Tuesday, 2 435 AJungue s7t, 2 280, 1 210 1 2 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Foreign reserves hit N38bn Monthly ATM transactions volume now 110m

ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

T Okonjo-Iweala

Vol. 1 2 N0. 115 435

he nation’s foreign reserves increased by 4.25 per cent monthon-month to N38bn as at Friday, according to latest fig-

ures from the Central Bank of Nigeria This is up from N36.39bn one month earlier, due to strong oil prices forex inflows from non-Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, sources to the official mar-

IBB destroyed Nigeria’s oil sector –Buhari P.12

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ket; including banks and oil firms. The figure is the highest this year and follows monetary policy tightening measures introduced by the CBN. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Tuesday, August June 7,28, 2011 2012

Govs’ll abuse state P police –Jonathan

N150 N150

ROTIMI FADEYI AND EMMANUEL ONANI

…says I’m the world’s most criticised President SOMETIMES I ASK, WERE THERE ROADS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND JONATHAN BROUGHT FLOOD TO WIPE OUT THESE ROADS WITHIN TWO YEARS, OR WE HAD POWER AND I BROUGHT HURRICANE TO BREAK DOWN ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE, OR IF THEY SAY BOKO HARAM IS BECAUSE OF POVERTY...

SUSPECTED KILLERS OF CYNTHIA ON PARARDE

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday justified his opposition to the establishment of state police, contending that it would be abused by state governors going by the manner they allegedly manipulated elections in their respective states. He said: “We feel that looking at the federal level and the way the governors are handling elections in their states with the state electoral commissions, where opposition parties CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

STORY ON PAGE 11

Gowon

Former leaders, govs meet over insecurity P.6

L-R: Orji Osita, Nwadiokor Chukwunonso, Okwumo Echezona Nwabufo and Ezike Ilechukwu Olisaeloka, the suspected killers of Miss Cynthia Osokogu, at the Yaba Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, yesterday. Ajimobi

Senate rejects N5,000 note

55-year-old widow hangs FG can’t end Boko Haram’s insurgency, says ex-minister self in Ibadan JTF rescues 28 kidnapped oil workers, declares militant warlord wanted P.8

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News

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Senate rejects N5,000 note

GEORGE OJI AND A ZA MSUE

he Senate yesterday said it had directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to suspend the introduction of the proposed new N5,000 notes until the apex bank “fully and convincingly explains the merits of the new currency” to Nigerians. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Currency and Other Financial Institutions,

Senator Bassey Otu, made this known while fielding questions from National Assembly correspondents yesterday. He said that the Senate believed that the project required parliamentary approval because it had numerous and fiscal implications for the entire economy. The lawmaker noted that it would be preposterous to introduce the new currency policy at a time that the new cashless policy of the CBN was yet to

be fully implemented. “So, the CBN will have to prove that the policy is not a clear contradiction or at variance with cashless society, which they are even yet to justify and whether this is the popular economic way to go. “So, we are asking and we are sending a letter to them to stop all further actions on this until the Senate of the Federal Republic is properly briefed,” Otu said. The lawmaker added that such a proposed mon-

etary policy could only be contemplated where there was a major crisis in an economy. He cautioned the CBN to be very careful in order not to send a wrong signal or message to Nigerian households, the domestic sector and even the foreign countries that the Nigerian currency was valueless, which he believed was definitely untrue. Asked if the directive to the CBN stopping the implementation of the new naira currency

L-R: Outgoing President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN); Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike and former Secretary of NBA, Mr. Ibrahim Eddy Mark, at the 52nd NBA’s Annual General Conference in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

by the Senate would not amount to encroaching on the independence of the apex bank, the lawmaker said the red chamber was concerned more with the CBN doing the right thing and not on the issue of legality as it were. “Well, actually, we are not really going to rely on laws per se, what we are trying to do here is what is best for Nigerians. “The Senate is not really against the independence of the CBN, but what we want in place is proper checks and that there should be checks and balances in all these things that we do. “So, I believe that at some point we will be able to sit down together and look at the merits and demerits, but till date we do not know anything about it and we do not know what the people stand to gain and until that is properly put through, we say everything about it must stop,” he said. Otu also recalled previous policies of the CBN on the re-denomination of the naira and coinage. “The CBN in 2008 and 2009 came up with a proposal to re-denominate the currency that was even to

take off the zeroes. “This was just 2008 and 2009 and here we are in 2012 we are seeing a kind of policy somersault even though we understand the dynamics of the sector very well. I believe that we have to be well briefed on this. “Also in 2005, the CBN undertook a major currency restructuring, which ran into billions of naira. “Till date a proper valuation has not been done to know its costs to the Nigerian taxpayers and the extent of the benefits and in that 2005 coinage, I think it did not work at all because both the goldsmiths and the blacksmiths converted the coins to molding bangles, earrings and so on etc. “So, we believe that the coinage works very well where there is infrastructure to take it, probably like a parking lot, where you go and put it etc. We have not developed that real basic infrastructure and those coins, most of them are nowhere really to be found,” Otu said. Meanwhile, the former Governor of old Kaduna State and Chairman ConCONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Governors will abuse state police, says Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

hardly win even councillorship elections, state police will be unwise. “So, if there is state police and the governors manipulate their state police the way they are manipulating their state electoral commissions, the instability that it will create, even what we are witnessing will be a child’s play.” The President’s position is contrary to that of governors from the southern part of the country, eminent personalities from the zone as well as the Senate President, David Mark, but in tandem with that of northern governors. Jonathan spoke in Abuja when he declared open the 52nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, with the theme, “Nigeria as an emerging market: Redefining our laws and politics for growth.” The President, who disagreed with the position

of the NBA President, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, on the issue, said that the country was not ripe for state police because it could be abused by the governors and could worsen the security situation. He said the police became the worse for it when the policy of deploying officers from the rank of inspector downwards to their states of origin was introduced. He said: “On the issue of state police, everybody knows I have been deputy governor and governor in Bayelsa State. “There was a time we were frustrated and we felt that we should have our police, that we would be able to manage criminality in our state better because of our local environment. “Policemen from other parts of the country find it difficult to go into the water, but for us who were born inside the water, even in the night we can enter

an ordinary canoe to go to anywhere and we feel that if we have our local police it would be better for us because our police can reach everywhere in our state. “But when I discussed the issue of state police with former presidents before a state council meeting, they said it’s a good idea that probably one day we’ll get there. That is the emphasis I want to make, one day we’ll get to that point. But presently we have to be careful on how we go about it. “Experiments have been made. There was a time when the police came up with a policy that police officers from the rank of inspector and below should be posted to their states of origin as a way of testing whether police familiar with the environment will make changes, but it was realised that when police officers from the rank of inspector down were posted to their states of origin, it

was worse off to manage the situation so the police had to discontinue that policy.” But the NBA President insisted that the President Jonathan’s argument was not enough reason to prevent the existence of state police. Daudu said: “The truth is that Nigeria is overripe for state and community police, the opponents of the state police only cite one constraint which is that: Governors would use their respective state police to perpetuate their political interests in the run up to elections. Cogent as that misgiving may appear, it is not an obstacle to the proper policing that state police will provide. “It must be said outright that a police force is not created for political objectives or for the sole benefit of politicians who are less than two per cent of the population. “A police force is created

for the maintenance of law and order to ensure free movement for the conduct of economic, social and cultural activities within the state.” Speaking at the event, Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole also opposed the creation of state police. He said: “I am not for state police. If created, it would become an instrument of state powers. Unless there is good governance and responsible leadership in Nigeria, this country will continue with the current cycle of lamentation.” However, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha supported the idea. He said: “States should have police. We cannot harness effectively, the abundant natural resources in our land, until we decentralise the powers concentrating at the centre to allow for the practice of true federalism.”

President Jonathan also said that he was the most criticised president in the world, stressing that his critics failed to understand that the challenges the country was facing have been there before he came in. He, however, promised that he would surprise the critics of his administration when the positive results of his Transformation Agenda began to manifest as from next year. The President vowed that Nigerians would remember him for good after he had left office, stressing that his administration was working very hard to bring positive changes to the country with the new policies that his administration had introduced. President Jonathan added that his critics would have the cause to praise him at the end of his administration when his Transformation Agenda would have CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Photo News

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke, flanked by the Regional Marketing Manager, SouthL-R: Chairman, Photo Journalists Association of Nigeria (PJAN), Mr. Ademola Akinlabi; Lagos State South, MTN, Kester Osahenye and his wife, Obioma Imoke, at the 2012 Leboku festival, at the Governor Babatunde Fashola and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kola Ibirogba, at weekend. the investiture of the governor as PJAN Life Patron in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun; her husband, Governor Ibikunle Amosun; wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, at the first forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation held in Beijing, China, yesterday.

