Thursday, January 3, 2013 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Jonathan bows to Reps, may move Oteh to AMCON TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

ndication emerged yesterday that there were plans to move the Direc-

Oteh

Vol. 3 N0. 527

Fire incident:

tor-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms. Arunma Oteh, to the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON.

Govt’ll distribute 10m cell phones to farmers –Perm Sec P.10

Our correspondent gathered that both chambers of the National Assembly on December 20, 2012 passed a N4.987trn budget for 2013, CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

Adesina

Thursday, January 3, 2013

N150

I would have been dead, but...–Obasanjo How to wrestle power from ACN in S’West

THE FIRE INCIDENT RESULTED IN THICK SMOKE WHICH PERVADED MY BEDROOM; IF IT HAD HAP-

PENED AT NIGHT,

I WOULD HAVE

BEEN A DEAD PERSON NOW

FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

President ormer Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday said that but for divine intervention, he would have been dead from the fire out-

break which gutted part of his Abeokuta Hilltop mansion on Thursday last week. The former president also said that it was possible for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to wrestle CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Taraba gov, Suntai, undergoes physiotherapy ...discharged from German hospital Marina in Lagos after the New Year celebration, yesterday.

P.5

FG to pay N161bn fuel subsidy arrears soon –PPPRA

Force won’t stop Boko Haram, says ACF FG’s claims on sect provocative –Sani

PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Stakeholders caution on nation’s rising debt Sani

Amaechi sacks commissioner, swears in new perm secs

P.6,8 P.12

Capital Market

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2013: Capital market performance dependent

igerian investors have greeted the year-end 2012 by sharply increasing their exposure to shares as hopes rise that economic stability and rising corporate profits will continue in 2013. This recovery in the market has affected a lot of things such as investors’ confidence and foreign participation. The benchmark index of the Nigerian Stock Exchange rose significantly by 35.5 per cent to close at 28,078.81 points, from the opening figure of 20,730.63 points on January 3, 2012, in contrast to 16.3 per cent decline in 2011, from 24,770.52 points to 20,730.63 points on the last trading day of 2011. Market capitalisation rose by N2.37trn or 36.3 per cent to close the year at N8.91trn, from the opening figure of N6.53trn on January 3, 2012 when trading began in the equities. In 2011, the market capitalisation of the listed equities lost 17.4 per cent, from N7.91trn at the beginning of the year to N6.53trn on Friday, December 30, 2011, the last trading day. The market performance makes the NSE the third best frontier market, as Egypt led other African markets with 49.6 per cent year-to-date return, followed by Kenya with 39.3 per cent and Ghana with 23.8 per cent. Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited, an investment firm, noted that as 2013 trading commences, market performance should benefit from the trio of positive sentiments, international leverage and regulatory reforms. Specifically, the NSE 30-Index, which tracks the performance of blue chips companies, led the NSE’s sectorial indices by 44.6 per cent to close at 1,336.07 points, followed by Lotus Islamic Index, which tracks the performance of Islamic compliance companies, with 44.2 per cent to close at 1,769.07points. The Consumer Goods Index appreciated by 42.3 per cent to close at 838.97 points, while the Banking Index increased by 23.8 per cent to close at 339.63 points. The Oil and Gas sector recorded worst performance, as the index shed 30.5 per cent to close at 152.92 points, followed by the Insurance Index with 17.5 per cent to close at 118.49 points. Analysts linked the significant increase in the value of equities to other occurrences within the year, including

With a smell of global recovery in the air, investors in 2013 are packing their bags for Nigeria, as they see better investment climate in the country, compared to the local investors. JOHNSON OKANLAWON writes.

Arunma Oteh

Sanusi

AS EVIDENCE OF CONFIDENCE IN THE MARKET, OANDO NIGERIA PLC FLAGGED OFF ITS N52.6BN RIGHTS ISSUE ON DECEMBER 31, 2012, THE LAST TRADING DAY. IT IS THE BIGGEST RIGHT ISSUE IN THE YEAR firm and vigorous regulation and the fresh foreign investment following massive depreciation on stocks’ prices. Investigation revealed that offshore portfolio fund managers traded about 70 to 80 per cent of the volumes of shares in the market. “The ratio stood at about 63 per cent foreign control to 27 per cent local ownership. We need not to go far to know why this is so,” the former President of the Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, Alhaji Rasheed Yussuff asked. According to him, stock broking firms with foreign interest are among those that control most of the trading activities on the NSE. On the expectation in 2013,

he said that since the resolution of brokers’ margin loan by the Federal Government, the capital market has been responding positively. He noted that as government yields on bond continue to decline, a lot of money that have migrated from the capital market to the money market will be returned. He said, “With the return of some brokers that were affected by the margin loan to the market and the increase in the numbers of institutional investors, local investors have begun to come back. “As evidence of confidence in the market, Oando Nigeria Plc flagged off its N52.6bn Rights Issue on December 31, 2012, the last trading day. It is the biggest Right Issue in the year. The company had been planning to

Stock exchange floor

approach the market until when they saw the confidence in the air.” Yussuff, who is the Managing Director of Trust Yields Securities Limited, stressed that as the demand for stocks increase, there will be new investment in the market, particularly the Public Offer and Right Issue. He, however, appealed to the National Assembly to rescind their decision on the Securities

and Exchange Commission’s budget, saying that whenever the market is recovering, there are always negative signals from the politicians at the expense of the country’s economic growth. “We are worry in the market because now that the market is rising, it is unfortunate if wrong signal is coming from the government. We need stability, not negative pronouncements in the interest of Nigeria’s economy. The National Assembly and the SEC should resolve their issue amicably,” he added. Research analysts at Vetiva Capital, said, “With continued interest in financials and consumer goods, we expect the market to extend gains into the New Year,” adding that banks will lead the charge in 2013. Further investigation

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Thursday, January 3, 2013

on international leverage, regulatory reform

Okonjo-Iweala

Dangote

THE ISSUE ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT IN MAKING DECISIONS ON INVESTMENTS AND ONCE A COMPANY’S TRUST IS

IN DOUBT, THERE IS TENDENCY FOR INVESTORS TO CHANGE PORTFOLIO showed that from January to September 2012, Rencap Securities recorded the most value for equities traded on the NSE. It recorded N169.7bn worth of transactions, which represented 17.8 per cent of the total activities executed on the NSE within the period. Renaissance Capital owns Rencap Securities, which is an emerging market leading firm based in Moscow, Russia. Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC, a subsidiary of Standard Bank Group of South Africa, pooled N161.5bn worth of transaction representing 16.9 per cent of the market transactions for the period under review. Chapelhill Denham and CSL Stockbrokers recorded N88.9bn and N47.1bn worth of trade. Data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistics Database posted on its website indicates that total value of capital imported into Nigeria stood at $12.6bn as at Oc-

tober 2012, out of which investments in equities accounted for $10.3bn. The investment comprised $1.32bn in foreign direct Investment in equities, while $9.18bn was invested in equities portfolios. Commenting on the development, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Ms Arunma Oteh said that foreign investors have worn ‘glasses’ (have more foresight) to see the potential in the stock market that the local investors failed to see. She however expressed delight that the local investors have also started seeing the potential of the stock market, adding, “We started the year with 80 per cent on a daily basis by value of foreign investment in the market but today we have 70 per cent. So I think that the local investors are also starting to see the opportunities.” The Head, Capital Market Committee on Collective Investment Scheme, Mrs Oluwatoyin

Tinubu

Sanni, agreed with Oteh, noting that the reduction was due to more participation from the domestic investors in the market. She said the capital market committee, a body of stakeholders in the capital market, has been working to get local investors back to the stock market. She said the market will continue to record progress as the hiccups experienced in the past as a result of the policy made outside the contribution of the stakeholders have all been eliminated. However, the introduction of market making in the market on September 18, 2012 has hiked the investment climate on stocks, as the index gained 7.64 per cent as at December 28, 2012. Speaking to National Mirror, lead stock analyst at Meristem Securities Limited, Mr.

Taiwo Yusuf attributed the downward trend recorded in the oil and gas sector to dwindling confidence of investors on the indicted companies in the oil subsidy probe. According to him, the issue on corporate governance is very important in making decisions on investments and once a company’s trust is in doubt, there is tendency for investors to change portfolio. Twenty firms, three individuals that involved in unauthorised sales of investors’ shares in 2012 were exposed. Out of the 20 cases, 11 of them were unresolved, while nine were resolved. The unresolved cases are Manivest Asset Management Limited, IT IS Securities Limited, Lion Stockbrokers Limited, Se-

curities Solutions Limited, Omas Investment and Trust Limited, 10 Gosord Securities Limited and WT Securities Limited. Others are Maven Asset management Limited, De-Canon Investment Limited, Adamawa Securities Limited and Lighthouse Asset management Limited. The resolved cases are Dominion Trust Limited, Marriot Securities Limited, Mountain Investments and Securities Limited, Royal Crest Securities Limited, Bytofel Trust and Securities Limited and Nova Finance and Securities Limited. Others are GMT Securities and Assets Management Limited, Prime Wealth Capital Limited and First Alstate Securities Limited. The individuals’ brokers blacklisted for misconduct are Mr. Kingsley Nnaji, Mr. Joel Okafor and Mr. Okafor George Nchedo, who is currently on investigation. The Exchange also suspended 19 stockbroking firms with insufficient shareholders funds. They are Colvia Securities Limited, Consolidated Investment Limited, Dakal Services Limited, Dependable Securities Limited, Empire Securities Limited, First Equity Securities Limited, Genesis Securities and Investment Limited, Gombe Securities and Lion Stockbrokers Limited. Others are LMB Stockbrokers Limited, Mainstreet Securities Limited,( formerly Afribank), Mayfield Investment Limited, Midland Capital Markets Limited, Peninsula Asset Management and Investment, Professional Stockbrokers Limited, Securities Trading and Investment Limited, Supra Commercial Trust Limited, Wema Asset Management Limited and Woodland Capital Markets Plc. In his response, the Executive Director, Market Operations of the NSE, Mr. Ade Bajomo attributed the impressive performance recorded in the banking and consumer goods sectors to the regulators insistence on good corporate governance. He said, “In 2012, we insisted on corporate governance. We wanted to strengthen the product and equities and make the market transparent. I think the market is seeing that and finally responding to it and that is why you could see the responses. “With all the regulations, the market is still around 27,000, we still have a long way to go. We don’t want it to go in a big flash, but to grow in line with the market fundamentals.”

PhotoNews

Thursday January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kuka; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio; his wife, Unoma and Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie Ebe, at the interdenominational thanksgiving service in the state, yesterday.

Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe (left) and Governor Jonah Jang, during the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day and Emblem Appeal Fund Launch in Jos, yesterday.

L-R: Wife of Delta State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Nelly Utuama; her husband, Prof. Amos Utuama and Okobaro of Ughievwen Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Matthew Ediri Egbi, when the deputy governor visited the palace, yesterday.

Six newly appointed female permanent secretaries in Rivers State taking their oath of office in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

National News

MMA records low services after New Year break A ctivities were low at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, yesterday despite the resumption of work by many workers in the country. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that human and vehicular traffic in and around the airport, remained

low. While workers of the various agencies at the airport were at their duty posts, NAN correspondent observed that only a few passengers were making bookings and purchasing tickets at airline counters. Some of the passengers told NAN that they were returning to their bases to resume work. “My broth-

TUC calls for cooperation from Nigerians in 2013

he Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday in Port Harcourt called on Nigerians to join hands with the government to move the nation forward. The Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of TUC, Mr. Chika Onuegbu, who made the call in a statement, said the nation could only advance through dedication to duty and patriotic endeavour of all Nigerians. He said the New Year celebration was a wakeup call on Nigerians and called on traditional rulers, politicians and individuals to join hands to ensure a new Nigeria. Onuegbu said the nation’s economy would grow up if the country was

free of terrorism, corruption and sectarian violence. He said the congress was committed to the fight for workers’ welfare. “We, however, use this opportunity to assure all Nigerians that TUC will continue to be on the side of the truth and justice to protect workers’ interest. “We will be working in line with our tradition of fighting for the improvement in the standard of living of workers and all Nigerians who had to contend with all manners of challenges in 2012. “In the New Year, I urged Nigerians to be united against oppression, injustice, corruption, poverty, terrorism and bad government.”

er, the break is over and I am returning to my base in Port Harcourt. “I prefer travelling by air because it is safer and one reaches his or her destination faster than going by road,” one of the passengers, who did not give his name, said. Another passenger, who was travelling to Abuja, called on the avia-

tion ministry and its agencies to be more alive to their responsibilities in the new year to avert the disasters experienced last year. “I want to appeal to the Federal Government to make air transport safer, so that more people will continue to patronise it,” the passenger said. The lean patronage also affected the

food court at the airport terminal as restaurant operators had to struggle to convince the few passengers to patronise them. NAN also observed that many cab operators were idle and few jostled for the few passengers returning to Lagos. “My car is posh and I will give you a reasonable and affordable

fare,” a cab operator was heard telling a passenger. NAN also observed that the police anti-bomb squad had left the airport end of the Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, where they had been stationed during the festive period. Following their departure, there was free flow of vehicular traffic in the area.

Labour Party lists conditions for a better Nigeria

he National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, yesterday said that Nigeria must get its acts right for the citizens to enjoy the dividends of democracy. He made this known yesterday in Abuja in a statement signed by him and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). “There is certainly hope in the horizon that Nigeria will get her acts right in the new year and that the benefits of democracy will berth for the people to enjoy. “There is hope that with the turn of the new year, our leaders will wear new

garments of service and dedication to fatherland and ensure that the labour of our heroes past were not in vain.” He gave an assurance that the new year would usher in a new lease of life where “unemployment, insecurity, academic decadence, lawlessness, economic sabotage, rot in the judiciary, election malpractice and all that would be a thing of the past. “I see a Nigeria where an unholy alliance between the political class and the business community will give way to sacrifices, selflessness and love for the nation. “Tribe, religion or politi-

cal divides will no longer relegate national issues to the background.” Nwanyanwu said that Nigeria might have had it rough in the past but that the present leadership could steer the ship of state out of the troubled waters, with the support of all Nigerians. “No government, the world over is perfect, Nigeria inclusive; but it takes constructive criticism from the people to help any government achieve its goals.” The Labour Party leader said if the legislature was making good laws and the judiciary was discharging its duties without bureaucratic hurdles, the execu-

tive could be encouraged to do more. “The developments in the last one year can attest to the fact that all was not well as the year witnessed unprecedented controversies within and among the three arms of government. “It is my sincere belief that Nigeria can work better when the three arms of government put their acts together and at the same time ensured checks and balances. “It is only when corruption in high places are checked, electoral malpractice eliminated, that Nigeria can be great again,” the party chairman stated.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Force won’t stop Boko Haram, says ACF AZA MSUE KADUNA

he Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, yesterday, commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s resolve to end the Boko Haram insurgency soon but said that the use of force might not yield positive result. Speaking with National Mirror, the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, said that dialogue remained the international best practice of ending terrorism. The ACF said: “We are praying that President Jon-

athan will succeed to end terrorism as he has assured Nigerians. It’s unpatriotic for us to say Mr. President will fail. We can’t be negative to what President Jonathan is saying. But, our suggestion to government is that if they want dialogue to succeed, government should talk to Boko Haram to contact any country of their choice who has diplomatic relations with Nigeria to play some mediatory role between them and government, like Saudi Arabia or any country. “Countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Mali among others are still battling with

terrorism despite security, but these countries have or are trying to adopt dialogue because the use of force will never end terrorism based on what we saw in other countries. “But we pray for Mr. President to succeed; if Jonathan ends Boko Haram’s menace with the use of force, he will be the first president and the whole world will recommend him for Nobel Peace Award. Let’s pray for him and the security to succeed.” Meanwhile, the President, Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, CRCN, Mallam Shehu Sani, yes-

terday picked holes in the statement by President Jonathan that the Boko Haram insurgency would soon be over. He expressed the fear that the President’s submission could lead to renewed attacks by the sect. Sani, who led former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the Boko Haram enclave in Maiduguri in September 2011 to broker peace, explained that the Federal Government frustrated the right person that would have ended the insurgency through dialogue. In a telephone interview with National Mirror in

L-R: Sector Commander, Ogun State Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Ayobami Omiyale; Public Education Officer, Abuja, Mr. Bisi Kazeem; Head of Section, Uniform Licensing Scheme, Mr. Hyginus Fuomsuk and Unit Commander, Sagamu, Mr. Lasisi Ogundele, during the mobile court sitting of road offenders in Sagamu, Ogun State, yesterday.

I would have been dead, but... –Obasanjo CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

power from the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the South-West, if only the leadership of the party would sink their differences. Obasanjo spoke yesterday when leaders of the PDP from Lagos State visited him at his residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, to commiserate with him on the incident. He said: “The fire incident, which occurred in the office of my private secretary resulted in thick smoke which pervaded my bedroom; if it had happened at night, I would have been a dead person now. “I want to thank all and all those who called me on the phone both within and outside the country. “Let us appreciate the

mercy and kindness of God. There are many we started last year with together but are no more today, we are not mocking them, but to extol God. “In fact, that I am able to stand erect is God’s blessing, many of my age group cannot stand well. I am not mocking them, but I am thanking God. My hope and prayer is that this year 2013 will be a glorious year,” he said. Obasanjo also described the Lagos State chapter of the PDP as a party in the wilderness. He, however, asked members to sink their egos and sacrifice their personal interest for the party’s growth. The former president also believed that if the PDP leaders from Lagos State could unite and re-

gard the party’s interest as supreme, it would wrestle power from the ruling ACN. He said: “If only the leaders would sink their ego and regard the party’s interest as supreme and above that of individual, then the party will come out strong and able to wrestle power from the ruling party.” Obasanjo, however, prayed for his visitors, asking God to soften their hearts to be accommodating and grant them direction to reposition the party. He appreciated God for confining the fire to his Secretary’s office and preventing loss of life. The former president insisted that Nigerians had reasons to be thankful to God for the year 2012, notwithstanding some unfortunate incidents. He, however, expressed

optimism that the nation would experience some transformation in the New Year. Addressing journalists after the meeting, the PDP Chairman in Lagos State, Mr. Tunji Shelle, said the purpose of their visit was to commiserate with the former President over the recent fire outbreak in his house and to receive his counsel and blessings for the party. Shelle, who described Obasanjo’s advice as priceless, added that the meeting was a success. “Baba’s advice is invaluable and we are going back to Lagos as a happy family. We would return to build our party on the platform of his advice in order to relaunch our party into recognition,” he said.

Kaduna, Sani noted that the President’s claims was to convince Nigerians that terrorism was under control in order to boost his 2015 presidential ambition. Sani, therefore, regretted that Boko Haram had become a cash machine by people in government who wanted the insurgency to continue. He also described President Jonathan’s statement as provocative which may place people in danger for possible sect’s attacks, adding that such a declaration was not new to Nigerians. The CRCN boss said: “What President Goodluck Jonathan is saying is simply provocative because if you conquered terrorists we should see it on the ground. Well, in my own candid opinion, the statement credited to President Jonathan and security chiefs over their ability to curtail the activities of the sect is not true, it will raise hope but it is simply going to be false hope, because such kind of statements have been made in the past and what we have always seen is the renewal of such violence. “Bombings, killings, attacks continue. If actually there is victory we should see it on ground not necessary by making statements from Abuja. The violence is going on, and it is irresponsible for our leaders to claim victory where they

have not. “The President is trying to prove a point to justify his 2015 ambition, but technically I don’t see the reality of success over this insurgency. I see this statement as provocative and to put more people in danger.” Sani added that the Boko Haram leaders and the Federal Government had not begun any dialogue, stressing that some people were just using it to make money. “In the first instance, there was no dialogue, there are some people who are making money from Boko Haram insurgency. Boko Haram has become a cash machine. There are people who are making money on people’s blood. Security contractors, defense entrepreneurs, dialogue industries are springing up now. Government entrepreneurs, contractors are cashing on it. “One of the major obstacles to ending this insurgency through dialogue is because some people are benefiting from it, the arms importers, contractors of all kinds of gadgets and foreign defense entrepreneurs are benefiting from the insurgency, using millions of dollars in the name of dialogue. “To me, I don’t see any possibility of ending this insurgency by the way government is handling it.”

Suntai undergoes physiotherapy –Govt AYODELE OJO

overnor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State is now undergoing physiotherapy in a private facility in Germany, after being discharged from the hospital. The governor was reportedly discharged from the hospital in December. The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Emmanuel Bello, disclosed this in an interview with National Mirror yesterday. He said: “The governor has since been discharged from the hospital and now in a private place undergoing physiotherapy. “He is busy with physi-

otherapy and his new twins. He has no time for idle gossips. I can assure you he would soon return to Nigeria.” Suntai was involved in a plane crash on October 25, 2012 when his jet he was flying crashed near Yola, Adama State. He was subsequently flown to a German hospital for treatment. But Bello, who denied the report that Suntai was suffering from brain damage, noted that some friends and family members organised a get-together for the governor on Christmas Day in Germany where a picture published in the national dailies yesterday was taken. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

News

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG to pay N161bn fuel subsidy arrears soon –PPPRA UDEME AKPAN

he Federal Government is set to pay N161bn 2012 fuel subsidy arrears to marketers of petroleum products this month to kick-start orderly importation this year. As part of the measures aimed at boosting fuel supply, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, has completed the verification of all genuine claims. The agency’s duties include determining the pricing policy of petroleum products; regulating the supply and distribution of petroleum products and creating information databank. PPPRA Executive Secretary, Mr. Reginald Stanley, who confirmed the development yesterday said: “We have completed the verification of claims for the payment of the N161bn subsidy arrears.” He explained that the Ministry of Finance would raise funds and effect payment since the National Assembly had already granted approval for the payment before its members went on the Yuletide holiday. “As an agency, our duty is to verify legitimate claims for payment and I can confirm that the verification has taken place,” Stanley told National Mirror. The executive secretary said the planned payment would encourage petroleum marketers to embark

on fuel importation which they could not do for some months because of nonpayment of the outstanding arrears. He noted that with the planned payment, the banks who were being discouraged from granting loans would now be encouraged to do so, thus boosting supply of petroleum products in all parts of the nation. “The era of shortage is over because the Federal Government has also made provision for the payment of N971bn as fuel subsidy in the 2013 budget, meaning that it would be possible to sustain importation throughout the New Year,” he said. Stanley said the development demonstrated the commitment of the government to ensure that sufficient petroleum products were made available for consumption. Fuel marketers had virtually stopped importation following stringent new terms imposed for the payment of subsidy claims last year after legislative hearings exposed huge fraud in the system. This had resulted in a situation where only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, could import fuel, leading to supply glitches across the nation. Senate President David Mark had while deliberating on the supplementary budget noted that there was too much corruption in the fuel subsidy regime and the nation needed to take

Suntai undergoes physiotherapy –Govt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

He said: “The governor did not suffer any brain injury or spinal cord injury. Just bruises. He is in his right mind and can use all his senses! He named his newly born twins Hassan and Hussaina. The governor would return soon.” Bello also described as hoax the purported plan to impeach the governor. He said: “There cannot be any impeachment because the governor has not done anything wrong to warrant that. What is the basis for his removal? He has not done anything

against the constitution of Nigeria. “The nation’s constitution is clear on these matters. So there is no confusion whatsoever. We are in a democracy and not the military! So there cannot be a coup against the governor.” The commissioner said the ailing governor was in touch with “all of us, from the acting governor to the cabinet members.” He added that the Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, was doing a fantastic job and did not need any distraction.

a stand on whether to continue with it or not. He had said: “If they can’t eliminate the corruption in the industry, then the alternative would be to stop the whole exercise of fuel subsidy, and we must take the one that is easier, which will bring less pain to Nigerians.” Mark who had noted that the supplementary budget was approved in the overall interest of Nigerians added: “I thank all of you for taking into consider-

ation that if this is not approved, Nigerians are going to suffer. Why we are in the chamber here is to work for the welfare of our people. The nation in my candid opinion must make that decision now because we cannot carry on this way. “Obviously, they must have anticipated that there was going to be a shortfall when they first made the presentation at the beginning of the year. That did not happen; we are not shouldered with the re-

sponsibility of the additional approval. And what we have just done is in the best interest of this country.” Also, President Goodluck Jonathan had while presenting the 2013 budget proposal to the National Assembly said: “The government is succeeding in substantially cleaning up the management of the petroleum subsidy regime.” He said the findings of the Aig-lmoukhuede-led presidential committee

had assisted the government to tackle corruption threatening the execution of the programme, especially in 2012. Jonathan had said: “We are working hard to recover monies fraudulently obtained from the subsidy regime. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting several of those who defrauded Nigeria and the efforts to crack down on corruption in this sector will continue.”

A pedestrian arrested by officials of Kick Against Indiscipline for not using the pedestrian bridge at Ojota in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Jonathan bows to Reps, may move Oteh to AMCON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

giving SEC a zero allocation. But the spokesperson to the SEC boss, Mr. Obi Adindu, denied any knowledge of such move when contacted yesterday, saying categorically, “I have no comment.” The House of Representatives had justified its decision not to allocate a budget for the commission, insisting that unless President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to its recommendation that Oteh should be removed, it would have nothing to do with the commission. The Senate also supported the House recommendation to remove Oteh. Clause 10 of the budget states that “all revenues howsoever described, including all fees received, fines, grants, budgetary

provisions and all internally and externally generated revenue shall not be spent by the SEC for recurrent or capital purposes or for any other matter, nor liabilities thereon incurred except with prior appropriation and approval by the National Assembly.” It was, however, gathered that the President was not ready to sack Oteh, whom he thinks is “very intelligent and highly qualified” to contribute positively to his transformational agenda, hence, the decision to move her to AMCON. A source said: “I can confirm to you that Mr. President will not dismiss Aruma Oteh like that. “The thinking in the Presidency is that the DG still has a lot to contribute to the successes of this government and should not be thrown out like that.

“She will be given an executive position at AMCON. Remember, she is already a member of the AMCON board by virtue of her position as DG of SEC.” AMCON is currently headed by Mr. Mustapha Chike Obi, who is the Managing Director. Attempts to get his views on this development yesterday proved abortive as calls were not picked. The source added that Oteh would be replaced soon at SEC as the President prepares to sign the budget as passed by the National Assembly “because he does not want to ruffle shoulders with the parliament.” Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, said the House would stick to its guns until she was sacked,

stressing that the House would not appropriate any funds for the commission. “On the issue of SEC, we are now at a dinner point. We want to see what money would be used to run it. “As far as we are concerned, we will not touch that budget until what we said is done. Both the House and Senate are on the same page on this issue and there is no going back. Oteh must go”. It will be recalled that the House had made enquiries into the crash of the capital market and indicted Oteh. In its report, which was adopted on the floor, the House submitted that Oteh was not qualified to hold office as SEC DG by virtue of the Act establishing the commission. She was also accused of maladministration and poor management skills.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Thursday, January 3, 2013

I’m not behind 2015 campaign posters –Jonathan ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan has dissociated himself from some posters pasted along some streets of Abuja campaigning for his presidency in 2015. He said those behind it were neither his agents nor acting on his directive, adding that they were acting on their own. The campaign posters declaring Jonathan’s readiness to contest the 2015 presidential election started appearing on the streets of Abuja two days ago as Nigerians ushered in the New Year. The all-glossy posters, which were strategically posted in the highbrow areas of the city, did not, however, indicate the source or the sponsor. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that Jonathan had not launched any political campaign for the Presidency. He added that Nigerians should wait until 2014 when the President promised that he would make

his position known on the 2015 presidential election. Abati noted that the President was focused on delivering on his mandate and electoral promises he made to Nigerians during the 2011 campaign and would not be distracted by the politics of 2015. The special adviser said those behind the posters should allow the President to concentrate on his job. He said: “Those pasting the posters are trying to express their own view. The President had stated that he will talk about the presidency from 2014. “Those doing these do not have the consent of the President. “What is most important now is for the President to deliver on his electioneering promise to Nigerians and not to embark on the pasting of posters. “It has not come from the President. Nigerians should take the President for his word and ignore any other information to the contrary. “The President has not launched any campaign; he believes that those doing that are playing

games. There is no reason for the President to engage in any form of scaremongering. “He has said that by 2014 his position on the 2015 presidential race would be made public. Nigerians should wait till then.” Asked whether the President would take measures to dissuade those doing that to stop, Abati said since the posters did

not have the names of the promoters, there was little the President could do. He said: “We do not know those behind the posters so the President cannot do anything. Our appeal is that those behind this should allow the President concentrate on the job at hand. “The President’s main pre-occupation now is to continue to provide service and quality leadership.”

It was not clear why the sponsors of the message decided to put it out on the first day of the New Year, but a source pointed out that it was to send a strong message to the opposition that Jonathan was serious about contesting in 2015 and to test Nigerians’ reactions. One of the posters, which had President Goodluck Jonathan’s photograph, reads; “2015: No

vacancy in Aso Rock. Let’s do more. One good term deserves another,” “Support Dr. Goodluck Azikiwe Jonathan for 2015 Presidency.” The campaign posters are noticeable in major areas of ECOWAS Secretariat in Asokoro District, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Secretariat in Wuse 5, the Central Business District, CBD, and other strategic locations.

L-R: Founder, Fight Against Desert Encroachment, Dr. Newton Jibunoh; representative of the Emir of Kano, Tafida Abubakar Tijani; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; Gen. Theophilus Danjuma; his wife, Daisy and celebrant’s wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Jibunoh, during the 75 Trees Birthday Anniversary in commemoration of Dr. Jibunoh’s 75th birthday at the Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo Senior School, Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday.

Suits responsible for non-removal of abandoned planes –FAAN Police arrest five with fake $3,000 in Nasarawa S E EBASTINE HUOMHAN BENIN

he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, yesterday blamed the deluge of litigations against it for the non-removal of abandoned aircraft at air ports across the country. The General Manager, Cor porate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, who said this, told jour nalists in Benin that some of the abandoned aircraft were used as collateral for securing loans. Speaking shortly after taking newsmen round the renovated Ar rival and Departure Halls of the Benin Airport, Dati said FAAN had advised owners of abandoned aircraft on ways to dispose them of f. He said: “We are in the age of recycling

and most of these planes were built with plastic and metals. We have advised owners on several ways to dispose the aircraft and still make profit. “By the time the period we are giving them elapses, FAAN will take steps to clear the abandoned aircraft because they distort the master plan of airports.” Dati noted that s the commissioning of the

renovated Benin Airport was put on hold because of the recent helicopter crash in Bayelsa State. He added that the Benin Air port, which was commissioned 30 years ago, was remodelled and reconstructed to become a hub of economic activities. Dati said the remodelling of 11 air ports across the country was to make them self-sustaining and economi-

cally viable, even as he disclosed that the Benin Air port recorded 25,000 passengers on a monthly basis. He said: “The airports are no longer like motor parks; that is why we have worldclass shops at the airports for travellers. “The total picture is that Nigeria aviation should be able to contribute to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of the country.”

olice in Nasarawa State yesterday said they arrested five men with more than 3,000 fake American Dollars and materials used for currency counterfeiting. The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Michael Adah, disclosed this in a statement issued in Lafia. The police detectives attached to Access Bank

FCTA saved 239 lives, N3.1bn from fire in 2012 –Minister O MEIZ A A JAYI

he Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, yesterday disclosed that it saved 239 lives from fire outbreaks in and around the FCT, Abuja in 2012. The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement issued by his

Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Hazat Sule, after looking into the activities of the FCT Urban Affairs Department in retrospect. He said his administration was also able to save property worth over N3.176 billion from inferno. Mohammed recalled that from January to December 2012, the FCT Fire Service received

486 fire calls as well as 103 rescue calls. According to him, in the process, 69 lives were lost while property loss amounted to N765.7 million. Commending the officers and men of the FCT Fire Service for the outstanding performance during the period, the minister told the residents that his administration was poised

to improve on this feat this year and beyond. Mohammed charged officials of the FCT Fire Service to redouble their efforts to surpass this achievement. He promised that his administration would work assiduously on capacity building of all the staff of the FCTA for enhanced productivity and improved service delivery.

Plc, in Lafia on December 28, 2012 arrested one Theophilus Ogu, who presented a fake $100 bill for exchange. Adah said that following investigation, four others were arrested with fake $3,000. He said the police also discovered from the counterfeiters’ hideout, mercury and other materials used in the production of the fake currencies. The PPRO said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded. He, however, said that crime rate in the state during Christmas and New Year festivities was low, attributing the development to security measures put in place by the command. Adah urged the public to further support the police to effectively tackle criminal activities in the state.

News

Thursday January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Detectives arrest suspected killers of Kano lawmakers S

Stakeholders advise FG on nation’s rising debt

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

etectives have arrested the six suspected hired assassins, who allegedly killed two Kano State lawmakers for a fee of N100, 000. The deceased legislators are Hon Danladi Isah Kademi and Hon Abba Garko. The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, told journalists that the suspects were arrested following a tip-off. Idris identified the six suspects as Ibrahim Lawal of Layin Yarbawa, Unguwa Uku quarters;

Abdullahi, alias Mabo of Fillin Cashew, Unguwa Uku quarters and Sagir Yahaya of Farin Masallachi, Unguwa Uku quarters, Kano Others are Surajo Adamu of Layin Tazarce, Unguwa Uku quarters; Tasiu Shuaibu of Layin Yarubawa, Ashiru Mohammed of Layin Yorubawa, Unguwa Uku quarters and Mohammed Abdusallam of Layin Tazarce quarters, Kano. During interrogation, according to the Commissioner of Police, all the suspects confessed to committing the crime, revealing that they were sponsored by one Alhaji Sale

Kura of Layin Yarubawa, Unguwa Uku quarters, who owns a boutique at Sabon Gari market, Layin Sani Abacha. The suspects, Idris said, bargained with the sponsor, Saleh Kura, to kill the lawmaker, Hon Danladi Isah Kademi, for a fee of N100, 000 of which only N30, 000 was paid, while the outstanding balance of N70,000 was still being awaited before their arrest. However, Idris lamented that the gang leader and five other accomplice are still at large, but pointed out that the principal suspect, Ibrahim Lawal, confessed to have held se-

Trading activities gradually resuming at Balogun Street in Lagos, yesterday.

‘Prosecute UN building bombers’ AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

lawyer, Maxi Okwu, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to prosecute the suspected terrorists arrested in connection with the bombing of the UN building in Abuja. Okwu, who is the founder and one-time presidential candidate of the Citizen Popular Party (CPP), said it is only the court that could determine the credibility of the President’s statement that the masterminds of the attack had been arrested. According to him, the President’s statements “remains at the level of claim,” pointing out that

he could not be the prosecutor and judge.” Okwu said: “The constitution proclaims the innocence of every citizen or suspect until proved otherwise by the court. So, Nigerians are waiting for the soonest appearance of the suspects in court and it is only then that the credibility of the President’s statement can be established.”

Minister of Justice M. Adoke

ries of meetings on how to assassinate the two legislators with Saleh Kura at a car park in his residence. The police chief said that one of the late lawmaker, Alhaji Abba Garko, was in the company of Alhaji Kura, with whom he prayed at a place called “Yan awaki,” before his assassination by the suspects. He said: “Investigations revealed that the name and GSM contact of Alhaji Sale Kura was discovered in Ibrahim Lawan’s cell phone, as well as different call logs between the duo, which clearly corroborate a grand criminal conspiracy between them.”

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

ome stakeholders have advised the Federal Government to check the rising debt profile of the country to save the private sector from further job losses. They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos that the rising debt stock could retard the nation’s development and cause more hardship to the people. The Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Muda Yusuf, said that the nation’s domestic debt stock was more disturbing than the external debt. Yusuf said that government might not be in a position to execute projects to aid the private sector growth, if the rising debt stock was not checked. According to him, the increase in the domestic debt will make it difficult for the private sector to access credit to import raw materials. He said that the cost of the servicing debts was too high, even when other sectors were not well funded. “The rate at which Federal Government is borrowing is high and no country can develop with high interest rates on loans,” he said. The General Manager, True Bond Microfinance Bank, Mr. Wole Olowu, advised the Federal Gov-

ernment to rationalise its structures, stressing that some agencies were performing same functions. He also urged the government to tackle the problem of ghost workers in the public service to reduce the debt profile drastically. “The government is losing huge money through this medium which can be used to finance other sectors of the economy,” he said. Olowu said that the problem of inflated contracts must also be tackled, alleging that majority of contracts were over-bloated. Dr Kazzem Bello, a Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Lagos, said that excessive borrowing would not bring about national development, but would inflict poverty on the people. Bello advised the government to drastically reduce its recurrent expenditure to enable it save funds to execute capital projects. The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on December 18, 2012, at the Honorary International Investment Council Conference in London, decried the country’s rising debt profile. Sanusi said that the rising debt stock could affect the country in the future if it was not checked now.

