restructuring as creation of complaint

DISTRIBUTION

COMPANIES SHOULD BE MANDATED TO SET UP STRUCTURED AND EFFECTIVE COMPLAINT AND RESOLUTION CHANNELS WITH STIPULATED RESOLUTION TIMELINES channels in distribution firms so as to enable service providers respond to complaints. It stated that: “Distribution companies should be mandated to set up structured and effective complaint

and resolution channels with stipulated resolution timelines. Appropriate penalties should be established with supervision by NERC.” It also stated that; “There should be awareness campaigns and sensitisation on MYTO 11 to MSMEs using grassroots/practical methods. NASME can provide input about appropriate consultation mechanism for SMEs.” The Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi thanked NASME for its suggestions which he said would enable the Commission to effectively regulate the sector. He said the nation’s power challenges were enormous when compared to other relatively small nations in Africa, including CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

Energy Week

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG sets new targets on electricity generation

Amadi

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 Ghana. This notwithstanding, Amadi remarked that NERC has done a lot to address many issues, including tariff adjustment, targeted at attracting new investors who need to recover their costs to invest in the sector. He challenged distribution companies to provide improved services, classify consumers properly as well as educate and inform them so as to reduce the present high level of misinformation and conflict. Amadi stated that; “The consumers need to know why and how they are billed. Once they know that the companies are accurate in the billing mechanisms, they would be willing to pay as when due, thus, assisting to boost investment and growth of the sector.” However, hope does not appear to be completely lost as the government has set new targets aimed at increasing electricity generation from the present over 4,000mw to 38,006 mw in 2020. Under the targets, the nation is to realise 7,175mw by 2013 while 9,395 mw are to be generated in December 2014. The Presidential Task Force on Power, PTFP that made the disclosure has it that 12,472 mw, 14, 779 mw, 19,333 mw, 25,064 mw, 32,285 mw and 38,006 mw are to be generated in December 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively. Chairman of the PTFP, Engr. Simeon Atakulu while making presentation at the just concluded power summit in Lagos emphasised the need to vigorously drive various projects and programmes to meet such targets. For instance, Atakulu called for commitment to conclude handing over to investors and initiation of appropriate Power Development Strategy on the nation.

Kuchi

Yakubu

THERE ARE STRONG INDICATIONS THAT POWER SUPPLY WOULD BE GREATLY BOOSTED IN THE

NATION, PARTICULARLY AS GAS SUPPLY IS SET TO RECORD A GROWTH RATE OF YEARLY BETWEEN NOW AND

35 PER CENT

2015 AS A RESULT OF

RENEWED COMMITMENT OF GOVERNMENT AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF GAS FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION He made a strong case for realisation of prompt payment of energy invoices, implementation of the MYTO II methodology and institution of sanity in the market. Atakulu said: “Gas supply framework, growth of the grid, successful implementation of WB PRG/ Sovereign Guarantee, sound and stable government policy to encourage rapid development of the emerging market” is required to enable government and other stakeholders meet such targets. He called for the conducting of project reviews, inspections, feasibility and commit funding to start construction of major Hydro Projects in areas such as Mambilla, Zungeru and Gurara which are targeted at generating additional power consumption. Atakulu who remarked that the nation can generate between 7,000 to 10,000 mw from coal said the decision about Coal-fired plants should be taken quickly to ensure power stability in the country as projected for the future. He said the various power generating methodologies like solar, biomass and wind should kick off in Nigeria without delay. Atakulu also tasked NERC to develop feed-in tariff structure for coal and other renewables to facilitate investment opportunity for improved energy mix in the country. However, in the next one year, Atakulu said there is need to complete work on

the remaining National Independent Power Plants, NIPP as scheduled. He said there is also need to carry out a realistic System-Wide Survey to eliminate TCN/Disco interface issues and sporadic frequency fluctuations as well as provide funds for completion of rehabilitation works to achieve increased capacity additions in Ughelli GTs 17, 18 & 16(300mw), Omotosho outstanding four Units (190mw), Afam GT 20 (138mw) and Sapele STs 01 & 03 (200mw). Atakulu called for a speedy resolution of systemic bottlenecks in delivery of Geregu’s GT11 Mandatory HGPI (138mw), commitment to offset outstanding accruals and institution of payment mechanism for system support/frequency control services by select GenCos in the nation. The government further called for prompt payment of monthly GenCos Energy invoices and 100per cent payment of monthly gas bills. There are strong indications that power supply would be greatly boosted in the nation, particularly as gas supply is set to record a growth rate of 35 per cent yearly between now and 2015 as a result of renewed commitment of government and other stakeholders to increase the supply of gas for electricity generation. Operators that express such optimism have no doubt about the ability of the nation who is blessed with proven gas

reserve of 187 trillion cubic feet to meet such target. For instance, a senior official of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Mr. Emeka Onyegbule remarked while making a presentation in Lagos that: “The nation is ranked the eighth largest gas reserves in the world in the following order: Russia, Iran, Qatar, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, USA, UAE, Nigeria, Venezuela and Algeria, with 1,100km gas pipelines of consisting of ELPS and Alakiri- Obigbo- Ikot- Abasi pipeline systems.” Onyegbule who disclosed that the nation has 6,000mw installed capacity out of which 75per cent is gas powered made it emphatic that 30,000mw installed capacity is projected for 2020 through the vision 2020. As he puts it: “Majority of the projected capacity will be gas-fired. Gas availability therefore is critical to achieving stable and affordable electricity in Nigeria. Gas cost constitutes about 40per cent of wholesale electricity tariffs in Nigeria. What goes on in gas sector has huge implications for the electricity sector.” He called for the addressing of critical challenges affecting gas to power, including inadequate gas transportation and processing infrastructure and poor performance of the domestic gas sector – low price, unpaid bills, weak and unenforceable GSPAs’, weak commercial arrangement and unclear regulatory framework. Already, the stakeholders, including the International Oil Companies, and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), have expressed their commitments to channeling more gas for power generation. This and other considerations raise hope that the future is not bleak based on the assumption that stakeholders, especially the Federal Government would remain committed to its power reforms in the best interest of the nation.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Week

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Global economic uncertainty bothers OPEC

lobal economic uncertainty constitutes a major problem to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as its plans to achieve market stability next year. The cartel whose members rose from a crucial meeting last week maintained that the Conference observed the mounting pessimism over the global economic outlook, with downside risks continuing to be presented by the sovereign debt crisis in the Euro-zone; high unemployment in the advanced economies, especially the Euro-zone; and inflation risk in the emerging economies. It stated that: “Indeed, the biggest challenge facing global oil markets in 2013 is uncertainty surrounding the global economy, with the fragility of the Euro-zone remaining a major concern.” The organisation noted that, although world oil demand is forecast to increase slightly during the year 2013, this is likely to be more than offset by the projected increase in non-OPEC supply and that projected demand for OPEC crude in 2013 is expected to contract to 29.7 mb/d. It maintained that: “Given the demand uncertainties, the Conference decided to maintain the current production level of 30.0 mb/d. The conference also agreed that member countries would, if necessary, take steps to ensure market balance and reasonable price levels for producers and consumers.” The cartel stated that it is necessary to remain vigilant in the face of the uncertainty surrounding the outlook for the world’s major economies, as well as the implications of the enduring weaknesses in the international financial system that are expected to continue to pose downside risks for both the global economy and the oil market. The organisation directed the Secretariat to maintain its close monitoring of developments in supply and demand, as well as non-fundamental

matters. The organisation exchanged views on, inter alia: developments in multilateral environment matters, including the outcome of COP18/CMP8 held in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month; the status of the Organization’s ongoing energy dialogue with the European Union (EU); its continued cooperative work for the G-20; and its dialogue with the Russian Federation. It congratulated the government and people of Qatar on the successful hosting of COP18/CMP8, noting with satisfaction that the event’s positive conclusion paved the way for a new course of action for designing the future climate change regime. In this connection, Ministers applauded the work being done in this important area by climate change negotiators from around the world. The conference reviewed the oil market outlook, as presented by the Secretary General, in particular the supply/demand projections for 2013. Ministers noted that the price volatility witnessed throughout 2012 remained mostly a reflection of increased levels of speculation in the commodities markets, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and, latterly, exceptional weather conditions. The conference decided to extend the tenure of HE Abdalla Salem ElBadri as Secretary General for a period of one year, with effect from 1 January 2013. The Conference appointed Mr Yasser M. Mufti, Saudi Arabian Governor for OPEC, as Chairman of the Board of Governors for the year 2013, and Dr Ali Obaid Al Yabhouni, the United Arab Emirates’ Governor for OPEC, as Alternate Chairman for the same period, with effect from 1 January 2013. The conference approved the Budget of the organisation for the year 2013. It decided that its next Ordinary Meeting will convene in Vienna, Austria, on 31 May 2013.

Minister of Petroleum, Deziani Alison-Madueke

factors, such as macroeconomic sentiment and speculative activity, keeping Member Countries abreast of developments at all times. The cartel stated that in taking this decision, member countries confirmed that they will swiftly respond to developments that might have a detrimental impact on an orderly oil market. The conference reviewed the Secretary General’s report, the report of the Economic Commission Board (ECB), the report of the Ministerial Monitoring Sub-Committee (MMSC) – whose members the conference again commended for their continued and appreciated efforts on behalf of the Organisation – and various administrative

OPEC daily basket price stands at $106.01 per barrel

he price of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, (OPEC) basket of 12 crudes rose slightly from $105.83 to $106.01 per barrel over the weekend, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Iran Heavy (Is-

lamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela). The market situation raises hope for the execution of budgets in many oil producing nations, including Nigeria whose budget planners had based revenue projection at $72 per barrel.

President Goodluck Jonathan had while presenting the 2013 budget stated that: “The 2013 Budget is underpinned by the following parameters which reflect government’s prudent economic policies in an uncertain global economic environment.” He said the gross federally collectible revenue is projected at N10.84 trillion, of which the total revenue available for the Federal Government’s budget is forecast at N3.89

Energy & Oil Prices

Source: Bloomberg

OIL ($/bbl) Nymex Crude Future Dated Brent Spot WTI Cushing Spot

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

85.95 111.01 85.54

0.41 0.90 -0.74

0.48% 0.82% -0.86%

07:42 07:52 10/29

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

310.55 275.30

-0.97 -0.38

-0.31% -0.14%

07:37 07:41

OIL (¢/gal) Nymex Heating Oil Future Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future

NATURAL GAS ($/MMBtu)

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

11:19

New York City Gate Spot

3.77 3.43 3.57

-0.03 0.09 0.11

-0.84% 2.69% 3.18%

07:43 10/29 10/29

ELECTRICITY ($/megawatt hour)

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE

TIME

% CHANGE

09/24

Nymex Henry Hub Future Henry Hub Spot

Mid-Columbia, firm on-peak, spot Palo Verde, firm on-peak, spot

32.95 35.23

-0.40 -0.76

-1.20% -2.11%

10/26 10/29

BLOOMBERG, FIRM ON-PEAK, DAY AHEAD SPOT/ERCOT HOUSTON

30.25

2.04

7.23%

10/26

Source: Oilprice.com

trillion, representing an increase of about 9per cent estimate for 2012. Jonathan said non-oil revenue is projected to continue to grow in 2013 as the ongoing reforms in our revenue collecting agencies and the implementation of initiatives to further develop the non-oil sector continue to yield results. He said an aggregate expenditure of N4.92 trillion is proposed for the main budget of the 2013 fiscal year, representing a modest increase of about 5percent over the N4.7 trillion appropriated for 2012. This is made up of N380.02 billion for statutory transfers, N591.76 billion for debt service, N2.41 trillion for Recurrent (Non-Debt) expenditure and N1.54 trillion for Capital Expenditure. Jonathan stated that: “Based on the above, the fiscal deficit is projected to improve to about 2.17per cent of GDP in the 2013 Budget compared to 2.85per cent in 2012. This is well within the threshold stipulated in the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and clearly highlights our commitment to fiscal prudence. We are determined to further rein in domestic borrowing, and this way, ensure that our debt stock remains at a sustainable level.”