L-R: Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Prof Mahmood Yakubu; Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije and Minister of Education, Prof Ruqayyatu Rufai, during the public presentation of TETFund Sponsored Journals of Professional Associations in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

National News

Why S’West may not produce CJN until 2027 FRANCIS FAMOROTI

he prospect of a judicial officer from the South-West becoming the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) in the next 15 years has been foreclosed, according to findings by National Mirror. At present, none of the Justices of the Supreme Court from the zone is listed among the most senior six justices of the apex court in line of hierarchy and succession to the CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar. Specifically, National Mirror investigation revealed that the three justices from the South West are at the mid and lower rung of the ladder on the list. The most senior justice of the Supreme Court from the region is Justice Olufunlola Adekeye, who is the eighth in the hierarchy, followed by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, the 10th and Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the 13th and most junior member of the court on the list. It was learnt that the age of the appointees to the Su-

preme Court Bench from the North and the East respectively since the mid70s is about 50 years, while that of appointees from the West is approximately 61 years. Section 231(1) of the 1999 Constitution provides that “the appointment of a person to the office of Chief Justice of Nigeria shall be made by the President on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council subject to confirmation of such appointment by the Senate.” Section 231(4) said: “If the office of Chief Justice of Nigeria is vacant or if the person holding the office is for any reason unable to perform the functions of the office, then until a person has been appointed to and has assumed the functions of that office, or until the person holding the office has resumed those functions, the President shall appoint the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court to perform those functions.” Since the institution of the office of CJN in 1958, 13 indigenous Chief Justices of Nigeria have occupied the position. They are: Sir

Adetokunbo Ademola, 19581972; Justice Taslim Elias, 1972-1975; Sir Darnley Alexander, 1975-1979; Justice Atanda Fatayi-Williams, 1979-1983; Justice Sodeinde Sowemimo, 1983-1985; and Justice Ayo Irikefe, 19851987. Others are; Justice Mohammed Bello, 1987-1995; Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, 1995-2006; Justice Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore, 2006-2007; Justice Idris Kutigi, 2007-2009; Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, 20092011; Justice Dahiru Musdapher 2011-2012; and Justice Aloma Mukthar, who assumed office last June as the first female CJN. Evidently, Justice Sowemimo, who was the CJN between 1983 and 1985, is the last jurist from the South-West to attain the highest judicial office in the country. With the present composition of the Supreme Court, Justices Adekeye, Rhodes-Vivour and Ariwoola, would have attained the mandatory retirement age of 70 before reaching the upper ladder in the hierarchy of the court. Justice Adekeye, who is in her late 60s was called to

the Bar on October 21, 1968 along with the past CJNs, Justices Aloysius Katsina –Alu, Dahiru Musdapher, the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, and his predecessor, Justice Umaru Abdullahi. Justice Rhodes-Vivour (61) who is from Lagos State was born on March 22, 1951 and was called to the Nigerian Bar on June 28, 1975. He was appointed a judge of Lagos State judiciary on February 18, 1994. Justice Ariwoola on the other hand, who hails from Oyo State, was called to the Bar on July 11, 1981. Investigations showed that the early appointees to the Supreme Court Bench in the post-independence period up to the end of the civil war in 1970 were preponderantly of the Eastern region. It was learnt that the only non-Eastern and non-Igbo among the appointees of the Tafawa Balewa regime was Justice G.B.A Coker, who was from the South-West. This pattern, it was gathered, witnessed a significant reversal from about 1969 to the end of Gen. Yakubu Gowon administra-

tion in 1975 when over 71 per cent of the appointees to the Supreme Court were from the South-West. Up till 1975, the whole of the northerner region lacked any representation on the Bench of the Supreme Court. National Mirror learnt that the non-representation of the North in the Supreme Court in the early years was redressed by the Murtala Muhammed regime, which appointed two justices from the region, three from the West/ Mid-West and none from the East. The appointees from the West/Mid-West regions at the time included, Justices Chukwunweike Idigbe and Andrews Otutu Obaseki. In 1979, the principle of regional and ethnic balancing was given more consideration in appointment to the Supreme Court. Despite the adoption of the federal character principle in the appointment of the judicial officers, National Mirror gathered that the length of the tenure of the appointees seemed to have been skewed against justices of western origin. Former Speaker, Osun

State House of Assembly and a Senior Lecturer, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in a publication titled: “The Supreme Court in the Nigerian Political System 1963-1997,” confirmed that “while the age of the appointees from each of the North and the East since 1975 is about 50 years, the age of the appointees from the West is approximately 61 years.” He also pointed out that while the two justices with the longest tenure on the Supreme Court in recent years have been Northerners, the two with the shortest tenure are mainly from the South. National Mirror learnt that the consideration of age and length of time is important, since they invariably determine the seniority among the justices and ultimately the possibility of appointment to the highest office of the CJN. A Lagos lawyer, Mr. Steve Adaramoye in an interview said: “The seniority or turn by turn appointment to the office of CJN often institutes mediocrity and does not bring out the best in the apex court and the judiciary.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Governors will abuse state police, says Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

yielded fruit. Jonathan said that the criticisms had helped him to be focused and determined to achieve only the best in the interest of Nigerians. He said: “I think I am the most criticised President in the whole world but I will tell this audience that before I leave, I will be the most praised President. “I have experienced that before in my journey as a governor in Bayelsa State and I told people that are close to me that my first 12 months especially, please cover your ears because you will hear all kinds of

things but as we progress, you will see. “We are working very hard to stabilise power. We are working very hard to resurface our roads. We have security challenges, which we are also working very hard to bring it to reasonable control. “It is not easy and you don’t have the magic wand that probably with a wave of the hand, ill health will go away and prosperity will appear but in pure governance issues, it takes time, sometimes people who have held offices in government criticise me sometimes to the extent of personal abuses.

“Sometimes I ask, were there roads across this country and Jonathan brought flood to wipe out these roads within two years or we had power and I brought hurricane to break down all the infrastructure or if they say Boko Haram is because of poverty; were there massive irrigation projects where agriculture can thrive and massive farms and Jonathan brought drought to wipe out these farms under two years, is it possible? “Well, time will tell but what I can tell Nigerians is that let those who criticise continue to criticise. We will do our best and as we

progress, Nigerians will know the truth and will see that we are committed and we will surely transform this country.” The President stated that he promised to deliver free, fair and credible elections before the conduct of the 2011 general elections and the assessment of the polls by local and international observers was a testimony that he kept his promise. According to him, his administration had put policies and new structures in place that would ensure the political, socio and economic transformation of the country. Jonathan said the Fed-

L-R: President Boni Yayi of Republic of Benin and President Goodluck Jonathan during the Beninioise’s leader’s visit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

Foreign reserves net N37.8bn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The reserves have continued to grow gradually since July 24 when the apex bank’s Monetary Policy Committee reduced the amount of foreign exchange banks can hold as a percentage of their shareholders’ funds to one per cent from three per cent and increased their cash reserve requirements to 12 per cent of total assets from eight per cent. The measure would give the CBN a breather from pulling from its foreign reserves to defend the naira at the forex market. The bank also barred banks that borrowed naira funds from its official window from using those funds to buy dollars at its bi-weekly auction in a bid to crack down on currency speculation. Analysts said the reserves gained as a result for sub-

stantial dollar sales on the official market by banks seeking to comply with the CBN’s directive to reduce their net open position, NOP, from three to one per cent. “The tightening of monetary policy has been very effective in terms of keeping the exchange rate fairly within the band, which damps the impact of imported inflation,” the CBN governor said. CBN sells foreign currency at a bi-weekly auction to keep the naira within a three per cent band around N155 per dollar. “Nigeria’s foreign-currency reserves have reached more than $40bn for the first time in a long time,” Sanusi said. “We hope if we can build up the reserves, maintain a fairly stable exchange rate, and we see inflation come down, then we can look at the situation in

the next two to four month months.” The Executive Secretary of Financial Market Dealers Association, Mr. Wale Abe, had predicted that the reserves will increase on crude oil prices and WDAS funding. Meanwhile, the naira strengthened against the U.S. dollar on the interbank market on yesterday, supported by dollar sales by some local units of foreign banks selling to stay within their stipulated open position limits. The currency closed at N157.90 to the dollar, the same level it was at last Wednesday and firmer than the N158.35 it closed at on Friday. “Some foreign banks sold dollars in the market today (Monday), possibly from the inflows they got from their offshore clients and this

helped strengthened the naira value,” one dealer said. The naira has been trading within the band of N157N158 to the dollar since the Central Bank introduced tighter measures to control naira liquidity in the system and a rising offshore interest in local debt on the expected inclusion of Nigeria’s debt in JP Morgan’s emerging markets government bond index from October. JP Morgan said two weeks ago that it plans to include Nigeria in its Government Bond Index - Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) from October, potentially bringing up to $1bn into one of Africa’s most developed debt markets. At the bi-weekly foreign exchange auction, the Central Bank sold $250m at N155.80 to the dollar, compared with $120m sold at the same rate last Wednesday.

eral Government had proposed a new Anti-terrorism Bill 2012, which would address the current security challenges being faced in the country. He urged the NBA to review its rules of engagement, which bars its officers from getting directly involved in the government of the day either in advisory or participatory capacity. He disclosed that he had appointed Daudu as Honorary Legal Adviser, but he declined to take the offer base on the rules of engagement of the NBA. The President said he was still willing to appoint the incoming president of the association to the position if the rule was reviewed. Earlier, Daudu, apart from advocating state police had called for the devolution of the power of the office of the President for the country to achieve peace, security and economic progress. In his remarks, he contended that the office of the President of Nigeria is the most powerful office when compared to other countries of the world practicing presidential system of government. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN) in his goodwill message said the theme of the conference took cognizance of the synergy between economy, law,

government and the private sector. He pointed out that the position of Nigeria as an emerging market in the globe was not in doubt and therefore stressed the need to review the nation’s business laws to attract the investments. He said his office had taken various initiatives towards drafting relevant laws that will make Nigeria favorite investment destination for investors. Guest speaker at the conference and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, aligned with the position of Daudu on the need to defuse the power of the office of the president for peace, security and development of the nation. Kukah proposed creative instruction and courage by the government and the governed to decide whether they need a new constitution to forge ahead or a review of the existing one. In his keynote address titled, “Nigeria, an emerging democracy,” former Central Bank Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, said that Nigeria is an economic miracle waiting to happen. He said for the national miracle to happen, the political class must be creative and initiate programmes that would win the trust and commitment of the followership.