Commission urges early implementation of 2013 budget

he National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) yesterday called for the early implementation of the 2013 budget to enhance the execution of its projects. The commission’s Senior Public Relations Officers, Mr. Isaac Ameh, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. Ameh said that the early implementation of the budget would be the driving force for teacher education reform and quality education sector in 2013. According to him, the early passage of the budget and its timely implementation as against that

of the previous years is a step toward progressive development of the country. He expressed optimism that the timely release of funds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would prevent stalling of projects at the end of the year. Ameh said: “It is a good thing that the budget has been put in place in good time and has been approved. “We are anticipating that if the budget takes off at the due time, from the first quarter of the year, the commission will be able to articulately carry out all its projects before the year ends. “This will in turn avert

the usual rush to complete projects toward the end of the year because it affects the substandard projects.’’ Ameh appealed to the Federal Government to release more funds to the commission to enable it carry out its activities, saying: “Fund still remain a major challenge to the commission’s progress’’. He said that the lack of sufficient funds to the commission and the lack of interest in the teaching profession had continued to constitute a challenge to the commission. According to him, funds are not enough and people don’t pick interest in the teaching profession because they feel that the salary of teachers is

small. “That was why the Executive Secretary, Prof. Mohammed Junaid, appealed to the Federal Government to make the teaching profession conducive and attractive so that people can rush for it. “Everyone wants to work where they can get a great salary, so if the salary of teachers remains as it is without an improvement, people will continue to run away from it. “The truth is that if you put aside the teaching profession, you have put aside the growth of the country because without building peoples’ capacity, there won’t be learned citizens to man the economy,” he said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Thursday, January 3, 2013

2013: Lagos earmarks N100bn for roads, infrastructure MURITALA AYINLA

agos State Governor Babatunde Fashola is set to embark on renewal of infrastructure across the state. Fashola has, therefore, earmarked N100 billion for the construction and rehabilitation roads and other infrastructure this year. The governor had, while presenting the 2013 budget to the state House of Assembly, promised to dedicate larger share of the budget on projects’ execution. A source at the state sec-

retariat told National Mirror that emphasis would be laid on completion of already awarded road contracts, adding that a few contracts would be awarded this year to pave the way for the completion of the several other ongoing projects. National Mirror learnt that asides the N100 billion budgeted for fixing of roads and infrastructure development, the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure also got N4.5 billion as subvention for 2013. As earlier promised by the governor, environmental protection makes the

second priority in Fashola’s budget as it is expected to spend N28.6 billion on capital project, while the Ministry of the Environment also has a subvention of N8.1 billion. Also, the third on the list of capital expenditure is the Ministry of Transportation as N22.6 billion has been earmarked to execute projects in the sector, while N691 million will be given to the ministry as subvention. Similarly, N19.58 billion will be spent on executing statewide project by the state government this year, even as the Ministry of Economic Planning and

Budget has a capital expenditure of N15.6 billion and a subvention of N95 million. It was also learnt that N3.2 billion was budgeted for the Lekki Free Trade Zone out of the N12.13 billion earmarked for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The ministry also has a subvention of N1.4 billion. Also on the priority list is the Ministry of Education, which has a capital expenditure of N11.79 billion and a subvention of N12.19 billion; while Ministry of Housing has a capital expenditure of N10 billion and Health, N8.9 billion

capital expenditure and a subvention of N2 billion. While the Lands Bureau will execute projects worth N7.98 billion, the Ministry of Science and Technology will execute projects worth N5.28 billion. The Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development will execute projects worth N4.6 billion. The budgetary allocation for other ministries in terms of capital expenditure are as follows: Finance Ministry, N3.68 billion; Justice, N3.12 billion; House of Assembly, N2.8 billion; Agriculture and Cooperatives, N2.5 billion; Rural

Development, N1.75 billion plus a subvention of N38 million; Social Protection, N1.64 billion; Tourism and Intergovernmental Issues, N1.5 billion; Judiciary, N1.2 billion; Special Duties, N1.12 billion, while other ministries had a capital expenditure of less than N1 billion. Speaking on the target for the implementation of the 2013 budget, the state commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Ben Akabueze said the state planned to have over 80 percent budget performance by the end of the year.

We ’ve compensated owners of demolished structures –Osun ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

L-R: Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat; Deputy Speaker, House of Assembly, Hon. Akintunde Adegoye and Acting Chief Judge, Justice Gloria Olagoke, during the inter-religious service marking the beginning of the year in Osun State, yesterday.

Gunmen invade church, abduct pastor OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

ome gunmen in the early hours of Tuesday invaded a church in Akure, the Ondo State capital, and abducted the church’s cleric, Pastor Kehinde Adeyiwola, shortly after a vigil. Narrating his ordeal to journalists yesterday, the four gunmen stormed the church at about 4:0am and collected all the mobile phones of worshippers. Pastor Adeyiwola, a Chartered Accountant, said the gunmen demanded for the key of his Toyota Corolla car after their operations. According to the cleric, all efforts by the gunmen to drive the car failed because of the security

system which prevented them from moving the vehicle. After attempts to move the vehicle failed, the gunmen returned to the church and threaten to kill the cleric if he failed to remove the security system. Pastor Adeyiwola said: “At this point, l went out with them and removed the security system. But they were not satisfied as they took me away to ascertain whether l had actually removed the security system or not. “As we were going along Ilesa Road, they told me that they just wanted to use the car for a particular assignment. They later dropped me on Ijare Road from where l trekked to Ilesa–Owo Highway.” He claimed that the

Toyota black saloon car marked Lagos RQ607 AAA with Chassis number JTDBLA40E3990407 and Engine number 2ZR4139383 belonged to another clergyman, Pastor Rotimi Fagboyegun

He urged security operatives to help recover the stolen vehicle. According to him, the incident had been reported at Ijapo Police Station and the state police headquarters in Akure.

sun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola said yesterday that his administration had paid over N600 million as compensation to owners of demolished structures, even as he assured that those who are yet to receive theirs would get it in no distant time. Aregbesola said that the government had returned Religious Studies to all public primary and secondary schools in the state. He spoke at a special prayer held at the premises of the Bola Ige House, state secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, the state capital. The governor assured that his administration would not disappoint the people. Aregbesola prayed for peace and development of the state in 2013. He urged residents to support his administration and the country with prayers, saying: “Nigeria needs prayers for an end to

come to the security problem confronting the northern part of the country.” The governor added that his desire was to make Osun the envy of other states in the country, saying that he planned to develop Osun with the state’s resources. Governor Aregbesola, however, declared that 2013 would be a year of total freedom for the state. According to him, his administration planned to ensure the fulfillment of the desires of the founding fathers of the state, stressing that “Osun State will, in 2013, free from hunger, mystery, poverty and underdevelopment.” Earlier, Bishop of Osogbo Diocese of the Methodist Church, Bishop John Bamigboye, asked the government to compensate those whose property were demolished as a result of the ongoing road construction in the state, even as he urged the government to return Christian and Islamic Religious Studies to all primary and secondary schools.

Oyo police command expecting 300 new recruits

he Oyo State Police Command said yesterday that it was expecting an additional 300 newly-recruited officers to boost its manpower. The police spokesman, Mr. Ayodele Lanade, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, the state capital. Lanade said: “Due to the nature of crime, you cannot rest on your oars. Criminals keep changing the way they operate and

so, the police cannot afford to relax. “In view of this, we are expecting about 300 newly-recruited officers from those to pass out from training this January. “I can tell you that this will indeed boost our morale in terms of manpower.” The police spokesman, who said last year was challenging with regards to crime fighting, noted that the state command lived up to expec-

tations. He said: “Everybody is a living witness that 2012 compared with the past years in Oyo State was a success in terms of security. “The strategy of the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu, in changing the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and making their telephone numbers available for distress calls paid off. “All the DPOs were put on their toes and they con-

scientiously ensured security in their divisions.” He said that the command determined to surpass the achievements of 2012. Lanade added that the command had refurbished all its Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs). He said: “If you drive around the state, you will see that our APCs are strategically stationed and this contributed to why the Yuletide was cool and calm in Oyo State.”

South-West

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Ekiti: Don’t invite emergency rule again, cleric warns politicians ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

oliticians have been advised to shun acts capable of causing a repeat of the 2006 emergency rule imposed on Ekiti State. The Chief Missioner of Ansar-Ur-Deen in Ekiti State, Sheik Ameen Adebayo, who gave the advice, said the unwarranted emergency rule slowed down the pace of development in the state.

Adebayo warned politicians to desist from pitching the people against the state government. The cleric spoke at the Inter-religious New Year Thanksgiving Service organised by the state government yesterday which was attended by government officials, civil servants and traditional rulers. Other clerics who also ministered at the service included Rev. Kunle Salami of the Chapel of Glory, Rev. Keji Bolarinwa of the Bap-

tist Church, Chief Imam, Ekiti State, Alhaji Jamiu Kehulere Bello and Alhaji Awiye Olowoyo. They harped on the need to maintain the current level of peace in the state as they lauded the government for its developmental efforts. The clerics also prayed for greater development in 2013. Speaking at the event, Governor Kayode Fayemi thanked God for the successes recorded by his ad-

ministration and expressed appreciation to the people for their support. Fayemi, who spoke through his wife, Bisi, restated the commitment of his administration to the people’s welfare and assured that he would consolidate on his achievements. The governor also promised to prioritise the empowerment of the people through various peopleoriented policies to put poverty to flight in the state this year.

Chief Medical Director, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr. Peter Alabi (right) and other staff presenting a gift to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Umoru, parents of the hospital’s baby of the year in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

FG’ll distribute 10m cell phones to farmers –Perm Sec

he Federal Government said yesterday that no fewer than 10 million cell phones would be distributed to farmers to boost agricultural production in the country. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, said this at a sensitisation programme for farmers at Igan-Ipabi in Ijebu-East Local Government Area of Ogun. She said the distribution of the cell phones was one of the steps being taken by the ministry to ensure food security in the country. Odusote said the Ministry of Information Technology and other relevant stakeholders had been contacted to collaborate

toward effective distribution of the phones. She said: “As part of the electronic-wallet which we are promoting, the handsets will be the toll with which we will communicate to farmers in the rural areas. “Deep into the interiors, we will be able to communicate with them. “We are actually working with the Ministry of Communication Technology, so they are talking to the network providers. “They will extend their networks into rural areas where normally they will say there is no economic viability. “The Federal Government will be putting some support into this. They (the GSM service providers) will go into the hinterlands and expand their

network so that we can have access.” Odusote said appropriate measures had been taken to commence the distribution exercise before the end of the first quarter. She also said that the beneficiaries would receive direct alert for the collection of fertiliser as well as information on farming seasons, prices of products and scarcity period. The permanent secretary added that farmers would get 50 per cent subsidy on fertiliser as well as other necessary assistance from government. Though Odusote did not specify the exact amount to be expended on the project, she disclosed that the phones would be bought directly from the

manufacturing companies. She added that some of the manufacturing companies had also expressed readiness to partner with the ministry and invest in the sector. Odusote also said farmers would be provided with solar-powered lamps for charging the phones, adding that the initiative was to achieve a complete value change in the sector. She said graduates searching for white collar jobs should tap into the opportunity, noting that this would bring about overall development in the sector. The Regional Director in the ministry, Mr. Olalekan Quadri, said measures were being put in place to ensure farmers engage in mechanised farming.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Embrace Jonathan’s transformation agenda, NGO urges Nigerians KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Initiative for Ethics and Values Organisation, IEVO, has called on Nigerians to key into the transformation agenda of the Federal Government by internalising the country’s positive values and ideals. IEVO made the call in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan and signed by its Programme Officer, Comrade Olalekan Fadare. The organisation said there was the urgent need for Nigerians to join hands in moving the country forward. It said the time had come for Nigerians to embrace the country’s ethics and values as clearly spelt out in the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. The statement reads in part: “We enjoin Nigerians to show more commitment to the transformation agenda of the present administration and integrate positive values and ideals in the social system. Failure to do this, Nigeria may recede into ethics-risk.” IEVO said that most of the problems confronting the country could only be resolved through compliance with the nation’s eth-

ics and values. “Nigeria’s dream of attaining a desired accelerated development may continue to remain a pipe dream if the citizens fail to grapple realistically with various ethical challenges confronting the nation,’’ it added. The group bemoaned the ethical regression now rampant in the country, saying that “unless Nigerians embrace ethics as a way of life, the country may soon slip into ethical extinction. “Our organisation’s recent longitudinal survey on ethics compliance has revealed an unremitting decline in ethical conducts in both private and public institutions with the teeming population feeling excluded and frustrated.’’ IEVO then urged Nigerians to rise up and be more committed to the transformation agenda of the Federal Government for the country to continue to move forward.

Jonathan

Rededicate yourselves, Lagos HOS charges workers MURITALA AYINLA

ivil servants in Lagos State have been enjoined to rededicate themselves to serve the people better in the New Year. The state Head of Service, Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, gave the admonition while addressing workers at the annual first day in office prayer session. The event was held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium of the state secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja. Ogunlewe, who thanked the workers for their ser-

vices last year, urged them to keep abreast of development in the service by reviewing their ways of doing government business. It was, however, observed that only a handful of workers turned up for work yesterday, after the New Year break. Some workers, who spoke with our correspondent, said many civil servants would wait till next Monday before resuming work because there would not be much activity in the ministries and agencies. Meanwhile, by 2pm, most of the workers had closed for the day.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South East

Thursday, January 3, 2013

IGP deploys 500 additional policemen to Anambra CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

he Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday announced the deployment of about 500 additional police officers to Anambra State. Announcing the development at the Governor’s Lodge, Awka, the IGP said the gesture was to boost security in Anambra State and complement the state government’s efforts in crime control.

• Obi donates armoured vehicles, security vans

Abubakar was in Anambra on a one-day working visit during which he received 50 brand new pick-up security vans and three armoured pick-up vehicles that were donated to the police by the state government. He said apart from the additional officers that were deployed to the state, he said new divisions and commands will be created in the state to boost security. The inspector-general thanked the state governor,

Mr. Peter Obi, for all the supports the police have been receiving from the state government. “I wish to publicly commend the governor on the improved security situation this year, we promise to do more to secure the lives and property of the people,” Abubakar said. Speaking as he gave out the specially equipped vehicles to the state police command, Governor Obi, who said that the priority

of his government will continue to include security of lives and property, called on Nigerians to support the Nigeria Police with relevant materials and logistics. Explaining his continuous support to the police, Obi said; “As I earlier mentioned in my New Year broadcast, security of lives and property remains our number one priority in 2013, we believe that we cannot deliver on our promises in an atmosphere

of insecurity, we therefore pledge our continued support to the security agencies. “In the light of the above, we are here today to deliver three armoured pick-up vehicles and 50 patrol vehicles fitted with communication gadgets, May I at this juncture reassure the Inspector General of Police and the entire police command that Anambra State will continue to work with them for the security of the state and the country at large.” Obi also urged the

inspector-general of police to create more divisions and area commands in Onitsha, Umunze, Ekwulobia and Obosi, among other eligible towns. Elucidating on what he intends to do for the year, Obi said; “Apart from providing these much needed equipment to security agencies, we shall also intensify efforts at expanding the industrial base of the state believing, as we do, that with employment, criminality will reduce drastically.”

Obasanjo bags chieftaincy title from Abia community GEORGE OPARA ABIA

ormer President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has bagged the highest chieftaincy title of ‘Ogbuzuo of Item’ from Amokwo Item community in Bende Local Government Area Abia State. Speaking at the occasion, Chief Obasanjo commended the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji, for the peace and security he has brought to the state. He said a state, community or country that has no security and peace is doomed as development would possibly elude the people from such areas. The former president reiterated the importance of security in the society, saying that security is very important in the development of any nation. He said there was a time the state had security challenges on a daily bases, commending the governor for facing it squarely and bringing a change in the situation. Obasanjo said his visit to Item has afforded him the opportunity to learn more from them and that he would appreciate the knowledge dearly. He told the people that they have done well for themselves and urged them to do more, stressing that no government at any level could provide all their needs. In his words, “No government at any level can provide all the needs of its people and the age grade system has been used by the people of Item to achieve and complement the efforts of the state government.” He noted that the com-

munity is the closest to the people and not the local or state governments; “As they have a better reach at those within and without to attract development.” Obasanjo’s words: “I am a rural man, in fact a village man, but what I have seen here shows that there are people who are better than me in this aspect.” Earlier in his speech the President-General of Item Development Association (IDA), Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, thanked the former president for his love for Item people and urged him to come back again.

Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, test-driving one of the three armoured vehicles and 50 patrol vans handed over to the police by Anambra State government yesterday.

Gov’s wife settles N1.017m bills for 11 indigent mothers

Imo PDP criticises Okorocha’s leadership style

GEORGE OPARA

CHRIS NJOKU

ABIA

ife of Abia State Governor, Lady Mercy Odochi Orji, has paid the hospital bills of 11 indigent nursing mothers at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, the state capital. The nursing mothers have been staying behind in the hospital after many months of discharge for their inability to pay their bills totaling N1.017 million. Lady Orji, who picked the bills at the Nkasiobi ward of the hospital, where she went to pay the traditional New Year homage to the state 2013 “Baby of the Year,” little Miss Favour Chimezie Uchendu from Obowo, Imo State, also promised to settle the hospital bills of Messrs Ufere

Ibe, N158, 000; Sylvanus Umoh, N364,000; both of the male surgical ward and one Mrs. Ndidi Nwobike, N41,000; a pregnant woman also on admission at the hospital. The indigent nursing mothers, who could not believed their luck, danced and sang the praises of the governor’s wife for coming to their rescue as some of them have spent close to four months in the hospital for their inability to clear their bills, describing the visit of the governor’s wife as timely and beneficial. Lady Orji said the gesture was part of her humanitarian services to the people, adding that apart from regular visits to hospitals and other forms of assistance to indigent citizens, she has made it an annual ritual during such visits, to clear the hospital

bills of nursing mothers being detained after child delivery to enable them go home and take care of their children. The wife of the governor commended the medical personnel of the hospital and that of Amachara General Hospital for ensuring the safe delivery of the children and for their dedication and diligence, stating that the challenges of the profession was demanding, but urged them not to relent in showing compassion and care to the sick as a way of helping them recover quickly.

Mercy Odochi Orji

• Vows to recapture power in 2015 OWERRI

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has vowed to reclaim its lost mandate in the state, adding that the legacies left by the party in the state, have been sabotaged by the current administration which it said “lacks focus and vision to govern the state.” The party said it would leave no stone unturned to return to the Government House, which it lost to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) during the 2011 general elections. Making the disclosure during the party’s end of the year dinner in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the state party Chairman, Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), said the party has perfected plans to make its minority position in the state House

of Assembly more vibrant to tackle the inactivity in the house. According to him, the maladministration suffered by indigenes of the state in the last two years, has shown that the APGA-led administration has nothing to offer the state. “Today we are talking about a rescue mission; does a rescue mission mean the renovation of Heroes’ Square, the Ojukwu Centre and the building of the deputy governor’s office etc? How has Imo citizens benefited from these white elephant projects?” Duruiheoma, who was applauded by the PDP leaders present at the occasion, urged the party leadership to foster unity in the party to jump start preparations ahead of the 2015 elections to ensure that the party emerges victorious at the polls.

South South

Thursday, January 3, 2013

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Amaechi sacks commissioner, swears in six female perm secs

Group flays Dickson’s rating of Bayelsa Assembly

SAM OLUWALANA

PORT HARCOURT

overnor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State has sacked his Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Emeka Wogu, just as he swore in six female permanent secretaries. Wogu was replaced with Mr. Omunakwe Dickson, whose name will be sent to the state House of Assembly for confirmation as the six new permanent secretaries resumed duty immediately. Governor Amaechi yesterday swore in the permanent secretaries at a special occasion at the Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital. The permanent secretaries are Dr. Offor Nnesochi, Mrs. Iragunima C. M., Clara Gogo Princewill, Mrs. Amie Nemi Iwo, Mrs. Wihioka Comfort and Dr. Justina Jumbo. Congratulating them, the governor said they were appointed on merit and urged them to be fair and just while discharging their duties. He said: “A civil servant is supposed to be a non-politician, but in the Nigerian

context, all Nigerians or nearly all Nigerians are politicians. Nearly all and that is because the economy is not productive. So the only productive part of the economy is government and that is because government takes money from oil and everybody wants to be part of the sharing of that money, but the moment the economy becomes productive, a lot of Nigerians would not want to be in politics. “But we hope that as we increase our desire to im-

he Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), MajGen. JAO Ochoga, has said that the JTF had clamped down on some militants camps in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa states, even as a group, The Niger Delta Coalition Against Violence (NDCAV) called on the Federal Government to extend the amnesty programme. Ochoga’s revelations came on the heels of an up surge in violent crimes, especially pipeline vandalisation and cases of kidnapping in the Niger Delta despite an ongoing amnesty programme designed to curtail restiveness in the region. He, however, reiterated

permanent secretaries will increase the number of female permanent secretaries in the state civil service. “We had looked at the civil service and there were too few women that were permanent secretaries. We felt that we should appoint some women to balance the position and that is what we have done. While I congratulate you on your appointment, I must also state here that you were appointed on merit,” the governor said.

YENAGOA

Ye n a g o a - b a s e d group, Bayelsa Independent Watch (BIW), yesterday flayed what it called Governor Seriake Dickson’s “repeated excellent rating of the state House of Assembly”. Describing the action as shameful and insulting, the group said “the questionable rating by the governor was being done out of pity and soothing of the bruised ego of the House of Assembly members.”

L-R, President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Magnus Abe, Mr. Wogu Boms at the Port Harcourt International Airport shortly after the burial of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Gen. Andrew Azazi, recently.

JTF clamps down on militants’ camps SAM OLUWALANA

prove on our sub-national economy, like all of you the women would contribute to this growth and the way to contribute to it is to ensure that you are fair, you are just and that you work hard and that you are also able to punish those who don’t work hard.” Amaechi , however, warned the new permanent secretaries against engaging in corrupt practices. He explained that the appointment of the six female

EMMA GBEMUDU

the JTF’s determination to curtail the activities of criminals in the region. The Commander of 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Brig-Gen. Tukur Buratai, corroborated Ochoga’s statement, saying there were still some militants in the creeks. Meanwhile, three years after the amnesty programme was wound up, a group of youths have taken up a peaceful protest against the Federal Government over its inability to widen the scope of the amnesty to cover all the Niger Delta states. But in view of the rising security challenges in Nigeria, NDCAV said it was necessary for the government to begin a fresh process of inculcating the militants into the amnesty programme.

Controversy trails ownership of land in Bayelsa EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

aramount Ruler of Ovom community in Bayelsa State, King Mathias Simeon, yesterday said that the land on which the state’s Government House and other public institutions were located belonged to the community. King Simeon is reacting to claims by the Yenagoa community over the ownership of land. The Yenagoa community had claimed that the land on which Government House, the jetty and other public institutions were sited belong to it. But in a statement issued yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, King Simeon said that Ovom community was not in dispute with its neighbours, stressing that it would not hesitate to contend in court with per-

sons trying to lay claim to its property. The Yenagoa community had demanded that all the government institutions should be renamed which Simeon described as pure fallacy and misleading. The Paramount Ruler, therefore, urged the state government, security agencies and members of public to disregard Yenagoa’s claim, describing it as baseless and barbaric. Simeon dismissed claims that Yenagoa community had warned Ovom over the use of Bishop Dimeari Grammar School (BDGS) playground for marking its annual New Yam Festival and that Ovom had appealed to government for the use of the Sports Complex for the cultural festival. He said: “Is it logical for a man to beg to use his property? Ovom community cannot beg to use

Bishop Dimeari Grammar School (BDGS) playground for its festival because the landmass that the school occupies belongs to Ovom community. “To put the record straight, at no time did Yenagoa warn Ovom over the usage of BDGS for its festival. It was the community’s decision to use the Sports Complex owing to its central position that could be accessed by our people from both ends of the community.” King Simeon regretted that it was wrong for Yenagoa community to seek re-naming of government institutions cited on Ovom’s expanse of land. According to him, since the creation of the state in 1996, successive governments had always reflected Ovom on its official correspondence and signpost, such as Bayelsa State Government House, Ovom.

In a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, the group’s co-ordinator, Mr. Boluwarei Benson, regretted that Governor Dickson had severally described the state legislature as the best in Nigeria because of its receipt and speedy passage of executive bills into law. The statement reads: “Members of the House of Assembly passed 22 executive bills into law in eight months. Though the peaceful relationship among members of the House of Assembly and the executive is commendable, the commendation and repeated claim by the governor that the Assembly is the best in the federation is a joke and a soothing balm to the failures and bruised ego of the legislature. “The action and rating of the House of Assembly by the governor is wrong and selfish. The Assembly lacks the will and creativity to initiate bills except the passage of executive bills. “It is regrettable to note that in the last few months of this new administration, the Assembly has become an avenue to pass bills into law at top speed without required public hearing and vetting. “Though we hail the Assembly for its cordial relationship with the executive, how do you explain the duplication of some functions and provisions of some of the bills passed? “We hope and pray that this timid show of legislature and quick passages is not out of fear. We must say that the open show of deficient creativity by the House members in initiating bills or amending some is a source of concern to their constituent.” Meanwhile, Governor Dickson has signed four executive bills passed by the Assembly into law.

Dickson

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Constitution review: Will NASS deliver on promises?

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Guber 2014: Fayose, Bamidele campaign posters litter Ekiti

ACN to PDP: Prove Jonathan’s achievements with facts FELIX NWANERI

he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to substantiate achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan with verifiable facts if it feels that the President is being unfairly criticised over his administration’s poor performance. The party was reacting to a statement credited to the PDP that Jonathan is being criticised by the opposition because he is from a minority geo-political zone. The ACN, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, expressed shock and disappointment that the PDP that has always been quick to tout its nationalist credentials will stoop so low to stoke the fire of sectional politics. It said: “If the PDP feels that the President is being unfairly criticized over his administration’s poor performance, it should use verifiable facts and figures, not cooked-up statistics, to counter such criticism, instead of resorting to a desperate tactics that could inflame the polity.” The ACN reminded the PDP that Jonathan, as a democratically-elected leader, is subject to criticism from those who elected him into office as well as the opposition, which has

a stake in the well-being of the country. “President Jonathan is not an oracle or the head of an absolute monarchy who cannot be criticised. He is a democratically-elected president whose actions are subject to scrutiny by the people, irrespective of what part of the country he comes from. “The statement credited to the PDP spokesman, Olisa Metuh, is unprecedented. Never before has the spokesman of a ruling party or a central government in Nigeria accused the opposition of criticising the president because he is from one part of the country. This statement can only be the product of a lazy and desperate party official, who will find the easy way out, even at the risk of setting the country on fire, just to keep his job,” the party said. Wondering why the PDP did not blame the scathing criticism of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Ardua on the fact that they are from a section of the country, considering that both former leaders were not spared by the opposition during their tenure, the ACN said: “The records are there for anyone who cares to check that we never spared former Presidents Obasanjo and Yar’Adua over their actions or inaction while in office. Why, therefore, should

we not criticize President Jonathan over his actions and inactions in his official capacity? Why is anyone now pandering to sectional sentiment? “It is also on record that the ACN did more than any other party, including his own party, the PDP, to push for his assumption of office as acting president, on the

strength of the country’s constitution, when his principal was sick and flown out of the country. This was at a time the PDP itself was waffling over the issue. “Therefore, we reject and condemn the irresponsible accusation that President Jonathan is being criticised because of the part of the country he hails from. We

He said that within the week, some gunmen launched attack in Maiha, Hong and Fufore local government areas, adding that the advice became necessary so that the police could concentrate on the state security instead of trying to cope with the congresses. Yabo said he met with PDP stakeholders, including members of the state caretaker committee on the matter. Meanwhile, a Yola High

“We note that there is nothing that the opposition has said about the Jonathan administration’s nonperformance and cluelessness that other Nigerians, including clerics, politicians and public commentators, have not said, and wondered why the PDP has singled out the opposition for castigation.”

L-R: Minister for Niger Delta Development, Elder Godsday Orubebe; Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Khimi Kuku and Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, at a meeting with the presidency in Abuja yesterday.

Akpabio urges Nigerians to shun ethnicity

kwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio has called on Nigerians to shun ethnicity and embrace love to ensure the greatness and prosperity of the country. Akpabio, who made the call yesterday during a oneday inter-denominational

thanksgiving service held at Ibom Hall Grounds, Uyo, hinted that his administration is anchored on love and not discrimination in execution of people-oriented projects. His words: “From this time till now not only has God’s will been done, but

Police deny banning PDP congress in Adamawa

he police in Yola has said it did not ban the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congresses at local government level. The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 3, Alhaji Tambari Yabo, made this known to newsmen in Yola yesterday. Yabo said that the police only advised the party to suspend the congresses slated for January 3 due to the lingering security challenges in the state.

reject the cheap blackmail that our criticism of the President’s action amounts to abuse of his person. We say, unequivocally, that while we have nothing but total respect for the office of the President, this will not prevent us from criticising his administration as constructively and responsibly as we have been doing.

Court has granted interim injunction restraining PDP caretaker committee from going ahead with the congresses. The injunction followed a request by one Mustapha Njobdi and two others. The plaintiffs, who joined PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and 10 others as co-defendants, challenged the party for dropping their names from the list of aspirants. The plaintiffs, in a

45-paragraph affidavit deposed to by their lawyer, Salihu Adamu, said they bought, filled and returned their nomination forms for the congress in Mubi South Local Government. They said that they later discovered that their names were missing. The presiding judge, Justice Nathan Musa, who granted the interim injunction, adjourned the case to January 8, for the hearing of the substantive suit.

also God has piloted the affairs of our state. He has given His angels charge over us so that we do not dash our feet against the stones of ethnicity and tribalism. He has given us power to tread upon the scorpions of banditry and serpents of falsehood. Today, we bask and rejoice in His promise that because we have set our eyes on Him therefore will he deliver us and set us high because we have known His name.” According to him, “We should rejoice in this pride of place that God has given our state in our nation. We may have differences but such differences should be a means not an end; they should be in roads not destinations; they should be in premises not conclusions. The end, the destination and conclusion for all Akwa Ibom people should

be the progress, development and prosperity of our dear state.” The Bishop of Roman Catholic Church, Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, preaching on the theme ‘’The Lord is our strength’’ said: ‘’If God is our strength, we should not love by discriminating against other people. The way God sees strength is different from the way human beings see it. Our challenge is to beg God to give us the strength and character in our daily life.” The Secretary to the State Government, Umana Okon Umana, thanked the governor for leading the state well, attributing the success story of the state to love and lack of discrimination in the distribution of social amenities among various component parts.

Politics

The National Assembly has before it a daunting task in the constitution review exercise and the people have not given it the enabling environment to carry out a holistic review of the 1999 Constitution, following the discordant tunes emanating from the North and the South, writes OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Constitution review: Will NASS deliver on promises?

he ongoing constitutional review exercise has attracted the most attention of all attempts to tinker with the 1999 Constitution, bestowed on the country by the departing military junta of General Abdulsalami Abubakar in 1999. The reason for this is probably not far-fetched, as analysts postulated that political awareness in Nigeria today has almost tripled from what it used to be at the advent of the present political experiment. The National Assembly is set to review the constitution on specific areas: Land Use Act, the National Youth Service Corps Act, the Code of Conduct, fiscal federalism, immunity clause, the judiciary, rotation of executive offices among senatorial districts of a state and zones. Others are local government autonomy, the mayoral status of the Federal Capital Territory, recognition of the geopolitical zones in the constitution and inclusion of residency and indigenes provisions in the constitution. But the National Assembly may not be able to speak with one voice on the constitution review exercise as there is a huge dichotomy between the North and the South, as Northern legislators are strongly against the recognition of the six geo-political zones and state police, which their Southern counterparts are rooting for. The first attempt in 2007 died prematurely due to what has become infamously known as the ‘third term agenda’ of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which was allegedly included in the report by some elements in the National Assembly. The second attempt in 2010, though successful was not holistic, as many contentious and knotty issues were left unattended to and this has led to the present effort to tinker with the 1999 Constitution. One of the main grouses of Nigerians with the document is that it was not a people’s constitution, as according to this school of thought, the constitution came into existence via Decree 25 of 1999. It was also argued that it did not take into cognisance, the complex, multi-ethnic and diverse nature of the country. It was against this backdrop that as soon as the 7th National Assembly was inaugurated in June 2011, both chambers of the legislature sang the same tune about looking at the constitution and embarking on a far-reaching review of the document to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the majority of the Nigerian people. Each chamber set up a constitution review committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha of the Senate and House

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ekweremadu

Ihedioha

of Representatives respectively. The two committees have however come together to be known as the Joint Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution. Also, in November last year, President Goodluck Jonathan set up the Alfa Belgore Presidential Committee to review outstanding issues from recent constitutional conferences. The terms of reference of the Belgore Committee include: to review reports and implementation guidelines of the 1994/95 Constitutional Conference and 2004 Political Reform Conference and identify the constitutional, political, economic, social and other governance issues agreed upon in the conference(s) but which have not been implemented; deliberate upon the currency and relevance of the issues identified in the two conferences; draft bills for the consideration of the National Assembly in respect of the issues identified from the two conferences; Prepare policy papers/memoranda for the consideration of the government as may be applicable; among others. The Belgore Committee recommended unfettered autonomy of the local government system in the country, independence of the judiciary and a more pragmatic approach to the dispensation of justice as it pertains to election petitions. It also made recommendations on: power rotation, pension, public service, carpet crossing, executive immunity, ethic and anti-corruption commission, independent candidature, incapacitation of the president or governor and local government chairmen. Other areas the committee made recommendations were: the establishment of the Nigerian Prisons Service Commission, tenure of Office of President/ governor/local government chairmen, national security, local government reforms, traditional institutions and cultural reforms, and harmonisation of prosecuting agencies. With the public sessions held across the six geopolitical zones of the country by both the House of Representatives

and the Senate last year, Nigerians were given the opportunity to make their own contributions to the type of constitution they want for themselves. From the South-West to the NorthEast to the South-East, one sing song that resonated the creation of new states. More resolute in this regard was the South-East which had been crying of marginalisation as it remained the only zone with five states while other zones have six states and the North-West having seven states. From the South-West came the demand for fiscal and true federalism, devolution of powers and state police, with pockets of demand for new states as well as the review of the Land use Act and the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Act . From Oyo State, for instance, there were clamours for the creation of Oke-Ogun and New Oyo states, even as groups within the zone have also voted for the financial autonomy of the local government system, the convocation of a National Sovereign Conference for the Nigerian people to become stakeholders in the Nigerian project. The South-South clamoured for greater control of resources, devolution of powers and autonomy while the North basically made case for greater revenue allocation and the maintenance of the status quo while the South-East was in support of state creation, devolution of powers, independence of the judiciary,

THE QUESTION IS: WILL THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DELIVER ON ITS PROMISE TO GIVE TO

NIGERIANS

AN ACCEPTABLE CONSTITUTION IN

2013?

immunity, constitutional roles for traditional rulers, as well as indigeneship. Apart from state creation, one other issue that commanded the consensus of every Nigerian was the autonomy for the local government system in the country. True federalism and devolution of powers from the centre to the regions were other prominent areas where Nigerians seem to be in agreement. However, the divergent demand from the various zones indicated that the review exercise would put to test the willpower of the National Assembly to tinker with the constitution. This is because the issues, as put up, depicted a pattern of localised demands from the zones. Meanwhile, there have been fears from different quarters over the ability of the National Assembly to strike a balance and satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of every zone in the review exercise, more so, as each zone was not relented in pursuing their demands in the exercise. This has thus made political analysts to opine that it was one thing for the National Assembly to review the constitution and another for it to produce a constitution that would satisfy all the segments of the Nigerian society. Junaid Mohammed, Convener of Concerned Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen (CPAPM) doesn’t believe that the constitution review will achieve its desired goal. “The issue of constitution review and election reform are interconnected and I don’t see anything coming out of them to make Nigeria a better place,” he told National Mirror. Yinka Odumakin, a rights activist, the publicity secretary of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) told National Mirror that the constitution review has become a hollow ritual. He said:“From 1999 till now, every attempt to review the constitution has been either to spend the money budgeted for the exercise or pursue a hidden agenda and or both. “The current exercise is therefore another hollow ritual from which nothing shall come. In any case, the National Assembly members were elected to make laws and not to write a constitution.” Also speaking with National Mirror, former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, said state creation will lessen the acrimony in the country. He said:“There is no zone in the country that does not want additional state or states created. But the “military constitution” toughened the provisions and virtually made it too difficult if not impossible to create any new state. The way out, to me, is to rally round and allow South-East one additional state to make the zone six states and to be at par with the other four zones. “If this is done it will lessen some acrimony within the length and breadth of the country.” The question is: Will the National Assembly deliver on its promise to give to Nigerians an acceptable constitution in 2013? Only time will tell.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Thursday, January 3, 2013

As the 2014 governorship election beckons in Ekiti State, the intrigues among the political class are becoming worrisome with the pasting of derogatory posters of former governor, Ayo Fayose, and a member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele. ABIODUN NEJO reports.