Energy Week

NNPC cautions IOCs over allegations of stalling projects

he Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has raised eyebrows on media reports credited to some International Oil and Gas Companies, IOC’s accusing it of stalling the execution of some multibillion dollar projects in the sector. The NNPC held that it will not be stampeded or browbeaten into abandoning its firmly established process of contract award by what it termed calculated media blackmail ostensibly by the IOCs and other interested parties. The statement which was signed by the Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Fidel Pepple noted that while the industry concern is normally expected in the process leading to the award of major oil and gas projects, ``NNPC has an established procedure of contract and project approval which includes conduct of economic analysis to establish project viability and Federal Government’s take from investments in the upstream’’. NNPC explained that this procedure must be followed and IOC cannot stampede the Corporation into taking decisions that may be inimical to the nation because of their pecuniary interests. On the claim that the NNPC has not held its periodic Group Executive Committee meetings to discuss some major projects like the TOTAL Egina deep offshore project and endorse same to NNPC Board for approval, the NNPC stated thus: ``This claim is untrue as GEC meetings are being held weekly or fortnightly. However, Erha North Phase 2 and Egina Project contracts have not been discussed yet at these meetings because NNPC Management is critically reviewing the overall economics of the project in view of their high cost estimates in order to establish their validity, maximise Federal Government’s take and ensure comparative price competitiveness vis-a-vis benchmarks.’’ On the allegation that the Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of the NNPC, Engr. Abiye Membere was behind a phantom contract splitting attempt of the Egina Project just as he allegedly did with the previous Bonga Southwest project, the Corporation stated that such allegation is totally misplaced and untrue. The NNPC informed that the alleged contract splitting of Bonga Southwest was never in the cards as there was never a time that SNEPCO proposed three Floating Production Storage Production offloading facility (FPSOs) for Bonga Field Development. ``Engr. Membere also did not scuttle Bonga Southwest/Aparo Project six years ago. He was the GM, PSC Division of NAPIMS in 2006 and helped to move forward the strategy for a leased FPSO project for Bonga Southwest /Aparo project. He was deployed from this position to another position in NNPC’s Engineering& Technical Directorate in 2007 during a routine Management re-organisation exercise’’. The Corporation explained that the said Bonga South/Aparo was recycled for concept re-evaluation in 2009 when dearth of bidders were recorded on the major packages at the technical stage and with a potential of only one bidder emerging to the commercial stage of the FPSO tender. ``This decision to recycle Bonga was taken by NAPIMS top management and not Engr. Membere’. Also on the report that NNPC blamed lack of funding as the cause of the alleged lull in the execution of the project, the Corporation described the allegation as untrue and laughable. ``This claim is untrue as there is no funding challenge in PSC because operators fund the investment 100 percent’’. The NNPC management stated that despite the spate of attacks, it remains focussed on its core mandate of ensuring that the Federal Government and the Nigerian people derive maximum benefit from the proceeds of the nation’s hydrocarbon resources.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG moves to pay Manitoba

lans have reached an advance stage for the Federal Government to pay Manitoba about $23.72million for the management of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). The payment which a top official of the Ministry of Power said was being processed aimed at encouraging the firm to be more committed to transmitting power in a manner targeted at reducing energy losses in the nation. The source that was in Lagos for the just concluded power summit said it becomes necessary to pay the firm following the resolve of the government to retain its services as TCN manager. He said: “There was a time it was doubtful whether Manitoba would remain as TCN manager. Now that the government has declared its intension to let the firm be, it becomes necessary to pay so that it would become committed to the task of transmitting power in an efficient manner.” Before the official confirmation by President Goodluck Jonathan, National Mirror had reported that Manitoba Hydro International of Canada remains the manager of TCN. Investigations revealed that the firm’s much talked about contract was not terminated. The firm still plays its role as TCN contractor. A source close to the firm said: “We are still working because we have not yet received an official letter terminating the contract.” The Chairman of the Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation, Mr. Atedo Peterside, also remarked that the contract was never cancelled. He said: Manitoba Hydro’s contract was never cancelled. The public should not confuse intent with actual action.” Peterside said it was unfortunate that some people are spreading rumours as far as the termination of

Peterside

Manitoba contract is concerned. Investigation showed that since the ‘intention’ to terminate the contract was announced last Wednesday, many stakeholders, including the Bureau of Public Enterprises and National Council on Privatisation have made efforts to explain the process that culminated in the appointment of the foreign firm to Presi-

Conoil to create 5,000 Jobs through new scheme UDEME AKPAN

onoil Plc is investing over N500 million in a novel scheme for the distribution and marketing of its lubricant brands and cooking gas that will generate over 5,000 new jobs in the country. The new initiative, tagged: COSA (Conoil Services Associates), which was recently launched by the company, will generate 1,500 direct employment and another 3,500 indirect employment to support Federal Government’s job creation drive. The concept is aimed at improving the delivery of lubricants and cooking gas to the door steps of customers on real-time basis and at affordable prices. The company said in a statement that the job creation process is planned over a period of nine months with the initial employment of over 500 COSA agents over the next one month. The President Goodluck Jonathan government has made job creation a key objective of its administration, and has implored members of the private sector to join hands with government in the execution of the programme. “Through the COSA scheme, Conoil is contributing its own quota to actualising the government’s noble goal,” the statement said. The management of the oil company further said that it is envisaged that the spread of the COSA agents will assist regulatory agencies – the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) – in curbing the sale and distribution of adulterated lubricants to unsuspecting motorists and machinery owners. Conoil added that the introduction of the scheme was also in line with its corporate social responsibility policy which is hinged on its clear understanding that

good business depends on making a positive impact on the lives of the people. It would be recalled that Conoil recently announced plans to invest N1.5 billion to re-invigorate deregulated and high margin-yielding lubricant business over a four-year period with projected revenue of N33 billion over same period. Towards achieving this projection, the company upgraded the filling lines at its Apapa plant and constructed new ones in Port Harcourt and Kano to significantly increase its market share. Conoil is one of the most formidable names in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry. The firm stated that: “We are engaged in the marketing of refined petroleum products and also in the manufacturing and marketing of high-quality lubricants and chemicals for domestic and industrial use.

Mike Adenuga

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

$23.72 million dent Jonathan and other authorities, including legislators. Consequently, President Jonathan, who was said to have partly based his decision of the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP allegation that BPE did not have the force of the law to ‘procure’ Manitoba to manage TCN for the government backpedalled on the issue. A reliable Presidency source who preferred not to be named said: “There are indications that the government was misled to take that decision. We have the right to do what we did. Fortunately, many people, including legislators believe it is too late to fault the process that led to the emergence of the firm.” He said: “It was easy for the government to backpedal after all it has not yet issued a letter of contract termination to Manitoba. I can confirm to you that Manitoba has not yet been served any official letter to that effect.” Some stakeholders said there was a great need for the government to reconsider its decision because of the serious implications it could have on the nation’s power reforms. Manitoba maintained that: “Throughout the term of the contract, one key objective for MHI will be to reorganise TCN such that the TSP becomes a separate entity from the MO and SO allowing it to become a privatised commercial company.” It stated that MHI expects to turn TCN into a technically and financially efficient, stable, and sustainable company; a company that will be market-driven and capable of utilising its maximum generation capacity and then distributing the energy throughout Nigeria 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

NEITI releases new report

Energy Week

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

he Nigeria Extractive Industries transparency Initiative (NEITI), has released the report of the Independent Auditors on Nigeria’s Solid Minerals sector covering the period 2007-2010. From the report, the Federal Government recieved a total of N54.5billion from mining companies while companies reported they paid N53.8 billion in form of taxes, royalties, levies, etc. This leaves an unreconciled difference of N687million. As part of efforts by NEITI to redirect the nation’s attention to the sector and in keeping with its statutory mandates and the EITI principles, NEITI commissioned an industry audit of the solid minerals sector, for the first time, following base line information provided by the scoping study conducted earlier in the sector. The objective of the audit was to establish and make public the revenue flows through investment among the major players in the solid minerals sector, report on the quantities of solid minerals mined, quarried, processed, exported and imported. The audit was also to track solid minerals sector fund collected by the various government agencies to the Federation Account and how it is distributed, applied by the various federal agencies and also make recommendations on any issues arising during the course of the audit. Other objectives include the reconciliation of the payments by the major players (companies/entities) in the solid minerals sector in Nigeria and Government receipt of revenues during the period 2007 – 2010 in the areas of royalty, ground rents/annual surface rents, taxation, levies etc. A total of 78 companies were covered based on the materiality level with their activities covering construction, manufacturing, artisanal mining and mineral buying centres. The Audit is useful for purposes of planning and economic development of the country.

Experts demand 10% CBN intervention fund for energy financing OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

on- Governmental Organisations, International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development (ICEED) and Christian Aid have urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to set aside 10percent of the existing power intervention fund for pro-poor energy financing. This is even as ICEED noted that apart from malaria and HIV/AIDS, smoke inhaled while cooking was the third largest killer of Nigerians, revealing that 9.3million Nigerians die yearly from smoke that that they inhale from cooking with firewood. Speaking with journalists at the weekend on a report “Expanding Access to Pro-Poor Energy Services in Nigeria”, the NGOs also stated that Nigeria Rural electrification had declined, arguing that at least 28 million Nigerians would lack access to electricity by 2030. The report is being launched at a time the United Nations declared 2012 as the year of Sustainable Energy for All. It seeks to support a new momentum to launch energy access on the national policy agenda. It presents new evidence of the growing energy poverty in Nigeria. It analyses the level of government, private sector and donor funding for energy services that benefit poor people and reviews international best practices in expanding access to energy services. In order for the poor to have access to energy, ICEED and Christian Aid recommended that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), should establish a clear framework for the utilisation of the Consumer Assistance Fund for the rural areas. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, said there was the need for governments in the country to focus on providing affordable and accessible energy sources which are critical for poor people to generate wealth and expand their livelihood and their cooking mechanism for them to build resilience. He said, “About 15.3 million households have no access to grid electricity. Seventy-two percent of the population depends on traditional firewood for cooking. Contrary to the Federal Government’s National Energy Policy and Vision 2020, deepening poverty has forced a reversal in the transition to modern and efficient energy forms. Today, more Nigerians are climbing down the energy ladder – moving from electricity, gas and kerosene to fuel wood and other traditional biomass energy forms. If this trend continues, 28 million households will be without electricity in 2030 and 189 million Nigerians will be dependent on wood use for cooking. “The International Centre for Energy, Environment & Development (ICEED) in collaboration with Christian Aid has published a new report: “Expanding Access to Pro-Poor Energy Services in Nigeria”. The report finds a significant decline in political interest for expanding electricity services to rural areas. Even though Nigeria has embarked on ambitious power sector reforms, ensuring

that electricity reaches the poorest has over the years taken a back seat. “Not only is investments in rural electrification in decline, Nigeria has no history of providing annual budgets for cooking energy programmes. Today, 95,300 Nigerians, mostly women and children die annually from smoke coming from the use of fire wood. “Nigeria must learn from South Africa. Even though South Africa had over 40,000mw installed capacity by 1994, only 34per cent of the population had access to the grid. It took a bold and ambitious programme to expand power to more than 80percent of South Africans within a decade. If Nigeria’s power sector reforms fail to integrate rural electrification, expansion of access will be elusive. “The report recommends a number of action points for expanding access to energy services that benefit the poor. It calls on the Federal Government to launch an ambitious national rural electrification programme; and establish a national cooking energy programme. The report urges the Central Bank of Nigeria to set aside 10per cent of the existing power intervention fund for pro-poor energy financing; and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to establish a clear framework for the utilization of the Consumer Assistance Fund. Other recommendations of the report include the use of a proportion of the Ecological Fund to finance cooking energy; establishment of a donor’s platform on pro-poor energy; and the mobilisation of civil society in providing community-level energy services.” The Country Manager of Christian Aid Nigeria, Jane East, stated her organisation’s commitment to eradicating poverty, particularly in the rural communities.

CBN Gov. Sanusi

Total seals agreements with two communities

otal E & P Nigeria has sealed agreements to carry out some corporate social responsibility projects and programmes in Rivers State. The company has also renewed its partnership agreement with Mgbuesilaru community. The agreements which will last for five years cover items as employment, skills development, micro credit scheme, educational development and infrastructural development For Mgbuesilaru, the scope of the agreements includes; employment: slots for community indigenes into the company within the duration of the agreement. It includes skills development for 65 persons in five years from 2012 to 2016. It also includes the provision of scholarships to 33 primary pupils, post secondary 40 persons, Post Graduate (Local) eight persons and Post Graduate (Foreign) 3. The programme also includes the provision of N5million loan for entrepreneurs and Infrastructural development envelop of N190 million in five years. For Opobo-Nkoro, each community would get one employment slot within the duration of the agreement while 130 persons would be affected in the area of skills development in five years from 2012-2016. In the area of scholarship, Post Primary 42, Post secondary 38, Post Graduate (Local) 10 and Post Graduate (For-

eign) three. However, in the area of Micro Credit, N3million revolving loan for entrepreneurs and Infrastructure Development envelop of N220million are to be injected in five years. “It is important to say that TEPNG’s investment in our communities are meant to touch lives through the various projects and programmes that will be embarked upon in the life of these agreements”, Mr. Nicolas Brunet, Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District stated in his address of welcome. Brunet averred that the signing of the new agreements will further strengthen the relationship between the company and the communities while using the opportunity to commend the various negotiating teams for their maturity and sense of responsibility that culminated in the final agreement. The company had earlier in the year signed partnership agreements with Egi Oil & Gas families, Egi communities, Olo community and Ekpeye Kingdom all in its OML 58 concession. Mgbuesilaru community is host to the Total Village while Opobo-Nkoro is one of the coastal communities within the operations of Total in OML 99. The signing of the agreements is another demonstration of Total’s corporate social responsibility.