Senate rejects N5,000 note CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

ference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Alhaji Balarabe Musa yesterday called for the removal of CBN Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, over new N5,000 controversy. Musa, a professional accountant, described CBN’s introduction of N5,000 currency as an economic suicide that would hit Nigerians hard if Federal Government approved the proposal. The elder statesman, while speaking with National Mirror in Kaduna, said opposition parties were too weak to challenge Federal Government’s negative policies for the masses. He said: “The CBN governor has engaged in so many symbolic issues in this country. The N5,000 note

announced by the CBN is unnecessary at this critical time. “Secondly, the N5,000 note will aid Nigerian politicians to steal money easily even more than before. Thirdly, there will be more inflation. “What you have in Nigeria is civilian dictatorship; not positive but negative dictatorship. It is only in this country our so- called leaders wake up and announce what they want to do without due consultations. “The Federal Government did it in the name of privatisation and got away with it and this N5,000 note too they will succeed because there is no strong opposition to challenge government’s negative policies for Nigerians.”

National News

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jonathan, Obasanjo, IBB, Gowon, others meet over insecurity JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

resident Goodluck Jonathan, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon and former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, among other eminent Nigerians are expected to begin discussions today on how to tackle the security challenge facing the country. The event, which will

hold at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru near Jos, ends on Friday. Other eminent personalities at the three-day roundtable include all state governors, ministers, traditional rulers, serving and retired security chiefs, some senior serving and retired military and paramilitary personnel, serving and retired inspectors-general of police, chairmen of all political parties, as well

pressure groups and youth organisations. The discussion, tagged: “Eminent Persons, Expert Group Meeting on Complex Insurgencies in Nigeria,” according to the Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Dr. Shola Adeyanju, will x-ray causes of insecurity in Nigeria, its peculiarities and come up with practicable solutions. Adeyanju, who briefed journalists at the institute

yesterday, said the discussion was an attempt at a holistic approach to solving the insurgencies in the country. He said experts from the various regions with identifiable peculiar security situation would speak for each region. According to him, Col. Bello Fadile (rtd) will speak on “Insurgency in Nigeria: The OPC Experience,” Professor Uzodinma Nwala will focus on “Insurgency

in Nigeria: The MASSOB Experience, while Professor Emevwo Biakolo and Professor Adamu Uba Abdullahi will attempt to x-ray the experiences of insurgency in the Niger Delta and the Boko Haram phenomenon respectively. Adeyanju added that the keynote address on “Understanding Insurgencies in Nigeria: Nature, Types, Dynamics and the Way Out,” would be delivered by Ambassador Oladapo

Fafowora, while the dynamics of the insurgencies would be handled by experts in various field. He said: “The idea is to look at the insurgencies in Nigeria from all the dimensions, economic, political, sociological, and bring everybody together to know the way out and at the end will be able to come out with a communiqué on Kuru declaration on strategies on counter-insurgency.”

40m Nigerians get permanent voters’ cards soon –INEC KUNLE A ZEEZ

L-R: Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega; National INEC Commissioners, Dr. Abdulkadir Oniyangi and Amb. Lawrence Wuruku, at the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan Retreat in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Monthly ATM transaction volume hits 110m KUNLE A ZEEZ

olume of transactions by the banking public on the over 15,000 Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, deployed by commercial banks in Nigeria reached 109.5 million at the end of July. The ATM transaction volume is contained in the latest Payment Channel and Transaction Volume data from the Nigerian Inter-bank Settlement System, NIBSS. The data shows the various electronic payment channels being used in the country by Nigerians and the number of times those channels were used for transitions on a monthly basis. According to the data, transactions on ATM top the chart with a monthly transaction volume of 109.5 million; Over the Counter, OTC, withdrawals came second with 72.4 million transactions while cheque came third with 29.1 million of transaction volume. Transactions carried out through the web averaged 2.7 million times monthly and came fourth

while transactions on about 14,000 active Point-of-Sales, POS, terminals in the country came fifth with monthly transactions of slightly over one million. Speaking on the development, the Chief Executive Officer of InterSwitch, Mr. Mitchell Elegebe, said, looking at it from all angles, the data was an indication that more Nigerians were developing card culture as the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, prepared the economy for a cashless policy aimed at reducing the quantity of physical cash in circulation. However, the Executive Director, Business Development, NIBSS, Mrs. Christabel Onyejekwe, said the country was witnessing slow adoption of the cashless economy. According to her, to boost e-payment transaction volumes, there was the need to address the challenge of poor awareness on the part of the operators, especially in the informal sector. She added that there were also challenges with inter-operability of networks from the telecommunications operators.

It was gathered that monthly ATM transaction increased from less than 17 million transactions per month to over 110 million transactions monthly in the last four years. In July 2011, available records showed that the volume of ATM transactions stood at about 100 million. According to industry analysts, the increase in the volume of ATM transactions over OTC transactions was an indication that the economy is recording faster adoption of electronic channels of financial transaction in recent years. With overall transaction processing for banks and other financial services projected to surpass $15bn (N2.4trn) by the end of 2012, analysts are of the view that the extent to which more electronic payment channels such as POS and ATMs are deployed and made accessible to card holders will determine the achievement of the target. Early this year, the CBN, in pursuit of its cashless policy initiative, had charged commercial banks to deploy additional 75,000 ATMs across the country to

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

bout 40 million of the 73.5 million registered Nigerian voters during the 2011 general election would be issued with permanent biometric chip-based voters’ cards before the end the year while the remaining 33.5 million would be given out in 2013. The move is part of the strategic plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to tackle all kinds of irregularities that Nigeria is famous for when it comes to conducting elections. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed this in an interview at a two-day INEC 2012 Strategic Plan Retreat, which began in Lagos yesterday. Jega, who described the initiative as ‘unique and first of its kind in Nigeria’ said already, the contract for the production of the biometric chip-based vot-

ers’ card had been awarded by the commission. The chairman added that the scheme would bring more efficiency and credibility into the conduct of elections in the country. He said: “With regards to the permanent voters’ register, we are working assiduously on this. If you are aware, when we did the registration of voters in January and February 2011, we registered about 73.5 million voters. We intend to produce permanent voters’ cards for all registered individuals and we would ensure that everybody registered gets a permanent voters’ card. “We have already given out the contract as I speak with you, and we hope that before the end of this year, we will commence the distribution of the permanent voters’ cards for about 40 million registered voters. By next year, we hope to be able to complete the production of the rest of the permanent voters’ card.”

2015: PDP sets benchmark for govs, lawmakers OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

head of 2015 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that only governors and lawmakers who had performed beyond average would be guaranteed the party’s tickets for re-election. The party, which turns 14 on Friday, also called on all its members in public offices to go the extra mile in ensuring the faithful and accelerated translation of its manifesto to meet the expectations of the people. Its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said in a statement that the 2015 re-election ticket for PDP members would be anchored on credible performance while non-performing appointed officials

would be shown the way out and would be blacklisted. He said: “This is the dominant operative principle and preoccupation of the current leadership of our great party under Dr. Bamanga Tukur.” According to him, the onus of lifting the flag of the party higher rests squarely on the party’s elected and appointed officials at the three tiers of government. Metuh added that the PDP was determined more than ever to make party members in positions of authority conform to an irreducible performance minimum. He said: “Recall that upon our election in March this year, our National Chairman in his acceptance speech promised that the opportunity given to us to serve was a historic

chance to give a new direction to the leadership of the nation as a ruling party. “Despite commendable levels of achievements, we must concede that a lot still needs to be done. Nigerians are asking their leaders to make personal sacrifices and self-denials and the PDP now demands it. Our focus on the performance chart of our members in government is a crucial pedestal to achieving our pact with the people whose mandate we have. “This opportunity of our 14th anniversary therefore is golden in restating the zero tolerance of our great party for non-performance. It is ample for an in-house reckoning, self-assessment, a mirror unto ourselves, and in restatement of our determination not to let the people down. “

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

$15m bribe money: FG, Delta govt canvas arguments today EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

ustice Gladys Olotu of a Federal High Court in Abuja today, adjourned till tomorrow arguments on the alleged $15 million bribe offered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), by the former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori. The adjournment was consequent upon a request by the Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice of Delta State, Chief Charles Ajuya (SAN). He prayed the court for the short adjournment to

enable him serve fresh hearing notice on the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It will be recalled that on Monday, August 13, Chief Ajuyah had moved a motion seeking an order of court awarding the $15 million bribe sum to the state. The motion was supported by a 35-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Nikiru Bridget Emakpor, a legal officer in the Delta State Ministry of Justice. In the said motion, Delta State argued that the amount in question belongs to the state, since it was

doled out by Chief Ibori when he held sway as the chief executive of the oilrich state. It cited instances where the Federal Government awarded such forfeited funds to Plateau and Bayelsa States, when Chiefs Joshua Dariye and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, as respective governors of the two states, were found to have mismanaged state funds. Part of the affidavit reads: “That the said $15 million is the property of Delta State government and Delta State government is entitled to collect the said amount as the bonafide owner of the said money.