Guber 2014: Fayose, Bamidele campaign posters litter Ekiti

n many major towns of Ekiti State today, posters of two prominent political figures – former governor, Ayodele Fayose; and House of Representatives member, Opeyemi Bamidele – adorn public places seeking attention from people and passers-by. The posters of the two politicians have one thing in common: They were posted under the cover of darkness by unknown individuals. Fayose is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant in the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State, while Bamidele is an Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leader representing Ado/Ifelodun/Irepodun Federal Constituency of the state in the National Assembly. While the Fayose posters, which have the PDP logo, are derogatory in nature and outlook and questioned the governorship ambition of the former governor, who was described in the bill as somebody bereft of ideology, the Bamidele’s campaign posters have the Labour Party (LP) logo, with the inscription “Promised Land 2014,” showing he wanted to contest the 2014 governorship under the platform of another party. While it is apparent, going by the content of the posters of Fayose that it was the handiwork of his political opponents, those of Bamidele left mouth agape when residents woke up to see them last Sunday morning. Reason: The ubiquitous posters with the portrait of the ACN chieftain and his intention to contest the governorship election next year under the platform of the LP appeared to lend credence to the news earlier making the rounds in the state that Bamidele had concluded arrangement to dump the ACN to realise his governorship ambition elsewhere. But Bamidele’s media aide, Ahmed Salami, was quick to dissociate the lawmaker from the posters, saying his boss would never have expressed interest in governorship or defected to another political party through posters as a matured politician. Salami called on the security agencies to launch serious manhunt for those bent on denting the lawmaker’s image and ruining his political career, saying: “This is curious, how can some people be desperate to tarnish his image to the level of coming out in the night to paste his posters around Ado Ekiti and other Ekiti towns? This is high point of political acrimony that must be investigated by security agencies.” Bamidele also disowned the campaign posters through the social media, Facebook, where he said: “Some faceless individuals had gone ahead to paste posters purporting that I would be running for the year 2014 Ekiti governorship election on the platform of the Labour Party. I will like to place on record that I was not respon-

The contentious posters of Fayose (left) and Bamidele

sible for the said posters. I am a founding member of the ACN and I have not declared for any other party.” Bamidele, who said he was not in the dark about the mastermind of the posters, described it as “an attempt by those who are conspiring against my vision and destiny to preempt and harass me into surrendering on my principled stance on issues.” He traced the posters to some individuals he described as “pseudo democrats who are trying to give the ACN a bad image through their acts of intimidation and intolerance informed by leadership complex.” Fayose said the derogatory posters targeted at denigrating his person were posted by ACN members, who he said had begun campaign of calumny ahead of the governorship election campaigns proper in view of poor performance of their party in office. A statement from Ayodele Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO) stated: “Opeyemi Bamidele said he knew those behind the pasting of his posters and we are sure the culprits are within the ACN, as keen followers of events in the political circle in Ekiti know that all has not been well with the party since the 2011 general elections. “We know the roles some people in Kayode Fayemi’s government are playing to whittle down his political influence, as theirs has been on the slide because of their actions and inactions. If the ACN could do this to Opeyemi Bamidele who is of their own, it should not sound funny what it has done to Fayose.” But the ruling ACN in the state disagreed, saying the PDP was responsible for pasting the posters of the two politicians as part of its mischievous prank. The ACN State Director of Media and Strategy, Tai Oguntayo, said Fayose was “disillusioned” for tracing the emergence of the posters to the ACN, adding that the posters were telltales of the wide range of problems confronting PDP as a party in the state and Fayose’s personal irreconcilable differences with some PDP members. Oguntayo said that Fayose should exam-

THE ABILITY OF THE SECURITY AGENCIES TO UNCOVER THOSE BEHIND THE ACT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN CURBING CAMPAIGN OF CALUMNY AND

VIOLENCE... IN THE STATE ine elements within the PDP who promised to embarrass him if he ventured into the governorship in view of his antecedents and the roles he played against the party in the past. The ACN spokesman said the enmities Fayose had created around himself within the opposition PDP could have resulted in such display of rejection through posters, especially his declaring interest in the race when the party had zoned the slot to the Southern senatorial district, which had not produced a governor since inception of the state. Oguntayo described Bamidele as a loyal ACN leader in the state, saying thatit was the same set of PDP members who pasted Fayose’s posters that were responsible for Bamidele’s posters with the intention to cause disaffection and disunity in the ACN and as well disorganise the ruling party. However, the poster war involving Fayose, Bamidele and the ACN has history and implications for the forthcoming governorship election in the state. Fayose’s travails began some months ago when he organised a thanksgiving party at his Afao Ekiti hometown following his readmission into the PDP and the waiver granted him by the party’s national secretariat. Some unknown individuals in parts

of the state, including his hometown removed and defaced the posters that the former governor had pasted to inform the general public of the ceremony. This was in addition to attacks on the young men pasting Fayose’s thanksgiving posters in some locations. In November last year, when the former governor was on a tour of the 16 council areas in the state to meet with stakeholders and PDP leaders, his team was attacked and prevented from holding the meetings in some areas including Oye, Ilawe and Ikere among others by some political thugs that he had consistently traced to the ruling ACN. In Bamidele’s case, opinions have it that his rising profile has continued to unsettle some members of the party who are bent on running him down by all means. During the Christmas period, the season’s greetings billboards that Bamidele erected in his Iyin Ekiti hometown and Ado Ekiti to express his wishes for his constituents were defaced and demolished by some detractors. This prompted Bamidele to write a petition dated December 24, 2012 to the Commissioner of Police, Sotonye Wakama, and Director of SSS, Samuel Tamuno, on the need to check the ugly event. Rumour had earlier been flying around Ado Ekiti, the state capital in the last few months that Bamidele might contest the 2014 governorship on the platform of the LP following his alleged running battle with Governor Kayode Fayemi and some leaders of the party over the manner he was denied the senatorial ticket in the 2011 National Assembly election in the state. However, ACN leaders in the state, including its state chairman, Chief Jide Awe, had denied repeatedly that there was neither division nor infightings in the party in the state. Awe assured that the ruling ACN would go to the forthcoming governorship election a united party and emerge victorious on the strength of its laudable achievements in office. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Politics

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Asari-Dokubo’s anti-Jonathan tantrums ASARI-DOKUBO

K AYODE OJO

SHOULD SEEK WAYS

hat motives are propelling the Leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahedeen Asari- Dokubo, in his new-found enterprise of bashing President Goodluck Jonathan and those supporting him? The motifs of his attacks have become predictably the same: put the president and his dependable associates on the spot and get them distracted from statecraft in a bid to stave off his tantrums. Dokubo had in recent times taken on Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, claiming that the minister had failed and should have been dropped from the cabinet by Jonathan. He had also dismissed Chief Edwin Clark’s charge of complicity against Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Muhammadu Buhari in the Boko Haram crisis as unfounded. He was simply saying that Clark was becoming too flippant. But if Clark was and is still flippant, what of the taciturn former Minister of Works and Housing, Chief Tony Anenih, whom he recently described as “a liability to the Presidency” on the basis of AsariDokubo’s claimed “series of allegations against him.” Interestingly, as if they all realised that the former militant leader has been exhibiting acts of frustration, they had simply ignored him. However, Asari-Dokubo should not be allowed to seize the bully pulpit to intimidate and blackmail the Federal Government under the leadership of President Jonathan and well-meaning Nigerians who have been privileged to offer services to the nation. In fact, the Okrika National Youth Movement reportedly issued a press statement in Abuja last week wherein it claimed that Asari-Dokubo was angry, having failed to get a renewal of the contract for pipeline security granted to him and some former militants. According to the group, in the statement signed by its president, Anthony Aimieyefori, and secretary, Ibiyoma Lloyd, “AsariDokubo owns a pipeline security outfit to stem the rising wave of piracy on the Niger Delta waters but failed to work for the objectives for which the contract was given after millions of dollars have been paid to him. In spite of the shameful failure above, he and those in his category have mounted series of pressure on the presidency, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, as well as the Petroleum Minister for the renewal of the contracts.

TO MEANINGFULLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION INSTEAD OF TRYING TO TURN THE

NIGERIAN

PROJECT INTO A BAZAAR

Jonathan

Dokubo

“This is most unfortunate and goes to show that unlike Government Ekpomupolo (Tompolo) whose Oil Facility Surveillance Company is working in the Delta axis to rid the state of oil thieves, Asari’s supposed struggle is about self and self alone.” The proposition of the Okrika National Youth Movement is quite illuminating. Consider my proposition: If AsariDokubo, who, as a matter of arrogance, refused to accept the grant of amnesty by the Federal Government, has since realised his mistake, which he has not been able to mitigate, he should be courageous to eat the humble pie. He had said that the amnesty programme would fail, but today,

the programme is a huge success to his chagrin. And when he discovered late that a vast majority of other militants and their leaders had jumped on the amnesty train, he had resorted to self-help, through which he got the poorly executed anti-piracy contract, by taking it upon himself to drum support for the Jonathan administration, in the hope and expectation that the administration would sustain the patronages to him. But because the patronages have been withdrawn, he has turned against the Federal Government. This is how Asari-Dokubo turned the full circle: in an interview with Vanguard published on March 3, 2012, Asari-Dokubo had declared that “Jonathan will occupy Aso Rock for eight years.” Also in another interview on June 23, 2012, he had also declared that “It’s in the interest of North not to field a candidate against Jonathan in 2015.” Deductively, this was when the antipiracy contract on the Niger Delta waters was on. But after the life of the contract terminated and was not renewed by the Federal Government because of “shoddy” execution, Asari-Dokbo, all of a sudden in August 2012, began to make a gradual volteface. In an interview with journalists at the meeting with youths of the Niger Delta in Abuja, he had canvassed the dissolution of the President Jonathan’s government to pave the way for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC), claiming that the conference was the only solution to the menace of the violent Islamist sect, Boko Haram. He had said: “Whether he likes it or not, Goodluck Jonathan must convoke an SNC. There is a need for a national discourse and dialogue. It is only an SNC that will solve the problem. The solution to the Boko Ha-

Guber 2014: Fayose, Bamidele campaign posters litter Ekiti

CONTINUED FROM 15 But the appearance of the posters, perhaps, lend credence to the rumour that all was not well with the ruling. Bamidele said: “I have worked tirelessly with the leadership of the party since 2004 especially to strengthen the party in Ekiti State and I am sure the national and state leadership of the party know better as they fully understand that I am only out at this time to whip mediocrity and highhandedness in whatever form to protect the integrity of the party.” AFCO Director of Publicity and Re-

search, Idowu Adelusi, urged security agents to bring to book those who pasted derogatory posters of Fayose and Bamidele, in major towns in the state. Adelusi stated: “Two days before Bamidele’s posters surfaced in major towns across the state, campaign posters of Fayose purporting that he wanted to contest on the banner of LP littered the whole state. This, to us, is an act of cowardice, as the posters were pasted in the night. When Fayose wanted to contest election on the platform of the LP in 2011, he did not hide anything.”

According to Adelusi, when Fayose came back to the PDP and was to hold a thanksgiving service to formally welcome him to the PDP, he pasted his poster in the daytime for all to see. However, as the blame game over the poster war continues, it is expected that the ability of the security agencies to uncover those behind the act would go a long way in curbing campaign of calumny and violence in the build up to next year’s governorship election in the state and by extension, ensure security of lives and property before, during and after the poll.

ram crisis is to dissolve the government and convoke an SNC.” For those who understand the persona of Asari-Dokubo, the impatient former militant leader has lent himself to usage by anti-Federal Government forces. The rationale is simple: if Jonathan was not ready to hugely patronise him, he should be able to seize the platform of the opposition elements to canvass their positions, which only gullible Nigerians would take as Asari-Dokubo’s positions. But how misleading! He has unintelligently given himself away by some of the anti-government positions he has taken in recent times. The first was peripheral. It was the briefs he received from the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to threaten violence in the July 14, 2012 governorship election. He had moved in militants who succeeded in undermining the integrity of the electoral process in Edo such that the Action Congress of Nigeria was able to massively rig the election. Asari-Dokubo had taken refuge in the state Government House in the period before and after the election. He was the mercenary that Oshiomhole used to bully the godfathers in the other camp in Edo. Having been successfully used in Edo, AsariDokubo is now expanding the frontiers of his despicable utility. He now talks glibly in the media about the re-election of President Jonathan in 2015 being in doubts (see page 5 report of National Mirror of Friday, December 28, 2012 entitled: “Jonathan’s reelection doubtful – Asari-Dokubo). He even proposed the ridiculous position when he partly hinged Jonathan’s re-election on former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Asari-Dokubo should remember that when Obasanjo was in the saddle, he used the instrumentality of the Presidency to clinch his second term. Not even General Babangida and others who assisted him to office in 1999 could stop him. Perhaps the only reasonable suggestion Asari-Dokubo made in the report was his call on Jonathan to urgently deliver on his electioneering promises. Jonathan does not need an irritant Asari-Dokubo, who is on an errand for forces of destabilisation, to sharply focus on the pursuit of his transformation agenda. The president has been systematically executing his development plans for Nigeria. He has even promised a better outlook for the economy and the polity in 2013. So far, he has been able to emplace the administrative infrastructure that will drive the reforms in the power and transportation sectors. Reforms are also crystallising in the other sectors of the economy, which Asari-Dokubo’s long years of militancy in the Niger Delta region destroyed. Asari-Dokubo should seek ways to meaningfully contribute to the rapid development of the nation instead of trying to turn the Nigerian project into a bazaar where he can use the platform of politics to blackmail and intimidate the Federal Government into, according to him, huge patronages. Nigerians are not taken in by his anti-Jonathan tantrums; if anything at all, there is a thick pall of disgust for him and his antics. Ojo contributed this piece from Ketu, Lagos.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Views

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Confronting the challenges of policing Nigeria WE HAVE A CULTURE EXISTENTIAL HUMANISM

FRY

NDUBUISI fryndubuisi@nationalmirroronline.net (08023016709 SMS only)

ast year was a most challenging one for Nigeria’s security agencies as rampart terrorism, pervasive kidnapping and armed robbery reigned supreme. While the militant Islamic sect, Boko Haram made a mince meal of them, kidnappers, especially in the southern part of the country, equally exposed their underbellies. Kidnapping has become a big business; terrorism a tool of protest. The kidnapping of Professor Kamene Okonjo, mother of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, toward the end of the year, was the high point of this kidnap madness. This was particularly so because her kidnap was allegedly linked with her daughters’ intransigence in the payment of petroleum subsidy to oil marketers. This is a serious matter that needs to be thoroughly investigated. Coming at the heel of this was the abduction of of Nollywood actress and aide to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Nkiruka Sylvanus. The popular the-

lot of theories have been offered on the reason why the Petroleum Industry Bill has remained in the cooler for four years despite its acclaimed potentiality to revolutionise the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The often bandied reason is the alleged conspiratorial manipulation by the local and foreign big players in oil and gas industry, who are said to be working to make the proposed legislation stillborn. However, another glimpse of the non-passage of the bill occurred on the last day of the year 2012 when the chairman, Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, revealed that the North was opposed to the bill on the grounds of its alleged “lopsidedness.” This “lopsidedness”, he revealed, is the provision in the bill for additional 10 per cent revenue for oil producing communities! Abba-Ibrahim’s logic on the opposition to the bill rests on the warped perception that the Niger Delta region has already got more than enough share from the proverbial national cake and should therefore aspire no further. Hear him: “Derivation is only one out of seven sources of revenue for the oil producing states” therefore, the zone should not be offered any additional advantage on a platter of gold via the PIB. The other six sources of additional revenue exclusively available to the Niger Delta zone, in addition to the common FG monthly allocations, as Abba-Ibrahim said, included the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) with over N500 billion resources; the Niger Delta Ministry with over N400 billion Federal Government grants in the name of amnesty, and the Corporate So-

OF ALLOWING AN ACT GROW INTO A MONSTER BEFORE SEEING IT AS A PROBLEM THAT DESERVES ATTENTION ory spawned by Mr. Governor is that her kidnap was politically motivated. Though released later, the motive behind the kidnap must equally be investigated. Those arrested for these high profile crimes could provide the needed clues behind them. It is just saying the obvious that security has become a major threat to our corporate existence. It is important the government adopt a holistic approach in this matter. No progress can be attained in an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. Many families cancelled their trips to their homelands during the Yuletide and New Year for fear of the unknown. The traumas from kidnap for the relations of the victims could better be imagined. It is worst for the victims themselves. There was this story of a man who had to mortgage his house to raise the money to pay ransom for his kidnapped wife. There were cases of deaths in the hands of these evil men, even after ransoms were paid. President Goodluck Jonathan promised

better life to Nigerians in the New Year and also resolved to confront decisively this alien insecurity intrusion into our national life. Many Nigerians are very cynical about this promise. In another breadth he said that the government was on top of the security situation in the country with more than 70 percent of the intended actions of Boko Haram being foiled by the security agencies. In this briefing the government did not tell us the progress made in curtailing the kidnap scourge, especially in the south. We have a culture of allowing an act grow into a monster before seeing it as a problem that deserves attention. That we are being rated as second most kidnap-infested country in the world after Columbia should be source of concern to all Nigerians, especially the security agencies. The American government has already warned its citizens to steer clear of some particular states in the south because of the kidnap scourge. The promise of better life for Nigerians in the New Year by the Jonathan administration should come with better security for all Nigerians, not a select few that have converted all the state’s security apparatuses to protect themselves and their relations and cronies. Some projects, especially roads construction have been suspended as a result of insecurity in the land. The development has no doubt adversely affected the tourism industry in the country. The outgoing Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Ian McConville, said as much

in an interview with newsmen recently. There is no investor that will want to take a risk in an environment that is as charged as ours. Four Italians were kidnapped at the close of last year by gunmen along Pennington River in Bayelsa State. Earlier four South Koreans (though released later) suffered the same fate. We have to learn from the countries that have passed through this experience. Israel is world acclaimed for demonstrated prowess and competence in meeting her security challenges. We should have a comprehensive program, both for immediate and long time purposes, on how to have the country secured. Our security agencies must devise ways and means of countering the modus operandi of these enemies of peace and progress. This can only be achieved if the nation’s different security agencies are well coordinated and interconnected in their activities instead of the present operational individualistic templates that are aimed at establishing which of them is superior to the other. A country like ours, with enormous men and resources, should have no problem coming out faster and stronger from this plague, if all the needful is done. It will be a great tragedy if we end up not learning anything from this scourge. There is no good life that goes on in fear of security of life and property. Prof. Ndubuisi, an attorney at Law, is of the Dept. of Philosophy, UNILAG

PIB and the Niger Delta question cial Responsibility being unleashed on the zone by the oil companies. “Another 10 per cent to the already existing revenue generators for the zone”, he concluded, “would be unfair.” But the most bizarre part of this Senator’s submission is that part containing the following awkward rationalisation, “Nobody planted or farmed oil, it is God who put it there”. His lamentation merely reechoed the dark side of Nigerian politics: our warped and corrupt perceptions on national issues. Why should an economically salutary bill like the PIB be delayed because a particular region might benefit “more than others”? Is it even logically and morally correct to say that the Niger Delta has got more than enough and should be entitled to no more benefits? Several years of unconscionable exploitation of crude oil with no concomitant sustainable and ethical programmes by the multinational oil companies had left most parts of Niger Delta region ecologically degraded, with both fauna and flora endangered, the land infertile, the rivers and all in-dwelling lives poisoned and the people impoverished. This, coupled with the Federal Government’s infrastructural neglect of the area in spite of billions of dollars realised every year from the oil exploitation, constituted callous environmental and human rights abuses, which no meager handouts in the form of Niger Delta Ministry et al can atone for. Furthermore would the region not have got substantially far more than “additional ten percent” if we are practising genuine federalism where the regions claim their

ONE IS AT PAIN HEARING THE REASON WHY A SECTION OF THE COUNTRY

KAYODE

KETEFE

IS DRAGGING ITS CONSERVATIVE FEET ON THE PASSAGE OF

PIB BILL

resources and only remit certain agreed percentage to the centre? Anybody with the knowledge of the dynamics of ethnic revolutionary pressures in Nigeria would readily tell who is to be blamed for the emergence of the Niger Delta militia with all its attendant problems as well as the reasons why pacification efforts, which eventually spawned interventionist intuitions like the Ministry of Niger Delta, became necessary. It is part of our history that the peaceful approaches adopted by great leaders like Ken Saro Wiwa et al were brutally repressed by the state. Saro Wiwa, despite his non-violent struggles, was extra-judicially executed on November 10, 1995 alongside eight other Ogoni activists. In the light of the above, one is at pain hearing the reason why a section of the country is dragging its conservative feet on the passage of PIB bill. For avoidance of doubt, the bill introduces a number of landmark reforms. It has created a one stop legislative shop encompassing all the previous legisla-

kketefe@nationalmirroronline.net 08032147720 (SMS only)

tions on the petroleum industry by combining all 16 different Nigerian petroleum laws in a single document, which has transparency as its thematic focus. The PIB establishes the legal and regulatory framework, institutions and regulatory authorities, as well as stipulating guidelines for operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the petroleum industry. The issues of Nigerian content, health, safety and environment and fiscal provisions are also contained therein. The bill also introduces greater transparency into the oil sector that has been bedeviled by opaqueness, as well as making institutions in the oil sector, both old and new ones, more efficient. Why kill, delay or denature this bill all in the name of ethnicised politics? Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.netmirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Thursday, January 3, 2013

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

Jonathan on increased students’ intake in universities

gainst the background of reports and statistics buttressing the alarming number of qualified candidates unable to gain admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions, President Goodluck Jonathan recently called on universities in the country to take steps that would ensure that more citizens eager to have university education are provided with spaces in such institutions. He said the prevailing situation where the capacity of existing higher institutions absorb only about 150,000 freshmen per annum, as against the well over one million qualified candidates seeking admission, is unacceptable. The president, in addition, urged university administrators to lay emphasis on the training of qualified manpower at the postgraduate level to address the deficit in teaching staff in higher institutions. Represented by the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, at the 39th convocation ceremony of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Jonathan, lamented the dearth of academic staff in quantity and quality in universities in the country; and implored senior academic staff to confront the challenge of producing

and mentoring more doctoral degree students. Commendable as President Jonathan’s observation would seem, our worry is that the regulators of the nation’s education sector do not appear to share his vision and sentiments about the plight of teachers and students in the nation’s tertiary institutions. The attitude of the National Universities Commission (NUC) is particularly antagonistic to access of more Nigerians to university education; especially in regard to the restrictions to undergraduate admissions in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) programmes; and even the part time programmes run by legitimate universities. In June 2012, for example, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, recklessly announced the suspension of all part-time programmes in Nigerian universities; pending the outcome of a staff and students audit proposed by the Commission to streamline all such programmes. The ill-thought idea was to peg the population of part-time students to 20 percent of total students’ population of each university campus. We not only think that the NUC should be able to have well articulated policies on part-time programmes, the Commission should by now, be

SUCH SETBACKS HAVE PERSISTED BECAUSE OF

NUC’S

WOEFUL FAILURE TO DO ITS JOB,

ESPECIALLY UNDER THE CAPRICIOUS REGIME OF

OKOJIE

able to leave university managers alone to generate operational funds to run their institutions properly and effectively, against the backdrop of inadequate official funding. The greatest problem threatening the existence and survival of part-time programmes, which are capable of bridging the admission gap being experienced in tertiary institutions, is NUC’s incapacity to efficiently supervise them. All along, the Commission has been covering up this gross ineptitude with high-handedness and intimidation of universities and their managers. The Jonathan vision and passion for the universities is welcome; but he should let his ministers and regulators in the education sector imbibe his passion and spirit to be able to drive his vision to fruition. We think that the 60:40 ratio

admission quota in favor of the sciences should be reviewed; with classrooms and facilities expanded to create space for more intake of students. We recognize the numerous challenges satellite campuses and private universities are facing, as well as agree that they are bogged down by poor management and inadequate infrastructure. But the truth is that such setbacks have persisted because of NUC’s woeful failure to do its job, especially under the capricious regime of Okojie. If the NUC cannot ensure the proper supervision of academic programmes in the land, and ensure they are run responsibly, why is it inundating the nation with complaints and frivolous excuses all of the time? With the kind of admission challenges Nigerians anxious to improve on their education are facing, we do not think an Okojie is what the nation needs as the head of the NUC. The Federal Government should encourage universities to grow and run multiple campuses as is done elsewhere in the world. The Universities of California, Texas, London and Oxford are good examples. The measure would readily expand students, infrastructure, and staff strength. Besides, Distance Learning Education should also be encouraged.

ON THIS DAY January 3, 2004 Flash Airlines Flight 604 crashes into the Red Sea, resulting in 148 deaths, making it the deadliest aviation accident in Egyptian history. Flash Airlines Flight 604 was a charter flight operated by Egyptian charter company, Flash Airlines. On January 3, 2004, the Boeing 737-300 crashed into the Red Sea shortly after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport. The findings of the crash investigation remained controversial till date.

January 3, 1999 Israel detained, and later expelled 14 members of Concerned Christians. Monte Kim Miller formed a group known as the Concerned Christians in Colorado, during the 1980s. Created as an element of the Christian countercult movement to combat New Age religious movements and anti-Christian sentiment, it has shifted to more of a apocalyptic Christian movement as the group adopted the less mainstream views of the millennium held by Miller.

January 3, 1962 Pope John XXIII excommunicated Cuban leader, Fidel Castro. Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or (as in the case of the Catholic Church) to restrict certain rights within it. Some groups use the term disfellowship instead. The word excommunication means being out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group.

Thursday January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today ‘I’ll be a native doctor after retirement’ 22

2012: For education, the good, the ugly ASUU/FG face-off

The year started with the suspension of industrial action by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), whose action, had for two months, paralyzed academic activities in public universities in the country. The strike was in protest of the Federal Government’s refusal to honour the agreement it reached with the union in 2009 to address the decay in the university system, which included poor infrastructure, brain-drain, poor remuneration and welfare package, poor funding, upward review of retirement age of teachers in professorial cadre, granting of autonomy and academic freedom, among others. The year eventually saw the two parties reaching a common stand over the long battle. Now, the issues that affect funding, autonomy; separate salary structure for academic staff , earned allowances to entitled academic staff, and pension for university academics and compulsory retirement age had been reviewed and settled for implementation.

The education sector in Nigeria often hits the headlines years-round and the story was not all that different in the just-ended year with many striking occurrences, many of which nobody would ever wish to recur, writes TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE.

Rainstorm and flooded schools. The rainstorm on early hours of Monday, February 13, wreaked havoc in several parts of Lagos. The storm left about 15 persons including teachers and students, dead, and several houses, vehicles and electric poles, destroyed. Among the casualties were 10 children, drowned at Shibiri Ekunpa River in Ojo area of the state when a passenger boat conveying them to school capsised. Two students of Goodness Comprehensive High School were equally killed when the storm destroyed their school buildings, while a teacher at St. Gregory College, Obalende, was killed when a mast collapsed on him. Similarly, Oke Afa Junior and Senior Colleges, Ikotun and Jakande Low Cost Housing Estate Primary School had their roofs blown off by the tempest. The stories of flood in Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa and Ebonyi states were similar to that of the Lagos rainstorm. Many school premises in those states were submerged by flood, sacking students and their teachers for several months. In Kogi State for instance, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Dorcas Elebiyo, told journalists that about 548 primary and secondary schools were completely submerged by flood with hundreds of thousands of school children affected. The commissioner stressed that schools spared by the flood were converted to resettlement camps for victims of the flood.

8.43% education budget Concerned education stakeholders were shocked at the allocation of N400.15 billion (8.43 per cent) of the 2012 Annual Budget to the education sector, a far cry from the purported 26 per cent recommended by United

L-R: Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi ZState; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III; President Goodluck Jonathan; Governor Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto State and students, during the launch of Almajiri Model School by the president at Gagi, Sokoto State.

THE KILLINGS OF OVER 26 STUDENTS IN MUBI, ADAMAWA STATE ON OCTOBER 2ND AND ANOTHER FOUR UNDERGRADUATES OF

UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT IN ALUU, WILL FOREVER THE

REMAIN IN THE MINDS OF MANY A student wading through flood in Lagos.

Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO. Although, this was aside the several billion of naira in the coffers of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFunds) and Universal Basic Education Commission dedicated specially for projects in tertiary academic institutions and schools at basic education level, a breakdown of the budget showed that N345.091bn (82 per cent) was allotted to recurrent expenditure while a meager N55.056bn (18 per cent) is for capital expenditure.

N317.896bn was proposed for personnel cost and N27.192bn was for overheads. Nigeria spends less than 9 per cent of her annual budget on education, far below what other African countries spend on education. Botswana spends 19.0 per cent; Swaziland, 24.6 per cent; Lesotho, 17 per cent; South Africa, 25.8 per cent; Cote d’Ivoire, 30 per cent; Burkina Faso, 16.8 per cent; Ghana, 31 per cent; Kenya, 23 per cent; Uganda, 27 per cent; Tunisia, 17 per cent; and, Morocco, 17.7 per cent.

Death of UNILAG Vice Chancellor and name change Just when things were getting normal, the academic community was thrown into mourning following the death of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Adetokunbo Babatunde Sofoluwe, Sofoluwe, 62, who performed official engagement and cracked jokes with journalists at a press conference four days to his death, suffered a heart attack in his office. He was rushed to the Lagos CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Education Today

Thursday January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2012: For education, the good, the ugly

Ojerinde

UNILAG students protesting the name change of their institution.

The late Sofoluwe

THE ALUU FOUR

UNIABUJA students protesting disaccreditation of courses

CONTINUED FROM 19 University Teaching Hospital LUTH, Idi Araba, where he suffered another attack and eventually died in the early hours of Saturday, May. Sofoluwe, a renowned computer scientist, was appointed in 2010, as the 10th VC of the university. The university was preparing for the burial of their late VC when President Goodluck Jonathan in his nationwide broadcast to commemorate May 29 Democracy Day announced the change of name of the university to Moshood Abiola University. The announcement, which came as a surprise sparked violent protest for several days by students of the university and their supporters. This action led to a temporary closure of the university and the eventual dragging of the Federal Government to court over the matter.

Educating 9.5 million Almajiris Resolute in achieving Education for All (EFA) by 2015, the Federal Government on April 10, launched the Almajiri model school in Sokoto State, which has been replicated in other 18 northern states and some states down south with the aim of broadening the horizon of over 9.5 million Almajiris on spiritual and moral values. President Gooluck Jonathan, who inaugurated the first Almajiri Model Boarding School in Gagi, Sokoto State, said his administration believed that the time had come for Nigeria to build on the moral foundations of the

traditional school system by providing the Almajiri with conventional knowledge and skills that would enable them to fully realise their productive potentials. Government had so far constructed scores of such model schools with the provision for states with large concentration of Almajiris running both the boarding and day schools.

Mass failure and exam malpractice in SSSCE Public attention was, again, drawn to the decay in the education sector following the mass failure of students in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) conducted by both West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO). In the May/June 2012 WAEC exams, only 38.81 per cent, representing 649,156 out of 1,695,878 candidates, who sat for the exam, obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English language and Mathematics. Of the 1,695,878 candidates, 6.70 per cent (112,000) were withheld for various reports of alleged involvement in examination malpractice. Similarly, only 37.97 per cent of the candidates across the country, who sat for the Nov/December exam of the organisation, representing candidates who obtained credit and above in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, a minimum academic qualification for admission into tertiary

academic institutions in the country. By this outing, it means 62. 10 per cent of the candidates failed the exam. The results were not any better in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Out of a total 1,503,931 candidates who sat for the exam in the year, only 3 scored 300 and above out of the total 400 marks obtainable; 901 scored between 270-299; 71,339 candidates scored between 250-269; 601,151 scored between 200-249; 374,920 candidates scored between 170-199; while 336,330 scored below 170. 27,266 results were withheld in 52 centres in eight states for exam malpractice, while number of invalid results was 5,161.

License withdrawal The announcement on July 4, of the suspension of operational licenses of seven private universities in the country by the National Universities the Commission (NUC) came as a surprise to affected schools. While the authorities of the affected universities – Madonna University, Okija; Lead City University, Ibadan; Tansian University, Umunya; Caritas University, Enugu; Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji; Achievers University, Owo; and Obong University, Obong Ntak –expressed shock and felt embarrassed by the action, claiming that NUC neither informed them of any form of wrongdoing, nor sent notice before making its decision public, the NUC insisted that the suspension order was due to the affected schools

Okojie

failure to live up to guidelines stipulated for operating universities in the country. The Executive Secretary of the regulatory body, Prof. Julius Okojie said their offences included unwillingness to comply with regulations, inappropriate governance structure and poor management of academic activities, among others. And contentious issue doused down only after when the universities complied with NUC Law on the matter.

Mubi students’ massacre and ALUU 4 The killings of over 26 students of Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State on October 2nd and another four undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government area of Rivers State three days after, would forever remain in the minds of many. The two incidents were described as callous and widely condemned by local and international communities, especially by considering the manner in which these students were murdered. In the case of Mubi, reports had it that some men in military uniform stormed students’ hostel outside campus shortly before midnight and gathered the students outside their rooms, slaughtering some with knives and gunning others down, leaving their bodies in the pool of their own blood. Most victims were said to have even been called out by names by the attackers before they were killed. The incident at Aluu was similar. There, the four students, namely: Ugonna Kelechi Obusor, Mike Lloyd Toku, Chiadika Lordson, and Tekena Elkanah, for allegedly stolen mere laptops and cell phone, were beaten and later set ablaze by members of the community. Reports further had it that some men of the police force, who are being paid with public funds to protect lives and property, participated in the killing. A helpless eye witness, who is also a sister to one of the victims, Tekena, Miss Ibisobia Elkanah, was quoted to have said some policemen, who visited the scene when the students were being beaten encouraged the mob to ‘burn them alive.’

UNIABUJA crisis The non-accreditation of some courses in University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) led to students’ protests several times in the year. The latest protest by the students from the Faculty of Engineering following their non-inclusion in the last exam led to the indefinite closure of the university by the authority. However, an audit report by the Federal Government had condemned the poor running of the university, indicting its management of incompetence and corruption. The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. James Adelabu, claimed that the problems were inherited by his administration so, the problems would need enough time to tackle them.

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Thursday January 3, 2013

MY ALMA MATER

Ifon-Erin Community Grammar School offered us complete education –Reps member Hon. Lasun Yusuff is the Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Water Resources. He attended Ifon-Erin Community Grammar School, Ifon-Osun, in Osun State between 1975 and 1979, where the school management had to condone his stubbornness due to his academic brilliance. MOJEED ALABI writes on the politician’s account of his secondary school days, which he described as some of the best days of his life. Excerpts:

imply called Lasun Yusuff; his alias was ‘Ologbenla,’ that is, the one with a big surgical incision scar. He was said to have got himself injured during one of his risky escapades and required surgical operation. Because the scar was reportedly big, he was given the appellation. But the experience never curbed his excesses and his secondary school days witnessed a whole lot of them. Coming from a modern school background, the young Lasun was admitted to Form II at Ifon-Erin Community Grammar School, Ifon Osun, in 1975 to join the school’s first set. As a community-based school, parents and the duo communities of Ifon-Orolu and Erin-Osun, both then in Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State, efforts were made to build good students to take up the challenge of leadership in the future. According to Lasun, the students too, were part of the building processes claiming that the only storey building in the school and a bungalow were built with their active participation. In his description of the time, Lasun simply said; “Those days were some of the best days of my life because that was when my future was formed. Though I was tough and slightly stubborn, my brilliance was not doubtable and I thank the teachers who handled me, particularly the principal then, Mr. Ade Oyedeji, an Ijesa man from Irele-Ijesa, who truly monitored my growth and guided my paths.” While in the school Lasun said he was the best student in the sciences and that he could hardly be rivalled in excellent performances in both Physics and Mathematics. He enjoyed scholarship from the Oyo State Government throughout his secondary school days. “The only friend who keenly competed with me in sciences was Idris Mustapha Oyewo, who is now a pharmacist at the Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Osi in Ekiti State. He was a fantastic person and we were both the only two that made Division 1 in our school certificate examination out of 40 of us. Then, there was discipline, organisation and commitment on the part of the teachers,” Lasun recalled. However, to prove his stubbornness, the politician said whenever any report was made against any student in the school, he was often the accused even before investigation is conducted. As a result, he was handed suspension many times. “There was this particular incident that happened when we were in Form IV. I was already on suspension for putting on a pair of slippers to the school. But that was not deliberate. I wore it because I had a swollen foot from the injury I sustained while playing football for the school. One of the teachers insisted on beating me and still got me reported to the principal who then slammed on me a four-week suspension. “While serving the suspension order, there was a protest in the school over one particular issue. Without conducting proper investigation, I was alleged of masterminding it. My suspension was further extended and I could not resume school until two weeks to promotion

Yusuff

exams,” Lasun explained. The gimmick, according to Lasun, was to make sure he failed his papers so that he could be asked to repeat the class as an attempt to ‘clip his wings.’ “But surprisingly, out of eight subjects, I passed seven convincingly. The principal had to call me to his office, eulogised me and offered fatherly advice.” Asked for his secret, Lasun said he was very studious when in secondary school and had been advised by the principal never to let his excesses affect his study. “I would wake up 12 midnight and engaged myself in good reading. Within months, I was able to complete two major text books for Physics by both Michael Nelkon and F. Abort three times and I could quote these books verbatim,” he recalled nostalgically. Lasun’s interest in Physics in particular was influenced by his teacher while in Form III. He said Mr. Rauf Raheem, an Osogbo man, simplified the subject and made it very appealing to him. “But it is very unfortunate that Mr. Raheem, who later became a Pharmacy student at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), died in 1979 while he was still in 400 level. It pains me till date because the man held a promising future for his generation,” Lasun sombrely recalled. Having been promoted to the final class, the notorious scholar moved to the school’s hostel and became the hostel prefect. He was later made the assistant senior prefect. He said the principal had taken objection to his appointment as the senior prefect due to his unruly character. Aside the serious academic training they received as students, he said Thursdays were usually set aside as Labour Day when they would put on their labour wears and farm for a whole day. “And sporting activities were also part of our training. My leisure times were usually spent on football and table tennis. I played football for my school up till my

A-Level days and I was the sport director for my department and faculty throughout my stay in University of Ife. I would have played for the school but the pressure of engineering couldn’t just permit me,” Lasun said. Talking about his schoolmates and friends, Lasun said the mixed school offered him good opportunity to relate very well with both male and female students. He said apart from Oyewo, the present Olufon of Ifon-Orolu, Oba Moruf Adekunle, who until his enthronement was with the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation, was his classmate. “Most of the females too were my friends because women naturally like the brilliantly tough guys. They liked me so much and they would always come for extra lesson in Mathematics and Physics. I won’t mention their names because they are married as we are all in our mid-fifties now,” Lasun revealed. However, despite the huge contributions the school made to his success, Lasun Yusuff, who later studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), has not been to his Alma mater in the last six years. Though he has never hesitated to express his passion to contribute to its rebuilding, and in fact, he has singlehandedly made good contributions in the past. “Not long ago, I was approached by one of the teachers in the school that roofing sheets were needed to reroof part of the buildings and I bought some bundles for them. Also, while I was still an undergraduate, I founded the old students’ association and coordinated it for about five years before I let go to give opportunities to others. “I think the exigencies of the Nigerian state has made the activities to go down very sharply, but I am making frantic efforts to reorganise it because the school will clock 40 by 2014 and I want us to do something reasonable,” he said. Having enjoyed his secondary school days, Lasun promised to focus his efforts on secondary school education if given the mandate to reform the nation’s education sector. “With quality secondary school education, you can achieve whatever in life because that is where the dreams are nursed and the best way to get those dreams properly nurtured is to get quality teachers and tools to offer the students quality education,” he concluded.