Energy Week

CSR: NDDC plans new empowerment projects The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is designing new programmes that would help in building the capacity of youths with a view to engaging them in meaningful activities. The Managing Director, Dr. Christian Oboh disclosed this when he received the Speaker and other executive members of the Nigerian Youth Parliament at the Commission’s Headquarters in Port Harcourt. The NDDC Boss underscored the importance of youths in the socio-economic and political development of any country, assuring that the Commission would continue to initiate programmes that would equip the youths for future challenges. He said “we have programmes designed for the youths running into millions of naira but we need to fine-tune them for better results. We are, therefore, focusing on areas that will give us maximum benefit and impact positively on our youths”. While advising the Youth Parliament to remain focused on their goals, Dr. Oboh charged youths of Niger Delta to direct their energies to productive ventures rather than militancy. Speaker of the Youth Parliament, Hon. Abdullahi Maibasira commended the Board and Management of the NDDC for embarking on people-oriented projects in its quest for a developed Niger Delta region. He said the number of programmes being undertaken by the Commission showed clearly that it believed in the youths as leaders of tomorrow. Maibasira expressed the group’s desire to collaborate with the NDDC in building the capacity of youths to ensure adherence to positive activities. Chairman, Youth Parliament Committee on the Niger Delta, Moses Uvie-Odeghe, praised the NDDC for its several youth’s empowerment and human capacity development initiatives. Recently, the NDDC handed over completed projects to four more communities in Imo State. The Projects include internal roads in St. Mark’s Estate and Federal Housing Estate in the New Owerri, Ejizie-Izuogu Road in Akeme community of Arondizogu, Ideato North Local Government Area and a solar-powered water project in Mbaoma in Owerri North. Oboh while inaugurating the projects told the people, who rolled out drums to celebrate, that the commission was determined to make its presence felt in all parts of the Niger Delta as quickly as possible.

Nigeria reviews costs for Erha North, Egina oil

Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, said it’s evaluating the costs for Exxon Mobil Corporation Erha North Phase 2 and Total SA Egina deepwater projects in order to “maximize” the government’s profits from the new projects. The management of the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. “is critically reviewing the overall economics of the projects in view of their high cost estimates in order to establish their validity, maximize Federal Government’s take and ensure comparative price competitiveness,” Fidel Pepple, an Abujabased company spokesman, said today in an e-mailed statement. Exxon Mobil’s Erha North project is planned to beginning production in 2015 with 50,000 barrels a day of crude output while Total’s Egina has a planned output of between 150,000 barrels and 200,000 barrels daily and will also start in 2015, according to information obtained from field operators and the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Exxon Mobil, the second-largest producer in Nigeria, is the operator of a joint venture in which it holds a 40 percent stake, with stateowned NNPC holding the rest. Total also runs a similar joint venture in which it holds 40 percent equity and the state oil company holds the rest.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG plans to improve on power sector regulation in 2013 –Minister UDEME AKPAN

he Federal Government has raised hope that it has started adequate competences to cope with the post privatisation management of the power sector. The Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zanaib Kuchi, who gave the assurance, said the power sector is expected to be more private sector driven in 2013. The minster made this known at the 4th Quarterly Power Summit in Lagos with the theme; “Strategies towards Consolidating Sustainable Power Supply in a Privatised Industry’’. She said that the sector is also going to witness more commissioning of Independent Power Projects (NIPP). The minister said another sector that is going to witness restructuring in 2013 is the Federal Ministry of Power to deal with new and inevitable challenges in a manner that will place the ministry on a better focused and better defined direction. ``In this regards, I will continue to seek the cooperation of our development partners, weather international or local, in ensuring sustainability of supply along the electricity value chain. ``We should been seen as working together harmoniously in order to attain a common goal of making electricity available to the Nigerian consumers on sustainable basis,’’ she said. The minister said that the summit is aimed at accelerating service deliv-

ery in the power sector by bringing together both internal and other relevant stakeholders within the value chain to brainstorm on how to effectively ensure sustainable power supply to the consumers. ``The summit has indeed been able to bring about appreciable improvement in power supply in the country and l am happy to sincerely associate myself with the noble ideals of the summit. She, however, added that sustainable power supply is not only part of the President Goodluck Jonathans’ Transformation Agenda, but also central to the transformation process. ``Indeed we are all aware of the ambitious target of the power sector to generate not less than 40,000 mega watts by the year 2020 in line with the vision 20:2020 development plan. ``However, this first can only be achieved through hard-work, commitment, dedication and cooperation of all the key players within the value chain,’’ she added. Buchi said that the ministry had just, within the week been able to sign the critical Zengeru [power project which will generate additional 700mw on completion. Mrs Dere Awosika, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, in her welcome address said that the 4th quarter summit is expected to draw the sector more closely to its goals. She added that the ministry had successfully completed the PHCN labour union debacle, adding that the country

has attained a generation of 550mw. Awosika said that the summit is aimed in bringing all stakeholders together to discuss the issues, progress and challenges faced in the power sector with a view to formulating strategies and designs to mitigating them. She said that some of the notable challenges in the sector can be generally classified as human weaknesses and failure, poor planning and implementation resulting in weakness and failure, poor planning and implementation resulting in weak power system. The secretary said this has led to the establishment of the Electric Power Sector Reform as a key necessary of the Nigeria Government.

Jonathan

SPDC awards contracts to four Nigerian investors UDEME AKPAN

he Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), has awarded Maturation Studies Services contracts to four Nigerian companies, in an initiative that will help indigenous firms to build their capacity in a key aspect of the oil and gas industry. These pioneer contracts will enable Laser Engineering and Consultancy Nig. Ltd, Ankorpointe Nigeria Ltd, Integrated Data Services Ltd (a subsidiary of NNPC) and Nubian Nigeria Ltd to conduct frontend subsurface maturation studies in SPDC’s onshore eastern operations for over a two-year period. Maturation studies involve evaluation of subsurface data to build a picture of the hydrocarbon reservoirs and are vital to determining major oil and gas development plans. In the past, there was a tendency to conduct a number of maturation studies overseas as a way of meeting planned targets. However, in line with Nigerian Content Development objectives, SPDC is working to domesticate these studies, thereby empowering Nigerian companies to acquire the necessary expertise while also significantly providing jobs incountry and reducing costs. SPDC’s Manager, Geosolutions, Nedo Osayande, representing General Manager, Development, Bayo Ojulari said at the contract signing ceremony in Port Harcourt on 6th December, 2012, said: “It has

been a long journey; we liaised with the contractors on the conduct of subsurface studies, understanding their challenges and working to resolve them to a point where they can now render the required services. This is a top moment for Nigerian contractors in the oil and gas sector, and the four pioneers must seize this opportunity and prove that the investment in time and resources has been worthwhile.” The managing directors of the four companies signed on behalf their organisations, thanking SPDC for the opportunity and promising to execute the contracts efficiently. In 2011, SPDC also inspired in-country manufacture of carbon steel pipes when it awarded a $37 million contract to SCC Nigeria Limited, a move that led to the establishment of the first line pipe manufacturing facility in Nigeria.

Oil platform

Meanwhile, Shell companies in Nigeria have been given an award as the “Most Local Content Friendly International Oil Company” at the 10th anniversary and awards ceremony of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping held on 10th December 2012 in Lagos. The award is in recognition of their “constant drive to source maritime materials and equipment within Nigeria, and giving priority consideration to Nigerian companies in evaluation of bids for maritime contracts.” General Manger, Nigerian Content, SPDC, Igo Weli said: “We are grateful for the award which is further confirmation of the leadership role of Shell companies in Nigeria in NCD development.” Shell companies in Nigeria have already won three awards this year in recognition of their local content performance.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Executive Discourse

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘We’re ready for Nigerian With professional backgrounds in investment banking, agricultural services, e-commerce and acquisitions, Raphael Afaedor and Tunde Kehinde, have also brought knowledge garnered at the Harvard Business School to bear in launching Nigeria’s leading online retail portal, Jumia.com. In this interview with ADENRELE NIYI and KUNLE AZEEZ, the co-founders reveal the practical business template which has got Jumia off to a flying start and share the bigger vision for the business. Excerpts: How did the business merger happen between both of you? (Tunde answers) We were at Harvard Business School, but our time didn’t overlap. As Raphael was leaving, I was coming in and therefore, he was a year ahead of me. He was also appointed number one at Jumia and after a couple of months before Jumia launched, he reached out to me through mutual friends explaining to me what we were going to do here. I bought into the vision, joined him in Lagos and we started working together. Give us an overview of what Jumia as an online store does. What we are trying to build is organised retail in Nigeria and you find out that if you organise retail, you generate a lot of employment, both directly and indirectly. You find out also that people have money in their pockets and they want to spend the money buying stuffs. Without organised retail here, they travel abroad and spend the money there. This is what we are trying to build in Jumia. It is a fundamental part of the economy and I think it is as big as fixing electricity or water; if we are able to organise retail, you generate work for a lot of people. The mode we are trying to run is the organised retail offering a variety of products and services ranging from mobile devices, fashion, beauty items and books. I think we have about 15,000 books for sale online and aside that, we sell a lot of electronics and mobile phones. For us, the general idea is that when it comes to shopping in Nigeria, you think of Jumia first instead of travelling abroad. We’ve tried to go beyond Lagos –we now deliver across the nation. We have our own fleet in places as far as Abuja and Port Harcourt. We airlift staff from Lagos to those locations and dispatch riders deliver to our customers. In order to build trust in the model we have adopted, we offer customers the option of cash on delivery (C-o-D) in places as far as Abuja and Port Harcourt. What challenges has the environment thrown up to get the business running? I think the answer on paper is for people to say it is difficult to do business in Nigeria; the power situation, the roads are not fantastic and so on. But for us, what we have found is that if you plan ahead, are aggressive and move on very quickly, you can overcome these challenges. So, when it comes to traffic and roads, most of our dispatches are bikes that can easily weave through traffic and deliver; whether Lagos, Port Harcourt or Abuja. When it comes to talent, as you can see, we have about 150 employees now across our headquarters in Lekki (Lagos), our warehouse in Oregun (Lagos) and also in Abuja as well. We have found that if we can find the right talent, we can move on quickly. Challenges such as power and others have not really affected our business that much. I think for us, there are obstacles but they don’t really hold us back on what we want to do in terms of getting items at a reasonable cost and delivering real value to customers. The challenge that everyone in Nigeria always talks about has to do with trust and we try to do a couple of things to become trusted in the minds of our customers. One is our payment method; we do cash-on-delivery. You can go on our website, order for items and only pay those items when they are delivered to you. Although, you can go online to pay

Kehinde (L) and Afaedor

WE ARE ENSURING THAT OUR CUSTOMERS CAN GET ANYTHING THEY WANT AT COMPETITIVE PRICES ANYTIME THEY SHOP WITH US with credit cards or do online transfer, we also offer cash-on-delivery options as well. The selected items get to the customer and they can confirm its authenticity and goods come with a warranty. Our delivery drivers are very professional, courteous and they are dressed in our uniform. Once you order once or twice and you have built trust, you can then move to the next level of paying online with credit cards. The challenges are there, but it depends on the mindset you are deploying to overcome them and we have been doing that pretty fine. Some other businesses see obstacles, but for us, we see opportunities to move forward. When Jumia is mentioned in Nigeria, what comes to mind is a company focused on selling mobile devices. Is this the correct view of your business? Our plan is to focus on broad based retail. We are not, by any means, limiting ourselves to a particular category. We did start off though with electronics and you will remember we are just a six-month old company in Nigeria. It is possible for people to

have associated Jumia with quality electronic and devices. Today, we have a lot of fashion products that we sell– there are fragrances, beauty products, shoes, bags and other fashion stuff. We are going to expand our book category significantly to be the largest in Nigeria as far as online book shops go. The goal ultimately is to become that one-stop shop for shopping needs in the country and beyond. The issue of online fraud is rampant in Nigeria. How do you combat cases of fraud as an online retail store? Our dispatch riders are provided with Point of Sales (PoS) machines and we have found out that some of customers actually like that. Some of them are sceptical of using their cards online and bringing the PoS device to them at the point of delivery is an initiative they have found very useful and they like it. We also make sure we do good background checks on the dispatch riders because these are the people who get the money from the customers on delivery and we ensure that they are credible and reliable people. We have had a minor incidence or two which was dealt with in-house, but nothing major. On the reliability of our online technology, we are working with organisations which have tried and tested experience in this sort of things. We get a lot of knowledge and technical know-how that we need from top web security companies to localise the system and provide trouble-free online transactions. If you go on our website, you can easily see this. We