“That the applicants commenced investigations against Chief James Onanefe Ibori during his term in office. “That on or about the 11th of December, 2007, the applicants filed a criminal charge at the Federal High Court against Chief James Onanefe Ibori in Charge No. FHC/KD/81C/2007 and on 13th December, 2007, Chief James Onanefe Ibori and others were arraigned before the Federal High Court, Kaduna. “That on 17th December, 2007, Chief James Ibori filed an application for bail and the applicants opposed the appli-

cation and exchanged affidavits including the two affidavits exhibited along with the motion ex parte herein. “That in the proof of evidence filed along with the charges, Ibrahim Lamorde, who is currently the Chairman of the 3rd applicant, stated that the said sum was collected by him from Dr. Andy Uba. The said statement is exhibited and marked as “Exhibit DTSG 1.” “That on 11th February, 2008 the Federal High Court admitted Chief James Ibori to bail. “That thereafter the applicants applied to

amend the charges filed against Chief James Ibori and that the amendment of the charges occurred severally on 11th January, 2008 increasing the counts from 103 to 129 counts and on 12th March, 2008 from 129 to 170 counts. “Notwithstanding the depositions contained in the affidavit sworn to by Chief James Ibori in his affidavit of 10th January, 2008, the applicants did not accept the facts deposed by Chief James Ibori. The applicants pressed on the charge in respect of the $15 million and Chief James Ibori was put on trial on that count, among others.”

Evidence against Okupe, incontrovertible, says ACN FELIX NWANERI

he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to give reasons why he is yet to fire his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe in the face of incontrovertible evidence that he swindled the Benue State government of N886 million as confirmed by officials of the state. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said with the statement credited to the state government, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), must urgently institute a thorough investigation

of the allegations against Okupe. The party, however, expressed doubt, if the commission will investigate the presidential aide, saying: “As long as Dr. Doyin Okupe is comfortably nested at the bosom of the Presidency and speaking loudly for no less a person than President Jonathan himself, there can be no credible investigation of these allegations and this is why the President must fire him today to allow for credible investigation of the allegations.” It added: “All attempts by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the legion of hired writers and hatchet men to defend the indefensible have collapsed like a pack of cards. “Their first line of defence that the Speaker of the La-

L-R: Member, National Executive Council, Biotechnology Society of Nigeria, Prof. Olu Odeyemi; President, Prof. James Ogbonna; and Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, at the 25th annual conference of the society in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

gos State House of Assembly should also be asked to resign has been shred to pieces as in the first place Adeyemi Ikuforiji owes his office to an election and he is not an appointee like Okupe.”

JTF rescues 28 abducted oil workers

he Joint Task Force (JTF) has rescued 28 workers of an oil servicing company, Sinepoc, at Ikang Waterways in Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State. The JTF has also declared the leader of the militant group in Bakassi called ‘Lapto Marine Force’ wanted. The Commander of JTF, code-named Operation Pulo Shield, Maj.-Gen. Johnson Ochoga, announced this in Calabar yesterday while addressing journalists. He said one of the oil workers, who ran away out of fear when men of the JTF attacked the camp where the militant leader held them hostage, had been rescued. He said the worker was rescued in the neighbouring

Akpabuyo Local Government Area. “The 28th person has been found. So, all of them are safe. The one that was not immediately seen has been picked up and he is sound and safe. “They have been handed back to the oil company, Sinopec. The last person was rescued at Akpabuyo. The 27 others were rescued from the Lapto’s camp in the creeks close to Ikang. “The oil workers were kidnapped when they were going to Sinopec’s worksite located in Akwa Ibom,” he said, adding that the workers were rescued on August 25. The JTF commander said Lapito, said to be 29 years of old, had been declared

wanted. “He is declared wanted. He is not a friend to anyone, if he can take 28 Nigerians captive and this is not the first of its kind,” he added. One of the oil workers, Mr. Boniface Christopher, told journalists that their abductors seized the three boats carrying them to work at Coco River. He said the abductors forced their victims to lie down and used their raincoats to tie their faces. “As we lay inside the boat, they drove us to a place we do not know. “They later asked our driver not to drive again because he did not know the direction of their camp and one of them took over the driving,” Christopher said.

Okada riders protest ban on major highways MURITALA AYINLA

ne month after the Lagos State government signed the Lagos Traffic Bill into law that prohibits the operation of commercial motorcyclists in about 470 highways in the metropolis, hundreds of motorcyclists, popularly called Okada riders barricaded the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway yesterday to protest the ban. This development was even as the state government said it has installed an additional 15,000 road signs to the existing 10,000 across the state as part of measures to enhance easy implementation of the Road Traffic Law as well as ensure voluntary compliance by road users. The protesting Okada riders who gathered as early as 8.00 am on one of the restricted routes in

Abule-Egba area, along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway barricaded the road for hours, calling on the government to reverse the decision. There was heavy traffic along the route as the motorcyclists, who also registered their displeasure over unlawful extortion by law enforcement agencies halted traffic flow. Officials of the state security outfit, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), the police, Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) had hectic time before restoring normalcy on the road. Speaking with National Mirror, one of the protesters, Mr. Aliu Sulu, an indigene of Kastina State, said enforcing the law would make life difficult for them as many of them would be deprived of their means of their livelihood. His words: “Where do

they want us to go? I have been operating along this route for the past two years. I have no other job; this is what I use in feeding my family. The government should have a rethink; at least they can give us some period to operate and not a total ban.” Meanwhile, speaking on the road signs the state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, who disclosed this, said 15,000 road signs in addition to the existing 10,000 traffic signs had been erected in major roads and highways in the state.

Opeifa

South West

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

55-year-old widow hangs self in Ibadan

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

ragedy struck the family of Oluwafemi yesterday at Odo-Ona area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, when the lifeless body of one member of the family, Madam Juliana Oluwafemi, a widow, was found hanging on a tree at Odo-Ona bridge. National Mirror’s visit to the scene of the tragedy saw family members, friends and co-tenants of the deceased, weeping and wondering what could have pushed the 55-year-old woman to kill herself. One of the friends of the deceased, who does not want her name mentioned, said; “My friend was not owing, she was not indebtedness to anybody. She called me last week Thursday that we need to see and discuss and I told her that she was free to visit me either at home or

in the shop at her leisure. “I did not hear from her until Saturday when I learnt she was declared missing and since then we have been looking for her until we found her body here this morning. “I am quite sure that she was not indebted to anybody, what happened to her is not ordinary. Somebody somewhere is responsible for her death, and I know the person would definitely reap what he or she has sowed in due course.” Also speaking with journalists, the sister of the deceased, who refused to disclose her name, lamented that it was last Wednesday that she saw her sister last, adding; “She came to me that day and I told her that I’m going to Lagos. If I knew, I would have taken her to Lagos and possibly keep her in my house. See what has happened to me now.”

Ajimobi canvasses removal of LGs from constitution WALE FOLARIN OSOGBO

yo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has called for the removal of local government from the constitution to make it a residual responsibility of the states. He also advocated for the review of the revenue allocation formula to emphasise the derivation principle and allocation of larger percentage of resources to states. The governor made the call in a keynote address delivered at a Roundtable on Federalism in Nigeria in Chicago, United States of America, at the weekend. Governor Ajimobi, who spoke on the topic; “The Need for True Federalism in Nigeria: A Perspective from Oyo State,” said that the 1999 Constitution should be reviewed to grant more responsibilities to states. The review of the constitution, he said, should also ensure the reduction of the responsibilities of the Federal Government to common services like foreign affairs, currency, immigration and defence. The governor, while expressing support for the creation of state police, said there should only be inter-

state and federal checks and balances to prevent or reduce abuse. He said there were too many responsibilities being undertaken by the Federal Government, a situation which, according to him, had made it practically inefficient and too far away from the people. “From my experience as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 2003 and 2007, and Governor of Oyo State since last year, I make bold to say that there are too many responsibilities and resources at the federal level to allow for efficiency. “The Federal Government has become so big that it is theoretically and practically impossible to guarantee efficiency. For instance, a report has indicated that the Federal Government is executing over 1,000 projects at a time.”

National Mirror learnt that the late widow left her residence at Bembo, Apata area on Friday to Odo-Ona, where her son resided and the son later in the night went for a vigil only to discover the following day that his mother had left home. It was gathered that when all efforts to locate her proved abortive, the family contacted the Apata Divisional Police station and later declared the woman missing on Saturday.

