Thursday, November 1, 2012 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

New revenue sharing formula take off uncertain –RMAFC TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

Mbam

Vol. 2 N0. 482

he Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, yesterday ap-

peared uncertain about the likely date a new revenue sharing formula would be adopted for the tiers of government. RMAFC had earlier shifted its set target date

National Mirror lands in US

With 6 days left for Americans to decide who becomes the next President, Deputy Editor, Ayodele Ojo, has arrived in Washington DC to bring updates on the historic poll.

two times this year. Citing the challenge of paucity of funds as a major constraint hampering the commission on the revenue sharing formula exercise, CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Obama visits devastated areas as death toll hits 50 P.49

REPORTING

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Boko Haram: 3 senators under security watch –IG ...as Zanna sues FG for N5bn Lawmakers reopen Lawan vs Otedola case P.5

OMEIZA AJAYI AND INUSA NDAHI

he Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday vowed to bring to book anyone found to be a sponsor of terrorist activities in the country. He also said that the force would not sweep any of such cases under the proverbial ‘Nigerian carpet,’ adding that already three senators were being CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Akwa Ibom deputy gov resigns L-R: Mother of tennis superstars, Mrs. Oracene Price; Serena Williams; Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; Serena’s sister, Venus and Chairman, Fund Raising SubCommittee, Eko 2012 National Sports Festival, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, during a courtesy call on the governor in Lagos, yesterday.

Bench fires back, attacks the Bar over rot in judiciary ...stop blaming judges, but govt –S’Court justice

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Fashola presents N497bn budget for 2013

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Crisis brews in Ekiti over appointment of regent

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Jonathan reshuffles cabinet ...Ishaku, Kuchi swap positions P.4

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Bench fires back, attacks the Bar over rot in judiciary ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

or the first time in recent time, the bar and the bench yesterday openly disagreed on consistent haulage of criticisms against the judiciary by the former (the bar) over alleged increasing corruption in the bench without addressing fundamental challenges that could tempt serving judges to turn crooks on the bench. The occasion, yesterday, was the valedictory court session organized by the Supreme Court in honour of one of its retiring justices, Justice Olufunlola Adekeye. Both the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), had at the occasion, expressed worry over crisis of integrity bedevilling the judiciary in the country owing to corruption, saying the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Muhktar, would do well if corrupt judges were identified and disgraced out of the legal profession without any further delay. Former President of the Nigerian Bar Associ-

ation (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) spoke for the Body of SANs while Chief Okey Wali (SAN) who also promised to ensure that lawyers found influencing judicial officers in the discharge of their duties are de-robed, spoke for the NBA. The retiring justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olufunlola Adekeye, who patiently listened to them however cautioned legal practitioners yesterday to henceforth rise in sympathy with the judiciary instead of openly criticising, condemning or destabilising it. Justice Adekeye, who clocked the mandatory retirement age of 70 years on October 28 yesterday, said that whenever the reputation of the judiciary is challenged or its honour impugned, “it is the duty of the bar to defend, protect and exalt her”. She clarified however that she must not be mistaken for saying that legal practitioners must give a pat on the back to undesirable elements on the bench. “Any complaints against them can be forwarded to the Chief Justice of Nigeria or the National Judicial Council

depending on the gravity of the complaint,” she said. Justice Adekeye who forcefully canvassed the position yesterday listed some of the possible reasons why some judges cut corners, urging the Federal Government to look into those challenges. “The government must address the conditions of service of both serving and retired justices of the Supreme Court. These justices who work day and night for the maintenance of

law, peace and order in their fatherland must be encouraged to discharge their duties in a comfortable and conducive environment. “Any justice who retires from the Supreme Court bench must have served this nation for not less than 40 years. Nowadays, he retires into penury as his take home is his meagre gratuity and one of his three official cars. “He does not enjoy the monetisation of his official residence like his counterparts in the civil

service. The judiciary has no alternative arrangement for accommodation for him after his retirement. He retires into the anxiety of accommodation and frustration. “With the current market prices, his gratuity is not enough to purchase a befitting accommodation even within his community outside Abuja. In the face of gross materialism in the country, serving justices of the Supreme Court have continued to discharge their duties diligently while the retired

justices endure their fate silently “I believe strongly that we cannot keep quiet forever hence the authorities will never know where our shoes pinch us. The Constitution of this country forbids a retired judge of any cadre from engaging in legal practice after retirement. The government of this country is therefore invited to assist retired justices of the Supreme Court to surmount the problem of accommodation after retirement,” she added.

Kalabari youths protesting against ceding of some of their communities to Bayelsa State in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Boko Haram: 3 senators under security watch –IG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

closely watched. Speaking at a conference of sectional heads of police zonal and state Criminal Investigation Departments, CIDs, in Abuja, the IG said the force would stop the reign of terror in the country. He, however, appealed to Nigerians with evidence to avail the police of such stressing that the Police required evidence to nail anyone linked to terrorists while urging Nigerians to avoid passing irrational judgement on people on the strength of yet-to-be proven allegations. The police boss said: “We are doing so much about it and looking for evidence. Please anyone who has evidence should give us because you cannot take anyone to court without evidence. “So, these people (sena-

tors) are under watch. There must be a preponderance of evidence. Things do not just happen out of the blues. There is no imaginary evidence.” Three senators from Borno State have in recent times accused one another of laying the foundation for the formation of the Boko Haram Islamist sect. They are former governor of the state and ex-senator, Ali Modu Sheriff, Senator Ali Ndume and Senator Ahmed Zanna. In November last year, Ndume was arrested by the State Security Service, SSS, on suspicion of being a financier of the deadly sect. Ndume, who has since been charged to court, was indicted when an alleged spokesperson of the sect, also in SSS custody, Ali Konduga, reportedly named him as a major sponsor of the terrorist activities of

the group. A suspected kingpin of the sect, Mohammed Bama, who had earlier been declared wanted by the SSS, was a few weeks ago reportedly arrested in the home of Zanna in Maiduguri. His arrest prompted the SSS to invite the senator for questioning. Zanna, who is reportedly still under the close watch of the security service, also indicted Sherrif, claiming that Bama was arrested in the house of the ex-governor. The SSS is reportedly “waiting for the right signal” before extending an invitation to Sherrif, who is currently the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. On the $620, 000 bribery scam involving Femi Otedola, and the former Chairman of the House

of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on the Management of the Fuel Subsidy Regime, Farouk Lawan, the police boss said investigators would soon tidy up the case. Abubakar said there were other issues that the police needed to key into before revisiting the case. He did not, however, disclose what the “issues” were but a police source said investigators “are waiting for the report of a committee set up by the House of Representatives” to look into the issue before proceeding. Abubakar said: “It is not ad infinutum. It is ongoing. If you look at the case well, the police actually initiated it but there are other issues that we need to key into. “Once we are done with those issues, we will certainly do what we are supposed to do.” Addressing officers at the

conference, the IGP warned the detectives against subjecting suspects to torture in the guise of extracting information from them. “The CID we want is not the CID of today. We want a responsible CIDs who will grant bail free; not subject suspects to torture or take money to frame people up. “What we need is a 21st century policing where things are done professionally and rightly”, Abubakar stated. He also pledged that the force would do everything possible to resolve all past cases of murder and rape. The IG said: “When we came on board, we met problems of not being able to resolve cases of murders that should ordinarily not have taken a very long period. There are unresolved cases of murder and rape. It is not because the police are incompetent but due to sev-

eral factors which we shall discuss today. “There is no doubt that the investigation department is a very key department of any crime fighting outfit in the world. “For the force to move forward, we must continue to train and retrain our men for better services,” he said. Earlier, the Deputy Inspector-General Police, “D” department (Investigations), Mr. Peter Gana, challenged the detectives to be more dedicated to their calling and work towards solving all past and present criminal cases no matter how puzzling they might appear. Meanwhile, in Borno State, gunmen yesterday killed Mustapha Flawama (62) an associate of the former state governor, Ali Modu Sheriff at his Polo ward residence in MaiduCONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi (left) presenting key to a new 18-seater bus to Sis Obiagu Eteuma for Mercy Secondary School, Umuoji yesterday

L-R: President, Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu; her husband, Rotimi and Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole, at a symposium on breast cancer in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

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L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Investment, Alhaji Dauda Kigbu; Minister, Mr. Olusegun Aganga and European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. David Macrae, during a meeting between Ministry of Trade and Investment and European Union delegate in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: Representative of Dangote Groups, Alhaji Isa Yusuf; wife of former Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Mrs. Ramota Mustapha; her husband, Justice Abdullahi and Judge, Court of Appeal, Justice Aliu Gumel, during the launch of the book: “Rethinking the Administration of PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA Justice” in honour of Justice Abdullahi Mustapha in Abuja, yesterday.

National News

Jonathan makes minor cabinet reshuffl e FEC awards N3bn contract for 220-bed hospital ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday effected a minor cabinet reshuffle with the directive that the Minister of State for Power, Darius Ishaku, swap position with the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Hajia Zainab Kuchi. The President, who gave the directive yesterday at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said the two ministers should swap positions next week. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, who briefed State House Correspondents after the meeting, also said that if the president takes any step at all with regards to power, it would be to further strengthen the sector and continue to raise the level of performance, to meet the expectation of Nigerians. The former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, had on August 28, resigned

his appointment from the cabinet over conflict of interests in the privatisation of the power sector. “President Jonathan gave two major directives at the council today; the first is the swapping of positions between two ministers. He directed that these two ministers should swap positions with effect from next week, the Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs and Minister of State for Power. In that regard, Mr. Darius Dickson Ishaku, becomes the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs and the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Hajia Zainab Kuchi, becomes the Minister of State for Power,” Abati said. Abati further explained that the President also directed that the deadline for the submission of memos with regards to the award of contracts is November 30, under the 2012 budget. According to him, no fresh memo would be accepted after the November

deadline. “The second directive has to do with the submission of memos with regards to contracts. The President made it clear that no fresh memos for contracts will be accepted by council after November 30. So effectively, November 30 is the deadline for the submission of any memo under the 2012 budget,” Abati said. While speaking on the state of electricity supply in the country, Abati noted that there has not been a drop in the supply of electricity, stressing that the testimonies from Nigerians was that there has been improvement in electricity supply. “The testimony that we get from ordinary Nigerians, from people who use electricity is that there has been an increase. In fact, in many parts of the country, people now enjoy electricity supply for long hours and for which this government has been commended. “The general impression across the country is

that there has been an improvement and that this is one sector where government has achieved a lot. If the president takes any step at all with regards to power, you can be sure that that effort is to further strengthen the sector and continue to raise the level of performance to meet the expectation of Nigerians,” Abati said. Also yesterday, FEC awarded a contract for the construction of a 220bed General Hospital for Gwarimpa district at the cost of N3,028,000,000, which is the first phase. Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide, noted that the Federal Government approved the construction of the hospital as there was no secondary tertiary health care facility to serve Gwarinpa district with its growing population. “As you know, the Gwarimpa district houses Gwarimpa Estate which is reputed to be the biggest estate in Africa at present. We have therefore earmarked a plot that is two hectares in area in the

district. This is strictly in accordance with the Abuja master plan and the contract will be in phases.” According to her, “The first phase, which is the construction of facility that was awarded today include the construction of the main hospital block, fencing, accommodation for medical staff, a mortuary and an incinerator.” Akinjide noted that the first phase would take 86 weeks to complete, stressing that adequate provision has been made for the purpose in the FCT statutory budget while the second phase, which is the actual equipping of the hospital, would come later. She said the council also approved revised contract of N8, 767, 000, 000 for the building of the Code of Conduct Bureau headquarters in the Central Business District. “This building is a 13-storey building comprising of a four multi-level storey car park, two of which are subterranean and two are above ground while the actual office building is

nine-storey “This contract was originally awarded in 2010, but because of development control provision that any building in the central business district must have its own multi-level car park, the design has to be revised to put in the parking provision so the contract is now revised from N3, 509, 000, 000 to N8, 767, 000, 000. The construction period is 36 months”, Akinjide said. Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, also said that FEC approved a special programme for the maintenance and rehabilitation of major arterial roads in this country to ensure that the key roads in the country are motorable and safe for all Nigerians to travel back home over the Christmas and the New year period. He noted that his ministry was already attending to cases of road and bridge wash-out all over the country as a result of the heavy rain experienced this year, saying that work was going on along the KatsinaKano Road, where there was a major wash-out.

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

New revenue sharing formula take off uncertain –RMAFC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the Chairman, Elias Mbam, said he could not say when the new formula would be finalised. Reacting to media enquiries on the issue in his office in Abuja, Mbam explained that socio-economic and political variables would determine the conclusion of the project. Mbam said that it was no longer desirable for the RMAFC to set a new deadline for the release of the new formula, adding that “the success of the review of the new revenue formula depends on variables one of such variables is funding.” He, however, expressed the hope that if the budgetary allocation to the commission in the 2013 fiscal year was good enough, it would continue its field ex-

ercise to the geo-political zones “where workshops would be held and stakeholders’ inputs considered before the finalisation of the fiscal exercise.” Mbam, however, added that the commission needed funds to complete the assignment. According to him, “There is need for adequate funding in order to enable the commission to complete this national assignment. “We are hoping that the 2013 budget will take care of this. “The revenue formula exercise is a big one requiring extensive travelling and verification of socioeconomic indices and other critical information in various states. “Funding is required for

travel arrangements of 37 members to all parts of the country; hiring of consultants and other sundry logistics required before the exercise can be completed, but I want to say that we are hoping that we can do all that in 2013.” On the face-off between Bayelsa and Rivers states over the ownership of five oil wells in Soku, the RMAFC chairman absolved the commission of any blame over the lingering feud, saying its actions so far were in line with the recommendations of the 2000 Presidential Committee on the Verification of Oil Wells and the decision of the Supreme Court on July 10 this year. The court had asked the two parties to maintain the status quo until the ongoing

assignments of the National Boundary Commission, NBC, on the disputed area were concluded. Mbam said: “On the allegation of moving five oil producing communities from Rivers State to Bayelsa State, it is worth mentioning that the commission does not act in isolation without reference to other relevant government agencies at all levels of government. “Indeed, the commission does not generate data, demarcate boundaries or attribute oil wells to any state. “Rather, the commission relies on data or information from relevant government agencies, including the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, NBC and Office of the SurveyorGeneral of the Federation.

“It is not the responsibility of the commission to adjust boundaries or determine location of oil wells. “Accordingly, the allegation against the commission is baseless, false and misleading,” Mbam said. The RMAFC boss refuted the reported allegation by the Kalabari National Forum’s leader, Mr. Awoyesuau-Jack, that some public officials had connived to take away some communities from Rivers State and hand them over to Bayelsa State for political reasons, adding that attempt to link the Commission to such odious agenda is baseless, malicious and a calculated attempt to misinform the unsuspecting general public and embarrass the RMAFC. On the 13 per cent deri-

vation fund that has been subject of lingering bad blood between some state governments and the people in the oil rich communities, Mbam stated that “as of today the RMAFC Act does not allow the commission to release money to communities but we have advised state governments to use the 13 per cent derivation fund to develop the communities where oil exploration takes place.” He restated the earlier position of the Commission that the fund was specifically allocated to fix the environmental and other physical damages that may arise from minerals resources exploration in the communities and therefore the fund should be expended on such projects.

Zanna sues FG for N5bn damages ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

mbattled Senator Ahmad Zannah representing Borno Central Senatorial District yesterday approached an Abuja High Court with a lawsuit seeking an order compelling the Federal Government to pay him N5 billion damages over the psychological trauma he suffered from alleged malicious announcement to the public and the whole world that one of the commanders of the Boko Haram sect, Shuaibu Bama was arrested in his house. Zanna had listed the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Attorney General of the Federation and Lt. Col. Sagir Musa as co-defendants. In his statement of claims, Zanna averred that Musa had on October 9 as the spokesman of the Joint Task Force at a press conference said that the Boko Haram commander was arrested in a serving senator’s house along Damboa Road, GRA, Maiduguri. He said that Musa’s statement was reported in both print and electronic media, knowing full well that the words referred and were understood to refer to him by the general

public. He said it is a known facts that he is the only serving senator who has a house along Damboa Road GRA Maiduguri. He added that the public was misled that he harboured a wanted Boko Haram terror suspect in his house and is therefore a supporter of the terrorists group . “That the publication complained of falsely potrayed him as one of the persons who aid and support the Boko Haram in their terrorist activities. “That the plaintiff, who has always publicly condemned the destructive activities of the Boko Haram, is a hypocrite. “That the publication complained of was calculated to disparage the plaintiff and to lower his estimation in the eyes of the public and in fact, the plaintiff ’s reputation has been seriously damaged by the words complained of. “The plaintiff has also suffered considerable distress, mental trauma, shock and embarrassment as a consequence of the defendants’ conduct and has suffered loss and damages’’. No date has been set aside for hearing as the suit is yet to be assigned to any judge.

L-R: Director, Administration, National Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Zanna Mohammed; Director-General, Alhaji Sanni Sidi; Secretary-General, Nigeria Red Cross Society, Mr. Hamman Diram and Director, Finance and Accounting, Mr. Hakeem Akinbola, during the donation of ambulance to the Red Cross by NEMA in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Boko Haram: 3 senators under security watch –IG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

guri. Flawama was killed along two others suspected to be his friends at 10.16a.m. according to sources. The two gunmen, according to a resident, trailed the deceased in a tricycle to his residence and fired several gun shots into his head and chest. There were also reports of multiple attacks by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect on Chibok, a small town located 130 kilometres south of Maiduguri and a base of radical Islamists. The Chibok Divisional Police Station, a Bible col-

lege and primary school as well as telecom masts of Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM) firm were razed during the attack about 6.35p.m. on Tuesday. An eyewitness and resident of Chibok, said that the gunmen came in two unmarked Golf Volkswagen vehicles armed with petrolbombs and Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, with which they attacked the police station and schools. He said the policemen on duty at the station were caught unawares, when the gunmen started chanting… God is great! God is great and started throwing sever-

al petrol-bombs and explosives at the police station, which went up in flames. “On torching the police station the gunmen also ran to one of the Bible schools and a primary school in the town and set them ablaze. They also burnt a telecom mast of a GSM firm in the town,” a resident told National Mirror in a telephone interview yesterday in Chibok. The source said they appeared to be no casualties as the policemen fled on sighting the gunmen while the schools were empty at the time of the attack. Pique by attacks, youths in the town mobilised with

bows and arrows, and chased the suspects out of the town, while the three public buildings and GSM masts were burning, as the council has no fire fighting vehicles to put off the raging fire. Confirming the separate incidents yesterday, the state police command spokesman, Gideon Jibrin said in a telephone interview that there were attacks on one of the Divisional Police Stations in Chibok, while a resident at Polo area was also shot and killed by suspected gunmen. He said no arrests have been made with respect to the two separate attacks.

National News

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Reject Ribadu’s report, coalition tells Jonathan UAD asks President to sack Alison-Madueke, Okonjo-Iweala

CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

he Coalition of Civil Society Groups on Transparency and Good Governance yesterday asked the Federal Government to reject the report of the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu-led Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, PRSTF. It also asked the government to immediately put in place a new committee to undertake a thorough probe of the sec-

tor in view of its importance to the country. But another group, United Action for Democracy, UAD, urged Jonathan to sack and prosecute Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and her finance counterpart, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. It also asked the President to sack the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and the Pipelines and Product Mar-

keting Company, PPMC, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, to give way for the total clean-up of the country’s oil and gas industry. However, the coalition of civil society groups said in a statement signed by its Secretary, Northern Zone, Alhaji Babanagari Suleiman, and the Chairman, Yoruba Development League, Sanya Adesua, that the report had been

politicised, even before its submission to President Goodluck Jonathan. According to the group, the controversy that has dogged the leakage of the report and, even from members of the committee was an indication that all is not well with the panel. The statement reads in part: “It is shocking and disappointing that while Nigerians have waited for the report to be released without prejudice, the committee has now been divid-

L-R: Ministers of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe; Transport, Sen. Idris Umar; Works, Mike Onolememen and the Minister of State for Works, Amb. Bashir Yuguda, at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Plane crash: Suntai’s ADC to be flown to Germany MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

arring last minute change of plan, the Aide De Camp, ADC, to Taraba State governor, Dasat Iliya, who is receiving medical attention at the National Hospital, Abuja, will soon be flown to Germany for further treatment. Iliya, two other aides and Governor Suntai Danbaba were injured in the governor’s Cessna 208, 5NBMJ Jet that crashed in Yola, Adamawa State, last Thursday. Suntai was flown to Germany less than 24 hours after he was rushed to the National Hospital from the Specialist Hospital, Yola, Adamawa State, for treatment. He was said to be in coma at the time of being flown out of the country. The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Emmanuel Bello, confirmed Iliya’s planned movement

out of the country to journalists yesterday in a telephone interview. He, however, did not say when the governor’s aide would be taken out of the country. According to him, the ADC would have been moved to Germany earlier, but due to his critical condition which had to be stabilised before being taken on a long journey abroad. The governor’s three

aides were flown to Abuja on Sunday night and were said to have since been responding to treatment. The spokesperson of the National Hospital, Mr. Tayo Hastrupp, had told our correspondent that the patients “are in good condition, stable and are responding to treatment” in a telephone interview. Meanwhile, Bello said that the other two aides, Tino Dangana and Joel

Dan, the Chief Security Officer and Chief Detail respectively, were responding to treatment and would soon be discharged from the hospital. Contrary to insinuations that the governor’s aides were being discriminated against, the commissioner said the three men were subjected to the same treatment as the governor when the accident happened.

ed, putting the integrity of the report to be submitted to the President on Friday into question. “As we receive this shocking development while holding our conference on how to move Nigeria forward, we make bold to state that the report seems to have been politicised and compromised and as such lost its credibility even before it is received by President Goodluck Jonathan. Certain members, from indication, are now using the report for political purposes to the detriment of the Nigerian people. “It is in the light of the above that we call on the Minister of Petroleum Resources to, as a matter of urgency, reject the report in its entirety, reconstitute another committee comprising of people without political ambition, members of the civil society and credible Nigerians who would do a thorough probe without prejudice, bias and premeditated conclusion. “We, as members of coalition of the civil society groups in Nigeria, believe that since the petroleum

NEMA donates ambulance to Red Cross

he National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has donated an emergency rescue ambulance to the Nigerian Red Cross Society, NRCS, to ensure prompt response to disasters. The agency also signed a memorandum of understanding with the NRCS to work together in the area of disaster management in the country. Speaking during the presentation of the am-

Give subscribers instant call bills, NCC orders telecoms firms KUNLE A ZEEZ

he Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has directed all telecoms operators to provide instant SMS service to all phone users at the end of every call. Such SMS service is expected to provide full details of the cost of each call, and available balance to the subscriber. The directive followed complaints from telecoms

subscribers over irregular billings. A statement issued by the Head, Media and Public Relations, NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, said the service must be free to all subscribers with the commencement date for all the operators fixed for today. The statement also specified heavy penalty for any operator that failed to comply with the new directive, aimed at checking dubious charges on phone calls made by subscribers.

“Any operator which fails to commence the service to its subscribers will be liable to fine in the sum of N5 million as sanction and a further sum of N500,000 per day as long as the contravention persists,” the statement reads in part. It noted that the commission had, in a directive issued in August, mandated “that from 1st of November, 2012, all mobile operators shall send, free of charge, a message or an alert to both post-paid and

sector is the major source of revenues to the country, those who have shortchanged the Nigerian people in that sector must be made to face the full wrath of the law, irrespective of their status in society.” Meanwhile, while addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the National Convener of UAD, Mr. Jaye Gaskia, threatened to mobilise Nigerians to stage a mass protest in Abuja if the President failed to heed to the group’s demands. Referring to the Ribadu panel, which revealed theft in the country’s oil and gas sector to the tune of over $29bn, Gaskia noted that what Nigeria lost in the 10 years it probed was equal to the total budget for the country in four years. He said: “We are worried and concerned enough as patriotic citizens of our country to reach the conclusion that something drastic, immediate, and far-reaching must be urgently done to end all forms of impunity in the governance of our country, and begin the process of salvaging Nigeria.”

prepaid subscribers after every call, SMS, or system generated charge or tariff, with a proviso that a subscriber can opt out if he or she so wishes.” The directive, the statement said, mandated the subscribers to send messages containing six critical information including: exact duration of the call minutes and seconds, total cost for each call or SMS; customer’s account balance after the last call for prepaid and SMS, etc.

bulance keys to the officials of the Red Cross in Abuja yesterday, the Director-General, NEMA, Mr. Mohammad Sani-Sidi, said the organisation was duty bound to ensure effective use and maintenance of the facility. The mobile intensive care ambulance is equipped with the stateof-the-art facilities such as multi-parameter patient monitor, rescue electronic suction pump, suction catheters and oxygen device. Sani-Sidi explained that it was through the effective use of the ambulance that the agency would justify the continued support of the Federal Government. He said: “Let me emphasise that with today’s official handing over of this ambulance to the Nigerian Red Cross Society, the officials of our sister organisations are duty bound to ensure the execution of the memorandum of understanding we are about to endorse today.”

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

A’ Ibom deputy governor, Ekere, resigns TONY ANICHEBE UYO

kwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Mr. Nsima Ekere, has resigned from office. In a letter of resignation dated October 31, 2012, Mr. Ekere said he resigned on personal grounds. He thanked Governor Godswill Akpabio and the people of the state for the opportunity given him to serve in the last 17 months. Ekere wished the gover-

•Says decision personal nor and the people well in the remaining years of the administration National Mirror, however, learnt that the “long cold war between Ekere and the Secretary to the State Government (SSS), Mr. Umana Okon Umana, who is allegedly favoured by Governor Akpabio to succeed the latter in 2015, prompted the erstwhile deputy governor to resign.” A source, who did not

want his name mentioned, said the Office of the Deputy Governor was starved of funds since he assumed office. The source said the office was deliberately starved of funds in order to incapacitate Ekere financially ahead of the 2015 poll. He said: “Most times, Mr. Ekere spent his personal money to run official matters. Several approvals made by him were lying

there in the accountant’s office without funds to back them up.” Mr. Nsima Ekere emerged the deputy governor in the second term of Akpabio after Mr. Patrick Ekpotu, who served the governor in his first term, was dropped. Ekere contested the PDP primaries with Akpabio in 2007, but lost. He had hoped to succeed Akpabio in 2015, but “the conspiracy against the plan prompted him to resign.”

Uduaghan appoints nine-man DESOPADEC board SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

overnor Emmanuel Uduaghan has appointed a nine-man board for the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC). Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, listed the names of the nominees during resumption of plenary yesterday. The nominees comprise seven old members of the erstwhile board dissolved by the House on September 12, 2012 due to alleged nonperformance and incompetence. Three members of the former board were dropped in the fresh arrangement. The latest development confirmed Tuesday’s report of National Mirror that Uduaghan re-appointed seven and dropped three members of the former board. The report also indicated that three members of the previous board were

dropped by Uduaghan due to the insistence of the members of the House of Assembly, apparently for political exigency and selfpreservation. Those whose names were re-presented by the governor as earlier reported by National Mirror include the commission’s chairman, Mr. Oritsua Kpogho, Mr. Henry Ofa, Mr. Joseph Ogeh, Mr. Michael Diden, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro and Mr. Chukwudi Eke. Those dropped were whose fate hung in the balance as at press time yesterday were Mr. Johnson Boro, who was nominated by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, in the first instance, Mrs. Benedicta Nzuegbu- Osakunih and Peter Egedegbe. Consequently, they were replaced by Mr. Festus Utuama, a younger brother to the deputy governor, who replaced Boro, Kenny Ekenechukwu Okulogbo, who replaced NzuegbuOsakunih and Mr. Christopher Obiuwevbi, who replaced Egedegbe.

Retired Justice Mustapha honoured at book launch

L-R: Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio; his counterpart from Cross River State, Governor Liyel Imoke and Vice-President Namadi Sambo, during a special boundary meeting with the governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.

N18.38bn loan: Commission wants Oyinlola sanctioned

he Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State to look into the circumstances surrounding the procurement of the N18.38 billion loan from the United Bank of Africa Plc yesterday submitted its report, indicting the administration of former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola for leadership failure. The Professor Femi Odekunle-led commission recommended sanctions for the former governor for heeding the advice of the then Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adejare Bello, to take the loan at a nonemergency circumstance. Oyinlola is also recommended for sanction for approving the terms of the loan that the commission found to be inimical to the interest of the state when compared to the in-

terests of UBA Plc. Prof. Odekunle, accompanied by other members of the panel, also recommended that the former governor should face sanction “for irrational application of parts of such loan and for directing certain obvious reckless disbursement for the loan”. Oyinlola was also blamed for approving what the commission described as an “unthinking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IDG that has turned out to be a fraud against the state,” just as he was also made to carry the can for authorising “dubious and irregular payment to Meadows Park Investment Limited.” Other indicted were the former Head of Service, Mr. Segun Akinwusi, and the former Permanent Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Finance

and Economic Planning, Mr. Abiodun Akintaro, for failing to offer useful advice to former governor during deliberative meetings on the loan which they attended. Akinwusi was particularly singled out for what the panel described as an act of “dishonesty” in denying his participation in the deliberations in the memorandum to Governor Aregbesola as well as in his oral submission under oath before the commission. The commission was of the opinion that the former Speaker ought to have instituted a public hearing on the loan as a matter of public interest arising from the resentment expressed by the opposition members of the Assembly. The public hearing, Odekunle, stressed should have taken place on the issues surrounding the loan

before it was approved by the state House of Assembly, which deliberated on it for a few days and passed it into law. While some officials were recommended for sanction, the commission recommended the former Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Works, Mr. Ojo and the Director-General in the Due Process Office, Mr. Gbenga Abiola, for commendation over their insistence on doing the right things at the risk of their careers. In his response, Aregbesola, who expressed his government’s appreciation to the commission for the zeal, passion and commitment in which it handled the assignment, assured that immediately the report is subjected to review by the technocrats and approved by the state executive council, a White Paper will be issued.

or more than three hours yesterday in Abuja, Supreme Court Justice M. Dattijo Muhammad led jurists, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, bar leaders traditional rulers to pour encomium on the former Chief Judge, Federal High Court, Justice Abdullahi Mustapha (OFR) during the book launch in his honour. The book: Rethinking the Admnistration of Justice: Essays In Honour of Hon. Justice Abdullahi Mustapha, co-edited by Rickey Tarfa (SAN), Prof. Lanre Fagbohun and Gbolahan Gbadamosi was unveiled by the President Dangote Groups, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (GCFR) ably represented by Alhaji Isah Tata. The event was also used to celebrate the 68th birthday of Justice Mustapha. Justice Muhammad in his capacity as Chair of the Day described the honouree as “a man of many colours”. From the Federal High Court was the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, former Chief Judge Federal

High Court, Justice Dan Abutu; Justices Adeniyi Ademola, Gladys Olotu, Gabriel Kolawole, Stephen Adah, Yinka Faji. Justice Aliu Gummel of the Court of Appeal also graced the occassion including His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Yayaha Abubakar(CFR), The Etsu Nupe and Chairman Niger State Council of Chiefs represented by Senator Isah Muhammed, The Waziri of Nupe. The Deputy DirectorGeneral, Nigerian Law School, Enugu campus, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu as the book Reviewer said: Does Hon. Justice Mustapha deserve this honour of a book in his name, or any other honour? “There are testimonies upon testimonies for Justice Mustapha’s “dedication, brilliance, gentility, meekness, love and patience, and for keeping and upholding the rules of justice all the time. I can personally testify that Justice Mustapha’s YES is YES and NO is NO.”

South West

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Fashola presents N497bn 2013 budget to Assembly MURITALA AYINLA

overnor Babatunde Fashola yesterday presented a budget estimate of N497.277 billion for 2013 to the Lagos State House of Assembly for ratification. The governor said his administration would focus more on life-threatening environmental risks and finance security challenges in the state. The budget proposal exceeded last year’s revised budget of N485.3 billion by 1.08 per cent. A summary of the budget shows that recurrent expenditure would gulp N228.913 billion, capital expenditure (N268.364 billion), capital receipts (N22.912 billion) while the component of the total overhead cost is N139.173 billion.

According the proposal, the capital to recurrent ratio will be 54:46 for 2013 as against 53:47 in 2012. Sectoral allocation provided in the budget includes: General Public Service, N114.076 billion (22.94 percent); Public Order and Safety, N18.799 billion (3.78 per cent); Economic Affairs N156.273 billion (31.43per cent); Environmental Protection, N44.131 billion (8.87 per cent); Housing and Community Amenities, N46.149 billion (9.28 per cent); Health, N42.498 billion (8.5per cent); Recreation, Culture and Religion N5.749 billion (1.16 per cent); Education, N64.343 billion (12.94 per cent); Social Protection, N3.259 billion (0.66 per cent); Contingency, N2 billion (.44 per cent). Presenting the budget,

Fashola promised that his administration would intensify efforts at improving the education, health and power sectors, adding that attention would also be given to roads, water and rural development. The governor added that last year’s budget recorded appreciable performance despite the numerous challenges confronting the state. He said: “In spite of these challenges, I am proud to say that with your support and cooperation, we have sailed courageously and remarkably against the wind in the implementation of our budget. At the end of the Third Quarter Budget presentation, we achieved an aggregate budget implementation performance of 72 per cent for the period January to September 2012. “The breakdowns have

been presented in our quarterly briefings as 65 per cent in Q1, 84 per cent in Q2 and 65 per cent in Q3. What is instructive in the first and third quarters was the fact that we did not utilise our borrowing powers in those quarters as we did in the second quarter. “Although we can and we intend to improve our budget performance in the 4th quarter, I am happy to say that our 72 per cent aggregate performance has been most impactful on our state and our citizens.” Responding, the Assembly Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, urged the governor to tackle the menace of deplorable roads and youth unemployment. He said the dividends of democracy should translate to good roads for the citizens.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ogun CJ frees 42 inmates, berates police for delaying prosecution FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

gun State Chief Judge, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade, set free 42 prison inmates during her threeday tour of all the prisons in the state, which ended yesterday. Olopade, who visited all the four judicial divisions in the state, however, expressed displeasure over the lackadaisical attitude of the Investigating Police Officers, IPOs, which had resulted in the congestion of prisons across the state. Speaking with newsmen at the end of her visit to Shagamu Prison, the CJ said the slow pace of investigating cases made majority of the affected inmates suffered unduly in the course of awaiting trial. At the Ilaro Prison in the Egbado Judicial Division of Yewa South Local Government Area, where

15 inmates regained their freedom, Olopade described the police prosecution unit as “insensitive” to the plight of the awaiting trials, some of who had spent about five years awaiting prosecution. She said: “I cannot take all these excuses you are giving me. What if they are your relations, will you be happy to have them stay this long in detention. This is not fair, you need to be up and doing.” Olopade added that it was disheartening to find out that most cases were pending in court without judicial process. She said: “We have cases of no case file from the police, no witnesses which have continued to delay justice. This is wickedness and I am going to write and inform appropriate authorities in my report about the attitudes of some people in the cause of discharging their duties.”

How ex-Fin Bank directors stole N10.9bn –Witness FRANCIS FAMOROTI

n Ikeja High Court was yesterday told that two former executive directors of Fin Bank Plc, Okey Nwosu and Dayo Famoroti, were among the top shots who converted the bank’s multimillion shares through some companies floated by the then management to defraud the bank. A witness, Mr. Anafi Buba Mohammed, disclosed this yesterday at the resumed hearing of the criminal charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Mohammed, a law enforcement officer in charge of Compliance and Enforcement Department in the EFCC, told Justice Lateefat Okunnu that the companies established by the former bank directors were then termed Special Purpose Vehicles, SPVs. Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the witness said though there were many of the SPVs, only seven were discovered during the investigation of the scam. Mohammed said bank’s

funds were used to secure the shares through two stock broking firms, one of which is Springboard Trust and Investment Limited. He added that the funds were thereafter transferred to the SPVs, whose main purpose was to manipulate the bank’s shares. The witness said such act of buying shares by the bank contravened the rules and regulations of the supervising authorities, adding that it was a prevalence practice among many banks which was often used to strengthen and boost their image in the market. Mohammed told the court that the EFCC team found and eventually confirmed during its investigation that about 34 million of such shares of the bank were subsequently crossed from Integrated Limited to Famoroti and others to Nwosu. Nwosu is standing trial for alleged theft of N10.9 billion alongside Famoroti, Danjuma Ocholi and Mrs. Agnes Ebubedike, all former directors of the bank. They were said to have committed the offence between September 2006 and November 2007.