OGITECH rector bags award

he Rector of Ogun Institute of Technology, Igbesa ,Ogun State, Prof. Godwin Ejodame, was recently honoured as the Best Rector of the Year 2012 by an Ogun State- based Newspaper, Gateway News Update. The annual award ceremony held in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, was attended by Public functionaries, captains of industries and community leaders, among others. The Publisher/Editorin-Chief of the newspaper, Mr. Tunde Omolaolu, said the honour was bestowed on the rector because of his tremendous contribution to the technical education in the country. He said the newspaper was particularly impressed by the current

transformation taking place in the institute and more importantly the ability of the school authorities to get 17 courses accredited by National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) within six years. The publisher noted that the award was instituted to honour individuals, corporate bodies and institutions that have performed excellently in their chosen fields and contribute to the development of their sectors and the economy at large. Expressing happiness over the gesture, Prof. Ejodame said the award would spur him to work harder, adding that he would continue to work for the growth and development of education in the country.

Education Today

Secondary school students mentored MOJEED ALABI

ith the high rate of youth unemployment in the country, a graduate, Olufunbi Falayi, has decided to tackle the problem from the grassroots by initiating what he called: “Project four.” ‘Project four’, according to him, is an intervention initiative targeted at public secondary schools in Agege Local Government area of Lagos, which tends to invest and engage the minds of students in those schools by leveraging on four key components, namely: Mentoring, career guidance, vocational skill acquisition and project management. “The aim of the project,” Falayi said, “was, among others, to equip students with leadership capabilities, human capacity and entrepreneurship skills, therby preparing them as change agents, future leaders, potential business owners and consequently reducing the prevalent unemployment rate in the country. Inaugurating the project at Government Senior Girls College, Agege, many youths, high profile professionals and mentors were on hand to motivate and inspire the students from eight participating schools in preparation for the project that is billed to last six months. The resource persons included Mr. Ayo Sanni, a project management consultant; Mrs. Yejide Alo Akiode, an educationist and a Leap Africa Award winner; Mr. Tayo Olosoode, the Managing Partner of E-green Services and Mr. Francis Anyaegbu, a development consultant and founder of Youth Pioneers for Development and Mr. Babatunde, among others.

Falayi

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

r. Adekomaiya Domingo will retire from teaching any moment from now. Already, he has put in 34 years as a teacher in public primary schools in Lagos State and he has, within the period, taught in diffent schools within the state. Now as the headmaster of Aga Primary School in Ikorodu, the community, where he had his training at Government Teachers’ Training College and began his teaching career in 1979 with a monthly income of N120, he has reached the peak of his career. But unlike many of his contemporaries in the public service, Domingo is counting the days he will quit the profession and the public service entirely. “I’m not afraid of retirement as many in the public service will do for fear of the unknown,” he said. “I have prepared myself well enough for retirement as I have a job to venture into.” What type of job will a trained teacher with over three decades experience do after retirement and still find fulfilment? Naturally many teachers in that category anywhere in the country will establish a school or go for an education- related consultancy service. But not Domingo. His aspiration is to become a native doctor, operating a clinic where persons who are suffering from one ailment or the other can have treatment. He has been doing the job over the years underground and during his leisure times without allowing it to affect his primary assignment as a classroom teacher. “I developed the interest in that trade over 20 years ago and grow in it by the day. I learnt it from my father and from members of the Traditional Healers Association of Nigeria, which I’ve been a member since 1993. I was even at a time, the secretary of the association, at the local government level. I believe so much in traditional method of healing by using herbs. I’m not talking about the ‘witch doctor’ otherwise known as Babalawos, who consult oracle for spiritual cleansing but the native doctor. There are many leaves in the forest that can cure various ailments and diseases including those that take many Nigerians, particularly the political leaders and the rich abroad for treatment. I know herbs that can help in the management and cure of stroke and diabetes and many other chronic ailments. “Funny enough, one particular leaf for a native doctor who knows the job well can be used to cure more than one disease or ailment and if government can encourage the practice and create enabling environment for practitioners, the trade will not only create jobs for many Nigerians, it will also serve as a veritable source of revenue for government.” On the money to put into the investment, Domingo has been saving part of his income for that. “I will start with the little money I have raised so far from teaching and expand as more money comes in,” he said. Domingo recalled those old days when he was still a full time classroom teacher, saying students were thoroughly baked then. “But a teacher who is indebted to somebody in the community will lose concentration on his job when sighting his creditor. All that will interest such a person will be to find a way of escape. That is the situation with many teachers nowadays. The remuneration is no longer commensurable to work and the economic reality in the country,” he pointed out. Nevertheless, Domingo’s most memora-

Thursday January 3, 2013

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I’ll be a native doctor after retirement –Headmaster

Domingo

IF GOVERNMENT CAN ENCOURAGE THE PRACTICE AND CREATE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR PRACTITIONERS, THE TRADE WILL NOT ONLY CREATE JOBS FOR MANY

NIGERIANS, IT WILL ALSO SERVE AS A VERITABLE SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR GOVERNMENT

ble event in the profession happened in 1989 when one of his former female students, who he also mentored gained admission into university. “I was very happy when the young lady in question came to show her admission letter to me. As a matter of fact, there were no enough words to describe how I felt about the news on that day. The lady happened to be the only child of her parents and I monitored her academic works from primary to secondary school,” he recalled. On Domingo’s achievement as a teacher, he said although he might not be a millionaire, he was a bit comfortable, doing what is expected of a man, husband, father and a responsible community person. He told the story thus. “When I joined the profession, things were a bit difficult. The salary was very small, though one could still buy many things with the money. But because of poor remuneration, many of my colleagues had to quit teaching and went for something else. But for some of us who stayed behind, we have a good story to tell today. With my salary of about N100, 000 monthly, I’m able to give my children good education and do many other good things that now give me joy and I don’t see myself inferior to any other professionals.” Another thing that gives Domingo joy in the profession is the fact that many of his products are graduates of one discipline or another and are now contributing to the country’s economy. Teaching profession, according to him,

feeds the nation. Teachers aside reproducing themselves, also produce doctors, engineers, lawyers, accountants, journalists, pharmacists and other professionals, and in that process, build a nation. He stressed that the profession needs to be accorded more recognition from governments, parents and other stakeholders. The major challenges confronting teachers nowadays, according to him, are that of poor remuneration and welfare condition, decay of infrastructure and inadequate instructional materials and it will require that governments, relevant bodies and individuals addressed and tackled them. On the home front, Domingo operates an open door policy with his wife and children. His wife in particular, according to him, knows his monthly income and will therefore limit her demands within his earning. “My wife is a person who understands. She joins her resources with mine to run the family. Even if I’m to collect loan, my wife will have to approve it and our children also do not ask for what we cannot afford to give to them. This practice has been helping us to live amicably,” he added. And on whether any of his children have interest in taking after him, he said the only one that had shown interest so far just completed his National Certificate of Education (NCE) in agriculture science at Oyo College of Education. But his next assignment now is to go for a degree course and probably after finishing the course, he may take to teaching.

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Education Today

Thursday January 3, 2013

Shun vices or risk expulsion, Crawford new students told TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

he newly admitted students of Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State, have been warned against indulging in practices that could lead to their expulsion from the university. The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Samson Ayanlaja, gave the warning at the institution’s eighth matriculation ceremony held recently. He said the university had zero tolerance for all forms of unwholesome practices, which he named to include but not limited to examination malpractice, cultism, indecent dressing, smoking among others. A total of 319 students involved were sworn to the oath of allegiance to the university’s at the event. The VC, who described Crawford University as a faith-based academic institution was interested only in producing well-rounded graduates that would impact the society upon graduation. “And positively be one of these students, you will need to be focused, diligent, courageous, open minded, determined, inquisitive, honest and self disciplined as these virtues will help you greatly in your studies

and other endeavours now and in future,” he said. He told them that they could not afford to fail not only in academic work but also in moral character. “You will have to pay adequate attention to your studies in particular as any

student with Cumulative Gradient Point Average (CGPA) that is lower than 1.0 from the obtainable 5.0 marks will be withdrawn from the university,” he said, adding: “Some students were withdrawn last academic session purely

for non performance.” He equally told them to honour the school dress code by dressing appropriately and decently to class and to other places in and outside the campus for them to serve as role models for others.

uccour came the way of the people of Oyo Town as the lawmaker representing Atiba Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Waliu Ganiyu Alagbon fulfilled part of his electoral promises by empowering some youths in the ancient community. The next assignment on the pipeline, according to the lawmaker, is to train youths on entrepreneurial skills and to distribute instructional materials and career guides to students and teachers in the constituency. The empowerment programme, however, was witnessed by the Alaafin of Oyo and Permanent Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III; the lawmaker, representing Oyo Federal Constituency

wear ear rings and we don’t also want tattoo on your body. So, ensure you dress simple and look presentable. The VC promised them that the university would put in its best to ensure they complete their studies on a record time and in good light.

Vice chancellor advocates community policing to curb crime TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

T L-R: Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai; Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike and the Lagos State Comissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, at the launch of the National Workshop for primary and secondary schools teachers in Lagos, recently.

L-R: Director of Administration, West African Examination Council, Mr. Stephen Taiwo; Head of National Office, Nigeria, Mr. Charles Egurudi and the Director of Finance and Account, Mrs. Elizabeth Oyeduntan during the announcement of the 2012 November/ December SSSCE results in Lagos.

Lawmaker empowers indigent youths MOJEED ALABI

According to him, this university does not tolerate skimpy and short blouses, transparent dresses, spaghetti straps or bare backs and miniskirts from any female student while males should neither grow dreadlocks, wear perforated and dirty looking jeans, nor

in the House of Representatives, Hon. Kameel Akinlabi; the Speaker of the State Assembly, Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu, who is also from the town; local government chairmen from the town; Chairman of Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing), Sheikh Taofeek Akeugbagold; party leaders and members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from the constituency. They were all eulogized Hon. Alagbon for the kind gesture. The Alaafin of Oyo had earlier, as part of the lawmaker’s gesture, inaugurated seven boreholes at different locations and two blocks of three classrooms each at Community Primary School, Irepodun-Araromi Atiba and Aba Otefon before items that motorcycles, sewing machines, hairdryers, generator sets, crash helmets, clippers, deep freezers, stoves, farm im-

plements and food items were distributed to beneficiaries, who are mostly youths without political affiliation. Commending the lawmaker for the gesture which he described as unprecedented, Oba Adeyemi said people like Hon. Waliu would continue to enjoy the goodwill of the people, adding that, many those before him, could not walk freely on the streets because they diverted money meant for constituency projects for personal use. He said Oyo Township had produced five assembly speakers but some of them could not point to what they did for the community during their tenures. He therefore advised other politicians to emulate Alagbon’s gesture because ‘’the youths of nowadays are wise and will not hesitate to vote out non-performing political office holders.’’

The monarch, who disclosed that he was a childhood friend to the lawmaker’s father and that the two always on opposing views until the last election that brought his son in as lawmaker, noted that none of the predecessors of Hon. Alagbon had equaled him in this regard in the history of the town. In his speech, Hon. Waliu said he donated the items for the course of humanity and as a fulfillment of his electoral promises to the people. He said his close relationship with the people at the grassroots had enabled him to know their areas of needs and minister to them but without having the mind of doing so for re-election purpose. “Every political officer holder must be answerable to the people who voted them and that is what we call accountability,” he said while promising to do more.

he Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has called for community policing as a way of curbing the rising crime rate in the country. He stated this when the new Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu led a team of senior police officers on a courtesy visit to his office recently. The VC, in a statement by the university’s spokesman, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, urged the police high command to take community policing seriously, adding that “the University of Ibadan is committed to building a collaborative partnership with the Nigeria Police in this regard. According to him, there is the need for the police to go back to community policing. We have deemed it necessary to bring the police into our village square meeting. This is necessary as criminals live in the community and members of the community can identify them. This way, the police can curb crime in the society. Adewole noted that the university was currently collaborating with the Oyo State Police Command in

the training of campus security personnel for effective policing and crime fighting on campus. “We have the fifth batch of our security officers undergoing such training at present. We will continue to collaborate with the police but the police on their part will need to develop the confidence of the larger society to partner with them because university community has a lot to offer the police in terms of helping in conducting research and officers can as well come to the relevant departments and faculties to study courses that will help them on the job,” the VC said. In his response, the police chief, Mbu urged lecturers in the universities in the country, to shun materialism while he also advised students to steer clear of evil practices and examination malpractices. While calling for the cooperation from members of the public, Mbu assured the university community and the residents of the state, a crime free festive period. He disclosed that police men had been strategically put on the alert to beef up security in the state. He thanked the university for the recent donation of a patrol vehicle to the command as part of its corporate social responsibilities.

Ogun earmarks N14m for library development

etermined to provide qualitative education and maintain high standard in research and development, the Ogun State Library Board has budgeted N14 million for its service this year. The board is also expecting an internally generated revenue up to N.9 million during the same period. The state’s Director of Library Service, Mr. Lateef Benson, stated this while defending the 2013 budget earmarked for the board before the Finance and Appropriation Committee of the state House of Assembly recently.

He said while the capital expenditure would amount to N6 million, salaries and allowances and overhead cost would gulp N47 million and N7 million respectively. He noted that revenue expected would come from rental services and membership registration, among others. The director promised that the board would in the new year, extend library facilities to both primary and secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state and improve on its service delivery generally. in the year.

Thursday January 3, 2013

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FROM OTHER LANDS

How non-degree holders can become professionals –UK minister

chool leavers will be encouraged to skip university and train for highly-paid jobs as lawyers, bankers and accountants in a new wave of “professional” apprenticeships, a minister discloses. Matthew Hancock, the Skills Minister, will call for more young people to go straight from A-levels into traditional city professions that have been “dominated” by graduates. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr. Hancock says “university is not for everyone”. High quality apprenticeships should be as “prestigious” as a degree. An increasing number of school leavers are choosing to work rather

than spend three years at university, as students and parents avoid taking on debts of as much as £60,000 to cover fees and living costs. The number of 18-yearolds heading to university fell by 57,000 this autumn. This trend is likely to continue as apprenticeships become a cheaper alternative to a degree. In his article, Mr. Hancock says everyone, not just graduates, should have the chance to get “valuable jobs” in law, financial services and advanced engineering. He says that for too long there has been an “artificial and counterproductive division between

practical and academic learning”. “We are offering apprenticeships instead of university, as a route into the professions, including insurance, accounting and law,” he says. “University is not for everyone. There is no reason why you can’t reach exactly the same qualifications, without the degree, starting on-the-job training in an apprenticeship from day one.” Mr. Hancock says there are on-the-job schemes already that give school leavers the equivalent of one year at university or “foundation” degree level. People leaving school at 18 can start accountancy

Education leaders in Singapore honoured at the 15th Appointment & Appreciation ceremony for school principals held on 27 December, 2012.

Senegalese minister presents education budget, plans

ew regional universities, increased priority for research, and 800 extra student housing units for Senegal’s five public universities were among measures announced by Mary Teuw Niane, Minister of Higher Education and Research, in spite of a cut in next year’s budget. Niane, who took over the ministry in November, was presenting his budget to the national assembly. He told deputes that the government was aiming to “rebalance and reestablish equity between the capital and the interior of the country, to widen university provision and to relieve Dakar for the benefit of the surrounding regions”, reported Agence de Presse Sénégalaise (APS). The government was working in a methodical manner to “enable every

young Senegalese, wherever they live, to have the same opportunities as all the others”, said Niane. The national consultation he had previously announced had “a role to play for the future of higher education because university management will be at the heart of the consultation”. He told the national assembly that regional development centres were to be created and would administer higher education establishments, reported APS. With a student roll of 75,140 in 2011-12, the government had also decided to start a second University of Dakar, as well as having plans for a University at Sine-Saloum. Professor Oumar Guèye, previously director of the Ecole Doctorale Physique, Chimie, Sciences de la Terre – the Doctoral School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Science – had been

appointed to coordinate the second University of Dakar, said Niane. The University of SineSaloum would specialise in agriculture and related subjects. Niane also said the Institute Supérieur d’Enseignement Professionnel at Thiès, which would offer two-year vocational diplomas, would launch with 300 students and eventually cater for 3,500 students. He added that a virtual university would also be set up with the aim of mass distance education for up to 80,000 students, reported APS. APS also reported Niane’s decision to give greater priority to research management at the ministry. “Efforts will be made…to organise research in the same way as within higher education. University World News

or legal executive training. Ministers now want to see apprenticeships at top firms that “truly match” studying for full or postgraduate degrees. Mr. Hancock says the Government is in talks with the BPP Law School over an apprenticeship that will lead to a qualification as a solicitor. He says PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the “big four” professional services firms, is developing

a master’s-level apprenticeship for a qualification in audit, accountancy or tax. The minister urges “more employers to step up to take advantage of the opportunity” of school leavers who want to start learning and earning rather than go to university. His comments come after the Commons business committee urged ministers to create more high quality apprenticeships that lead to better careers.

Last month, an official review by Doug Richard, an entrepreneur, recommended that apprenticeships should be seen as equal to degrees. The businessman, who appeared on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den programme, said standards of apprenticeships should be raised to stop them being regarded as “second class” in relation to university. The Telegraph

Iraq lunches 10-year education’s strategy

raq has launched its first-ever national education strategy, for the period 2012-22, aimed at helping to improve education quality for the country’s 33 million citizens, especially the most deprived youth. Launched on 9 December, the strategy plans to enhance social reintegration and cohesion and to prevent social exclusion within Iraqi society. It also emphasises the importance of quality curriculum, institutions and resources in higher education, according to a report from the United Nations News Centre. The strategy was developed by a committee of education experts and advisors within the ministries of education and higher education in Baghdad and Erbil, with international technical expertise and guidance provided by UN agencies and the World Bank. Among the elements of

the strategy are providing free and accessible education to children and youth from pre-school to higher education, as well as ensuring high quality education based on global best practices. Key educational targets include increasing Iraq’s pre-school enrolment rate from 7% to 22% by 2020, and the primary school enrolment rate from 93% to 98% by the end of 2015. The strategy calls for financial resources to be dedicated to ensuring adequate educational, psychological and social support for the most marginalised individuals across Iraq. Speaking at the launch ceremony, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ali Al-Adeeb said the strategy was “designed to build a practical and philosophical base that contributes to building a contemporary educational system” able to produce an adapt-

able society that could respond to rapid changes in all fields of life. Al-Adeeb added that many challenges faced the higher education and research sector, which had been plagued by inefficiency since the 1980s because of the politicisation, militarisation and flawed policies of the Al-Baath Party and its regime. His ministry had launched an executive programme to promote the educational process in Iraq according to the new philosophy of higher education and research that stressed noble values, national identity, career ethics, democracy, human rights and a culture of integrity. The new strategy was discussed at an international conference on higher education development held from 27-29 November in Baghdad. World University News

UK honours two teachers for performance

wo head teachers who have turned around struggling schools and contributed to education at a national level have been made dames in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours. Joan McVittie transformed two schools in deprived areas of London. Sally Coates has overseen huge improvements at Burlington Danes Academy in west London. Three fostering couples, who have cared for more than 620 children between them, are also recognised with MBEs. Dame Joan, now 60, said she was “absolutely thrilled” to be singled out for her work in education and only wished her par-

ents had been around to see her receive the honour. She says the secret of her success in schools has been “to get a good team” and to ensure that the people around her “grow and develop”. “It’s about playing to people’s strengths,” she added. She was recognised for her work in improving Leytonstone School, and then going on to transform Woodside High, in Tottenham. She took the Tottenham School, which replaced White Hart Lane School dubbed the worst school in London” - from the verge of closure to an outstanding Ofsted rating in just five years. Last year, it was rated one of the top 25 most im-

proved schools in the country for its GCSE results. She is also rewarded for her time serving on a national body encouraging good school leadership, National College for School Leadership, and for her contribution to the Association of School and College Leaders, of which she is a past president. Dame Sally, who has worked in teaching since she was 22, is also credited with transforming a school - this time on the deprived White City Estate in west London. Now, 59, she took over Burlington Danes, which replaced a school in special measures, in 2008. BBC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday January 3, 2013

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

held last August This notification was recently accessible to the he University of university community in a Ibadan (UI), Ibadan, six- paragraphed article in has commenced the the institution’s website, implementation of the entitled: “Life of staff and Sexual Harassment Policy students is precious in UI”. as adopted by the univerThe piece stated that sity’s Senate at its meeting the implementation of

LINUS KINGDOM

UI goes tough over sexual harassment on campus the policy became necessary as a result of various sexual harassments characterising many Nigerian and African universities, noting that the act of sexual harassment is a serious human right and academic freedom violations.

As elaborated in the article, UI is said to have deliberately initiated the policy in line with its commitment to provide quality education and also to be a pace setter for other Nigerian universities to follow. According to the article,

with all modesty, the University of Ibadan is the first university in Nigeria to produce and adopt the Sexual Harassment Policy. It stressed that this is in spite of the fact that the university had a process of disciplining its members of

staff and students through the various constituted disciplinary committees for categories of workers and students of the university. The aim of the policy, the write-up further stated, was to promote peace and a gender- friendly institution.

COEASU excited by college’s development TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

he Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), South -West Zone, has expressed satisfaction over the level of infrastructural development that has taken place so far at Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Epe, Lagos. The union, in a statement, co-signed by its coordinator and secretary, Messrs. Femi Kenshiro and Francis Ademiluji, respectively, after its 39th

delegate conference at MOCPED recently, commended the Lagos State Government and the institution’s management for the ongoing infrastructural development in the college. The association stressed that the development was a testimony of the state’s government priority on human capital development for economic growth and development. While also commending the authorities of MOCPED for what it called the ‘judicious spending’ of the allotted fund to the college, the

Exam fever forces OAU students to celebrate Xmas on campus

he authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, IleIfe, Osun State, however on Sunday December 17, 2012 released a memo asking all the students to vacate the halls of residence for their various homes to enable them celebrate Christmas and New Year. The students however shunned this instruction and because of that, the authorities issued a fresh notice six days later, now ordering the students to vacate their respective halls before 12 noon of Friday, December 21. This second notice was announced by porters in the various halls of residence, using public address system, but some students still ignored the order and stayed put on campus. They claimed that the management had no authority over them on where they chose to celebrate Christmas and New Year, moreso, when the same management had earlier declared a free lecture week to enable the students prepare for the exam, the time table of which they claimed coincided with the festive

period. The students also said the management could not also determine for them either to choose to go home or stay on campus for their free lecture week in preparation for the examination, but that it is the students that know a suitable place for them to read for their exam and to spend their festive period. A 300-Level student of Political Science, Akinola Sakiru, in his own opinion, claimed that the management should try as much as possible to change its decision since the students’ presence on campus during the festive period would not affect the existing peaceful atmosphere there. He added that any student willing to eat Christmas goat or chicken could easily go home and those that their parents need to see could be easily sent for. He noted that many students usually find it difficult to do serious study at home, especially when people around them are celebrating, eating and winning.

union called on Governor Babatunde Fashola not to relent on his efforts to improve teachers and other levels of education in the state. It described education as a backbone of a nation’s building. COEASU also called on Federal Government to address the security challenge confronting the country and most especially campuses at the moment, saying quality education can only be giving in a peaceful environment.

A cross section of pioneer students of the School of Transport, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, on returning from their sponsored trip to the US for further training, recently.

Etisalat offers more undergraduate scholarships

ne of the leading telecommunication companies in the country, Etisalat Nigeria, has rewarded 70 more university undergraduates through its education empowerment schemeEtisalat Merit Awards. The students, who brought the total awardees for last year to 200 were rewarded with scholarship grants at a ceremony held in Ikeja, Lagos recently. The telecom giant also used the occasion to reaffirm its commitment to impacting and improving the quality of education among Nigerian students in the country. The scholarships were awarded to outstanding undergraduates from seven governmentowned universities in the South-west region of the country with the highest Cumulative Gradient Point Average (CGPA) in courses that included Electrical/ Electronic Engineering, Computer Science and Management Sciences. The universities include: University of Benin, University of Ibadan, Ibadan; Lagos State University, Ojo; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife; Federal University of Science

and Technology, Akure. Others are: Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology, Ogbomosho, and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye. Etisalat’s Director of Products and Service, Mr. Lucas Dada, who represented the company’s CEO at the event, said the merit awards scheme as part of the company’s corporate social responsibilities, was a demonstration of the company’s commitment to educational development and promotion of excellence among youths in the country. He said: “It is a wellknown fact that education fosters development. It is also a powerful tool for change, a change that facilitates economic advancement of the country. Etisalat Nigeria is passionate about sustainable development of our country, which is why we focus much of our CSR efforts on education, the backbone of progress. The Etisalat Merit Award is one of such efforts focused on tertiary education, rewarding and encouraging excellent academic performance,” he said. According to Dada, the

scheme, which is in its fourth year, has awarded scholarship grants of N100, 000 each to over 800 university students across the country. “This is the third regional presentation ceremony we will hold in 2012 across Nigeria. In the scheme, we award scholarship grants of N100, 000 each to 10 best second and third year students in three critical courses, namely: Electrical/ Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, and Business Management from each university. The students are selected on merit, coupled with indigenization principle as regards the university’s location. We also have a grant for each partner university towards the maintenance of academic excellence in their respective schools,” Dada concluded. The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Education, Otunba Fatai Olokoga, who represented Governor Babatunde Fashola commended Etisalat for sustaining the award scheme, saying it was a booster to education development in the country. While advising the company to put in place

a monitoring mechanism so as to ensure good use of the grants, Olukoga urged other multinational companies operating in the country to do likewise. One of the award recipients, Mr. Somefun Oluwaseun, a 300-Level Electrical Engineering student of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), expressed his happiness over the gesture, promising that himself and his colleagues would not let the company down. He said by the gesture, Etisalat was making life easier for students and their parents, who by virtue of the scholarship would use the money they would have been using as school fees for something else. The event, which was graced by many public functionaries including the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Ogun State, Mr. Olusegun Odubela, Acting Vice Chancellor, FUTA, Prof. E.A. Fasakin; Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, UNIBEN, F.O. Osadolor, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, LASU, Prof. Omolara Bamgboye, among others also featured life-changing seminar.

Thursday January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Welcome to the New (Lexical) Year!

“M

irrorless (Mirrorless) cameras that manipulates (manipulate) shots and angles.” “…the governor was demanding for additional money which….” Remove the ‘for’ flaw so that this medium can remain my platform! “As part of the deal (comma, please) she won a N1 million cash prize and contract with one of Nigeria’s leading modelling agency.” In defence of freedom: agencies. “The masquerades behind fuel subsidy” A voice of your own: masqueraders wear masquerades. “…including criminal activity (activities) such as internet fraud, arms and other trafficking and terrorist activity (activities).” “But he discovered this one day and beat me up. I cannot forget this (that) day.” “HMD Nigeria berths with cost saving equipments” News you can trust: cost-saving equipment (non-count). “Alcoholic-induced road (vehicular/auto) crashes worry FRSC” Business Life: alcoholinduced “Officer’s daughter (daughter’s) kidnap: Army beef (beefs) up security in barracks” “Plateau expresses displeasure over (at/with) comments at Arewa forum” “Naira falls to its weakest in 9-weeks” Market Report: 9 weeks. “To me, the strike action is unnecessary….” It is becoming increasingly unnecessary to keep correcting this particular solecism almost every week: strike; industrial action; work stoppage; or service withdrawal, among other terms, depending on context…certainly not ‘strike action’. The ‘arrest’ fault continues: “Four officials arrested over Bauchi bank robbery” and “Police arrest four over Azare” When will this faux pas stop? ‘Arrest’ takes ‘’for’—always—not ‘over’! “Youths condemn Fashola over (for) hike in tuition fees” “By acquiescing to (in) the mercenary intervention by the Americans….” “As long as they are operating within the context and spirit of the Companies Allied Matters Act….” A rewrite: As long as they are operating to the letter

of the Companies and Allied Matters Act. There is also ‘the letter of the law’, in another related context. “Take your rights…or trade it” Get it right: rights/them or right/it. “…that for all the security agencies in the state have involved vigilante groups….” This way: vigilance groups. “Mutual Funds allow managers pool various sizes of investment (sic) together and invest them in various asset classes like….” In modern writing, ‘pool’ is independent. So: pool various sizes of investments and invest….. “Security: North must get its acts (act) together” “And so we wait for it to run and redress the abuse of recklessness of yesteryears.” Fixed expression: yesteryear. “Just as the banning of books and newspapers give (gives) rise to an illicit trade in them….” “Perhaps it may interest you to note that the average take home (a hyphen) pay of a fresh university graduate a month, in any of the Federal ministry (ministries), was slightly above N18,000.” “...the PPMC had neglected the leakage for the past five years despite series (a series) of letters from the state’s LASEP alerting it on the inherent danger of the leakage.” One disaster too many: alerting it to (not on). “The Nigerian Prison Service has always run adult literacy classes that was (were) organized by the Welfare Department.” “…plans are afoot to foster (foist) the PDP on the nation again in the 2015 general elections, its present very low rating notwithstanding.” “It is the year when we, the people, will be opportuned.…” Morphological issues: ‘opportune’, which applies here, does not admit ‘d’ or simply, the people will have the opportunity! “Of course, it would be naïve to expect the politicians now benefitting from….” No distortion: benefiting. “There was hardly a tear-free eye, as muffled sobs and wails rented (rent) the mid-afternoon air….” “At last, artist body gets new exco” This way: artists’ body gets new executive. “When in 1979, a privilegded (privileged) triumvirate was faced with the arduous task of

INDUSTRIAL ACTION; WORK STOPPAGE; OR SERVICE WITHDRAWAL, AMONG OTHER TERMS, DEPENDING ON CONTEXT…CERTAINLY NOT ‘STRIKE ACTION’

choosing who to take over the reigns (reins) of government from them....” “Abia governor pointed at the federal roads in the South East which he said are (were) the worst in the country.” “NBA passes no confidence vote on Jonathan” For a better society: confidence vote in (not on) Jonathan. “How we wish they knew that Nigerians, not those on (in) the corridors of power….” “Supplimentary Admission List for 2012/2013 Academic Session” We can now rationalize why the country’s educational profile has crashed almost irredeemably with this kind of institutional misspelling. Spellcheck: supplementary! “Boko Haram: Police tightens (tighten) security in Kano” “NCAA re-opens (reopens) Bebi Airstrip as Bauchi remains closed” No hyphenation in phrasal verb application. “Ensure accident free (accident-free) Yuletide, FRSC urges men, motorists” “…some armed soldiers stormed the estate on Friday and started marking houses for demolishing (demolition).” “…the massive presence of road blocks (sic) which have (has) become….” The proximity of ‘roadblocks’ to the verbal component is responsible for this tragedy! “Electoral appeals must be disposed off (of) within sixty days”

“Ten years after should serve as a reminder that the country is worse off than it was ten years ago, when most of us look (looked) up to Uncle Bola Ige for guidance and leadership….” “Another milestone in the annal of our democracy” This way: annals or history. “One of the intriguing puzzle (puzzles) emerged from the testimony of…” “Another feather to your cap” A rewrite: Another feather in your cap. “Lack of security worries bankers in Ogun” Why the verbosity? Insecurity worries bankers in Ogun. Verbiage vitiates copies. “Amaechi condoles boat mishap victims’ families” Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State condoled with boat mishap victims’ families. If you want to avoid the usage of this phrasal verb, you could employ ‘console’. “If I may ask, when is Nigeria going to be matured (mature), 50 years after independence.” “…it’s just political harrasment.” Spell-check: harassment. Even my laptop did an automatic spell-check on this! This confirms the age-long slipshoddiness in media language application! Do you still recollect the alibi called ‘printer’s devil’ (a cover-up for tardiness in newspapering/printing)? “It shows that there are still judges that can restore confidence in (to) the judiciary.” “It was political victimization

but Asiwaju is bigger than such gimmick.” Still on the triumph: such a gimmick. “The Guardian staff pay last respect to Ibru” The fact: last respects. “SSS seizes vessels with conterminated food” Spell-check: contaminated. “…there is bound to be another internal crises.” Education: crisis (singular); crises (plural) “Olympians converge in (on) Lagos for JK Randle” “Pensioners’ union threaten (threatens) to picket MDAs” “Cross River commits N200m on (to) HIV/AIDS kits” “Lagos NBA executive would do better if they could borrow a leaf from….” Law: take a leaf from…. “They lick the buttocks of society money-bags just for a mess of….” Get it right: society’s money-bags. “Nevertheless, as we have (had) pointed out in an earlier editorial this week….” “More intriguing was the accusing finger which pointed at the Florida State Governor.” My verdict: delete ‘accusing’ in the interest of lexical sanity! “The crime of the senator who is yet to be properly charged for (with) the crime contained therein….” “Clearance of non-CRI goods begin (begins) at ports” “Keshi gets sweeping power” Write it right: sweeping powers. “Obasanjo by making democracy possible in 1979 is a democrat per (par) excellence.” “…had said that Newswatch is (was) a credible publication, one not likely to misquote him or twist what he says in a free display of editorial freedom.” “Like (As) we have said at various fora....”

Some of the students of the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State, during their matriculation ceremony, recently.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Nigeria Premier League to dunk oﬀ in February –NBBF 30

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

All talk now is on the Australia Open. Still, I must really enjoy this time out and re-focus – USA tennis star, Serena Williams

We can deliver at Nations Cup – Ike Uche

uper Eagles’ E l ’ striker, t ik IkeIk chukwu Uche, says a chaotic build-up to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) should not distract the team from delivering in South Africa. The Eagles failed to qualify for the last tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea but the two-time winners are still rated as one of the favourites for the tournament which starts on January 19. Club versus country rows and several off-the-field problems have plagued the Nigerian team since they secured qualification last October. Asked how difficult it had been for players to focus on football amid so many distractions, Uche replied, “It’s not that easy but it’s normal preparation for competition, hopefully we can all come together and do well. “We can’t use all these (problems) as an excuse. We must overlook these things and work extremely hard before and during the tournament.

“Our fans expectt a good “O f d outt ing but you can’t talk about getting into the final without playing the first game to start with. The important thing is to prepare very well, then we can take it one step at a time.” Uche, who was the top scorer during the qualifiers with three goals, says Nigerian players must perform better than they have done at recent tournaments. “Expectations or not, we should not go into a tournament with that mindset of lowered expectations,” the Villarreal striker told BBC Sport. “We are professionals. All the teams travelling to South Africa stand a chance so we must also give our best and hopefully that will be enough.” He is also wary of ‘unknown’ opponents Burkina Faso, admitting, “I don’t know much about Burkina Faso. We’ve played against Ethiopia and Zambia - we are familiar with the way they play and their players.