S’West PDP kicks against another Yoruba meeting KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

he South-West chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has warned Yoruba leaders against any agenda capable of further causing disunity among the people. The party in a statement issued in Ibadan yesterday by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon. Kayode Babade, described a conference organised by a group that called itself ‘The Yoruba Assembly’, scheduled for Ibadan on Thursday as a direct at-

tack on the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) meeting convened by respected Yoruba leaders last Thursday at the Ikenne country home of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The PDP said; “Since there was a meeting of the YUF last week Thursday at the instance of Yeye Oodua, Chief HID Awolowo, holding another meeting eight days after is suspicious.” “Although, we have a lot of respect for General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), the convener of the meeting, we however, hasten to warn that any agenda

by shadowy politicians in Yorubaland capable of causing further disunity among the Yoruba people will not be supported by the PDP. “Our attention has been drawn to newspaper adverts announcing a meeting tagged; ‘The Yoruba Assembly’ at Ibadan on Thursday and we wish to state that we in the PDP are not part of the meeting. “Our reason is that the only person, whose voice was generally respected as that of the Yoruba nation was that of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”

fice touched the lives of the people in all spheres of life, particularly in education, health, security, provision of infrastructural facilities, urban and rural development and engendering rapid economic growth be rated below average”, the government queried. The state government said the politician can be pardoned for making such a misguided statement as he spoke out of ignorance since he admitted that his

ranking was sequel to “information reaching” him. The government further invited the CPC chief to pay a visit to the state and carry on an objective assessment of the projects embarked upon by the administration, including the over 150 kilometers of roads either newly constructed or being renovated, the distribution of free textbooks and instructional materials to pupils and students in public and primary schools in the state.

Ogun faults CPC chieftain’s claim on Amosun

gun State government has described as misguided and ill-informed the statement credited to the National Vice-Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mr. Rasaq Muse, on the performance of Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration. In a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, the government said the

submission by the CPC chieftain that Governor Amosun was slow in the process of meeting the aspirations of the people did not represent the view of majority of the people of the state. He said such citizens have been basking in the euphoria of the new dawn ushered in by the emergence of the Amosun administration on May 29, 2011. “How can a government, which in just one year in of-

L-R: GOC 2 Division, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Abubakar; representative of the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Sunday Idoko; exhibition coordinator, Army Combat Service Support Training Week, Lt. Col. Mohammed Adamu; Marketing Manager, Sam Pharmaceutical, Mr. Suresh Nair and Corps Commander, Medical, Maj.-Gen. Samuel Ameh, at the 15th Combat Service Support Training Week in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Community appoints new regent after sacking monarch HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

T Ajumobi

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

he people of Igburowo in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, who sacked and banished the community’s traditional ruler, Oba Akinfesola Adewola, have appointed a regent to act in the absence of a monarch. The Lisa of the town, who is also the second-incommand to the banished monarch, Chief Festus

Ogunsesin, was appointed as the regent to act in that capacity pending the appointment of a new king for the town. National Mirror gathered that the community met yesterday with the high chiefs of the town to deliberate on the way forward after the exit of Adewola, where the decision to appoint the Lisa was taken while other traditional rites had commenced on the enthrone-

ment of a new king. The people of the town have earlier on Sunday marched to the palace of the monarch and forcefully ejected him from the palace over series of allegations levelled against him. The young men and women of the community were said to have started the protest at about 6.30 am to express their grievances against the alleged high handedness of the monarch before some

youths joined them to march to the palace and forced out the traditional ruler. The monarch was said to have been made to trek some kilometers before he was led out of the town with his wives with a warning never to return to the town again. The situation was said to have been prevented from degenerating into a riot with the intervention of men of the Nigeria Police from Ore Division.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South-West

Tueday, August 28, 2012

Ogun PDP: I bear no grudge against anyone –Obasanjo FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he bore no grudge against anyone in the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Obasanjo, who said this while addressing stakeholders of the party in

Abeokuta at the weekend, also charged members of the state executive committee of the PDP under the chairmanship of Senator Dipo Odujinrin to be transparent and accountable in the running of the affairs of the party. A statement issued by the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Bidemi Osunbiyi, in Abeokuta yester-

day, quoted the former president as charging members of the executive committee to brace up because the task ahead of the party was enormous. Obasanjo’s declaration, however, came on the heels of the rumour that he had vowed never to be in the same political party again with former Governor Gbenga Daniel.

He reportedly gave the conditions which would make him align with returnees from the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN, which must be respected. The former president also said the returnees must obey the PDP’s directives ordering them to re-register as fresh members of the party in their respective wards.

The Ogun PDP reiterated that the likes of Chief Iyabo Apampa and other Daniel’s loyalists were still members of either the PPN of the Labour Party, LP. Obasanjo also spoke on his resignation from the chairmanship of the Board of Trustees, BOT, of the PDP, which he said was to enable him concentrate on international is-

sues, particularly attracting business opportunities to Africa and Nigeria in view of the happenings in America and Europe. In his address, the state PDP Chairman, Odujinrin, urged all aggrieved members to visit the reconciliation committee of the party set up to address grievances of all the interest groups.

Beware of meningitis, Lagos warns residents

he Lagos State Government has warned the public to beware of the seasonal outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis, CSM, and report any suspected case to the nearest public health facility. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who gave the warning, said CSM is a life-threatening disease which affects the thin layers of the tissue around the brain and spinal cord of an infected person. According to him, CSM is caused by bacteria and spreads from person to person through contact with discharges or droplets from L-R: Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; representative of the Ekiti State governor, Mrs. Kehinde Daramola and nose and throat of an inChairman of the occasion, Chief Sooko Adewoyin, during the 21st Anniversary Lecture on the creation of Osun State in Osogbo, fected person through kissyesterday. ing, sneezing and coughing especially among people living in close quarters, hotels, refugee camp, barracks, of life. Our focus is human had contributed to the makWALE FOLARIN public transportation and ing of the state in the past 21 development because it is OSOGBO areas with poor ventilation humans that drive develop- years. or overcrowded places. overnor Rauf Areg- ment, not machines and not He said what the state “This is to alert members besola has explained technology. was today, was the collective

‘We prioritise education, job creation to ensure growth’

why his administration has been giving priority to education, job creation and food production in Osun State. He said that the three areas were of interest to his administration because they constituted the critical foundation upon which other aspects of development could be built. Aregbesola, who gave the explanation yesterday while addressing the people on the 21st anniversary of the creation of the state, said his administration had been working hard to touch every aspect of governance to give the people a good life. He said: “Three issues, among others, have been of particular interest to us. These are education, job creation and food production. Our vision transcends now. We are looking at the future and we are preparing our people for that future where they will compete favourably with the best in every area

“If our people have quality education, are gainfully employed and are well fed, they will recreate their environment, create wealth and engender development. Our people are great and we have a history of greatness. Though the march was halted, I am very pleased that we have resumed the journey to greatness.” The governor thanked individuals and groups who

Ekiti: Contest competency test bill in court, PDP tells teachers

effort of successive administrations. Aregbesola, however, charged the people to work towards the full realisation of the dreams of the founding fathers of the state, as well as cooperate with his administration in the execution of its six-point integral action plan. He said: “The burden of taking our state to greatness, however, rests on our shoul-

ders – from the government to the citizens. We are the ones who will create the future we desire for ourselves, using our God-given resources, talents and ability.”

Kayode Titilayo, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, and the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Sango Ota Police Station, Mr. Muyideen Obe, a Chief Superintendant of Police, CSP, recently. Atere said that the ongoing reform, which placed emphasis on recommendations that would make police officers and men perform their duties creditably well, would encourage them to tackle crimes.

The bishop said the reform was aimed at improving the effectiveness of the force. Also, the Olota of Ota, who spoke through the Ekerin of Ota, High Chief B. A. Osunlabu, who led other chiefs on a courtesy visit to the Sango Ota Police Area Command, said that it was heart-warming that Jonathan had reiterated his resolve to ensure the re-organisation of the police.

ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI Aregbesola

Police reform: Bishop, monarch commend Jonathan

resident Goodluck Jonathan has been commended for his commitment to the ongoing reorganisation of the police. The Bishop of the Diocese of Awori, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Johnson Akin Atere, and the Olota of Ota, Ogun State, Oba Alani Oyede, gave the commendation when they paid a courtesy visit to the new Sango Ota Area Commander, Mr.

of the public to the seasonal occurrence of a disease called cerebrospinal meningitis and the need to protect people from it. Though meningitis belt covers mostly the northern part of the country, however, in view of the phenomenal climatic change as well as the high human migration, it is not impossible that outbreaks can occur in any part of the country, Lagos inclusive,” he said. Idris explained that the disease usually presents with high body temperature, pain and stiffness of the neck, headache, vomiting, fear of light, restlessness, and confusion. He said death might occur if not treated promptly. The commissioner therefore stressed the need for the observance of a high standard of personal and environmental hygiene as a preventive measure against the outbreak of the disease.

he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on teachers in Ekiti State to challenge in court the bill being proposed by Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration to compel them to sit for competency test. The state PDP Chairman, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, who described the proposed bill as wicked, advised the government to desist from the act of desperation to sack the teachers and other workers. Ogundipe said yesterday in a statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Femi Omolusi, that Fayemi had commissioned some people to present a bill entitled Competency Test Bill, seeking to compel teachers and others to sit for the test, to the state

House of Assembly for passage into law. But the Ekiti State Government said the allegation by the PDP was speculative as it had no fact to substantiate its claims. The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, said “every act of government is governed by law. Nobody should act contrary to the rule of law”. Meanwhile, the state government has begun moves to get the accurate data of Orphans and Vulnerable Children, OVC, with a view to planning properly for their welfare and upkeep. The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi, said over N18m had been earmarked for the preparation of such children’s bio data, adding that it would be financed by the government and some international partners.