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

retail business’ put together both local and international security systems to run our online retail platform. I can tell you that we have never recorded any online breach or e-fraud on our payment platforms and we would continue to invest more in new technology that can continuously help us secure our portal. Which model should Jumia be embraced for; promoting a hassle-free online shopping lifestyle or spearheading innovative e-commerce technology in Nigeria? What we are trying to do is to be a retail business and as such, we are ensuring that our customers can get anything they want at competitive prices anytime they shop with us. It is that simple and the idea also is to be the biggest retailer in Nigeria. If you think of getting anything, whatsoever, you know you remember Jumia and you know you can come to it for such a desire and even at a competitive price. That is what we are trying to build. If you think of it, we are very similar to offline shops. They only difference is that we don’t have shops you can walk into to get the product. Every other thing on how you source, how you pick and how you pay for the product is the same. The only difference is that ours is a website. What has been the feedback in terms of patronage? We have had some people who are not sceptical about getting products online and we have had a lot of people who, for now, don’t want to pay online but rather would prefer to order for products and only pay when they are delivered to them. The good thing is that anything you buy on our website, you can call us to complain or praise us. We have an excellent customer care team to respond to your inquiries. You have the opportunity of seven days return period, when you can call us to come pick a product for replacement. We send our dispatch riders to pick the product and give you any new ones you need. People hearing this wonder if it is true or not and for those who have tried us, they have come to terms with the fact that we are ready for Nigerian retail business. As we develop more and more satisfied customers, we would be able to get everybody on-board. Since we started, we have seen demands for our products from not only Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, we have also seen shoppers from Enugu, Imo State, Nasarawa and random locations you wouldn’t necessary think would go for online shopping. The issue is people worldwide need options for shopping. For the fact that prices are right there on the website, you can compare the prices with what obtains elsewhere and if you see that the prices we are offering are competitive and you also know it is when the products are delivered that you pay, then, you consider this a flexible option which woos you. What is your opinion on e-Commerce and online business in Nigeria right now? We have seen a lot of platforms whether it is fashion or general merchandise with all sorts of payment options which is great. What has happened now is that it creates jobs and it creates a different kind of industry beyond just regular banking, oil and gas and the telecoms. For us, one thing needed now, based on our experience so far, is that the people who are going to win in the retail market are going to need a long-term view, which is what we currently do at Jumia. Speaking in terms of the kind of suppliers, manufacturers and partners that we have on ground. The second is that you are going to need a fair amount of funding because retail worldwide is an expensive business at the beginning. Everybody knows about eBay, Amazon and the rest, but we also know how much it took them to get to profitability. So, there is need for great funding and long-term vision.

Executive Discourse

What is also key is to get the right talent and currently at Jumia we have gone for locally and internationallytrained talent to be able to build the kind of business we envision on a long–term approach. What is your succession plan in line with your long-terms vision? It is a fantastic question. As a manager, you will like to run the business to a point where the business can run itself. Right now, we are still at a stage where the senior managers are very much needed; but we are recruiting people and constantly improving our processes. This is not going to happen overnight. Well-respected online retail stores such as eBay and Amazon still rely on their founding fathers. But that is where we are going eventually. When we started afresh, it was difficult to get top talent to run the business. Today, people can clearly see us and our vision is clear also. Can you tell us the volume of traffic to your website either on a daily or weekly basis? We are currently the eighth most visited retail website here in Nigeria that produce local contents. If you go to Alexa.com and you remove Google, YouTube and Facebook, then we are the eighth. On a daily basis, we record 40,000 visitors but it is not everybody that is buying. Of this figure, some come to browse, check prices and products and maybe later take a decision. What sort of after-sales services does Jumia provide to customers? If you have any problem with the products, let us know within seven days. Beyond that, you have our manufactures’ warranties and you get the same warranty on our site. So, we go directly to manufacturers to get products for our customers. There is a guarantee that comes with the products and we ensure that this is passed on to the customers. We also have exclusive supply and retail agreement with some brands which have never been in Nigeria before –like Beyonce’s House of Dereon. We are also looking at working with other brands from all over the world who probably would not have spoken to us but because they see us online and see the volume of traffic we get, these firms

Jumia experts exude the confidence of youth, competence.

AT JUMIA, WE HAVE GONE FOR LOCALLY AND

INTERNATIONALLY-TRAINED TALENTS TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE KIND OF BUSINESS WE ENVISION are now willing to talk to us and willing to shop in Nigeria. Getting small and medium businesses online has been described as next frontier for small business owners. How do you buy into the idea of promoting indigenous SMEs? We work with a lot of local designers in terms of fashion. We get their products, put it on our website and we have majority of their products in our warehouse. This is the way we help to promote local content online and the fastest way to get your products seen by prospective customers not only here but all over the world. We are helping SMEs put their products online from day one. We also put up our banner promoting products for our customers and yet they can also sell offline in shops. Platforms like ours help local designers and manufacturers get online to a wider channel of prospective market. What is your commitment to the Nigerian market? Our proposition is to be fully customer-centric. We take customers first when we are making our decision and we ensure that our customers, irrespective of their locations get the best product and service at the right prices to them. We have raised local talent and we have raised money from both local and international markets to ensure that we have a long-term plan for our business and that is our commitment to the Nigerian market. I think the job that we are creating is another commitment that we have for Nigerians as we employ more local talents to join us and help create the kind of structured online retail ecosystem towards delivering value to the economy.

Global Business

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Skeptics dump Spain for German Federal bonds

he European Central Bank’s plan to buy the debt of cash- strapped nations boosted Spanish bond values and cheapened German debt. The price of the 1.75 percent (German Federal bond) repayable in July 2022 dropped from 105.92 at the start of June to as low as 100.47 yesterday. 17. The dip in bund prices represents a buying opportunity, according to BlueBay Asset Management Ltd., which oversees $41 billion. Demand for German debt, perceived to be among the safest securities, is being sustained as Spain weighs a sovereign bailout to supplement a 100-billion euro ($129 billion) bank rescue package and as Europe’s economy slides toward recession. While analysts have raised year-end forecasts for the 10-year bund rate since the ECB outlined its strategy, the median year- end estimate is 1.63 percent, compared with about 1.52 percent currently and almost half the five-year average of 3 percent. “We like bunds,” said Russel Matthews, a fund manager at BlueBay in London who said he has a “small long

Draghi

position” in German debt. “They are cheap around 1.60 percent. If Spain does request a bailout bund yields won’t get that much higher because of the fundamental backdrop.” German 10-year yields matched a record 1.127 percent on July 23, three days before Draghi promised to do “whatever it takes” to defend the euro. The Sep-

Spanish bad bank risks investor conflict with stressed lenders

Rajioy

pain must ensure a so-called bad bank meets investor demands for yield without undermining the balance sheets of lenders as the government seeks a panacea for the country’s real estate crisis. “If the new investors do not believe they are going to get a good return on their investment, they will not want to get involved,” said Vanessa Gelado, director of

Drago Capital, a Madrid-based real estate fund that’s considering investing in the bad bank. “It’s a very difficult equilibrium to achieve.” The terms of Spain’s 100 billion-euro ($129 billion) bank bailout oblige Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to set up an asset management firm to house foreclosed homes and real estate loans from banks that received state aid. The government wants private investors to own the majority of the bank so the debt doesn’t contaminate national accounts as it tries to rein in the euro region’s third-biggest budget deficit. The strategy pits investor demands for low valuations on assets transferred to the bad bank with the needs of some lenders to support real estate prices to avoid further losses, said Luis Garicano, a professor at the London School of Economics. “It’s a very difficult balance to achieve, or maybe it’s impossible,” said Garicano in a phone interview. “If you’re the government, you’re trying to attract investors, but at the same time you don’t want to underpay for the assets or you risk undermining the banks and maybe having to recapitalize them unnecessarily.”

Next BOE chief must be independent of banks, Cable says

.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business Secretary Vince Cable called for the next Bank of England governor to be independent of the banking system, with Cable hinting no bankers had applied for the job. “Clearly you want someone who understands banking but is not captured by banking,” Clegg said in an interview with Bloomberg Television yesterday at his Liberal Democrat party’s conference in Brighton. The person needs to have “a suppleness of mind, capable of challenging orthodoxies at a time when many, many orthodoxies on how you run monetary and fiscal policy are being challenged by the very exceptional circumstances that we face,” he added. Conservative Chancellor of the Exche-

quer George Osborne this month formally began his search to replace Mervyn King, who steps down in June. Osborne’s Liberal Democrat coalition partners will have a say in the appointment, which will be announced by the end of this year. In an interview, Cable said King’s successor must be someone “understanding the banking system but independent of it and able to speak frankly where necessary.” Asked if a banker could do the job, he said: “I don’t know that there are any applying.” Former Bank of England Deputy Governor John Gieve said on September 12 that it would be “very difficult” for the government to select a banker who had worked recently in light of recent scandals tarnishing London’s financial center.

tember 6 announcement of a plan to buy bonds of countries that request aid helped drive the rate to 1.73 percent on September 17, the most since April 26. Spanish 10-year yields, which reached a euro-era high of 7.75 percent on July 25, have fallen more than 2 percentage points to 5.73 percent, while Italian 10year yields have dropped to 5.11 percent

from 6.71 percent that day. The selloff in bunds may prove temporary, according to strategists at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, who forecast the rate will end the year at 1.50 percent. Money managers at Frankfurt Trust Investment GmbH and Glendevon King Asset Management said they may buy should yields reach 2 percent. “By the end of the year things will have got a bit worse,” said Nicola Marinelli, who oversees $160million at Glendevon King in London. “There will be another wave of flight to bunds and the rates may come back down to around 1.4 percent.” Even as policy makers strive to end the three-year debt crisis, the region’s economic outlook is weakening. Euroarea surveys on September 20 showed services and manufacturing output fell to a 39-month low in September adding to evidence the economy is heading for a recession. Figures Monday showed German business confidence unexpectedly fell to the lowest in more than two and a half years in October.

South Korea plans smallest deficit in six years as growth slows

outh Korea’s government plans to cut its fiscal deficit next year to the smallest in six years as policy makers preserve firepower amid a slowing global economy and rising welfare costs. Total spending will increase 5.3 percent to 342.5 trillion won ($306 billion), the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said in its budget proposal for 2013 released yesterday. The deficit will shrink to 4.8 trillion won, or 0.3 percent of gross domestic product in 2013, down from 14.3 trillion won, or 1.1 percent this year, according to its calculations. “We need to secure fiscal room to respond preemptively to long-term challenges,” Vice Finance Minister Kim Dong Yeon said in remarks embargoed for today’s budget-statement release. “The budget draft aims to improve fiscal health as the South Korean economy is very much vulnerable to changes in global economic conditions.” President Lee Myung Bak’s plan calls for the smallest deficit since the budget swung to a shortfall in 2008, the year Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.’s collapse sparked a global crisis. Meeting the target will depend on how Asia’s fourth- largest economy recovers as European turmoil and slowing growth cut demand for exports that fell 6.2 percent from a year earlier in August. “The government’s plan to achieve fiscal balance next year or the year after may be delayed as tax collection slows with waning growth,” said Kang Joong Koo, an economist at the LG Economic Research Institute. “Balancing the budget should be a medium-term goal but it’s questionable whether that should be rushed when the economy needs more fiscal support.” The finance ministry announced 5.9 trillion won of spending and tax relief this month, adding to 8.5 trillion won of support measures in June. Standard & Poor’s, Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Ser-

Lee

vice all cited South Korea’s strong position to weather shocks when they upgraded the country during a three- week period starting last month. The won advanced 0.2 percent to 1,118.15 per dollar yesterday in Seoul, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The benchmark Kospi index fell 0.3 percent. South Korea’s government plans to sell 79.9 trillion won of bonds in 2013, compared with 79.8 trillion won this year, according to a financial ministry official who declined to be identified as the official report is yet to be released. Of the total, 57.5 trillion won will be used for buybacks and redemption payments. The finance ministry will present the budget draft to lawmakers by October 25 for parliamentary approval. The ruling New Frontier Party is seeking to hold onto the presidency in December elections, with Lee’s single five-year term ending in February.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global Business

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

hina’s central bank added a record 290 billion yuan ($46 billion) to the financial system using reverse-repurchase agreements, seeking to address a cash squeeze in the run-up to a weeklong holiday. The People’s Bank of China conducted 190 billion yuan of 28-day reverse repos and offered 100 billion yuan of 14-day contracts, according to a trader at a primary dealer required to bid at the auctions. This total is the highest for a single day in Bloomberg data going back to 2004. “Record amounts of reverse repos are to meet the surge in cash demand before the quarter-end and the holidays,” said Liu Junyu, a bond analyst in Shenzhen at China Merchants Bank Co., the nation’s sixth-biggest lender. “As the central bank steps up adding funds through reverse repos, it’s unlikely to cut the reserve ratio this month.” The seven-day repurchase rate, which measures interbank funding availability, gained 22 basis points to 4.73 percent as of yesterday in Shang-

China’s central bank injects record funds to ease cash crunch

The Chinese flag flies outside the headquarters of the People’s Bank of China in Beijing

hai, the highest level since June 28, according to a weighted average compiled by the National Interbank Funding Center.