L-R: Chief of Staff to Ogun State governor, Ambassador Ademola Ogunnaike; Country Manager, Mathesis Consulting, Mr. Larry Edeh; Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbola Ashiru; Special Adviser to the governor on Energy, Chief Taiwo Fagbemi; Governor Ibikunle Amosun and representative of South African Alternative Energy Association, Mr. Alwyn Smith; during a visit by participants of the 2012 Nigeria Alternative Energy Expo to the governor in Abeokuta, yesterday.

Lagos earmarks N40bn to protect coastal areas MURITALA AYINLA

o mitigate the recurring ocean surge and negative impact of climate change on Lagos State, Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday said his administration had designed coastal protection plan that would cost about N40 billion. The project, which will stretch for about seven kilometres to protect coastline areas in the state, is expected to be implemented in two

budgetary cycles. Speaking while presenting the 2013 budget proposal to the state House of Assembly, Fashola said continued risk confronting the state, owing to its proximity to Atlantic Ocean, called for proactive measures to mitigate the negative impact on the residents. He said: “Currently, we have designed a coastal protection plan with our consultants from Holland that will stretch for about seven kilometres, to protect Kuramo, Victoria Is-

land Extension, Oniru Estate, Goshen Beach Estate and Alpha Beach. “It will cost about N40 billion to implement it over at least two budgetary cycles. Without help, we are constrained to finance and implement the plan in phases to arrest the immediate threats and then deliver the protection.” Commending the Federal Government for considering the state as a beneficiary of the flood relief fund, Fashola described the challenges confront-

ing the state as enormous. He said: “We recognise the continuing risk that we face being so close to the Atlantic Ocean and from the inner boundaries through which six rivers (Ogun, Yewa, Imeda, Owo, Oyan and Osun rivers) from Ogun and Oyo states, have tributaries that discharge ultimately into our state.” The governor added that many projects had been stepped down to give room for the execution of environmental challenges.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mischief makers behind my purported UK arrest –Ajimobi’s wife OLUSEGUN KOIKI

ife of Oyo State G o v e r n o r, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, yesterday dismissed a report that she was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in London, the United Kingdom, describing the claim as the handiwork of some mischief makers. Addressing journalists on arrival from London at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Mrs. Ajimobi insisted that the rumour was intended to tarnish her image as a wife of a politician and her marriage of over 30 years. She arrived at the country aboard a Virgin Atlantic Airways aircraft at about 6:50 am yesterday, explaining that she left Nigeria with her child, who returned to school in London. Mrs. Ajimobi said: “I am here as you can see, I have never had any encounter with the London Metropolitan Police and I know I will never have any. It is just rumour like you said, and I think the time has come for us in Nigeria to stop playing dirty politics. “We should be very objective, when we are giving out information, in particular members of the press, we should verify the information we are giving. “I just want to use this medium to say that the ultimate measure of any man or woman is where you stand in times of conflict, challenges and controversy and not in times of comfort. “I stand on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and all other grounds are sinking sand. It is a phase, it will pass over, and this is because I am more than a conqueror. It is the price I have to pay as the wife of a politician. In particular in Oyo State, where there is record of dirty politics. I do not have any blemish in my wardrobe and I am never going to have any.” She said contrary to the rumour that she was arrested two weeks ago in London, she actually travelled with her husband to Taipei, in Asia through Dubai for an official engagement, insisting that they never went to London during the trip.

South West

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Crisis brews in Ekiti community as govt appoints another regent ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

ess than 24 hours after the Nigerian Ambassador to Republic of Congo, Princess Jolaade Onipede, was installed the Regent of Ilasa-Ekiti, the Ekiti State Government has announced the appointment of another regent for the community. The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, said the Ekiti East Local Government authorities, in consultation with the

community’s kingmakers, recommended the appointment of Chief Mrs Comfort Dayo Idowu as the regent. Afuye told journalists yesterday in Ado-Ekiti that the state government did not recognise the appointment and consequent installation of Onipede, the first daughter of the late Oba Joel Ajibola, who died on October 1, 2012 after 63 years on the throne. He said: “Following the passing on of Oba Joel Ajibola, the Alasa of Ilasa Ekiti on October 1, 2012,

the Ekiti East Local Government recommended to the state government the appointment of Chief Mrs Comfort Dayo Idowu as the lawful regent of the town pending the time a substantive Oba would be appointed. But Onipede, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, who was installed regent of the community on Tuesday, described the state government’s action as a ruse. She said: “It is a ruse. Afuye does not know the tradition of Ilasa and he

is not a native of the town. All the kingmakers of Ilasa cannot come together and make a mistake. “They are the people to announce and they had done that. Idowu cannot come to my father’s palace, she will have to go to Afuye’s village to serve as regent and not Ilasa. “The state government does not know the rule, or maybe Afuye gave it the wrong information.” According to her, nobody or authority would be allowed to trample on the people’s tradition and customs.

L-R: Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Habib Olamitoye; Chairman, Hospitals Management Board, Alhaji Olaide Abass and Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, during an inspection visit to the State Hospital in Ibadan on Tuesday.

‘Why Ekiti introduced contributory pension scheme’ ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

commissioner in the Ekiti State Pensions Commission, Chief Segun Ajibulu, has described establishment of Contributory Pension Scheme in the state as a means of helping retirees out of their agonies. Ajibulu, who lamented that retirees suffered unduly through waiting for years before having their entitlements paid, said the collapse of the payas-you-earn system in the country had necessitated establishment of the scheme. He told journalists in yesterday Ado-Ekiti that the scheme was recently created “to pioneer the new contributing pension plan for the state.” He said: “We are working hard for its take off, though there are some impediment, which we are trying to tackle before full take off ’. The commissioner, who said Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration did not owe retiree arrears, added: “We are paying all new retirees their full arrears. We are also going to pay off all the previous arrears to our retirees.

Senate tackles NBA over constitution review GEORGE OJI AND EMMANUEL ONANI

he Senate yesterday took on the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, on some of the reservations expressed against the current process of constitutional review by the National Assembly. The lawmakers have, therefore, asked the NBA to show Nigerians the legal instrument that says for any meaningful amendment to take place in the constitution, the National Assembly must subject the review process to a referendum, “where the wishes and aspirations of the people will be aggregated.” NBA President, Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, had, while inaugurating some committees of the body in Abuja on Tuesday, expressed reservations

over the way the National Assembly was carrying on with the review process. According to Wali: “The NBA has some reservations about the ongoing process as it does not appear to be very orderly. “There is no clear agenda or known methodology. In fact, the House of Representatives will be holding a public hearing session simultaneously in all the 360 federal constituencies in the country on Saturday, November 10, 2012.” However, the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee of the National Assembly, Ike Ekweremadu, and the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, expressed shock at the position of the NBA on the constitution review. Ndoma-Egba, in an interview with National Mir-

ror, yesterday expressed surprise that after so many years, the NBA would now think that the process was disorderly. On referendum, the lawmaker noted that “for you to have a referendum, there must be a constitutional provision or a law. “So, when they say there should be a referendum, they should refer us to the law that will support that referendum or the constitutional provision under which Nigerians can now take part in the referendum to amend the constitution.” He described the suggestion by NBA for the adoption of what he said as unconstitutional method of amending the constitution as strange. Ndoma-Egba said: “For me, it is even strange that the NBA will be suggesting an extra constitutional

mechanism for a process that is very clearly defined and specified in the constitution. It is very strange that the body like the NBA will be suggesting an extra constitutional procedure.” Ekweremadu dismissed the remarks that the current process of constitutional amendment was disorderly. According to him: “Since 1963 there has not been a single successful constitutional amendment until this disorderly procedure started, that we have had first, second, third and fourth amendment. So, if the disorderly procedure is producing result, it does not matter what you call it.” Also commenting on the claim by the NBA that the issues for amendment in the constitution do not follow popular process, Ekweremadu explained that the only way to know the issues

that will become topical or that will survive are through the adoption of the relevant provisions of the constitution. “For you to get the amendment passed, it must be approved by two thirds of the state houses of assembly. We have no crystal ball to know which issues will be approved by the state houses of assembly or not, he said. “Sometimes the matter looks very straight forward but at the end of the day it does not come out so. The ones that will have two thirds majority will stand and the ones that do not will fail. Our responsibility is to collate the views of Nigerians.” The lawmaker recalled that during the last round of constitutional amendment the NBA went as far as holding a retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and submitted a memorandum to us.

South East

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Presidential poll: ‘Igbo’ll disappoint cynics in 2015’ CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

political pressure group, The C21, has said that cynics who think the Igbo would not be able to unite and form a common front to produce a presidential candidate come 2015 will be highly disappointed. Founder of C21, Senator Annie Okonkwo, who dropped the hint during a chat with National Mirror in Abuja, said the Igbo had never been more united in the quest for the presidential slot, adding that it was time Nigerians allow for a candidate of Igbo extraction from the South-East to occupy the number one position in the country. Okonkwo, who believed that Nigeria would be more stable when equity and fairness prevailed and the Igbo man is allowed to take his turn in the power sharing equation, noted that the people of Igbo extraction have been grossly margin-

alised. His words: “The truth of the matter is that the political situation in this country will be more stable when an Igbo man takes his own turn, like what is happening now, this is the first time the Igbo are united with one voice, both the elders, youths and the women are saying to this country that time has come that you give opportunity for an Igbo extraction from the SouthEast to occupy the number one position. It is only fair for Nigeria, it will stabilise politics in this country.” He added that; “People would be disappointed thinking that come 2015 the Igbo will compromise themselves.” Okonkwo, who recalled that the Igbo have sacrificed a lot in Nigeria, said that the people of the zone are more than ever determined to play their own role in uniting the country. On state creation, he said the South-East remained the only geo-political zone

in the country with only five states while others have six even seven in some cases. “When we say Igbo are marginalised it is obvious, we accepted the six geo-po-

administer free drugs to ailing ones. Among the items donated by the foundation, included 100 bags of 50 kg rice, 10 bags of beans, 50 pieces of mattresses, 200 bags of sachet water, eight units of first aid kits, 80 pieces of mosquito nets, 1, 600 units of Coarten ACT anti-malarial drugs for children, 100 pieces of mat, 100 pieces of blanket, one bag of onions, nine

cartons of chocolate beverage drink and one full bag of used clothing. Also presenting their relief materials at the SEMA headquarters, the management of Rockland Development Limited, a civil engineering company, led by its Deputy Managing Director, Engr. Jude Eneh, said the company had 100 bags of rice, 40 cartons of peak milk and 30 bags of salt for

litical zones and out of the six zones each of the zones have at least six, some even have seven, so how does that balance up the rest, the people are cheated because people in authority who

shared these states are not friendly with the Igbo. “Talking of equity and togetherness, we must be able to allow additional state to be created in the South-East. Where the state

should be created should not be a problem, we want Nigerians to at least agree that the Igbo should have another state, and leave the rest for us, we will produce one state.”

Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji (right) and State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Nathaniel Ubong, at the firearm presentation in Umuahia, yesterday.

Anambra flooded areas’ll soon dry up –SEMA boss APGA: Appeal Court adjourns NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

oordinator of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, ASEMA, Dr. Justin Ijezie, has predicted that all the flooded areas in the state would soon dry up. Ijezie, who made the prediction when the Director of Godwin and Patricia Okeke Foundation, Lady Pat Okeke, donated some relief materials - drugs and food items worth N2 million at the ASEMA headquarters, Awka, said that the water stopped surging since two weeks ago. He said his prediction was predicated on the fact that the water level was gradually coming down, adding that the water might return to its normal level in the next few months when the dry season is expected to set in. Presenting the items, Lady Pat Okeke noted that in addition, Rise Clinic, another non-profit medical and care giving institution funded by the foundation, elected to provide more care to the victims by way of conducting free malaria tests for all the victims seen in the camps and

the victims. He added that they were so devastated by the extent of damages the flood had caused the populace. Eneh said the company was prepared to donate more materials in future, to ensure that the flood victims are properly taken care of so that no soul would be lost as a result of hunger and sickness arising from the menace of the flood disaster.

Ebonyi pegs SSSCE registration fee at N9, 350

he Ebonyi State government yesterday in Abakaliki, warned principals of public secondary schools against collecting Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) fees in excess of the approved N9, 350. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mr. William Alo, gave the warning at a meeting with principals of state government-owned secondary schools. He said the meeting was called to brief the principals on the decision of government concerning the registration of candidates in public schools sitting for the May/June 2012/2013 West African School Cer-

tificate Examination. Alo said government had approved an official fee of N9, 350 for the registration of its candidates. He said out of the amount, N8, 050 would be for the registration of the examination, while N1, 300 would be for running costs, pointing out that government would not condone any imposition of ‘illegal fees’ by any school principal. The permanent secretary said government would not hesitate to sanction any principal that indulges in exploitation of candidates through the collection of extra fees. “We expect that you abide by this decision as collection of unauthorised

fees will be viewed as sabotage. “Let me once more reiterate that laxity and truancy will not be tolerated in our school system. “You must endeavour to supervise your teachers for optimum result; no lazy teachers will be tolerated in the system,” Alo said.

Gov Elechi

Umeh’s motions to Nov 22 DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

he National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, will now have to wait till November 22, for the Appeal Court in Enugu to hear his two motions against the decision of Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezulike, on the party’s crisis. The appellate court equally directed that the two motions be merged since they arose from the contentious decision of the same court; while efforts should be made by the applicant to get all necessary proceedings of the lower court before the adjourned date to enable the appellate court commence hearing of the matter. When the case came up yesterday, the lead counsel for Umeh, Chief Patrick Ikweto, SAN, informed the court that the Enugu chief judge had refused to release the rulings of his court delivered on September 17, 2012 and October 8, 2012 which are the subjects of the appeal despite all efforts to obtain them, including formal application and payment of

the prescribed fees. The counsel also told the court that despite the pendency of the appeal and the motion for stay of proceeding of the lower court, Justice Umezulike continued to hear the matter and gave his ruling, an action he described as very surprising. Ikweto’s words: “We have done everything possible in the past weeks to obtain copies of the rulings of the lower court in Enugu, but it has been difficult. “We have observed the necessary procedures for obtaining the rulings of the court yet the court registrar has not complied. The record of proceeding in this matter which was handled by the CJ has been kept away.” The three-man appeal panel, however, directed that the two pending motions brought by the APGA chairman be married together and adjourned hearing to November 22. Speaking with reporters after the session, Chief Umeh said the refusal of the Enugu chief judge to release copies of his rulings on the matter “is a ploy to frustrate the hearing of my appeal which is very unfortunate.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Bakassi: Eminent Nigerians ask FG to stall demarcation OLUFEMI ADEOSUN AND TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

ome eminent Nigerians yesterday asked the Federal Government to stall the demarcation of Nigeria boundary with Cameroun Speaking at a one-day national dialogue on “Citizens’ Perspective on the Resolution of the Bakassi Crisis Dialogue” organised by Project Nigeria and Citizens Advocacy Group in Lagos, the Director-General of Ni-

•Why we lost Bakassi suit –Anyaoku gerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof Bola Akinterinwa; a frontline politician, Senator Ewa Henshaw; and a member of House of Representatives, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, among others, urged Nigeria to respect the Green Tree Agreement before handing over the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun. They said there was the need for Nigeria to stall the demarcation of the Bakassi Peninsula until the Bakassi

people themselves were consulted over their re-settlement. Prof Akinterinwa, who is the chairman of the event, said what should be of great interest to Nigerians was how to protect the interest of all the Bakassi stakeholders. In his presentation, Henshaw pointed out that Article 3 of the Green Tree Agreement provides for the rights of the protection of the people of Bakassi in compliance with all international con-

ventions on the fundamental rights of the people. He said the rights of the Bakassi people were being violated. Henshaw said: “We have had extra judicial killings, cases of rape and murder. The people’s right to protection is currently being trampled upon and we are busy talking about resettlement of the Bakassi people while neglecting their livelihood. The condition under which the Bakassi people are living is

very bad.” To Ambassador Toyo, there was the need to return to the people of Bakassi to make them understand the issues involved in a re-settlement. Her words: “The demarcation issue is very important. The Nigeria Boundary Commission should listen to the Bakassi people before demarcation. We cannot ignore the people because the most important thing is what they want and where they want to be. “The Green Tree Agreement has not expired. It remains valid till next year. There are huge constitutional and extra legal matters that must be addressed since Bakassi is still in Nigeria’s constitution.” Meanwhile, former United Nations Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has attributed Nigeria’s loss

of the oil-reach peninsula to its initial blunder in taking the highly politically sensitive matter to the World Court. He said the best approach in settling the impasse could have been engaging in consultations with the rest of Nigerians residing in the disputed land. According to him, doing that would have given them a sense of belonging by either choosing to be part of Nigeria, through referendum, or choose to go with the Federal Republic of Cameroun. Until the matter was laid to rest some days ago, Nigerians have, variously, criticised the handlers of the case and the Federal Government over poor handling of the matter, which they argued was against the interest of other Nigerian citizens living in that part of the country.

EMMA GBEMUDU

organisations to carry out the task. Umesi said that the details of crops and buildings destroyed by the flood would be revealed after the assessment. He said: “The details will be provided after the assessment, which is what we are planning to do as the flood begins to recede. “You know the water has started receding. It is only when the water had receded that we will be able to get to the locations; know actually the kind of crops destroyed, know what size of land involved, the farmers and the number of houses damaged.”

NEMA plans post-flood assessment in Niger Delta YENAGOA

A Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (right)and Chief Thompson Okpoko (SAN), during a presentation of relief materials to flood victims by Okpoko’s Law firm in Warri, yesterday.

Jonathan behind plot to cede our land to Bayelsa –Kalabari

•Leave our oil wells now, Amaechi tells ‘invader’ CHINEDUM EMEANA PORT HARCOURT

he brewing controversy over the boundary adjustments that is likely to transfer 300,000 bpd producing oil wells from Kalabari in Rivers State to Nembe in Bayelsa State yesterday took another dimension as Kalabari elders openly accused President Goodluck Jonathan of masterminding the plot to cede parts of their kingdom to his state. Kalabari kingdom stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political leaders, youths, academia and elders, spoke in Port Harcourt at a World Press Conference held to protest what they termed injustice, oppression and marginalisation. This is after a peaceful protest march to the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt where they were received by the deputy governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru. Ikuru, who commended

the Kalabari protesters for their peaceful disposition, disclosed that Rivers lost N17 billion revenue last month to Bayelsa State from the disputed territories as the Fiscal Allocation and Revenue Mobilisation Commission (FARMC) handed the funds that normally accrue to Rivers to Bayelsa. One of the Kalabari stakeholders, Mr. Ibim Dokubo, said the controversial boundary adjustment first started when President Jonathan was the deputy governor of Bayelsa State. Dokubo said: “When Jonathan became governor, the problem doubled, when he moved to Abuja as Vice-President, the problem tripled and when he emerged as President, it quadrupled.” Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi has called on officials of the Bayelsa State Government to leave the oil wells of Soku and Elem-Sangama communities.

Amaechi called on them to leave the oil wells for Rivers people because they have been in existence even before the creation of Bayelsa State. Opening a legislative capacity building programme for the Rivers State House of Assembly in Calabar, Cross River State, Governor Amaechi said Rivers and Bayelsa states had never had issues with boundaries as the boundaries were well known to all. He noted that since the creation of Bayelsa State, there had been no law or agreement ceding any part of Kalabari communities or Rivers State to Bayelsa. The governor said: “We will not allow the attempt by the Bayelsa State Government to collect our oil wells. I have read what the Bayelsa State Governor said, that the 11th edition of the administrative map of Nigeria gave them the oil wells. When? They didn’t talk about the 1st edition to the 10th edi-

tion, they chose to avoid that and went to the 11th edition, but the question they should answer is why avoiding the previous editions?” Amaechi said the Federal Government admitted in court to correct the mistakes in the 11th edition, saying that the court documents were filed by the government’s lawyers who admitted the mistakes contained in the map of the 11th edition. He said: “But the Federal Government came to court and said, ‘oh we made a mistake in the 11th edition, we will correct it’. They should correct it; the documents were filed by their lawyers, not our lawyers. All we want is for the Federal Government to go back to the 10th edition and correct everything. “Bayelsa State was created so many years ago, there has been no law ceding that part of Kalabari kingdom to Bayelsa State. Now when did it suddenly change, it changed in 2006, but I don’t want to join issues.”

s flood begins to recede in the Niger Delta region, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday said the agency was planning to commence its post-disaster assessment to ascertain the extent of destruction. South-South Co-ordinator of NEMA, Mr. Emenike Umesi, spoke yesterday in Yenagoa in a telephone interview with National Mirror, saying the agency would work in conjunction with the Nigerian Red Cross and other

Akpabio advises on local refining of petroleum products

overnor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has urged the Federal Government to subsidise local refining of petroleum products rather than importation to reduce the oil pump price. Chief Akpabio spoke when the National President of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Mr. Igwe Achese, visited him visit at the Government House in Uyo, the state capital. He believes that giving subsidy to marketers to refine the products locally rather than giving subsidy

on importation of the products would force down the cost of oil pump price and create more jobs for Nigerians. The governor also urged approval for crude oil producing states to build and refine petroleum products to check capital flight by some foreign companies. Akpabio applauded the initiative of some individuals to commence the building of private refineries in the country, stressing the need for the government to provide an enabling environment for marketers to avoid abandonment of local refining of the petroleum products by investors.

North

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Suspected terrorists admit killing police officers PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

he Niger State police command yesterday said suspected members of a terrorist group recently arrested with links to two bombmanufacturing factories at Maitunbi and Tunga areas of Minna, the state capital, have owned up to the killing of police officers in the state. State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Desire Nsirim, disclosed this at an interactive session with top officials of the state Ministry of Livestock/ Fisheries, led by its Commissioner, Dr. Isah Yahaya Vasta, during her familiarisation tour of the ministry. She said the suspects, who have been transferred to the force headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation, said they were behind the killings of police personnel even before her appointment as the state commissioner of police

six months ago. Nsirim said the command was working tirelessly to unravel the reasons behind the series of attacks launched on her men, with the killing of three officers at Kpakungun Round-About and the Old Air Force Road all

within a week. “During the raid, we recovered dangerous exhibits from the scenes of crimes and we are also still searching for vital information as regards criminal activities of the suspects in the state prior to their arrests.

MAIDUGURI

o address power outages and the challenge of connection to the national grid, the Borno State, government is to connect six general hospitals to be electrified with solar energy before the end of the year. The electrification of the hospitals, are to be carried out in critical and emergency centres, in-

cluding theatre rooms and Accident and Emergency Units (AEUs). This was disclosed yesterday by Governor Kashim Shettima, while inspecting the Simba Solar Energy Project in Maiduguri. He said the hospitals that were recently rehabilitated and rebuilt by government, however, lacked electricity supply from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to effectively de-

liver health care services to people in the rural areas. The governor, therefore, directed Mr. Peter John Mamza of Simba, to present a submission to his office on the electrification of the six hospitals, which will start as a pilot project. Speaking on the efficacy of solar energy, Shettima said: “The electrification of these hospitals by Simba was to test the efficacy of your technology in

Borno State. Government also wants to know whether your technology is effective or not, as the world has become a global village. “So, your installation of these solar panels and batteries has to be comprehensive with the separation of wirings to critical centres of each of the six hospitals.” The six hospitals to be electrified are sited in Uba, Bama, Gwoza, Konduga, Marte and Guzamala, 237 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the state capital.

Civil servants abandon duties in search of fuel

any civil servants in Jos yesterday abandoned their duty posts in search of petrol as the scarcity of the product persists in the town and its environs. Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who monitored the situation, reported that there were long queues at the few stations still selling the product. A federal civil servant on queue at an NNPC mega station, Mr. Samuel Thom-

Bomb blast: Police summon stakeholders’ meeting JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

etermined to prevent a repeat of last Sunday’s suicide bomb attack in Kaduna State that left over 15 people killed and several others injured, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Dipo Ayeni, yesterday summoned a stakeholders meeting

L-R: Past President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr. Charles Mbanefo; his wife, Irene and Chairman, NSE, Abuja branch, Mr. Emeka Ozioko, at the 2012 Engineer Charles Mbanefo distinguished lecture in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Shettima to electrify six hospitals INUSA N DAHI

“I’m delighted that my men did not die in vain as their assailants were caught within few days of their killing as a result of the gallantry exhibited during a shootout between the police and the suspected Boko Haram sect members.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

as, said that he left home as early as 4.00 am, but was yet to be served at about 12.00 pm. “I have not gone to work and I am not sure I will go today because I don’t know when to get the product and the fuel that is left in my car is not enough to take me to the office,” he said. Thomas called on the Federal Government to ensure availability of the product to consumers, adding that its scarcity was causing hardship to individuals and retarding the

economy. Another civil servant waiting to be served, Mrs. Salamtu Gowon decried the situation that had lasted for three weeks, describing it as very pathetic. “With this kind of situation, it is very difficult for the country to experience any meaningful development, be it economic, social or political,” she said. Gowon called on government to monitor those responsible for distributing the product to ensure it got to the final consumers.

A stranded commuter, who said he had spent hours waiting for a taxi to convey him to work, Mr. John Danboyi, said the situation has adversely affected business activities in Jos and environs. “Prices of items in the market have drastically increased as motorists have also increased their charges,” he said. A bus driver, Mr. Maikasuwa Dogo, told NAN that the increase in transport fares was due to higher price of petrol.

where he told religious leaders and residents of the state to be on “the alert.” The meeting was held at the police officers’ mess in Jos, the Plateau State capital. The commissioner of police stressed the need for security consciousness as some churches and mosques were complacent in their security measures while appealing to religious leaders to moderate hours of worship and provide adequate security for their members during worship hours. Speaking further, the Officer in Charge of the AntiBomb Squad, Abel Mbibi, reiterated the need for churches and mosques to comply with security measures agreed upon by the security and religious leaders while emphasis on security tips for religious, social, corporate and government establishments in the state, must not be downplayed. The commissioner further commended the effort of religious leaders, stakeholders and security agencies in sustaining peace in the area and pledged to work harder to sustain the present peace being enjoyed in the state.

Police recover N13m property in Plateau JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

lateau State police command yesterday said it has recovered N13 million worth of property from criminals within the last two months. State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Ayeni, who disclosed this while briefing journalists at the command’s headquarters in Jos yesterday also, said that “a total of 20 arms of different sizes, 220 ammunition, some empty shells of ammunition and 20 cartridges were also recovered. He said most of the property consists of stolen cars, motorcycles, laptops, Blackberry and other accessories. The recovered vehicles, according to him, include a Toyota Avensus car valued at N7 million, a Volkswagen Jeep valued at N3 million, an ash Setring Convertible with registration number ET 885 APP, a black Toyota RAV4

without a registration number, a gold Toyota Camry car with registration number AA 850 MBD, a Toyota Matrix with registration number AE 10 SHR and a Toyota Sienna with registration number KJA 318 AR. Ayeni added that while some of the items have been reclaimed by their owners, others are still in the custody of the police. The police boss also used the opportunity to warn residents against illegal blasting of rocks with the use of explosives, saying such action threatens the peace of the state. He said if such action is to be carried out, it should be done with the approval of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in the state and the supervision of the police antibomb squad,” adding that “those patronising such unpatriotic blasters will henceforth be held liable for such illegality and be dealt with according to the law.”

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

North has been short-changed in revenue allocation – Ndagi

Oyo and its bond of controversy

Crisis: Police summon Ekiti ACN, PDP chairmen ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

s the siege by some political thugs on members of the Ayodele Fayose Campaign Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in various Ekiti communities entered the third day yesterday, the state police commissioner, Mr Sotonye Wakama, has summoned the chairmen

of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to a meeting. The meeting, where leaders of the two political parties were told to call their members to order in a bid to ensure peace in the state, followed accusations and counter accusations by the two political parties over responsibilities for the invasion of the

streets by thugs. The presence of political thugs brandishing dangerous weapons yesterday on the streets of Ikere Ekiti where the Fayose Campaign Organisation meeting was billed to hold raised tension in the state as it was fast becoming a daily occurrence. While the opposition camp said the ruling party was jittery and opted for violence to prevent PDP

members from associating, the ACN blamed the situation on internal crisis rocking the PDP. However, the state chairman of the ACN, Olajide Awe said he told the police yesterday that his party was not involved in the matter, adding that Fayose had unresolved differences with so many groups and individuals within the opposition PDP, which could be re-

sponsible for the attacks on him and his group. The state chairman of the PDP, Makanjuola Ogundipe, who was also at the meeting with the police told journalists later that the attacks on his party members by ACN thugs were “because they are jittery of losing their jobs in 2014.” Former Governor Fayose was able to attend yesterday’s meeting in Ikere

Ekiti with the assistance of men of the State Security Services (SSS), who scared away the thugs who had laid siege on the town. The Director General of the Fayose Campaign Organisation told journalists at Afao Ekiti yesterday that despite the intimidations, attacks and threats by ACN members, “our bid to reclaim Ekiti from the imperialistic tendencies is unrepentant”.

Pension: Police retirees seek NASS intervention FELIX NWANERI

L-R: Wife of out-going High Commissioner of Kenya to Nigeria, Mrs. Angela Sigei; her husband, Mr. Francis and President Goodluck Jonathan, after their farewell visit to President Jonathan at the presidential villa Abuja, yesterday PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

Kuku wants training of ex-militants at home

he Presidential Amnesty Office on Wednesday appealed to the Federal Government to establish three basic training centres in Niger Delta for former militants to reduce capital flight. The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Kingsley Kuku, made this call in Abuja when Mr Oluseyi Onafowokan, the Nigerian High Commissioner in Ghana, paid him a courtesy visit in his office. Kuku urged the Federal Government to expand its ambit of operations to set up at least three basic skill training centres for the for-

mer militants in the country. He said that although the establishment of such centres was not part of the office’s mandate, but if the former militants were trained in the country, a lot of funds would be saved. His words: “The establishment of skill training centres is not part of our mandate. We don’t have that mandate as it operates now. “However, it is one of the prayers we are making to President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly, where they can expand our ambit of operations by giving the amnesty office the power to set up at least three basic skill train-

ing centres in the region.” Kuku, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, said that if the Federal Government expanded its ambit of operations, the office would establish three basic training centres namely oil and gas and marine, basic skills and construction skill centres. He added: “It is our prayer to put these three centres in place in the Niger Delta. Most of the trainings that we are taking to some countries are resulting to capital flight and can be done in this country. “It will keep the fund in Nigeria and a lot of Ni-

gerians will be engaged. It will also bring back labour within our economy. This is what we are praying for. “Again, in the 2013 budget, we are praying that we should be allowed to establish the centres instead of taking people abroad for training.” The amnesty boss said that since the commencement of the amnesty programme in 2009, 393 former militants had graduated from various training institutions in Ghana, from courses ranging from welding and fabrication, agriculture and fish farming, crane operation to maritime and drilling technology.

group of retired policemen have appealed to members of the National Assembly to prevail on the Police authorities to pay their entitlements after years of service to their fatherland. Mr. Abiodun Sanni, a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who spoke with National Mirror, said they were demobilised from the Nigerian Army in 1979 to reinforce the Police, but have not been paid their entitlements since retiring from the force in 2006. He listed those affected to include Messrs Tiamiyu Adeyemi, Solomon Jegede, Waheed Bello, Kayode Bamidele (late), Olawale Oludotun and Jimoh Rabiu. Of the seven, Sanni and the late Bamidele have neither been paid pension nor gratuity, while the rest were paid only their gratuities. Sanni however pointed out that those paid gratuities only received payments covering 25 years instead of the 35 years they put in service. He said: “We were all transferred from the Nigerian Army to the Police and were asked to pay back the money we collected from the Army to the treasury, which we all did in order to receive our full benefits on retirement. But to our surprise, some of us were paid for 25 years instead of 35

years while others were not paid at all.” Appealing to the National Assembly to come to their aid, the retired police officer disclosed that one of them, Bamidele, who retired as an inspector and was yet to be paid both pension and gratuity, was killed recently by a hit-andrun driver. “Bamidele was killed by a hit-and-run driver while doing the okada business (commercial motor cycling) because there was nothing he could do after retirement. Up till today, the driver of the vehicle had not shown up. Four of his children have dropped out of school because of lack of funds to pay their fees as their mother who is the only one assisting them has fallen sick and can’t do anything,” he narrated painfully. Further decrying their predicament, he regretted that all efforts to get the Police Pensions office to have their papers processed and get paid, have not yielded any positive result. “We have sent all our papers to the Police Pensions office, but have not heard from them. It has been a question of come today-come tomorrow. They said our files are being processed but an insider source told us that staff has not been able to do any meaningful work since the Police pension scam was uncovered,” Sanni noted.

Politics

ith the inception of the present democratic dispensation in Oyo State in May 29, 2011, the executive and the legislative arms of government have been working together such that rarely would a bill or request be sent to the House of Assembly by the executive that such will not scale through. One of such was the request by the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to raise N50 billion from the capital market for developmental projects in the state. The request did not only receive the quick approval of the lawmakers, they also granted the request to obtain a $56.24 million (about N8.5 billion) loan from the African Development Bank (ADB). The House of Assembly, which is comprised of members from the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Accord Party (AP) in giving their approval hinged it on the need to accelerate the development of the state. The bond bill, however, did not easily scale the lawmakers’ approval as they made 29-clause amendments to it, such as the governor getting their approval before engaging in contractorfinancing of projects. But the approval of the N50 billion bond bill and the subsequent preparation of the state government to raise same have ignited scathing criticisms from the opposition PDP to the extent that it has become a burning issue for discuss in the state. Firing the first salvo, the state chapter of the PDP in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Strategy, Morounkola Thomas on behalf of the chairman, Alhaji Yinka Taiwo, berated the state governor for trying to plunge the state into huge indebtedness through the bond and the ADB loan. According to the party, the projects that the government wants to finance with the bond and the loan have no bearing to the development of the state, maintaining that the state government is not short of money, but rather short of ideas and the expertise on how to develop the state. The PDP stated further that since the Ajimobi administration came into being in May 2011, the state allocation from the federation account and its share of VAT revenue are more than what the previous administrations received while its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had also gone up due to what it called increase in all its rates and charges with the wage bill reduced following the reduction in its work force due to the dismissal of thousands of workers from the state civil service. It then wondered why the government needed more money when in actual fact it has not shown ample capacity at using the resources available to it judiciously, urging the government to emulate the past administrations in the state that executed meaningful projects in infrastructural development without borrowing from any source. To the South-West PDP, the attempt by the Oyo State government to raise the N50 billion bond and the N8.5 billion loan from the ADB could only be regarded as the circle of mortgage of the future of the children in the zone by the ACN governors. The party, in a statement issued by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Kayode Babade, while calling on the Federal Government to save the states in the region from an impending future collapse by preventing the governors from taking loans or bonds with repayment period beyond their tenure of

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Oyo and its bond of controversy KEMI OLAITAN writes of the controversial bond that the state government, under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), plans to obtain from the capital market which has continued to reverberate across the Pacesetter State.