South East

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

MASSOB denies campaigning for Jonathan’s re-election bid NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

he Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has denied that it planned to lead President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection campaign in 2015. One of the National Dailies (not National Mirror) reported recently that

MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, and the widow of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Biafra, would lead Jonathan’s presidential campaign in 2015. But in a telephone chat with journalists yesterday, Uwazuruike described the publication as false, adding that he had never met President Jonathan and discussed anything con-

cerning his presidential ambition in 2015. Describing the publication as a figment of the imagination of the reporter, Uwazuruike said: “The publication was full of falsehood aimed at distracting MASSOB because there was never a time I met Jonathan with Ojukwu’s wife, Bianca, to discuss anything concerning his ambition.

“MASSOB has no link with the Presidency because we are not politicians; we are a group fighting for the actualisation of our own freedom in a country where Ndigbo are constantly treated like unimportant people”. He added that MASSOB had never been involved in any political activities not to talk of leading a presidential campaign for

a sitting President. “It was a malicious falsehood by the writer, who alleged that Uwazuruike and Bianca Ojukwu went to see President Jonathan in Aso Rock. The writer even went ahead to say that Jonathan gave me a brand new SUV, imagine? I wish to state it categorically clear to all that MASSOB shall never be distracted by any

person or group of persons who hide under different amorphous groups to attack our noble quest for freedom” the MASSOB leader said. Uwazuruike also called on MASSOB members and the entire Ndigbo to remain calm and peaceful, assuring that soon, events in the nation would play a major role in the emancipation of Ndigbo.

Police begin manhunt for killers of ex-CBN director, trader

In his address, the Commander of AIYIM, Chukwuemeka Uga, attributed the mounting crime wave in the South-East to massive youth unemployment, abject poverty and neglect by government at both federal and state levels. Uga said: “Youths take to kidnapping and armed robbery as a result of leadership failure. Nigerian government only recognize armed struggle, which is why the Federal Government is negotiating with Boko Haram sect, just as the government negotiated with and compensated the Niger Delta militants who killed and abducted expatriates, as well as destroyed our oil installations in the Niger Delta region.”

terday sealed up some parts of the plaza shopping centre at Ekeokwu Market where the former CBN director was killed. In a similar vein, Ibeh, alias 1414 was on August 25, 2012 stabbed to death by a member of the Owerri central market guard over a fine of N50. According to an eye witness, Ibeh met his untimely death at about 7:00pm when the market guard asked him and his female friend to pay fine of N50 for closing late. Ibeh was said to have paid the N50 fine and refused to pay for his female friend on excuse that he had no other money on him. The witness said Ibeh tried to leave the market by force, but the market guard insisted he must pay the N50 fine for his female friend, pointing out that it was at this point that quarrel ensued between Ibeh and the guard stabbed him on the chest. Ibeh, according the witness, slumped immediately. Ibeh was, however, rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri, where he was confirmed died. Addressing National Mirror yesterday, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Baba Bolanta, said that those who shot the former CBN director were trailing him while he was driving in his RAV 4 car.

the indicted fuel marketers in the subsidy scam to put the interest of the nation above parochial interest. He applauded the feat recorded in the electricity generation, noting that there had been remarkable improvement in power supply following the reforms embarked upon by the Federal Government.

IGP M.D Abubakar

CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi (holding the tap) with Commissioner for Utilities, Mr. Emeka Nwankwu and other stakeholders, at the commissioning of the completed Nibo small town water scheme

Bolanta is new Imo CP CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

r. Baba Bolanta has been redeployed to Imo State as the new Commissioner of Police. He is to take over from Chris Dega, who is now the Commandant of Police Academy, Kano. Bolanta was deployed from Kebbi State to Imo. In statement signed by the Imo State Police Command’s spokesman, Vitalis Onugu, Bolanta was enlisted into the Nigerian Police as a cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1981.

he Imo State Police Command has begun manhunt for the killers of a former Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Charles Nwosu, and a trader, Mr. Uche Ibeh. Nwosu and Ibeh were allegedly murdered at the weekend in two separate incidents in Owerri, the state capital Nwosu was reportedly killed on August 26, 2012 along Douglas Road, Owerri. Meanwhile, the police yes-

Ohanaeze, youths to team up against armed robbery, kidnapping NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

he apex Igbo cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has promised to team up with youths in stamping out armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the South-East. Speaking at the weekend at the Rojenny Tourist and Games village, Oba, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, where he was a Special Guest in a one-day conference convened by the Association of Igbo Youths Initiative Movement (AIYIM), the President-General of Ohanaeze, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, said the alarming rate of these so-

cial vices had become inexplicable that they had to be tackled head-long. Uwechue noted that one other way of stamping out incessant crimes and restoring security in the region, apart from arresting the criminals and handing them over to law enforcement agencies, is to establish industries and create jobs for youths. The Ohanaeze leader, who assured the youths that plans are already on to commence the massive industrialisation of South-East, commended the youths for convening the meeting, describing it as a right move towards tackling the wave of crimes in the region. Earlier in his remarks, the Chief Host and Ogirishi

Igbo, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, said the youths occupy a critical place in the social economy of every nation and therefore should be prepared for the challenges of leadership. Ezeonwuka said that the rate of insecurity in the South-East, as reported recently by the Campaign for Democracy (CD), was worrisome and demands urgent and drastic measures to tackle. He said: “Today, we want to listen to you, the Igbo youths, and see a way we can join hands with Ohanaeze Ndigbo to find a lasting solution to the menace of kidnapping, armed robbery, child trafficking and other criminal activities in our land”.

Insecurity: Monarch urges FG to provide jobs for youths DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

he Traditional Ruler of Amala community in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe Patrick Eze, has called on government at all levels, especially the Federal Government to tackle un-

employment across the country. He urged the Federal Government to adopt economic measures that would engage the teeming Nigerian unemployed youths. Igwe Eze, who is also the proprietor of AVIA Oil and Gas Limited, attributed the security challenges con-

fronting the country to the harsh economic conditions people find themselves. The monarch said: “Government should create an enabling atmosphere for small scale businesses to thrive, which will, in no measure, add value to the internally generated revenue at all tiers”. Igwe Eze decried the fuel

crisis looming in the country, saying “NUPENG’s action is political and does not serve the interest of the citizenry.” He said the crisis was designed to distract the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan from providing good governance for the Nigerians. Eze, however, called on

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FRANCIS FAMOROTI

our suspects including two pharmacy assistants were yesterday arraigned before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for the murder of a post-graduate student, Cynthia Osokogu, daughter of Major Gen. Frank Osokugu (rtd). The accused, charged before Magistrate O. A. AkaBashorun, are Okwumo Echezona, 33, Ezike Olisaeloka, 23, Orji Osita 32, and Maduakor Chukwunonso, 25. They were arraigned on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, administering obnoxious substance, murder, armed robbery and rape. The accused were, how-

South-South

Tueday, August 28, 2012

Cynthia: Police arraign four suspects

•She will be buried Sept 7, says family ever, ordered to be remanded in prison custody pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP. Cynthia, a post-graduate student of Nasarawa State University, Nasarawa, was said to have been killed by two of the accused in a hotel in Lagos. The deceased was said to have met her assailants on the facebook. The prosecutor, a Superintendent of Police, Chukwu Agwu, told the court that the suspects committed the offence between 9pm on August 21 and 12pm on August 22, 2012 at Room C1, Cosmil-

la Hotel, Lakeview Estate, Amuwo-Odofin, Festac, Lagos. He said the suspects administered an obnoxious substance known as Rohypnol Flunitrazepam through fruit juice against the late Cynthia’s consent, which they allegedly purchased at Oxpharm Pharmacy, 32 Road, Festac. The prosecutor, who is the head, Legal Department at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, said the suspects bound Cynthia with chain and padlock.

He said: “Her hands were bound with chain and padlock, and her leg, neck and mouth were sellotaped. “The suspects gave the deceased many fist blows all over her body as well as several human bites, tortured and strangled her to death.” Agwu said Cynthia was robbed of her valuables including one Blackberry Bold 5 handset; international passport with No. A01249397 dated July 3, 2009; National Driver’s Licence with No. GRE0002AA dated March 15, 2010; pair of shoes; handbag; artificial sex toy; jewellery

pack containing three wristwatches, four rings, three pairs of earrings, one pendant, and necklace, among others. Besides, the prosecution alleged that the suspects conspired and sexually assaulted the deceased against her consent causing her grievous harm. Agwu said the alleged offences were punishable under Sections 231, 221, 409, 295(1) (2) (a) (b), 258(1), 237 and 241 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011. The pleas of the accused could be taken because the court had no jurisdiction to

hear the case. In his short ruling, AkaBashorun, who stood in for Magistrate Patrick Adekumaiya, ordered the suspects to be remanded in prison custody pending the advice from the DPP. Meanwhile, Cynthia would be buried on September 7 at Bebe, Ovia Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, the family said. Mrs. Joy Osokogu, who announced the date in Jos yesterday, advised youths to be very cautious of making friends with people they did not know.