French industrial sentiment holds near two-year low

rench industrial confidence held near its lowest in more than two years in September as the economy stagnates and tax increases loom. A measure of sentiment among factory executives was unchanged at 90, national statistics office Insee said in Paris today. Economists expected a reading of 89, according to the median of 18 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey of economists. A gauge that includes retailers, builders and service industries fell to a three-year low of 86 from 87 in August. Business confidence is faltering in Europe’s second-largest economy after gross domestic product failed to grow for three straight quarters and as President Francois Hollande prepares 20 billion euros ($26 billion) in tax increases for the coming year. Business sentiment in Germany unexpectedly fell to a two- and-a-half-year low this French President, Francois Hollande month, a report showed yesterday, as the sovereign debt crisis drives the euro area falling income expectations. The index will remain at 5.9 for a second straight month, toward recession. “We cannot expect a quick recovery any GfK said. “The fear of German consumers that time soon,” said Joost Beaumont, an economist at ABN Amro in Amsterdam who ex- the economy will slip into recession did not pects the French economy to contract in the increase further,” GfK said in a statement. third quarter and flat-line through the first “But uncertainty of consumers with regard half of next year. “The budget is likely to to their future financial prospects has risen be unfriendly to business. Consolidation is in recent weeks.” necessary but you would have expected the government to lean more on spending.” Hollande’s government presents its 2013 budget on September 28. oyal Bank of Scotland Group Plc Insee’s reading for past production managers condoned and particidropped to minus 18 from minus 9 in Aupated in the manipulation of globgust, while the production outlook fell to al interest rates, indicating that wrongminus 52 from minus 44. The general out- doing extended beyond the four traders look “is deteriorating strongly again, ap- the bank has fired. proaching the very low levels reached in In an instant-message conversation 2009,” Insee said. in late 2007, Jezri Mohideen, then the The euro fell 0.2 percent to $1.2904 yester- bank’s head of yen products in Singaday in Paris. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index pore, instructed colleagues in the U.K. to of shares added 0.1 percent after falling 0.4 lower RBS’s submission to the London percent Monday. interbank offered rate that day, accordIn neighboring Germany, Europe’s larg- ing to two people with knowledge of the est economy, market- research company discussion. No reason was given in the GfK SE predicted its gauge of consumer message as to why he wanted a lower confidence will hold steady in October as bid. The rate-setter agreed, submitting a less pessimistic economic outlook offsets the number Mohideen sought, the people

The central bank kept the yields on 28- and 14-day reverse repos unchanged at 3.6 percent and 3.45 percent, respectively, the trader said. China’s financial

markets will be shut from October 1 to October 5 for the National day and midautumn holidays. China’s monetary authority also auctioned 40 billion yuan of six-month treasury deposits to commercial banks on behalf of the Ministry of Finance at a yield of 4.32 percent, according to a different trader. That compared with yesterday’s six-month Shanghai interbank offered rate of 4.09 percent. The PBOC lowered the amount of cash lenders must set aside as reserves in May to 20 percent, the second reduction this year. China’s one-year interest-rate swap, the fixed cost needed to receive the floating seven-day repo rate, declined five basis points, or 0.05 percentage point, to 3.20 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

G-20 agree more government action needed for world recovery

roup of 20 officials meeting in Mexico City agreed that the latest monetary easing by developed nations will buy time for the global economic recovery and governments must do more to boost growth, Mexican central bank Deputy Governor, Manuel Ramos Francia said. Ramos Francia spoke at a news conference following the end of a two-day meeting of deputy finance ministers and central bank officials from G-20 nations in Mexico City. Mexico is presiding over the group this year. “Time can be bought through monetary easing, but the risks are still present,” Ramos Francia said. “For Europe to effectively heal, for example, other types of policies need to be implemented.” The meetings took place after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said September 6 that the bank was ready to buy unlimited quantities of short-dated government bonds of nations signed up for rescues. The U.S. Federal Reserve on September. 13 said that it would make additional purchases of debt in a third

round of so-called quantitative easing, while the Bank of Japan unexpectedly increased its asset-purchase fund to 55 trillion yen ($707 billion) at its meeting last week. The G-20 nations called for better transparency in commodities markets and for measures to boost production, transportation and trade of raw materials to reduce price volatilitiy, said Mexico’s deputy finance minister, Gerardo Rodriguez, who co-chaired the September 23 and 24 meetings.

Mexican Central Bank Governor, Arugusten Casten

RBS managers said to condone manipulation of libor rates

said. Mohideen wasn’t alone. RBS traders and their managers routinely sought to influence the firm’s Libor submissions between 2007 and 2010 to profit from derivatives bets, according to employees, regulators and lawyers interviewed by Bloomberg News. Traders also communicated with counterparts at other firms to discuss where rates should be set, one person said. “This kind of activity was widespread in the industry,” said David Greene, a senior partner at law firm Edwin Coe LLP in London. “A lot of the traders didn’t consider this behavior to be wrong. They took it as the practice of the trade. This

is how things operated, and it seemed harmless.” RBS, 81 percent owned by the British government, is one of at least a dozen banks being probed by regulators worldwide over allegations that traders colluded to manipulate the benchmark interest rate so they could profit from bets on interest-rate derivatives. Barclays Plc, Britain’s second-biggest bank, was fined 290 million pounds ($470 million) in June for rigging the rate, used for more than $300 trillion of securities ranging from mortgages to student loans. Chief Executive Officer Robert Diamond and Chairman Marcus Agius resigned in the aftermath.

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

SEC shuts down illegal fund company JOHNSON OKANLAWON

he Securities and Exchange Commission has sealed off an illegal fund company, Avenue to Wealth (A2W) after several months of complaints by the subscribers. The combined team of both plain and uniformed police officers assisted to seal off the fund manager’s premises located at Olufumilola Okikolu Street, Ikeja, Lagos. Speaking during the sealing off of the premises, an Assistant Director, Enforcement and Compliance and head of the SEC’s team , Mr. Benard Ebe, said the commission has in the last three months being inundated with series of complaints

of fraud from investors in the fund manager’s scheme, noting that to guide against other people fallen victim, the commission has to move swiftly. He said that for any entity to engage in any manner of fund management, such an organisation must as duty and process of law register their operations with the commission and anything fallen short will amount to illegal operations. “They lure people to bring their money to them and in the process they pay dividend or interest as the case may be. From there they pay the initial investors in the scheme, but when the investors have brought a lot other investors on board of the scheme, they

will short their premises their making several investors losing million of naira,” he said. A pamphlet from the organisation obtained by National Mirror indicated that Guaranty Trust Bank was their major banker, even as they claimed that yield on investment is projected at an average of 20 per cent per annum with a fiveyear capital holding. The commission moves which saw four top officials of the fund managers, including the Managing Director, Mr. Adeolu Akinyemi being taken into custody at the Area ‘F’ Police command, said “Three month ago details operation of the company came to the commission, Section 153 of the Investment and

Security Act showed that operators of such fund must obtained license, to ensure close monitoring by the commission and more so they are expected to file returns to the commission. However, one of the officials who claimed to be advisor to A2W, but who did not disclose his name, said their operation was registered with the Lagos State Ministry of Corporative and Agriculture as Corporative Society. Other scheme engage in by the fund managers, include, Network Signup Vouchers, Estate Rentals, Real Estate, Retail Supermarket Electronics, IT Gadgets, Fund Cooperative, our place investment, ATM 20, ATM 40, Travel and Telecoms scheme.

Stocks gain with commodities on U.S. budget

tocks rallied, sending the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to a two-month high, and commodities gained on signs of progress in U.S. budget talks. Ten-year Treasury yields climbed to a sevenweek high yesterday. The S&P 500 advanced 0.7 percent and the Stoxx Europe 600 Index climbed 0.5 percent at 11:50 a.m. in New York, with higher-than-average trading volume in both. Treasury 10-year yields increased three basis points to 1.80 percent, the highest since Oct. 26. The S&P GSCI Index of raw materials rose 0.6 percent as energy commodities led gains. The yen traded

near a 20-month low, while Sweden’s krona appreciated against all 16 of its major peers on speculation the Riksbank is done cutting interest rates. House Speaker John Boehner and other Republican leaders speak at a news conference in Washington about the progress of negotiations with President Barack Obama on an agreement to avoid more than $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to begin in January, the so-called fiscal cliff. Boehner says he is proposing a “plan B” measure that would include tax increases on

income of more than $1 million, while continuing to negotiate with the president. (Source: Bloomberg) House Speaker John Boehner dropped his opposition to raising tax rates for some top earners, two people familiar with the talks said. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg President Barack Obama proposed a budget plan that would cut about $1.2 trillion in federal spending and raise a similar amount in taxes in the next decade, according to a person familiar with the talks. European Central Bank Presi-

dent Mario Draghi yesterday said ECB policies and gover nance refor ms in the euro area have revived confidence that will help foster a gradual economic recovery. “There are signs of progress in the negotiation ovear the fiscal cliff,” Brian Gendreau, a market strategist at El Segundo, Californiabased Cetera Financial Group Inc., said in a telephone interview. The firm has about $20 billion in assets under management. “People have been very fearful to move into stocks and this might be one of the things to get them go back to stocks.”

U.K. stocks advance on U.S. budget optimism

.K. stocks gained, snapping three days of losses, on optimism that U.S. President Barack Obama and Republicans are closer to agreeing on a new budget. Vedanta Resources Plc (VED) followed a measure of European commodity shares higher. Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc (RR/) advanced 2.5 percent after signing a $1 billion contract with Japan’s Skymark Airlines. Pearson Plc rose

2.6 percent after Exane BNP Paribas added the shares to its “key ideas” list. The FTSE 100 Index (UKX) added 0.4 percent to 5,935.9 at the 4:30 p.m. close in London. The equity benchmark has rallied 5.9 percent from a low on Nov. 16 as U.S. lawmakers discussed measures to avoid automatic tax increases and spending cuts next year. The broader FTSE AllShare Index climbed 0.4 percent, while Ireland’s

ISEQ Index rose 0.6 percent. “The trend is pretty good and that should continue in January,” said Lionel Heurtin, a Paris-based fund manager at Ofi Asset Management, which oversees $1.3 billion in stocks. Recent low volumes “don’t mean we won’t have a year-end rally,” he said. Obama, who met Republican House Speaker John Boehner yesterday, softened his stance

on the budget, according to a person familiar with the talks. The president lowered his demand for new tax revenue by $200 billion and offered to increase taxes starting from incomes of $400,000 rather than $250,000. Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor will give House Republicans an update on the negotiations today, said a leadership aide who requested anonymity to discuss the plans.