Ajimobi

Jumoke Sumonu

office, said it was time the Federal Government look into the rate at which states, especially those in the South-West are running to the capital market to source for bond, more so when the bonds are being used to ferry stolen funds into the country. It said: “Before now, we thought Oyo State was sane because it was the only ACN state that had not joined the league of takers of bonds of bondage. But now, that the Oyo State House of Assembly has also approved N50 billion bond for the government, we can only begin to pity future governments in the South-West states that will be saddled with the burden of repaying funds spent 50 years before they assumed office. Lagos is the highest debtor state in Nigeria in spite of its over N25 billion monthly Internally Generated Revenue, Osun is owing over N120 billion, Ekiti is owing over N30 billion and ready to take N30 billion more, Ogun is set to take N100 billion bond and awarding construction of 10 roads at N100 billion to be funded by the contractors, and now Oyo is set to take N50 billion bond and borrow N8.5 billion. “Isn’t it clear that these ACN governors are only here to impoverish our land and mortgage the future of our unborn children because some of these loans and bonds cannot be repaid even in 50 years time? We are therefore calling on the Federal Government to wade into this regime of loans and bonds before the entire SouthWest states are grounded financially by these ACN governors.” However, the state government, in justifying the bond and loan, said they were meant to execute some development projects that would change the face of the state. The government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Finance, Zachaeus Adelabu, listed the capital projects to be executed with the bond to include: the Ur-

ban Mass Transit scheme of the government; development of agricultural silos of 10,000 metric tonnes in each of the three senatorial districts and construction of ultra-modern markets. Others included the building of agricultural processing plants in each senatorial district of the state; construction of Ibadan Circular Road; construction of a five-star hotel, canning/ agro-processing factory, housing estate, as well as construction of logistics centres/ industrial parks across the state. On the ADB loan, Adelabu explained that it is meant to fund the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project in Ibadan, the state capital, with the state paying its own counterpart funding, stating that all previous interventions in the water sector in Ibadan had always been limited to the rehabilitation or expansion of water treatment facilities without corresponding attention to the reticula-

THE TRAGEDY OF

BORROWING IS THAT, IN THE PAST, THIS

MONEY WAS SPENT ON MUNDANE AND UNPROFITABLE VENTURES.

GOVERNMENTS

THAT ARE FORWARDLOOKING... ENGAGE IN PRODUCTIVE BORROWING

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

tion system. He added that the bond had been approved by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) after verifying the specific projects, all of which would be self-financing, maintaining that it had also been guaranteed by the Federal Government. The Finance Commissioner stated further that on the long run, the bond option would be cheaper for the state government than commercial loans granted by financial institutions, and better suited to fund projects with long-term impacts and benefits when compared to short-term funds, adding that the bond would be in two tranches, with the first tranche of N30 billion to be finalised this year and the second in 2013. His words: “The regulatory requirements for bond financing will force the state to utilise the proceeds for developmental/commercial projects, specifically identified during the bond issue planning phase and strengthen our resolve for improved transparency and accountability. There is really nothing strange about a state taking bond, as long as it is not a mismatch of portfolio in which case short term loans are taken to finance long term projects. In our own case in Oyo State, we won’t do that. The bond we are taking is meant for developmental projects.” Adelabu, while justifying the ADB loan, said the chaotic water situation in the state capital inherited by the current government necessitated the partnership with the continental financial institution. “As a result, most of the pipelines, which were laid more than 50 years ago are now seriously leaking, thus resulting into unaccounted-for water in the city of Ibadan, which stands at about 50 per cent. This is apart from the fact that the existing pipeline covers less than 50 per cent of the city. The project, therefore, seeks to improve access to water supply by increasing the percentage of safe water supply from the current 25 per cent to 80 per cent by 2017 through the extension of the distribution network to new areas of Ibadan city and the replacement of old and unserviceable pipes in the existing network.” The state chapter of the ACN, however deplored what it called the economic illiteracy of the PDP, both in the state and the South-West zone, given the criticisms against the N50 billion bond and the ADB loan being undertaken by the state government, stating that the criticisms were borne out of the party runners’ sparse knowledge of economics, especially the concept of borrowing from the capital market. The ACN, in a release by the Oyo State Publicity Secretary, Dauda Kolawole, said: “All over the world, there is an understanding that governments can hardly be run without borrowing. Indeed, what you intend do with the borrowed money is far more instructive than the fact of the borrowing. The tragedy of borrowing is that, in the past, this money was spent on mundane and unprofitable ventures. Governments that are forward-looking and mindful of the development of their states, however, ensure that they engage in productive borrowing, that is, borrowing that will ensure a better future for their people. That is what the government of Oyo State is engaged in”. While further berating the PDP, the ACN explained that the level of “infrastructural rot” and “economic stasis” that the PDP CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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Politics

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Dr Mahmud Ndagi is the PDP Chairman in Niger State, in this encounter with SINA FADARE, he carpets those clamouring for a national conference, saying it will be a mere waste of the nation’s resources. Excerpts:

North has been short-changed in revenue allocation – Ndagi But the proponents of national conference are saying that the National Assembly is not representative enough in a country with about 250 ethnic nationalities. What is your take on this? Tell me which geographical area is not represented in the National Assembly. Every geo-political zone is adequately represented. From that level, they can aggregate their interest. That argument does not hold any substance.

What is your reaction to the recent call by the National Chairman of your party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, that all aggrieved members who left the party should be wooed back to its fold? There is nothing wrong in that. The chairman came with three Rs and one of them is reconciliation. When you are talking about reconciliation, that means there should be concerted move to bring those who have left the party in one way or the other back to the fold. Therefore, if that will bring unity to the party, why not. PDP is looking for more members in order to consolidate our leadership position. To do that, everybody has to contribute his or her quota. Left to me, l will love that other parties cease to exist. Some of the problems you had in your party in the past were self inflicted. What do you think went wrong? It depends on the way you look at it, the level of tolerance among individuals in the party is different. There are some who will take whatever happens to them in the party in their strides, and forge ahead, but others will not want to take such a position, therefore conflicts ensued. Just like a football match, where the losing side is always blaming the referee. Whereas the fault may not necessary be that of the referee. Again there are some people, who, the moment their political interests are not immediately realised, they get out. Will you then say that internal democracy is lacking in your party? No, l disagree with you. If you are talking about internal democracy, you can only find it in the Peoples Democratic Party. We normally go into primaries before we pick our candidates. In the process of this, people are given the opportunity to purchase forms, attend screening exercises before primaries were done to pick the choice of the people where winners emerged and their names are forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission. What else do you call internal democracy? Is internal democracy not inclusive of the process of selection in a fair and free environment? I think the party in all cases have been trying to achieve this. The North is claiming that it is being marginalised in terms of revenue allocation, do you share this sentiment? Yes, if you look at what goes to some other states at the end of the month, compared to many states in the North, you would nto be surprised at the cry. In a situation where a state is collecting N3 billion monthly and another one is taking between N20 billion and N30 billion, what do you call that type of a situation? When we cried out, they said they are from the oil producing area. That was why l agreed with the school of thought that the issue of revenue allocation should be looked into. I think the National Assembly is looking at it. There is no state that does not have one thing or the other

Past leaders in the North have been blamed for failure to harness the resources of the region for the betterment of the people. Do you share this view? Yes, there are a lot of potentials in the North, particularly in the area of agriculture. There are a lot of resources, but the problem is how to harness them. Do you know that we have gold in the North, but how do we harness them? Unfortunately there is little the states could do to explore the mineral resources because of the constitutional defects. Are you saying that we need to overhaul our constitution? What I am saying is that there should be a way in which the states should be incorporated in a situation like this? If we have gold in our state, it should not be left in the hands of the Federal Government alone on how to explore it.

Ndagi

THE ISSUE OF REVENUE ALLOCATION SHOULD BE

LOOKED INTO...

THERE IS NO

STATE THAT DOES NOT HAVE ONE THING OR THE OTHER THAT IT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMY OF THE COUNTRY that it is contributing to the economy of the country, even if it is okro that a state is contributing, it is still part of the larger economy, a little bit of this and that make a whole. Against the backdrop you have painted, don’t you think that the country needed a round table conference where all these can be trashed out? Since we have a National Assembly in place, there is no need for any national conference. I believe that the National Assembly is representing all the sectors of the country. I think it is competent to deal with some of these issues. It is better we give the National Assembly the opportunity to discuss and legislate on this major issue and come up with a better option, rather than saying that we want to go for a conference. Such a conference would be a mere wasting of national resources. The National Assembly should be allowed to do its work.

Oyo and its bond of controversy CONTINUED FROM 14 government bequeathed to the present government in the state could not be combated with the inadequate allocations it receives from the federal purse and the paltry internally-generated revenue it generates. The party also accused the PDP of what it called “selective amnesia”, maintaining that the PDP-led Federal Government, which has an external debt profile of about $50 billion, has approached the National Assembly for leave to borrow more money, while many PDP state governments

in Nigeria were also approaching financial institutions for leave to borrow money. The ACN stated: “This criticism smacks of mischief because one of the Oyo State PDP chieftains, who signed the release attacking the ACNled government, who purportedly schooled in London, ought to have educated his party that even the UK national debt profile, that is the total amount of money the British government owes to the private sector and other purchasers of UK gilts are: Public sector net debt, £1,039.5 billion in

2012, and this debt, if all financial sector intervention is included the net debt was £2,311.6 billion.” While the people of the state are waiting to see where the altercations will end, political observers however believed that since the essence of democracy is to have the best for the people, the present situation concerning the bond and the loan will put the government on its toes knowing full well that its activities are being watched and also criticisms should not be made to seek relevance alone but rather in the interest of the state.

What are your governors doing to re-enact the era of groundnut pyramid in the North? The era of oil boom has affected the groundnut pyramid in the North. The over-dependence on oil has made it difficult for the people at the corridor of power to develop the agricultural sector. Now that the reality has come to stare us in the face that we can also make a fortune in agriculture, we have no choice than to go back to it. I think a new era of groundnut pyramid will come back again. The Almajiri issue has been a nightmare in the North. How best do you think the issue could be tackled? There is a comprehensive programme being put up in place in Niger State to make sure that these kids are returned to school. The Chief Servant of the state, Babangida Aliyu, is very particular about the plight of the Almajiris and he is doing all his best to make sure that they are giving both formal and informal education. For now they are being taking away from the streets and a comprehensive enlightenment programme is going on in the state to see the need for parents to send their children back to school. What is the secret behind the lack of internal crisis, which has been peculiar to most PDP-controlled states, in Niger State? I will tell you that we are able to achieve that due to team work and wide consultations with all the stakeholders in the state. I made sure that there is no break in communication. During the election, there was operation deliver your ward which everybody keyed into. This, to a greater extent, assisted the party to win all its oppositions hands down. As you know, politics is a game of number, and if all the stakeholders deliver their polling units, you can guess what that will translate to at the end of election. We are lucky to have a united force that went into the election and that was why we were able to produce such a result. What should the people of Niger State expect from your government in the next few years? There are a lot of goodies which are in the pipeline which the governor is ready to give to the people of the state, particularly in the area of infrastructural development. If you come to the state, you will see the extent of transformation which our government has put in place and that is why some of our detractors are shouting. Niger State has not had it good until in the last few years which the chief servant has come to salvage the state from the woods.

Politics

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lagos will be a PDP state in 2015 – Animashaun Chief Tola Animashaun, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, contested for the Lagos Central Senatorial district seat with Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the National leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2011 election. Animashaun spoke with OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU on how the PDP will take over Lagos in 2015, corruption, Boko Haram, among sundry issues. Excerpts: In the last senatorial election you contested alongside Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu for the Lagos State Central Senatorial District and lost. Do you still have it mind to contest again in 2015? This is just 2012 and you are talking about the election in 2015, about three years to the time. I am still praying to God for me to see tomorrow. I hope I will live to see tomorrow, so contesting in 2015 has not come to my mind now. In the last election, I believe that I lost to money, I didn’t lose on principle. I had what it takes to run the Lagos Central. And the person that is representing Lagos Central now does not even know the back of her hand, not to talk of Lagos Central. It is still coming to manifest. Time will tell. The North is against President Goodluck Jonathan contesting the 2015 presidential poll. What is your view on this? My great leader, Chief Olabode George believes in ‘Turnby-Turn Nigeria Limited’. This is the first time a minority man emerged the president of this country. I am very happy that this is happening and it is a sign of the unity of this country. If he wants to run for the second term, if he deserves it, let him go there. The North has been there for so many years and I don’t know what they want this time around. They have been there for so many years. Let others also be there. The Yorubas have been there. Let them give him a chance to serve. I believe that if they had allowed him to serve, he would have done creditably well that the North would be ashamed that they came with their best but they couldn’t do it. And now a minority man is trying to do the best he can and they don’t like it. I believe it is just a matter of jealousy that they are trying to run him down. If he wants to run for second term, he deserves it. But the North is insisting that the zoning formula of PDP gives the slot to contest for 2015 presidential race to them. What is your take on this? I understand their feeling. The zoning formula has thrown this person up. Unfortunately, when the zoning formula threw up a Northerner but the will of Allah, the Almighty God did not grant him the health to finish his term. But the Almighty Allah has put a minority man in charge, they should let him do the good things he is doing for his fatherland. Many critics are not happy with him, believing that he is not doing much to address the nation’s pressing challenges such as security, electricity, corruption among others. Do you share their views? You see, this is just barely over one year out of four. I don’t jump the gun into assessing the government of anybody this early. On the issue of unemployment, the lieutenants that he has, should be the ones to show him the blueprint and ways of arresting the unemployment of our teeming youths in the context of having them gainfully employed, especially after their university education. For instance, we have to differentiate between foreign investors and foreign contractors. I believe that we should mandate some of these contractors that if you get government contract up to some amount of money, you should be able to put some of our graduates into training. I don’t subscribe to that issue of all these expatriates coming into this country being sales people and engineers. What we need are rocket scientists from abroad. If they are coming here to

him all the necessary support and encouragement, of course, he will succeed. And with assemblage of people around him, I believe he will do the best for this country.

Animashaun

build roads, we already know how to build roads. We have school of engineering. We should do away with contractors who come here to get contracts from our sweats, from our taxes and yet when they get the contracts, they bring people from their countries, people that are unemployable in their own countries to Nigeria to come and supervise Nigerians. Most of these construction companies are top heavy with foreigners and expatriates. Do away with them. Let them go into Nigerian universities, invest in our students, invest in our engineers and invest in our human resources. It is like we are allowing this country to be re-colonised by all these people who can’t find jobs in their own countries. And we should be reminded that when our own citizens go over there, they won’t find a good job. The Minister of Labour and Productivity and the person in charge of immigration in this country should check the status of these expatriates. What about the issue of corruption? Like I said, Jonathan has just been there for one year. He talks about it, he is not the one that is going to do it, it is the people that he has put there that are going to do the work. They should give him the necessary support. He is not the person in charge of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). We should talk to the EFCC, all these parastatals that are there to fight corruption to be up and doing. It is not the President that should be chasing them all over. If they are not competent to do it, he should show them the exit door and put people that are ready to do it there. President Jonathan has just marked his first year in office. What is your assessment of the administration? His administration is on course. Unfortunately we have not given him the free will to run the country the way he is supposed to do it. If we put our hands together and give

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY FED UP WITH THE RULING GOVERNMENT IN

LAGOS BECAUSE OF ITS

COSMETIC ADMINISTRATION AND ARE ONLY WAITING TO CROSS OVER TO ANOTHER PARTY

For over a decade now, your party in Lagos has been trying to dethrone the Alliance for Democracy (AD), now Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from power without success. What do you think is the problem? The problem is that we have not being able to weild the stick of discipline within the party. We have quite a lot of indiscipline members in the party. There are some people who called themselves Unity and Establishment; there is no Establishment, there is no Unity. We have a unified PDP in the state. I am happy now that the current National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, is laying emphasis on party discipline. So, it is better we weed out party members who are PDP in the daytime and go to the ACN leader in the state in the night to collect money and to destabilise the party, which they were paid to do anyway. We have unified the party in Lagos State now. We don’t have any wrangling in Lagos State PDP. Those remnants, dissidents are going to melt into history. I am happy that we had a peaceful congress under the good leadership of Tunji Shelle. I believe under him, you will see a difference and the PDP will take over Lagos in 2015. It is pertinent to emphasise that I did a research and I discovered, to my surprise, that a lot of people are actually fed up with the ruling government in Lagos because of its cosmetic administration and are only waiting to cross over to another party. It is therefore my belief that these categories of disenchanted lots need to be actively mobilised. We do not necessarily have to wait for them, we need to find a way of beckoning to them, woo and mobilise them through little incentives and sustained them. We also need to intensify on enlightenment campaigns, on what the PDP stands for and how to enlist them as members. This is because a lot of people are out there, who probably would have wished to join, but do not know how to go about it. What is your assessment of the administration of Babatunde Fashola of the ACN in the last five years? When he first assumed power, he was performing, especially in the first two years. Now that he is in his second term, he has a good pedigree but he is in a wrong party. He is just a caretaker governor. He is no more in charge any longer. He is being dictated to. He does not have the reins of power. Let us talk about the issue of Boko Haram sect which has been unleashing reign of terror in the North. To be honest with you, I get confused about their grievances. If you have an enemy that you want to eliminate, you will know who the enemy is. But in this instance, I don’t know what their grievances are, not to talk of who their enemies are. If their enemies are the Nigerian populace, where are they from? Are they Nigerian themselves? Can’t we just sit down and find out what their grievances are and iron it out. I really don’t want to believe that it is a religious war, because I am a Muslim and my religion does not permit me to eliminate innocent souls unnecessarily. It is forbidden. Islam is a religion of peace. One does not even know where the sect originated from. While some people are saying they are from Niger Republic, some are saying they are from Chad committing havoc in the North. Why are they killing their own people in the North? Who are their real enemies? Are they against the government of President Goodluck Jonathan? Or are they doing the biddings of those that are angry because a minority man is the President of the country and they want to make the country difficult for him to govern? Are you saying that the Federal Government should try and dialogue Boko Haram? No. You dialogue with the people that you can see, people that you know. I think the sect is a copycat kind of group. That if you are paying so much attention to the Niger Delta militants, we are militants in the North as well, so you have to deal with us and solve our problems as they did for Niger Delta militants.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Views

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The controversial Achebe thesis THE SCALE OF DEATHS AND SUFFERINGS

EXISTENTIAL HUMANISM

WERE MASSIVE AND WOULD SIMPLY TOUCH

FRY

WHOEVER HAD ANY

NDUBUISI fryndubuisi@nationalmirroronline.net (08023016709 SMS only)

he book “There was a country” by Professor Chinua Achebe, the god father of African literature is generating a lot of interest. It is in fact a healthy addition to the history of Nigerian fratricidal war. The level of interest it has generated is amazing. The reason for this could be in part because of the author. This is so because some of the issues raised in the book have been common knowledge .This goes to show that the messenger is as critical as the massage. We welcome thesis of this nature that will not only add to our literary collection, but also serve to enrich the history of the country. Such effort is even more pertinent now that Nigeria is at cross roads. Expectedly, people have reacted differently to it; some emotionally and some with caution and deep sense of responsibility. The aspect that has attracted the widest attention is his comment on Awolowo on the controversial dictum of “hunger as instrument of warfare”. While alive, Awo had responded to this by insisting that he bore no ill-will, and that what informed the blockade against the Biafrans, was that the food

DROP OF HUMAN KINDNESS IN HIM meant for civilians were hijacked by soldiers. That with such practice, the prospect of ending the war early enough was bleak .Gen. Gowon on his side, alleged that the leadership of Biafra rejected food offer from the federal side on allegations that such was poisoned. But it is a fact of history that there was a Niamey conference, chaired by Late Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, where delegates from the Nigerian Government maintained that “starvation is a legitimate weapon of war and we have every intention to use it.” As the war raged, it was alleged that the Nigerian side was constantly raiding Red Cross and Caritas planes that were sending relief materials to the civilians, especially children hit by malnutrition and other ailments. There was case of the American pilot, Captain Brown, flying out of Fernando Po with cargo of milk from the Red Cross and the aircraft was shot down by Nigerian MIG 17.He and his crew died. There were several of such incidents as the war lasted.

And really the scale of deaths and sufferings were massive and would simply touch whoever had any drop of human kindness in him. There were families that lost as many as five loved ones within weeks not at the war fronts but in their homes. By the way, what has raised so much dust now, has been discussed by Frederick Forsyth in his book on the Nigerian civil war .The war was a big indictment on the Nigerian intellectuals, human rights activists and social media. Professor Wole Soyinka, who put his life on the line, is the only exception .He has been consistent in his struggle, irrespective of who was involved. And this he has not done for any political gain. It is an ethical question if you have any reason to feed your enemies in a war situation. It is thus a legitimate question to ask if the federal government had any moral obligation to shift food or allow relief materials to Biafra, while the war lasted? It could also be asked, if Nigeria and the international community owed any obligation to save the lives of civilians not directly involved in warfare? Many Nigerians have come to see Gowon as a gentleman, but there is a serious doubt as to the level of control he had over the prosecution of the war .This is because the recklessness that prevailed was unprecedented in a civil war .It was curious that the air raids on Biafra were not restricted to the war fronts and military formations but targeted at residential buildings, churches, markets and village squares. What happened at the end of the war?

The Nigerian government’s three “Rs” rehabilitation, reconstruction and re-integration” could be seen as ridiculous and hollow ritual. If the then government was serious with such programme, it should have started from the education sector. But this was not to be, as most schools in then East Central State, were rehabilitated through community efforts .And the pupils and students who just emerged from the war were required to pay fees. The twenty pounds given to every household irrespective of what was in the account, was to say the least inhuman. It was a demonstration of the unwillingness to have the Igbo fully integrated into the mainstream of economic, social and political life of the country. The Yorubas and Obafemi Awolowo must at least be commended for protecting Igbo properties in the South west, refusing to be part of the shame called “abandoned property”. While it could be argued, that Achebe may not have been too” diplomatic” in presenting some of his points, we need more of such books to enrich our national history, to enable us engage more on the task of nation building. At the end of that bitter war, has Nigeria ceased from being a mere ‘geographical expression”? Has unity been achieved? It is a fact that the country is now more divided than it was in the 60’s, that is why the echoes of secession is still in the air. Prof. Ndubuisi , an Attorney at law is of the Dept of philosophy, UNILAG.

ALUU: Anguish Loosened Upon Undergraduates

he callous killing of four undergraduate students of the University of Port Harcourt on October 5, 2012, has plunged the country into anguish. The amount of vitriolic condemnations already poured out on the pages of newspapers and social media are indicative of outrage people feel for the act of antediluvian sadism unleashed on the innocent students. The monumental tragedy, which came on the heels of heinous massacre of innocent students in Mubi and inducing reminiscences of the 10 slain National Youth Service Corps members who were killed last year, pointed darkly to how systemic failure of our socio-political life keeps costing the country the wastage of its most important resources-literate manpower. The two attempts made by this writer to watch video of the killings, ever since it went viral on the internet, were aborted at the point tyres were procured. One simply could not bear watching fellow human beings, roasted; the instinctive inner revulsion stultified any urge to watch further. This is why one may ask questions about the brutes who took the law into their hands, whether they are human beings at all, and how could any sane person descend to such infernal level of bestiality? Where were their fellow- feelings, empathy, compassion and humanity? Even if Nigeria was at war and those four students were on the opposing side. It would still have constituted a war crime, if after being captured and overpowered, the victims were stripped naked beaten to pulp and set ablaze. No! Those people are simply not hu-

mans; they are simply animals! The rigorous discipline of administration of criminal justice, evolved as a very cumbersome process because of the builtin checks and controls to ensure no miscarriage of justice ensues. As a matter of fact, the entire common law criminal jurisprudence is anchored on one philosophical cornerstone- that it is better to allow 20 criminals to escape than allow one innocent person to be punished unjustly. In spite of all precautions, miscarriage of justice does occur at times. But that at least is a manifestation of human imperfections at institutional level. The first piece of news making the rounds was that the youths were armed robbers, it is now established that they were nothing of the sort. They had reportedly gone to recover debt owed to one of them by a member of the community, who in an infernal bid to escape payment, resorted to labeling the undergraduates as robbers. The lives of those four young men were then cut short by an irresponsible, angry baying mob intoxicated with sadistic passion and devilish propensities. The shameless Aluu mob arrogated to themselves, the prerogative to pronounce death sentence, sign warrant of death and carry out the execution in defiance of law, order and civilised behaviour. No society that is functioning, no polity that is worth its name would condone anarchical and whimsical dispensation of justice by every aggrieved mob. Mob justice became popular in Nigeria in the early 1970s- a period that witnessed phenomenal increase in armed robbery as

IT IS A MONUMENTAL TRAGEDY THAT

NIGERIA IS BATTLING WITH THIS KIND OF

KAYODE

KETEFE

SAVAGERY IN THE

21ST CENTURY

fallout of the just ended civil war. It would be recalled that many arms and ammunition which were not turned in by combatants after the war, fell into wrong hands and were freely employed by the burgeoning unemployed youths in terrorising the populace in robbery operations. The military governments reacted by promulgating decrees that made armed robbery punishable by death. But a section of the people felt there was sabotage in the system by the police, because many suspects who reportedly bribed their way to freedom and impunity, resorted to selfhelp. That was how the culture of mob killing and jungle justice gradually became entrenched in Nigeria. Unfortunately, matters came to such sorry pass that mob action became so accepted among some Nigerians, and it became an alternative criminal justice system to the conventional one. Unfortunately, the government has uptill now, not done enough to curb such practices. As a matter of fact, the law enforcement agents are often guilty of extrajudicial killings not to talk of torture and brutality. The blame over the deaths of the unfortunate students could therefore be blamed on systemic failure.

kketefe@nationalmirroronline.net 08032147720 (SMS only)

Where does one start from? The community that promotes a resort to primitive carnage to cleanse itself of perceived threat of armed robbery is unenlightened and backward. The civil policing system that does not inspire confidence in the people, that it could offer them protection of lives and property, is a menace to the society. The security network that did not respond promptly to save the lives of innocent citizens who were being lynched is also to blame. The nation must of necessity and urgently find a way to stop such kind of practice. It is a monumental tragedy that Nigeria is battling with this kind of savagery in the 21st century. The perpetrators of the killings must be made to pay for their crime. 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, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

STEVE AYORINDE

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FRANK OBOH

HEAD, GRAPHICS

Discriminatory trial of fuel subsidy culprits?

resident Goodluck Jonathan, at the launching of a book, ‘Reforming the Unreformable’ written by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Tuesday, promised that those who defrauded the nation in the petroleum subsidy scheme would be made to return their loot in addition to being punished for their crimes. Jonathan, according to reports, spoke through Vice President Namadi Sambo on the occasion. About a day earlier, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, also expressed the Presidency’s determination to punish those behind the massive frauds (N4.64 trillion in the last decade) captured by the leaked report of the Nuhu Ribadu-led Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force on the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It is, however, worrisome that the focus of the trial of the fuel subsidy theft suspects recently exposed by the House of Representatives has been on the arraignment of high profile suspects, especially independent oil marketers and fuel depot owners in the downstream sector of the oil industry, while not much is being heard of the investigation or trial of collaborators in statutory government regulatory

agencies and private auditing firms that facilitated the criminal economic sabotage. The culprits now up for trial are mainly accused of stealing government funds meant to cushion the harsh effects of increased petroleum prices in the aftermath of the public protests that followed the last January purported partial removal of fuel subsidy and subsequent hike in the pump price of fuel from N65 to N140 per litre, which was eventually reduced to N97 because of the bitter protests. It is instructive, however, that the marketing firms now facing trial did not perpetrate the scandalous fraud of about N1.7 trillion in two years alone. Equally indicted, to public knowledge, were officials of statutory regulatory agencies like the NNPC, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Presidency, etc. Although the FG speedily revoked the contracts of two widely known auditing firms for being complicit in the theft, having failed woefully to crosscheck the validity of the fuel imported by some dubious marketers who neither imported nor supplied fuel, but were generously rewarded with subsidy funds they never deserved, we think there exists the absolute need to arraign other individuals

WE DO NOT SEE ANY REASON INDICTED OFFICIALS OF REGULATORY AGENCIES SHOULD BE TREATED AS SACRED COWS IN THE ONGOING TRIAL or bodies likewise indicted. We recall that the auditing firms, in the bid to clear their names, accused the NNPC of failing, perhaps deliberately, to act on their recommendations, which would probably have led to minimal losses to the fraudsters. The NNPC was also accused of consciously selling kerosene at cut throat rates to profiteering depot owners, contrary to officially subsidized rate, a development that had pegged the pump price of kerosene at N160 instead of N50 per litre. Thus far, there appears no indication that the NNPC officials behind the rip-off are being positioned for trial. We think, therefore, that the current trial of fuel subsidy suspects is not all embracing. We do not see any reason indicted officials of regulatory agencies should be treated as sacred cows in the ongoing trial. It is an unjust and discriminatory ap-

proach to dispensing justice that demands immediate re-visitation in the spirit and letter of equity and to sustain the tempo of the ongoing trial. Mere media hype on the FG’s avowed commitment to fighting corruption cannot be as convincing to the public as when all who colluded in hatching the frauds, no matter how close and dear to the FG, are also seen facing the law with their accomplices. In addition, we implore the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, to view the subsidy theft suspects’ trial with the required seriousness by not allowing it to become another opportunity for incorrigibly corrupt judges to further soil the image of the nation’s judiciary. Mukhtar should reject prolonged and frivolous adjournments, which have often been the plots used to rest high-profile cases and keep them out of the public domain. Again, prosecutors should be encouraged to be armed with forensic investigations with iron-cast evidence that can guarantee conviction, and not contrive loopholes as usual to enhance the escape of suspects. We do not expect double-dealing lawyers, like the types the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) complained about recently, to have anything to do with the trial.

ON THIS DAY November 1, 2000

November 1, 1993

November 1, 1982

Serbia joined the United Nations. Serbia, officially the Republic of Serbia, is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and the central part of the Balkans. Relative to its small size, history and culture, it is a very diverse country distinguished by a transitional character. Serbia is landlocked and borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; Macedonia to the south; and Croatia, etc., to the west.

The Maastricht Treaty took effect, formally establishing the European Union. The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political union of 27 member-states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), formed by the Inner Six countries in 1951 and 1958 respectively. The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union under its current name.

Honda became the first Asian automobile company to produce cars in the United States with the opening of their factory in Marysville, Ohio. The Honda Accord was the first car produced in the factory. Honda Motor Company Limited is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. Honda has been the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today Abia govt shuts 100 illegal schools 20

Two months on, flood still sacks Kogi students from school ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

tudents in Kogi State have been forced to stay away at home as their schools remain submerged in the devastating floods that ravaged the state two months ago. The floods, occasioned by the rainswollen River Niger coupled with the flood from the Cameroon Dam, have left over one million people, including students displaced and several billions of property and farmland, destroyed. According to statistics from the state government, about 360 communities in nine local government council areas of the state were worst hit with Ibaji Local Government Council area alone having no fewer than 23 public primary and secondary schools, as well as numerous private schools, submerged by the flood. Since the incidents, which drew the attention of people nationwide and the world at large, took place over two months ago, students and pupils of those schools, as well as their teachers and parents are yet to return to their normal activities. Some schools not affected by the flood have been converted to relief camps and students and their teachers have been told to stay at home until the victims will be able to return home or be evacuated. Qua Iboe Primary School, Idah, in Idah Local Government Council, is one of the emergency and temporary homes for the displaced victims. When National Mirror visited the camp during the week, school age children and adults were seeing playing around. One of the idled teachers of the school, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said no fewer than 300,000 flood victims, including students, are currently taking refuge in various camps in the area. The teacher, like many other people in the area, berated the state government for what they called its lackadaisical attitude to put things in order on time in the affected schools so that academic activities could resume. The teacher also said it was taking the government too long time to provide at least alternative settlements for victims elsewhere rather than to continue keeping them within schools’ premises. Our correspondent also visited some schools within Lokoja metropolis, including St. Luke Primary School, Adankolo, where the flood also did extensive damage to their buildings and other facilities, as well as study materials. There, chil-

Some residents, including pupils, fleeing a flooded communy during the period. Inset is the state-governor, Idris Wada

THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING THE OPTION OF EXTENDING THE SCHOOL ACADEMIC CALENDAR OF THE AFFECTED SCHOOLS SO THAT WHEN ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES RESUME, THE

STUDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOST PERIOD dren and adults alike were playing different games, including football. They said they engaged in the exercises to keep themselves lively, while they continue hoping for what future will offer them. Reacting to the development, Mr. James Gwantana, a resident of Ganaja community, a suburb of Lokojo in Ajaokuta Local Government Council area, told National Mirror that he returned home only last Sunday when he learnt that the flood had subsided. Now, his plan is to enrol his children in evening classes pending when their schools will be reopened. “I wouldn’t want to give failure a chance because to my understanding, it seems that government is not expedite action to either fix the affected schools and make them lively again for academic activities or provide alternative centres somewhere else for students to continue with their studies,” he argued. He told National Mirror that many

parents were now worried and in dilemma of what could become the future of their wards if the schools remained closed than necessary. It was gathered that parents who could no longer exercise patience had started to enrol their wards in some cheap private primary schools to continue with their studies. One of the officials of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Mikail Hamza, told National Mirror that the union was seriously worried about the situation and disclosed that the union had already started dialoguing with the state and the affected local government councils the modalities to fast track the return of normalcy into those schools. He explained that the situation really caused for concern, especially from the government so that students will return to class. Reacting to the issue, the State’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Grace Elebiyo, said the Federal Government had

already released some houses in Ajaokuta Steel Company for the resettlement of the flood victims, adding that immediately those involved are resettled, the children would return to their schools and continue with their studies. Elebiyo also disclosed that the state government is considering the option of extending the school academic calendar of the affected schools so that when academic activities resume, the students would be able to make up for the lost period. She added that while those who are currently in schools would continue with their studies and finish the term according to calendar, those who are affected by the floods would be provided with alternative arrangement. “We are also likely to introduce evening classes in schools where necessary so as to further help them to make up with the lost period,” she stressed. Elebiyo disclosed that over 500 schools were affected by the disaster with schools in Ibaji, Bassa, Lokoja and Koton-Karffi local government council areas most hit. She assured that the government would do everything within its limit including building new classes for the pupils in various communities since most of the affected schools are no longer safe for use and that people of the state should exercise more patience with the government in bringing this into reality.

Education Today

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Illegal varsity proprietor jailed five years IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

he proprietor of illegal Middle Belt University and North Central University, Mr. Francis Agbo, has been sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment, without an option of fine by Hon. Ali Tari Changbo of the Upper Area Court, Keffi, Nasarawa State.

He was found guilty on a two-count charge of impersonation and forgery leveled against him. Agbo also claimed to be the Director of Research and Innovation at the National Universities Commission (NUC) and a senior academic staff of the Nasarawa State University, Lafia, to defraud unsuspecting admission-seeking members of the public. The evidence tendered

before the Court against him by the Prosecuting Counsel, Mr. Aaron Zamani, a Legal Officer in NUC, included fake admission letters and fliers advertising the Nasarawa State University, Lafia; testimonies of witnesses, some of them victims; the accused’s claim of being the Coordinator of the University’s Nyanya Study Centre, tellers of both the Unity Bank and

L- R: Award recipient and Deputy Bursar, National Open University of Nigeria, Lagos, Mr. Ernest Odeigah, receiving his certificate as a Fellow of Certified National Accountant from the President and Chairman of Council, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Hajia Maryam Ibrahim, in Lagos.