Former Delta speaker, Igbrude, is dead AMOUR UDEMUDE ASABA

he former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Young Daniel Igbrude, is dead. Igbrude, it was learnt, died during a routine medical check-up at the newly commissioned St. Luke’s Hospital in Asaba, the state capital. According to impeccable sources, Igbrude, who drove himself into the popular hospital in his Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, for the routine check-up, L-R: Regional Operations Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Godfrey Efeurhobo; Chief Sales Officer, Mr. Inusa Bello, Delta South Zonal was pronounced dead Business Manager, Ms. Linda Umeh and General Manager, Brand Assets, Mr. Obinna Amiche, at a press conference in Warri, Delta shortly after. State, yesterday. Igbrude was one time commissioner for Lands and Survey and Urban Deto secure his freedom. our correspondent. EMMA GBEMUDU The state Police Public ReHe, however, said the YENAGOA abductors did not disclose lations Officer, Fidelis Odunbductors of the their location. na, said no arrest had been paramount ruler Another source in the made in connection with the SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN of Okordia clan community, who craved abduction. BENIN in Yenagoa Local Gov- anonymity, said it was not He said the police were he University of Beernment Area of Bayelsa certain if the family of the working round the clock nin, UNIBEN, chapState, King Richard Seiba, paramount ruler could be to free the traditional ter of the Academic have demanded a ransom able to raise the huge ran- ruler. Staff Union of Universities, of N30m to free the mon- som. A state government delASUU, has declared a onearch. It is not known wheth- egation raised by Goverday strike in solidarity with Already, women of the er the traditional ruler’s nor Seriake Dickson last Dickson clan have begun a three- family has begun negotia- Sunday visited the family community over the inci- its counterpart in the Rivers State University of Science day fasting and prayer for tions with the kidnappers of the monarch and the dent. and Technology, RSUST, the release of the tradiPort Harcourt. tional ruler. The union said in a This is coming a few daki, said yesterday that dren abandoned by the soONY ANICHEBE statement issued in Benin days after the 70-year-old T ciety on accounts of accusathe organisation’s work reUYO yesterday and signed by traditional ruler was abceived a boost on Saturday tions of witchcraft. hild’s Rights and when the ambassador inauducted at his Ikarama resiHe said: “The entire its Chairman, Dr. Anthony Rehabilitation Net- gurated a fish project it do- board, staff and manage- Monye-Emina, that the dence by gunmen. work, CRARN, a nated to the centre in Eket. Investigation showed ment of CRARN got a pat strike would take place on that on Sunday night, one Non-Governmental OrganThe fishery was con- on the back and the encour- Thursday, August 30. ASUU directed its memof the kidnappers con- isation, NGO, working with ceived to provide skills agement of the ambassador tacted the wife of the mon- vulnerable children, has training to less-privileged and by extension the Ameri- bers to abstain from work on that day to observe the strike. arch, Mrs. Evelyn Seiba, commended the efforts of and abandoned children ac- can government. The union explained through telephone and de- the United States Ambassa- cused of witchcraft by the “We are honoured by dor to Nigeria, Mr. Terence society. manded N30m ransom. his visit and endorsement that its action was in reA youth leader in Ikara- McCulley, to support underMadaki said that Mc- of our work when he came sponse to the “illegal and ma, Justice Odons, con- privileged children. Culley identified with the here on Saturday to inaugu- condemnable action of The Principal Attorney efforts of the organisation rate an ultra-modern fish- the Governor of the state, firmed this yesterday in a Rotimi Amaechi, a ‘Right telephone interview with of CRARN, Mr. Pius Ma- in protecting innocent chil- ery project at the centre”.

Bayelsa monarch’s kidnappers demand N30m ransom

velopment as well as commissioner for Information in the administration of former Governor James Ibori. Igbrude and the then Deputy Speaker, Senator Pius Ewherido, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, presided over the third Assembly before he was impeached. The impeachment was allegedly masterminded by then governor, Ibori, and the then Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, now Delta State governor. In the build up to the 2007 governorship election, Igbrude was among the 23 aspirants who contested for the PDP ticket.

RSUST: UNIBEN ASUU fixes Thursday for solidarity strike

Group applauds U.S. ambassador’s support for abandoned children

Honourable’, with the support and connivance of the Pro-Chancellor of the university, A. G. Karibi-White, a retired justice.” The statement reads in part: “Both gentlemen have thrown caution to the wind by indulging in illegality and arbitrariness in the appointment of a vicechancellor for the university. They have also chosen the path of violence with the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. B. B. Fakae, by mobilising security agents and students to disrupt meetings of the union and attack our members of that branch. “It needs to be reiterated that like every other university, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt is a product of law which must be respected and protected by those entrusted with the responsibility of governance.”

North

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Buhari blames oil sector woes on IBB, Jonathan AZA MSUE KADUNA

ongress for Progressive Change (CPC) presidential candidate in the 2011 general elections, Maj- Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday accused the former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, of destroying Nigeria’s oil sector. “The regime of General Ibrahim Babangida till date was responsible for the high level of corruption and destruction in the petroleum industry,” he said. The former Head of State also said the administration of the incumbent, President Goodluck Jonathan, contributed to the oil sector destruction. He explained that corruption found its way into the petroleum sector because Gen. Babangida, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Jonathan had the mind of cheating the masses. Gen. Buhari spoke yesterday in Kaduna while receiving leaders and members of CPC led by the House of Representatives member representing Funtua/Dandume Federal Constituency of Katsina State, Hon. Mansur Abdulkadir, on a visit ahead of the forth-

coming local government election in Katsina State. Decrying the rate at which Nigerians masses were suffering, he said education, health and other sectors were all dead compared to the era of Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. According to Gen. Buhari, for Nigeria to move forward and realise its quest for development, her people must come out with trusted leaders to steer the affairs of the nation. He said: “There is no country in the whole world where impunity strives like Nigeria. The biggest challenge of Ni-

KANO

he trigger-happy policeman, who killed a 12-year old boy, Mohammed Nassanu, on the eve of Sallah in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State has been dismissed from service. The dismissed police sergeant, Laminu Adamu, attached to Gwale Police Division is also facing prosecution at Kano Magistrate’s Court. He is charged with culpable homicide, punishable with death. Adamu’s dismissal yesterday by the police authorities followed the recommendation of the disciplinary committee constituted to investigate the killing. He has been in detention since the incident occurred. A statement by the po-

2015: Babangida endorses Lamido as Northern candidate OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

ormer Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Bababgida, said yesterday that Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido cannot reject the calls by Nigerians to contest the 2015 presidential election, Though Gen. Babangida did not mention the political party on which platform Lamido would contest the election, he said his (Lamido) qualities made him an exceptional governor in terms of providing good governance for the people. Babangida spoke in a live television programme at the 21st anniversary

of Jigawa State monitored in Abuja by National Mirror. There was, however, a mild drama when the former military governor of the state, Gen. Olayinka, was prevented by Lamido from handing over the microphone to Gen. Babangida to announce the Jigawa State governor as the next presidential candidate. But Lamido, who was seated between Gen. Olayinka and Gen. Babangida, blocked the microphone from getting to the former military President. When eventually Gen. Babangida got up to speak, he said: “You can refuse the microphone from Gen.

L-R: Former External Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi; former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido at a symposium to mark the 21st anniversary of the state creation, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Police detain officer for killing 12-year-old boy AUGUSTINE MADU WEST

geria is for adequate security to be in place and ways in which we can protect the riches of this country and provide jobs for youths so that we can build more industries as it was before. “Inability of these industries to work has brought mistrust and corruption to Nigeria. Therefore, our leaders have to be sincere and lead with the fear of God and carry all along for Nigeria to be a better place. “All leaders should stand and keep promises. We cannot move forward if things that are supposed to be put in place are not done.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

lice spokesman said the victim died shortly after he was rushed to the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano. The statement reads: “The Kano State Police Command deeply regrets the unfortunate incident in Gwale where one Mohammed Hassanu, 12, was killed by one Sergeant Laminu Aamu at the Gwale Police Division. “The incident occurred when the sergeant on vehicular patrol in the area and near the Gwale Local Government secretariat fire a shot which accidentally hit the boy. “Appropriate actions have been taken against the policeman as he has been subjected to orderly room trial. Police internal disciplinary procedure after which appropriate sanction will be decided.”

Olayinka from getting to me for the announcement, but you certainly cannot stop our prayers for you”. Praising Governor Lamido for developing Jigawa State, the former military President called on other governors to emulate him in terms of performance. He said Governor Lamido had provided quality education as well as developed infrastructure and agriculture. Gen. Bababngida equated the performance of Lamido to the achievements of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State. He said: “If it can happen in Edo State and in Jigawa State, I don’t see why it cannot happen in other states of the federation. “In the military tradition, we say, it is not the weapon, but the man behind the weapon and the man behind these performances in Jigawa State is Sule Lamido. He is the man behind the weapon”. But the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said that the party had not endorsed any person for the 2015 presidential poll. Tukur said the purported endorsement was merely media speculation.