Source: NSE

NIBOR QUOTES 17 DECEMBER & 18 DECEMBER 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

17-Dec-12

18-Dec-12

Source: FMDA

Market indicators Market indicators

All-Share Index 7,490,286 points All-Share Index 22,191.14 points Market capitalisation 23,531.63 trillion Market capitalisation 7,084 trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

INTBREW

15.62

16.50

0.88

% CHANGE 5.63

REDSTAREX

2.82

2.97

0.15

5.32

UTC

0.61

0.64

0.03

4.92

MAYBAKER

1.64

1.72

0.08

4.88

RTBRISCOE

1.45

1.52

0.07

4.83

NEIMETH

0.83

0.87

0.04

4.82

OKOMUOIL

35.00

36.65

1.65

4.71

FIDSON

1.00

1.03

0.03

3.00

CONOIL

20.05

20.50

0.45

2.24

FBNH

15.30

15.55

0.25

1.63

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

ETERNA

2.00

1.90

0.10

-5.00

JOHNHOLT

4.35

4.14

0.21

-4.83

PHARMDEKO

2.73

2.60

0.13

-4.76

IKEJAHOTEL

0.84

0.80

0.04

-4.76

GUARANTY

21.00

20.21

0.79

-3.76

NAHCO

5.55

5.35

0.20

-3.60

JAPAULOIL

0.57

0.55

0.02

-3.51

WAPIC

0.60

0.58

0.02

-3.33

WAPCO

60.00

58.05

1.95

-3.25

OANDO

13.33

13.00

0.33

-2.48

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

237-Days

30,000.00

14.34

20-Dec-12

79-Days

42,326.60

14.50

20-Dec-12

70 -Day

37,901.00

14.02

20-Dec-12

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

297Days

7,878.70

16.40

20-Dec-12

289-Day

12,963.25

16.39

20-Dec-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$150m

N/A

$150m

20-Dec-12

$150m

N/A

$150m

20-Dec-12

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at December 18, 2012 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Cocktail

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (66) “For the confident, change is opportunity.” –Nido Qubein *** MY THOUGHTS Life brings changes here and there, and unless you develop the resilience of coping with the changes, you will be swept away into oblivion. There is nothing as constant as change. We must be proactive in thinking if we want to ride the changes of living into progress and positive growth. Whether we like it or not, changes will come in our working places, homes, communities and indeed country. Adapting to these changes positively is the wisdom to pursue doggedly each day we are privileged to see. TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

‘China detains 93 for doomsday rumours’

hinese authorities have detained 93 people accused of spreading doomsday rumours and arrested a man who slashed 23 children at a school after he was “psychologically affected” by such predictions, the Xinhua state news agency reported on Monday. The 93 people, from seven provinces, include members of the banned “Almighty God” cult, Xinhua said, add-

ing that they were detained for “handing out leaflets about the apocalypse and spreading rumours”. “These cult members recently latched on to the Mayan doomsday scenario to predict the sun will not shine and electricity will not work for three days beginning on December 21,” Xinhua said, citing the public security bureau of Xining, capital of the south-western province of Qinghai.

China has launched a crackdown on the “Almighty God” group, which has also called for a decisive battle” to slay the “Red Dragon” Communist Party. China’s Communist Party brooks no challenge to its rule and is very keen to maintain social stability. But it has struggled to clamp down on rumours, which often spread quickly on the Internet. In a separate report, Xi-

nhua said police in Henan province arrested a man, identified as Min Yongjun, after he slashed 23 children at an elementary school and an adult at her home near the school. “Initial police investigation found Min, a long-term epilepsy sufferer, had been strongly psychologically affected by rumours of the upcoming end of the world predicted by ancient prophecy,” Xinhua said.

Soldiers hunt ffor killer elephant S

oldiers in Nepal are on the hunt for a wild elephant after it strayed into villages in the southern part of the Himalayan nation and killed four people in three months, officials said on Monday. The elephant walked into a thatched house in Gardi village adjoining Chitwan National Park, 82 km (50 miles) south of Kathmandu on Saturday, pulled an elderly couple from bed and trampled them to death, said Shiva Ram Gelal, assistant district administrator from

Bharatpur, the nearest city. Park officials say the same beast killed two other villagers fewer than three months ago. “We have given orders to the army to shoot the elephant that has gone mad,” Gelal told Reuters. “Soldiers are now searching for it.” Nepal has about 300 elephants, including more than 100 domesticated ones which are used by hotels and national parks to take tourists on jungle ride to watch wild animals like one-horned Asian rhinoceroses and Royal Bengal Tigers.

Chinese police officers during a training exercise.

PHOTO: BEIJING OLYMPIC BLOG

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror “Apart from the emotional trauma of being violently taken away from her family and kept incommunicado in a strange environment, a woman of 83 years was left without food for five days.” MINISTER OF FINANCE, DR. NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA

Worker kills colleague over N500 OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

man identified as Blessing Paul has been stabbed to death by his co-worker over a N500 gift from a customer at Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State. It was learnt that the deceased and his colleague, Ikechukwu Debbie, were working as sales-

clerks in a shop in the town, when the incident happened. According to eyewitnesses, problem started between Debbie and Paul, when a customer gave them N500 ex-gratis for assisting in carrying his wares to his destination. Community Mirror, gathered that an argument ensued between them in the process of sharing the money, even as it degenerated into a fight and Debbie was alleged to

have brought out a dagger and stabbed Paul in the chest. Sympathizers rushed the deceased to a private hospital where a team of medical doctors battled to save his life, but he was later confirmed dead. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Adeniran Aremu, confirmed the incident, saying on receiving the information, a team of homicide detectives was dispatched to the

scene where photographs of the deceased were taken for autopsy examination. Aremu ,said the suspect had been arrested and detained at the Ore Police station, adding that the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Akure, for further investigations after conclusion of preliminary findings,even as he said the dagger has been recovered and kept as an exhibit.

Foundation donates food, wheel chairs to less privileged AYO ESAN

he Care People Foundation International has held its 2012 carnival for the less privileged and physically challenged in Ibadan, Oyo State capital. The ceremony attended by 20 orphanages and homes, witnessed various competitions among the less privileged groups. The Foundation used the occasion to distribute gift items, food stuff and wheel chairs to the physically challenged. Speaking at the occasion, President of the Foundation, Rev Paul Tunde Tioluwani, commended the effort of the government to better the lot of the less privileged, even as he said it can still do more to put smiles on the faces of the handicapped, orphans and widows. He called on the state government to extend scholarships to tertiary institutions to the less privileged. His words: “It should become a matter of policy in Oyo State that the physically challenged should be granted free education to tertiary level. Government should also criminalize the use of under aged children as street hawkers when their mates are in the class rooms advancing their knowledge.” Tioluwani also sought the support of God fearing personalities “who can support our motherless babies home monthly”.

Two young men hitching a risky ride at the back of a commercial bus in Lagos.

PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

Army wives, dependents receive skills training DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

oy came the way of spouses and dependents of the Abakpa and Awkunanuw army barracks of the 82 Division, Enugu as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) headquarters sponsored skills acquisition trainings to empower them. The 331 beneficiaries were trained in commercial farming, agriculture business and allied services, heat transfer printing, catering, tailoring, photo processing, hair dressing/beauty salon management, cap and hats/beads making. At the end of the training, participants expressed joy and optimism that it will contribute to their economic empowerment and pleaded with the office of the Chief of Defence Staff, to ensure that shops, equipment, materials

and fund are provided to enable them start business. One of the participants, Mrs. Eunice Akpan, said they would be empowered through the co-operative groups they have formed. “It is through this co-operative society that we will state what we need, we will not be given any money but all items needed for the productions will be provided. If it is done, we will produce, sell the products, take our profit and reinvest the capital.” She further said that shops will be provided, even as she disclosed that some of the products would be produced within their homes. She however said that two weeks was too short for the training and pleaded that it be extended to one month to enable slow learners catch up. Another beneficiary, Mrs. Hanna John, pleaded that the production units be set up in a single

factory to avoid clampdown by NAFDAC. She said if this is done, all those who recived the training would automatically be employed since they e already have the skills. Representative of the CDS, Col. Koko Essien, said he was impressed with the level of talents discovered in the course of the training. He said the training will raise the status of the participants and urged them to put it into good use. He urged them to expect challenges, noting however that the journey has just begun for them. The Chief Consultant of the Brand Edge Consulting, Mrs. Modupe Nwigwe, said there was dedication by the participants, stressing that further incentives would be provided to enable them set up businesses. “They will maintain bank accounts and there will be adequate follow-up,” she said. Speaking on behalf of the

Monarch to mark coronation at Ubulu-Uku

he Obi Edward Akaeze Ofulue III, His Royal Majesty, Agbogidi, Obi of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State marks his sixth year coronation as well as 50th birthday next week. In a press release, the Chairman, publicity committee Mr. Joe Isiekwene, stated that the ceremonies would start on December 27, 2012 with Ubulu-Uku Day/Merit Awards to some deserving personalities. On December 28, 29 and 30, 2012 there would be conferment of chieftaincy titles on some deserving indigenes, visit of traditional rulers and important personalities, followed by an interdenominational service. The statement called on the people of the Kingdom to ensure peace, stability and unity, even as it appealed to them not to deepen the current crisis by mobilizing the unemployed youths to cause confusion. According to the Chairman, the people of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom should be proud of the success story and leadership style of the King, his spirit of excellence, selflessness, originality and integrity which are virtues to be admired and applauded.

participants, secretary of the co-operative society, Mrs. Mabel Bentley, expressed delight at the skills acquisition programme (DHQ-SAP),saying it will reduce poverty among women in the barracks and host community; reduce vices like prostitution and stealing; increase small scale businesses, create wealth and harness the potentials existing in the barracks. She said: “We plead with the DHQ not to leave us alone without the empowerment promised at the opening ceremony. We equally plead with CDS to extend the same gesture to other women in 82 Division, Air force and 103 Battalion Enugu.” She pleaded with her colleagues not to abuse the gesture, while appreciating the efforts put in by the training consultants, National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

NDLEA arrests 125, intercepts 836.862kg of illicit drugs AUGUSTINE MADU WEST KANO

he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it has arrested 125 drug suspects in Kano while it has also intercepted 836.862 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa and psychotropic substances. The arrest and seizure of the illicit drugs were made between October and November this year. Out of the number, 88 people had been tried and convicted for being in custody of illicit drugs, while 83 users and abusers were counselled and freed. According to the Kano NDLEA Commander, Alhaji

Garba Ahmadu, the large chunk of the intercepted drugs was Cannabis Sativathat has been in rampant use in Kano in recent times. Garba attributed the high rate of drug use in Kano to social factors, including the ever growing population, youth unemployment and Kano’s status as a commercial hub where people of different shades of character visit on daily basis. The NDLEA commander, who was redeployed from

Katsina to Kano last September, agreed that he was facing new challenges, saying; “really, it is obvious that we have a high record of arrest in Kano; but honestly, I wouldn’t want to agree that Kano is globally known for hard drugs.” Garba said for sustainable fight against drug trafficking and abuse in the city, three strategies must be adopted, including a review of the existing narcotic laws in the state, supply reduction

and prey demand reduction. The NDLEA boss was of the view that there was need to make narcotic laws in the state more efficient so as to enhance the arrest and seizure of substances considered to be psychotropic. He also underscored the need for aggressive public enlightenment programmes with jingles and counselling in local broadcast media so as to sensitise the populace on the dangers of the use and abuse of illicit drugs.

Suswam presents N130.9bn 2013 budget HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

enue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, yesterday presented the state’s 2013 budget to the state House of Assembly. It was estimated at N130.9 billion. The budget estimate was presented alongside the 2012 supplementary budget. The governor while making the presentation revealed that N59.2 billion is expected from the Federation Account, N10.8 billion from VAT while the internally generated revenue is expected to bring

DPR seals up 10 service stations in Kano AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

isturbed by the persistent fuel crisis rocking the commercial city of Kano, the Kano Zone of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has descended heavily on 10 service stations in Kano metropolis, sealing them up over irregularities in their operations. A number of other stations have also been sanctioned for selling fuel above government approved pump price of N97 per litre. The department also disclosed that letters of warning were handed down to those found violating the organisation’s rules. This was disclosed in Kano yesterday by the DPR Controller, Alhaji Suleiman Abubakar while briefing journalists on the activities of DPR in the city. He said DPR is determined to end the persistent long queues at fuel stations, especially during the Christmas and New Year festivities. He also warned against hoarding, diversion and profiteering by marketers, adding that it was an offence to discharge fuel in jerry cans, surface tanks and unlicensed fuel dumps.

L-R: Member, Bauchi State Christian Welfare Board, Mr. David Dungu; Royal Ambassador to Alaafin of Oyo, Ambassador Ayanlakin Ayankotun; Director-General, Bauchi State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Pastor Zakka Magaji and Chairman, Rev. Shaibu Byal, during the state’s Christian pilgrims’ visit to Central Carmel Park at High Park City in Jerusalem, Israel, yesterday.

Education Trust Fund doles out N1bn to college EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

he Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has released N1bn to the College of Education, Azare in Bauchi State. The amount was released following the laudable performance of the school in both academic and infrastructural development.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Isa Yuguda, Mr. Ishola Adeyemi and made available to National Mirror. The statement said TETFund was impressed by the high quality of graduates produced at both the NCE and degree certificate levels of the institution. According to the chief

press secretary, the giant stride achieved by the administration of Governor Yuguda was because it placed education on top of its agenda through the provision of structures, learning materials, incentives, among others. Adeyemi added that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted full accreditation for the commencement of LLB programmes in the

faculty of law of the state university at Misau from the 2012/13 academic year. In the same vein, TETFund also listed the state university as a beneficiary of the sum of N598,000,000.00 for the 2012/13 academic year as a way of ensuring effective and efficient development of the newly established institution. During the executive council meeting, govern-

in a little over N11 billion, among others. On the expenditure for the 2013 budget, the governor revealed that personnel expenditure will gulp N39.8billion, with N22.5 billion set aside for total overhead cost. He went on to caution that Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) should continue on the part of prudent utilisation of resources. On the 2012 supplementary budget, the governor explained to the house that the conduct of the 2012 local government elections and the full accreditation of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital necessitated the need for the supplementary budget. He further promised that his administration will continue to honour its obligation on the welfare of the citizens in the over development and transformation of the state. In his remark on behalf of the house, the Speaker, Hon. Terhile Ayua, promised the governor that the house will duly consider both the 2013 budget proposal and the 2012 supplementary despite its late submission and described the 2013 budget as one with an opportunity to meet the genuine needs of the Benue people.

ment finally approved the merger of College of Administrative Studies, Azare with Tatari Ali Polytechnic in a bid to streamline and strengthen education in the state. In another development, government has approved the restoration of the payment of disturbance allowance to civil servants and the upward review of maternity leave from 12 to16 weeks.