Aso Savings and Loans in Oturkpo, Benue, all of which bore either his name or that of his wife. During the proceedings, a total of 12 exhibits were tendered and admitted by the trial court. The accused had earlier jumped bail granted him during similar trials on related charges in an Abuja High Court and Chief Magistrate’s Court, Oturkpo, following which bench warrants were issued against him. He had been at large until his recent arrest for the trial that earned him jail sentence. In his judgment, the Presiding Magistrate, Changb, said the evidence was glaring, especially those of the victims, including Peter Blessing, among others, who met the accused at different locations like Nyanya Primary School, as Agbo had no definite address. The man had also failed to tender receipts to the victims for payments made to him which ranged from N8, 500 to N45, 000 for admission forms and school fees. The evidence revealed that more than N100,000 was extorted

from four victims, who testified before the court. Delivering the judgment, Changbo said, from the evidence before the court, the management of the Nasarawa State University neither had any relationship with the accused nor any satellite campus in Nyanya Primary School as claimed by him. He therefore ruled that the evidence showed that Agbo deliberately forged the admission letters and purported to be a senior staff of the university, which aided him to extort money from the public without offering them admission and subjected them to emotional, psychological and economic trauma. The court having found the accused to have contravened Section 179, 324 and 364 of the Penal Code sentenced him to five years in prison for both counts without an option of fine. He also ruled that the convict pay back the money dubiously collected from his victims or else would add six months to his jail term, explaining that the five-year sentence would run concurrently

with effect from this February when he was first arraigned. Reacting to the judgment, NUC’s Deputy Director, Legal, Mr. Moses Awe, said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to other proprietors of illegal businesses, fond of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public, and called on members of the public to always cooperate with the commission by reporting any illegal outfit around them. For Counsel to the Nasarawa State University, Lafia, Mr. Danjuma Shigaba, the university was satisfied with the ruling as it underscored the efficacy of the judiciary. It will be recalled that Agbo from Ugbokolo in Benue State, had in 2009 been prosecuted by NUC at the Chief Magistrate Court, Oturkpo, Benue State, and by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) at the Abuja High Court for forging the letter head and identity card of NUC and for operating illegal Middle Belt and North Central Universities in Oturkpo, Benue State.

ICT abuse: School engages parents to step up control

The Wellspring College, Omole, Lagos, under the technical supervision of the University of Lagos Consultancy Services (UNILAG Consult), recently brought together parents at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ikeja, to appraise the impact of news social media on students. The event, aimed at reviving the traditional roles of parents in child upbringing, was described by participants as an intervention in a right direction. MOJEED ALABI reports:

t is the tradition of the Wellspring College, Omole, Lagos, to periodically organise seminars for parents and guardians of the students of the school and other interested members of the public. The belief is that parents have crucial roles to play in the education and development of children and, therefore, must be actively involved in core educational issues that can guarantee such. The theme for each edition is usually in consonant with the burning public issues as affecting children education, especially in a negative way and this year’s edition’s theme was: “Godly parenting in an information-free world.” The participants focused on the roles of parents and guardians in monitoring the activities of children as regards the information they access on their mobile phones, television stations and through web browsing. In his opening remarks, the school’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Daniel Isinmoya, said the decision to put in place seminars of this nature was to actualise the goals and objectives of the school. These objectives, he said, included; the production of high educational standards

and sound moral disposition among children; the production of a total child, who will be sound academically, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, among others. The school’s Principal, Mrs. Oluyemisi Oloriade, in her welcome address, also gave the background for the choice of the theme, saying, today’s world exposes the infant to limitless access to knowledge through information technology. While she did not overlook the benefits of the development of ICT, she maintained that, ICT posed some unpleasant consequences on children which include: undue exposure to places of information, such as pornography, gambling, among others that may affect their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. “This seminar is, therefore, designed to expose parents to Godly provisions for parenting; enlightening parents on the latest ICT applications; equipping them with necessary steps to face the challenges the information free world poses, and also control them on how to exercise control mechanisms over children’s access to these tools,” Oloriade stated. On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Family Impact, a non-governmental organisation, Dr. Tunde Fowe, who discussed the topic: “Parenting the child for his maker,” said parenting was the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood. He likened children to seeds, saying if they are not properly planted, parents would not reap good fruits at the time of harvest. He said the televisions, mobile phones, computers and other forms of modern information and communication tools are what now transmit values to children. This condition, he said, had taken over the roles of parents in various homes. He said as Africans, who value dignity, morality and spirituality, the children, if left

Some of the participants at the forum.

at the mercy of ICT tools for guidance, may be lost to immoralities and the culture of avarice currently pronounced around the world. “Purposeful parenting must be child-focused unlike the traditional system that was parent-focused. By this, we mean that, children must be at the centre of major decisions at homes and their interests and potentials should always be considered before decisions that concern them are taken,” Fowe argued. Other guest lecturers included: Prof. Folu Tayo of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Akoka, who spoke on: Positioning the child for productive use of information, while the Managing Director of Synergy Systems Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Obijiofor, spoke on the topic: ‘Exploiting information freedom for optimum parenting.” The representative of the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education and Assistant Director, Private Education and Special Programmes, Mr. Segun Idowu, appreciated both the organisers and the participants for what he described as the best pathway to a successful future for the children.

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Education Today

Thursday, November 1, 2012

NPMCN deserves grant Sheila Solarin, a catalyst to from TETFUND –President education development –Amosun T A SEKINAH L AWAL

he Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosu, has described the late Mrs. Sheila Solarin not only as a pillar of support to her husband but as a catalyst to the educational development in Ogun State and the country at large.

He said the late Sheila’s immense contribution to the development of education in the country in the past 60 years she had lived in the country would remain a reference point. The governor stated this in his condolence

message to the family of the late educationist, who died at the age of 88 recently. The state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Odubela, delivered the message on behalf of the state government at Solarin’s family

house, located inside Mayflower School, Ikenne in Ogun State. In her response, daughter of the deceased, Corin Solarin, thanked the state government for standing by the family during the period her late mother was on the sick bed.

Wike threatens SUBEB bosses with jail terms IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

he Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has read the riot act to state chairmen of basic education and warned them to desist forthwith from diversion of the educational materials meant for schools, otherwise they risk going to jail without option of pardon. He gave the warning recently while addressing all SUBEB chairmen in his office over the recent scandal, arrest and prosecution of some SUBEB officials, who were caught selling the Federal Government’s free textbooks in the open markets in Lagos and Onitsha. The minister, who said the distribution of the educational materials would no longer be business as usual, lamented that those who were expected to cooperate with government and support its drive in moving the basic education system forward have become saboteurs frustrating governments’ efforts. While he advised those in the habit to turn a new leaf, Wike said whoever that was caught with the practice would be dealt with decisively. He explained that as part of measures to ensure that educational materials from the government got to schools and are distributed freely to students, the directors of the State Security Service, the Inspector General of Police, as well as individuals have been involved in the monitoring of the distribution. While assuring schools and students that many more books would be distributed to them this month, Wike urged them to also reciprocate the gesture by utilising the materials well.

Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Odubela, handing over Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s condolence message to the first daughter of late Mrs. Sheilla Solarin, Corrin, at the family house in Ikenne, Ogun State, recently.

Ogun checkmates encroachment on school lands TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

he Ogun State Government has concluded plan to set up an inter-ministerial committee to checkmate the activities of land speculators and private developers, who are encroaching into the lands of schools, owned by the state government. The committee members will comprise officers from the Ministries

of Education, Bureau of Lands and Survey, as well as Bureau of Urban and Physical Planning. The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Odubela, in a release, stated this when he visited Pakoto High School, Pakoto, in Ifo Local Government area, where he discovered that a large portion of the school’s land had been taken over by private individuals. According to him, the committee will have as

part of its terms of reference, measures that will enable the state to reclaim the stolen lands and how to put final end into the practice. Speaking on absenteeism among students in the public secondary schools in the state, Odubela warned those among them who are fond of absenting themselves from school unnecessarily to desist from such habit as serious sanction awaits any erring student.

Soludo to speak at AUN’s Founder’s Day MOJEED ALABI

he former Central Bank Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, will deliver a keynote address at this year’s edition of the American University of Nigeria’s Founder’s Day celebration in Yola, Adamawa State, scheduled for November 24. The university founder’s day is designed to showcase the achievements of the institution and finetune ways to move the university forward. The high point of the forum is the recognition of the founder of the university, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his unrelenting commitment to youth edu-

cation in the country and Africa’s continent. The university’s spokesman, Mr. Abba Tahir, in a statement, said the celebration would begin on Friday, November 23, with Yola Community Day, which is a peace-building initiative sponsored by the university. This year’s edition of the programme is the seventh in the series. Soludo, an economist, led Nigeria’s Central Bank from May 29, 2004 to May 29, 2009. He earned a M.Sc. in Economics (1987), and a PhD in Econometrics and Monetary Economics (1989) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he also received his professorship. He has been a visiting professor at the Univer-

sity of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the University of Warwick, the Brookings Institution, and Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. He is also the founding Executive Director of the African Institute for Applied Economics, Enugu, an economic think-tank. Soludo has served on the Chief Economist Advisory Council of the World Bank, as well as the Financial System Regulatory Coordinating Committee, a regulatory body that oversees Nigeria’s financial sector. He has also worked as a consultant to the African Development Bank, the United Nations, the European Union, and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

s the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN)’s 30th convocation held recently, a clarion call has gone to the Federal Ministry of Education to recognise NPMCN as a tertiary educational institution and request the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to give the institution grant to build an Examination/Multipurpose Hall that will take 1,500 candidates conveniently at a time. This appeal came from the President of the College, Prof. Victor Wakwe while making it known that the college needs a lot of help to improve its infrastructure and purchase equipment for its activities. “Also, the ministry should request NUC to give grants to improve our research capabilities. There are monies they are begging the universities to come and collect. It should be noted too that any postgraduate medical programme started by NUC without our approval will be disaccredited,” Prof. Wakwe warned. According to him, the college has 668 Foundation Fellows; 333 Fellows by Election, 2,863 Fellows by Examination and recently added 264 Fellows by Examination.” Prof. Wakwe made it known that the number of candidates that put in for the fellowship examination is increasing tremendously. “For the September to November 2012 examination, we have the following figures; Primary Examination - 2,395 candidates, Part 1 Examination - 1,118 candidates and Part 11 Examination - 288 candidates. He made it known that this is a big load for the college to carry based on the fact that their infrastructure is very poor. “We do not have an examination hall that can take up to 500 candidates currently.” The president therefore solicited for help both from government and corporate bodies.”A small grant from TETFUND will solve our

problem. We should be recognised as a tertiary educational institution.” Prof. Wakwe also mentioned that in 2008, NUC directed the Vice–Chancellors of Universities not to promote any lecturer in the university who does not have a PhD to professiorial level. “After much convincing, it wrote another letter on 24th July this year to state that in the interim, it is the PhD or the Fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College or its equivalent for career progression in the university. All medical schools are under the universities. For a clinical lecturer, only the Fellowship or its equivalent is acceptable.” He explained that NUC is established by law to regulate standards in universities, forgetting that there are other government agencies also established by law to regulate medical education. NPMCN is established by Cap 59 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to regulate, train and certify postgraduate medical education. The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) is established by Cap 8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 to regulate the undergraduate medical education and also medical practice in Nigeria. MDCN categorized postgraduate medical certificates as follows: Category A- Fellowships of NPMCN or its equivalent. Category B- Memberships of the Royal College of Britain or their equivalent. Category C- PhD, MPH, among others. “How will NUC convince medical doctors who wish to be lecturers to go for the category C registration? Our advice is that they should allow academic clinical lecturers who are voracious for knowledge to take up these degrees voluntarily as some of us have done. There are clinical lecturers in this country who have the fellowship plus masters or PhD certificates. They did this on their own without coercion.” The college has 34 Distinguished Fellows, who are very well respected in the profession both in and outside the country.

Education Today

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Oando: Transforming pupils’ lives through scholarships TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

total of 225 pupils from financiallydisadvanta g ed homes in selected public primary schools across the country have been awarded with scholarships by Oando Foundation, a charitable arm of Oando Plc. Through the scheme,

beneficiaries, who were selected based on their academic brilliance from the company’s adopted primary schools across the country, will enjoy free tuition, and sundry expenses such as transportation, study materials, feeding and school uniforms throughout their secondary and tertiary education in the country. They will

also have the freedom of choosing courses of study. Disclosing this on Tuesday in Lagos during the official launch of the scheme, the Director of Oando Foundation, Ms Tokunboh Durosaro, said the gesture was in line with the company’s vision to transform lives in Nigerian communities through the provision of

quality and qualitative education to brilliant but indigent students. According to her, the scholarship is Oando’s intervention efforts to laying solid educational foundation for school children with a view to prepare them for future challenges. Tokunboh explained that the company had and would continue to in-

Awardees, during the launch of Oando Foundation Scholars Programme in Lagos, on Tuesday.

PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

Abia govt shuts 100 illegal schools GEORGE OPARA ABIA

n its determined effort to improve the standard of education in the state, Abia State Government said it had closed down over 100 illegal nursery, primary and secondary schools across the state. To show its seriousness over the matter, the government announced that the premises of all the illegal school had been sealed off and that a tribunal would be set up to try the operators of the affected institutions even as the government said the operators of illegal private schools were the people behind examination frauds in the state. Meanwhile, the state has announced that

henceforth, only teachers or examination administrators, who undergo training on examination ethics, would be allowed to participate in the conduct of examinations in the state. The government said it shut those schools because the owners refused to comply with the government directive to upgrade them. According to the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Monica Philips, who brief journalists on the issue on Tuesday, in Umuahia, the measures were part of the government’s effort to ensure that the standard of education in Abia remains high. Philips explained that only those who participated and passed the Examination Administration

Integrity and Technical Certificate workshop held recently in the state by the ministry in conjunction with Exam Ethics Marshal International would be involved in the conduct of school examinations in the state. And to give room for those who did not participate in the last one and those who failed the examination, Philips announced that another one has been scheduled for November 8 and 9 and urged those who missed the first one to be part of this, as the government is taking the issue of examination conduct very seriously. On the illegal private schools, though Philips did not disclose the number of schools affected by the closure, she said they run into hundreds and

Orji

warned that officials of the ministry were still going round the state to identify other illegal schools. In his remarks, Chairman of Exam Ethics Marshals International, Mr. Ike Onyechere commended Governor Orji for his interest in ensuring that sanity is maintained in the state’s school system and urged all Abians to support the war against examination malpractices.

ABUJA

he Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has lamented that over 90 per cent of Nigerian educators have no specialised training on Early Childhood Education. The union has there-

fore called on government at all levels to give urgent attention towards improving the working condition of Nigerian teachers, especially at the early childhood education level. NUT on its part, has entered into partnership with the Danish Union of Early Childhood and Youth Edu-

cators (BUPL) in order to promote and domesticate international best practices on early childhood education in the country. NUT President, Mr. Michael Alogba Olukoya, spoke at the formal launching of the NUT/ BUPL Project on decent employment and profes-

sional development for early childhood educators in Nigeria-2012-2014. In his speech, presented on his behalf by the General Secretary of NUT, Comrade Obong Obong, the NUT President expressed the commitment of the union to the development of education in the country.

in the country and that the company would not relent on this and numerous other intervention efforts to national development. The foundation has so far adopted 28 public primary schools across Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Lagos, Katsina, Ogun, Delta, Kaduna, Cross River and River states while 17,292 students and 399 teachers nationwide have also acquired increased access to quality education through the foundation’s initiative. Expressing appreciation on behalf of himself and other award beneficiaries, Master Chukwuka Immanuel from Metropolitan Primary School, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, said they would not only study harder and excel in their academic pursuits, they would not let the company’s money spending on them be a waste. “We will ensure we won’t let you down,” Chukwuka, who wants to be automobile engineer, said.

We don’t defraud students –NOUN TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

NUT seeks decent working condition for early childhood educators IJEOMA EZEIKE

crease access and improve the overall quality of education in the country through its five- year old Adopt-A-School Initiative (AASI) programme. “By the initiative,” she noted, “the foundation adopts dilapidated public primary schools and provides in them new modern classroom blocks, sate water system, playgrounds and sanitation facilities, among others. She added that the highpoint of the initiative was the scholarship award giving to a minimum of 10 outstanding students in each of the adopted schools and that the gesture would be on a yearly basis so as to help them in bringing their visions for life into a reality. Also speaking, the Group Executive Director of the company, Mr. Wale Tinubu, disclosed that the company, as part of its social responsibility efforts, had earmarked one per cent of the group’s profit-before tax to education development

he authorities of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have debunked a media report alleging the management of the institution of collecting money fraudulently from its students at Abuja Study Centre. A newspaper (not National Mirror) had alleged that the authority of the university had collected money amounting to about N40,000 from each of its students at Abuja Study Centre for course materials that have neither been made available to them in full nor refund them their balance. Reacting to the allegation, the university’s ViceChancellor, Prof. Ado Tenebe, said there was no iota of truth in the fraud allegation which he described as unfounded, masterminded by the perceived enemies of the leadership of the university. According to him, it is the tradition of the university to centrally provide course materials and distribute them to students through its 47 study centres across the country and that each student is required to pay per the number of

course units registered for in each academic year. The VC, in a statement by the university’s spokesperson, Dr. Ronke Ogunmakin, explained that the course materials were being made available to all its students in hard copies and online, but that the case of its Abuja Study Centre was what he could describe as impatience on the part of the students of the centre. “We had given them some of the study materials and we were in the process of giving them the remaining ones when they ran out of patience,” he said, “And we don’t know why they should now be talking of refunding when the materials would still be made available to them before exams.” The VC, however, promised that the university would continue to improve on service delivery. NOUN, as the first open and distant learning university in Nigeria, is designed to provide flexible and cost effective university education to qualified Nigeria’s prospective undergraduates and graduates alike, who because of limited space and carrying capacity could not secure admission into conventional universities.

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

‘NANS has become a tool for political permutation’ with Mojeed Alabi mojeedalabi2@yahoo.co.uk or mail@mirroronline.net

Adeola Adelabu is a 500- level student of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State. He is flying the university’s ticket for presidency of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in its election slated to hold in Jigawa State this month. He shares his plans and ambitions for the students’ body in this interview with MUSLIUDEEN ADEBAYO. What is the rationale behind your intention to contest NANS presidency? I am driven by the association’s need for positive change. I believe that all hands must be on deck to take positive actions beyond destructive criticisms. I am contesting because I believe I have to play my own part rather than being an armchair critic and fortunately, the zoning arrangement that gives presidency to the southwest qualifies me. What are those challenges

Petroleum Microbiologist and Senior Lecturer at Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State, Dr. Chuma Okoro, has won the 2011/2012 Petroleum

history of this association, they will tell you that the advent of democracy has brought so much political interests and influences. It has become a tool of political permutation, but with sound leadership, the major objective of the association, which is the protection of students’ rights and the provision of their welfare, will be achieved. Apart from zoning, what other things do you think qualify you for this office? I have been representing and actively participating in student politics since my 100- level days. I was the Director of Admission, Junior Chamber International JCI; Mobilisation Officer of NANS, Presidential Candidate in the last UI students’ union election, among others.

you think the association is facing? There are several challenges confronting NANS and these include the degeneracy among the students themselves, balkanization of the association, poor coordination of students’ activities nationwide, among others. These are some of the things that gave NANS its glory in Many people believe those days in the ‘70s, ‘80s NANS has lost its content and ‘90s. and value. How would you react to that? But what do you think NANS is gradually wincaused these challenges? ning the heart of Nigerian For those who know the students, because we are

Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Oil and Gas Research Grant award. The PTDF annual oil and gas research grant

Create ethical centres in states –Don suggests

but NANS is still relevant. We will resuscitate SUG in all those schools that do not have students’ union government in place and this will make NANS more relevant and vibrant. Education sector is to take the second largest in the 2013 budget proposal of the Federal Government, what do you have to say about this?

Caleb Varsity don wins research grant award, which aims at enhancing the capacity of locally-based researchers to conduct researches relating to the technological

Students of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, during their cultural week, recently.

professor of sociology in Ekiti State University, Prof. Adeola Olaogun, has suggested that the Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, set up centres for ethics in all states of the federation to curb the increasing social challenges in the nation. He made the suggestion during the presentation of the 34th inaugural lecture of the university. Prof Olaogun

Adelabu

responding to issues based on collective interest and I promised to continue with this trend. We want to allay that fear of rascality and hooliganism in NANS; unionism has moved beyond guns and bullets but dialogue and consultation. This is the era of peaceful settlement of disputes. Our stand on issues will based on collective interest

said, “Nigerian government should, as a matter of national emergency, create at least one centre in each state of the federation for the study of ethics. The specific mission of the centre according to him should be geared toward promotion of ethics in Nigeria by emphasising ethical decisions, guided by moral principles and values, such as respect for persons, justice, and compassion”.

development of the oil and gas industry in the country, was held recently at the prestigious Bolton White Hotel, Garki, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Dr. Okoro’s topic of the proposal that won him the award was titled; Development of Novel Technologies for Diagnosing and Remediating Notable Microbial Problems Associated with Oil Production in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry, and was in the Environmental Management and Protection category. He also coordinates the GEF-sponsored Global Environmental Study in the Gulf of Guinea, known to have formulated the sea wa-

ter microbial inocula which is currently being used by some multinational oil and gas companies in Nigeria in managing oil spills along the shoreline and mangrove swamp. Dr. Okoro, whose current researches mainly focus on production related problems in the oil and gas industry such as microbial enhanced oil production (MEOR), biogas production, bio-corrosion and bio fouling of oil facilities and oil field reservoir souring, has researched and published many scholarly papers in both local and international journals. In his remarks after receiving the award, Dr.

We must accept that there has been significance increment in the funding of education sector in the recent times. We must also know that there are lots of challenges confronting the sector. But on what the huge amount of money is being spent is another thing. It is on infrastructure, bureaucracy or buying of cars for government and school officials. So, the funding must reflect in the lives of students and their lecturers positively. There should be available standard structures and conducive environment for learning and teaching across government-owned academic institutions in the country. We need better hostels, libraries, sporting facilities and common rooms and the president should equally extend the gesture of the increment funding to polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education. All these will help the country greatly in moving the sector forward. Okoro explained that his desire to focus primarily on production related problems in the oil and gas industry was informed by his observation that in the modern world today, research focus in the oil and gas industry had shifted from the more defensive pollution removal to the more offensive production improving research activities, adding that this was one of the reasons the award was given to him. While dedicating the award to God, he particularly expressed his appreciation to the PTDF for recognising his ability and capacity to conduct innovative researches in critical areas of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.

Bowen varsity set to honour octogenarian MOJEED ALABI

owen University, Iwo, in Osun State will, on Saturday, honour one of its founding fathers and an octogenarian, Rev. (Dr) William Rufus Ojo, with the award of an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters on the occasion of its 10th anniversary slated for Saturday, November 3, 2012. The award is in recog-

nition of Ojo’s immense services to humanity, the Nigerian nation, his invaluable contribution to the progress of the Nigerian Baptist Convention in particular and Christendom in general. The 89-year-old WRO, as he is fondly called, served the Baptist Mission in Nigeria full- time for about 40 years, during which time he represented the Nigerian Baptist Convention at various forums

around the world. According to the university, Ojo was also the principal fund raising promoter appointed by the Baptist Convention of Nigeria to raise funds for the establishment of the Baptist University – a special assignment that took him to every nook and crannies of Nigeria and Ghana in the 1960s. The result of this assignment is the Bowen University, Iwo.

At retirement from Baptist Convention, he was made a Commissioner in the Ondo State Civil Service Commission in Akure in 1987, where he served meritoriously till 1991. The well-deserved honour to be bestowed on him at the 7th convocation ceremony of Bowen University, Iwo, has, therefore, been described as a fitting gesture of appreciation to him.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

HE Guardian Editorial of October 23 disseminated a lexical inaccuracy: “The disconnect between security expenditures and protection of lives and property (sic) speaks volume (volumes) about the conditions of Nigeria’s security sector.” Nigerian Tribune of 24 August vitiated its ‘most informative newspaper’ pay-off line on two occasions: “Oil spill triggers fire outbreak” (Double-decked Screaming Headline) Tacitly put, ‘outbreak’ is clearly otiose here. Therefore, oil spill triggers fire. “Salami refuses to handover” The phrasal verb error used to be just hyphenation. Now, it is horrendous (‘handover’) instead of ‘hand over’! Let the truth, courage and lexical fairness of 1949 still prevail. “Paucity of funds threaten Egbin power plant” (DAILY SUN Headline, August 22) A recurring case of subject-verb disagreement (S-VD): Paucity of funds threatens…. “OBJ, IBB bite more than they can chew” (THE NATION Back Page Headline, August 22) Both of them bite off more than they can. “Below are some correspondences from BPE (Bureau of Public Enterprises) to BUA and Council Memo to Mr. President.” (Full Page Ad by the Management of BUA Group, THISDAY, August 18) BPE can of worms: ‘correspondence’ is uncountable. “While trying to locate the address close to a hotel at (on) the outskirts of the town.…” “Lagosians welcome Fasho-

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Fashola’s marching orders to okada riders la’s marching order on motorbike riders along major highways in the city.” Fixed expression: marching orders. “More grease to your elbow.” More power (not grease!) to the elbow of Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), the Lagos State governor. “8 policemen arrested over extortion” When will police criminality stop going the rounds? They will always be arrested for (not over) weapon misuse (‘accidental discharge’), extortion and banditry! “But even at that, labour was not overtly involved in the arrests and detentions that followed” ‘Detention‘is uncountable. “In fact, it looks like increase in the prices of petroleum products have (has) become an annual ritual.” Another S-VD embarrassment. “Female lawmakers angry over treatment meted to the female minister.” No chauvinism: meted out to. “…until 1998 when individuals and groups converged in (on) Italy.…” “I throdded that strange land and it took the grace of God to survive.” What is going on? ‘Throdded’ for ‘trod’? “Given the fact during the electioneering campaign of 2000 in the US….” Bush’s right steps: ‘electioneering’ indicates ‘campaign.’ ‘So, to employ the two words is morphological abuse. “Unfortunately for the US

‘ARREST’ TAKES ‘FOR’ (NEVER ‘OVER’) ALWAYS. IT IS NOT OPTIONAL government, majority (a majority) of the UN members were not.…” “…as the attending leaders would be falling over each other (one another) to get the attention of the world’s number one citizen....” “Succeeding (Successive) governments have shown no inclination to (for) overhauling our antediluvian criminal justice system.” “A TV footage of the visit showed a heart-rending scene of inmates kneeling and wailing and pleading to (with) her to secure their release.” “By leaving so many frivolous laws on (in) our statute books....” “One of Nigeria’s finest and pioneer professor (professors) of dentistry.” “Real development in (on) the African continent cannot be achieved through coups.” “Nigeria successfully restored Sierra Leone’s president, Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabba (another comma) into (to) government after he was deposed by.…” “Although the government is still settling down into (to) its second term.…”

“Transporters are usually the first to do so making workers spend the lion (lion’s) share of their salary on transportation (why not just transport, which is Standard English; not the excerpted Americanism?) “I and my wife plotted the scheme which….” No spousal coup, gentlemen: My wife and I plotted the scheme. “Community commends Fashola over grassroot (sic) development” The community surely commended the governor for (not over) grassroots development. “10 arrested at Apapa Ports over (for) hemp dump.” Fixed expression: ‘arrest’ takes ‘for’ (never ‘over’) always. It is not optional. “With regards to the first question (a comma, please) the answer will be two-pronged.” Choose between ‘as regards’ and ‘with regard to’, which applies here. “How I lost my lover to a bossom friend” From the stable of the Flagship: bosom. “Nigeria’s speedster…in his hey days” Simply heyday (a word and non-count). “They came to enjoy music, not pay through their noses (nose) for a few hours of fun.” “…the dead would have done a dance of approval at the befitting honours accorded them by their offsprings.” ‘Offspring’ is uncountable. “Today, not only is the civil conflict still raging, but the fall-

outs of the wars....” ‘Fallout’ is uncountable. “…the prospects of bilateral military co-operation between Nigeria and the US in the troubled spots of West Africa….” One of the fascinating aspects of the English language: trouble spots. FROM MY INBOX I do enjoy your weekly analysis of grammatical blunders made by our journalists who speak and write the English language as their first language. I want to use this opportunity to commend you for your great critical work that is worthy of emulation. From Olanrewaju Temitope Adedapo (08156970191) Thanks so much for your weekly WORDSWORTH. Do we still have proofreaders and sub-editors in our newspaper houses? Some of the everrecurring errors are too basic for the checkers not to notice before publication. I am not a journalist but we were thought all those things in O’ level English language. May be the standard has dropped so much. Our children are in trouble except for the intervention of someone like you. Please, keep it up. Oladele (08057689906) Once more, constructive criticisms, observations and comments are welcome. How did the Sallah go, my dear reader? Nobody from the Moslem community sent any meat to me!

Be law abiding, provost tells students’ leaders TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

he Provost, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, Lagos, Mr. Bashorun Olalekan, has advised the newly elected students’ leaders of the institution to always allow their conducts to be guided by rules and regulations of the school and the country. He gave the advice recently when the institution’s Sub-Dean, Students Affairs, Mr Peter Oladepo, officially presented them to the college management as a new set of leaders for

this academic year. Olalekan told them that it was only when they did not go contrary to the law of the land that the college management would support them and their activities. In another development, the college’s has rewarded eight students of the institution with scholarship awards. The provost disclosed this when the college contingent to the combined 7th and 8th editions of the Nigeria International Model United Nations Conference (NigMUNs) for tertiary institutions in Nigeria, who did the college proud at the competition, held recently in

Mr. Agbovinure Oluwafemi , one of the students’ awardees at NigMUNs Conference from Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos, (left), receiving award certificate from the college’s Provost, Mr. Olalekan Bashorun during a reception held in honour of the school contingents to the conference held in Abuja recently.

Abuja, were officially welcome back to the college.

The contingent, at the conference, themed:

“Fighting corruption, promoting peace and respon-

sible citizenship,” won various awards, including the Best Drama Presentation, the Best Cultural Costumes and the second Best school Delegates. Olalekan, who expressed happiness over the achievement, said the college would continue to give necessary support to programmes that will prepare the students for future challenges. The NigMUNS conference is held annually among undergraduates in and outside the country to take on roles as representatives of UN member countries with a view to proffering solutions to global socio-economic challenges.

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

Special Report on Chairmen of Distinction (2)

SPECIAL REPORT ON TEN TOP EXECUTIVE CHAIRMEN OF DISTINCTION IN LAGOS STATE (PART 2)

ith the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan as the nation’s helmsman in 2011, it was obvious that Nigeria’s democracy had come to stay. In actualizing the dividends of democracy in their various states, the governors took a cue from the President to deploy men and women of integrity with the required technical ability to move the country forward. This, of course, is a departure from the age-long tradition of electing local government chairmen and other public officers into offices on the strength of party affiliations. This and other reasons informed the choice of technocrats in to the key ministries and local government councils across the country. National Mirror therefore went round the 57 local governments and local councils development areas in

Lagos State to conduct a: Performance Assessment and Certification Exercise (PACE)”spanning October 2011 till October 2012. Today, we bring to you another three of the top 10 Chairmen of Distinction in Lagos State, the Centre of Excellence. They are the Chairman, Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Shamusideen Abiodun Olaleye ; Chairman of Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Taofeek Abiodun Adaranijo and the Chairman of Oto-Awori LCDA, Hon. Bolaji Kayode Robert. As the next set of Chairmen to be counted, it is clear that many of them will still answer their clarion call and be among those that have resolved to bring positive changes to their local communities in particular and to citizens of Lagos State in general. Co-ordinated by: Edafe Obaro

Hon. Olaleye

Hon. Bolaji

Hon. Adaranijo

Special Report on Chairmen of Distinction (2)

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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OLALEYE BRINGS POSITIVE CHANGE TO ISOLO LOCAL COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT AREA (LCDA)

on. Shamsudeen Abiodun Olaleye is the Executive Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State. He, like his counterparts in other local council areas, did not emerge as the chairman of the council area on a platter of gold; he and his team worked hard, campaigned hard and finally, the people decided that he has what it takes to lead the council and so on the day of reckoning, they unanimously voted for him, thus giving him the mandate to lead the council.