Rabiu Ibrahim focuses on the AFCON as he quits Celtic

“We hope to have a closer look at our opponents and their recent games when we get together. Our fans need to believe in the team;

…Nigerians in SA mobilise for Eagles

embers of the Nigerian community in South Africa, have started mobilising to support the Super Eagles during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicking off on the 19th of this month. Leader of the Nigerian community in South Africa, Frank Anagu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Johannesburg that 200 tickets for each of the Eagles’ preliminary games against Zambia, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso had been purchased for distribution to Nigerians, to watch the Eagles. Anagu said Nigerians living in South Africa and Mozambique were being mobilised to support the national team. “We have done a lot of mobilisation through the various Nigerian unions in South Africa and Mozambique for them to come out in their large numbers to support the team. “The Nigeria union has been making arrangements to rent 46-seater buses to take us to Nelspruit, apart from individuals that will be travelling to watch Nigerian matches.

“Our plan is to travel a day before any of our matches, to have a `one on one’ encounter with our national team, to motivate and support them,” Anagu said. He said Nigerians in Mozambique were making their own arrangements to give their full support to the Eagles. “As we are making our arrangements here in South Africa, members of the Nigerian community in Mozambique are also making their own arrangements. Mozambique is not too far to Nelspruit. It is even closer to the venue than Johannesburg, so we are expecting many Nigerians in their numbers to come from Mozambique to support our national team.” He said members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club in South Africa will join those coming from home to motivate the players Meanwhile, Mpumalanga provincial government is working round the clock to woo members of the public to purchase tickets for games. General Manager of the province’s Culture, Sports and Recreation Department, Sipho Gama, said they had embarked on road

shows to encourage people to purchase tickets for the tournament. Mbombela Stadium will host Group C matches with teams – Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Chipolopolo Zambia, the defending champions, Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia and Stallions of Burkina Faso.

we know it will be tough and difficult but all they can do is to give us their support.” Eagles begin their Nations

Rabiu Ibrahim quits Celtic

ilmarnock has completed the signing of Nigerian midfielder, Rabiu Ibrahim, from Celtic on a permanent basis. The 21-year-old has agreed a two-year contract with the Rugby Park club after Celtic allowed the

Esperance signs another Nigerian youngster IKENWA NNABUOGOR

unisian giant, Esperance, has completed the signing of unknown Nigerian kid, Emeka Emerun, who signed a four and half year contract last week. National Mirror reports that the precocious kid was at the centre of transfer battle between the perennial champion, Esperance and CA Bizerte, where he had spent a few months. Emerum’s signing came at the wake of the arrival of another Nigerian youngster, Azuka Izu, who completed a three-year contract with the Tunis-based side. Emerun, who also was on the cards of Bayern Munich, rejected

Cup campaign against Burkina Faso on January 21 and then face Zambia and Ethiopia in Group C.

CA Bizerte’s overtures on completion of his 18th year birthday, to put pen on paper for Esperance. Bizerte filed a case against Esperance at the FIFA and the Tunisian FA, who rejected Bizerte’s bid to sign the kid on permanent basis. Tunisian FA ruled in favour of Esperance because his contract with Bizerte was not official because Emerum was not yet 18. Emerum, who has been accommodated in a hotel in central Tunis, is now waiting for his licence to come through any time this week. He resumed training with the seniors yesterday in Tunis and is expected to be included in the team that will travel abroad for winter training ahead of second round which begins in February.

player to move on in search of regular first-team football. Ibrahim had an offer from abroad and was also believed to be a loan target for other Scottish sides. “He’s signed a two-year deal with us. I believe it’s quite a coup for Kilmarnock and we are a good fit for him,” Kilmarnock manager, Kenny Shiels, told STV. “Rabiu had an offer from a club in Russia but he and his advisors thought it would be better for his career development to stay in Scotland and they were equally as keen as we were for the deal to go through. We signed him on a free transfer,” Shiels added. Ibrahim will not join up with his new team-mates immediately as he is currently with the Super Eagles in their Faro, Portugal camp for the Nations Cup in South Africa. “I believe January 9 is the deadline for them to name their final squad. I would quite like him to be named in the squad for his confidence. If he is named then as soon as they go out of the competition he will join up with us.”

Sport

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Chelsea triggers Ba’s release clause

Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi

NPL crisis: Idoko clears minister of complicity AFOLABI GAMBARI

member of the congress of Nigeria Premier League (NPL),

Mike Idoko, yesterday debunked claims by former chairman of the NPL board, Ramson Baribote, that Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, instigated Bari-

FCT to raise taekwondo bar YEMI OLUS

irector of Sports of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Alim Musa, has said that the FCT is in the process of producing future champions who will dominate taekwondo in the near future. Musa, who spoke with National Mirror, disclosed that the FCT would organise a clinic soon to identify and train young athletes who had potential in the sport. “Taekwondo happens to be one of the games we promote highly. It is a game that gave us a name in the FCT and we do everything to uphold the game and take it to enviable heights,” he said. “The Korean embassy has a gym which has facilities that we can use. Aside that we have a clinic called ‘Make a Champion

Athlete’ where we go to all the 62 wards in the FCT, identify athletes who have the skill, bring them to the centre and train them for a period of time. “It is carried out after every six months. We make it like a summer game. During long vacation we use that period to train and expose them and invite trainers from outside to give them a pep talk.” The FCT picked one gold and one silver medal at the recent National Sports Festival hosted by Lagos and Alim believes that the sport has a future even as an electronic scoring device was used by the athletes for the first time in the history of the NSF: “We have not gotten to the pinnacle yet because we must have standard facilities with all what it needs but like in taekwondo, we have gone electronic so that is a step in the right direction.”

bote’s removal. “We are managers and we all know that all is not well with our league,” Idoko charged in Abuja yesterday. “We were not instigated by the sports minister. All the 25 members of the congress came together and decided that we need to stop the rot. “The league had no sponsor; clubs were paying indemnity and there were litigations here and there and we had to act fast because we knew the league would go into extinction if we continued that way. “Baribote was forced on us, his election did not follow due process and he had the opportunity to solve all the problems and move the league forward but did not do anything.” Idoko, who is the Executive Director Ondo State Football Agency, also faulted claims by Baribote purporting that Nigeria had the best league in Africa. “The claim was as laughable as it put us in ridicule and it is just as well as that it cannot stand,” he submitted.

helsea has triggered the release clause in Newcastle United’s forward, Demba Ba’s contract. Ba, 27, has been given permission to speak to Chelsea and missed yesterday’s game against Everton. It is believed his contract contains a clause which allows him to speak to other clubs in the event of a £7m bid. The Senegalese, who joined Newcastle from West Ham in June 2011, is currently jointsecond top scorer in the Premier League with 13 goals. Newcastle has attempted to negotiate a new deal with the Senegal international in recent months, which would remove the clause, but it became active on Tuesday. Earlier this week, Magpies boss, Alan Pardew, was hopeful Ba would stay but criticised the network of people representing the player. After Liverpool signed Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge, Ba could be a replacement for the 23-year-old England striker at Stamford Bridge. France-born Ba had trials at Barnsley and a spell at Watford but failed to land a contract and went back to France where he

had stints at Rouen and Mouscron before moving to Hoffenheim in 2007. The German club agreed to let him move to Stoke in a reported £6m deal in January 2011. However, after Ba failed a medical, the striker instead moved to West Ham later that month. The striker scored seven goals in 13 games, but invoked a release clause in his contract after the Hammers were relegated. Newcastle needed a player to replace Andy Carroll, who had joined Liverpool for £35m, and signed Ba on a three-year deal in June 2011. The Senegalese player scored 16 goals during his first full season as Newcastle finished fifth and qualified for the Europa League.

Life’s tough in Madrid –Modric

eal Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric, has admitted that he has found life at the Bernabeu “challenging” since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in the summer. The Croatian playmaker completed a 35m move to the Spanish champions after spending four years at White Hart Lane, but he has struggled to hold down a first-team place under head coach Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese has recently criticised the 27-year-old for his inconsistent displays. “This is Real Madrid. I under-

stand there is great pressure for new signings to succeed here,” Modric defended. “I’m not making excuses, I am not that kind of person, but it is very challenging to adapt to life at a big club like Madrid. I have had a few good performances, if not in every game, but I believe that I can prove I have something to offer.” Modric has only started eight league games for the capital club, scoring just one goal as Madrid bids to close a daunting 16-point gap on league leader Barcelona.

Jogo claims Chemstar Cup

ogo Football Club has defeated Oluwa is Involved FC to win the maiden Chemstar Unity organised for youths in Oshodi area of Lagos State. At the final of the grassroots competition held at the Ogundele Primary School football pitch, Oshodi, Jogo prevailed 4-3 through penalty shoot-out after the full time ended in goalless draw with goalkeepers of both

sides displaying superlative form. The winner claimed the giant trophy and N100, 000 while runner-up Oluwa carted away N50, 000 as third placed Mourinho FC and Soccer Stars FC got N20, 000 and N10, 000 respectively. Managing Director of Chemstar, Special Apostle E.A. Awode, who presided at the final ceremony, commended the displays by participants while contend-

ing that the competition had served its purpose of engaging youths in the area meaningfully. Awode donated additional N50, 000 and N20, 000 to the winner and runner-up in appreciation of what he described as incredible football they displayed. Folorunsho Gafari and Habeeb Mohammed with 6 goals each shared the Golden Boot award, earning N20, 000 and a bag of rice each for their feats.

Luka Modric

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Thursday, January 3, 2013

AFN elections will define track and field in 2013 T he steady decline of track and field in Nigeria has been a subject of discourse for many years but at no time was this more evident than the outgone athletics season which ended on a bleak note. As an Olympic year, there were lofty expectations that the country’s athletes would haul medals in the different international competitions but especially at the London 2012 Games which was the centre of attention for all sports. However, the reverse was the case as Nigeria failed to pick a single medal in London. Even more worrisome was the fact that track and field, which in the past used to bail out the country from impending shame, failed to rise to the occasion at the lowest ebb of the country’s participation in London. One after another, Nigerian athletes succumbed to defeat in the various sports but it was almost certain that the track and field events would definitely yield medals for the country. Alas it was not to be as an entirely different script played out at the games. Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare inspired hope when she ran personal Bests of 10.93secs and 10.92secs on the way to the final. The country watched in shock as she finished last in the final. She could not make it into the final round of her main event, the long jump, where she won a bronze medal in 2008. The women’s 4x100m relay team escaped by whiskers to make it to the final of the women’s 4x100m after finishing fifth in the heats with a season’s best of 42.74 seconds. The team eventually finished in fourth position with a Season’s Best of 42.64secs. Tosin Oke also placed seventh overall in the men’s triple jump final. Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Ajoke Odumosu, finished last in the women’s 400m hurdles while the women’s 4x400m relay team was disqualified after getting to the final. The moment that stood out for athletics in 2012 was the 18th African Championships which was held in Benin Republic barely a week later. Nigeria emerged overall champions with 10 gold, six silver and five bronze medals. Kenya placed second with nine gold, nine silver and nine bronze medals while South Africa finished in third place with six gold, 10 silver and eight bronze medals. This was the first time in 12 years that the West Africans would accomplish this feat. Despite this feat however, pundits agreed that 2012 was a disaster. “Unfortunately everything boils down to how many medals we won at the Olympics and if we use that as a criterion to assess the season, it means that it was a terrible season for us”, Olympics gold medallist, Enefiok Udo-Obong, told National Mirror. “However we also have to look at some of the stains during the athletics season. The biggest thing that happens season in and season out is the issue of drugs use. We had two big athletes who were disqualified for the use of suspicious substances and these are things that we discourage. But in all, I would still say that we have a good future.” According to former Olympian, Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo, the athletes are not the only ones to blame. “It is true that we didn’t do well but I was

Nigeria’s athletics failed woefully last year, but YEMI OLUS writes that this year will be defined by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) elections.

Blessing Okagbare is the biggest flop in Nigerian athletics last year

still impressed with the performance of the athletes. I believe that Blessing did well even though there was a lot of pressure on her but I don’t like the way everyone attacked them. Nobody wants to go to the Olympics or World Championships and let herself or her country down,” she offered. “When they returned from the Olympics, the government should have honoured those that went for the African Championships which they won because it is equivalent to the African Nations Cup in football. No matter how bad one performs as an athlete, he or she still needs to be encouraged. It is not easy to be an athlete and running for Nigeria is very tough.” With the country’s image battered by the show of shame in London and as the athletes’ self esteem plummeted to an alltime low, it is no surprise that everyone is relieved that 2012 is gone for good. The 2013 season has been ushered in and athletics watchers are of the opinion that the sport needs to be overhauled and wrongs of the past year be made right if track and field is to make progress. A key indicator of how the season pans out will be hinged on the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) elections set to take

THE MOMENT THAT STOOD OUT FOR ATHLETICS IN 2012 WAS THE 18TH AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS WHICH WAS HELD IN

BENIN REPUBLIC

place within the first quarter of the year. The Solomon-Ogba led board has completed its first tenure and it is still unclear if the former Delta State Commissioner for Sports will contest for re-election. Athletics coach, Isaac Ikhaobomeh, says the new board members will determine how much progress is made in 2013. “What we need to do now is to look for the way forward for Track and Field and sports generally in Nigeria. Right now there is no board since the current one is about to be dissolved but we hope the incoming board will not be made up of recycled members. “We need fresh hands that will take over

the running of athletics in the country and let them be people who have vision, flair and passion for the sport. We don’t need people who are only thinking of how to make money but those we will get sponsors, organise competitions and take our athletes to the next level.” Nigeria will not feature in many international competitions going by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) calendar. However, from March 28 to 31 Nigeria will host the 1st African Youth Championships which will be held in Warri, Delta State. As hosts, it will be expected that the country’s contingent will dominate the championships. Athletics coach, Kola Adebayo, believes that new athletes will spring surprises and upstage their senior colleagues this year. “We should expect some surprises from some of our young athletes even though there are few international competitions this season. Nigeria is hosting the AYC and I believe we are going to dominate most of the events. We should equally watch out for some junior athletes that will graduate to the senior category in events like the men and women’s 100m,” Adebayo said. “The jumps are another area where surprises will spring from by the performances in the women’s long and high jumps at the National Sports Festival. Women will be impressive this season. There are new faces in those areas. I pray that the AFN will take it up from where the states stopped at during the festival. But all this can only happen if the federation will effectively plan and work with the right people.” The 8th IAAF World Youth Championships will thereafter take place from July 10 to 14 and will be a good platform to expose young athletes discovered from the continental championships. However the athletes would have to undergo intensive preparations lest a repeat of the country’s dismal performance at last year’s World Junior Championships is inevitable. The next event will be the biggest in track and field calendar, the 14th World Championships in Athletics scheduled to hold from August 10 to 18 in Moscow, Russia. Not much is usually expected in terms of medals going by the history of the country’s performance in the biannual competition over the years. The last time Nigeria won a medal was at the Sevilla ’99 Championships where the duo of Francis Obikwelu and Glory Alozie came to the country’s rescue by winning a bronze and silver medal in the 200m and 100m hurdles posting the best result Nigeria has achieved in the competition till date. Other athletes who have managed to secure medals at the second biggest athletics event (next to the Olympics) since its inception are Ajayi Agbebaku (1983), Innocent Egbunike (1987), the quartet of Udeme Ekpeyong, Kunle Adejuyigbe, Jude Monye and Sunday Bada (1995). Olapade Adeniken, Osmond Ezinwa, Davidson Ezinwa and Francis Obikwelu also clinched a silver medal in the 4x100m relay in 1997.

Sport

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SLAMMING AND E-mail: folashayoezekiel@yahoo.com Phone: 08027536696

DUNKING

With SAYO OGUNDEJI

Rookies win 2012 ipNX tourney

ookies’ Basketball Academy U-18 men’s team last Sunday emerged winner of the 2012 ipNX Rookies Basketball Tournament at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos with a 46-41 points victory over Warriors Basketball Academy. The winner (Rookies) trailed their opponent by 08-16 points at the end of the first quarter but came back strongly into the game to win the second and third quarter (16-08, 14-05) as they took nine points advantage going into the last quarter with a 38-29 points superiority. The Jonathan Odia tutored Rookies however, lost the last quarter to the Warriors Academy by 08-12 points but that was not enough to turn the table against them as they ran away with a 4641 points win to become champion of one of the foremost youth competitions in Nigeria. Rookies Academy youthful for-

ward, Abdulhakim Ado, emerged as the tournament’s most promising and most valuable player while the duo of Elizabeth Balogun and Blessing Odia of the Royal Rookies team winner of U-18 women competition were adjudged the most promising player and most valuable players in the women cadre. Raptors Academy Lagos and High Flyers team, Warri, Delta State won the U-14 and U-16 men categories respectively. The ipNX Rookies tournament has continued to serve as avenue for the recruitment of young players by top clubs in Nigeria. Some of the players who were discovered from the Rookies’ tournament in the past include USAbased Churchill Odia (Comets BC and Nigeria national team); Daniel Dawodu played club competition for Union Bank BC and once captained Nigeria U19 national team in 2007 among others.

Nuggets end Clippers’ NBA win streak at 17

Anyebe Ujoh (right) of the Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt controlling the ball against a Lagos Islanders’ player at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos

Nigeria Premier League to dunk off in February –NBBF T he new DStv sponsored Nigeria Premier Basketball League season will dunk off in February this year, according to the Nigeria Basketball Federation’s first Vice-President, Muktar Kaleh. The 2011/2012 season ended last July with Port Harcourt based Royal Hoopers retaining their trophy after defeating Kano Pillars in the Final 8 tournament held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos. Kaleh explained that the federation’s wish was to organise a league that would be better in terms of organisation and officiating than what obtained during the past season, hence the delay experienced in the early commencement of the new league season. According to him, clinics are being organised to ensure the officials are enlightened and up to date with the current terms and dealings as far as basketball is concerned. “We have been working round the clock in making

sure the federation organises a better competition and all things being equal, the new premier league season will likely dunk off in February,” the 1st Vice President stated. “There have been improvements in the way we do things but we believe there is room for improvement and that is why we are leaving no stone unturned in order to achieve that. “We are training all our officials in order to bring them up to date with the current standard as practiced anywhere in the world which we hope will bring more positives to the new league season in so many areas. “Most of the teams have been preparing for the commencement of the new season which is the right thing to do and we hope to take the game to the next level when it finally dunks off, Kaleh said. Kaleh also disclosed that there was never any problem as regards the sponsorship, saying Dstv remains the offi-

Kaleh

cial sponsor of the league. While the league champions, Royal Hoopers, failed to participate in the last African Basketball Champions Cup in in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea due to financial problems, Nigeria’s flag bearer, Kano Pillars, failed to sparkle as they finished the tournament in a distant 9th position. And Kaleh who sounded unhappy about the development, said the federation would do all within its power in ensuring the teams perform better in the next tournament.

he high-flying Los Angeles Clippers failed to stretch their 17-game NBA winning streak into the New Year, slipping to defeat against the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets stopped the Clippers’ club record run with a 9278 victory in Denver on Tuesday night, the visitors’ first defeat since the November 26 loss at home to New Orleans. The Clippers came into the contest riding high, their 107-96 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday making them just the third team in league history to go 16-0 in a single calendar month. The streak was the longest in the NBA since the Boston Celtics won 19 straight from November 15-December 23 in 2008. On Tuesday, however, the Clippers never led after the first quarter and coach Vinny Del Negro said his team were simply outplayed by the Nuggets. “We just didn’t score the basketball,” said Del Negro, whose team shot just 38.5 per cent from the floor and made just 13 of 29 free throw attempts. “Give Denver credit - I thought they outworked us. They were a step faster than us tonight. “In games past, when we struggled to score, we relied on our defence and tonight we didn’t execute very well at either end. Danilo Gallinari scored 17 points and added six rebounds. Kenneth Faried scored 14 points with 11 rebounds for the Nuggets,

who have won three of their past four games. Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe led the Clippers with 12 points apiece. A close first quarter ended with the Nuggets leading 21-19. The hosts reeled off seven straight points to open the second and held a comfortable lead for much of the period, although Clippers’ reserve guard Jamal Crawford scored the last four points of the half to trim the deficit to 48-43. The Nuggets closed the third quarter with a 10-1 scoring run. They took a 75-59 lead into the fourth, and the Clippers didn’t get closer than 13 points in the final quarter.

Gallinari

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance “It is better for Nigeria to prepare well for mobile number portability service before it is launched than for the country to roll out the service in a haste, which may turn out to be a tragedy.”

“The Marketing Communication Industry is set to witness major changes in 2013. This is so given the unprecedented innovation which has given rise to the era of convergence blurring the divide between the technology and the art communication.”

President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Lanre Ajayi

MANAGING DIRECTOR, THE QUADRANT COMPANY, TQC, LEADING PR AGENCY IN NIGERIA, BOLAJI OKUSAGA

Why we extended Destination Inspection contract ─ FG FRANCIS EZEM

he Federal Government has said it meant well in its decision to extend the Destination Inspection contract by another six months. A competent source close to the Federal Ministry of Finance, who spoke in a telephone interview hinted that the extension was in the overall interest of the Nigerian economy and not on the basis of form of patronage. The source hinted that the government is concerned about the well being of the nation’s economy, arguing that the extension was meant to enable the Nigeria Customs Service perfect its operation that would facilitate a hitch-free takeover of the scheme at the expiration of the contract. “The government has been inundated with complaints and reports over seeming inability of the service to takeover the scheme and no responsible government would sweep such reports and complaints under the carpet because the consequences of ignoring such warning, which came early enough would be grave for the economy”, he argued. “In granting the extension, government also liaised with

critical stakeholders to ensure that such extension would serve the best interest of the Nigerian nation and no other and so the decision was to save the country from any crisis arising from her trade policies”, he further argued. According to him, in addition to extending the contract, government would also put measures in place to closely monitor the scheme and ensure that everything that needed to be done was done to facilitate a hitch-free takeover by Cus-

toms. Investigations also showed that part of reasons for the extension was the decision of the service to abandon the transition programme of the scheme as specified in the contract agreement between the four service providers and the Federal Government to forestall possible hitches. Authoritative sources hinted that the service abandoned the transition and in place of that worked out a scheme in a desperate bid to take over the

resh facts yesterday emerged that Dana Air, which was re-issued Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) about three weeks ago with approval of the Minister of Avia-

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

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Arik Air

scheme without a proper transition to forestall hitches, that might cost the country more to address than to do the right thing from inception. The source also hinted that the Comptroller General of the service, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko had thrown out a report of the transition committee headed by a former Customs Area Controller in charge of Apapa Area one command, which made far reaching recommendations that would enhance a hitch-free takeover.

Lag-Abj:07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 13.05, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50,18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun). Abj-Lag: 07:15, 09.40,10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15,17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun)Lag-PH: 07:15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15 (Mon-Fri) 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00 Sun) PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (Mon-Fri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) AbvBeni:08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/ Sat)08.56, 12.10(Sun)

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

IRS

L-R: Deputy Manager, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr. Ita Calix; Trainee Manager, Ms. Chigozie Okoro; Brand Manager, Digital, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Ms. Oyinade Olajiga and Assistant Manager, NLRC, Ms. Osaro Akarue; during the draw of Guinness fly with the Eagle promo held at Onward Plaza, Oregun in Lagos recently.

Dana Air recommences flight operations today OLUSEGUN KOIKI

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

tion on Monday will recommence flight operations today. Information gathered by National Mirror indicated that the airline would recommence operations with Abuja flight in the morning. A source close to the airline confided in our correspondent that the management of the airline has been meeting on the resumption date for some time now and had wanted to resume flight operations about two weeks ago,

but had to postpone the operations due to its inability to get approval from the ministry of aviation despite receiving the go ahead from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). NCAA however gave a condition for the airline to return to flight operations. NCAA had said that before it could commence flight operations, it was to first commence the last payment of $70, 000 compensations to some the victims’ families,

which the airline met about two weeks ago with the payment of some families of the bereaved. A text message sent to the mobile phone of the Managing Director of the airline, Mr. Jacky Hathiramani by our correspondent to confirm the resumption date simply got a reply with, “We are resuming this week.” It will be recalled that National Mirror had reported yesterday that the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah on Monday gave approval for Dana Air to return to flight operations.

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

States to pay N268m for GDP computation project

Laying foundation for consistent ICT growth

2013: Digital media to be game changer

Business & Finance

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

States to pay N268m for GDP computation project TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

t least 19 states are expected to pay N267.9 million before the ongoing state Gross Domestic Product (GDP) computation project would be completed. Six states in the geo-political zones, namely Anambra, Niger, Kano, Lagos, Gombe and Rivers states were selected for the first phase of the computation project, based on the size of their economies and commitment to reform programmes. Available records on the level

of indebtedness of the states on the project indicated that Abia, Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Enugu, Imo and Ekiti states were yet to pay their contributions of N14.1 million each for the project’s implementation as at the end of December 2012. Others that were yet to pay are, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara states. The affected states were specifically appealed to at the end of the Joint Planning Board(JPB) Meeting organised by the National Planning Commission and the Benue State Government in

Makurdi, Benue State to pay their contributions in order to fast track the implementation of the project. The Federal Government, through the National Planning Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria have contributed N150 million and N50 million respectively while 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory have also contributed N14.1 million each to the project. According to the official document, the Niger Delta Development Commission and the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs (OSSAP-MDGs) are yet to pay for the

project’s implementation even as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was reported to have made modest contribution to support the national statistical data production agenda at sub-national levels. The first phase of the State GDP Computation project is to be completed by February while the next phase will commence the following month. The project is being implemented simultaneously with the States Need Assessment Survey Report in some pilot states and the first phase is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

The Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, has described the state Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Computation project as a major initiative that would facilitate the measurement of economic activities at the sub national levels and promote a healthy competition among the states in the country. According to him, the project as significant in the economic history of Nigeria being the first time it is being undertaken by the NBS and as such required the support of all stakeholders in Nigeria to ensure that the process takes off successfully.

ILO laments scarcity of skilled local workers for petroleum industry MESHACK IDEHEN

L-R: Divisional Sales Manager (North), Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Mr. Dimeji Osingunwa; winner of N1 million, Mrs. Funmilayo Adebayo and Customer Business Manager, Mr. Ladi Alabi, during the presentation of cheque to the winner in the Cadbury Bournvita Yummy Life Promo in Ilorin recently.

FG urged to concentrate on long-term mortgage DAYO AYEYEMI

uantity surveyors under the aegis of Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), have once again, called on the Federal Government to concentrate on long-term mortgages that would become the means through which majority of Nigerians, especially those in urban centres, could acquire homes. NIQS president, Agele Alufohai, made the appeal at a two-day Mandatory Leadership Development Programme Workshop and Annual General Meeting of the professional body with the theme: Corporate Transformation and Leadership Challenges: The Construction Sector within the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda. By creating long-term mortgages, he said the initiative would also help to build a system of urban development that is closely integrated with the construction of low-cost hous-

ing. To address the issues associated with affordable housing, the NIQS boss notes that contributions by government housing bonds, financial institutions, international sources and good roads should be incorporated. Alufohai explained that housing is an important factor in national life and as such, the amount of money spent, and the proportion of the financial system connected to housing construction and real estate make housing a dominant part of the economy. On why housing policy is imperative, he stated that housing policy is meant to assist people live in safe and healthy accommodation that they could afford, adding that It would help individuals acquire their own houses. He said,“It will enable others to spend as little as possible of their income on paying rent. It will also enable others who might be too poor to pay for any type of accommodation to have a shelter over their heads.”

The NIQS boss also called for a policy that would take a critical look on abandoned projects in Nigeria. The surveyors are also seeking professional opinion on other critical national issues like housing, transparent contract administration and procurement, among others. Alufohai noted that quantity surveyors and issues of strategic importance are becoming widely known, adding that the surveyors should be understood by professionals in the construction industry and economy, as well as the general public. He explained that NIQS has developed a new constitution, adding that the profession should be better placed to play roles in national development for the benefit of the nation as a whole. He pointed out that the body had used advocacy tools such as media interviews, seminars, advertisements and press releases to promote facts and viewpoints that will advance the cause of the profession and

n oil and gas Expert with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Mr. Yasuhiko Kamakura, has said the oil and gas industry across the world, and in particular a developing nation like Nigeria, is facing increasing shortages of skilled workers. Declaring that more than half of all oilfield professionals will reach retirement age in the next decade, Kamakura said this development poses a real challenge for the industry, adding this development could be an opportunity for oil- and gas-producing countries to boost the involvement of their local workforce. Presenting an expert to the apex global labour body on New Year day, Kamakura said while oil and gas companies are expanding operations into new and ever more remote geo-

graphic locations that they will have to build local skilled workforces so that they can rely less on expatriate services. He said to this end, governments, employers and workers need to collaborate at a global level to determine the way forward to solve a shortage of skills in the industry in the not too distant future. According to him, global demand for crude oil and natural gas has escalated in recent years leading to a surge in investments and, consequently, increasing shortages of qualified workers. Kamakura explained that global energy demand will increase by 35 per cent from 2010 to 2035, based on revelations from the International Energy Agency (IEA), and that new sources of oil and gas mean future demand will most likely be met, only that the industry may not find the workers it needs to exploit new reservoirs.

VConnect lists 500, 000 firms online KUNLE A ZEEZ

igeria’s first and largest local search engine and leading information service provider by VConnect Global Services Limited, VConnect, has listed 500, 000 companies on its website even as it unveiled a new look based on users feedback, services and coverage. The new VConnect make over which which was launched on December 10, 2012 provides a fresh look and user friendly website that enables users to search for information faster and more accurate than ever before. The company said the new online platform is to change the game once again in the information service and search engine business in Nigeria. Website also allows for more in-depth search results. According to the General

Manager, VConnect Global Services Limited, Mr. Deepankar Rustagi, the new VConnectwebsite will enhance quality service delivery to the esteemed users of the service for better and faster search result. Rustagi said, “The new look VConnect gives a better resolution, it is faster both on laptop and desktops with more friendly interface for the users and there has been a drastic increase in the number of users connecting due to these improvements.” He further revealed that the company has achieved two remarkable milestones by growing the database from zero, where there is no organised database, 500, 000 listed and verified businesses mainly Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, within two years and also offering a service that is more optimised for mobile application to help search faster and better.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance

Thursday, January 3, 2013

FBN Life acquires Fin Insurance OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO

nvestigation by National Mirror revealed that FBN Life, a subsidiary of First Bank of Nigeria Plc has acquired Fin Insurance Plc from FCMB Bank. A reliable source in the insurance industry who confirmed this said FBN Life purchased FCMB’s 96 percent share in Fin Insurance. Managing Director of the company, Mr. Val Ojumah had last year informed the public of the company’s intent to acquire another insurance company. Ojumah said shareholders of the company have mandated them to acquire a non-life

license on or before half year and as soon has this is done a public announcement will be made to that effect. It would be recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) suspended the universal banking regime and ordered Deposit Money Banks to divest from all non-banking operations last year. While some of the banks which fully owned or had substantial stakes in insurance firms immediately commenced the sale of their insurance subsidiaries, some commenced moves to get the approval of CBN to hold onto their group holding licences. Others like FCMB however requested extra time to decide

whether to divest or adopt the group holding structure for their insurance subsidiaries. The insurance companies wholly or partially owned by banks are UBA Metropolitan Life Insurance, FBN Life Insurance, UnityKapital Insurance Plc, Intercontinental Wapic Insurance Plc, Intercontinental Life Insurance, Zenith Life Insurance, Zenith General Insurance and Union Assurance Plc. However, since United Bank of Africa Plc has a group holding licence, it said it would not divest from UBA Metropolitan Life Insurance, but would retain it under the group. FBN Life Insurance was retained under the group structure of First bank.

GTBank re-affirms commitment to secure banking UDO ONYEKA

uaranty Trust Bank Plc has re-affirmed its commitment to the safety of stakeholder funds as it prepares for the 2013 financial year. Investigations show the bank has installed several new technologies and introduced a number of internal procedures that enable it identify spurious transactions and prevent frauds on customer accounts. Speaking on the development, Managing Director/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank; Mr. Segun Agbaje said the bank was committed to ensure its customers are shielded from the escalating incidence of online and other forms of fraud being experienced within the industry. Agbaje said, ‘we have introduced several new processes internally, which I cannot disclose that make it more difficult for

fraudsters to have access to our customer accounts. Additionally we have a mutually beneficial relationship with law enforcement agencies, such as the Nigerian Police Force that enable us identify potential fraudsters and apprehend them before they act’. He concluded by saying the constant review of the Bank’s security infrastructure and processes were pivotal to its recent success in discovering frauds and foiling attempts, that could have translated to huge losses for the Bank. These include a recent attempt by some unscrupulous individuals to defraud a customer of a large amount of money. The situation has been contained and the individuals concerned are presently aiding the police with their investigations. Sources from the bank confirmed the matter is being dealt with and the Bank is leaving no stone unturned in dealing with development.

65 ships expected in Lagos –NPA

he Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Wednesday that 65 ships were expected to arrive at the various terminals in Lagos ports between Jan. 2 and Jan. 28. The NPA’s daily publication, ``Shipping Position’’, made available to newsmen in Lagos, said the ships contained fish, bulk wheat, rice, petroleum products, general cargo, new and used vehicles, steel products, palm oil and

bulk sugar. The document indicated that 15 of the ships would come in with petroleum products such as petrol (PMS), diesel (AGO), kerosene (DPK) and aviation fuel (JET A1). It added that 11 ships were waiting to berth and discharge petroleum products at the various oil terminals. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 11 other ships are waiting to discharge bulk wheat, bulk sugar, rice, and fertiliser.

First Bank appoints Adelabu as ED L-R; Category Manager, Grand Oak Limited, Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji; Regal gin brand Ambassador, Alhaji Alabi Pasuma, and Regional Sales Manager, Lagos, Mr. Abiodun Solarin, during a Regal Gin business nite, in Lagos yesterday.

Jobless Nigerians to be captured in 2013 survey MESHACK IDEHEN

he Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation Initiatives, Mrs. Josephine Washma, has said that the Federal Government will conduct a census of unemployed persons in the country in the first quarter of this year. She said the new survey will be carried out nationwide, and that it will form the basis for the implementation of job creation initiatives of government, saying also a new unemployment survey is being developed in conjunction with the National Bureau of Statistics, to update the existing data base. Speaking through a statement recently, Washma explained that the NBS already has the structures on ground to ensure

a successful survey, adding, the issue of unemployment cannot be properly addressed without a reliable data base, adding that proper job planning requires the knowledge of the number of the unemployed. According to her, not much can be achieved in the area of job creation until the Federal, state governments and other stakeholders know how many persons are unemployed; how many are skilled, the number that are unskilled and how many of them can be given training upgrade to improve their performance, saying also that what has been done before was a general survey but that the planned one is to enable government to direct efforts at those areas that are of critical importance. Washma said government has also set up a standing com-

mittee on job creation which is chaired by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu,disclosing that the committee which will soon be inaugurated will drive the intervention initiatives aimed at addressing joblessness among the youths in country. She admitted that though there are various employment generation programmes being ran by government agencies, what needs to be done now, is to reassess such initiatives and to see if they actually are adding value or need to be restructured in certain ways to fit into the present expectations, saying also that the issue of unemployment also have to do with employable, because lot of school leavers do not possess the require skills to attract employers of labour.

etermined to deepen its ongoing corporate transformation exercise, First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced the appointment of its Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Adebayo Adekola Adelabu to the Board as Executive Director. The appointment of Mr. Adelabu, who will still retain his portfolio as the Chief Financial Officer, is expected to follow the statutory approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.The choice of the the new director, according to the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Mr. Bisi Onasanya is geared towards enhancing the capacity of the Executive Management and Board, by deepening specialization and strengthening the corporate governance culture of the Bank. A first Class accounting degree graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and an alumnus of global accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr. Adelabu was formerly the Group Financial Controller of the Bank between 2009 and 2010 and the pioneer head of Business Performance Monitoring Department between 2005 and 2007.