Borno embarks on registration of Islamic schools INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

etermined to ensure the healthy development of Islamic education as well as ensure proper planning, control and supervision, the Borno State government through the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Special Education has embarked on massive registration of Tsangaya/ Islamic schools across the state.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Alhaji Usman Durkwa, at a ministerial press briefing marking some of the achievements recorded during the year under review. Durkwa said registration of all Tsangaya schools became necessary for the administration of Governor Kashim Shettima to ascertain the number of existing schools and also the Almajiri schools enrolment in

order to assist them in their quest for both Islamic and Western education. He said the ministry has recently released N20 million for the provision of dinner to Almajiris in Maiduguri and Jere council areas who were barred from begging during the 6.00am to 6.00pm curfew imposed on the state. He said this was in addition to the cash donation of N3 million to two community-based Islamiyya schools

in Maiduguri and Kubo in Shani Local Government Areas. In the area of special education, the ministry, according to Durkwa, has on regular basis provided both escort and transport to physically-challenged students of Borno State origin, particularly the deaf and blind, who are studying in special schools in Gombe, Bauchi, Minna, Kaduna and Plateau States. He added that a contract

of N95.1 million has been awarded for the renovation of the blind school, including hostels, toilet facilities, offices and dining halls in the state.

Gov. Ibrahim Shettima

News

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

IGP links insecurity with poor funding of police ROTIMI FADEYI AND OMEIZA AJAYI

isturbed by the increasing threats posed to the country by some violent criminal gangs and terrorists, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday attributed the current state of insecurity in the country to inadequate funding of the force. He lamented that the Nigeria Police was still affected by the unavailability of resources and obsolete equipment. Abubakar, who spoke at the opening ceremony of a closed-door meeting with commanders of the Police Mobile Force Unit across the country also, revealed that the PMF would be overhauled for better efficiency. He said it had become necessary to overhaul the

• Jonathan tasks armed forces on national cohesion PMF in what he termed “an attempt to restore the lost glory of the mobile unit of the force”. He said: “You are called to look at the activities of the PMF vis a vis security challenges in the country. We need to look at the preparedness and readiness of the mobile units to take up these challenges. “Some of these challenges include the issue of bribery and corruption, illegal duties, the issue of training and retraining programmes and capacity building, welfare of officers and men of the PMF. These have become necessary in view of the challenges that we are facing and realizing the issue of human rights abuses and at the same time looking generally at the conduct that has to do with discipline of officers

and men. “Primarily, we want to put the PMF back on the streets the way it is supposed to be, because that mobile police force is the elite force of the Nigeria Police. And we want to look at those glory days and compare and contrast the differences from what it was and what it is now. “Gone are the days when you just put somebody at the PMF as a Squadron Commander. Is he that commander that he is supposed to be? Does he have the ability to command? Does he have the competency and the capability to command? These are very key issues in view of some of the challenges and the difficulties that we have faced” The IG who reassured that he would make public the indicted officers in the

SARS attack, affirmed that the force would be positioned to meet the various security challenges confronting the nation. President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday charged members of the Armed Forces to be united in the defence of the nation ensure national cohesion for the progress and development of the country. Speaking in Abuja yesterday at the emblem appeal launch for the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration held at the Banquet hall of the State House, Jonathan noted that the occasion was important coming at the time the nation was grappling with security challenges. Jonathan stressed that the event was also important as it was taking place just four days after the

tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of former Kaduna governor, Patrick Yakowa, the former National Security Adviser, Andrew Owoye-Azazi, their aides and pilots The President said: “Whatever may be our differences; religious, ethnic or personal, Nigeria is more important. We must be united in rising above our differences and promoting values that bind us together” “We must refuse to be divided by those who impose ethnic and religious meaning on every national issue” He noted that the strongest message is that of unity, saying that the men and women that are being remembered were drawn into national service from all parts of Nigeria, where they served gallantly re-

gardless of differences of religion or ethnicity. According to him, “they were united by the same purpose, to keep Nigeria secure. Their oneness of purpose and spirit remind us of the significance of national cohesion, together we can achieve a lot” The President noted that the Armed Forces remembrance, afford the nation the opportunity to celebrate the gallantry of the men of the armed forces living and those who had paid the supreme sacrifice during the second world war, the civil war and various peace keeping missions. “We remember today, the heroes that have fallen and also our serving military men and women. We remember today, the sacrifice that our armed forces have made and are still making so that our country can continue to live in peace and remain secured.

Reps peg $7.3bn as 2-yr debt ceiling TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

he House of Representatives yesterday adopted an external borrowing limit of $7.3bn for the country in the year 2013. The lawmakers adopted the recommendation of its Committee on Loans, Aids and Debt Management, pegging External Borrowing Plan under the 2012-2014 MTEF at $7.3bn. The House also adopted the inclusion of the second tranche of $200m World Bank loan for Lagos State in the plan. President Goodluck Jonathan had in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act proposed to the National Assembly the sum of $7.9bn and later reviewed it upwards to $9.2bn.

Tambuwal

The House had earlier queried the Presidency over its plan to borrow externally to finance aspects of the 2013 budget. Besides, the House also passed for third reading a bill seeking to increase the number of Court of Appeal judges from 70 to 90. The House, before it passed the bill observed that the country needed more judges as different jurisdictions were becoming more litigious in line with the nature of democracies. The Court of Appeal currently had 16 divisions with five justices in each court. Also yesterday, the House passed for second reading a bill seeking the establishment of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund. Other bills that passed through the second reading were the “bill for an act to provide for the development of local content in Nigerian construction industry for local content plan, for supervision, coordination, monitoring and implementation of local content and for other matters connected thereto” and the “bill for an act to amend the Federal Polytechnic Act, Cap. F.17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and for other related matters.”

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sen. Kabiru Jajare; Chairman, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega and Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on INEC, Hon. Jerry Manwe, during the Stakeholders’ Validation Conference in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

6000 qualifiers emerge for Youwin women

irst stage winners of the second edition of the Youth With Innovation in Nigeria, YOUWIN! business plans competition have been announced by the Federal Ministry of Finance. This edition, which was dedicated to empowering young Nigerian women entrepreneurs, was highlighted by “a robust stream of applications from every part of the country” according to a release signed by Dr Supo Olusi, the YOUWIN Project Coordinator.

The breakdown of the 6,000 winners, who now qualify for the second stage, shows North Central with 1,122 candidates; North East 785; North West 845; South East 894, South-South 1,140 and South West with 1, 214 winners. A breakdown by Industry Sector reveals that the country’s young women still gravitate towards agriculture rather than the high tech and other modern fields of endeavour. A whopping 20.9 per cent of the qualifiers are

engaged in animal farming, while another 6.7 per cent are crop farmers. Other prime sectors favoured by the entrepreneurs included educational services, 8.6 per cent; food and drinks manufacturing, 8.5 per cent; food and restaurant, 7.7 per cent; manufacturing (clothes and shoes) 7.2per cent, while IT and telecoms logged in at 4.2 per cent. The YOUWIN innovation which was launched in 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan is aimed at

building a critical mass of entrepreneurs whose exploits can help create jobs for their peers and lessen the burden of unemployment in Nigeria. The 6,000 qualifiers from this tranche will, according to Dr. Olusi, “be exposed to intensive entrepreneurial training delivered by renowned lecturers and successful business people. They would also have the opportunity of networking which as any businessperson knows is the livewire of any business venture.”

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

Queen Elizabeth attends UK Cabinet meeting

PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

outh Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) re-elected President Jacob Zuma as its leader on Tuesday, setting him up for seven more years as head of state of Africa’s biggest economy. Nelson Mandela’s 100-year-old liberation movement also chose respected businessman Cyril Ramaphosa as his deputy, seeking to repair the image of a Zuma administration battered by corruption scandals and strikes and facing growing discontent among the poor black majority. More than 4,000 ANC delegates crammed into a marquee in the central city of Bloemfontein erupted into wild cheers when Zuma was confirmed in the top party post after comfortably seeing off a challenge by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe. Given the ANC’s dominance at the ballot-box less than two decades after the end of apartheid, 70-year-old Zuma is virtually assured a second, five-year term as President of South Africa in 2014 elections. The rand briefly edged higher against the dollar, reflecting relief among investors at the prospect of policies remaining largely unchanged. After the vote, the beaming president, who secured 2,995 votes out of 3,977 cast, walked on

“The logic is to be ‘an eye for an eye,’ but the logic (ban on US adoptions) is incorrect because it could harm our children who cannot find adopters in Russia” – Russian Education and Science Minister, Dmitry Livanov

Zuma re-elected ANC leader for another seven years

President Jacob Zuma celebrating his re-election as Party President at the National Conference of the ruling ANC in Bloemfontein, yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERS

stage to shake hands with his fellow ‘comrades’ - a label reflecting the ANC’s roots in the communist-backed struggle against decades of white-minority rule. Zuma, a polygamous Zulu traditionalist, came to power in 2009 amid the first recession in 18 years and has had a chequered economic record, culminating in violent labour unrest in the mines this year that triggered two downgrades in South Africa’s credit ratings.

He has also been dogged by personal scandals, including fathering a child by the daughter of a close friend. Despite this, his popularity within the party is overwhelming. “I don’t care what people say about Jacob Zuma,” said Sinovuyo Kley, a delegate from the impoverished Eastern Cape. “When you hear him sing, you know he is one with the people. He speaks our language and knows our struggles.”

Zuma’s re-election had looked likely for much of the year, making the main talking point of the five-day Bloemfontein conference the political renaissance of Ramaphosa after a decade-long absence to focus on his business interests. Attention was also diverted by the arrest of four whites on suspicion of a plot to bomb the meeting and execute Zuma and top ministers as part of a plan to carve an independent Afrikaner state out of Mandela’s “Rainbow Nation”. Having risen to prominence as a charismatic union leader in the 1980s, Ramaphosa became the ANC’s main negotiator in the talks that led to historic allrace elections in 1994 and Mandela’s appointment as South Africa’s first black president. He was also tipped as a successor to the revered Mandela - now 94 and recovering in hospital from a lung infection - but gradually removed himself from politics when the job went to party stalwart Thabo Mbeki in 1999. It was unclear just how much impact Ramaphosa’s inclusion in Zuma’s inner circle could have on the ANC government.

ICC acquits DR Congo warlord, Ngudjolo

he International Criminal Court (ICC) has acquitted Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, a former Congolese militia leader, of seven war crimes charges, including those related to the massacre of a village in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003. “The chamber acquits Mathieu Ngudjolo of all the crimes against him. The chamber orders... the immediate release of Mr Ngudjolo,” presiding Judge Bruno Cotte said yesterday. Cotte stressed the acquittal did not mean the court felt no crimes were committed in Bogoro village but that witness testimony had been “too contradictory and too hazy”. “After receiving all the evidence, the chamber hereby concludes that the prosecution did not prove beyond all reasonable

doubt that Mathieu Ngudjolo committed the various crimes as alleged.” Ngudjolo was facing three counts of crimes against humanity for the massacre in the north-eastern Ituri province of DR Congo. The massacre claimed the lives of 200 residents of the Bogoro village in the mineral-rich province in 2003. The ICC, based at The Hague, heard reports of victims, including women and children, being murdered, raped and set ablaze in assaults allegedly ordered by Ngudjolo. Rights organisations called on the court to explain the acquittal to victims and survivors, and to improve its investigations. “The ICC prosecutor needs to strengthen its investigations

of those responsible for grave crimes in Ituri, including highranking officials in Congo, Rwanda and Uganda who supported the armed groups fighting there,’’ said Géraldine Mattioli-Zeltner, the international justice advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. Fatou Besnouda, the court’s chief prosecutor, indicated that she would appeal the verdicts and asked to have Ngudjolo kept in custody. Ngudjolo pleaded not guilty at the beginning of his trial in 2009, stating that he learnt of the attack days after it took place. He has also denied ever being a member of a militia. The clashes in Ituri province broke out in 1999, leaving almost 60,000 dead, according to reports from non-governmental organisations.