As a public administrator who is committed to bringing the dividend of democracy closer to the doorsteps of his people and coupled with the utmost realisation of the importance of building and keeping public trust, he asked the people to hold him accountable on his words and promises. In keeping faith with his promises, Olaleye has kept his promises to the people of the council area even beyond their expectations. Before the inception of his administration, there was distrust from the citizenry due to the developmental challenges confronting the council. However, there is a new swam song as residents and the people of Isolo have started feeling his administration’s impact in virtually all sectors of life in his transformation agenda for Isolo LCDA and testimonies have continued to trail his efforts. Shaame as Olaleye is fondly called realizes the importance of education as the bedrock of success and the basic tool to build a sustainable future for our children and that is why he has made education the focal point of his transformation agenda by embarking on a total reconstruction of Ilasamaja Primary School, Okomola and St. Paul Primary School, Ishagatedo. The two schools which are in the first phase of the re-engineering process of public primary schools are fitted with modern facilities found mostly in private schools. In his quest to promote healthy living among primary school pupils, the council boss has distributed first aid-boxes and procured 14 power generating sets for the purpose of powering water pumping machines in all the primary schools even as he has distributed free exercise books, colour books and writing materials such as crayons and pencils to all the pupils. Also, in order to inculcate and promote educational values in the pupils, magnetic boards have been distributed to all the primary schools within the LCDA to replace the old dusty chalk board just as he has procured customised school bags for all the primary school pupils in the council area. For those in the higher institutions of learning, Olaleye has so far spent a total sum of N3 million on bursary award to 120 indigene and indigent students with each collecting a sum of N25, 000. He has also resuscitated adult education in five centers across the council area. The investment in this regard was rewarded recently when 15 adult students graduated from the programme. As part of his empowerment programme, the council

Hon. Olaleye

boss has equally fulfilled his electoral promise of assisting the widows and the aged in Isolo community by giving financial assistance of N10, 000 each to 250 widows and senior citizens in the last 300 days. He has equally given out 20 kee-klamp shops at the popular Aswani Market to selected women in the council area as part of his women empowerment programme even as the council boss has completed arrangement to sponsor muslim and christain pilgrims to the holy lands this year. Olaleye has also recorded modest achievements in the health sector by meeting the basic standard of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Primary Health Care delivery system with the construction of two new Primary Health Centres (PHC) at Apena and Okota Wards. On environment, Shaame has equally made significant progress. Before now, flooding had become an albatross in llasamaja area as cases of drowning, especially of school children and loss of properties were constant nightmares. But today, the story has changed as the council has successfully facilitated the re-dredging of llasamaja Canal while all illegal structures on the path of the canal have been removed even as encumbrances impeding the free flow of primary and secondary drains into the canal have equally been cleared. “Our administration has also undertaken a proactive measure ahead of this year raining season with the desilting of drains and drainages in over 70 streets across the LCDA,” he said. Prior to the raining season, Olaleye had graded over 40 streets in the Ago/ Okota axis of the council area to connect with the people of these areas who had been neglected by previous administrations. Aside that, 20 other streets including the popular Ogunbowale street in Ila-

samaja have either been reconstructed or rehabilitated across the LCDA. The former Vice-Chairman of the old Alimosho Local Government has also brought a wind of change to the economic development of the LCDA by increasing the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) from N80million to N160million, an increament which Olaleye is convinced is realiseable through the blockage of leakages and putting in place an aggressive revenue generation drive. Further to this, he has concluded the first phase of Ilasamaja International Market with over 200 shops to boast commercial activities in the council area just as plans are on to create an Aluminium Market wing within the premises of the current Awsani Market. When completed, the proposed market will cater for both industrial and domestic needs of the people of Isolo LCDA. Despite all these achievements, Olaleye says this is just the beginning as he has many development plans that would totally transform Isolo LCDA. “The race to excellence has no finishing point, we are strongly committed to bringing dividends of democracy closer to our people and in doing this we are prepared to do more. In the course of our tenure we shall embark on the second phase of the re-engineering process of our primary schools by rehabilitating more primary schools; building another Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Alagbeji Ward; complete rehabilitation works on Aregbe, Panada, Atuyeye streets and Gbobaniyi Close; building of an event centre for Isolo community; resuscitation of our bursary award programe as well as the Care for Widows and the Aged programme, building of vocational centre as well other programmes that would enhance the living standard of our people,” he added. In appreciation of the developmen-

tal strides he has brought to bare in Isolo LCDA, Olaleye has attracted many awards, but his humble nature has made him to reject most of them. However, he informed that out of all the awards he has so far received, he cherished only two and they are the awards presented to him by INRI Widows Foundation and the prestigious award of Golden Pillar of Education in Lagos State. Alhaji (Hon) Shamsudeen Abiodun Olaleye, is an accomplished public administrator and a thorough-bred politician of over 10 years experience in local government administration. Born April 27th, 1963 at Mushin, Lagos to the family of late Alhaji Mudathir Ayinde Yusuf-Olaleye, he had his early education at Muslim Mission Primary School, Odi-Olowo, Mushin (1970-1976) and at the prestigious Ansar-Ud Deen College, Isolo, Lagos (1976-1981). Olaleye had the best of tutelage from his father on the basic principles of life which have remained his guiding light. He attended the then Lagos State College of Science & Technology (now Lagos State Polytechnic) between 1983 and 1986 for his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) certificate in Business Administration and later for his Higher National Diploma (HND) in the same course between 2000 and 2003. His ambition in becoming a seasoned pubic administrator saw him enrolled at Lagos State University (LASU) for a post-graduate degree in Public Administration. Olaleye went into active politics in 1991 and later joined the Alliance for Democracy (AD). His contribution to the ideals of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) was rewarded by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government in 2002 when he was appointed Vice-Chairman of Alimosho Local Government where he directly supervised health, environment and education departments of the council. His stint at Alimosho was remarkable and remained indelible as he succesfully partnered with his boss Hon. Bola Ilori to throw up the local government as the ‘Best Local Government’ in Environmental Sanitation in 2001. For his effort, Olaleye was rewarded with awards such as ‘Best Vice Chairmanof All Times’ (NULGE Alimosho LGA 2002); ‘Public Officer of the Year’ (Alimosho LGA 2002); ‘Best Supervisor for Health & Environment in Lagos State 2003. His experience in local government administration having worked in all departments of the council as well as his political experience and astounding popularity placed him ahead of other candidates for the Isolo council chairmanship position in the last local government poll where he beat his closest opponent with a record 11,000 votes. In recognition of his contribution in propagating Islam, he was bestowed with the honourary title of Turaki Adinni by the Isolo Muslim Community. Alhaji Shamsudeen Abiodun Olaleye hails from Ago–Ika in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

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Special Report on Chairmen of Distinction (2)

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Special Report on Chairmen of Distinction (2)

Adaranijo, lifting Orile Agege through performance

n these times when the complaints about bad governance are increasing daily, there is one man in government who is making a world of difference in his own way.That man is Hon. Taofeek Abiodun Adaranijo, the chairman of Orile Agege Local Council Development Area in Lagos State. As a man of action, Adaranijo has embarked on several projects in Orile Agege, a community hosting many residents. He embarks on projects with direct impact on people’s live. For instance, Orile Agege is one area that is plagued by flooding problem so he has been constructing drainages to solve the challenge. It is not difficult to find out why Adaranijo is trying his best to impact positively on the lives of his people. He was born in 1960 when Nigeria was still highly moralistic and virtuous. Growing up in such a setting where people were their brother’s keepers shaped him into what he has now become. His tenacity of purpose and commitment to service of his people, encouraged the late Alagege of Orile Agege, Oba Sanni Arewa Komolafe to , bestow on him the chieftaincy title, Apase of Orile Agege in 2003 in order to encourage him to continue his selfless service to the community, which he has been serving since 1990 when he became a

Hon. Adaranijo

politician to make life better for his people. Despite many setbacks he encountered in his political career, the chairman kept on at it as the need to make a

difference in his people’s lives was driving him on. Any politician who didn’t have such an honourable motive in mind would definitely have quit politics if he encountered the sort of challenges Adaranijo did. Hardly had he ventured into politics in 1990 that the then Third Republic was suspended by the General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida-led military administration. Then, he was an ex-officio member of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ward K of the old Agege Local Government. In 1993, he emerged as the Secretary of Ward K on the SDP platform. With the emergence of the Fourth Republic in 1999, he became the vicechairman of the old Agege Local Government on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and between 1999 and 2003, he became a stronger force to be reckon with in Agege politics. The creation of local council development areas in 2003 by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration further prepared TAACO for his leadership role. He was appointed the pioneer Executive Secretary of Orile Agege LCDA. He subsequently became the first elected chairman of the council in March 2004, a position he occupied till 2008. He was re-elected for another term which expired in 2011.

Among the organisations, which have deemed it fit to bestow awards on him for his selfless service are Encomium Leadership Awards, Yoruba Council of Elders (Lagos State chapter), Nigeria Union of Teachers, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Rotary Club of Ibadan (District 9130), Institute of Strategic Managers and the International Association of Lions Club. Some of the projects he has executed are drainage/surfacing works, rehabilitation of public toilets, surfacing of vocational centres, construction of gatehouses, provision of chairs and tables for staff and political officeholders, purchase of revenue bus and many others too numerous to mention. Adaranijo built the new secretariat the council is occupying today. He also built an ultra-modern area office at Oko-Oba which will be commissioned soon. The chairman has also built a modern library in the new area office. A new hospital to service the entire community has also been put in place, roads have been constructed and more than 20 boreholes have been sunk in the community. Adaranijo has increased the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the LCDA from N7 million to N40 million annually, a feat that is not common among his counterparts.

Bolaji the Moses of Oto-Awori LCDA T

he Chairman of Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State, Hon. Bolaji Kayode Robert, was nominated to serve his people on a political platform, but like the Biblical Moses, he rejected the nomination. According to him, he did not have what it takes to lead his people. But when the pressure became intense, Robert had no choice but to yield to the desire of his people to serve them. He said: “Politics has been in my blood. My father was a politician of note and a grassroots mobiliser, a virtue l picked from him which form my bedrock of going into politics.” He posited that his party, ACN is a grassroots party, noting that “ the structures on ground will not allow any other political party to take over the reign of leadership in the council. According to him, “Lagos is working, Fashola is working and God has been so good to the state by given us a man with vision and aspiration to take the state to the next level. His desire to serve has given him the opportunity to grade many roads, constructed several drainages, rehabilitate the health sector with the construction of Imude Primary Health Centre and rehabilitation of Era Mini General Hospital. “We have also spent a lot on our youths; we sponsored our youths both within and outside the country, and we have some of our youths who are currently studying in France,” he said. It was all these infrastructural de-

velopments that endeared him to the citizens of the council. Today, Oto-Awori LCDA remains one of the leading councils in Lagos State. Before his election, he was a staff in the works and housing development of Olorunda LCDA, a feat that has prepared him to understand the need of the community particularly, that of the youths. As a dynamic and accomplished youth leader, Bibiire, as he is fondly called, has over 20 awards conferred on him. But despite his accomplishment and all the accolades he has received, he has remained humble and unrelenting in providing developmental projects and supporting the needy through his numerous peopledriven projects. Robert is happily married to Princess Oluwatoyin Ganiyat and their marriage has been blessed with children. A dynamic and accomplished youth leader who studied political science, Robert is a member of some of the social and political groups in Badagry Division and Oto-Awori constituency. He is the financial secretary (LGA) ACN. In recognition of his outstanding contributions as a former staff of the local government, he was awarded the Best Maintenance Officer in Badargy Local Government in 2007. He was also conferred with symbolic icon of leaders by the National Association of Nigerian Students, Adenrian Ogunsanya College of Education chapter. For impacting positively on the lives of his people in the area of rural development, he was awarded a certificate of

Hon. Bolaji merit by the publisher of the local government news. Born into the family of Chief and Mrs. Oke-Oga on May 12, 1968, Robert commenced his academic career at Anglican Primary School, Oto-Ijanikin from 1973 to 1979. He later proceeded to the National Teachers Institute from 1998 to 2000.He has won the West Africa Leadership Integrity Gold Award which was organised by the internationally recognised Noble Global News Magazine. In his address, the Chief Executive Officer and publisher, Mr. Emmanuel Adai, said the award on Robert, among other notable administrators in the country and West Africa at large, is borne out of his giant strides so far in the council

area. The reason for the nomination in the first place, according to him, is not farfetched. Adai said Robert has proven beyond reasonable doubt that his dispensation has touched virtually every aspect of life, which includes infrastructural development. According to him, it is not how long but how purposeful his administration has been in service delivery to the people. He said: “I am still surprised to see firsthand what this man has been able to achieve despite the fact that government at the top level has not given the council the desired status. With little, he has been able to do so much.” Responding, Robert said accepting the award means that executive members, legislative arm, management and the entire good people of the LCDA have one way or the other contributed to the success of making sure that the council area is given the desired development. He said: “It took patience, strategic planning and determination to do what we have done. We are operating an opendoor policy and we have allowed the participation of like-minded people to achieve what we have. “Of course, the administration had a plan but it becomes more successful with the cooperation of the people. I dedicate this one to them and I like to encourage them to continue to contribute their quota by paying their levies and rates to lift the LCDA to a greater height.”

Special Report on Chairmen of Distinction (2)

Thursday, November 1 , 2012

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Special Report on Chairmen of Distinction (2)

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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Business & Finance This government is sworn to be a far departure from what we have hitherto understood governance to be. We are committed to engaging the good people of Nigeria through various platforms and we are ready to listen to and act on your pertinent propositions. Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The principle of diversification of resources is good, because if you are holding all your foreign reserves in one currency or one asset, whether it is the dollar or the euro, you run the risk of losing the value of your reserves in the event of fluctuations CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

Nigeria’s forex reserves hit $42.5bn UDO ONYEKA

igeria’s foreign exchange reserves recorded a 32 months high at $42.56 by October 29, According to figures at the Central Bank of Nigeria’s website shows a 30 percent yearon-year increase. The country’s forex reserves stood at $32.72 billion last year. Reserves rose 3.4 percent from September 28 to Oct. 29 and have not been this high since February 11, 2010 when they stood at $42.74 billion. Many Analysts have said the monetary policy adopted by the CBN has impacted positively on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves but negatively on businesses as cost of borrowing continues to go up. Economists and financial analysts have expressed varied views regarding the determination of the Central Bank of Nigeria to maintain its monetary tightening measures. While some of the experts say that the CBN is on the right track, as its monetary policy has helped to increase the country’s foreign exchange reserves to a 32-month

high, others argued that the regulatory bank’s policies are harsh on the real sector. Part of the measures that boost the reserves was the 12 per cent Monetary Policy Rate, otherwise known as benchmark lending rate, adopted by the CBN. The Governor, CBN, Mr. Sanusi Lamido, had noted that the

policies of the bank were tailored at curtailing inflation and tightening liquidity. The liquidity tightening, many analysts have said, was at odds with the reality of an uncertain global economic environment and the actions of regulatory banks of most emerging markets. They argued that central banks

of most emerging economies pursued more accommodative policies in order to support domestic growth. Many analysts however have said that the CBN may ease monetary policy at the committee’s November meeting on the heels of signals of stability in the economy.

ABUJA

he Honourable Minister of Works, Arc Mike Onolememe has charged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to further extend the frontiers of its operations under the World bank-assisted Safe Corridor projects, to include some notable critical routes on the nation’s highways such as the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Lokoja roads. Speaking during the formal handing over of 16 patrol vehicles and other operational

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L-R: Executive Director Finance, Union Bank Plc, Mrs. Oyinkan Adewale; Group Managing Director, Union Bank, Mrs. Funke Osibodu and Executive Director, Corporate Banking, Mr. Phillip Ikeazor, during the bank’s interactive session with newsmen in Lagos, Monday

Works Minister urges FRSC to partner Safe Road Corridor projects CHIDI UGWU

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

equipment to the FRSC under World Bank Safe Corridor projects, the Works Minister said the occasion underlines Federal roads development Programme (FRDP)’s objectives to reduce fatalities on Nigerian roads by 50% by improved safety along the selected Safe Road Corridors. According to Onolememen noted that the distribution of the patrol vehicles along the safe corridor will enhance road safety management and increase safe enforcement strategies, adding “Our determination in this regard cannot and will not in the least, be compromised because the lives of our citizens using these roads is vital for our socio-economic renewal and indeed, national transformation” Arc Onolememe, said the key

Okonjo-Iweala to support flood victims from book proceeds

goals of the Safe Corridor model are to choose a corridor that is important to the nation and considered dangerous, apply a series of integrated measures including crash prevention, enforcement, awareness raising and post-crash medical care to create meaningful, measurable improvements along the corridor and promote the corridor as a safe place and to promote the safe corridor model for inclusion in future road projects and future phase of FRDP”. The Minister also urged the Road Sector Development Team, the Unit under the Federal Ministry of Works which oversees the Federal Roads Development Project of the World Bank to rededicate themselves to the task of ensuring that the vehicles and communication

equipment are properly used at agreed locations. He said the first phase of the Road Safety Component have supplied communication equipment for use alongside the operational vehicles such as 4 Units of VHF base station, 25 Units of VHF Radio, 44 Units of Walkie Talkies, 1,250 Units of Breathalyzers, 17 Units of car mounted camera, 45 Units of Raddar Gun and 5 Units each of Digital and Video Cameras. Furthermore, Arc Onolememe said that 16 patrol vehicles, 24 motorcycles, 3 heavy duty tow trucks, 1 low duty tow truck, 1 single stretcher ambulance and 6 double stretchers ambulances will also be delivered under the Road Safety Component scheme.

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

EXCHANGE RATES WAUA

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Why service quality is Advertisers hopeful dropping -Telcos of growth in Internent ad spend

Business & Finance

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Okonjo-Iweala to support flood victims from book proceeds TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

oordinating Minister of Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has pledged to donate some part of the proceeds from the public presentation of her book, ‘Reforming the Unreformable: Lessons from Nigeria’ to flood victims across the country. Making the disclosure in a statement by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Paul Nwa-

buikwu, on book launch which was held on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister said she was making the gesture because “their plight reminds us that the work of improving the lives of our people is a never ending one”. Dr Okonjo-Iweala said time was ripe for the de-politicisation of oil price benchmarking. She called for the establishment of a body of experts to determine the appropriate oil price benchmark in the formulation of national budgets, observing that the strat-

egy has worked successfully for Chile which earns huge revenues from copper. The Minister said she was motivated to write the book to encourage others to tell the Nigerian story by ourselves and not read it from foreigners, adding that “it is about time we capture our own story. We need to learn from the mistakes of our reform efforts so as not to repeat them. I hope people read it (the book) and capture the spirit of reform because Nigeria can be transformed”.

She appealed to the youth not to succumb to pessimism and hopelessness or to be discouraged by people who argue that Nigeria was a lost case. “Nigeria can and will change”, she said. The Minister said the book was written in part to honour the work done by the Economic Management Team in the Obasanjo administration as “they put in a lot of work which I feel should not be lost” President Goodluck Jonathan,

who was represented by Vice President Arch. Namadi Sambo, said the book effectively refuted the popular belief that Nigeria’s political and economic institutions can never be reformed. The President noted that the book’s central message of hope was appropriate at this point of the country’s history and that Nigeria, long given up by cynics as an entity averse to reform, can actually be transformed into one of the most dynamic economies in the world.

Capcom to invest N32.7bn in Starcomms KUNLE A ZEEZ

L-R: Executive Secretary, Electronic Providers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Ms. Onajite Regha; Head, Financial System Strategy 2020 Team of CBN Engr. Toyin Jokosenumi and Deputy Director, Central Bank of Nigeria and Chairman of the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum, Mr. Emmanuel Obaigbona, at a meeting of the Forum in Lagos on Tuesday.

NLNG plans to offer 10 sholarships to Nigerians in British universities

he Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plans to spend N9 million per scholar for postgraduate studies in a scholarship scheme aimed at boosting the pool of indigenous manpower in Nigeria. The NLNG General Manager, External Relations, Ms Siene Allwell-Brown, announced the plan during the NLNG PostGraduate Scholarship Media Launch in Port Harcourt on

Wednesday. Allwell-Brown said that the company was collaborating with the British Council in the scheme, expected to commence in September, 2013 with 10 qualified candidates. She said that the scholarship was open to deserving Nigerians, who intended to pursue masters’ degrees in reputable universities in the UK. Allwell-Brown said that the

candidates must have Second Class Upper degrees and above in the field of Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental studies, Management sciences, Information Communication Technology, Law and Medicine. ``The need to build around knowledge, creativity and innovation is more applicable to a developing economy like Nigeria, especially in the digital world.

Naira trades flat against dollars on inflows UDO WITH

ONYEKA AGENCY REPORT

igeria’s naira traded flat against the U.S. dollar on the interbank on Wednesday as expectations of dollar inflows from energy companies and offshore investors buying local debt provided forex liquidity, dealers said. The naira closed at 157.10 to the dollar, the same level it closed on Tuesday. Dealers said the naira initially weakened to 157.30 intraday but firmed after dollar sales by the local unit of Addax petroleum and some lenders selling hard currency to keep within the stipulated central bank open limit position for banks.

“We saw growing demand in the market initially because of cheaper rate at the interbank, which saw the naira testing 157.25/157.30 level, but later closed firmer as some banks sold down their positions,” one dealer said. Traders said the naira is seen trading within the present band for the rest of the week because of anticipated dollar inflows from offshore investors buying local debt and from state-owned energy company NNPC. The central bank sold $50 million at 155.74 to the dollar at its twice weekly auction on Wednesday, compared with $43.5 million sold at 155.76 to the dollar on Monday.

Traders said more importers now preferred to buy dollars at the interbank market because it was cheaper than the effective rate at the central bank window because the central bank charges one percent commission on every dollar sold at its auction. Meanwhile Nigeria plans to raise 129.8 billion naira ($827 mln) by selling treasury bills with maturities ranging from three months to one year at its regular twice monthly debt auction on November 8, the CBN said. The bank said it will issue 32.05 billion naira in 91-day paper, 50 billion naira in 182-day bills and 47.78 billion naira in the 364-day paper.

resh facts emerged yesterday that the consolidated telecoms company expected to emerge as a result of advanced merger talks among three Code Division multiple Access operators of Multilinks, Starcomms and MTS to be known as Capcom will operate as ‘Starcomms’. Starcomms Plc is the only telecoms operator quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange but the company has been in poor financial situation in the past three years. Capcom, the major investor in the new Starcomms, reached agreement with Starcomms Plc’s Board to make t $210m (N32.7bn) capital investment in the ailing CDMA operator. Details of the agreement obtained by National Mirror revealed that Capcom will contribute to Starcomms certain CDMA assets such as the spectrum licence of MTS and the CDMA mobile telecoms business of MultiLinks. As such, the consolidated Starcomms will integrate assets from MTS and Multi-Links. In addition to facilitating the CDMA consolidation, Capcom will provide $98m in cash to fi-

nance the post-acquisition integration of the assets, to meet on-going short-term losses in the business and to deliver the combined company’s new business plan. In return for its investment into Starcomms, Capcom will receive new Starcomms shares which will result in Capcom owning 90.5 per cent of Starcomms restructured issued share capital. In consideration of their proposed sales of certain assets to Capcom, both Helios Towers Mauritius Holdings Limited and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria will own stakes in Starcomms. This, according to available information, will represent less than 12 per cent of Capcom’s equity following Capcom’s investment. Capcom was founded by MBC, a trust of 20 years standing whose portfolio companies manage over $1.25 bn in the asset management and commercial banking sectors focused on emerging markets. The backers of Capcom include PAC Asset Management, Bridgehouse Capital and OldonyoLaro Estates.

Labour Ministry, ILO to train stakeholders on international conventions MESHACK IDEHEN

he Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and the Nigeria office of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have said they have commenced training on effective and efficient ILO standards report writing strategy for staff and other important stakeholders. According to the ministry and the ILO, the essence of the training is to equip professional officers of the ministry and other relevant agencies with relevant reporting skills and techniques as a way of addressing the non-rendition of reports by Nigeria. Minister of Labour and

Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, told Journalists on Wednesday, which in his Nigeria over the years have been in arrears in her reporting obligations on some of the ILO conventions which were ratified. The minister said further that the workshop would focus on the ILO’s eight core conventions; which are collective bargaining, freedom of association, forced and child labour, equality of opportunity and treatment and tripartite consultations. He added that when the training is completed, that reporting standard will be in consonance with global best practices, and be of immediate and long term benefits to the country.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Afren boosts nation’s production capacity with 5, 000 bpd UDEME AKPAN

igeria’s 2.7 million barrels per day (BPD) production capacity has been boosted by additional 5, 000 bpd as Afren, a major oil exploration and production firm has stated oil production in the country. Confirming the development, Afren stated that the additional output would come from the Okoro Field Extension, offshore south east Nigeria, at a stabilised rate of 5,000 bopd of 38° API oil, increasing total output from the Okoro area to approximately 21,500 bopd. The firm stated in a statement that: “The Okoro-14 (Okoro Field Extension) development well was drilled by Afren and partner Amni International Petroleum Development Company Ltd. (“Amni”) from the existing Okoro main field wellhead platform (“WHP”), with the objective of establishing early production from the new field extension that was announced in January 2012.” The company explained that the well is the most productive well ever drilled in Okoro area.

L-R, Chief Orozo, Gidan Ajia, Chief Sule Baba; Director, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Johnson Odekhina; Representative of Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote; Director of Finance and Accounting, Mr. Obi Ngene and Director of Culture, Alh Abdulkadir Muktar, during the official commissioning of Cultural Industries Centre in Nigeria, Abuja yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

It stated that: “The well targeted Tertiary aged reservoir sands within a new play comprising a deeper buried horst block structure. The well has been completed and brought on stream via the existing Okoro floating production storage offloading vessel (“FPSO”) at a stabilised rate of 5,000 bopd of 38° API oil, making it the most productive well drilled in the Okoro area to

date. “ Afren stated that following the completion of work, the drilling rig has been relocated to Ebok field. These included the drilling of a development well in order to confirm early production from Ebok North. The firm stated that: “The Adriatic IX drilling rig has now been relocated to the Ebok field in order to undertake planned

Telco introduces new Internet, voice packages KUNLE A ZEEZ

ne of Nigeria’s leading mobile networks, Airtel Nigeria, yesterday unveiled bouquet of exclusive packages designed to provide distinctive telecoms solutions for the nation’s youth, business individuals and the mass market segment. The special products coming under the Club 10 Padis packages of Airtel include Smartbytes, 2 Good Classic and Big Family Plus. Announcing the latest pack-

age, the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Airtel, Mr. Deepak Srivastava, said the package offers the youth and the young-at-heart the privilege to connect and have fun with friends at 7.5k/ sec call rate, enjoy up to 90 MB of free data every months well as free Facebook access and browsing. According to him, other unique freebies of the package are SMS chat, night radio, ringback tunes, football download, free download of opera mini browser and full access to Airtel Groupie for 1month

within the club’s base. On the Airtel Smartbytes, Srivastava said it is designed for BlackBerry and Smartphone users who upon purchasing data bundles of 200megabyte or more would be able to connect with friends, family and associates with flat call rate of N18k/sec across networks in Nigeria. “They would also enjoy N20k/sec rate to call United States, Canada, United Kingdom land line, China and India on subscription to either BlackBerry or Smartphone data plan,” he said.

Flood victims: NIMASA donates N22m worth relief UDO ONYEKA

he Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has donated relief materials worth over N22m to victims affected by floods in Rivers State as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility to the society. Head of Public Relations of the Agency, Hajia Lami Tumaka who led the team to Rivers State for the purpose of providing some form of relief to victims of the flood explained that the Executive Management of the Agency was concerned about the deteriorating conditions of the displaced persons in the affected communities. In a statement made available

to National Mirror Hajia Tumaka noted that NIMASA is charged with the responsibility to superintend over the safety and security of the entire maritime domain in the country, “we cannot sit and watch when floods are ravaging our people. Indeed as a socially responsible corporate citizen we have an obligation to act in any way we can to alleviate the sufferings of those affected by this disaster”. Hajia Tumaka stated further that the Director General of NIMASA Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi having consulted widely with the Management of the Agency, “decided that we should not only pray for the affected victims, but we must come and

identify with them and provide our contribution to relief efforts being spearheaded by the Federal Government”. She stressed that the Management and staff of NIMASA are with them in prayer in this period when floods have caused disaster of unimaginable proportions across many states in our dear country leaving the destruction of valuable lives and property in its wake. While presenting the materials before distribution, Hajia Tumaka explained that the Agency deemed it necessary to build six bathrooms and six toilets in each camp for proper sanitation control to forestall the outbreak of epidemic.

rig-based work, which includes the drilling of a development well to similarly establish early production from the Ebok North Fault Block discovery that was announced in May 2012.” Earlier, the firm had explained that it started drilling on the Okoro East field, following the discovery in January 2012. It stated that: “In addition, a side-track

of the existing Okoro-5 well has encountered additional oil volumes in a previously un-swept area of the reservoir within the Okoro main field, offshore south east Nigeria.” Afren stated that following the successful Okoro East well (Okoro-13) and subsequent welltest results in the first quarter of 2012, Afren and partner Amni International Petroleum Development Ltd. (“Amni”) have commenced early development drilling at the field. It explained that the Okoro-14 development well was drilled from the existing Okoro main field Wellhead Platform (“WHP”) with the intention of establishing initial production from Okoro East, located approximately 2km east of the Okoro main field, via the existing Okoro Floating Production Storage Offloading vessel (“FPSO”). The firm stated that: “The Okoro-14 well is targeting a Tertiary aged reservoir within a new play that has been established in a deeper buried horst block structure. Oil quality at Okoro East is 38° to 40° API, and Pmean STOIIP 157 mmbbls with upside to 329 mmbbls.”

Tinapa Resort will boost Nigeria’s ICT revolution, says Imoke KUNLE A ZEEZ

ross Rivers State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, has expressed the determination of the currently administration in the state to the Tinapa Resort in Calabar, the state capital, to evolve a new wave of Information and Communication Technology(ICT) revolution in the country. The governor made the commitment while speaking at this year’s three-day National Software Conference and Competition organised in the state by the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON. Speaking at the conference with the theme: ‘The Cloud and the Future of Software Nigeria,’ Imoke said his administration had seen an opportunity to create an evolving technology in ICT through software development. As part of its effort to drive such revolution, the governor disclosed that the state had recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Oando in order for Cross River State to have regular power supply to Tinapa to pewter all ICT-related initiatives being incubated at the centre. According to him, “There

will be a ground breaking ceremony next week by Covenant University, which is located opposite Tinapa” noting this and other similar initiatives were all geared towards further encouraging massive investment in the state . “We see this partnership between Nigeria’s private and public sector as opportunity, which has helped to boost the development of ICT in Cross River. And we have tried to grasp that opportunity. Our vision is for CR to become the hub of ICT,” he said. Speaking in the same vein, the immediate past boss of the Nigerian Communications Commission and Chairman, Open Media, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, explained that Nigeria needed strategy to achieve a revolutionised ICT sector, stressing that in case of Tinapa Resort, its success of Tinapa has been hinged on availability of basic ICT infrastructures. Ndukwe added that plan should be put in place to bring the highest speed internet access, which will boost development, noting that infrastructure such as base stations, optic fibre, cables and an enabling environment were needed to accelerate economic growth in Nigeria.

Business & Finance

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ICSAN calls for critical government action against corruption

Shoprite’s CSR initiative touches over 30 charity homes

MESHACK IDEHEN

ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

he President of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), Mr. Olatunde Busari, has said the institute is calling on the Federal Government to take urgent action to deal with the large scale corruption in the country. He said further that massive corruption in the country as a hydra-headed monster has kept rearing its head in all the organs and agencies of government, and that it was time the scourge of corruption is brought to an immediate end in the socio political and economic and long term development interests of the country.

Speaking with National Mirror on Wednesday, Busari said the malaise called corruption has further ridiculed the system to the extent that even when culprits of corruption are apprehended, it does not appear that the nation law enforcement agencies have the effective machinery for thorough investigation, prosecution and sentencing of culprits according to the law. The ICSAN boss said further that there were various examples of private and public officers that engaged in corrupt practices and were today walking the streets as free men, adding this development gives an impression that corruption is rewarding in the country. He said to create the desired

environment for investment and development that the government must develop effective legal regime and structures strong enough to apprehend, investigate and prosecute corrupt officers in Nigeria. He further advised the Federal Government to set the necessary machinery in motion to ensure transparency and efficiency in the on-going reform in the power sector, saying also that the absence of infrastructure in any economy was inimical to business investment and sustenance. According to him, it is inconceivable that Nigeria cannot boast of 24- hour uninterrupted power supply nationwide despite the nation’s over 50 years of independence.

nvestigations have revealed that Shoprite/customers’ contributory fund tagged HelpChange-a-Life initiative has made donations of different valuations in shopping vouchers form to over 30 non-governmental organisations in charge of orphanage and homes in the last 3 years. Therefore, in its continuous show of support through it corporate social responsibility initiative Shoprite has extended its kind gesture to Olive Bloom Orphanage in Ajah Lagos. Shoprite donated N.2 million shopping vouchers to the Home through its customers’ contributory fund, which is Help-Changea-Life initiative. Receiving the gift on behalf of

the orphanage, Mrs. Ngozi Ken Udo, Executive Secretary of Olive Bloom Orphanage thanked the management of Shoprite for its kind gesture and for alos picking the orphanage as it beneficiary this time, while saying that the vouchers will be used to procure groceries, particularly diapers and food to help keep these future leaders in good shape. She said “our aim as a nongovernmental organization is to reduce as much as possible the number of children growing up in institutional care by providing a shelter which is like a transit point from where every child who comes to the shelter is located into a happy loving family under the care of God fearing parents. Our children will go into homes where they will find their purpose in life and fulfill destiny.”

Insurers urged to double efforts on insurance awareness OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO

L-R: Principal, Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu Ode, Alh. F.M Kareem; Special Adviser on Education to Ogun State Governor, Mr. Tunji Abimbola; Head, Business Solution Globacom, Mr. Folu Aderibigbe; Representative of Awujale of Ijebuland, Chief Fassy Yusuff and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mrs. Ben Ayede, during the donation of the School by Globacom recently.

UBA to invest more in technology, human resources JOHNSON OKANLAWON

nited Bank for Africa has said that the bank is determined to invest more in terms of technology and human resources to give its customers value and a better return on investment to the shareholders. The bank said it believe on delivering high quality service to its customers, using its wide array of innovative products and advanced electronic payment platform is a better way to create value. Speaking at the bank’s Customers’ Engagement Forum in Lagos, the Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Philips Oduoza, said the bank puts customer service delivery at the forefront of everything it does and will always ensure the satisfaction of its customers in their every transaction with the bank. He explained that the bank has

upgraded its processes, people and system to deliver quality and cutting edge services to its customers. Oduoza commended the customers for their patronage and promised that the bank will continue to serve them with its innovative products and services that are tailor-made to the needs of the customers. The Director, E-banking, Mr. Yinka Adedeji, explained that the bank is constantly improving on its electronic banking and e-payment products to meet the evergrowing needs of its customers and the general public. He advised customers to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the bank’s e-banking and e-payment products to enjoy seamless banking transaction and also grow their businesses. He said, “All a customer needs to participate in the cashless initiative proposed by the Central

Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is to key into our e-payment platform. The customer will have to go to any of our branches to update their personal details, such as their email and phone details. “The second step requires the customer to collect a debit card from any of the branches, then, the customer can start using the e-payment platform to transact businesses, transfer funds and carry out other banking activities.” According to him, the various electronic products and services provided by the bank include: UDirect, debit and prepaid cards, UBAlerts, U-Mobile, Point of Sales, PoS, terminals and Automated Teller Machines, ATM. He said with the various products customers pay bills, top-up airtime, pay for airline tickets, receive instant notifications after each transaction, make transfers to any bank, mobile phone and cards, among others.

xperts in the insurance industry have advised insurers to intensify efforts on awareness campaign in the country. This is coming on the heels of the recent flood disaster in parts of Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers, Taraba and Benue states that sacked thousands of Nigerians from their homes and destroyed properties.Insurers have however said they are yet to record any insured coming forward to make claims in their offices nationwide. President of the Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria (ILAN), Chief Lebi Omoboyowa in an interview with national Mirror yesterday in Lagos said

there is the need for insurance operators to see the flood disaster as an opportunity to sensitise the people about insurance. He posited that insurers should look beyond organising seminars and reach out to the people from the grassroots. Managing Consultant of Hass Result Consulting Limited, Mr. Samuel Assa on his part said insurers have not complemented the work of regulator the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) in getting insurance to the grassroots. He said, NAICOM is doing a lot to improve awareness but the operators are not cooperating. When NAICOM came up with the Market Development and Restructuring Initiative, they pretended as if they are not aware of their roles in the plan.