Under his leadership, the existing performance management framework for the Bank was set up while he was also credited with the successful execution of the Bank’s medium term strategic plan targeted at profitable growth with respect to revenue maximization and cost optimization. He also had a brief stint at Standard Chartered Bank between 2007 and 2009 as General Manager and the West African Regional Head of Finance and Strategy.Mr. Adelabu is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria with over 20 years of global and far-reaching professional experience in Banking, Audit and Management consulting. Commenting further on the appointment, Mr. Onasanya said as the leading financial services institution in Nigeria, the Bank is keen on ensuring adherence to international best practices in the constitution of its Board and Management. “We, therefore, continuously seek the most capable talents in-house and in the industry to fill vacant positions within the group, he said”.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Info Tech

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Laying foundation for consistent ICT growth

n less than two years of its creation by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, the Ministry of Created barely a year and a half ago to facilitate the transformation of Nigeria into a digiCommunication Technology has made remarkable tal economy, the Ministry of Communication Technology has, within the limited period, impact in putting in place major initiatives which, in- achieved a number of milestones and has also put in place initiatives aimed at fastdustry experts contend, are necessary foundation for tracking the continuous development of the ICT sector, reports KUNLE AZEEZ. consistent transformation of the country’s ICT landscape. On assuming office in 2011, the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, had unambiguously identified four cardinal areas Federal Government would be focusing on towards driving the frontier of ICT development to a greater height. These, according to her, include connecting Nigeria through facilitating the provision of a ubiquitous broadband infrastructure; and connecting Nigerians by providing access to infrastructure and device ownership to promote inclusive development. Others are the promotion of local content by promoting local value addition in the industry in thte area of hardware and software; as well as the promotion of ICT in government by facilitating eGovernment to ensure transparency, efficiency, productivity in governance and citizen engagement. Consequently, the ministry has doled out interesting statistics of achievement recorded in each of the critical areas of focus for the ministry in 2012. In the area of connecting Nigeria, the ministry said it had in the last 12 months, achieved remarkable progress in facilitating increased access to ICTs. It stated that teledensity ratio has increased in fixed line access from 0.51 per cent in 2011 to 1.5 per cent in 2012. The ratio will increase to 10 per cent by 2015. Ratio of mobile subscriptions increased from 68.49 in 2011 to 71.54 per cent in 2012. Ratio will increase to 97.69 per cent by 2015. Access of rural population to Omobola NCC boss, Eugene Juwah ICTs increased from 1.5 per cent in 2011 to 1.65 per cent Economic Council on the need for multiple taxations in 2012. HE INISTRY OF and regulations bedevilling the industry to be tackled According to the ministry, mobile phone coverage in OMMUNICATION at the state level to enable quality service delivery in the the rural areas stands at 40 per cent in 2012 and is exnation. pected to hit 60 per cent by 2015 and 100 per cent by 2017. ECHNOLOGY HAS CREATED “The ministry also collaborated with the Ministry of In the area of internet speed, the ministry claimed Environment in 2012 to reduce approval times for erectthat said speed of broadband access has increased from REMARKABLE IMPACT IN ing base stations in order to promote infrastructure de1.0 in 2011 to 1.8 in 2012. This, the ministry said, was exPUTTING IN PLACE MAJOR ployment and improve service quality. pected to increase to 5.0 by 2015. While cost of broad“Also, in order to further improve quality of service band subscription -3GB package per year- has reduced INITIATIVES WHICH INDUSTRY delivery of telecoms operators, the ministry mandated from N93, 000 to N72, 000 in 2012. It is expected to go the Nigerian Communications Commission to ban all down by 50 per cent by 2015. EXPERTS CONTEND ARE promotional activities negatively impacting quality deAlso, the ministry document made available to NaNECESSARY FOUNDATION FOR livery of telecoms services. Currently, the ministry is tional Mirror also showed that device ownership rate also championing the creation of a critical infrastrucin personal computers currently stands at 4.5 per cent CONSISTENT TRANSFORMATION ture bill that will protect communications infrastrucand is expected to increase to 12 per cent by 2015, while ture in the country,” she added. ownership of mobile devices rate in the country stands OF THE COUNTRY S Also, in November 2012, the ministry launched a stuat 60 per cent and is expected to increase to 80 per cent LANDSCAPE dent Personal Computer ownership scheme that will by 2015. enable students in tertiary institutions own a PC for as The ministry’s achievement in the area of content Meanwhile, industry experts have maintained that little as N3, 500. The scheme will also create captive marand applications shows that the number of Government ket for local assemblers. services delivered online increased from 10 per cent in all the achievements recorded may have been mirage if “Among other projects, which are currently serving 2011 to 30 per cent in 2012 and is projected to increase to the ministry had not tactfully embarked on a number of as foundations for increased IT penetration and access ICT development-oriented projects. 100 per cent by 2015. One of those projects was the development and sub- in the country, the ministry is working to ensure that Other areas where the ministry has demonstrated strong commitment in 2012 was to ensure functional mission of the first harmonised national ICT policy to made/assembled in Nigeria brands are more favouronline presence of government Ministries, Department the Federal Executive Council, which got an approval in ably positioned to achieve the national objectives of job creation, domestic value added and growth in the ICT principle in August, 2012. and Agencies, (MDAs). Through the ministry’s campaign for ubiquitous industry,” Nkanga said. As such, the ministry said the number of MDAs with Meanwhile, Johnson has also itemised a number of effective websites increased from 370 in 2011 to 420 in broadband access in the country, a presidential commit2012. “By 2015, all the MDAs will have effective websites.” tee was inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan. priorities for the ministry in the current year into 2015. According to her, “We would now focus on increasing With telecoms infrastructures gradually increas- The committee’s report, expected to be submitted soon, ing in terms of deployment, it has continued to aid the would facilitate the development of broadband strategy the contribution of the ICT industry to Gross Domestic Product; connecting Nigeria by facilitating the provioperation of banking industry in terms of electronic and roadmap for national development. Speaking on ongoing efforts being made by the min- sion of a ubiquitous and cost effective national ICT intransactions, especially in the area of emerging mobile istry to improved telecoms services, the minister’s frastructure; and engendering software development, money transaction volume. Already, the ministry said verified mobile money Special Media Adviser, Mrs. Efem Nkanga, said in col- ICT entrepreneurship and innovation and the development of a strong and vibrant ICT industry.” agents currently stand at 3000 and is expected to in- laboration with the Ministry of Works, Ministry of She added that the ministry would also be focusing crease to 50,000 by 2015. Total value of Mobile Money Communication Technology in the year under review transactions currently stands at N228 million and is ex- developed new Federal Right of Way guidelines that more on improving quality of service delivery; ensurpected to increase to N151 billion by 2015, while total vol- will ensure improved quality of service delivery within ing local content and skills development to create jobs and sustain the industry; while pursuing cost reducume of non-store shopping increased from N62 billion the industry. Explaining further she said: “The minister also in tion, transparency in governance and citizen engagein 2011 to N77.5 billion in 2012. “This figure will increase December, 2012 made a presentation to the National ment to promote efficiency in governance. to N658 billion by 2015.

T C

’ ICT

Info Tech

Thursday, January 3, 2013

NCS 2013 IT confab to hold in Osun KUNLE A ZEEZ

he Nigerian Computer Society has said the 2013 International Conference of the society would old in Osogbo, the Osun State capital in July this year. The agreement to hold the annual conference in the state was reached during the 2012 edition of the National Information Technology Merit Award organised by the NCS in Lagos. According to the NCS President, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, the decision to propose the hosting of the conference in Osun was predicated on the various IC initiatives which the current administration in the state is putting place to jump start IT revolution in the state. “We have discovered that the State of Osun is now driving innovative initiatives to write its name on the map of ICT revolution in Nigeria by deploying ICT tools to drive efficiency in government services delivery to the people of the state and to em-

power the citizens of the state.” In his remarks at the event, the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who accepted the offer to host the NCS IT conference in the state also commended NCS for its developmental role in IT in the country. He confirmed Osun State’s readiness to host the next NCS Conference scheduled for July 2013. “The government and wonderful people of Osun State looks forward to hosting NCS members and other delegates/ resource persons to the 2013 NCS International Conference and AGM in Oshogbo.” The governor also outlined innovative technology initiatives of the state, while inviting IT stakeholders to partner with the state. He stated enthusiastically that his government was focused on making Osun state the IT hub of Nigeria. Meanwhile, the NCS President has said the main objective of NITMA was to recognise the contribution of individuals in the Society to the development

of Information and Communication Technology. According to Aladekomo, the annual event was “in line with the association’s strategy of celebrating heroes in the sector to stimulate outstanding performances that will drive real, inclusive development and transformation in Nigeria through IT. The hosting of NITMA also encourages healthy competition while spurring innovation and creativity within the IT community nationwide”. Full of excitement and well attended, apart from the governor, dignitaries at Nigeria’s most celebrated IT event, included the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, who achieved NCS Fellowship status; Director, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Emeka Ezekwesili, representing the Minister of Communication Technology; immediate past president of the NCS, Prof. Charles Uwadia and Provost, College of Fellows, Alhaji Ladi Ogunneye.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tech Box Sony shows off new Xperia smartphones

ony Mobile has struggled to keep its plans secret, with plenty of rumours surrounding the forthcoming Yuga and Odin handsets. Overnight, the handsets saw a quick reveal, with press shots appearing for both. Those names are codenames, and we’ve recently seen speculation that the Yuga will be coming to market as the Xperia Z, as well as a full prototype walkthrough elsewhere on the internet. The Xperia ZL looks to be a more compact version of the same device, with rumours suggesting it has the same specs: we’re not sure that will be the case, as both handsets would sit with little differentiation in Sony’s product line-up. Phone users have been expecting a flagship launch from Sony Mobile, following the announcements they have seen in previous years for the Xperia Arc and the Xperia S. While it is expected that phone users would be able to lay their hands on the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL at CES 2013 in Las Vegas next week, it’s interesting that the shots have the date of Thursday 3 January (today) on the display, so

perhaps they’ll see an early announcement. Rumoured specs for the Yuga/ Xperia Z include a 5-inch 1920 x 1080 pixel display, quad-core Qualcomm processor and a 13-megapixel camera around the back. The handsets certainly look pretty slick and we’ll be sure to bring you all the details once Sony Mobile makes any official announcement.

LG to expand lineup with new Google TV models

G Electronics Inc., the second- largest Korean electronics maker, is unveiling two new television models based on Google Inc.’s software. The Seoul-based company will introduce the televisions at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month, the company said in a statement. The new models Chief Executive Officer, New Horizons Nigeria, Mr. Tim Akano and Chairman, International Multilateral Partnership will feature a redesigned remote Against Cyber Threats, Mr. Amin Mohd, during the signing of a partnership agreement between New Horizons IMPACT control and improved voice recin Malaysia recently. ognition-based search.

Telecoms subscribers seek improved services KUNLE A ZEEZ

elecoms subscribers under the auspices of the National Association of telecoms Subscribers has called on the telecoms operators to work towards significantly improve their network quality of service, QoS, this year. Speaking with National Mirror on phone, the NATCOMS President, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, decried the intermittent quality of service experienced by subscribers on various network n the previous year while demand improved service quality in 2013. Ogunbanjo noted that with the planned introduction of mobile number portability in the

first quarter of this year, telecoms operators would need to improve their network quality to be able to withstand the increased competition that would spring up when the MNP is launched. “We are all witnesses to developments in terms of sanctions, sanctions and sanctions coming from the Nigerian Communications Commission to the operators, all as a result of the decline in general quality of service, which NCC said did not match up with the Commission’s set Key Performance Indicators and as such they were penalised.” Ogunbanjo noted that the networks were facing a number of challenges ranging from multiple taxations, high cost and delay in granting operators

Right of Way permits, constant fibre cuts and willful damage to telecoms infrastructures, among others, “all these have adverse effects on quality of service.” “Last year also, we were all living witnesses to the onslaught launched against telecoms facilities in some part of the country where close to 30 base stations belonging to operators were bombed by suspected terrorists. Indeed, all this affected the quality of service,” he said. He called for increased collaboration between the operators and the governments at all levels and their agencies to protect telecoms infrastructure while addressing other critical issues of multiple taxations, high costs of Right of Way, which he believed constituted costs that operators [ass on to subscribers in forms of high tariff.

Google, operator of the world’s most popular search engine, is trying to get more electronics makers to adopt its television software, which debuted to lackluster sales for initial hardware partners Sony Corp. and Logitech International South Africa in 2010. The software brings Google’s search and online services, such as YouTube, to television screens with Internet connectivity. LG said it will use Google’s software in some models alongside its own smart TV technology.

HP may dispose of non-performing units

ewlett-Packard said it is evaluating the disposition of businesses that don’t meet goals more than a year after Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Meg Whitman, said she didn’t plan to spin off the personal-computer division. “We also continue to evaluate the potential disposition of assets and businesses that may no longer help us meet our objectives,” Hewlett-Packard said in a December 27 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. That language wasn’t included in the document a year earlier. Since September 2011, Whitman has been working to turn around Palo Alto, Californiabased Hewlett-Packard after five straight quarters of declining sales and years of botched deals, management tumult and strategic

missteps. An $8.8 billion writedown of the acquired software company Autonomy Corporation in November, 2012 renewed calls on Wall Street for Hewlett-Packard to realize shareholder value by shedding certain businesses, such as PCs and printers. Hewlett-Packard, the world’s largest maker of personal computers and printers, discussed the evaluation in the “Risk factors” section of its regulatory filing, saying that any disposal would have possible drawbacks. “When we decide to sell assets or a business, we may encounter difficulty in finding buyers or alternative exit strategies on acceptable terms in a timely manner, which could delay the achievement of our strategic objectives,” Hewlett- Packard said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Brands & Marketing

he year 2013 is expected to build the bridge to the future of Nigerian marketing communications industry through digital media convergence. Currently beset by the global economic crunch leading to closure of some advertising agencies, decline in ad spend to some traditional media channel, a radical change-digital integration and industry reform- is about to sweep the sector like a whirlwind. Starting from increasing mobile penetration expected to hit 80 per cent in 2013 and aggressive changing habits of consumers in the use of media to communicate, shop and how they have become absorbed by these new point-of-exposure, any marketing or media company according to experts that fails to move along with the tidal wave might find advertisers and clients dumping their interpretation of communication briefs on “archaic resource shelves” and plunge further into trouble. But as the industry wobbled into 2013, advertising agencies, advertisers, PR firms, direct marketing agencies, industry regulators as well as traditional media are more likely to yield to the digital call and move with trends than fall out of budget inclusion. For instance in a Mediafact report last year, print media experienced less ad spend in 2011 as against 2010 owing to migration of consumers to social media among others. Accordingly, in 2011, television advertising spend hit N46bn as against the N39.6bn recorded in 2010. Radio recorded N13.1bn as against N12.8bn spent in 2010. But the print media declined to N15.3bn from N16.5bn in 2010 just as Outdoor ad spend also declined to N28.1bn from N28.5bn spent in 2010. On that note, this dangerous signal is expected to make all players in the sector brace for the new communication order. A National Mirror chat with leading marketing communication experts shows that 2013 will be a tough year for most agencies. Speaking from a media buyer’s expectation, the Business Unit Director at Carat South Africa, Mr. Dele Odugbemi, told National Mirror what will be the focus in the New Year. “For a long time digital media has been treated as a fifth medium. So campaigns get passed onto it as an afterthought. Its turned out that digital media is actually a platform that has made interaction with consumer possible not just as a medium but also changed the way we interact with other media. So, there is no longer an excuse not to put digital media into the heart of our communications planning. Thankfully, a lot of briefs in 2012 have shown this level of understanding so the expectation is that the Nigerian marketing communications industry will invest in knowledge acquisition of digital media which will no doubt be a game changer.” Besides media buying, public relations practice is also expected to change its game in 2013. According to Mr. Bolaji Okusaga, Managing Director, The Quadrant Company, TQC, the unprecedented innovation which has given rise to the era of convergence blurring the divide between the technology and the art communication will set the rules for competition. “The

2013: Digital media to be game changer Wobbling out of the 2012 economic impasse which forced clients to cut budget and reduce use of traditional media, especially newspaper, magazines and billboards, cross section of leading marketing communication professionals said the industry will witness digital media integration in 2013, a reason for traditional media to bother about, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI. Marketing Communication Industry is set to witness major changes in 2013. This is so given the unprecedented innovation which has given rise to the era of convergence blurring the divide between the technology and the art communication. Today, we are beginning to see major telecommunications companies get on the Mobile Advertising bandwagon, essentially in an attempt to break the monopoly of the traditional platforms. We have also seen new innovations in content generation and optimization with the media not just defining the message but in fact becoming the message. Furthermore, there are also glaring shifts in message consumption patterns as the mobile platform gradually become ubiquitous. What this means for Communications Agencies in 2013 is that they had better be ready to innovate or get out of the game.” In doing that, TQC, the leading PR firm in Nigeria, after five years of research came out to launch a digital platform, Qlichy.com, for businesses as part of efforts to change the game of PR businesses in Nigeria. As agencies and industry players bend towards what clients and advertis-

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR COMMUNICATIONS AGENCIES IN 2013 IS THAT THEY HAD BETTER BE READY TO INNOVATE OR GET OUT OF THE GAME ers are already thinking, the second vice president of Advertising Association of Nigeria, ADVAN and the Africa Marketing Director-Family Nutrition at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Mr. Lampe Omoyele reveals plans by advertisers to cruise into digital platform and reduce spending on traditional media. “You know advertisers will look at their strategies before making decision. In terms of 2013, we will support the press but from industry perspective, advertisers will always look at any media that will deliver values. It is onus on the media owners to increase their digital presence. The Newsweek recently

stopped their print copies for digital. You need to look at how you merge the print and digital media. Whether we like it or not, consumers have gone digital. That is more of a concern for us as advertisers,” he said. Another major game changer expected in 2013 is the content management across all media platform. According to Odugbemi, the consumer have become more powerful with their communication tools like smart phones, smart TV and tablets and as a result, the way they consume content is changing “Content has always been looked at as what is produced from a ‘source’ and put on a ‘mass medium’ to generate interest. Psy’s Gangnam style and its 1 billion views in 2012 has shown you do not need an MTV to be a hit. Content isn’t just owned by the networks anymore. It can be passed on to consumers directly and if brands are to be relevant in the new era, they need to integrate themselves into new sources of content and the industry will need to manage content better than it did in the broadcast media era.” Meanwhile, the advertising industry reform is another major move that will change advertising business in 2013. The new reform by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, commence on January 2013. The reform, according to APCON, will set new rules for practitioners, foreign practitioners and agencies operating in Nigeria. The 5th industry reform, according to Chairman, APCON, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, “Come January 1st, 2013, Advertising in Nigeria will no longer be the same”. Agencies will have to scale hurdles and conformity agreement to be licensed to practise in the industry though some players in the sectoral group are afraid that the reform maybe yet another Tsunami that would force some agencies and practitioners out of business. But against the great expectations that will change the industry in the new year, Odugbemi believes training and human capacity development in the industry will reduce the strange effects on businesses and practitioners. “To bring out the best out of the talents in the industry, training and development should be intensified. Its been a key focus in the last few years and standards are improving so here is hoping that this continues into 2013. I believe that if these three areas are attended to in the coming years, Nigeria’s marketing communications industry will attract the sort of talents it needs to be one of the best in the world.” Also, the Managing Director, BlueFlower Communication and President of Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria, PRCAN, Mr. Chido Nwakanma, believes that with the current training the sub-sector in undergoing, public relations would grow in 2013. “NIPR is tightening its focus on professionalism and its professional accreditation programmes. NIPR and its corporate sectoral arm PRCAN intend to work closer together,” he said.

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, January 3, 2013

African PR group seeks certification for practitioners STORIES: ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

he Secretary General of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya has advocated that upcoming public relations professionals in Nigeria should pass through methodical certifications before they can practice in Nigeria. Badejo-Okusanya stated this recently when he received a delegation of the newly elected executive committee of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) at the corporate headquarters of his firm, CMC Connect Limited (Perception Managers) in, Lagos. Advising the PRCAN executive committee, Badejo-Okusanya suggested that the association should continue in its stride at capacity building through its capacity development programme, the MasterClass Series with which it has been training upcoming PR practitioners in the country. “There is need for some level of certification for consulting. There must be certification for various specialisations as it applies in other professions. If we go in that direction, we can then adopt persuasion before enforcement. “We may borrow examples from

other parts of the world. We can check Global Alliance, CIPR, etc and set our standards along those lines. We may, for instance, say that a PRCAN member-firm must be led by a Category 4 consultant. Elevation from one category to the other would be based on continuous training and practice,” Badejo-Okusanya suggested. He commended also the PRCAN President and his colleagues on the executive committee for hitting the ground running upon their election, explaining that, that was one of the benefits of continuity. He said he identified with a number of steps already taken and believed that would stand the association in good stead. For him, the bigger and better PRCAN concept encapsulates all that the association should really be, and that he subscribed to the campaign because it was long overdue and that the association has the clout to pull it through. He was pleased with the working relationship which PRCAN has with its mother body, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. “I am delighted about PRCAN’s relationship with NIPR. It is good for the growth of the industry, you must keep it up.” The APRA Secretary General, who was a former NIPR Lagos chapter

chairman, urged PRCAN to play more impactful roles in APRA. This, he said, would expose practitioners in Nigeria to experience in other parts of Africa. “We share common challenges across the continent and that was the basis for APRA. I will like to bring PRCAN on board. Let us see how it is done elsewhere and share values. I thought we were doing well in public relations practice in Nigeria until I went to Kenya. We have a communications summit coming up in Addis Ababa between May 8 and May 10, 2013. The theme is: Rising Africa: The Imperatives for Communications. I will implore PRCAN members to attend the summit”, concluded Badejo-Okusanya. Nwakanma thanked Badejo-Okusanya for the warm reception and explained that the courtesy visit was “informed by the dual role of our host – being the Secretary General of APRA and a leading light in public relations practice in Nigeria who had served as chairman of the foremost chapter of NIPR, as well as Governing Council Member of the institute.” The visit, he said, would therefore enable the executive committee tap into the knowledge, experience and contacts of Badejo-Okusanya in the quest to build a Bigger and Better PRCAN.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cadbury Bournvita Yummy Life promotion produces sixth millionaire The sixth millionaire has emerged in the ongoing Cadbury Bournvita Yummy Life Promotion at the week 6 draw which was held on Friday, December 14, 2012 at the company’s head office in Lagos, Adedayo Funmilayo Hannah from Ilorin, Kwara State, became the lucky winner of the grand prize through the electronic draw witnessed by the regulatory agencies and the media. Th winner, secondary school teacher at Government Day Secondary School, Tanke, who was contacted immediately could not hide her joy and excitement. When asked how she intends to spend the winning, she declared that she will pay her tithe to the church and invest the rest in profitable venture. She thanked Cadbury for changing her life for good. Adedayo joins five other winners of the ultimate prize of N1million in the promotion which is the biggest by the brand in its 52-year history in Nigeria. The prior grand prize winners include Amina Ahmed, an undergraduate student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna, Tomori Oladejo, a petty trader from Lagos, Patience Akeraqh from Enugu, Mike Ukonu, a Businessman from Owerri and another student, Elekuro Adeyemi Oluwakemi from Ibadan. Apart from the six millionaires, the Cadbury Yummy Life Promotion has also produced six lucky winners of N250,000.00 cash each and 46 winners of N100,000.00 cash each while several others have won recharge cards and free products as part of the N200 million worth of prizes to be won in the on-going promotion. The Marketing Manager, Food Drinks, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Chioma Afe expressed satisfaction with the excitement that the promotion is generating among the consumers by making life yummier, more exciting and providing a superior life with the different cash prizes, free recharge cards for their phones and 10percent extra free products on the 450g and 900g Cadbury Bournvita jar purchased.

JPKingdom’s treats customers with 70% price slash

L-R: Sunglass/Glamour.com Logistics Manager, Mr Oluwagbemiro Dada, CEO; Mr Jaime Moreno and Offline Marketing Manager, Mr Chibuzo Ohiagu, during unveiling of Sunglass.com/Glamour.com to the media in Lagos recently.

Dark Sailor Rum hosts Lagos consumers

n continuation of its customer bonding and brand positioning, Dark Sailor Rum from the stable of Grand Oak Limited, has hosted the Lagos version of the Dark and Daring Party amidst pump and pageantry at Club Rumors in Lagos recently. The fun filled event witnessed huge turnout from consumers and major distributors of the brand as they were entertained by lots of artistes at the venue. Among the Personalities at the event include: Ayobami Ayoola, Winner, MTN Project Fame Season 5 and Twitwi of Wazobia FM. Addressing guests at the event, Cate-

gory Manager, Mr. Biodun Ayodeji, said the consumer engagement platform is to establish a close interaction with the brand considering the fact the brand had a re-launch at Akure in October. He said: “This initiative is designed to set the brand apart from the pack when it comes to consumer engagement. “The objective of Dark and Daring Party is to connect with the passion of our fun loving consumers, generate positive word of mouth for Dark Sailor Rum and to clearly establish a platform for consumer engagement.” In his speech at the event, Brand

Manager of Dark Sailor Rum, Mr. Tope Adenle said Dark and Daring Party is designed to connect with the passion of the consumers. “We have taken a step higher to see that the brand creates a platform whereby fun loving consumers can come together and have fun, stating that it is also a night where they can meet for interaction. “This is a night to entertain consumers on the platform of Dark Sailor Rum, a night that has been designed to ensure that consumers have 100 percent fun and this is a night that no consumer will ever forget”, he said.

JPKingdom, Nigeria’s fastest growing clothier for ladies, has said its Christmas sales promo of 70 percent price slash was meant to reward its teeming customers for their loyality. The Chief Executive of the outfit, Mrs. Temi Aboderin-Owoyomi said this at the launch of the clothiers’s month-long Xmas promo. xxx According to Aboderin-Owoyemi, the sales splash is the first the company would be organizing since it started business nearly a year ago. “We are proud to tell Nigerians that ours is about the biggest store for wears, shoes, accessories, and what not for the plus-size African woman,” she enthused. “Whatever your size, be assured that we’re here to satisfy your clothing needs both during the yuletide and indeed after.” She observed that finding good quality wears and authentic clothing accessories at affordable cost is a huge challenge, noting that most boutiques in the country underserve Nigerian women in this respect. “We, however, took on this challenge as an area for delivering value. Hence, although our stock is about 90 per cent U.K import, with as little as N3, 000, you still can go home with high quality purchase from us.” She said patronage has been encouraging, inspiring her to go the whole hog. “I tell you our clientele-base is growing phenomenally despite being a year-old business,” she said. Interestingly, a huge demand for items form JPKingdom is coming from distant places as far as Kaduna, Enugu, among others.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Campari breaks ‘Unstoppable’ TV commercial ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

n line with its recent marketing campaign to deepen the Campari brand equity and share of voice in the Nigerian market, a brand new 45 seconds television commercial (TVC) for the world’s best known aperitif, Campari, titled ‘Unstoppable’ has been launched into the Nigerian market and is currentlydominating the airwave pan-Nigeria. The stylish new TVC has perfectly blended the stimulating and sensual essence of the iconic beverage with the optimistic nature of the national character to create something that feels uniquely Nigerian. According to a source from the ad agency that created the TVC, ‘Unstoppable’ offers a glimpse into the life of an inspiring and charismatic Nigerian man played by David Gyasi, star of the movie‘The Cloud Atlas’. “As we follow him through his work day and into

the evening, he is seen enjoying Campari with friends before meeting an elegant and sensual woman, and a fellow Campari drinker, at a bar. The scene ends with the stylish and refined couple striding forward, leaving the viewer with a sense of intrigue and anticipation at things to come,” he said. Explaining the rationale behind the new creative work for the brand to our reporter, Richard Black, Marketing Director, Campari International, and who also oversaw the creation of the new campaign said, “We wanted to reflect the hope and positivity which characterise the Nigerian consumers, whilst staying true to the vibrancy and elegance of the world’s best-known aperitif. The Italian passion of Campari and the optimism of Nigerians are natural partners, which combine to create a sense of anticipation of things to come and a belief that anything is possible,” he added.

Gavin Whitfield, Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi Cape Town is a man who was saddled with the responsible to creating this masterpiece and he had this to say, “Nigeria has a diverse ethnic and cultural mix which makes the country a very complex one in terms of communication. We coupled our 15-year track record of creating communication for Nigeria altogether with in-depth research to ensure that we truly reflected the needs of our consumers and could offer them a story that they could identify with, and the resulting campaign reflects our findings – a young and outgoing population with an unshakeable optimism that is distinctively Nigerian.” The 45seconds unstoppable campaign has been aired in almost all the leading television stations and some payTV channels. In continuation, a 30 second format of the campaign has started running from January 1, 2013.

L-R: CEO, Gocuz Group, Dr Obinna Uzoh,; Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and his wife Margaret at the 2012 Ofala Nnewi Festival sponsored by MTN recently.

Rewarding consumer loyalty through promo

he Yuletide season provided a vantage platform for brands to reward consumer loyalty through series of sales promotion. What surprises one the most is that banks adopted several platforms to outdo one another in the reward scheme. The promotional activities are aimed at sustaining the established bond with the consumers. I guess banks leveraged on the economic situation to connect with the consumers. This in way identifies with the needs of consumers at a time like this when they need to have adequate money to meet their needs. The consumer promo in a way is designed to enable consumers inculcate good savings culture which in a tangible way aligns with the behavioral pattern and lifestyle of consumers. The success of any consumer promo is

hinged on its overall impact on the lives of the consumers. This is because any promotional activity should take cognisance of consumer needs, which to a large extent determine the success of such activity. In aligning with its brand promise; Sterling Bank designed the Sterling Savers Promo as a veritable platform to bond with the consumers. The promo is electronically based and thousands of the bank customers participated in the acitivity. A reward scheme like this should be embarked upon by brands to drive loyalty from customers and also creating enduring touch points. The Sterling Savers Promo conforms to the Unique Selling Proposition of the bank as one that propounded the one customer concept where the individual customer is accorded attention

ad VA NT AG E icon

Onubogu

nyekachi Onubogu is an experienced marketing and business development manager with cross functional and multi-national living and working experience across Africa. His career has spanned over 18 years in the sales, marketing, finance and general management functions at bluechip companies. The workaholic marketing communication expert has also worked with Guinness Nigeria Plc, as a marketing manager for two years and with Procter & Gamble in Nigeria and South Africa for 10 years. Also, Onubogu was an associate director with Prosperity Capital Management, Nairobi in Kenya from September 2008 to September 2010 as well as marketing manager with Family Care, Kimberly Clark South Africa from January 2008 to August 2008. After amassing wealth of

Brand X-Ray with Ayodeji Ayopo Tel: 08023448199 E-mail: mayomipo@yahoo.com and treated in a special way. The one customer concept is not one that gives preference to one customer over and above others; rather each customer is accorded the appropriate attention as customer issues are varied. It underscores the importance of feeling the pulse of the customer and responding appropriately to meet their needs. Each individual customer has a unique experience of the brand which promotes a beneficial relationship. The whole essence of the promo is to promote financial inclusion in the economy and also reward the bank’s customers. A potent strategy that the bank adopted with the savers promo is also to ensure that the unbanked

populace, estimated at 56 million ,is captured, This is a laudable goal as it moves beyond the mundane objectives of mere obtaining monetary deposits. The bank believes its balance sheet growth is secondary while it is strongly focused on its primary goal of reaching the unbanked. The bank should sustain this goal of having laser focus on the customer and should continually raise the bar of qualitative customer service delivery. The clearly defined objectives of the savers promo deepens the brand equity of the bank as it reinvent the rules of customer service delivery to remain a dynamic and forward looking brand in the financial services sector.

experience at these various competitive organisations with global reckon, Onubogu joined Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of quality food products in September 2010 as General Manager Marketing. Through his strategic marketing skills, the result-oriented graduate of Physics from the University of Jos, rose through the ranks to become the company’s Marketing Director in February 2012 until recently when he was elevated to the position of Commercial Director with effect from January 1, 2013. Onubogu is an alumnus of the prestigious Wharton Business School, Philadephia, US where he studied Advanced Management Programme in 2012. He also has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Gordon’s Institute of Business Sciences, University of Pretoria South Africa.

The response of the banks customers to the promo underscores the commitment of the bank to ensuring that it strives to provide top class services to its numerous customers at all times. The one customer concept is anchored on the premise that brands establish relationship with individual customers. This means superior customer values are designed, offered and achieved through close relationship with customers. It thus becomes imperative for brands to have holistic understanding of consumer needs and take concrete steps to achieve it. This is one crucial way to enable customers have both emotional and physical connection with the brand. Brand loyalty should be consistent activity and the onus is on brands to create channels to reward consumers and also gauge their perception about the brand. Companies and their brands should evolve strategies that deepen the bond between consumers and their brands.

Global Business

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Euro zone factory slump deepens, Asia perks up E uro zone factories sank deeper into recession in December as new orders tumbled, business surveys showed on Wednesday, a sharp contrast to continuing signs of revival in China. U.S. manufacturing reports, to be released later in the day, are expected to show activity in the world’s largest economy to have expanded modestly. Purchasing managers’ surveys in the 17-nation euro zone showed economic decline spread further into the core members, suggesting the overall economy may have slipped deeper into recession at the end of 2012. Markit’s Euro zone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) edged down to 46.1 in December from November’s 46.2, below a flash reading of 46.3. It has been below the 50 mark that divides growth from contraction since August 2011. “It’s pretty grim really,” said Jonathan Loynes at Capital Economics. “These surveys are pointing to a pretty deep recession. If the German industrial sector is contracting quite sharply it is pretty hard to see where growth across the euro zone as a whole is going to come from.”

Draghi

Germany, Europe’s largest economy, saw its crucial manufacturing sector shrink for the 10th straight month and at a faster pace, while French data showed a decline in all but one of the past 17 months. The slump in Spain deepened, while Italy’s index, although improved, remained below 50 for the 17th month.

Ireland was the only member of the currency union to show manufacturing growth in December. Separate data on Wednesday showed French car sales dropped 15 percent in December, the worst annual performance in 15 years, while Spanish new car registrations were down 23 percent. But British factory activity jumped unexpectedly to grow at its fastest pace since September 2011, raising the chance that its economy eked out some growth at the end of 2012. “The sector seems to be showing some signs of improvement - probably as the euro zone (debt) crisis is easing a little bit and Chinese growth is bottoming out,” said Rob Wood at Berenberg Bank. In Asia as a whole manufacturing activity expanded, driven by revival in China’s economy, but export demand was uneven, pointing to further sluggish growth for the region. Factory activity in India expanded at its strongest pace in six months in December, boosted by output and a spike in new orders and similar reports showed an increase in South Korea and Taiwan for the first time since May.

FTSE 100 hits 6,000 after U.S. strikes fiscal deal

he FTSE 100 smashed through the 6,000 barrier on Wednesday as investors celebrated a U.S. budget deal averting tax hikes and spending cuts that risked pushing the world’s largest economy into recession. By yesterday, London’s blue chip index rose 127.32 points, or 2.1 percent to 6,025.13, breaking above the 6,000 level for the first time FTSE 100 hits 6,000 after U.S. strikes fiscal dealsince July 2011, driven by big gains in miners and banks. TThe gains echoed the New Year’s Eve rally on Wall St, which was the biggest final-day gain in the S&P 500 since 1974. The catalyst for Wednesday’s rise was the approval by the U.S. House of Representatives of a bill raising taxes on top U.S. earners, fulfilling President Barack Obama’s re-election promise and avoiding, at least in the short-term, the $600 billion “fiscal cliff ”. “It is good to start the new year off with a bang but there is still a lot of stuff

to digest ... It will be interesting to see if these gains can be sustained,” Gerry Celaya, chief strategist at Red Tower Research, said. Miners were the main outperformers on Wednesday. The sector was a major laggard in 2012, ending the year flat compared with a 5.8 percent rise for the wider FTSE 100. Mining stocks were helped by positive PMI data out of China, the world’s largest consumer of raw materials, which allayed fears of a slowdown in demand, while the UK manufacturing PMI also showed an unexpected rebound in factory activity. Anglo American, which lost more than 20 percent in 2012, was one of the top early gainers, up 5 percent as some analysts tipped the firm for a turnaround in fortunes this year. Wednesday’s rally meant the FTSE 100 is up nearly 15 percent since June 2012 lows. Investors have been imbued with

Obama

confidence as central banks across the globe have taken action to support the financial system and attempt to boost growth.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

German inflation unexpectedly accelerated in December

Merkel

erman inflation unexpectedly accelerated in December as food and travel costs surged. The inflation rate in Europe’s largest economy, calculated using a harmonized European Union method, rose to 2.1 percent from 1.9 percent in November, the Federal Statistics Office in Wiesbaden said today. Economists had predicted inflation to remain unchanged, according to the median of 11 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey. In 2012, inflation averaged 2.1 percent. Inflation in Germany breached the European Central Bank’s 2 percent limit for a second year even as the debt crisis curbed spending and investment in the 17-nation currency bloc, the country’s largest export market. The euro area entered its second recession in four years in the third quarter and the German economy may have contracted markedly in the final three months of the year, the Bundesbank said on December 17. “We’ve seen massive increases in food prices in December which are interrupting the gradual decline of inflation rates,”said Thomas Kramer, an economist at NordLB in Hanover. “I wouldn’t exaggerate this development. Inflation should continue to moderate if energyprice driven costs ease further.” Oil prices fell more than 7 percent last year as the cooling economy curbed demand. The ECB last month lowered its economic forecasts and President Mario Draghi said he expects euro-area inflation to fall below 2 percent this year. The rate fell to 2.2 percent in November and economists predict it dropped to 2.1 percent last month. The European Union’s statistics office in Luxembourg will publish that report on January 4.