Some parts of eastern DR Congo remain virtual war zones today, with rebel fighters, allegedly backed by Rwanda, locked in conflict with government forces. Judges are still considering evidence against Germain Katanga, another militia leader who stood trial with Ngudjolo, and are expected to produce verdicts in his case next year.

Ngudjolo

WORLD BULLETIN Egypt prosecutor’s resignation angers the Brotherhood Egypt’s public prosecutor resigned under pressure from his opponents in the judiciary, dealing a blow to President Mohammed Morsi and drawing an angry response yesterday from the Islamist leader’s supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood. Seeking to keep pressure on Morsi, the main opposition coalition will hold new protests against an Islamist-backed draft constitution that has divided Egypt but which looks set to be approved in the second round of a referendum on Saturday. Morsi obtained a 57 percent “yes” vote for the constitution in a first round of the referendum last weekend, state media said, less than he had hoped for.

ECOWAS President assures Liberians of security, stability ECOWAS Commission President, Kadré Ouédraogo, said in Monrovia on Monday that in addition to peace and security, the new leadership at the Commission also places high priority on regional economic development, food security, as well as human capital and infrastructural development. At a meeting with Ambassadors of ECOWAS Member States in Liberia, he named other priorities to include institutional capacity building and reforms, to make the Community institutions function more efficiently and effectively, rigorous implementation of the free movement protocol, easing of air transportation difficulties in the region, and bringing the organization closer to the grassroots through Vision 2020 of an ECOWAS of people.

‘Mandela may spend more days in hospital’ Anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela could spend a few more days in the hospital for care, South Africa’s president said yesterday, as the 94-year-old spent an eleventh day under doctors’ care after suffering from a lung infection and undergoing surgery. President Jacob Zuma said Mandela’s age meant the politician needed “extraordinary care” from medical professionals. However, he tried to assure a public increasingly worried about the health of a man many view as a living embodiment of the nation’s hopes after it abandoned white racist rule and became a full democracy. Doctors “say there is no crisis, but add that they are in no hurry to send him home just yet until they are satisfied that he has made sufficient progress,” Zuma said.

News

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Queen Elizabeth attends UK Cabinet meeting

ueen Elizabeth II sat in on a Cabinet meeting yesterday for the first time, taking a seat between British Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague to observe the weekly discussion of government business. She is the first monarch since 1781 - during the US war of independence - to

attend a cabinet meeting. Cabinet members presented her with a gift of 60 placemats in honour of her Diamond Jubilee. The government said the queen attended yesterday’s meeting as an observer — not as a contributor — in honour of her 60 years on the throne. But her visit has raised some eyebrows for appearing to

blur the traditional line between government and monarchy. As head of state, the queen performs some ceremonial and formal duties related to government but must remain neutral on political matters. Part of Antarctica is to be named Queen Elizabeth Land in honour of the Queen, it was announced

as she made a historic visit to Downing Street. The Queen joined the cabinet while they were updated on a range of forthcoming parliamentary business. After leaving Downing Street she went with Foreign Secretary William Hague to the Foreign Office, where it was announced that the southern

part of the British Antarctic Territory had been named. The territory, covering 169,000 sq miles - almost twice the size of the UK was previously unnamed, the Foreign Office said. “This is a fitting tribute at the end of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee year, and I am very proud to be able to announce it as she visits

Five Pakistani polio vaccination workers shot

ive female Pakistani polio vaccination workers have been fatally shot in a string of co-ordinated attacks - four within 20 minutes across Karachi. The fifth woman was shot and wounded in the city of Peshawar in the north-west and later died of her injuries. A UN-backed programme to eradicate polio - which is endemic in Pakistan - has been suspended in Karachi. No group has said it carried out the shootings, but the Taliban have issued threats against the polio drive. “These were pre-planned and co-ordinated attacks in various localities which took place within a span of 20 minutes,” Imran Javed, a police spokesman told the BBC of Tuesday’s attacks in Karachi. Earlier reports said a male health worker had been shot dead in Karachi on Monday, but officials now say his death was not related to the polio vaccination drive.

British Queen Elizabeth II, center, attending the cabinet meeting. With her are the British PM, David Cameron, left, and Foreign Secretary, William Hague in London, yesterday.

Iraqi president suffers stroke, hospitalised

raqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd who has mediated among Shi’ite, Sunni and Kurdish parties, was in hospital yesterday after suffering a stroke that left him in “critical but stable condition”, government officials and lawmakers said. Without Talabani, Iraq would lose an influential peace-maker who often

Netanyahu vows more east Jerusalem settlement

srael’s prime minister has rejected international criticism of plans to build thousands of settlement homes in east Jerusalem, insisting construction will move forward. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that “Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the state of Israel, and we will continue to build there.” He said Israelis overwhelmingly believed in “united Jerusalem,” referring to Jewish west Jerusalem and east Jerusalem, annexed by Israel but claimed by the Palestinians. Netanyahu has come

the Foreign and Commonwealth Office,” Mr Hague said. The Foreign Office said there was a precedent there was already a Princess Elizabeth Land in East Antarctica, which was named after the Queen before she took the throne, and in 2006 an unnamed mountain range in the Antarctic peninsula was named the Princess Royal Range in tribute to the Queen’s daughter. At the cabinet meeting, the Queen sat in the PM’s usual seat - with Mr Cameron and Mr Hague sitting on either side of her. It is believed to be the first time a monarch has attended peace-time cabinet since George III in 1781. George I ceased to chair cabinet in 1717. The Queen’s father, King George VI, attended war cabinet during the Second World War. After arriving at No 10, the Queen was introduced to each of the government’s senior ministers in turn, as they bowed or curtseyed.

under heavy international criticism since announcing plans to build thousands of homes in east Jerusalem and the West Bank in response to last month’s decision by the U.N. to upgrade the Palestinians’ observer status. The Palestinians claim both areas. On Monday, a plan to build 1,500 homes in east Jerusalem cleared an intermediate stage of planning.

eased tensions in the fragile power-sharing government and negotiated in the growing rift over oil between Baghdad and the OPEC member country’s autonomous Kurdistan region. Reports on his medical condition varied. Three government sources said he was in critical condition, but his office said the 79-year-old president was stable under intensive medical supervision after receiving treatment for blocked arteries. “President Talabani has suffered a light stroke. His condition is stable now and

doctors are closely monitoring him and if they decide he should be transferred outside then he’ll go,” veteran Kurdish politician Mahmoud Othman, a close Talabani associate who was in the Baghdad hospital. Talabani had been suffering from ill health much of this year and received medical treatment overseas several times in the last two years. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki visited the hospital earlier yesterday. Under Iraq’s constitution, the parliament should elect a new president if the post becomes vacant and

Iraq’s power-sharing deal calls for the presidency to go to a Kurd while two vice presidents are shared by a Sunni Muslim and a Shi’ite Muslim. Political analysts said former Kurdistan prime minister Barham Salih is favored candidate to replace Talabani should the president be incapacitated. But his exit from Iraqi politics would come at a sensitive time and any succession would be complicated, a year after the last American troops left the country. “He is the most moderate

Talabani

among Iraqi politicians and the most able to defuse political shocks. I do not think anyone will be able to fill his position as a president and as a politician,” Iraqi analyst Ibrahim al-Sumaidaie said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

WORLD RECORD

Tallest curtains (drapes) Vol. 02 No. 516

“

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Battling the kidnap scourge

igeria is one of the worst countries in the world for kidnapping, where it is a lucrative criminal enterprise.” This observation by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) could be dismissed as a one of those instinctive musings of a former colonial overlord, who is always seeing and portraying Nigeria as a land of savage beasts. But the truth remains that the country is slowly going to the dogs. No day passes without the unsavoury news of deaths and destructions in one part of the country or the other. Even when such occurrences are seen as normal, their frequency is what marks out a society as either civilized or barbaric. Unfortunately, while Nigeria’s enduring notoriety for corruption has ceased to shock, the new wave of domestic violence induced by religious extremism and kidnappings, is helping to sully the already battered image of the country.

N150

The tallest curtains measure 65 m (213.25 ft 3 in) in height, were made by Kid Interior Design and were displayed on the facade of the Radisson SAS Oslo Plaza Hotel in Oslo, Norway, on 3 October 2008.

op Ferrari driver, Felipe Massa says he is more motivated than ever heading into 2013 after rediscovering his form towards the end of the season. Massa had looked a shadow of his former self since he returned

Okay Osuji (okayosuji@nationalmirroronline.net) 08034729256 (sms only)

Incredibly, while such acts are being perpetrated by persons with different intentions, they have succeeded in making both the north and south of the country unsafe for the inhabitants. Those escaping deadly bombings in the north, invariably find themselves victims of kidnappers in the south. While terrorism in the north is underpinned by an outward posturing of political and religious crusade, that in the south has taken the garb of a commercial enterprise. But there is a convergence here, in that those engaged in these nefarious trades are emboldened by the fact that the state is incapable of matching their bravado and so operate with impunity and scant regard for decorum, so far as their objective is achieved. And they are achieving them in quick succession. Unless the authorities brace up to the existentialist threats posed by their actions, we all will soon become targets of kidnappers. As it stands, no one is safe, both the rich and poor. For now, these criminal gangs are going after the rich. And with the speed of their operation, sooner than later, they will run out of potential targets and the munificent ransom that comes with it. Given that every success has become an aphrodisiac and motivation for more deadly acts, there is tendency that kidnappers would in no distant time turn their guns on anyone who could pay as little as a thousand naira ransom, if only to help indulge their lascivious habits un-

SADLY, THE KIDNAP INDUSTRY IS GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS AND REPLACING ALL FORMS OF LEGITIMATE BUSINESS til another big fish gets caught in their net. Sadly, the kidnap industry is growing by leaps and bounds and replacing all forms of legitimate business. Definitely, not only are the profits fat, they are also not taxable, which invariably denies the state a veritable source of income and worst still, it has become another form of unsolicited employment for the numerous shady citizens, lured by the filthy and easy lucre. As at the last count, the list of victims has assumed a frightening scale, while all purported ransom allegedly paid for their release is capable of generating enough economic opportunities to keep potential recruits in more productive ventures. So, while the country continues to lose scarce resources in the form of money and man hours, resulting from the long number of days the victims are incarcerated, the consequence has been that of foreign investors citing the debilitating

operating environment as reason to keep away from Nigeria. As they keep away, the economy would consistently lack the critical mass and input to create enough jobs for the vast army of unemployed. And with the lack of employment opportunities, many frustrated job seekers will conveniently take to crime, of which kidnapping offers a tempting alternative. But in all, it must be accepted that some kidnappings are politically motivated. This adds a crude and dangerous dimension to the enterprise, because some of those engaged in family feuds or nursing ancient grievances, are now resorting to this barbaric method to settle scores. This is where the accusation by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that the kidnap of her 83 year old mother, Prof. Kaneme Okonjo was politically motivated becomes more potent. According to Ngozi, kidnappers of her mother not only maltreated the old woman, but insisted she resigns from the government, as a condition for freeing the matriarch. And as everyone knows, the minister has been engaged in a mortal combat to check the excesses of some powerful oil importers that for long had been holding the country by the jugular. Probably, as a sort of blackmail, they may have calculated that the embarrassment of kidnapping her mother, would force a detour in government policy on oil importation and subsidy payments. But on this, they misfired. That is why the government must come out blazing to take on all kidnappers and their sponsors, wherever and whoever they are. Moreover, the National Assembly should enact severe capital punishment, including death for anyone caught. The fact that ransom were paid in the past, gave kidnappers enough oxygen. Time has therefore, come to extinguish the source of support for these rampaging hordes, if only to save the country and citizens from further mayhem and anarchy.

Sport Extra

F1: Massa eyes ‘glorious season’ from a serious head injury sustained at the 2009 Hungarian GP. But with his future at the team in doubt, the Brazilian provided a timely reminder to the

Tifosi at Monza, out qualifying Fernando Alonso for the first time all season, before taking his first podium finish for the first time in nearly two years at the Japanese GP.

“This has been a very difficult year for me, especially at the start, when we couldn’t find the right way to move forward with our car,” the 31-year-old said yes-

terday. “I am more motivated than ever: the second part of the season was like a training session for next year and I have managed to get sharper,” he added.

Felipe Massa

Printed and Published by Global Media Mirror Ltd: Head Office: Mirror House, 155/161 Broad Street, Lagos Tel: 07027107407, Abuja Office: NICON Insurance House, Second Floor, Central Business District Area, Abuja Tel: 08070428249, Advert hotline: 01-8446073, Email: mail@nationalmirroronline.net. Editor: SEYI FASUGBA. All correspondence to PMB 10001, Marina, Lagos. Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Ondo State. ISSN 0794-232X.