Mobile money: Accenture foresees operators’ merger KUNLE A ZEEZ

eading consulting firm, Accenture, has said the consolidation of existing mobile money operators in Nigeria is expected in near future. The Mobility Lead, Accenture Nigeria, Mrs. Henrietta Bankole-Olusina, who stated this at a mobile money forum in Lagos, said such merger would be necessary for effective performance of the operators. Delivering a paper n “Mobile Technology and the Future of Cashless Initiative in Nigeria” at the forum, Bankole-Olusina said noted that Nigeria cur-

rently has the largest mobile subscriber base in Africa with over 105 million mobile subscribers as at August 2012. The huge subscriber base, she said, portends huge business potential for mobile money operators, but regretted that they had yet to take advantage of the opportunity with mobile money market in the country worth over N1trn by 2015. “Since August 2011, the Central bank of Nigeria has licensed 20 mobile payments service providers, however, since then there has been no significant adoption of mobile payment services, despite the potential market size of $7.2bn by 2015,” she said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Info Tech

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Why service quality is dropping -Telcos Steadily, the quality of telecoms service is dropping, even as there is upsurge in call traffic, usually experienced as the year comes to an end. KUNLE AZEEZ highlights plight and factors responsible for the poor service.

uietly, the quality of telecommunications services being provided by mobile network operators, in recent times, has begun to degenerate and the development has become worrisome to various stakeholders in the country. The worry being expressed is borne out of the critical role telecommunication services are playing in the country’s socio-economic activities. However, National Mirror gathered the apparent hitches currently being faced in making calls in sending Short Messages Services otherwise known as text messages, is not only worrisome telecoms subscribers but also to the operators, who provide the services. It would be recalled that the telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), had on May 11, 2012, slammed a combined sum of N1.17bn on the four GSM companies as fines, following their failure to meet the Key Performance Indicators on Quality of Services (QoS) set for them by the Commission. The NCC action generated much controversy from stakeholders, who argued for and against the propriety imposing such huge sum on the operators as penalty for service quality decline, especially in a country swamped with fierce operating challenges, such as fibre cuts, vandalism to critical telecoms infrastructures, multiple taxations, bureaucratic bottlenecks which impedes operators’ rollout roadmaps, among others. As a result, the NCC action has practically encouraged telecoms operators to upgrade their networks in the area of massive infrastructure investment to ensure that their networks are built to accommodate the increasing number of subscribers and volume traffic they have on their networks. One of such massive ongoing projects by the operators is the MTN network modernization and swapout exercise designed affect over 4,000 base stations of over 10, 000 owned by the telecom network across the country. The MTN network modernisation and swap-out exercise which began in July 2012, following the fine imposed by the NCC, was expected to cover the entire country and was originally expected to span a period of nine months which has as its overriding objective the need to considerably enhance capacity on the MTN Network and improve service quality. There are other ongoing initiatives by other three GSM operators towards enhancing the quality of their networks. While there seem to have been steady improvement in service quality since NCC lashed the penalty on the operator; there is, however, indication that the services quality is dropping again, creating headache for telecoms subscribers in the country. Already, telecoms subscribers have blamed the lingering intermittent quality of services on networks of the GSM networks on the bonus airtime promos being run on their networks. According to them, recent bonus airtime promos by GSM operators had been making it occasionally difficult for them to initiate calls and complete it without drops across on the networks. National Mirror gathered that, though by dialing specific code, the subscribers are credited with more airtime, they are, however, required to use bonus airtime, which runs into N1, 500 at times, to make calls within limited period of time to avoid losing credited

CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Rajan Swaroop

TELECOMS OPERATORS HAVE ATTRIBUTED THE SERVICE QUALITY DECLINE TO THE RECENT INSECURITY AND VANDALISATION OF THEIR INFRASTRUCTURES AND THE RAVAGING FLOOD DISASTER IN THE COUNTRY airtime. According a subscriber to one of the mobile network, Mr. Badmos Bidemi, “The requirement for the limited validity period within which one is expected to have exhausted the credited airtime in the airtime bonus promos being run by the operators compelled subscribers to make lengthy calls- necessary and unnecessary- just to ensure they exhaust the credit.” Another subscriber of Globacom, who gave his name simply as John, said, “The development has also led to increased traffic on mobile networks, resulting in occasional hitches to have successfully terminated calls or to initiative successful calls at all as one witness constant drop calls.” In her view, another subscriber and trader, Mrs. Bunmi Steven, described the recent experience on telecoms networks in terms of dwindling service quality as uncalled-for and one that requires urgent action to reverse. In contrast, the telecoms operators have attributed the service quality decline to twin developments of recent insecurity and vandalisation of their infrastructures in some parts of the country on the one hand and the ravaging flood in the country on the other hand. Speaking on the recent service quality decline on MTN’s network, the telecom operator’s Corporate Service Executive, Mr. Wale Goodluck, had stated that it has set in because the pace of work regarding the MTN’s network modernisation project was being considerably challenged by the spate of insecurity coupled with the unprecedented flooding being expe-

CEO, MTN Nigeria, Brett Goschen

rienced in many parts of the country. He noted that the entire network modernisation process is a very logistic-intensive one but regretted that problem of insecurity has seriously affected the pace of work in some parts of the country. “In addition, in at least 13 states, Goodluck added, flooding has created additional logistic impediments such that the pace of the ongoing network modernization efforts has slowed down. While acknowledging that MTN’s customers have been experiencing some disruption over the last few weeks, Goodluck said, “We sincerely express our thanks to our customers for their patience,” pledging that that as much as possible, MTN would stick to its original plan of carrying out the network procedures only at night, in order to minimise disruptions to services. He also assured that MTN is doing everything possible, including doubling its work teams, to finalize the project as quickly as possible. In the same vein, Airtel Nigeria, which on Tuesday also attributed the decline in service quality on its network to the massive damage to its facilities caused by the relentless terror attacks on its installations in the North as well as the ravaging flood across the country. According to the Director, Regulatory Affairs and Special Projects at Airtel, Mr. Osondu Nwokoro, the menace of terror attacks on 53 installations belonging to Airtel has disrupted operations in 193 sites across the Northern part of Nigeria. “Expectedly, these disasters have resulted in spiraling costs of maintenance in affected locations to thrice the normal rate, consequently leading to colossal financial losses and dipping revenues,” he said. Explaining that the impact of the disasters on telecoms operators is local, national and international in scope, Nwokoro bemoaned the fact that the loss of capacity occasioned by these threats often affects quality of service delivery and customer experience leading to a drop in key performance indicators. Meanwhile, the President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, ha appealed to the subscribers to be patient, while calling on the government create special protection status for telecoms operators. He also urged the telecoms firms to put in place drastic measure to mitigate the effect of service disruption on their networks.

Info Tech

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Lagos Command Centre handles 5 million phone calls monthly KUNLE A ZEEZ

he number of calls received at the Lagos Security Command and Information Management system centre has hit over 5 million monthly. This was disclosed by the State’s Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Adebiyi Madabeje, during an interactive session with the media at the state E-learning Centre in Lagos recently. According to him, “The Command Centre currently records about five million telephone calls from the members of public on a monthly basis. Though not all the calls are completed calls.” He also pointed out that the state has also realised the need to match the increase in the number of phone calls with the number of available calls agents to receive such calls for appropriate action

on any part of the state parastatals to be initiated The commissioner explained that the state recently commissioned the Security Command and Information Management system centre, as part of proactive measures to ensure excellent communication and collaboration between different stakeholders in the fight against crime. He said the Information system will collate computerised records of police, judicial and prison and ensure that crime investigation will be effective in the state. He stated that calls to the toll free numbers of 767 and 112 would provide would provide security information that can be processed for necessary action for the government and its agencies in ensuring security of lives and property in the state. Calls to the centre has steadily increased from 417,000 calls in 2008 when the project came live to

approximately 32,000,000 calls The State Governor, Raji Fashola, while underscoring the importance of processing the quantum of calls being received at the centre for necessary action, had recently noted that in October 2011, out of 2,776,036 calls, 683,802 were fake emergency calls with the remainder being largely requests for services such as leaking pipes, potholes and among others. He said these were calls that should have been directed to the relevant ministries, departments and agencies rather than to emergency services, adding that by November the number of fake calls had increased to 1,131,545 out of a total of 4.2million calls and keeps growing. Meanwhile, Mabadeje, said the number of calls being received has since increased from 4.2 million to reach 5 million monthly, adding that the increase was indicative of the level of awareness which Lagos residents now have about the toll-free numbers in case of emergencies.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tech Box HP Deskjet Ink Advantage printers:

Redefining printing technology

ewlett Packard (HP) is redefining printing technology with announcement of more choices for new Deskjet Ink Advantage printers in the country. Fortified with new features, HP offers businesses in Nigeria with an expanded portfolio of HP Deskjet Ink Advantage printers with six new printers that offer more choices for affordable, HP-quality printing, including first-to-market technologies such as wireless direct printing that does not require a network. One of the printers, the HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 2515 Allin-One printer, comes with an intuitive graphic display for easy printing, scanning and copying, while delivering high-quality prints at low running costs The new HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 3525 and 5525 e-All-inOne printers offer HP wireless direct printing that allow users to easily print from wirelessenabled mobile devices without a network or router. Also, the HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 4615 All-in-One and 4625 e-All-in-One printers allow users to print, scan, copy and fax, and save up to 40 per cent on energy consumption with Scheduled On/ Off. The HP Deskjet Ink Advan-

tage 3515 e-All-in-One produces

brilliant borderless documents and photos, plus eye-catching flyers and more, at home. HP has introduced the Ink Advantage series that enables customers to print up to two times the amount of pages for the same cost and offers the most extensive line-up in Nigeria. HP’s new line-up of Deskjet Ink Advantage printers are enhanced with more features and faster print speeds than predecessors, while offering different price-points to address customers’ varying needs. The new HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 3525, 3515 and 5525 eAll-in-One printers come with first-to-market features that grow HP’s lead in addressing customers’ growing mobile and digital needs by allowing them to easily print from any wirelessenabled mobile devices without a network or router through HP wireless direct printing. print from virtually anywhere with HP ePrint.

MTN in Windows 8 devices partnership L-R: Senior Regional Manager, MTN, Ms Omotayo Ojutalayo, one of the lucky winners of MTN Small and Medium Enterprises Bonanza, Mr. Akiti Charles and Manager, SME Segment, MTN, Mr. Sharafadeen Mohammed at the prize presentation to winners of the bonanza in Lagos recently.

Telcos urged to boost wireless connectivity in Nigeria KUNLE A ZEEZ

elecommunications networks in Nigeria have been urged to evolve wireless fidelity society as the number of mobile devices continues to increase among telecoms services consumers. The calls were made over the weekend by the officials of Cisco, a global Information and Communication Technology, during a press tele-conference with Nigerian media. The officials particularly urged African service providers to incorporate Wi-Fi to drive business opportunities hinged their call Cisco 2012 Mobile User Survey, which predicts Wi-Fi will become the predominant access technology for smartphones within next two years. The Cisco Internet Business So-

lutions Group survey found that increased global demand for mobile devices and network connectivity sees Wi-Fi and traditional mobile networks playing critical roles to meet the needs of consumers. The Cisco research highlighted that the majority of mobile devices now have Wi-Fi Internet access capabilities. In fact, with the exception of smartphones, Wi-Fi is now the predominant access technology for mobile devices. There has also been an increase in ‘nomadic’ devices like laptops, tablets, and eReaders that almost exclusively connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi. One of the key highlights is entertaining from home. According to the study, mobile devices are now increasingly used for entertainment. “Almost half of mobile users are consuming all forms of video,

music, books, and games on their devices on a regular basis. This trend is expected to increase as devices become more powerful and networks become faster. “Interestingly, mobile access no longer exclusively means using devices while on the road.” According to the IBSG survey, consumers use their mobile devices for more than 2.5 hours at home on a typical day. “People are expecting to increase their home use of mobile devices even more. This shift in where people use their mobile devices has seen an increase in the connection through Wi-Fi.” Speaking, the Director, Cisco IBSG Service Provider Practice, Mr. Stuart Taylor, said as demand for mobile devices and network connectivity continues to grow, both Wi-Fi and traditional mobile networks will be critical to meeting the needs of mobility-enabled consumers.

TN has partnered with Microsoft to be a key operator in Africa to deliver Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 devices to its customers in South Africa in November, with Ghana and Nigeria following in December. With this strategic alliance with Microsoft, MTN customers in Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana will be among the first users in the world to experience the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 operating systems. Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices will be available in other MTN markets soon afterwards. Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 provide users with a unified experience across the PC, phone and tablet. According to Brett Goschen, CEO, MTN Nigeria, the launch of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices in MTN markets is integral to MTN’s aim to offer customers a rich and dynamic digital services user experience. “MTN is particularly ex-

cited about the alliance with Microsoft as it ties in perfectly with our customer-centricity approach. Our customers have become dynamic consumers of digital services and want immediacy. Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 allow us to offer them just that,” he said. Senior Director, Operator Channels, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, Oran Dror, said, Microsoft was delighted to collaborate with MTN to make Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 available in Africa. “With Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, MTN customers will have a fast and fluid experience that comes to life with exciting hardware and applications and interoperability with the cloud.” MTN continues to make significant investments towards network infrastructure across its markets. In South Africa, MTN will soon launch a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, which will further enhance the user-experience of Windows Phone 8.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

he advertising ad spend is taking a dynamic trend around the globe and across nearly all media types, according to Nielsen’s Global AdView Pulse report. The report stated that there have been increased gains for internet advertising above TV, radio, billboards, and other media. In the first half of 2012, the Internet recorded a 7.2 per cent growth while radio recorded 6.6 per cent and TV 3.1 per cent offset the 1.3 percent decline in magazine spending leading overall advertising investment to be up 2.7 percent. According to Nelsen report, Internet advertising made a powerful surge in the emerging markets of the Middle East and Africa by 30.3 percent and Latin America 20.6 per cent. But, interestingly, despite the downtown in overall ad spend, Europe saw the third highest increase in Internet ad spend than of any region by 11.2 percent. While television continues to hold the majority of advertising dollars globally by 61 per cent, the medium saw the biggest increases in Middle East and Africa with 30.1 per cent, Latin America 6.2 percent and North America four percent. TV investments declined 2.2 percent in Europe and grew nominally in Asia Pacific by 1.4 per cent. Magazine spending fell significantly in both Europe and North America, but magazines and newspapers both saw growth in other markets including Latin America, Asian Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. Cinema experienced a noteworthy 40.2 percent gain in the Asia Pacific market and a marginal gain in Europe of .4 percent. This led to an increase of 5.9 percent globally despite decreases in Latin America by negative 21.1 per cent and the Middle East and Africa negative 19.1 per cent. Outdoor media ad spend grew during the first half, with the biggest gains in the Middle East and Africa which records plus 38.8 per cent and the Asia Pacific plus 16.7 per cent. Radio, which saw a global increase of 6.6 percent, was also up in all regions measured. But with the slow growth in ad spend, Nigerian advertising practitioners believe that internet ad would become a force to reckon with in the country. According to the Business Director and Head of Marketing at Insight Communications, Mr. Franklin Ozekhome, whose core is digital marketing, “Internet ad spend is increasing, but doesn’t necessarily top media ad spend in some African countries. However, countries like South Africa, Egypt and Morroco might be the exception. On the other hand, Nigeria, Mozambique and Rwanda still experience slow internet speeds with an average download speed of 2.45Mbps.” Quoting IT News Africa, Ozekhome said this in turn affects the amount of marketing push that could be actively done on online-based media channels especially as it has to do with advertising download. Besides this, he expressed fear that African marketers are still skeptical about online advertising and marketing. “African marketers are skeptical of consumers’ access to uninterrupted online ads who sees what, when and how, especially when the message is

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Advertisers hopeful of growth in Internet ad spend 3.1%

6.6%

4.7%

Radio

Television

1.6%

Outdoor

Newspapers

-1.3%

Magazines

5.9%

7.2%

Cinema

Internet

Nielsen’s Global AdView Pulse rates internet advertising spend highest globally ahead of TV, Radio and other traditional media but local admen believe Nigeria will catch up with the global trend as a result of increasing internet and mobile phone penetration, reports ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI time-based. They rather feel comfortable developing ads for TV /radio, and use the internet and social media as support channels. This is definitely going to continue for a while, until consumers can access cheaper data packages, less expensive smart phones and tablets that are wifi-enabled and 3G/4G configured.” But he says the hope of having growth in internet ad which has become a major interactive media for most upwardly mobile Nigerians, who hardly have time to sit and watch a TV, lies in the sincerity of telecom providers to Nigerian markets economic realities. “It is true that mobile and internet penetration is growing in Africa; especially in Nigeria. However, the telecom companies and data service providers are reaping off consumers with limited data access points provided at exorbitant rates. These data packages are not sustainable in tandem with current economic realities. In comparison, Southeast Asia, Europe and some countries in Africa offer cheap data services on an unlimited basis for a monthly fee access,” he affirmed. In emerging markets including Nigeria, he said, brands like Huawei will become game changers and rule the marketplace. “The reason is simple. They are not interested in short-term gains, but aggressively build closer connection ties with consumers, providing them with affordable products and services, a combination of key attributes based on consumer needs: convenience, independence, experience and reassurance. This will put people in a better frame to consume messages and content from advertis-

VIEWERSHIP MAY DROP AS A RESULT OF UPWARDLY MOBILE NATURE OF THE AD

TARGETED AUDIENCE, BUT WITH THE GROWTH OF MOBILE PHONE

PENETRATION, YOU CAN STILL WATCH

ON MOBILE, TRACK ADVERTISEMENT.

BUT I DON’T SEE IT OVERTAKING TV ers,” said Ozekhome. Also, the Executive Director, Starcomm media, Mr. Ayo Kupoluyi is of the opinion that internet advertising would not overtake TV and other media but that the increasing penetration of other social media and mobile phones would only pose a threat. “If you consider Nigeria with its huge population, the largest in Africa, internet ad spend is not up to 20 per cent. In terms of ad spend, Nigeria is huge. But if you compare that across Africa, probably South Africa might be the highest in internet ad spend, maybe in the range of 20 to 25 per cent. TV is still the clear leader in terms of ad spend. As technology evolves in Nigeria, more and more spend would go into internet and mobile. But in the nearest future, it can’t still overtake TV,” he said.

Kupoluyi who manages a leading media buying agency across all media including internet, for bluechip companies such as Nigerian Breweries among others affirmed that, “viewership may drop as a result of upwardly mobile nature of the ad targeted audience, but with the growth of mobile phone penetration, you can still watch TV on mobile, track advertisement. But I don’t see it overtaking TV.” As cost of advertising continues to increase against shrinking budget the vice president of Advertiser Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) and Executive Director, Marketing Services at Nestle Nigeria, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh, like most other advertisers, however, believes that the role of internet advertising and convergence on internet is becoming a lure for advertisers especially Nestle. With increasing numbers of Smartphone among upwardly mobile nigerians and growing convergence of consumers on new media like facebook, blackberry among others whose ad cost per thousand is extremely cheaper with better impact in terms of target engagement, there is seems to be a potential threat to traditional media. “As I was traveling to Ibadan for an event, I was busy with my Smartphone, checking my business mails, clicking on my ipad, attending to business correspondence and also dealing with office issues on mobile. I was totally engaged with my social media, I don’t think there was any time I noticed any billboards along the way. This explains the fact that consumers have changed, and will continue to change. So, marketers should monitor change in consumer’s behavior. The impact of social media has reduced exposure to traditional media,” Ukoh affirmed. But Ukoh still maintains that, “Traditional media will not go off. There are people that are in their 30s today, they are still going to buy. But it is about balancing social media and traditional media. And creativity will only attract interest. The cost must be reviewed.”

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Farmers seek protection for products’ pricing, marketing on Tobacco Growers’ Day STORIES: ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

o protect tobacco brands, the Nigeria Independent Tobacco Association, NITA, has joined all the members of the International Tobacco Growers Association, ITGA, during the week to mark the first-ever World Tobacco Growers’ Day as part of efforts to call on governments to oppose proposals by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) that threatens the livelihoods of more than 30 million tobacco growers and farm workers. The proposals will be voted in two weeks at the WHO’s meeting in Seoul, South Korea. However, the Nigerian group which celebrated the global event at the Silver Pal-

ace Motel in Iseyin, Oyo State, however, asked the government to give the group an opportunity to work together to contribute to local growth of the economy. The chairman of NITA, Mr. Rasheed Bakare said, “Tobacco growers of the world will not stand idly watching their fates sealed. Our government must understand that these issues will have consequences not only for us but for the communities we live in.” “As we celebrate the benefit our farms bring to our communities, we are also asking our leaders to stand with us, to hear our voices and to give us the opportunity to work together to protect our way of life,” said Bakare. He added, “Should these draconian measures become law they’ll have a dire impact on the livelihoods of 800 growers

in Nigeria and the over Five Hundred million Naira we contribute to the local economy annually.” While supporting the original intent of the FCTC’s article 17 treaty, which was to provide “technical and financial assistance to aid the economic transition of tobacco growers and workers” claiming decline in tobacco production and consumption hence resulting in lower demand tobacco crop, the growers said the proposals under consideration currently represent a departure from the original goal. They seeking to artificially reduce the supply of tobacco without providing growers any viable alternatives to support their families. “This is despite estimates that demand for tobacco will increase in coming years,” the group said.

L-R: Publisher Marketing Edge, John Ajayi; Willy Nnorom, Managing Director, Reads & Mark Ltd and Brands Personality of the year, Enyi Odigbo, at Marketing Edge Brand Personalty Award held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja recently.

Union Bank undergoes repositioning, breaks new ad campaign

he Union Bank of Nigeria in a bid to change its old ways of banking attitude has began a total and aggressive rebranding to reposition the first generation bank as the truly big, strong and reliable bank. With this new positioning, the bank has launched a new logo, signage, meaningful colour as well as better customer attitude and service delivery. At the unveiling of the marketing plans at the Stallion House, Broad street, Lagos, the bank’s strategy consultant, Mr. Bayo Bright said a 2010 consumer insight which cited the

bank’s old fashion approach to service delivery, old buildings and failure to move with trends has forced the bank to take aggressive steps in rebuilding a new image and more customer-centric service delivery. According to Bright, “the bank is taking new steps to create new identity, new brand, remodeling, new signage and poylon which displays service offered. The bank’s blue colour which signifies trust will come on a white that shows the bank’s sincerity, cleanliness. These will reflect on our branch buildings across the country.”

Also, the consultant said the new corporate identity would reflect on every business communication materials such as Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, e-mail template and other internal and external communication materials of the bank. “We are going to upgrade all other branches to a world class standard. We are presently working on 100 branches nationwide and hope to cover 400 branches in the next eighteen months. We will not put our signage on a building that is not befitting for our new look,” said Bright.

PZ Cussons unveils Morning Fresh’s new look

n a bid to consolidate its market leadership, PZ Cussons Nigeria has unveiled a new pack for its premium Dish washing up liquid, Morning Fresh and introduced a new variant, Zesty Lemon into the market. Morning Fresh is a premium brand and recognized market leader in the Dish washing liquid market. This powerful dish washing liquid, foams richly with a strong grease cutting ability, making it very economical to use and gentle on the hand, while the exciting lemon fragrance eliminates cooking odours and leaves the kitchen refreshed. Speaking at the launch which was used to unveil the new packaging and the new

variant as well as to further reinforce the brand’s message to its consumers that ‘every drop cleans much more’, the Managing Director, PZ Cussons Nigeria, Mr Alex Goma , thanked the consumers for their patronage and making it the No1 dish wash brand in Nigeria. He promised Morning Fresh will continue to offer superior performance that makes them proud of their kitchens. According to him, the essence of the event is to “demonstrate Morning Fresh’s commitment to meeting consumer needs for performance and freshness and assure that for Morn-

ing Fresh, ‘Every drop cleans so much more’. “The Morning Fresh Original new easy grip design makes it more convenient for consumers to handle and the Zesty Lemon variant gives consumers the choice of fragrance.” On the brand’s legacy over the past 20 years in Nigeria, the Brand Manager, Morning Fresh, Michael Nnochiri, explained that as the leader in the market segment, the brand is evolving with its consumers by being innovative, setting the pace in the market and providing quality value for money spent.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Marketing Mix, HotSauce, others shine at MWA 2012

As the curtain drawn on the MarketingWorld 2012 at the weekend in Lagos, one of the country’s leading public relations firms, MarketingMix, a digital agency, Hotsauce, leading insurance firm, AIICO, are some of the organizations that emerged winners in their respective categories. Now in its second edition, MWA, dubbed the Oscars of Marketing in the country, is designed to promote excellence in branding and marketing in the country. Other winners at the well-attended event held at the prestigious Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos include;Starcom Media, as agency of the year, New Crystal, as outdoor agency of the year, Insight Communications, as creative agency of the year, Wazobia, as Radio Channel of the year and Coca-Cola, as the beverage/product of the year. While the Executive Director, Marketing Services, Nestle Nigeria, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh and the president, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Mrs. Bunmi Oke bagged Lifetime Achievement Award and Industry Personality of the Year Award respectively. On the choice of Ukoh, the Group Publisher, MarketingWorld magazine, organisers of the Awards, Mr. Akin Naphtal, said “Mrs Ukoh is being recognised for her contributions to the growth of marketing in Nigeria and her track records.” Ukoh’s working career, he stated, “spans University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, National Institute of Medical Research, Lagos and Nestle Nigeria, where by dint of hard work and high level of professionalism, she has become the first and only female Marketing Director at an executive management level till date.” “We are thrilled to honour such an individual and celebrate her selfless contributions to the marketing industry in Nigeria and Africa. MarketingWorld Awards (MWA) takes pride to recognise outstanding brands and individuals that have delivered superior product values to the market,’’ he added.

LATINA sugar-free roadshow activation berths in Abuja

Building on the enormous success of the Launch of the LATINA Sugar free Fruit Drink in major cities across the country, the La Casera Company Plc., one of the leading companies in the Carbonated Soft Drink sector recently embarked on a one month 4-City roadshow exciting and thrilling the consumers with its theatrics and dance displays. The roadshow which started about a month ago hit major cities across the country including; Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Enugu and made its last stop in Abuja as it continued to thrill and excite its numerous consumers with its now popular theme “LIGHTEN UP WITH LATINA”. Speaking briefly during one of the roadshows held at the Zuba Motor Park and Market in Abuja, the Lead Coordinator, LATINA Activation/Roadshow, Mr. Mohammed Elkashexplained that the reason behind the activation is to create more awareness and visibility for the new drink and also enlighten the public about the extra benefits which they can derive from drinking a bottle of LATINA sugar free fruit drink. “Because LATINA is a new product which has just recently entered into the market, there is a strong need to make the drink visible to the consumers as much as possible and also use this opportunity to get their opinions through the sampling activities which we embark on” he said. He further explained that the LATINA road show and sampling activation shows the company’s sincerity in delivering on its promise to provide a 360 marketing approach and campaign to create the necessary awareness and ensure that LATINA is readily available at every POS outlet, roadside shops and distribution outlets.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Dangote to offer consumer pocket-friendly price at Lagos Trade Fair ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

s part of strategies to expand market share and reach more customers, companies under the Dangote Group have concluded plans to storm the Lagos International Trade Fair, which kicks off this week end at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Onikan, Lagos with the promise of offering consumers pocket friendly prices. Companies from the group that are exhibiting at the fair include Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Flour Mill, Dangote Agrosacks, National Salt Company of Nigeria (NASCON), Dangote Pasta, Dangote Cement, Dangote Noodles and Dansa Foods Limited. Some of the products to be displayed at the fair include Danvita, Alkama (wheat meal), confection-

ary flour, noodles, sugar, salt, tomato paste, various ranges of fruit juice products and bottled water from Dansa Foods. Dangote Sugar will be offering customers its 500 gram granulated sugar at the fair. According to Mr. Anthony Chiejina, Head, Corporate Communications of Dangote Group, visitors to the group pavilion at both fairs will have the opportunity of buying products of these companies at reduced prices. A unique offering from the Group in this year’s Lagos Trade Fair is the Dangote Combo pack. The pack contains products from the stable of different companies within the Group and is offered to participants at the fair at a much reduced price. The statement indicated that, the economy pack which will contain household products like Dan-

gote Noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, sugar packets, and Dansa Fruit juice products range would be combined in a pack at a giveaway price. The combo pack, it stated further will offer participants at the fair an opportunity to purchase all consumable product range in Dangote Group in a single buy. There will also be free samples of the products for the visitors. Dangote Noodles will be offering free samples of several varieties of its noodles to visitors to the kitchen/restaurant which will be attached to the Dangote Stand to wet their appetite. Dangote Flour is also holding a free sampling of its popular Alkama wheat meal and other wheat based meals while Dangote Pasta is ready to thrill participants at the fair to pasta meals prepared in several ways.

L-R: Creative Group Heads, Insight Communications; David Bamishile and Raphael Edu; Head of Marketing and Business Director, Frank Ozekhome displaying Insight Communications’ Creative Agency of the yearaward plaque, at Oriental Hotel in Lagos recently.

When a brand exudes attitude

he brand exudes an attitude when it exhibit positive traits that resonate with consumers. The attitude of the brand should be one that enhances favorable perception among the consumers. Brands should have an attitude that makes consumers emotionally attached to it. This explains why brand managers need to ensure the brand demonstrates an attitude that warms the heart of consumers. The attitude of the brand is also closely linked to understanding of consumer needs and meeting the appropriately. When the Etisalat brand described itself as an attitude beyond being a network, I wondered what this meant but I want to believe this is indeed true with some experiences I have had with the brand. The truth is that the brand has been very innovative and living up to consumers expectations. A brand exudes an attitude when it bends to accommodate the feelings of the consumers and also goes the extra mile to

enhance their satisfaction. Such brands are equally friendly and always on ground to meet the expectations of the consumers. My first experience with the Etisalat brand was when I went to the Isaac John GRA Ikeja outlet where I had a very stimulating experience with one customer care personnel named Henrietta. She exhibited the values of the Etisalat brand as friendly, customer centric and dynamic. In actual fact, when I had another issue to sort out later, I looked forward to experiencing the same memorable moment but she was not there. Brands should have focus on understanding consumer habits and lifestyle patterns in such a way that the customer walks away with a pleasant experience. The Etisalat brand demonstrates this aptly with the unique touch points it creates for consumers. Etisalat gives freedom to subscribers to express themselves and this is very key for the brand.

ad VA NT AG E icon

egarded in both global and national advertising space as a strategic thinker whose exceptionally creative mind spurs wonder, Akin Adesola’s rich advertising career has seen him raise creative standards with renowned foremost ad agencies Insight Grey, Rosabel Leo-Burnett, and S.O.& U Saatchi & Saatchi. Known majorly for his trademark of excellence, Adesola’s commitment to what he loves to do best shows in the peculiar qualities of his creative works. Currently, the Creative Adesola Director at wave-making ad agency, LOWE Lintas, and IS LIFE THRUST Managing Director cum Chief IS THAT THE MIND Creative Officer at The NewREMAINS THE ONLY ton Project Room Limited, the creative icon has made THING THAT COULD remarkable strides including NOT BE COPIED being the country beneficiary GIVES HIM THICK of the 2011 Cannes Creative CONFIDENCE IN Leaders Bursary Programme, involving high level trainEXPRESSING HIS ing at the prestigious Berlin’s UNIQUE CREATIVE School of Creative leadership INGENUITY and global toast of creative minds, France’s Cannes Fes- Ilorin and past jury member of tival of Creativity. Also edu- both the national creative bar, cated at the South Africa Mo- Lagos Advertising and Ideas tion and Picture Medium and Festival (LAIF) and Middle East Live Performance, Adesola’s & Africa’s Advertising and Marlife thrust is that the mind keting Effectiveness Awards remains the only thing that (AMEA), the February born ad could not be copied gives him guru keeps a disarming smile thick confidence in expressing that reflects an inner tranquility his unique creative ingenuity. that endears him to many as well

A graduate of University of

Brand X-Ray with Ayodeji Ayopo Tel: 08023448199 E-mail: mayomipo@yahoo.com The truth is that the brand democratized mobile telephony for Nigerian consumers. I support with concrete evidence, Etisalat gives bonuses and the subscribers are not restricted. Subscribers are free to call other network with the free bonuses. I had taken my time before writing this piece as I have carefully observed the brand intimately. Etisalat brand exudes the attitude of a generous friendly brand in all ramifications. My line was blocked sometime ago and I called the customer care line and the assurance I received was very touching. Immediately, my line was restored instantly and it seemed like a miracle! I also had an issue of badly scratched

recharge card and since I have a facebook friend, one Deborah Akinmolayan, I had to solicit her help since I knew she is an Etisalat staff. She also responded in a very courteous and polite manner and attended swiftly to my request. There is the need to understand the concept of touch points which underpins a strong brand strategy. Many customers look forward to experience something unique and special about their brand. A brand that exudes an attitude should focus on value delivery and creating unique experiences for consumers. The character of the brand must translate the values into real experience for the consum-

as keep him on top of his game.

ers. This is a personal experience that I have had over the years and it really exemplifies the distinctive features of the Etisalat brand. The results of a brand that exudes attitude also manifest in service delivery and character of the brand. Etisalat brand is synonymous with innovative trends in its approach. I saw the Geek Force promo fliers at the GRA Ikeja outlet and I asked questions about it. The Geek force are the customer care personnel who geek you with customer satisfaction and memorable experience. I quickly link this to the experiences I have had with the brand. I have narrated personal experiences about the Etisalat brand due to the stimulating experience with the brand. Brands are assets and companies should exhibit good values to the customers. When customers have a feel of unique experiences created by brands, they feel individually valued. This means a whole lot to customers.

Global Business

Thursday, November 1, 2012

July consumer prices unchanged as United States’ pricing power wanes

Obama

he cost of living in the United States was little changed in July for a second month, showing companies lack pricing power. The unexpected reading in the consumer-price index capped a 1.4 percent gain over the past 12 months, the smallest year-to- year increase since November 2010, the Labor Department reported yesterday in Washington. The median forecast of 85 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for an increase of 0.2 per-

cent. The core index, which excludes volatile food and fuel costs, rose less than forecast. Companies may find it difficult to charge more while joblessness hovers above 8 percent. Tempered inflation makes it possible for Federal Reserve policy makers to take additional steps if needed to revive the economic expansion when they meet next month. “The fact that the economy was so weak in the first half of the year means there’s probably less pric-

ing power,” said Omair Sharif, U.S. economist at RBS Securities Inc. in Stamford, Connecticut. “It’s going to be tough to push prices through to the consumer who’s already very weak and shown an appetite for discount shopping,” said Sharif, who correctly forecast the increase in core prices. “If you’re the Fed, inflation is the least of your concerns right now,” he said. Manufacturing in the New York area unexpectedly contracted in August for

BOE drops reference to rate cut as it considers policy options

ank of England policy makers dropped a reference to interest-rate cuts this month as they voted to keep their bond-purchase target unchanged and said they will assess the need for other stimulus measures. The Monetary Policy Committee voted 9-0 to hold the target at 375 billion pounds ($587 billion), according to the minutes of the August 1-2 meeting, published in London yesterday. It also voted 9-0 to keep the benchmark interest rate at a record-low 0.5 percent. “Over the coming months, the committee

King

could take stock of the impact of the Funding for Lending Scheme and the implications this had for other po-

tential policy options,” it said, without mentioning rates. While for some members this month’s decision was “relatively straightforward,” others saw a “good case” for more asset purchases, it said. The central bank said last month it may review the merits of a reduction in borrowing costs once it assessed the impact of the FLS, which is aimed at boosting credit to companies and households. Investors increased bets on a cut after the comments before Governor Mervyn King lowered expectations, saying on Au-

the first time since October, indicating factories are cutting back amid the global economic slowdown, another report yesterday showed. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s general economic index fell to minus 5.9 from 7.4 in July. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists was 7.0. Readings less than zero signal contraction in the so-called Empire State Index, which covers New York, northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut. Treasuries securities trimmed earlier losses after the reports, putting the yield on the benchmark 10-year note at 1.76 percent compared with 1.74 percent late Tuesday. The contract on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index maturing in September fell 0.2 percent to 1,398.8. in New York. Declining prices for a broad-range of goods and services, including hotel rates, airline fares and new and used cars helped offset rising costs for medical care and rents, the report showed. Economists’ estimates in the Bloomberg survey ranged from unchanged to a gain of 0.4 percent. Economists forecast a 0.2 percent gain in the core index, according to the survey median.

gust 8 that it may do more harm than good at present because of damage to some banks’ margins. “Interestingly, there was no discussion of an interest- rate cut that some analysts have called for,” said James Knightley, an economist at ING Bank in London. “We have long doubted that such action would happen given the” central bank’s concern “about what it would mean for interest margins and bank lending.” Sonia forward contracts show that a rate cut isn’t priced in through July next year, according to data from Tullett Prebon Plc. Earlier this month, traders were betting on a reduction as soon as this October.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Australians’ confidence wanes, wages gain in conundrum

Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Glenn Stevens

ustralian consumer confidence fell by the most in five months even as wages climbed, sending mixed signals on the economy as the central bank weighs whether to hold interest rates at a developed-world high. The sentiment index dropped 2.5 percent to 96.6, according to a Westpac Banking Corporation and Melbourne Institute August 6-10 survey of 1,200 consumers released in Sydney yesterday. A government report showed the wage-price index, which measures hourly pay rates excluding bonuses, rose 3.7 percent in the second quarter from 12 months earlier as mine workers’ pay surged. The acceleration in wage gains was “a material surprise, and raises the uncomfortable pros-

pect that wage pressures may have troughed,” said Alvin Pontoh, an AsiaPacific strategist at TD Securities Inc. in Singapore. “The surprise fall in consumer confidence in the face of a generally positive backdrop casts doubt on the sustainability of the pickup in consumer spending we have seen of late.” The Reserve Bank of Australia, which lowered interest rates by 1.25 percentage points from November to June to 3.5 percent and paused at the past two meetings, has indicated wages need to remain contained and productivity improve to ensure inflation stays within its target of 2 percent to 3 percent. Traders are pricing in a 67 percent chance the RBA will keep the benchmark on hold when it meets next month.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Thursday, November 1, 2012

UAC-Property, 7Up join market making stocks today Index drops 1.2% as bears sustain hold

S TORIES : JOHNSON OKANLAWON

he Nigerian Stock Exchange has said that 7up Bottling Company Plc and UAC-Property Development Company Plc will be added to the list of market making stocks on the bourse today. The two stocks are from the Consumer Goods and Construction/Real Estate sectors of the Exchange. A statement from the NSE yesterday explained that the introduction of the new stocks is in line with the phased approach of bringing in additional

stocks from the list of stocks in the baskets of market makers. Meanwhile, trading in equities continued on bearih note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, as more investors took profits from the previous gains. Specifically, the AllShare Index dipped by 1.15 per cent to close at 26,430.92 points, compared to the depreciation of 0.90 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 26,739.22 points. Market capitalisation shed N98.2bn to close at N8.42trn, higher that the decline of N77.5bn recorded the preceding

day to close at N8.52trn. GlaxosmithKline Pharmaceutical Plc led the gainers’ table with N1.85 or 4.86 per cent to close at N39.90 per share, while Cutix Plc gained eight kobo or 4.71 per cent to close at N1.78 per share. Mansard Plc appreciated by eight kobo or 4.71 per cent to close at N1.78 per share, while Union Bank of Nigeria Plc rose by 33 kobo or 4.39 per cent to close at N7.84 per share. Nigerian Breweries Plc lost N8.80 or 6.77 per cent to close at N121.20 per share, while AIICO Insurance Plc shed four kobo or 6.15 per cent

to close at 61 kobo per share. Diamond Bank Plc dropped 24 kobo or 5.57 per cent to close at N4.07 per share, while Continental Insurance Plc depreciated by four kobo or five per cent to close at 76 kobo per share. Wema Bank Plc declined by three kobo or five per cent to close at 57 kobo per share. Transaction volume in equities depreciated by 14.7 per cent, as a total of 279.42 million shares worth N2.27bn were exchanged in 4,663 deals, compared to 327.62 million shares valued at 3.30bn traded in 4,639 deals the preceding day.