RBC takes top spot for stock sales from Toronto-Dominion

oyal Bank of Canada took the top spot for arranging stock sales in Canada last year, displacing Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) in the slowest year for equity financings since 2008. Royal Bank’s RBC Capital Markets unit arranged $5.63 billion in 68 equity financings, including Hudson’s Bay Co.’s (HBC) initial public offering, according to data

compiled by Bloomberg. Bank of Montreal (BMO)’s BMO Capital Markets unit rose to second, with 46 sales that raised $4.87 billion, while Toronto-Dominion’s TD Securities unit slipped to third. A Royal Bank of Canada sign is displayed in the financial district of Toronto, Ontario. “Last year -- excluding 2008 -- was one of the weakest we’ve seen over the last seven years,” Peter Miller, head of equity capital markets in Canada for BMO Capital Markets, said in an interview in Toronto. “All the uncertainty that’s aroundEurope and then China last year, with the commodity

prices, have challenged the market.” Canadian equity financings this year will be fueled by investor appetite for dividend-paying stocks and high-yield real estate investment trusts as low interest rates drive demand for higher returns, according to investment bankers. “The same themes that played out last year are probably going to continue in 2013, with the demand coming from both retail investors and institutions,” Sante Corona, head ofequity capital markets at TD Securities, said in an interview from Toronto. “That manifests itself in demand for dividend-paying common shares, REITs, pre-

ferred shares and convertible debentures. I don’t think that’s going to change.” The Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index, Canada’s benchmark stock gauge, rose 4 percent last year, trailing every developed stock market except Portugal and Spain. The Canadian economy will slow to a 1.8 percent rate of growth in 2013, from 2 percent last year and 2.6 percent in 2011, according to the median estimate of 29 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. That would be the slowest annual pace since the recession of 2009 and below economists’ estimates for 2 percent growth in the U.S. in 2013.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Stakeholders foresee more growth in capital market in 2013

ome capital market operators on Wednesday expressed optimism that the market would surpass the growth of 35.45 per cent recorded in 2013. They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the market would witness more foreign participation and reforms to ensure more growth. President, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, Mr Emeka Madubuike, said that the market would continue on its recovery path if the initiatives aimed at boosting investor confidence were implemented. Madubuike said that the initiatives included the introduction of the market makers and the prompt submission of

quarterly reports by listed companies. He said that the resolution of operators’ debts by the release of N22.8 billion forbearance package by the Federal Government would free funds for investment. Managing Director, APT Securities and Funds Ltd, Malam Garba Kurfi, said that early passage of the budget, unlike in the past, showed government’s seriousness to economic growth. According to him, the Federal Government’s decision to invest some portion of the Sovereign Wealth Fund will deepen the market. Kurfi said that the cancellation of the Value Added Tax and the stamp duty on transactions in the market

would increase participation. Mr David Adonri, the Managing Director, Lambeth Trust and Investment Ltd., called on government to reduce its borrowing in 2013 to ensure movement of funds to real sector and the equities. Adonri stressed the need for stability of macro-economic policies, infrastructural development and sustenance of reform initiatives to ensure economic growth. Mr Timothy Adesiyan, the President, Nigerian Shareholders Solidarity Association, called for enactment of laws that would encourage listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Adesiyan said that investors’ protection

should be paramount in 2013. NAN reports that the Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index grew by 35.45 per cent or 7,348.18 points in 2012 to close the year at 28,078.81 from 20,730.63 recorded in 2011. Also, the market capitalisation grew by N2.4 trillion to close at N8.97 trillion on Dec.31 from the N6.53 trillion it opened in January, 2012. NAN also reports that by the performance, the nation’s bourse has been ranked as third performing stock exchange in Africa. Egypt led other African markets with 49.56 per cent on year-to-date return. It was followed by Kenya with 39.32 per cent growth rate.

Source: NSE

Source: Afrinvest

Market indicators All-Share Index 28,501.21 points Market capitalisation 9,109trillion

NSE capitalisation appreciates by N135bn JOHNSON OKANLAWON

total of 175.98 million shares worth N1.9 billion were traded in 2,802 deals on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Wednesday. This was against the 215.58 million shares valued at N1.7 billion traded in 2,714 deals on Monday. Transactions open the year on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) recorded N135 billion gains as major blue chips recorded price gains. During the day, market capitalisation grew by N135 billion or 1.50 per

cent to close at N9.109 trillion as against the N8.974 trillion recorded on Monday, while All- Share Index which opened at 28,078.81 appreciated by 422.40 basis points or 1.50 per cent to close at 28,501.21 points. NewGold led other stocks on the gainers chart with a gain N2.00 kobo to close at N2, 534 per unit. Guaranty Trust Bank Plc followed with N1.60 kobo gain to close at N24.60 kobo, while Presco Plc grew by N1.50 kobo to close at N18.50 kobo per share. FBN Holding Plc rose by N1.38 kobo to close at N17.10 kobo per share and Nigerian Breweries Plc gained N1.00

kobo per share to close at N148.00 kobo. On the other hand, WAPCO Plc led the losers’ table with a N1.03 kobo to close at N57.50 kobo per share. Portland Paints Plc followed with N0.21 kobo to close at N4.15 kobo per share while Morison Plc loss N0.17 kobo to close at N3.30 kobo per share, John Holt Plc with N0.17 kobo loss to close at N3.23 kobo per share and Zenith Bank Plc with N0.09 kobo loss to close at N19.40 kobo per share. Trading recorded a volume of 175.985 million shares worth N1.882 billion transacts in 2,802 deals compared to 215.581

Goldman Sachs sped up $65m in stock awards

oldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) accelerated delivery of $65 million in stock awards to 10 executives, including Chief Executive Officer Lloyd C. Blankfein, helping them avoid higher tax rates that take effect this year. The awards are restricted stock granted for years prior to 2012, according to 10 separate filings made public at about 8 p.m. New York time on Dec. 31. Each executive surrendered 45 percent to 50 percent of their awards in order to pay taxes, according to the filings. Goldman

Sachs stock climbed 41 percent in 2012, its first annual gain since 2009. Lloyd Blankfein, chairman and chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs Group Inc Goldman Sachs, the fifthbiggest U.S. bank by assets, typically delivers executives’ restricted stock during January. The decision to speed up the delivery came as the U.S. Congressdebated and ultimately passed a bill that would increase tax rates on capital gains and on individuals who make taxable income of $400,000 or more. “The December delivery of shares went

to a wider group of employees than the named executive officers” who were included in the filings, said Michael DuVally, a spokesman for the New York-based firm. He declined to comment on the reason for the accelerated delivery or on which other employees received stock early. Blankfein, 58, has said he would be willing to pay higher taxes if they were part of a fiscal compromise to reduce the budget deficit. Today he praised the bill that passed the House of Representatives yesterday. “This agreement is a step forward to injecting growth and in-

Stock Updates million shares value at N1.689 billion traded at 2,714 deals on Monday. Meanwhile, All-Share Index and market capitalisation have both recorded significant improvement during the year 2012. Market capitalisation on the exchange during the year 2012 recorded a notable increase of N2.441 trillion from N6.533 trillion it open the year to close the year at N8.974 trillion. While, All-Share Index rose from 20,730.63 points to 28,078.81 basis points at the end of 2012, translating to 7,348.18 points increase. vestor confidence into the U.S. economy,” he said in a statement. “While more progress clearly will be needed, particularly in regards to restraining the growth in government spending, this measure lays the foundation for more economic gr owth.” Blankfein received 66,065 shares of restricted stock on Dec. 31, worth $8.43 million at the closing share price that day, according to a company filing. The filing shows that he sold 33,245 shares for $126.24 apiece, although a footnote explains that those shares were in fact retained by the company“to satisfy withholding obligations.”

GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

SKYEBANK

4.30

4.73

0.43

% CHANGE 10.00

FCMB

3.75

4.10

0.35

9.33

DIAMONDBNK

4.94

5.40

0.46

9.31

PRESCO

17.00

18.50

1.50

8.82

FBNH

15.72

17.10

1.38

8.78

DANGSUGAR

6.00

6.43

0.43

7.17

GUARANTY

23.00

24.60

1.60

6.96

STERLNBANK

1.73

1.85

0.12

6.94

CUSTODYINS

1.30

1.39

0.09

6.92

VITAFOAM

3.66

3.84

0.18

4.92

CHANGE

% CHANGE -5.00

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

JOHNHOLT

3.40

3.23

0.17

MORISON

3.47

3.30

0.17

-4.90

PORTPAINT

4.36

4.15

0.21

-4.82

JOSBREW

1.53

1.46

0.07

-4.58

WEMABANK

0.52

0.51

0.01

-1.92

WAPCO

58.53

57.50

1.03

-1.76

ZENITHBANK

19.49

19.40

0.09

-0.46

ETI

11.29

11.25

0.04

-0.35

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Day

21,838.51

12.70

27-Dec-12

182-Day

57,729.22

15.31

27-Dec-12

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

84-Days

55,352.37

14.05

03-Jan-13

87-Days

91,310.00

14.05

03-Jan-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$300m

N/A

$300m

19-Dec-12

$200m

N/A

$200m

17-Dec-12

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at January 2, 2012 1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

1st Tier Securities No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Zamfara youths trained in agro-business TOLA A KINMUTIMI

FLA Kids perfom

Fair Life Africa hosts street children, stakeholders LEONARD OKACHIE

t was excitement and fun for children last week at the CCC (Care Continuity Challenge) Respite Home, Lekki, Lagos as they had their first end of the year party. The event which was organised by Fair Life Africa, owners of the Home, also was to celebrate Christmas with the children and their families united, and also give supporters a chance to meet those they are helping. Fair Life Africa is a non-profit organisation, set up to empower people for a fairer life. It operates through social care initiatives which address common ills in society. It focuses on the needs of street children in Nigeria, and aims to optimally minimise and ultimately eradicate the street child phenomenon, through the CCC Initiative. At the Home, twelve boys are rehabilitated per time, and supported to be reconciled with their families, and empowered to re-integrate back into society. Interestingly, the occasion brought together partners and sponsors, friends and enquirers, as well as families and their children, including the reconciled children and their families. Some of them had come from Oyo, Ogun State and Osun states. The FLA Kids, as they are tenderly called, showed off their talents in drama, music and dance, and were delightful hosts to the many who came to celebrate Christmas with them. JRhythm, aka Toju Ashogbon, was at the event to perform his popular song, 'Don't Judge Me', to an attentive audience, many of whom took the lesson to heart. The lyrics were really encouraging, and had the FLA Kids jumping. D'Leads (Kelemo Masters) Crew also attended more colour to the party as presented a song they had produced specifically for Fair Life Africa, called 'Show Some Love'.

DVD, aka David Adeyemi, was on ground to show his comic talents during the intermission, which had all the guests and children in throes of laughter! Again, the FLA Kids cheerfully sang their first Christmas Carol - '12 days of Christmas' and afterward performed the second 'Feliz Navidad - I Want To Wish You A Merry Christmas’ .Afterwards, Miss Tosin Jegede gave the Bible reading for the day, Luke 2:1-20. Then FLA Kids did their dance presentation, and were choreographed and encouraged by Toju, who later joined them to rap and perform his song as JRhythm. After the intermission, during which DVD amused the guests, FLA Kids returned to do a drama presentation, themed 'The Mosquito Scorge'. The play, produced by Emeke Ndego, a new addition to the FLA Team, was comically and insightful too. The children held the performance together well, and entertained their audience. The event also featured award ceremony in which gifts were given to the reconciled and resident boys, as well as special awards recognising their improvements. Prizes were also given to five children who scored well in the 'Christmas Facts' competition, and four children who danced the best during the dancing competition and musical statues. A special prize was reserved for an adult, and three ladies competed for it, including our MC, Njideka Ojukwu. However, children's choice meant that the prize went to one of the boys' sister instead, for her dancing ability. The founder and chief executive officer of FLA, Ufuoma Emerhor, earlier in her address thanked all the guests, children and families in attendance. She thanked all for the support, and impressed upon the attending families the need for continued cooperation to ensure that the children do not return to the streets, ifeeral of them had come from Oyo State, Ogun State and even Osun State too.

he Federal Ministry of Youth Development has trained 275 Zamfara State youths under the Youth Agro-business Training Scheme for Zamfara West Senatorial District in Gwashi Farm Centre, Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the three month training programme recently, the Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdul-kadir, represented by a director in the Ministry, Mr. Luka Mangset, declared that the training was strategic to the national goals on wealth creation and the present administration’s policy on job creation for youths. While commending Senator Ahmed Yerima Bakura, for his support for the training programme, the minister lauded the partnership as one of the credible initiative between government, individuals, groups and the private sectors that could be explored in providing our teeming un-employed and under-employed youths with sustainable life and vocational skills that help to tackle the country’s socio-economic and political challenges. Abdul-Kadir charged the trainees to be alive to their responsibility by deploying their new skills to improve their wellbeing, their immediate family and the community at large and also assured them that Ministry officials would ensure their proper monitoring so that government investment’s in their

training would not be wasted. He also praised the commitment of the state government to alleviation of poverty through wealth creation venture even as he expressed the hope that the federal government and Zamfara State would consolidate the partnership in the future to reduce the unemployment rate in the country. Meanwhile, the trainees drawn from the senatorial district were trained in agricultural related vocations such as poultry, livestock production, goat rearing, food processing, forage production, irrigation technology and fish production. They were also given training in entrepreneurial development in ‘Start Your Business’ and leadership re-orientation. The participants expressed their delight at the opportunity given them by the Federal Government through the Ministry to learn varying skills which earn them support for their families. They thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for empowering them. The training programme took place at different venues within the senatorial zone namely Youth Agri-Business Scheme Project, Gwashi Farm Centre, Bukkuyum and Damba Farm Centre, Zamfara State Skill Acquisition Centre, Rufai Poultry farm, Balgere; and Ingin Farms, Balgare.

Charity group of National Youth Service Corps, Oyo State, cutting the Christmas cake with children from orphanage homes in Ibadan, recently.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Young & Next Generation

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Officials of S2S with some of the children.

Group enrols Makoko children into school FRANCIS SUBERU

o assist the government in reducing the number of children who are out of school, a volunteer youth group, Slum to School Project (S2S), has enrolled 202 children into primary schools in Makoko, Lagos. The initiative which started as a Community Development Service of a former National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Otto Orondaam, has in the last eight months, enrolled a total of 320 orphans and vulnerable children in Makoko in the educational scholarship scheme. Otto said he embarked on the project out of the need to help reduce the number of out-of-school children in the country. He said there are millions of less privileged children who are not in school due to no fault of theirs. Otto said: “Education is the greatest legacy a nation can give its children. It creates thirst for better alternatives, improves choice and greater opportunity for a nation and her people as well as reduces the twin burden of poverty and disease. “However, there are still millions of unaccounted Nigerian children of school age that are currently

roaming the streets due to persistent psychosocial factors, economic challenges, cultural orientation and astounding defiance of guardians. “As a result of these social challenges, our project is designed with an innovative approach geared towards mobilising the efforts of government, private sector and other development agencies towards securing educational opportunities for children in disadvantaged families and communities. “So we have received support from the government and private individuals who have donated money towards the project. We hope to extend to other communities across the country and our plan is not just to enrol but to see our beneficiaries through school. “It has not been easy and we are aware it won’t be an easy task because most of us have spent our time, money, energy to ensure that we assist you in achieving a bright future. It is not about the ceremony or party. The whole essence is not to come here and eat or drink but to ensure that as you are given your school kits, you stay in school. “Parents are expected to never keep their children and wards away from school and to encourage them to do their homework. Also, as parents, we expect you to engage in meetings and discussions with teachers

in order to help improve your child.” He said to avoid issues of mismanagement of funds; S2S has ensured that all the money paid towards the project does not get to either of its members, adding: “We are in partnership with Bethsaida Child Support Agency to ensure that our donors pay through their account and from there to the various schools. So, we do not have access to the money, and all those who have volunteered to be part of the project are not paid. “So far, I have gotten over 200 volunteers and it gives me joy to see that we have other young people across the country who has agreed to dedicate their finances, time, energy, among others, to give a brighter future to the under-privileged ones.” Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Incubator Africa Limited, Alero Aiyida-Otobo, a development agency, said the initiative was a revolution in the country, even as she disclosed that her organisation, under the education reform team, has adopted 20 of the children to train them through primary school. She said: “It is a major event because it has the answers and solutions to out of school children. As you already know, Nigeria has between 8-10 million out of school children, the highest number in the world. “The government has been trying to deal with this issue but having a group of young persons, who on their own volunteered to raise funds and enrol these children in schools. I think they deserve to be commended and honoured because this is a history making event. I want to use this opportunity to encourage young people across Nigeria to emulate what S2S is doing so that this problem can be addressed.” Head of Baale, Makoko, Chief Francis Agoyon, commended S2S for coming to their community to enlighten them on the need as well as sponsor their children to school. “Since he started with us eight months ago, he has done a marvellous work, which is a surprise to all of us because it has never happened since the existence of Makoko. “Otto brought everybody together and told us that education is the first step to civilisation. He said if we want our children to become doctors, professors, teachers, we must allow them go to school. “Before, our people did not see the need for education, but he taught us the benefits of education and why we must allow our children to go to school. “We pray that God will empower him more and we also promise that we shall not disappoint him. Our children will go to school and be great people as he desires them to be.”

SCIENCE FOR KIDS

Why is January 1st the New Year?

anuary 1 has been a special day to all because it is the beginning of the new year. But why is January 1 the first day of the year? Early Roman calendar actually designated March 1 as the new year. That old calendar had only ten months that begins in March. Tracing the meaning of the names of each month, September actually falls on the 7th months that’s why it’s named as that (septem for seven in Latin). October is the eight month (octo is eight) and so on. The months of January and February were not even part of the Early Roman Calendar. It was just in 700 B.C. when Numa Pontilius, the second king of Rome added the months of January and February. January was then made as the first month of the year followed by February and March. The old calendar was called as Julian Calendar only 10 months. However, as years pass by, the calendar became inaccurate because it could not determine the

appropriate date of the Easter and it did not even match the solar year. With this, the Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII to correct the Julian Calendar. The Gregorian calendar has 365 days with 1 leap year. This calendar was accurate that Easter always falls upon the first Sunday after the first full moon. There were still revisions in the Gregorian calendar before it was accepted for public use. Eleven days were removed from September and January was made as the first month rather than the eleventh month. The legal new year was also moved from March 25 to January 1. However, protestants still do not consider the Gregorian calendar because it is introduced by a Catholic pope. But by observing the accuracy of the calendar, it was then adopted as the new calendar in 1752. Source: Knowswhy.com

Children at the Bar Beach during the yuletide season in Lagos.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Media

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Thursday, January 3, 2013

IFJ renews calls for journalists' safety in 2013 L EONARD O KACHIE

... says 2012 one of the bloodiest years

s the year 2013 begins, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), has renewed calls to halt slaughter of journalists, even as it said that 2012 was one of the bloodiest years for journalists and media workers after recording 121 killings in targeted attacks and cross fire incidents. The IFJ warned that these terrible numbers are the result of systematic failure by governments and the United Nations to fulfil their international obligations to protect and enforce journalists' basic right to life. "The death toll for 2012 is another indictment of governments which pay lip service to the protection of journalists but have consistently failed to stop their slaughter," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "It is no wonder that these sky-high numbers of killed journalists have become a constant feature in the last decade during which the usual reaction from governments and the United Nations has been a few words of condemnation, a cursory inquiry and a shrug of indifference." According to figures released by the Federation which has published annual reports of journalists and media workers killed in work-related incidents since 1990, 121 journalists and media staff lost their lives in targeted attacks, bomb attacks and other crossfire incidents in 2012, up from 107 recorded in 2011. Thirty more died in accidents or of illness while they were at work in 2012, against 20 last year. Syria tops the IFJ's list of the most dangerous countries for media in 2012. More violence and lawlessness in Somalia turned the country into a media

JOEL A JAYI ABUJA

enior Fellow and Director of Centre for Leadership in Journalism at the Lagos Business School, Mr. Richard Ikiebe, has charged journalists in the country to rise up to the task of nation building in view of the critical roles they play in shaping opinions and other initiatives affecting all aspects of national development. Ikiebe, who gave the charge in his keynote address at the recent Securities & Exchange Commission’s Journalists’ Academy training for financial journalists in the country in Abuja, pointed out that failure by journalists in the past to play their statutory roles in national development due to environmental constraints has continued to rob on negatively on the society. The veteran journalist said that media serves as the only mirror through which the society views the ills, weaknesses, and other negative issues, stressing that such negative issues can be corrected if they are properly diagnosed by the probing minds of media men. He explained that the influence of

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, (left) delivering his paper at the 2nd anniversary lecture of National Mirror held at Muson Centre, Onikan,Lagos recently.

killing field while organised crime in Mexico and insurgents in Pakistan account for the high numbers of fatalities in these countries. The Federation said that, by and far, journalists were deliberately targeted because of their work and with the clear intention to silence them. This constant finding in IFJ annual reports bring into sharp focus the need for genuine measures to protect journalists and punish those responsible for violence against media. In November 2012, the IFJ urged accountability for violence targeting

media at the UN Inter-Agency's conference in Vienna, Austria which officially launched the UN Action Plan on the safety of journalists and the issue of Impunity, noting that ' the new UN plan is akin to drinking in the last chance saloon." "We now look to the UN Plan on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity to deliver on its mandate," added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. "The situation is so desperate that inaction no longer represents an option." As of 31 December, the IFJ record-

ed the following information on killings of journalists and media staff in 2012:Targeted killings, bomb attacks and cross-fire incidents : 121; accidental and illness related deaths : 30; total deaths : 151 The deadliest region in 2012 was the Middle East and Arab World with 47 journalists and media personnel killed. Syria had the region's highest death toll with 36 dead. Among countries with the highest numbers of media fatalities are: Syria : 35,Somalia : 18,Pakistan :10,Mexico : 10, Philippines : 5 and Iraq : 5

Ikiebe tasks media on nation building press solely depends on the accurate reportage, “as journalists we must leant how to give an accurate report without favouritism and nepotism.” While noting that the society picture may contain what media hates or likes, after suspiciously viewing the ugly situation, he insisted that it is the duty of journalists to thoroughly bark and bite to reform such ugly situation with adequate dissemination of information. He admonished journalists not to allow money to distract from perform their constitutional role, pointing out that the philosophy underpinning media ownerships and operation, was more of public service than profit making. Ikiebe said : “We need to start thinking as journalists in this environment (Nigeria) and how to make it work, and I know what most journalists assume of. Some are assuming that, ‘if I go out now there would be police! There

would be Islamic Boko Haram! There would be this, there will be that!’ “Now the police are threatening the journalists because we don’t have independent tone of our voice as journalists, for what? We are so porous that a police officer tells us how to behave, where to go, what to do. Our press are the most threatened by police in the world. “We are threatened by police because we don’t say what we are supposed to say. The police has become what it is because we allow ourselves to be compromised. I am sorry please; I am not beating up the press. I am only trying to make things right. I don’t want you to misunderstand because I am one of you. What I am after is to rethink our way. "It appears that many journalists are ready to accept any information from sources without bothering about credibility and veracity of such informa-

Ikiebe

tion. Journalists must maintain a high level of distance from such sources." Angered by over dependency of Nigeria media on foreign media, the Director said, "someone is sitting right away from South Africa and be telling Nigerian media what to do, which station to watch. People are addicted to DSTV, CNN, BBC and the rest of them, we are selling our pride, we need to rethink, let the journalist start to think bigger".

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Media

Thursday, January 3, 2013

The return of Iwe Irohin, Nigeria’s first newspaper LEONARD OKACHIE

or students of history and journalism, the mention of Iwe Irohin elicits relevance. And the joyous news, however, is that the paper, reputed as Nigeria’s first newspaper is back on the newsstands. The paper, which was established by a missionary, Rev. Henry Townsend on December 3, 1859 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was resuscitated after 140 years of its death. The paper was published bi-weekly in Yoruba and English language and ran for eight years before its demise due to colonial pressure. Its recent re-launch was the initiative of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, in view of its relevance and legacy. The 32-page tabloid is printed on pure white bond of 60 gram thickness. Twenty four pages of the paper are presented in black and white, while the remaining pages are in colour. The re-launch which held at the Press Centre, Abeokuta, had in attendance eminent

Media Abroad

personalities, including journalists who expressed joy for the return. Reviewing the newspaper at the occasion, the Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Adegoke Raufu, commended the NUJ, adding that its shows the willingness of journalists in Ogun State to bridge the gap between the past and the present. He said : “What is now required of all of us is uniting for the future of journalism practice in Nigeria. For now, we are endangered species.” Also in his remark, the Special Assistant on Information to Ogun State Governor, Yemisi Fadairo advocated for a journalists' summit, adding : “There is need for a summit to think of how professionals can come up to set up and sustain newspapers, because politicians have hijacked newspapers. It is not only detrimental to the journalism profession, but also to the nation and democracy.” Meanwhile, industry watchers have hailed the return of Iwe Irohin, but urged that professionalism should be the watchword for the paper to live up to its name.

Iwe Irohin

aywalls are becoming increasingly prevalent at newspaper websites across the United States. Eleven of the country's largest-selling 20 newspapers are either charging for access or have announced plans to do so. They include America's top four titles: the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Gannett, the largest US chain, expanded its paywall to almost all of its 80 groups over the last 12 months. Other chains charging for content include Tribune and MediaNews while McClatchy and EW Scripps will do so this year. Last month, the Washington Post said it was exploring the idea of rolling one out in 2013. More than 35% of US newspaper readers are regularly discovering some restrictions in their online surfing, though most papers allow visitors to access several articles for free before hitting a wall. This so-called "metered model" is the most popular form of charging. In 2012, all of the major Canadian newspaper publishers also decided to throw in their lot with the paywall crowd. Postmedia Network is planning to expand its digital subscription plans to its entire chain. Quebecor's Sun Media division has already erected a wall. The Globe and Mail introduced a paywall in late October. Soon after, the Toronto Star announced it would do the same early this year. The north American industry's lodestar is the New York Times. Since March 2011, when it introduced its metered model, it has signed up 566,000 digital subscribers to either the Times or its sister publication, the International Herald Tribune. According to a recent Bloomberg

Why US newspaper publishers favour paywalls story, the investment firm, Evercore Partners, the NY Times's digital subscriptions will show a yield of about $92m (£56.6m) in 2012. That represents about 12% of the total $768.3m (£473m) the Times is expected to earn in subscription revenue in 2012. More significantly, the digital subscription revenue – alongside a price rise on print copies – will make 2012 the first year the Times has earned more from circulation than from advertising, which is expected to pull in about $715m. Critics complain that the Times, and other papers, could make more from advertising if they didn't have a paywall, because far more readers would read far more content. But a Globe & Mail writer argues that the price of static online ads, which appear on most news sites, has been falling for years. This makes it difficult for them to fund journalistic content. While advertising rates vary wildly from site to site, a presentation last May by Mary Meeker of the investment firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, noted that CPMs – the cost of getting an ad in front of 1,000 readers – was $3.50 (£2.2) for a desktop web ad while the CPM for mobile ads is about 75 cents (50p). If so, it means that even a popular article that is viewed 100,000 times might pull in only $350 on a website, and just $75 if viewed on a mobile device. Hence the decision to build paywalls. Source: The Guardian UK

Opportunities

Pulitzer grant for crisis reporting

ournalists interested in crisis reporting who reside outside the United States can apply for a US$7,500 travel grant. The Persephone Miel Fellowship will fund a reporting project that focuses on a global crisis under-reported in the mainstream American media. The fellowship, overseen by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting in consultation with Internews, is designed to

he Alexia Foundation is seeking applicants for its cultural and student photography grants, which aims to help photographers produce substantial picture stories that further the foundation's goals of promoting world peace and cultural understanding. Photojournalists, graduate students and undergraduates can apply

enable media professionals outside the United States to bring their work to a broader international audience. The fellowship will benefit those with limited access to other fellowships or international distribution of their work. The fellowships are open to all journalists, writers, photographers, radio producers or filmmakers; staff journalists as well as free-lancers and media professionals who are seeking to report from their home country. Women are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must be proficient in English. The application deadline is February 15.

Knight course on food reporting

he Knight Science Journalism program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is accepting applications for its 2013 Food Boot Camp, which will take place at MIT's campus in Cambridge March 26 - 29. Journalists interested in food-related reporting can apply for a spot in this course. Ten to 12 journalists will be chosen to attend the course. Those selected will be reimbursed for up to US$750 in travel expenses, and will be provided accom-

Photo journalism grant for a grant. The winner of the professional grant will receive US$15,000 for the production of the proposed project photo story, picture essay or photodocumentary project. Awards for the graduate and un-

dergraduate grants include tuition for study at Syracuse University in London and cash grants. Grants will be awarded to applicants who can further cultural understanding and world peace by conceiving and writing a concise,

modations and most meals. The boot camp will explore topics including obesity and malnutrition, farming and food-borne illnesses. The course will address the underlying science and the overlying social, economic and political factors behind these issues. Applicants may be freelance or staff reporters, writers, editors or producers, and must have at least three years of full-time experience in journalism. The application deadline is February 1. focused and meaningful story proposal, and who can demonstrate the ability to visually execute that story with compelling images. There is no mathematical formula for determining grantees, but the proposal and photography must both be considered of the highest quality. The application deadline is February 1.

Cocktail

Thursday, January 3, 2013

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (75) Nothing external to you has any power over you. –Ralph Waldo Emerson MY NOTE One of the greatest insights I have ever had in life is that God almighty lives within man! If God lives within a man and the man is conscious of it, that man becomes a threat to every form of hindrances. The great 10 letter word for productivity and progress is this: IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME. Let’s think on this throughout this day!

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Railroad calendar delivered 63 years late

northeastern Pennsylvania newspaper has just received a calendar to help ring in the new year — except the year is 1950. Scranton’s The TimesTribune reports a mail carrier delivered it 63 years

late without explanation on Friday. The large tube contained a 1950 Pennsylvania Railroad calendar addressed to James Flanagan, former general manager of The Scranton Times.

The calendar includes a holiday greeting from a railroad executive dated December 1949. Flanagan died that month. A U.S. Postal Service spokesman says lost mail is sometimes found when a machine is dismantled or

office space is renovated. Times-Tribune publisher Bobby Lynett says he’ll see if the Steamtown National Historic Site railroad museum is interested in the calendar. If not, he’ll display it in the newspaper’s offices.

TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

‘Burglar forgot cellphone at scene’

olice in Florida said they arrested a man accused of stealing $600 from a nail salon after he allegedly left his cellphone behind at the scene. Investigators said Kenneth Plummer, 26, broke into a Boynton Beach nail salon and made off with $600 cash, but left his cellphone behind at the scene, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported

Monday. Plummer was seen counting his money while eating breakfast at the Boynton Diner, next door to the salon. Police said Plummer was busted later in the day after a homeowner allegedly caught him trying to break into an occupied dwelling. Plummer was jailed on charges of burglary and grand theft.

Palestinians celebrating during a mass wedding ceremony for 436 couples in Rafah, Gaza, recently.

PHOTO: UPI

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

Pakistanis bury slain teachers, aid workers

“Berlusconi has made improper attacks against me - on areas like family values. I think I need make no further comment”

– ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, MARIO MONTI

Chad troops support President Bozize, dare CAR rebels PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

ore than 30 truckloads of troops from Chad line the two-lane highway just outside of Damara, supporting Central African Republic government forces who want to block a new rebel coalition from reaching the capital. In a display of force, the turbaned fighters hold their rocketpropelled grenades and other

weapons they threaten to use if the rebels push this far south after taking 10 other towns in the northern part of Central African Republic in only one month. Gen. Jean Felix Akaga, who heads the 10-nation regional force, says a push on Damara, just 75 kilometers (45 miles) north of the capital, would be “a declaration of war.” The rebels are seeking for President Francois Bozize’s ouster. “For us, Damara is the red line

that the rebels cannot cross,” Akaga said Wednesday. “If they attack Damara, we will attack.” The multinational force, known as FOMAC, brought journalists up to Damara, where they touted the strength of the Chadian troops, who along with forces from Republic of Congo and Gabon are helping to stabilize the area. The rebels, though, appear to be holding their positions after taking a string of towns includ-

Chadian soldiers who are fighting in support of CAR president Francois Bozize, sitting in a truck full of rocket-propelled grenades near Bangui PHOTO: AP

ing Sibut, which is 70 miles (112 kilometres) further north from Damara. Back in 2003, troops under Bozize seized the capital amid volleys of machine-gun and mortar fire, and he then dissolved the constitution and parliament. Now a decade later it is Bozize who himself could be ousted from power. In a bid to avoid being overthrown, he’s promising to form a coalition government with rebels and to negotiate without conditions. It’s a sign of how serious a threat is now being posed by the rebel groups who call themselves Seleka, which means alliance in the Sango language. Bozize says there’s one point not up for negotiation: he does not intend to leave office before his term ends in 2016. “We can’t destroy the country. I don’t think that a transition is a good solution for the rebels, for Central African Republic or for the international community,” said Cyriaque Gonda, a spokesman for the political coalition behind Bozize. But mediators for the government and others note the rebels — an alphabet soup of acronyms in French, UFDR, CPJP, FDPC and CPSK — want Bozize gone.

Mubarak watched uprising – Egypt commission

usted President Hosni Mubarak watched the uprising against him unfold through a live TV feed to his palace, despite his denial that he knew the extent of the protests and crackdown against them, a member of a fact-finding mission said yesterday. The finding could lead to the retrial of the 84old former leader, already serving a life sentence. In questioning for his trial for the deaths of some 900 protesters during the uprising, Mubarak said he was kept in the dark by top aides as to the gravity of the situation during the uprising, and fended off charges that he ordered or knew of the deadly force used against the protesters. Mubarak was still convicted in June of failing to prevent the

deaths. But many Egyptians were angered that he was not convicted for ordering or having a direct role in the crackdown. Ahmed Ragheb, a rights lawyer and a member of the commission, said state TV had designated a coded satellite TV station that fed live material from cameras installed in Tahrir and surrounding areas directly to Mubarak’s Palace throughout the 18-days of the uprising. “Mubarak knew of all the crimes that took place directly. The images were carried to him live, and he didn’t even need security reports,” Ragheb told The Associated Press. “This entails a legal responsibility” in the violence against the protesters, including the infamous Camel Battle, where men on horses and camel and other Mubarak sup-

porters stormed the square trying to drive protesters out. At least 11 people are said to be killed in that attack, and some 25 members of the ruling were tried in the case were set free. The finding came in a 700page report on protester deaths the past two years, submitted Wednesday to President Mohammed Morsi. Morsi had formed this commission soon after he came to office in June, having promised during his election campaign that he will order new retrials for former regime officials if new evidence were revealed. The commission also found that security forces and the military used live ammunition in crackdowns on protesters during the 18-day uprising against Mubarak and during the 17

months of rule by the military that followed his Feb. 11, 2011 fall, Ragheb said. The military repeatedly denied it used live ammunition against protesters, despite several death caused by bullets and pellets.

Mubarak

WORLD BULLETIN Stampede kills 13 at religious gathering in Angola The death toll in a stampede on New Year’s Eve at a sports stadium in Angola has risen to 13, and some of the victims were children, Angolan media reported yesterday. Officials said about 120 people were also injured in the incident, which happened when tens of thousands of people tried to enter a stadium in the capital, Luanda, for a religious gathering, according to Angop, the Angolan news agency. Faustino Sebastiao, spokesman for the national firefighters department, said those who died were crushed and asphyxiated. The event in the southern African nation was organized by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, an evangelical group founded in Brazil.

Ivory Coast mourns stampede victims Three days of mourning have been declared in Ivory Coast following a New Year’s Eve stampede that killed at least 61 people in Abidjan. Hundreds of people leaving a fireworks event at a stadium in the Plateau district were jammed into a tiny street in the early hours of Tuesday: many were crushed; others suffocated. An investigation is under way. Many victims were said to be 15 or younger. President Alassane Ouattara described the deaths as a national tragedy. Different theories are emerging as to what caused the stampede after the fireworks display ended in the 65,000-capacity Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium. Some say a group of youths brandishing knives was snatching people’s mobile phones, causing panic among the large crowd.

South Africa: Mandela rests at home South Africa’s presidency says former leader Nelson Mandela is progressing with his recuperation from illness and doctors are closely monitoring his condition. Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said Wednesday that “everything is moving OK” as 94-yearold Mandela rests at his home in Johannesburg after a hospital stay last month. The former president received treatment for a lung infection and also had gallstones removed. Maharaj says Mandela is “taking it easy” and is under “close medical attention.” Mandela spent 27 years in prison under apartheid and became South Africa’s first black president in democratic elections in 1994.