Investors to benefit from oil and gas sector reform - SEC

he Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms Arunma Oteh, has assured shareholders of the oil and gas companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange that the on going reform in the sector will impact positively on the companies. The sector recorded worst performance when compared with others in the last nine months, as it lost 27.3 per cent to close at 159.95 points, from 220.11 points at which it opened the year on January 4, 2012. Speaking at the fourth quarter meeting of the

capital market committee in Lagos yesterday, she said that with the clean up in the sector, the companies stocks will start doing well. She said, “The government has done a lot to tackle the problems in the oil and gas sector, the companies stocks will start doing well, particularly the indigenous ones.” Oteh pointed out that the Petroleum Industry Bill will also enhance the performance of the companies. She, however, said that the insurance companies stocks will start to do well, as the Nation-

al Insurance Commission has embarked on various reforms in the sector. “A lot of corporate governance issues have been tackled. For instance, Pension Commission is a source of investible assets and 10 states government have approved pension law. We are going to encourage 26 other states that are yet to understand the importance of the law,” Oteh said. On the privatisation of power sector, she reiterated that the commission is working with the Bureau of Public Enterprises to ensure that the

companies come to list on the Exchange. She added that the BPE has agreed in 1999 that the companies will be listed on the Exchange to ensure that the public benefits from its operations. The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, attributed the current bullish trend in equities on the Nigerian capital market to the regulators’ efforts to restore investors’ confidence in the market. He noted that as soon as the companies are releasing good results, the uptrend in equities value will continue.

Oando turnover hits N487.8bn in Q3

ando Nigeria Plc has announced a turnover of N487.8bn for the nine months ended September 30, 2012, an increase of 24 per cent when compared to N392.3bn recorded in the same period of 2011. The company’s gross profit stood at N50.7bn in the review period, from N45.5bn recorded in the corresponding period of 2011. A statement from the company yesterday showed that profit after tax rose marginally by six per cent in the third quarter

to N9.27bn, from N8.77bn recorded in the 2011 nine months. According to the statement, the company’s revenue increased compared to the same period in 2011 due to increase in sale of crude oil compared to prior year and relatively higher average crude prices. Other are 49 per cent increase in Premium Motor Sprit pump price from N65 to N97per litre, due to partial deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry and

the additional 2.2billion revenue contribution from East Horizon Gas Company, which commenced commercial operation in January 2012. The statement added that additional margin was earned from newly commissioned businesses such as passion rig and east horizon gas pipelines. Commenting on the result, analysts at FBN Capital Limited said that the performance showed strong year-on-year growth in headline profits across the

board. According to them, the trend in the company’s results showed that the diversification away from downstream oil and gas is progressing. They noted that the company’s interest burden was significantly lower than what they saw in the first half of the year. “If Oando can keep its interest burden close to what was reported in the third quarter, that should boost earnings going forward,” the analysts added.

Source: NSE NIBOR QUOTES 30 OCTOBER & 31 OCTOBER 2012 20.00 19.00 18.00 18 00 17.00 16.00 15.00 14.00 13.00 12.00 11.00 10.00 9.00 8.00 7.00 6.00 5.00

30-Oct-12

31-Oct-12

Source: FMDA

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

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

STERLNBANK

1.20

1.26

0.06

5.00

UBA

4.20

4.41

0.21

5.00

WAPCO

46.02

48.32

2.30

5.00

UBN

6.21

6.52

0.31

4.99

ROADS

8.42

8.84

0.42

4.99

INTBREW

11.77

12.35

0.58

4.93

ASHAKACEM

11.17

11.72

0.55

4.92

DANGSUGAR

4.52

4.74

0.22

4.87

UPL

4.37

4.58

0.21

4.81

NASCON

4.95

5.18

0.23

4.65

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

ETERNA

2.26

2.15

0.11

-4.87

NEIMETH

0.78

0.75

0.03

-3.85

UTC

0.55

0.53

0.02

-3.64

CUSTODYINS

1.12

1.08

0.04

-3.57

JBERGER

29.95

29.00

0.95

-3.17

7UP

40.00

39.00

1.00

-2.50

GOLDINSURE

0.51

0.50

0.01

-1.96

JAPAULOIL

0.60

0.59

0.01

-1.67

CONTINSURE

0.65

0.64

0.01

-1.54

FCMB

3.00

2.99

0.01

-0.33

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Day

37,489.76

14.05

1-Nov-12

182-Day

63,730.99

16.21

1-Nov-12

364 -Day

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

139-Day

63,730.99

16.21

1-Nov-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$200m

N/A

$200m

1-Nov-12

$180m

N/A

$180m

2-Nov-12

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

African Youth Day: Nigeria in search of identity L EONARD O KACHIE

oday, Nigerian youths join their counterparts in the continent in celebrating this year’s African Youth Day. The day calls for reflection of stakeholders in the youth sector to the development of youth in the continent. It promotes the need for African Youth to be given the responsibility to develop Africa and to re-establish mutual confidence and dialogue between the different generations for a new and youthful Africa. The African Youth Day, celebrated every November 1st, was proclaimed and instituted on the occasion of the African Youth Charter adoption in Executive Council decision of Banjul Summit 2006 DOC. EX.CL/292 (IX): which seeks the avenues to promote and celebrate youth throughout the continent with, for and by the youth at national level. The day is also a reminder to member states of the African Union that as decided in the 2009 Malabo Summit – the years 2009 to 2018 had been declared by the African Union as the Decade on Youth Development in Africa (EX.CL-DEC (XIV) 468). The Youth Decade Plan of Action 2009-2018 is a roadmap for the effective popularizing, ratifying and implementing the AYC. The AU at the Malabo Summit stated that ‘priority issues that need to be addressed for the development of African youths include: education, employment, safe space for recreation and leisure, participation in policy-making processes at national, regional and continental levels, and health issues’. In celebrating the African Youth Day, and to ensure and encourage young people in participating in the developmental process of the continent, a group, All for Development Foundation (ADM Foundation) has launched an online opinion bank – YouthSpeakDevelopment – to give youths from within Africa and Diaspora an avenue to share their views, opinions and ideas for development. Founding Executive Director, ADM-Foundation, Aanu Damola Morenikeji in statement said: “We also use this day to call on the attention of Member States of the African Union to – more than before – pay more attention to youth development, towards enhancing the ratification, domestication, popularization and implementation of the African Youth Charter and the renaissance of a youthful generation dedicated to peace, unity, shared values, good governance and leadership in Africa. “Once again, we call on African youths to contribute civilly to the developmental process of the continent – noting that we are her greatest asset – by amplifying our voices and sharing our opinion on YouthSpeakDevelopment (the online opinion bank).” The African Union Commission had been promoting the slogan 'One Voice. One Action.One Africa'. This campaign was established for the purpose of uniting the African people of the world to come together in one voice, to work together as one action, and with our united effort create one Africa. President, Organisation of African Youth (OAYouth), Mordekai Shumba in his speech to commemorate the International Youth Day 12 August 2012 pointed that Africa still lags behind in the sincerity by leaders for youth partnership. He said: “Africa is saddled under the yoke of organised corruption, freak conflicts and the tyranny of gangster governments, causing heavy burden on policy development that could mitigate poverty and high unemployment, both in the short and longterm. There is no coordinated and unified effort to combat the scourge of misery that often afflicts the young and the not so young. The African Union (AU), often good at developing policy documents, very rarely implements any, and is generally made up of tested failures that are good only at making

Youths protesting

WHILE SOME COUNTRIES HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DEVELOPING A JUST SOCIETY THROUGH EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP,

AFRICA IS STILL BATTLING WITH LITANY OF WOES CAUSED BY BAD LEADERS.

beautiful promises.” While some countries have succeeded in developing a just society through exemplary leadership, Africa is still battling with litany of woes caused by bad leaders. The events that sparked the Arab spring in 2010 were a combination of, corruption, bad politics poverty, the frustration and subsequent action by the young people. In Nigeria, just like in other African countries, larger percentage of youths are unemployed and as a result, most have become instruments for political and religious violence, robbery, prostitution and other social vices. A recent report by the Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, of the National Bureau of Statistics, indicated that sharp increase in unemployment level in the first quarter of 2012.The national unemployment rate stood at 23.9 per cent. Rural unemployment level was at 25.6 per cent while urban unemployment level was 17.1 per cent. The rate of unemployment of males and females mostly between 17 and 45 years were given as 23.5 per cent and 24.3 per cent respectively. However, these figures have not noticed any improvement in the second and third quarters of the year. President of National Youth Council of Nige-

Youths at a job seminar

ria (NYCN), James Ajani in a recent report stated categorically that there has not been any been any recognition for Nigerian youths in the polity, rather, “We have always been seen as a liability but never as an asset.” He emphasised that there is currently no bill in the National Assembly that is purely a youth bill as what youths have always succeeded in doing in the hallowed chamber is to ask politicians for money. However, following the prevailing circumstances in the country many have called for an urgent and pragmatic approach to tackling youth related challenges to overcome the 2010 warning by the British Council. The Council had warned in its report that Nigeria risks social unrest in the coming years unless the oil-rich nation takes advantage of its resources and creates jobs for its swelling youth population. The report said Africa’s most populous nation "could reap an enormous economic dividend in the next 20 years if it creates opportunities for its young people -- but faces a demographic disaster if it fails." It added that if the country continued with current levels of economic growth, while also creating jobs and boosting health and education standards, more than 30 million people could be lifted out of poverty by 2030, “If Nigeria fails to plan for its next generation it faces serious problems as a result of growing numbers of young people frustrated by a lack of jobs and opportunities.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Young & Next Generation

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Teachers asked to educate children on water STORIES: LEONARD OKACHIE

eachers have been asked to raise the awareness of the importance of developing healthier hydration habits and better water conservation behaviours among school children so as to tackle water challenge in the country. Managing Director/Chief Executive, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Martin Woolnough said this in Lagos at the launch of Water Education for Teachers (Project WET) in Nigeria last Saturday. Making his remarks at the workshop tagged “Train-The -Trainers”, hosted by Nestle Waters, which was attended by over 250 school teachers; the Nestle boss noted that water has become one of the most pressing environmental issues in Nigeria representing a serious long-term risk to business and society as whole. He stated that Nestle Nigeria is determined to play a leading role in tackling the challenge, stressing that the company’s modest effort to raise awareness of water issues among school children through the WET project is part of the solution. He said: “Children are our future. Transmitting our knowledge and understanding of water to tomorrow’s generation has been our company’s most legitimate and efficient area for action to help tackle these crucial issues. “I’m sure you will share my enthusiasm for educating children about water and hope that you will also make it your concern to talk about the project with those around.”

Representative of the Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Mrs. Akoye Adeyinka disclosed that school children like to waste water, and therefore advised the teachers to avail themselves of training opportunity by training other teachers and pupils on how to conserve water. The WET trainer and Senior Vice President, Project WET, John Etgben, who had a lively session with the participants, explained that the mission of Project WET is to reach children, parents, educators, and communities of the world with water education. Etgben, who came in from USA, emphasised that the award-winning, international , non profit water science education programme located in Bozeman, Montana, USA was established in 1984 and has been active in over 60 countries around the world. “Project WET helps individuals, schools, agencies, organisations, and businesses design, develop, and implement water education programmes for teachers and children from ages 5 to 18,” the trainer said. Explaining the role of water in the human body, Etgben disclosed that the percentage of water is higher in infants and children than in adults. He stressed water makes up 94 per cent of fetus’s body weight; children (75 per cent) adult (60 per cent) and elderly (50 per cent). He said that water is found in various locations throughout the human body and in varying amounts in each body part and has important functions within the body. He hinted that without water intake, humans cannot live for more than three to five days.

Dora national school tour in Calabar

Dora, Boots & Miss Penny visit schools

housands of Nigerian primary school kids saw their dreams come true after winning the opportunity to have children’s TV heroine, Dora the Explorer visit their schools - thanks to Nickelodeon. Dora’s Back To School Tour, which took place in September 2012, saw global entertainment phenomenon, Dora the Explorer and her monkey pal, Boots entertain children and teachers by singing popular nursery rhymes with a Spanish twist. Dora and Boots performed to 3,000 children across the country including the IITA School in Ibadan, Meadow Hall Prep in Lagos, UPSS in Benin, Brighteyes Montessori in Enugu, and the Surefoot American International School (SAIS) in Calabar. Joining Dora and Boots in a first for Nigeria was Miss Penny Wise, a loveable new character introduced by Access Early Savers. Created to

Rex drops ‘Head Wan Blow’

I A cross section of participants at the event.

t has been Finesse Entertainment’s month as its signees have delivered three wave-making singles for every week in October. For the fourth week running, the label drops what might be its biggest ever, ‘Head Wan Blow’ the trail-blazing hip-hop and R&B single from signee Anthony Onyewadume, popularly known as T-Rex. T-Rex who is well known in Hip-Hop underground circles as one of Nigeria’s most talented multi-syllable lyricists, takes a shot at the Afro-pop sound with a big bang.

teach kids the value of money and the importance of saving in a fun way, Miss Penny Wise welcomed enthusiastically by kids and teachers. Dora’s Back To School Tour was part of the Access Early Savers' Financial Literacy for Kids campaign, which aims to teach children 4-9 about financial literacy. The tour followed the Dora Fiesta in Lagos in December last year, which was a huge, sellout success, attended by over 4,000 adoring Dora fans. The event prompted hundreds of requests from kids and parents to have Dora the Explorer visit their schools. In Nigeria, Dora the Explorer can be seen on Nickelodeon (DStv Channel 305) every weekday at 04:00 WAT, 09:00 WAT and 09:25 WAT and on weekends at 05:00 WAT, 07:30 WAT and 07:55 WAT. Dora also appears on STV every Saturday morning at 08:00 WAT. “‘Head wan Blow’ is an experiment,” the lyricist explains slowly. “There are many things a lady can do to you, and one of them is blow your mind or head in this case! This song is paying respect to that, he adds. The song packs a few punches with the ladies using lines like ‘Omoge which level? You too hot u wan replace devil? You wan use black smoke kill kettle… nne be careful’ T-Rex, who got his stage name from a blend of Tony and the dinosaur predator Tyrannosaurus Rex has been part of Nigeria’s underground Hip-Hop culture. Born to a police officer father and a mother in academics, the young Tony had a military styled upbringing, living in the police barracks during Nigeria’s military regime. He has a B. Sc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Lagos.

MBGN set to launch foundation

ll is now set for the official launching of the Vanessa Manyor Memorial Foundation in Abuja (VMMF). The high octane event, billed to take place on Saturday, is put together by the current Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Queen Isabella Agbor Ayuk. VMMF was founded by Ayuk in memory of her sister who died of typhoid fever and she, therefore, intends to use it to campaign against typhoid fever. Already in her capacity as MBGN, Ayuk has undertaken projects that include scholarships to students, dona-

tion of medical equipment to hospitals, distribution of free typhoid vaccines to refugee camps, renovation of some primary schools and houses belonging to widows. Speaking about VMMF, she said, “My sister died of typhoid fever and VMMF has been campaigning and will continue to campaign against it. VMMF will also continue to empower widows as my mother is a widow and widows are always in need of one thing or the other". “VMMF is all about caring for, supporting and protecting the lives of citi-

zens living in the rural communities of Nigeria against the spread of typhoid fever, malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, opportunistic infections and improvement of rural health through behavioural change communication strategies, voluntary confidential counselling and testing (VCCT), as well as condom and drugs distribution.” The launching will be attended by top government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs is the Chairman of the occasion.

Ayuk

Media

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

There is future for community newspaper –Olowu Debo Olowu is the Publisher and Editor- in- Chief of weekly community newspaper, Inside Oshodi. He is also the Publisher of SMAS and Smart Kid magazines. In this interview with LEONARD OKACHIE, he shares his experience in publishing and says that despite the current challenge in print media, community newspaper has a prospect in Nigeria. Excerpts: Why did you go into publishing? I have two magazines and a community newspaper that I publish. The magazines are targeted at young people. I’m of the opinion that if we cannot build the future for the youth then we should build the youth for the future. It is also wiser to train up the youth that will grow to be adult. These two keynotes have been my inspiration for being involved in the two publications. The SMAS Magazine is for secondary school, basically for teenagers and I have the smaller version called Smart Kid for primary school so that we can have a generation kids that are very smart. The newspaper is called Inside Oshodi. The aim of the weekly paper is to give people an idea of what Oshodi is. People have a vague idea of Oshodi. They believe that Oshodi is a lion’s zone; that you have to be a tiger to survive in Oshodi. But the truth is Oshodi is a lovely community. People always see Oshodi from the outskirt; they have not been inside Oshodi. So, Inside Oshodi takes people to see the good things happening in Oshodi. As a matter of fact, Oshodi is not as bad as people think;good thing happen in Oshodi, and that is what the paper intends to project. I started publishing when I was in secondary school. I published my first magazine when I was in SS2. I just have the flair for publishing. All through my time in school, I have been running the publication, but I have not been able to give it 100 per cent attention because of my studies, but after my graduation, I was able to give it a full attention. I graduated from the Yaba College of Technology, where I studied Food Science and Technology. Publishing, to me, is a passion. My goal is to be one of the giants in the publishing industry. What is sustaining you in the industry? I have studied the reading habit of Nigerians and realised that most of the people that read papers are elderly people. Young people hardly read papers. They prefer to listen to news, basically entertainment. What we are trying to do is to have a paper which style of writing would attract the youths. Most of the vendors that sell our paper always report to us that most of the people that are students, young people. In fact, when they see a student approach-

MOST COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS IN

AMERICA CIRCULATE FOR FREE, BUT HERE IN NIGERIA WE DON’T HAVE A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER THAT

CIRCULATES FOR FREE. ing their stand they know w he is coming for our paper. We write our story in such a way that is appealing aling to them, not the conventional way y of writing. It is true that young people don’t read anymore, but there are some that still read. We create reading ing interest in them through the way we write. They lose interest in reading g because of the ways the stories are e written. But young people read novels. s. You will be shocked about the number ber of novels young people read in thiss country. So, they want something that at can sustain their interest and that iss what we try to do. So far, the money has been coming from advertorial compared ared to sales. Most of the money we make ake from sales just cover the cost of production, duction, so we are still looking for ways ys to expand. The paper is young; we are s t i l l growing and we know that with time we will penetrate the market.

So far, for the magazines, we have schools that are subscribing. At least, if we produce 3,000 copies we are sure of selling them. For the newspaper, Inside Oshodi, being the only community newspaper in the area, to a large extent, schools, churches and other organisations subscribe to it. So we are sure of having 1,000 copies sold off once we produce. We set a goal that before the year runs out we would move to 10 thousand prints. That has been our thinking, ‘how can we sell 10 thousand copies? Should we circulate for free?’ That is what we are considering because most community newspapers in Ameri c a circ u late f o r free,

but here in Nigeria we don’t have a community newspaper that circulates for free. So, we don’t have an Amodel to follow. If we start that, we are going to be the first in Nigeria that will do so. We decided to make our last edition free. We went to different restaurants in the community; dropped it there and people picked it up. We stopped giving the vendors. But the question that came up was how we would be able to sustain it in case the adverts don’t come. I believe that community newspaper has a future in this country. It makes information readily available for people in the community and the people are willing to patronise because you are telling stories that directly affect them. That is what we are doing in Oshodi and it has been a worthwhile venture.

What are your challenges? ? The challenges are numerous. I don’t really have support from anybody. I started with a zero capital. Thank God that I have a skill. I’m m good in graphics and I know a lot about printing. When I was in school chool I was printing for people to make ake money. I know printers as well. For instance, the first edition that we did I borrowed some money from somebody ody to deposit with the printer. I was also lso selling the paper by myself. Through gh that, I was able to raise more money ey to produce subsequent editions. Eventually ventually we started making profit. How is the patronage like?

Olowu

Bollywood Fashions launches hair publication NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

new magazine has made its debut into the competitive Nigerian media. It is a publication dedicated to hair and accessories in recognition of the fact that Nigerian women are fashionable and can go the extra mile to look good. The magazine, called Bollywood

Fashions, 100% Human Hair is however coming from the stable of Sanjay Sachdev, the chief executive officer of Bollywood Fashions, an Indian businessman who has pioneered the business of hair products in several African countries. The magazine, which is an all-colour and all-gloss periodical, will be dedicated to hair care and treatment in line with Bollywood Fashion’s innovative business

pattern. Speaking during the unveiling of the magazine in Lagos recently, Sachdev said, “We at Bollywood Fashions boast of infrastructure with perfect combination of man and machinery. Technology and innovative techniques help us to fabricate cost-effective products for our customers. We are backed by professionals who have knowledge of the related fields in hair

care. They will be sharing their knowledge with Nigerian women in the magazine as a way to further enlighten the women on how best to take care of their hair.” Sachdev, who has spent seven years in Nigeria, is one of the country’s biggest dealers on real human hair attachments, which he said are sourced from volunteers in India, who are paid to shave their hair in exchange for money.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigerian media needs value reorientation - Minister

inister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe has condemned the role of Nigerian media because of its unpatriotic reportage of news stories. The minister said this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the ``Do the Right Thing: Ethics First Programme’’ organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with Global Priority U.S. The programme was designed for the media operators in the country to sensitise them on the need to ensure objective and fair reportage of news. She said:``Nigerian media has been found wanting because rather than promote unity and peaceful coexistence among the citizenry, it is entangled in the promotion of riot, unrest and other vices. ``Apart from some of the news content, our journalists are not thorough in terms of investigation which has the capacity to create violence.They do hatchet jobs for their paymaster in return for a brown envelop,” Ochekpe said that the Nigerian media needed value reorientation because Nigerians believed anything that came from the press. She called on the media to be conscious of the roles they played. She canvassed for a change of attitude among the media practitioners, while calling on them to always do the right thing in the face of daunting security challenges in the country. The minister called on the media to improve on its research and investigative skills, adding, ``Nigeria is the only country we have and we must do all within our power to protect it.’’ She called on the media to make conscious effort at initiating programmes that could sustain the country. The Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Ibrahim said that the media should be at the vanguard of educating and motivating the public to understand the transformation agenda the president. She said that the media should report stories that could shape the country and should desist from laying emphasis on negative issues. Ibrahim said that every Nigerian should be involved in the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Ochekpe

Media

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Media Abroad

reek state television journalists accused the government of censorship and began a series of work stoppages on Tuesday after two well-known presenters were suspended for criticising a government minister. Their removal came on the same day an editor went on trial for printing a list of 2,000 Greeks with Swiss bank accounts, prompting outrage at the swift pursuit of journalists in comparison to the sluggish crackdown on suspected tax evaders. State NET TV yanked Marilena Katsimi and Costas Arvanitis's morning show after an on-air exchange on Monday in which they said a medical report supported allegations of police torture and asked if the public order minister would resign over it. Arvanitis said the decision to suspend him and Katsimi appeared to be politically motivated and an attempt to muzzle the media. "This is not about us anymore, this is about censorship in state TV," Arvanitis told Reuters in an interview. "Will we be given a list of words and comments that we are allowed to make, from now on?" State television said the two were suspended for making "unacceptable allusions" about the minister, Nikos Dendias, and for failing to give him a chance to respond to the charges. Dendias has denied the medical reports showed evidence of torture of protesters during anti-fascist rallies, as alleged by a newspaper. Arvanitis said state TV's position was wrong.

Greek journalist Kostas Vaxevanis, centre, emerges from an Athens court after his trial was adjourned. Photo: Demotix/Corbis/Stathis Kalligeris

Greek journalists strike over suspension of presenters "When a journalist makes a comment on air or in text, he doesn't need to have the response of the politician," he said. "We would also like to say that we are sorry because yesterday we also commented on the U.S. elections but we didn't think to call (U.S. President Barack) Obama to get his view on the issue." Many in Greece, including opposition parties, have already been angered by a separate decision to quickly arrest "Hot Doc" editor Costas Vaxevanis after he published on Saturday the so-called "Lagarde list" of Greeks with Swiss accounts. He was arrested on Sunday, and his trial began on Monday before it was immediately adjourned - draw-

ing indignation from some quarters over the rush to go after the journalist rather than those on the list. The list was given to Greece by French authorities in 2010 for checks on possible tax evasion but testimony by two former ministers in parliament has suggested little was done to investigate those on it since it landed in Greek hands. Greek authorities say there is no evidence that those on the list have broken the law, but the apparent inaction on the list as it was passed from one senior official to the next has become a symbol of the political class's reluctance to pursue the wealthy elite while the poor suffer under austerity. -Reuters

Bonfire for censored Angolan newspaper

his weekend's edition of the weekly newspaper Semanário Angolense ended up in a bonfire. Last Saturday morning, Media Investe, the company that owns the Angolan weekly Semanário Angolense, decided to censor the edition, of October 27, because it included an almost full version of the speech of the National Union's for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) leader, Isaías Samakuva, on the State of the Nation. Journalists from Semanário Angolense told Maka Angola that Media Investe, a company controlled by high-ranking officers of the State Security and Intelligence Services (SINSE), ordered the burning of the copies of the newspaper that had already been printed. Maka Angola obtained a digital copy of the censored newspaper edition, which includes the speech of Samakuva on pages 8, 9 and 10. The October 23 speech of the leader of the main opposition party, was in response to president Dos Santos' refusal to address the inaugural session of parliament, as constitutionally required. Instead, Dos Santos ordered that

copies of his inaugural speech, of September 26, be delivered to the members of parliament. The opposition labeled this action as unconstitutional and several analysts criticized it as an act of arrogance and disrespect towards the presidential office, the parliament and the country. Angola went to the polls on August 31, and president dos Santos and his party, the People's Movemento for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), claimed nearly 72 percent

Newspapers in Angola

of the votes. The recent elections tested a new system enshrined in the 2010 Constitution in which the President of the Republic is not elected by means of direct popular election or by Parliament. Mr. Dos Santos won the presidency by being the first name on the closed list of MPLA. Critics and constitutionalists have been arguing that this system "conflates the elective roles of two independent sovereign bodies: the Presidency and Parliament."

Cocktail

Thursday, November 1, 2012

FOR YOUR SUCCESS

WITH DR. DEJI FOLUTILE

Today's Tonic (34)

The words we use shape our reality. –Chris Westra * ** Words Are Powerful! Words have creative power. I love this quote. The words we use shape our reality. We can speak something from nothing. We can use our utterances to direct our destiny. I learnt that a closed mouth is a closed destiny. If we want to live a colourful life, there are some words that must never be found in our vocabulary. It is relatively easy to differentiate between a winner and a loser; just observe their utterances over a period of time. It is good to deliberately choose the words we use in our daily interactions. Let’s say bye to weak and useless words and speak strong and creative words in our daily conversations. Death and life is in the power of the tongue. We can make our choice! TEL 08104942999 E-MAIL deji.folutile@gmail.com Follow me @TwitterOWOTIDE

Oddities

Sheepdog sells for record $13,500

British canine from a lineage of champion sheepdogs was purchased at an auction for a record $13,500, his owner says. Shaun Richards of Burnley, England, said his sheepdog, Midge, was purchased at a Skipton, England, auction for the record price by Suffolk, England, shepherd Eddie Thornalley, The Mirror reported Tuesday. The previous record for a sheepdog sale was $10,131, The Mirror said. Thornalley said he has previously purchased

three dogs from Richards. “They are all fantastic dogs,” he said of Richards’ canines. “I’ve not had a drink in two years but I feel like having one now.” Richards said he was

Woman, 108, voting in her first election

108-year-old South Carolina woman, participating in her first election, has decided to vote for President Barack Obama. Arinethia Ferguson, 43, said her cousin, Joanna Jenkins, 108, of Beaufort, has never voted and resisted registering to vote prior to previous elections. But during this election season, “she just got kind of [got]

carried away with wanting to vote,” The (Hilton Head, S.C.) Island Packet reported Tuesday. “Every time she sees President Obama on television, she really gets excited,” Ferguson said. Ferguson said Jenkins had feared she would not be able to vote because she does not read or write and lacks a state-issued ID card. However, elections officials

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

said the recently passed voter ID law will not apply to this year’s general election and Jenkins’ doctor offered to assist her with the registration process. Ferguson said she helped her cousin fill out an absentee ballot by reading her the options for each office. “She really didn’t draw any interest other than hearing Obama’s name,” Ferguson said.

A sheepdog

“gobsmacked” by the price Midge fetched. “She exceeded all expectations,” he said. “When the money kept going go up and up I was speechless. She’ll go into

the sheepdog trial world after this, where she will do extremely well. “She has a lovely temperament. Midge was like a pet but also one hell of a good sheepdog

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

“If the U.N. hasn’t made this decision, we have no authority, no right to declare such a (no-fly) zone in northern Syria.” –Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Sandy: Obama visits devastated area, as business resumes in Northeast

WORLD BULLETIN Cameron faces damaging rebellion over EU budget

halted after seawater flooded its tunnels. John F. Kennedy and Newark airports reopened with limited service after thousands of flights were cancelled, leaving travellers stuck for days. New York’s LaGuardia Airport, the third of the airports that serve the nation’s busiest airspace, was flooded and remained closed. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the storm may be the most expensive in U.S. history. It will take days or weeks to recover from the massive power and mass transit outages. Nearly 6 million customers are without electricity in the region. The storm is causing more havoc as it moves north toward Canada. Flooding warnings are in effect in the Great Lakes region and heavy snow has been falling in the Appalachian mountains. The storm killed 27 people in New York state, including 22 in New York City, and six each in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Six other states reported fatalities. One disaster-modelling company said Sandy may have caused up to $15 billion in insured losses. Sandy killed 69 people in the Caribbean last week as a hurricane before it slammed into the U.S. East Coast with winds of about 80 miles per hour (130 km per hour) and pushed inland.

Iran warships leave Sudan after four-day stay

• Death toll hits 50 PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

S President Barack Obama visited the state of New Jersey, to survey the devastation two days after the huge storm, Sandy, made landfall nearby. Obama was accompanied by Republican Governor Chris Christie, a vocal backer of presidential challenger Mitt Romney. Nevertheless, Christie has praised him and the federal re-

sponse to the storm. With Republican Governor Christie, Obama met rescue workers and residents in Atlantic City. The massive cyclone knocked out power for millions and killed at least 50 people in nine states with a massive storm surge and rain that caused epic flooding. President Obama has put campaigning on hold for a third day ahead of next Tuesday’s US election, as he directs the federal response to the storm. New Jersey’s Republican governor has lavishly praised the Democratic president for his leadership.

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney cancelled campaign events during the height of the disaster, but was back on the trail yesterday in the crucial swing state of Florida. Meanwhile, the U.S. Northeast began crawling back to normal on Wednesday after monster storm Sandy crippled transportation. Financial markets reopened after taking two days off with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, and packed buses took commuters to work with the subway system

Workers pumping water out of a flooded Citibank branch in New York’s financial district yesterday.

PHOTO: REUTERS

South African whites earn six times more than blacks

hite South Africans earn six times more than black South Africans nearly two decades after the end of apartheid and much remains to be done to reduce the disparities between rich and poor, the president said after the release of the country’s census. “These figures tell us at the bottom of the rung is the black majority who continue to be confronted by deep poverty, unemployment, and inequality, despite the progress that we have made since 1994,” President Jacob Zuma said of the South Africa Census 2011 released on Tuesday. On the positive side, people’s access to basic services, such as clean water, electricity and garbage removal has more than doubled in the same amount of time,

he said. And more South African dwellings have TVs than refrigerators and more cellphones than electric or gas stoves, the census said. South Africa’s population has increased by 7 million people in the last decade to 51.8 million by October 2011, according to the census. And for the first time in the three censuses conducted since 1994, the number of people identifying themselves as coloured — a term used by the government for people of mixed race — is higher, at 4.62 million, than those who describe themselves as white at 4.59 million. More than 41 million describe themselves as black and 1.3 million as Indian or Asian. A breakdown of the population also shows that close to 60 percent of the population is under 35.

There are more children under the age of four, with 5.6 million, than in each of the 5-to-9 or 10-to14 age brackets. The average household income in South Africa has more than

doubled in the past decade, according to the census, which said that households earned an average of 48,000 rand ($6,000) per year in 2001 compared to 103,204 rand ($12,900) by October 2011.

Pedestrians walking on the street in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday. PHOTO: AP

Prime Minister David Cameron faces revolt in parliament yesterday by Conservatives demanding that he push for a cut in the European Union budget, feeding divisions on an issue that has tormented his party for decades. The result of a pending parliamentary vote on the issue will be non-binding, but defeat would damage Cameron by exposing Conservative rifts over Europe and further eroding his authority after months of missteps by his coalition government. Many Britons regard the EU as an incompetent, spendthrift source of bureaucracy. Britain’s ties with the 27-member bloc are likely to be a big theme in a national election due in 2015.

Two Iranian warships left Sudan yesterday after a visit that drew attention to the countries’ military ties less than a week after Khartoum accused Israel of bombing a Sudanese arms factory. Israel accuses the Muslim East African country of channelling weapons to the Gaza Strip, controlled by Iran’s ally Hamas, via Egypt’s Sinai desert - a charge Khartoum denies. Last week, a fire at the Yarmouk munitions plant in the south of Khartoum killed four people, and Sudan said an Israeli air strike was behind the blast. Israel has not commented on the fire. Two Iranian warships docked in Port Sudan several days after the blast, triggering speculation the events were related. Sudan denied this, saying the warships were on a “routine” visit.

Fire at Saudi wedding kills 23 women, children Saudi media reports say a blaze that erupted inside a tent at a wedding in the country’s east has killed at least 23 women and children. The media cite civil defence officials as saying that celebratory gunfire, common at weddings, brought down a power line that touched off the fire late Tuesday in the Eastern Province. The official Saudi Press Agency said yesterday that a special government committee will conduct an investigation into the incident. The probe will be by the provincial governor. Saudi Arabia’s ultraconservative codes require genders to be separated at most public events, including weddings.

World News

Storm blows presidential race off course, as Republicans praise Obama

andy, the super-storm, has blown the United States’ presidential race off track with less than a week to go until the elections, even as President Barack Obama cancelled yesterday’s campaign events as he stayed in Washington focusing on relief efforts for the devastated East Coast. Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney also held a storm-relief event in Ohio, a state crucial to his hopes, and was expected to return to the campaign trail yesterday. Meanwhile, opinion polls showed that the two major candidates are running neck-and-neck, although Romney holds a slender lead in some national surveys of the popular vote, but Obama was narrowly ahead in some of the swing states that are expected to decide the race. The storm has effectively frozen the hotly fought election race by dominating media coverage, while muting the two rivals. With President Obama monitoring relief efforts from the White House, Romney faced the delicate challenge of trying to demonstrate his leadership abilities without electioneering amid a natural disaster. Washington political analysts were meanwhile left playing guessing games about Sandy’s possible implications for the White House contest. The storm has complicated early voting already underway in Virginia and Florida and could depress voter turnout in areas with power cuts and debrisclogged roads.

On Tuesday, the president met American Red Cross workers in Washington DC and held briefings with disaster-relief managers, as well as the governors and mayors of affected areas, just as he offered his thoughts and prayers to those affected, telling them: “America is with you.” He was expected to tour disaster areas in New Jersey yesterday, accompanied by the state’s Republican Governor Chris Christie, who has praised Obama’s response to the storm as “outstanding”. Analysts were of the opinion that such plaudits from a popular Republican governor, touted as a possible 2016 presidential candidate should Romney lose, represent useful publicity for the Obama campaign. Storm aftermath permitting, Obama is still scheduled to hold rallies today in Nevada, Colorado and Ohio while Romney is meanwhile heading to Florida. The former governor of Massachusetts was scheduled to stage at least three rallies in that critical swing state yesterday. The Republican candidate had gone ahead with an appearance on Tuesday morning in Kettering, Ohio, far from Sandy’s reach, although it was converted from a political rally to a storm-relief event. The gathering was not entirely stripped of campaign trappings - there was a biographical film about the candidate, and a country music singer who was originally booked for the rally still turned up to perform.

...He deserves Americans’ votes – Howard

astor Ted Howard believes President Barack Obama deserves the votes of Americans in his re-election bid. Howard, who pastors a Pentecostal church in Buffalo, New York told National Mirror at George Bush International Airport in Houston, Texas yesterday that Obama has successfully steered the ship of America in a difficult period, noting that a change of leadership may affect policies in medi-

care, economy, education among others. “I’m going to vote for Obama. Not just that he is a Black American like myself but he has steadily piloted the affairs of Americans faithfully. “He has fought economic recession, terrorism and he’s giving hope to the poor and middle class. He has also changed the values of the Blacks,” Howard told our correspondent on his way to Chicago from Houston.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Obama, Romney resume campaign after storm

fter Hurricane Sandy forced President Barack Obama and his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, to suspend campaigns ahead of the November 6 election, the duo will resume and intensify their campaign for the coveted seat today. While President Obama will resume campaigning with stops in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Boulder, Colorado and Las Vegas, Romney will resume campaign in Virginia. The president cancelled campaign events yester-

day to assess damage from Superstorm Sandy in New Jersey with Governor Chris Christie. Republican presidential candidate Romney will attend a campaign rally at Integrity Windows in Roanoke, Virginia and Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia. According to a statement made available to National Mirror in Washington DC yesterday, Romney will also attend a Victory Rally at Farm Bureau Live Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

REPORTING President Obama had cancelled a stop in the swing state earlier scheduled for Monday as a result of Hurricane Sandy. While Obama has been off the trail, Vice President Joe Biden cam-

paigned in Ohio Monday. He was scheduled to campaign in Florida yesterday. Former President Bill Clinton also campaigned for the president in Florida and Ohio on Monday and Minnesota Tuesday.

Romney in Iowa

Sandy steals spotlight from Romney

xactly a week away from Election Day, and campaigning is on pause. The candidates themselves, at least, are restraining themselves from overt politicking - but the calculation for each man is very different. The White House says that the president was updated through the night as Hurricane Sandy carved its way up the coast - signing two declarations of disaster. You can look at the politics of this positively or negatively. He really would be in trouble if people thought he was ignoring a major disaster to save his political ca-

reer, travelling to swing states to campaign instead of staying in the White House. But leading a country at a time of crisis, speaking for and to America is the very essence of what being a president is all about. So, if he does it well, it might help on the margins. He has earned praise from one leading Republican, the governor of New Jersey. Chris Christie, usually a severe critic, said the president had been outstanding and deserved great credit for cutting through red tape and getting help to his state. Mitt Romney cannot re-

ally compete with that. But he showed good taste by converting an Ohio rally into a storm relief event. Supporters were encouraged to bring along canned food and essential supplies to help those trapped. As I am writing this, hurtling down the motorway to Washington (no, I’m not actually driving), I haven’t seen the event. Reports suggest it was slightly weird but, overall, got the tone right. There was no politics in Romney’s short speech. Instead, he said: “I appreciate the fact that people in Dayton got up this morning. Some went

to the grocery store, I see, and picked up a couple of things that these families will need, and I appreciate your generosity. “It’s part of the American spirit, the American way, to give to people who are in need, and your generosity this morning touches my heart.” But the tactics of respect for the storm and its victims are going to diverge. Romney risks being squeezed out of the debate and is resuming campaigning tomorrow. The president will not be campaigning. Being seen to be doing his job, and doing it well, is worth a thousand rallies.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Thursday, November 1, 2012

It’s Jonathan’s right to seek Fuel, power crises cripple commercial activities in Kano re-election in 2015 - Tofa AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

ommercial activities in the ancient city of Kano have almost ground to a halt because of fuel shortage and power outage bedevilling the Kano State capital. For nearly a week, many parts of the commercial town have experienced acute power outage, which has impacted on commercial activities. Investigation by our correspondent shows that many of the residents and business outfits have found an alternative source of power in generating sects whose fume is now suffocating the town. Some of the moribund companies which showed signs of recovery when power supply in the city improved have slumped again. In the same vein, the fuel scarcity in Kano is biting harder with most fuel stations shut, following non-availability of the product. The situation, which showed a sign of improvement a few weeks ago, became worse this week, forcing motor-

ists to abandon their vehicles as fuel price at the black market, now the only source of petrol, has soared. Vehicle owners now prefer to take motorcycles or trek to their destinations, depending on the distance. The black market operators, who have constituted themselves into a powerful syndicate, now monitor the supply of fuel to filling stations to buy it in bulk as soon as supplies are made. They move the product

to unauthorised places where prices are fixed according to demand. Almost all the filling stations belonging to major and independent marketers have been out of business in the last few weeks in the state capital, while the black market is booming. For instance, a 25-litre jerrycan of fuel hitherto sold for N2,500 now sells for N4,000 while a five-litre gallon which used to cost N600 at the black market has moved to N800.

MAIDUGURI

orno State Government disclosed yesterday that it planned to send a 15-month-old boy, Shuabu Mahmud, who was recently hit by a stray bullet in Maiduguri abroad for treatment. The boy is still carrying bullet pellet on his head since two months ago when he was hit by a stray bullet while playing in his parents’ home. Gover nor Kashim Shettima, who disclosed his administration’s plan, said Shuabu would be sent to Ger many, India or Egypt where the bullet would be removed.

KANO

ormer Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Elders Committee, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, said yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan had the right to seek the people’s mandate in the 2015 presidential election. Tofa spoke against the backcloth of the controversy over Jonathan’s speculated ambition in the 2015 presidential race. The president’s perceived ambition to remain

in office beyond 2015 has drawn condemnation from many northern politicians, including members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the North. But speaking in a telephone interview with our correspondent, Tofa, who was the National Republican Convention, NRC, presidential candidate in the aborted 1993 General Ibrahim Babangida’s transition, said the decision to contest the 2015 presidential election was Jonathan’s. According to him, no other person has the right

Wife of Faskari Local Government chairman, Hajia Sa’adatu Faskari-Ahmad (left), and 46-year-old Malama Delu Alhaji of Namanda Village who gave birth to a set of triplets In Katsina State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Bullet on the head: Borno to treat 15-month-old boy abroad I NUSA N DAHI

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST

The governor also directed his special adviser on health to find out the cost of carrying out the operation in those countries. The attention of the governor was drawn to a story on Shuabu in the papers on October 14 entitled: “Maiduguri boy struggling to survive with bullet on the

head.” He immediately called the Director of State Security Service, SSS, in Borno, Ahmed Abdullahi, who helped him get in touch with the family. Shettima also offered the father of the boy, Mahmud Ibrahim employment with the state government.

IGBAWASE UKUMBA

by the foundation to Nasarawa communities, is fully equipped with modern equipment such as a cassava greater, heavy-duty cassava pressers, cassava sifters, fermentation racks and stainless steel fryers. It also has a 5,000-litre water storage tank with a standalone electricity generator to ensure continuity of power whenever the public source

Gombe plans anti-snake venom laboratory DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

ombe State Government is planning to establish a laboratory to research into the manufacture of anti-snake venom in Kaltungo Local Government Area to reduce deaths resulting from snakebites. Located in the snake belt area, Kaltungo is renowned to be home to various types of snakes that have killed many

people in the area and its environs. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Kennedy Ishaya, disclosed this in Gombe while fielding questions from newsmen on efforts of the government to improve the Kaltungo snakebite treatment hospital. He said the government had also approved the construction of a 300-bed hospital for the treatment of snakebite victims in Kaltungo, which would also cater for seven

Foundation donates cassava processing plant to Nasarawa community

LAFIA

he British America Tobacco Nigeria, BATN, Foundation yesterday donated a cassava processing plant to Ezzen community of Bukan Sidi, Lafia in Nasarawa State. The plant, which is the second project donated

to demand the President’s exclusion from the race. He said: “The way I see it, if the President intends to seek re-election in 2015, it is his legal right. If he also decides not to contest again, it is also his right. The best anybody can do in the circumstance is to mobilise and wait for him at the poll and vote him out.” Tofa took a swipe at those calling on the President to resign on account of the state of insecurity in the county. According to him, such call is not only baseless but reckless. He said: “There is no way you can ask the President of a country who was voted into power and occupying the seat through popular mandate to vacate it. “So, as far as I am concerned, he should ignore such calls or any other actions suggesting he should resign as the President of the country. His critics and others who feel the same way should arrange and ambush him as the polling centres so that they can get him out through the ballot. “No matter how he got the popular mandate, he is an elected President and so no one individual or group has the people’s mandate to request the President’s exit from Aso Rock.

fails. Inaugurating the project in Lafia, the state capital, the BATN Foundation Chairman, Dr. Christopher Kolade, said the cassava processing firm “will greatly improve efficiency in the processing of agricultural produce as well as reducing wastage and increase productivity. The new system of processing cassava into garri and

other derivatives will engender higher product quality, higher income and better quality of life for members of Ezzen community.” The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Ahmed Tijani Usman, said the collaboration of Nasarawa State Fadama III project was not by accident as the state was one of the highest producers of cassava in the country.

neighbouring states. The commissioner explained that the hospital, when completed, would attend to patients from Gombe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Borno, Taraba, Nasarawa and Yobe states, who constituted sixty per cent of patients patronising the existing hospital. Ishaya pointed out that the hospital would have five special consulting rooms for the cardiologist, physician, surgeon and two rooms for research. The commissioner explained that there would also be a museum for keeping snakes which would be attached to the office of the Medical Director to enhance research. He said: “Even though the Federal Government has declared Kaltungo as a centre for the treatment of snakebites, a lot still needs to be done to save the lives of the victims.”

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror “The children of the poor that we fail to encourage to go to school today will later turn out to be monsters that will one day consume us.” BORNO STATE GOVERNOR, KASHIM SHETIMA

NYSC member petitions SSS over illegal detention FRANCIS SUBERU

member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Alli Opeyemi Bello has petitioned the Director General of the Nigeria State Security Service (SSS), Ekpeyong Ita over his purported unlawful arrest and detention by the agency. Opeyemi who was arrested and detained by SSS operatives in Lagos between September 18 and 26, 2012 was alleged to have participated in a robbery attack on one Kolawole James at Airport area in Abuja on August 15, 2012. Kolawole had alleged that he and an unnamed Alhaji were robbed of their personal belongings, including a BlackBerry Bold 2 phone, an Ipad and an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Card. His statement at the SSS office in Abuja where the matter was reported had it that the robbers who attacked him drove him and the other victim to a nearby bank and made them withdraw money from their accounts via ATM. The

statement also noted that the robbers are fluent speakers of Hausa language. Upon investigation, the purportedly stolen BlackBerry phone was traced to Opeyemi, a youth corps member living at Fagba area in Agege, Lagos. He was then arrested on September 18, 2012 and detained for nine days. Exonerating himself from the robbery allegation, Opeyemi, in a petition dated September 29, 2012, said he was at his primary place of assignment, as a corps member posted to Starfield College, Agege, Lagos, on the day the purported attack took place; saying evidence abounds that he reported for work at the college on the fateful day. The petitioner, who explained that the phone in question was presented to him by his sister-in-law, one Mrs. Oluwatoyin Bello, also explained that, he had never been to Abuja until SSS officials took him there on September 21, 2012. Opeyemi responded to the claims by the complainant that those who robbed him drove him and the other victim to a nearby bank and conversed in Hausa lan-

guage by saying he does not speak Hausa and cannot drive, indicating that he could not have been one of the robbers. Describing the inhuman treatment meted at him by SSS officials, Opeyemi said while detained at the Shangisha office of the SSS in Lagos, he was leg chained and was only fed twice per day; adding that throughout his detention, he

was not briefed on what his offence was. “It was only when we got to Abuja that one of the SSS lawyers came to me and briefed me on the offence I allegedly committed,” Opeyemi said. When contacted, Oluwatoyin, the suspect’s sister-inlaw confirmed that he gave the BlackBerry phone to Opeyemi. Though she did not give de-

tails of how she got the phone, Oluwatoyin said: “I was the one who gave him the phone. He is my husband’s younger brother. I was surprised when the issue of robbery or no robbery came in.” However, when Kolawole was contacted on phone for his comment, he said he did not want to be bothered on the issue, saying the matter is still under SSS investigation.

Human negligence causes most fire outbreak –NEMA HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday attributed 90 percent cause of fire outbreaks in the country to human negligence. The disclosure was made by the NEMA Zonal Coordinator for South West Zone, Mr Iyiola Akande in Akure, the Ondo State capital during a workshop on fire prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The workshop which was titled “Fire Sensitisation: Changing the Negative Attitude of Nigerians towards Fire Disasters” was facilitated by officers of the state and safety services as well as officials of insurance companies. Akande, who was represented by the Principal Relief Officer of NEMA, Mrs. Bolanle Ojo said the theme became relevant due to the fact that it has been proven that over 90 per cent of fire outbreaks in Nigeria occurred as a result of

human negligence or error. According to him most fire incidents occur during the dry season without initial warnings, thereby causing great damage and losse. He however pointed out that most of the disasters could be prevented or mitigated through reorientation, change of values, cultures and practices, adding that the best agent of attitudinal change is sensitisation and awareness. He lamented high rate of fire incidents in the country which according to him has led to loss of lives, properties and livelihood. The coordinator noted that in addition to loss of lives and properties, there are incalculable indirect fiscal losses that results in unemployment, reduction of property values and loss of business income. “Since people are aware of the major causes of fire disasters, the best fire fighting technique is prevention and the best way to prevent is it to create awareness among the people.”

Commuters stranded at CMS Bus Stop following a traffic jam in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

Onitsha electronics traders sue bank for N10m NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

raders at the Onitsha electronics market, under the aegis of Electronics Dealers Associations Onitsha (EDAO), Anambra State have dragged the management of Access Bank Plc to court seeking a declaration of the court that the tenancy of the bank inside the market premises has expired. The plaintiffs, therefore, asked the court to order the defendant to pay them N10m as general damages for their continued stay inside the market, even after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed since 2005 between both parties had since expired.

In suit No. 0/295/2012, filed on behalf of the traders at Onitsha High Court, by Alex Ifeanyi Agbogu the traders are seeking a declaration of the court that by the virtue of the provisions of the MoU between the plaintiff and the defendant, the tenancy of the bank in the market premises has expired. The plaintiffs further sought the court’s declaration that in the absence of a renewal of the MoU, the defendant is no longer entitled to occupation of the premises. The plaintiffs equally want a declaration of the court that they are entitled to the possession of the said premises, now occupied by the defendant in the absence of the renewal of the

MoU, adding that the defendant should forfeit the said premises at the electronics market and vacate it with immediate effect. The plaintiffs contended that although the MoU was signed in 2005 between the management of Intercontinental bank Plc, now Access bank and the former executive of the market led by Chief Joseph Udeh, the new leadership of the market has now acquired the assets and liabilities of the market including the bank building, with the exit of Udeh and expiration of the MoU. The MOU according to the plaintiff was to last for five years, starting from 2006, when the market was opened and expired in 2011.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

FIBA 2013: Stakeholders fault NBBF over reliance on foreign pros 54

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sports festival will be more competitive and interesting if it is open to all. It will also afford our children the opportunity to know our great athletes at a close range – Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan

We’ll visit Nigeria again, say Venus, Serena YEMI OLUS

Serena (2nd left) and her sister, Venus (right), during the tennis clinic they held for Nigerian junior players at the Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos yesterday

AFCON: No automatic shirts for Osaze, others –Keshi PHOTO: ANDREW EKEJIUBA

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

uper Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi, has restated his decision that there is no automatic shirt for any player for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa. Specifically, Keshi has pooh-poohed reports that West Brom’s striker, Osaze Odemwingie, has been guaranteed a South Africa 2013 Eagles’ place. “No! There was no time I said such a thing. That a player has a shirt in the Nations Cup squad when we have not even entered camp?

“No player is guaranteed a shirt for the Nations Cup. Any player invited for the Nations Cup final camp must prove on the pitch that he deserves to have a shirt,” Keshi told MTNFootball.com yesterday. Odemwingie last played for Keshi in a Nations Cup qualifier in February in Rwanda and has since not featured for the Eagles again. The Eagles coach has since said that the striker was not ready to play for the country after he failed to get back to him as regards his availability for the AFCON qualifier in Liberia in September.

On the much-talked about training base for the AFCON, Keshi confirmed that the Eagles will first train in Faro, Portugal, before they fly down for a final build-up in South Africa. “We will camp in Portugal and from there head to South Africa,” he said after his choice of Zimbabwe was overruled. He has called up 24 players from the Nigeria Premier League for training beginning on Sunday in Abuja for the friendly against Venezuela in Miami, USA, on November 14.

verwhelmed by the love and massive support they have received from their teeming Nigerian fans, tennis stars, Venus and Serena Williams, say they look forward to visiting the country again in future. The international tennis champions disclosed this at a press conference held at the Federal Palace Hotel yesterday in Lagos. The sisters are in Nigeria from October 30 to November 2 as part of a planned African Tour which is the first leg of the recently launched ‘‘Breaking the Mould’’ (BTM) campaign, a women’s empowerment initiative that is aimed at motivating women achieve their set goals. The older of the sisters, Venus, who is currently ranked 24 in the world and has seven singles Grand Slam titles to her name said, “It’s so exciting to be here and it’s amazing to see how loved we are here in Nigeria. I’m looking forward to meeting people here and launching the Breaking the Mould campaign in Nigeria.” Her sister, Serena, with whom she has won 13 Grand Slam titles in the women’s doubles, recently won the Istanbul title and Venus says the duo will concentrate on staying healthy in order to defend their Olympic title in Rio come 2016: “Well I love what I do and I always give my best each time I go on the court. It’s amazing to have won those titles and the hunger to win more still burns more in us. Our goal is to be at the next Olympics in Rio and perform well there. That’s why we want to stay healthy to defend our title.” The sisters thereafter proceeded to Ikoyi Club 1938 where they engaged children in the beginners and intermediate classes in the rudiments of the game.

Minister pledges to implement retreat report EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

T Odemwingie

he Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has pledged to faithfully implement the recommendations of the sports sector retreat which held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last week. In a statement sent to National Mirror by his SA Media, Julius Ogunro, the minister said he was confident that the retreat would not turn out to be a mere talk shop as he was committed to ensuring

that the outcomes were fully implemented for the benefit of Nigerian sports. “The least we could do to repay the kind of confidence Mr. President has invested in us and the extraordinary commitment he has shown for sports development is to ensure that the recommendations are fully implemented,” he said. Abdullahi added, “It is true, like many have pointed out that we have had several sports retreats or conferences in the past, but this is the first time that a sports retreat was hosted by a Nigerian President. It must also be noted that Dr. Goodluck

Jonathan is the first ever Nigerian President to mention sports as an important sector in the national budget.” He further stated that the retreat had provided the vehicle to kick-start the much-needed reform in the sector, which would lead to an enduring system that guarantees sustainable success in Nigerian sports. AWC: Today’s Matches Cameroun v Cote d’Ivoire Ethiopia v Nigeria Result South Africa 1-0 Senegal

Sport

Thursday, November 1, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

DUNKING

With SAYO OGUNDEJI

ACCW: First Bank coach FIBA 2013: Stakeholders fault NBBF laments poor outing over reliance on foreign pros C A s the 2013 FIBA Africa Basketball Championship gets closer, some stakeholders have voiced their displeasure over the Nigeria Basketball Federation’s style of constituting the senior national basketball team with foreign based players. Nigeria qualified for the basketball event of the London 2012 Olympics for the first time in the nation’s history and despite winning their first match against Tunisia, the team failed to make it past the group stage. While the country is blessed with abundance of talent, the Olympics was prosecuted with entirely foreignbased professionals, with majority of them playing collegiate basketball all over Europe. Though, a couple of domestic players were invited to the camp in preparation for the qualifiers and most of them took part in some of the friendly games designed to put the team in top shape for the tournament. However, all the home-based players were dropped in favour of their foreign-based counterparts, a move condemned by many who were concerned about the development of the game. And ahead of the 27th edition of the continental championship, NBBF’S First Vice-President, Muktah Kaleh, revealed the association’s resolve to invite more foreign-based players to join those who took part in the Olympic Games. But Okolo Emmanuel and Alex Ujoh , coaches of Lagos based Islanders and Chariots Basketball club, are of the opinion that the trend does more damage than good for the development of the game in the country. According to the duo, giving preference to the foreign-based players in the national team set up will not only discourage the domestic players but also deny them the opportunity of being exposed to international com-

Okolo Emmanuel

oach of the First Bank Basketball Club of Lagos, Adewumi Aderemi, has described his team’s outing at the just-concluded 18th Africa Champions Cup for Women (ACCW) as disappointing, blaming the team’s performance to the inexperience on the part of the new recruits. First Bank, who were first runners up in the 2011 edition, finished in a distant 8th position while Nigeria’s second representative, First Deepwater, also failed to build on its 3rd place finish in the last edition to place 7th. According to Aderemi, most of the players that participated in the championship are young and he expressed satisfaction with their performance, saying they have the quality to win the championship in a few years’ time. He said, “We went to the tournament with the sole aim of improving on our last performance but most of my players who joined us from abroad lack the experience needed at this stage which explains why we did not go further than we did. “But the players showed much quality and proved they can be relied upon to deliver the trophy in few years’ time if we can keep them together and I hope we improve positively in subsequent editions.” Liga Desportiva of Mozambique defeated the defending champions InterClube of Angola 53-43, to emerge the African champions on Sunday.

Nigeria’s Al-Farouq Aminu moving the ball upcourt during the Men’s Basketball Preliminary Round match against France at the London 2012 Olympic Games

petitions capable of aiding their development. “This tournament is designed to give most of the players plying their trade at home the opportunity of showing their talents and denying them of that opportunity in favour of foreign based players will not in any way help in the development of the game,” Emmanuel who has handled Union Bank of Lagos, stated. “Players like Olumide Oyedeji and Ejike Ugboja were discovered during tournaments like this and you and I have to do our best to ensure the domestic players are given equal chance to test their might against some of the foreign based lads which I believe will give the national team a much better team. “There is no doubt about the talents in the country but they need exposure and the federation must ensure it does

its best in making sure the talented ones playing at home are not allowed to waste away by giving them the platform to show their quality,” he added. Ujoh also called on the federation not to look down on the Nigeria-based players, saying they have the same quality as their foreign-based colleagues and have the right to be part of the national team. He said, “The development of the game and the players is everybody’s responsibility and we all have a part to play in making sure both improve simultaneously by giving equal chances to our players irrespective of where they are playing their game.” Nigeria qualified for the bi-annual event slated for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, courtesy of its third place finish at the last edition, held in Antananarivo, Madagascar in 2011.

18TH AFRICA CHAMPIONS CUP FOR WOMEN POSITION: Liga Despotiva - Champion Interclube - 2Nd Abidjan Basket Club (Abc) - 3Rd Primeiro D’agosto - 4Th Club Sportif D’abidjan (Csa) - 5Th Club Sportif Sfxien - 6Th First Deepwater - 7Th First Bank - 8Th Eagle Wings - 9Th Ndella - 10Th Individual Honours Top-5 Deolinda Ngulela (Liga Desportiva) Astrida Vicente (Interclube) Naseccela Mauricio - (Primeiro D’agosto) Leia Donge (Liga Desportiva) Clarisse Ambrosi (Liga Desportiva) Highest Scorer - Kani Kouyate (Csa) Highest Three-Pointer - Sene Ndeye (Csa) Highest Rebounder- Aisha Mohammed (First Bank) MVP - Clarisse Ambrosi (Liga Desportiva) Fair-Play - Ndella Bc (Gabon)

2012 African Champions Cup winners, Liga Desportiva, with their medals

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Thursday, November 1, 2012

‘Referee Clattenburg called Mikel monkey’ Sand Eagles blame NFF over Brazil loss

wo Chelsea players say they heard race-row referee Mark Clattenburg call Blues’ star John Obi Mikel a “monkey”. It is understood the pair made the claim to teammates in the dressing room after Sunday’s explosive clash with Manchester United. Clattenburg vehemently denies making any racist jibe and is confident he will be cleared by match officials, who heard his every word through a microphone headset. A source said last night: “He said nothing of the sort — and he will fight this all the way.” Clattenburg, 37, is also accused of calling Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata a “Spanish t***” during the West London side’s 3-2 defeat. The referee denies making racist comments — and believes his innocence will be proved by the linesmen and fourth match official. They will have heard every word he spoke during the game through the headset all referees wear. A source said: “There’s always a lot of noise on the pitch and the players could easily have have misheard.” Clattenburg now faces a police investigation as well as FA inquiry. He has the full backing of fellow referees amid claims that bitter Chelsea stars “ganged up” on him. TV viewers saw an angry protest by Chelsea players after Clattenburg sent off defender Branislav Ivanovic and striker Fernando Torres. An inquiry was launched into the racism claims by the FA after Chelsea lodged an official complaint. Clattenburg will

IKENWA NNABUOGOR

he Sand Eagles have heaped blame of their 6-3 loss to Brazil at the ongoing Samsung Invitational Tournament on Tuesday in Dubai on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), claiming the soccer body was insensitive to their needs. Some key players told National Mirror that they lacked motivation from the NFF as they were yet to receive a dime as allowance since they arrived Dubai last weekend. The players maintained that the Brazilians were not better, declaring that they could have prevailed over the South Americans if they had been better motivated. “It’s a pity that things like this happen but we must play for national pride,” they echoed.

“We knew we didn’t have to let the country down and hence, we played our hearts out. But I think the NFF should take us seriously because we’re representing the whole country. “We hope things will improve in the subsequent games. We really looked forward to the Brazil game but it’s a pity we lost to them. “Brazil are fast turning out to be our biggest rivals in the Beach Soccer competitions, having met them a number of times.” The win gave Brazil joint Group B leadership with Switzerland which had earlier in the day beaten Japan 7-4. In Group A matches, world champion Russia whipped the USA 9-1, while host UAE beat Tahiti 3-2. At the time of this report yesterday, the Sandy Eagles were facing Switzerland, with Brazil taking on Japan.

Mark Clattenburg brandishing a red card during the ill-fated Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 28 in London,

not be officiating at a match this weekend. The FA had hoped to bring the row to a swift end after the John Terry racism row dragged

on. But the scene was set for another lengthy wrangle yesterday after the Metropolitan Police announced it was also launching an inquiry.

Villa targets more starts for Barca ‘PSG may target Ronaldo and Mourinho’

avid Villa feels the frustration of his limited playing time this season but he again made use of his chance to shine on Tuesday night by scoring in Barcelona’s comfortable 3-0 Copa del Rey first leg win at Alaves. The clinically taken 15-yard snapshot was the Spain international’s fourth goal for his club this season, but he has yet to complete 90 minutes since his return from a long absence with a broken leg. “I am at the best club in the world and the competition to get playing time is very fierce,” Villa told reporters after the game. “We play a lot of games and we all have to give our all when the boss needs us. When I am on the pitch I try to do as well as possible.” Villa, who has now started two consecutive games for the first time since breaking his leg at the Club World Cup last December, said he hoped to make it three in a row against Celta Vigo in La Liga at the Camp Nou this weekend, but that decision would be made by Barca coach Tito Vilanova and the club’s medical staff.

David Villa

“I felt good, and able to play the 90 minutes,” he said. “I want to play as much as possible, but I am in the hands of the professionals who know what is best. There is another game on Saturday and I hope to be at my best.” At his post-game press conference, Vilanova said he was making sure he does not to over-use Villa, 30, as he builds up his match fitness.

talian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that Paris Saint-Germain could target Real Madrid pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho. The report claims that affluent side PSG could bid in the region of 100 million for Ronaldo, after being alerted by the Portuguese’s recent “sadness” at Madrid. La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests that Ronaldo, who signed for Real from Manchester United for £80 million in 2009, would be offered a salary of 18 million a year. It is alleged that the Liga champions could reinvest the money in Atletico Madrid forward Falcao, who has been regularly linked with a switch to the Bernabeu. PSG’s Qatari owners spent lavishly in the summer, bringing the likes of AC Milan duo Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to the club for around 62 million.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Isiaka Olawale

Eagles’ invite excites Tornadoes’ youngster IKENWA NNABUOGOR

iger Tornadoes kid sensation Okey Azubuike has told National Mirror that he’s delighted to be handed an invite by Super Eagles’ coach Stephen Keshi as Nigeria prepares for the international friendly against Venezuela billed to hold in Miami, USA, on November 14. The 18-year-old midfielder was invited in the 24-man team of home-based players released on Tuesday. Keshi, who spotted the kid in a league game some months back, had earlier invited the former academy

player and handed him two starts against local sides as the home-based Eagles prepared for the 2014 World Cup and 2013 Nations Cup qualifier against Namibia and Rwanda, respectively, in June. “It’s great to be invited to the Eagles again and i’m delighted to here,” Azubuike said. “I’m still a young player and I’ve got a lot to learn and getting an opportunity with the big boys will always remain a dream come true for me. “Keshi has shown great interest in me and I really feel honoured and that will only give me the great motivation to move on.

WORLD RECORD

Longest-running Man vs Horse race Vol. 02 No. 482

Thursday, November 1, 2012

N150

The longest running Man vs Horse race is the Man vs Horse Marathon, which has been held annually since 1980 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales. The race takes place over 22 miles where runners compete against riders on horseback.

Okonjo-Iweala and journey back in time

y friend Amina just returned from Japan armed with a book for me. I had actually requested she get Chinua Achebe’ autobiography, “There Was a Country”, but she was unable to get a copy before she left Chiyoda. When she sent a message on facebook saying, if I would not mind reading Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s new book, “Reforming the Unreformable: Lessons from Nigeria,” I quickly scribbled, get it! I just finished reading the Finance Minister’ account of her time as Chair of the Presidential Economic Team from 2003 to 2006, and it made for an interesting read. It is an exposition of the intrigues, hopes, fears, doubts, anger and other cataract of emotions that characterised the vision and battle of transforming Nigeria. It is less an insider’s account of that epoch and more of a personal story of the drive and passion of one woman and her colleagues to turn the country around from the incorrigible to the redeemable.

lateau State Government is planning to establish an International Sports Academy for its teeming youths, reports JAMES ABRAHAM in Jos. The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Yiljap Abraham, who disclosed

Guest Columnist

Nosa

James-Igbinadolor

The period between 2003 and 2007 was for me a period of hope, great expectations and unbridled optimism about the place and future of Nigeria. It was an age of sunny sanguinity borne out of the fact, that perhaps we were getting it right as a country. It was the age of wisdom, the epoch of belief, the season of light, the spring of hope and as Charles Dickens pronounced, “we had everything before us”. I have always believed and still hold tautly to that conviction that the Obasanjo administration of 1999-2007, remains the most promising this country has had in 52 years of nationhood. The reforms undertaken by the government whether in the economy, military, politics, civil service, etc were fundamental in character and structurally permeating. No doubt, there were seasons of despair; mistakes were made including the inability of the government to embark on much needed reforms and investment in the power sector on time. However, it is now clear especially to the well-meaning and historically discerning, that the various attempts made by the succeeding, yet ineffectual Yar’Adua administration to roll back the reforms took the country many years back and helped to build an atmosphere of desolation about the future of the country. “Reforming the Unreformable”, as told by Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, is enlightening for a Political Economist and student of Development Economics like me. As a historian and journalist, I loved the scant bits and pieces of expose, many of which are already in the public domain. From her resignation two weeks after appointment and President Obasanjo’ char-

MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS A BASIS TO HOLD HER ACCOUNTABLE WITH RESPECT TO HER MANDATE acteristic response to what he probably perceived as grand ‘hauteur’ on her part, to the process of empanelling an economic team, charting a reform strategy and driving the macroeconomic reforms, the book lets the reader through the highs and lows of the author and her team. I chuckled when I read on how her “distraught husband” reacted to the many threats she received for challenging the status quo and upturning the fetid apple-cart of corruption that dominated the morally squalid corridors of power. I was reassured when she responded to her many traducers that, “if I was regarded as ‘wahala’ or trouble to the establishment because of my desire to clean up our public finances and work for a better life for Nigerians, so be it. A trouble maker I would be.” Her book aided me to understand the public service reforms in a new light and appreciate the many important nuances without which these reforms will fail. While many fundamental changes have taken place in the civil service as a result of the reforms, alas, a lot still needs to be done to achieve the year 2020 vision of a world class public service capable of driving the policies and development agenda of government.

As a political-economist, I was interested in her assessment of the outcomes of the classical conflict between political exigency and economic realities. An archetypal example in pages 62 and 63, will make a good read for those who never tire to demand that government use tariff and non-tariff barriers to protect infant industries and expand the industrial base. Like the minister, I have always believed they never work. They did not work in the 1970s and 1980s during the height of the import substitution economy. The book covers in detail the fight against corruption as well as the push and ultimate success in the drive for debt relief. In an extraordinary political and economic tour de force, initiated by President Olusegun Obasanjo and led by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria reduced her debt stock from nearly $35 billion to less than $3 billion in 2005. The finance Minister detailed expansively in chapter six, how that astonishing feat was achieved. No doubt, along with the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector, the achievement of massive debt relief for Nigeria in 2005 stands as the most impressive accomplishment of the administration. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, concludes by identifying critical factors necessary for reforms to succeed especially in developing countries. Of the ten critical success factors, the most important for me is ‘Communications’, that knowledge and ability to sell a project and get the public to buy into it. “Reforming the Unreformable: Lessons from Nigeria” is an important contribution to the modest literature on the political-economy of Nigeria. As an intellectual enterprise, the book provides a platform for students and scholars of development and politics to appreciate the intricacies and fine distinctions involved in successful development programmes. More importantly, it is a basis to hold her accountable with respect to her mandate of satisfactorily managing the nation’s finances based on previous lessons learnt. Nosa James-Igbinadolor can be reached at jamesigbinadolor@aol.com

Sport Extra

Plateau plans sports academy this to journalists in Jos yesterday, said the move was part of the state government’s concerted effort to boost youth development through sports. According to him, the state gov-

ernor, Jonah Jang, has already approved the constitution of a committee, including ex-football star, John Fashanu that will scout for and recommend a suitable land for the location of the academy.

He said that members of the committee which comprises two commissioners, two lawmakers and a special adviser has the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. John Clark Dabwan, as Chairman.

Governor Jang

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