World News

Obama vows not to negotiate on debt ceiling

fter Congress’ narrow dodge of the fiscal cliff, Washington isn’t exactly breathing easy. Major fiscal fights remain for the coming session and President Barack Obama has signaled his unwillingness to put Americans through another drawn-out battle over the nation’s debt limit, which Congress will vote on this term. “While I will negotiate over many things, I will not have another debate with this Congress over whether or not they should pay the bills that they’ve already racked up through the laws that they passed,” the president said late Tuesday night after the fiscal cliff compromise. The nation hit the debt ceiling limit on Monday. Republicans have pushed back against raising the debt limit in past years, and this time around they’re expected to use the fiscal cliff negotiations as leverage to press Democrats to compromise on spending cuts. “I hope Republicans will fight as hard on the debt ceiling as Barack Obama did on tax rates,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., said on Monday during an appearance on Fox News. Congress will also be pushed in the coming session to address the deficit reduction and other fiscal measures the fiscal cliff deal failed to include.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pakistanis bury slain teachers, aid workers H undreds of villagers in northwest Pakistan turned out Wednesday to bury five female teachers and two health workers who were gunned down a day earlier by militants in what may have been the latest in a series of attacks targeting anti-polio efforts in the country. The seven had worked at a community center in the

town of Swabi that included a primary school and a medical clinic that vaccinated children against polio. Some militants oppose the vaccination campaigns, accusing health workers of acting as spies for the U.S. and alleging the vaccine is intended to make Muslim children sterile. As mourners carried the coffins through the town for burial Wednesday, family

and friends expressed horror that such an attack had struck their community. “I told her many times at home ‘be careful as we are poor people and take care of yourself all the time,’” said Fazal Dad, whose daughter was among the seven killed. “And always in response she said: ‘Father, if I am not guilty, no one can harm me.’” The group was on their

way home from the community center where they were employed by a nongovernmental organization when their vehicle was attacked Tuesday. The four militants on motorcycles spared the young son of one of the women who was riding in the van, pulling him from the vehicle before spraying it with bullets. The driver survived and was being treated at a Pe-

Pakistani relatives and mourners carrying the body of aid worker Lubna Mahmoud, during her funeral procession in Swabi, Pakistan, yesterday PHOTO: AP

ndian lawmakers facing sexual assault charges against women could be suspended from office if the country’s top court rules in favour of a petition submitted following a gang-rape and murder that shocked the country. Six state lawmakers are facing rape prosecutions and two national parliamentarians are facing charges of crimes against women that fall short of rape, said Jagdeep S. Chho-

shawar hospital. There has been no claim of responsibility, and police have not made any arrests. The director of the NGO said he suspected the attack might have been retribution for the group’s work helping vaccinate Pakistani children against polio. Javed Akhtar said the community group has suspended its operations throughout the province. Despite the killings, polio vaccination workers will be out in force this Saturday in four areas in the northwest considered at high risk for the disease in an effort to keep it from spreading. Police will give extra protection to the workers taking part in the campaign in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda and Mardan, said the commissioner of Mardan, Adil Khan. Many local residents view the girls’ primary school and medical clinic run by the NGO at the community center as saviors for the community’s poor. Now many are worried about what will happen if those services are cut off.

Indian court may suspend lawmakers facing crimes kar, an official with the Association for Democratic Reforms, which tracks political candidate’s criminal records. The petition will be heard Thursday and comes as police prepare to formally charge six suspects in the gang-rape and killing of a student in the capital two weeks ago. The Dec. 16 rape triggered outrage across the country and

sparked demands for stronger laws, tougher police action against those accused of sexual assault and a sustained campaign to change society’s views on women. As part of that campaign, Chief Justice Altamas Kabir agreed to hear a petition from retired government administrator Promilla Shanker asking the Supreme Court to suspend all lawmakers from

the national and state legislatures who are facing prosecution for crimes against women. She also asked the court to force the national government to fast-track thousands of rape cases that have languished in India’s notoriously sluggish court system for years. In the past five years, political parties across India nominated 260 candidates awaiting trial on charges

of crimes against women, he said. Parties ran six candidates for the national parliamentary elections facing such charges, Chokkar said. “We need to decriminalize politics and surely a serious effort has to be made to stop people who have serious charges of sexual assault against them from contesting elections,” said Zoya Hasan, a political analyst.

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North

Thursday, January 3, 2013

20 injured, houses torched in Jukum, Kabawa clash

HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

t least 20 people yesterday sustained multiple injuries while dozens of thatched houses were torched at Abinsi, 20 kilometers from Makurdi, the Benue State capital, during a communal clash between the Jukum and the Kabawa natives in the state. Our correspondent who was at the scene of the fracas gathered that a 13-year-old boy (names withheld) of Jukum extraction, was sent on an errand by his parents to buy bean cakes when he was allegedly accosted and beaten by some Kabawa youths. The development later degenerated into a tribal clash when information filtered to the community and the boy’s parents that the boy had been attacked. This prompted a reprisal attack which later degenerated into a free-forall between the Kabawa’s and the Jukum’s, leading to the destruction of properties estimated over several millions of naira. However, another source, who did not want his name mentioned, said a youth, whose identity was unknown was suspected to have been killed after he was chased by some angry mob. The fate of the youth, the source said was still unknown as at the time of filing this

report. Following the crisis, over 5, 000 people were said to have fled the communities and relocated to nearby settlements for safety while some were seen at about 4.30pm yesterday relocating with their belongings and families to Makurdi, the state capital. Confirming the incident, the Benue State Po-

lice Command’s Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ezeala, said the incident took place yesterday afternoon, saying however that one person had been apprehended in connection with the crisis. According to Ezeala, following the intervention of men of the state police command, calm has been restored to the disputed areas, adding that efforts

JOS

lateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, yesterday launched the Armed Forces Remembrance Day and Emblem Week in Jos, the state capital, with a call on Nigerians to rise up to the welfare of ex-service men and families of the fallen heroes. Governor Jang, who launched the 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance and Emblem Appeal Week with N10 million said that; “The painful reality confronting some of our ex-service men and families of our

Assembly scores executive 46% over 2012 budget implementation PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

he Niger State House of Assembly has rated the 2012 budget performance by the executive in the state at 46 percent, saying the house is ‘fairly satisfied’ with the executive in the budget implementation. The house said that the performance notwithstanding, the executive still has an opportunity to improve in the New Year. Chairman of the House

FRSC records 33 accidents in Adamawa

he Adamawa State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Luka Ikpi, yesterday said that the state recorded 33 accidents during the Christmas and New Year celebrations. He also said that eight persons died and about

55 others were injured in six different accidents. He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola, that regular public enlightenment had not reduced the carnage on the roads. He said the sector would map out other strategies to minimise road ac-

cidents in the state in the New Year. “During the recent Christmas and New Year celebrations, the sector recorded 33 accidents, where six were fatal and eight people were killed and 55 injured,” Ikpi said. He said the commission recorded 113 traffic

violations, warned some offenders and prosecuted others. He said Yola, Numan and Hong, recorded major accidents. The commander advised motorists and other road users in the state to obey traffic rules and regulations of to avoid road crashes.

Acting Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Justice Suleiman Umaru-Dikko, taking his oath of office in Lafia, yesterday.

Jang calls on Nigerians to support families of fallen heroes JAMES ABRAHAM

are being intensified to bring other culprits who were mentioned in connection with the fracas, to book. He further acknowledged that it was a clash between Jukum and Kabawa over an attack on a boy who was said to be sent on an errand. He said though no life was lost in the clash, many people were however injured.

fallen heroes is such that even their entitlements are sometimes not forthcoming or they are subjected to very dehumanising conditions in the pursuit of their rightful earnings.” The governor further said that the Nigerian armed forces should be appreciated for the roles they played and are still playing in bringing honour to the country and bringing the country together, especially during the “heady beginning of our journey to nation hood.” Governor Jang while appreciating the role of the armed forces, police,

the State Security Service (SSS) and other security agencies in restoring peace to Plateau State said that; “The greatest service we can do to our past heroes is to ensure that the unity and stability of this nation remains solid.” Also, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Olivia Dazyem, while disclosing that the donations for last year were used to empower widows of fallen heroes, said that the ministry intends to channel this year’s donations to support the education of the children of fallen heroes.

PHOTO: NAN

Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Alhaji Usman Magaji, who gave the rating in Minna, said the budgetary projections was not met due to some economic variables that affected the whole nation and by extension, the flow of money into the state. According to him, it for that reason that the house cautioned the executive to come up with a reasonable budget, hence the arrival at a reasonable budget of N84 billion for 2013 as against the N95 billion for 2012 and its quick passage into law. The lawmaker also said that the house is proud of the policies and programmes of the present administration in the state, all designed to meet the aspirations of the electorate in uplifting their living standard. On the N300 million increase in the budget, Magaji said the house made room for the increase to take care of some areas such as the battle against the Wild Polio Virus in the interest of the people of the state. He urged commissioners, heads of agencies and departments saddled with the implementation of the budget to work in partnership with the assembly to ensure its good performance, adding that, “violation of the provisions of the budget is a crime punishable under the law.” Magaji said this year, the assembly will intensify its oversights functions while charging the media to embark on investigative reporting, especially in bringing out areas of failure on the budget implementation, for positive impacts on the people.

Gaidam presents N86.6bn 2013 budget INUSA NDAHI DAMATURU

obe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, yesterday presented the 2013 Appropriation Bill of N86, 658, 299, 000 billion to the state House of Assembly. Presenting the budget to the house at the assembly complex, Gaidam said the budget is aimed at consolidating the focused socio-economic transformation programme of the state. He said the budget comprises of N54, 140, 362, 000 billion or 62.5 percent capital expenditure while the N32,

517, 937, 000 billion or 37.5 percent is for recurrent expenditure. The governor said the budget which is tagged; “Budget of consolidating the focused socio-economic transformation programme,” is expected to be financed from the N40, 210, 555, 638 billion statutory allocations while N3, 300, 000, 000 billion is expected from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as well as N9, 565, 889, 619 billion from excess crude oil. The ministry of works has the lion share of the budget with N17, 388, 611, 000 billion followed by education

and health with N16, 429, 299, 000 billion and N7, 000, 512, 000 billion respectively. The governor said the budget was a product deliberation and inputs from all stakeholders that cut across the 17 local government areas of the state, adding that the government will embark on massive transformation of the state in the fiscal year. He commended the legislators for their cooperation and further solicit for their cooperation in the new year, pointing out that the success recorded by is administration is a collective one for both the executive and the legislature.

North

Thursday January 3, 2013

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MDG to execute N1.2bn projects in Gombe DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

he Millennium Development Goal, MDG, earmarked N1.2 billion for the provision of three farm centres for the three senatorial zones in Gombe State. The farms are to be located in Kupto town for the Northern zone, Ladongor town for the Southern zone while Wajari town will be the site for the Central zone. The Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo on MDG, Alhaji Mohammed Audi Adamu, disclosed this. Other projects include 30 hand pump boreholes to be sunk across the 11 local government areas of the state with three in each local government while types A and B Primary Health Care centres would be constructed in Nyuwar and another in the northern part of the state. The Primary Health Care centres located in Birin Fulani, Gombe, Gujuba, Gundale, Kembu, Kondigo, Wade, Yelwan Pindiga, Daban Fulani, Lawanti and Toungo would be renovated and re-equipped. Adamu also said that 1,500 poor families in rural communities had started to benefit from the MDG’s

Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme, CCT, of N180, 000 each. According to him, the families have started receiving a monthly N5,000 cash and deposits of N10,000 each in their bank accounts. He told journalists that

the CCT was a poverty alleviation programme of the MDG for 2011. The special adviser said the programme aimed at reducing poverty among the less privileged in society with special focus on the physically-challenged, aged, widows and the ex-

tremely poor. Adamu said the beneficiaries were picked by their local communities through a committee made up of ward or village heads, a pastor, an imam, the education secretary of the area and some other community leaders while an identity card was

LAFIA

overnor Umaru Tano Al-makura of Nasarawa State has sworn in Justice Suleiman Umaru Dikko as the new state acting Chief Judge, pending his confirmation by the state House of Assembly. The acting Chief Judge was inaugurated yesterday alongside two new High Court judges, and solicitor-general and permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice, at a ceremony held at the Conference Room of the Government House, Lafia.

Al-Makura

ciaries were asked to submit names of their successors should the unfortunate happen to them so that they would in turn continue with the programme for the benefit of other dependants. For the 2012 programmes and projects, the special adviser disclosed that the MDG had already received N600 million counterpart fund from Gombe State out of the N1.2 billion. He said the balance would come from the Federal Government through the office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on MDG.

Niger to engage 10,000 youths on farm Busy Central Market in Bauchi as activities resumed after the New Year holiday, yesterday.

PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

Full business activities resuming at the Abubakar Gumi Central Market in Kaduna after the New Year break, yesterday. PHOTOS: NAN

Al-Makura swears in new Ag CJ, three others IGBAWASE UKUMBA

also given to each of them. He explained that the programme was not only to physically empower the beneficiaries with cash alone, but that at the end of the first six months of the programme, the beneficiaries would receive N60,000 (the accumulation of their N10,000 which was deposited in their bank accounts) to enable them set up a business or venture that would yield an income for the family. The same would also take place at the end of the second six months. He added that all benefi-

Al-Makura said it had become necessary to appoint the acting Chief Judge who, until his appointment, was the most senior High Court judge, to avoid creating a vacuum in the office following the retirement of the Chief Judge last month. Expressing appreciation over the turnout of well wishers at the event, the governor described it as “the testimony of the confidence, support and solidarity by the people of the state for his administration, in the effort to provide purposeful leadership.” Al-Makura pointed out that “the judiciary is critical to the development of the state, being an alloy that strengthens the relationship between all segments of government.” The governor also disclosed that following recommendations from the National Judicial Council, NJC, two new High Court judges had to be sworn in

to fill existing vacancies and further enhance the capacity of the state judiciary to ensure quick dispensation of justice. He said: “My administration is set to reposition the state judiciary by placing it on the right pedestal for discharging its responsibilities.” The governor also said that his administration had fully implemented

Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution by releasing 100 per cent of the annual recurrent budgetary provision for the judiciary. Those sworn in are Justices Samuel Ayiwulu and As’mau Larai Yusuf, as High Court judges, and Mohammed Idris Apa, a lawyer who is physically challenged, as solicitorgeneral and permanent secretary.

etermined to reduce unemployment, boost food and cash crop production, the Niger State Government has announced plans to engage 10,000 youths in farming. About 6,000 hectares of land have been set aside to be cleared for the programme. The land would be shared to beneficiaries across the 25 council areas of the state. The Commissioner for Planning and Deputy Chairman of the State Economic Committee, Alhaji Idris Ndako, disclosed this at a press briefing in Minna yesterday. He said the area had not been adequately exploited by the state. Giving details of the 2013 budget of N84 billion, which Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu has signed into to law, Ndako explained that 100 tractors would be purchased this year to strengthen the state tractor hiring scheme for farmers, especially with the youth to be

engaged under the new agricultural programme. The commissioner also disclosed the preparedness of the state government to complete all road projects already started by the administration. He added that under another arrangement, the state government, in conjunction with the Federal Government, would construct 200 kilometres rural roads in the 25 councils in the state. On the budget described as “realistic and implementable,” Ndako said over N54 billion would be sourced from the federal allocation, while the balance would be from the Value Added Tax and Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. Rating the performance of the 2012 budget, the commissioner pegged it at 67 per cent. However, he blamed the inability to fully implement the budget on lack of full assessment of the N9 billion bond, which the state sourced from the open market, low IGR as well as other variables.

Shun sentiments in appointing college provost, ex-CMD tells Dankwambo ority to education which he DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

overnor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo has been advised to shun sentiments in appointing a provost for the newly established Gombe State College of Education, Billiri. The former Chief Medical Director, CMD, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Alhassan Yakubu, who gave the advice, decried the

fallen standard of education in the country. Yakubu blamed the decline on managers of education, who, according to him, pay lip service to education issues. The former CMD spoke at the foundation laying ceremony of phase one of the Gombe State College of Education in Billiri where he urged Dankwambo to appoint credible people to handle the college. He said: “The provost

must not be a Tangale man, a Christian or a Muslim, someone from the South or North but someone who is tested and trusted. “We need to avoid sentiments in the appointment of an administrator for the college so that the standard we are known for would be revived and improved upon. A standard should be set out here that would be an example.” In his speech at the event, Dankwambo restated his administration’s pri-

said was the first, second and third priority. The governor added that the decision to establish the college was a response to the man power needs of qualified primary school teachers in the state. He said the education sector committee set up by the government at the beginning of the administration recommended the establishment of the college to cater for the requirements of the state.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

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Community Mirror “I want to assure you that we have been working very hard, we will continue to improve on our architecture in terms of security and God willing, with intercessory prayers, we will overcome.” PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN

Defence Corps arrest pipeline vandals FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

he Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested two suspected vandals on Ajede road, Ogbere in Ijebu East Local Government Area. A statement from the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Kareem Olanrewaju, said the suspects’ were arrested by surveillance team of the NSCDC on routine patrol of the pipeline. Olanrewaju gave names of the suspects as Hammed Soyele, 35 and Sakiru Emida, 55, who were said to be operating with guns, alongside others now at large. The PRO said that items recovered included two dane guns, 325 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS) stored in 13 cans of 25 litre kegs. Others are 25 empty jerry cans, a motorcycle, and one Hyundai car with registration number: Lagos-AS 745 SMK and one pumping machine. He also said that the surveillance team deployed to monitor

L-R: Soyele and Emida

activities of the vandals by the Commandant, Aboluwaye Akinwande, had relayed the information, but the suspects fled before arrival of combat personnel. Luck, however, ran out against one of them when he was sighted by another surveillance team on

Kegs of stolen petroleum products.

routine patrol who apprehended him. He also said that in the cause of investigation, the NSCDC discovered that the suspects operated a camp near the NNPC pipeline where the second suspect was arrested.

Court dissolves two-day old marriage FRANCIS SUBERU

WITH AGENCY REPORT

he Kaduna Sharia Court II, Magajin Gari has dissolved the two day marriage between Laure Sulaiman and Babangida Dan-Auta on condition that the wife pays back dowry on her. Laure had, on December 10, 2012, asked the court to dissolve the marriage saying, she was no longer in love with Dan Auta. The husband, however, told the court that his wife was not sincere for demanding divorce two days after their marriage. Laure, however said she no longer loved Dan-Auta, praying the court to grant her divorce. She said: “I am ready to return the N10,000 dowry. I cannot be obedient to him as a wife.” Dan-Auta of Maraban Jos, also disputed his wife’s claim on dowry, saying that he paid N17, 000 and not N10,000. He added that Laure had lied on the number of

children she had. According to him, even though she told him she previously had three kids, he later found that she had given birth to eight children. The Khadi, Malam Ibrahim Inuwa had adjourned the case three times before acceding to the request for divorce. He had earlier given the couple up to January 2, 2013 to reconcile their differences. At the sitting, the couple however opted for divorce, saying they were unable to resolve their differences. Inuwa therefore ordered Laure to pay the N17, 000 dowry by January 4, 2013 before the marriage could be legally dissolved. In a related development, a 31-year-old housewife, Iyabo Esu, prayed an Ilorin Area Court to dissolve her five-year-old marriage to one Obalowu Isiaka for lack of care. Esu of Adangba Area, Ilorin, told the court that Isiaka preferred to lavish money outside

their matrimonial home rather than ensure the welfare of the family. “He does not take care of our children. He is a pretender who always acts nice and responsible in public. My husband loves spending on friends at drinking joints to impress them,” she said. She told the court that their marriage was contracted in 2008 and had produced two male children – aged four and one. “My Lord, I want an end to this marriage because I want to focus on my children and avoid distraction from my husband,” she said. But responding, Isiaka said: “I have been doing my best, but my wife keeps complaining and not appreciating it.” He asked for an adjournment to enable him make reconciliatory moves. The presiding judge, Mr. Ibrahim Abdulquadri, adjourned the case to January 8, 2013 for a report of settlement or continuation of hearing.

Olanrewaju further said that one of the suspects, Soyele has confessed to the crime, saying “I have been in the business for long and I work with others including Sakiru, we have carried out many illegal operations in the past”.

He also said the Commandant, Akinwande has ordered the two suspects to be immediately prosecuted and all Divisional Officers (DOS), to monitor their beats effectively to ensure that their areas are free of pipeline vandals.

Asaba monarch pledges to address developmental challenges

he Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien, has said that matters concerning traditional burial rites, security challenges and land allocation will be addressed in 2013. Edozien disclosed this when the present and past executives of Asaba 88 Club led by its President, Ogbuefi Frank Eluaka, visited his Palace in Asaba. The Asagba, who appreciated the contributions of the club to the development of the town, said the task before the council and the people was how to review the burial rites to make them better. He said other challenges that needed to be addressed were land allocation and security, especially kidnapping. He said the challenges have posed obstacles to the development of Asaba,even as he added that attempts to settle land related matters in the past proved futile. Accor

ding to the Asagba, the burial rites was reviewed about three years ago, but there were gray areas that needed to be looked into to make them better and acceptable.”Another area is the problem of insecurity; most people could not come home for fear of being kidnapped and to address this, we have set up community policing to support the security agencies”. Earlier, President of the club pledged their commitment to the Asagba in Council’s development agenda. “All your policies to develop the town are laudable and Asaba 88 Club supports and welcomes the development and changes,’’ Eluaka said. Meanwhile, Asaba Christian Believers Associationled by Bishop Uche Eluaka had scheduled a prayer session to usher in peace and development in Asaba in 2013.

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Bad roads: Nigerians groan, economy

Owerri-Port Harcourt road

Nigeria has about 35, 000km of federal roads in its network. But DAYO AYEYEMI writes that despite N1.414 trillion expended on their maintenance since 1999, the roads remain death traps.

Stranded travellers on Ore-Benin road

izarre things are happening to motorists and commuters plying Nigerian roads as many of them, to no fault of theirs, get stranded while transiting from one part of the country to the other due to deplorable condition of federal roads. While some spend nights on the roads for a journey that is less than 10 hours, others don’t even live to tell the story having been involved in fatal accidents, while others have harrowing experiences from armed robbers. Road transport is the commonest means of transportation in Nigeria following the collapse of the rail system and the half-hearted measure to exploit the inland waterways. Road traffic depends on the pattern of human settlements, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the sub-sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This particular infrastructure is in comatose in Nigeria due to lack of maintenance and huge resort to trucks and articulated vehicles for haulage. From Shagamu-Ore to Benin, Onitsha to Owerri, Gombe to Potiskum, Abuja to Lokoja, Ibadan to Ilorin among others, travellers suffer untold hardships as greater portions of the road network are in deplorable condition. These roads are ridden with potholes and gullies despite huge amount of N1.414trillion claimed to have been spent on roads infrastructure by the Federal Government since 1999 till date. Despite the sorrowful road infrastructure deficit in the country, the Works Ministry has not ceased to feature in incessant, mind boggling reports of corruption involving its top officials, departments and agencies. National Mirror found out that several transit offices of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) have been overrun by thick bushes and serve as homes for reptiles and rodents. “Nigeria is a failed state,” a traveller, Mr. Ayo Otegbade, had echoed narrating his ordeal to National Mirror while travelling on the Abuja-Lokoja road to Lagos recently, saying the man-hour lost on the road due to its dilapidation, is a true picture of the Nigerian state. He said the movement from Abuja to Lagos in a hired executive cab was a nightmare to him as he spent 12 hours on a trip that should have taken him maximum of nine hours if the roads were in good shape. He also complained about the narrowness of the LokojaEdo boundary road, saying it could hardly take two cars. “The road is supposed to be a dual carriageway, but it is still a single lane without road signs and markings. From Ibadan to Ile Ife, the road was bad and there were checkpoints that took us another one hour,” Otegbade said. Groaning over the state of the roads, a commuter who identified himself simply as Ezim did not mince words, saying there was need to declare state of emergency on Nigerian roads. He stated that despite public outcries and many official

Niger bridge

FROM SHAGAMU-ORE TO BENIN, ONITSHA TO OWERRI, GOMBE TO POTISKUM, ABUJA TO LOKOJA, IBADAN TO ILORIN, AMONG OTHERS, TRAVELERS SUFFER UNTOLD HARDSHIPS AS GREATER PORTIONS OF THE ROAD NETWORK ARE IN DEPLORABLE CONDITION visits by ministers and top government officials to see the deplorable condition of the Shaganu-Ore-Benin road, a major highway linking states in the South-East and SouthSouth to the South-West, and the promises of rehabilitation made, the situation remains the same.. Narrating his experience on the road while travelling to his home town in Imo State, Ezim said he and other motorists had to follow a bush path and wasted three hours before connecting the main road due to long queue of trucks’ breakdown occasioned by potholes and gullies on the road. “I was lucky on this day because sometimes, you could spent a night on the road,” he said, adding that the SapeleWarri-Port Harcourt road has already become a death trap to motorists because of its poor condition. National Mirror found out that the poor state of the nation’s road network, apart from the human toll, is also causing considerable damage to vehicles. Among of the effects are that vehicles’ tyres wear out easily, rims bend, while shock absorbers and exhaust pipes damage frequently. The pot holes also cause premature damage to suspension and steering holders of vehicles. Lower engine and under carriage components are not spared. Another challenge posed by the poor condition of Nigerian

Fire fighter trying to prevent fire outbreak from a umbled petrol

roads, is insecurity as motorists are usually attacked by bandits, with the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt road becoming the most dangerous to ply. Worst hit by the deplorable road conditions are travellers moving farm produce from northern to the southern part of the country as recent flooding in Nigeria compounded their woes when they got stranded during their journeys for days with goods worth millions of naira lost to the disaster As a result of the flooding, Mr. Jaiye Ojo-Rotimi, a marketing executive with a manufacturing company, said motorists travelling to Lagos from Abuja were advised to take the abandoned Jebba-Ilorin road, while those travelling to the eastern part were diverted to deplorable Ajaokuta-AnkpaMakurdi road. Travelling on Jebba-Ilorin road, he said was traumatic going by the number of gullies that made the road almost impassable. In 2011, Nigerian roads were rated 191 out of 192 most deplorable ones in the world. Recently at the Nigerian Institute of Safety Professionals’ Conference in Warri, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka, disclosed that “Nigeria is currently 191 out of 192 countries of the world’s ‘unsafe’ roads.” The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that over 1.3 million people are killed in road accidents and 50 million suffer various injuries annually while over 80 percent of reported cases occur in developing countries, with African countries recording the highest number of deaths. Nigeria, as usual, takes its worrisome place among the countries with the highest number of road accidents. Available data of auto crashes indicate that at least, 162 persons out of 100,000 Nigerians are regular victims. Also worrisome is the report by the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) that only 15 per cent of federal roads across the country are in good shape. The scary statistics was released by the RAMP under the auspices of the Federal

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Thursday, January 3, 2013

Insight

suffers, FG asks for more N1.2trn

Traffic jam on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

tanker on Lagos-Ibadan road.

Enugu-Port Harcourt Express road

Ministry of Agriculture. The report showed that only about 15 per cent of more than 160,000 kilometres of secondary and tertiary roads are motorable. The RAMP statistics also stated that the hinterlands, which have a large population of Nigerians have the greatest share of bad roads, with over 70 per cent. Also speaking recently, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, gave credence to the reports when he decried the state of Nigerian roads, saying they qualified for a national emergency. Ekweremadu lamented during a visit to the Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja where he was received by the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen; the Minister of State, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Tukur Ingawa. He raised alarm over the imminent collapse of the River Niger Bridge at Onitsha, except another bridge is constructed over the river, adding that no nation can ever make any reasonable socio-economic progress without sound and safe road networks. The senator reiterated that the Niger Bridge had become a great challenge to the people of the South-East and entire Nigerians due to its strategic place in the nation’s life and stressed the need to not only fix it immediately, but also to take steps to urgently get the second Niger Bridge in place. Listing several of the sore points on Nigerian road network and harrowing experiences Nigerians face on them, Ekweremadu said, “The Benin-Ore road is now difficult to pass; we have problems with the Lagos-Ibadan road; it is difficult to move from Enugu to Port Harcourt, from Enugu to Makurdi, even from Kaduna to Kano and from here to Maiduguri; and we can’t even talk about the Abuja-Lokoja road.” “I have traversed the length and breadth of this country and have confirmed too, that all is not well with our roads,” he added.

IN 2011, NIGERIAN ROADS WERE RATED 191 OUT OF 192 MOST DEPLORABLE ONES IN THE WORLD National Mirror’s investigations revealed that Nigeria had budgeted N1.414trillion for roads since 1999, but only 30 per cent of about 350, 000 kilometres of the roads are paved. According to the House of Representatives Committee on Works’ findings, out of the 34.400 kilometres of federal roads, only 12.040 are paved, while others are in varying degrees of distress with potholes. Chairman of the committee, Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, disclosed this at a four-day Public Hearing on the “Urgent Need To Address The Near Total Collapse of Federal Roads Across the Country.” Members of the House of Representatives challenged the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, over the poor state of roads nationwide, despite the huge sum of money appropriated for his ministry in the 2012 budget. They lambasted Onolememen over the ministry’s implementation of the 2012 budget and its 2013 budget estimates. The Reps observed that virtually all Trunk A roads in the country were in terrible conditions and in some cases, impassable. Ozomgbachi particularly expressed displeasure that the Works Ministry, which always enjoyed priority attention in the budget, could be so deficient in handling the country’s problem of road infrastructure. Also, the Senate Committee on Works recently expressed dismay over the poor state of roads in the country, urging the Federal Government to provide what it described as emergency funds to address the poor condition of roads in the country. Defending the poor performance, Onolememen said the ministry had spent more than N44 billion, representing 93 per

centt off th the N47 N47.5 billion that 5 billi th t was released l d to t it for f the second quarter of the year on road projects alone. He, however, noted that inadequate funding, among other challenges, accounted for the delayed implementation of road projects. To fix Nigerian ailing roads and bring them to the standard known in other thriving nations in the world, Onolememen stated that about N500 billion would be required annually for the next four years. He said the average annual budget of about N100 billion for road development was grossly inadequate for the nation’s 35, 000 kilometre of federal roads, saying that from past experience, budgets were not fully released. In 2012, only N110 billion was released out of a total budgetary provision of N143 billion. Onolememen pledged that the ministry’s allocation in the 2013 budget would be used to complete ongoing projects, which are critical to the socio-economic wellbeing of the citizens. In the 2013 budget, N183 billion is allocated to Works Ministry with a capital budget proposal of N151bn, overhead cost at N24bn and personnel cost of N7.8bn. In line with the 2013 budget circular, the minister said the proposed capital projects of the ministry would be centred on the completion of on-going priority projects. For 2012 budget performance, he noted that the ministry utilised N102 billion which represents 92.7 percent of amount released for capital allocation for effective completion of eight strategic road projects and bridges across the six geopolitical zones, while N111 billion represents 77.3 percent of capital allocation to the main ministry released out of the 2012 budget. He said that works had resumed on the Benin-Ore road while efforts were in place to reprioritise Nigerian road needs with a view to fixing the major Trunk “A” ones immediately. The minister, who also promised that work would begin on the Seconds Niger Bridge in earnest: noted that Nigeria was probably the only country in the world without adequate fund for road management agency, According to him, rehabilitation and reconstruction works have been stepped up on about 11 road projects such as the VomManchok road (Plateau State), Yola-Numan road (Adamawa State), Gombe Bye-pass (Gombe State), Kaduna Refinery road (Kaduna State), Kano-Daura-Mai Adua road (Katsina State), AbaOwerri road (Abia State), Onitsha-Owerri road (Anambra State), while the Oyo-Ogbomosho road (Oyo State) has been completed. He said the Federal Government had approved N65.2bn for the construction of four sections of the Lokoja-Okene-Benin road at Lokoja-Okene, Okene-Auchi, Auchi-Ehor and Ehor-Benin City and each section would gulp N11.6 billion. Approval has also been given for the augmentation of the project cost of the KanoMaiduguri expressway, which was awarded in 2006, from N172 billion to N285 billion. The rehabilitation of section two of the Calabar-Ugep-OgojaKatsina-Ala road was also augmented, while four contracts for the construction of federal roads and bridges in Taraba, Niger and Kano states were also approved. Over N1.2 trillion is needed to fix Nigeria’s roads within the next three years, Onolememen, said. Defending the budget of FERMA, its Director General, Engr. G. C. Amuchi, had complained that the recurrent expenditure shortfall in their estimates, impacted negatively on their efforts to maintain roads. In a breakdown of the spate of short falls, he revealed that in 2010 the agency requested for N121 billion but got 6.2 billion; in 2011 it sought for N102 billion but received N 29 billion. In 2012, it requested for N209 billion but got N4.3 billion. Amuchi said that FERMA requested for N 210 billion to fix the roads this year, but may get about N38 billion. However, officialdom’s alibi does not impress the Group Managing Director of LASACO Assurance, Mr. Olusola Ajayi, who regrets that Nigeria, which once had one of the most extensive and efficient railway systems in Africa, can barely boast of a functional route either for passengers or freight today. These conditions, he said were unacceptable and posed a significant threat to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

WORLD RECORD

Oldest living rabbit

Vol. 03 No. 526

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Recovering the Lost Paradise

ere is a confession: This view concerning womanhood I am about canvassing belongs to the old school; it is of the past and thus archaic. It has been defeated in the past by modernity, since the Industrial Revolution. It is like returning to the era of ignorance, jahilliyyah in the language of the Arabs. Some will accuse me of slipping back into the Dark Age from the Renaissance. But I deserve to be heard first before a fatwa is invoked on me. First, let me assert that women have become masculinised and that our society is losing the values and virtues of womanhood. Stretching further my argument, I wish to conclude that the collapse of the social or moral order is as a result of the compromise of womanhood and the dearth of proper parenting, in which the woman as mother is the real factor of human development.

N150

The oldest living rabbit is ‘Do’(USA), a Jersey Wooley owned by Jenna Antol, New Jersey, USA. He was born on 01 January 1996, and turned 16 years 1 month and 14 days old, on 15 February, 2012.

eal Madrid striker, Cristiano Ronaldo, yesterday said that the faltering Spanish league title holder would fight back this year while playing down reported tension in the club. “It is difficult when a top team like Real Madrid that is used to winning finds itself not at its best level and it

Guest Columnist

Abdul-Warees

Solanke

I wish to posit that the collapse of the family is brought about by the misguided idea of women liberation. So, accept my parochialism. Please, accept my blindness. So are the rest of you. Only our Creator has perfect sight, who suffers no sight ailment. He is the Perfect Most Excellent master, who creates and restores. Paradise lies at the feet of mothers; it denotes beauty and calmness, where you can luxuriate, surrounded by flowers, inviting fruits, lush green and well manicured lawns. It is an expansive garden with many orchards beneath under which rivers flow, singing rivers. You have a clear view of the sky and the horizon in it; the breeze is cool; its scents sweet. In the bible, it is called the Garden of Eden. In the Qur’an, it is called Al-Jannah, which has many grades, the highest of which is Firdaus. If such a beautiful garden is at the feet of mothers, WOMEN really, it means they must be very good managers, well trained in the management of facilities, with eyes for details and perfection, uncompromising on environmental sanity and sustainability. Your entrance into the garden is at the discretion of the facility manager. But if the facility manager lacks or loses her managerial acumen or is wrongly trained to manage the facility, all sorts of beings will gain entry: agberos, area boys, the deranged and the insane, the elewe omos, the alagbos and the herbalist

MODERNITY HAS TURNED WOMEN INTO A TOOL OF SALES PROMOTION AND OBJECT OF ENTERTAINMENT aafas searching for herbs; the firewood gatherers soon take over the garden already turning into a bush. They will compromise the environment and the peace in the once beautiful and scenic garden; the herdsmen with their rampaging, hungry, riotous cattle will also smash through portions of the weak fence to graze in the garden now overgrown with wild weeds and useless shrubs. What is to be done? Sack the manager for negligence? Find another? Unfortunately, women as facility managers in raising responsible children and managing the home will always remain one species. You cannot get another. It is that same species that you must re-orient and bring back to its original function - managing the garden of the family and parenting. It is sad that in the permissiveness of today’s modernity, there is denaturing of women. Many of the modern ideas are turning men and women from the best of conduct to the beast of nature. With modernization, many lose sense of

shame, worse than animals copulating in the open. Many abdicate parenting to the screen and some senseless surrogates and maids. Modernity has turned women into a tool of sales promotion and object of entertainment. The woman is now the best show piece when Mirinda is to be marketed; she is on display when KFC is to enter a local market; her hot legs and slender arms invite to the showroom of the latest Benz, BMW or Volvo; her snow-white teeth with wide smile keeps the banquet guests glued to their seats; her courteous greetings welcome the tired travellers at the entrance of seven-star hotels, and on board flights as hostesses and cabin crew members. But her children are in the hands of some nannies that pump them with valium tablets to keep them asleep while mummy is away on duty. Her innocent teenage daughter is in the arms of some devils deflowering her as madam has no time to guide or groom her to be a responsible adult. Her 20 year old son is at some joint wasting precious time since mummy has no meaning in his life to mentor him. Now, the misguided and the unguided on air and in print are parenting on her behalf. Who should we blame? It is the world that removed the skirt and the wrapper from today’s woman and forced her into tight trousers and jeans to box and fight like an agbero in the motor park while hassling for daily bread or to roar like a lion over every little thing because she must assert and affirm herself as a strong woman. She is now so strong that a man makes no meaning in her life as a marital mate. So, the paradise is lost as women lose the virtues of motherhood. How do we regain this lost paradise? You guess is as good as mine. Solanke, korewarith@yahoo.com, is Head, Voice of Nigeria Training Centre, Ikorodu, Lagos

Sport Extra

Madrid ‘ll fight back to win title –Ronaldo is normal that people get a bit more tense,” Ronaldo said. “We have to admit that we are having a bad moment but I am sure this will be a good year. We are training well and so good things are sure to

come.” Weeks of rumours about splits in the club peaked on December 23 when coach Jose Mourinho dropped Casillas from the starting line-up away to Malaga-a game Madrid lost 3-2.

Mourinho insisted that decision was taken on technical grounds alone. “The coach is the one who decides and we all have to respect his decisions,” the former FIFA World Footballer of the Year said.

Cristiano Ronaldo

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