Niger workers advised on life after retirement PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

iger State Acting Governor Ahmed Musa Ibeto has advised workers to source for other means of sustenance ahead of their retirement

in order to make life rosy after leaving active service. Speaking at the pulling out of the Director of the state Fire Service in Minna, Ibeto said that without alternative economic activity of earning a living, life could be difficult for retir-

ees. He said that it is only a lazy person that would after retirement relax and would want things to remain the same as it was when he or she was in active service. Ibeto noted that retirees could engage in various

agricultural activities such food crop farming, poultry farming and fish farming, among others, saying: “This, you will realise, will bring in a lot of money, even more than what you were earning while in active service.”

FG can’t end Boko Haram insurgency, says ex-minister •Yakassai, Dan Musa hail govt’s initiative AUGUSTINE MADU–WEST AND AZA MSUE

he former Minister of Industries, Air ViceMarshall Mahammodu Yahaya (rtd), yesterday said that only Northern leaders can solve the Boko Haram insurgency as the Federal Government may be chasing shadow in its efforts to end insecurity in the region. Yahaya also accused the administration of former President Shehu Shagari of failure to adopt strategies

aimed stopping emergency of militancy in the SouthSouth. AVM Yahaya told journalists in Kaduna at his 70th birthday that Boko Haram’s root was only known by Northerners who could stop to the sect activities. The former minister said that as students of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos, they informed the administration of former President Shagari of the environmental degradation in the South-South, but

the government failed to take action. He said: “What are the northern leaders doing? Boko Haram did not start in one day. It started from something and we ignore it. The nucleus of Boko Haram is supposed to be from Borno. What role did the governors there play? So, we have to sit down, they didn’t come from nowhere. They are children of people.” Meanwhile, two prominent Norther leaders, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai and Alhaji Abubakar Dan-Musa, have expressed optimism that the Federal Government’s efforts

at finding lasting solution to the security challenges confronting the country with the latest move to dialogue with the Boko Haram Islamic sect would succeed. They said in separate telephone chats with the National Mirrior yesterday that information from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Ruben Abati, revealed that the Federal Government had initiated dialogue with the sect. The expressed hope that with the dialogue, the insecurity ravaging the North would be addressed.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

SUPER TUESDAY Jonathan is manufacturing Boko Haram to balkanise the North – Senator Waku

14&15

Politics

Abaribe gives account of stewardship

Eight years after the contentious issue of onshore/offshore dichotomy was settled by an act of parliament, some political leaders are trying to reawaken it on the grounds that it is starving the Northern part of the country of needed funds for development to the advantage of the oil producing states of the Niger Delta, writes FELIX NWANERI.

fresh crisis looms in the polity over calls in some quarters for a review of the Onshore/Offshore Abrogation Law enacted by the National Assembly in 2004 as the nation embarks on yet another journey to amend its constitution. Those behind the call believe that disregard of the onshore/offshore dichotomy in deciding oil revenue upon which derivation is paid to littoral states will address the “imbalance that has worsened poverty in the Northern part of the country,” but the Federal Government insists that it is a plot to heat up the polity and cause disaffection among Nigerians. Indication had emerged that the issue would be a contentious one in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution, earlier in May this year when the chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State claimed that revenue from oil wells within 200 kilometres of the continental shelf which ought to be for the whole country goes to a few states. Whereas he fell short of calling for a repeal of the 2004 Offshore/Onshore Abolition Act then, political analysts knew where he was headed to. But contrary to his assertion, it is only 13 per cent of the revenue from offshore oil wells that goes to the coastal states in accordance with the act, while the remaining 87 per cent goes to the distributable revenue pool shared by the country’s component units. This means that the Federal Government gets 52.68 per cent; the 36 state governments share 26.72 per cent; while all the 774 local governments share 20.6 per cent. It was against this backdrop that many were not surprised when the governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwanso re-echoed the position last week with a disclosure that the Northern states will push for the revival of the dichotomy in the ongoing constitution review such that the littoral states of the Niger Delta comprising of Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta will receive derivation funds only on crude oil found within their land borders. Kwankwaso, who spoke in a media interview, blamed the passage of the Onshore/ Offshore bill on members of the National Assembly from the North who served between 1999 and 2003, saying they sold out even after they were forewarned on the

Jonathan

Kwakwanso

Akpabio

ONSHORE/OFFSHORE DICHOTOMY

North stokes fresh conflict consequences. His words: “If you have gold in your land and you are claiming a certain percentage to be paid to you, one can understand that. But if you have oil wells 200 nautical miles away from your land and you are claiming that that well is your own, I don’t think that is correct. “Obasanjo refused to sign the bill because it was not fair and it was taken back to the National Assembly for two-thirds. The night before, there was nothing I did not do to my members in Kano. In fact, Senator (Barnabas) Gemade, then National Chairman of the PDP called me and also called all the governors in the North to beg us to talk to all our members, seeing that our members were going to give two-thirds to the bill. “I called all our members but to my dismay they went and supported onshore/ offshore and sold out. That is the most unfortunate thing that happened to the North in this political dispensation from 1999 to date. We knew what happened. How could that bill get two-thirds without the support

of our members? The unfortunate thing is that because our capacity is so low, even those who did that are pretending to be heroes of the North.” He also maintained that the poor finances of Northern states and the attendant poverty are partly the consequences of that action. “Whether we like it or not, what we are seeing today is partly the consequence of the action of the past that made the North very poor. And I think that is what is binding the North together. We are poor, we are illiterate, we are sick; I don’t see anything that is common to us which we can mention other than these,” he said. Kwankwaso however assured that he would use the opportunity of the constitution review to push for a revisit to the dichotomy abrogation, saying: “I am personally concerned about constitutional amendment because I have the feeling that if care is not taken, many of us will be made poorer. And of course I don’t believe it is in the interest of the North; I believe it is also not in the interest of the South. “I say this because in a country where you have two sections, one for the rich and one for the poor, that is the beginning of a huge crisis. That is why we are appealing to our members in the National Assembly

WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WHAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY IS PARTLY THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE ACTION OF THE PAST THAT MADE

NORTH VERY POOR... WE ARE POOR, WE ARE ILLITERATE, WE ARE SICK; I DON’T SEE

THE

ANYTHING THAT IS COMMON TO US WHICH WE CAN MENTION OTHER THAN THESE

and all those concerned to be more cautious. I also want those who will benefit from our weakness to be conscious of the fact that the more the rich makes the poor poorer, certainly the more the poor will not sleep and when the poor does not sleep, the rich will find it equally difficult to sleep.” Agitation for more revenue by the North, like that of resource control by the SouthSouth has remained a recurring decimal in the Nigerian polity. While that of resource control dates back to the pre-independence era with the discovery of oil in commercial quantity in 1958 in the Niger Delta, the onshore/offshore dichotomy row began when the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo went to the Supreme Court and sought to restrict coastal states to onshore oil revenue as well as to establish exclusive control over offshore income from oil and other natural resources. Obasanjo, had on coming to power in 1999, refused to apply the derivation principle to offshore oil revenue. Rather, he approached the apex court to decide whether the principle is applicable to offshore oil revenue in accordance with the 1999 Constitution. But in a judgement delivered on April 5, 2002, the nation’s apex court decided that the derivation principle should not be applied to offshore oil revenue. It also ruled that the deduction of some “first line items” (funding of judiciary, funding of oil joint venture operations and NNPC priority projects, servicing of external debt and allocation to the FCT) from onshore oil revenue before the application of the derivation principle was illegal, ordering that the 13 per cent derivation should be applied to onshore gas production which had hitherto been excluded from derivation. CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

Politics

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jonathan is manufacturing Boko Haram Senator Joseph Waku was the Director of Publicity and Research of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). A former chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, he coordinated the Benue State presidential campaign of the late Chief MKO Abiola in 1993. In this interview with HENRY IYORKASE,he speaks on the impeachment threat against President Goodluck Jonathan, insecurity, corruption, 2015 elections and other national issues. Excerpts:

It appears corruption is becoming so endemic in the system. How do you see the trend? You have left out one most important thing. I don’t bother about corruption, my concern is the protection of lives and property through security maintenance. That it is the most important thing. Corruption is all over the world, but security is the most important thing. If you corruptly enrich yourself and you are not protected, what have you achieved? The people you stole from will be crying, probably you will not even be alive to enjoy the corrupt wealth you have accumulated. So, which one would you prefer? Let there be security, then we can tackle the problem of corruption because through security mechanism, corruption will be reduced. When people are happy, they move freely, they can even invest so that people will be engaged in meaningful participation in the activities of their nation and therefore the tendencies of being vulnerable to corruption will be reduced and corruption also would be reduced. What is corruption? It is insecurity, lack of jobs and what is insecurity? It is lack of jobs, so the two cannot be separated but one among them is the most important that must be tackled and that is insecurity. Therefore for the nation to come out and build its confidence among the comity of nations, it must first and foremost make sure that its citizens are well protected and then other things are internal. If there is insecurity, you don’t get foreign

Waku

You have been out of the Senate for quite a while. How has it been? My response to this question always has been that I celebrated my 66th birthday about a month ago and I spent only four years in the Senate, so how has it been for the remaining 62 years of my life? The Senate, for those four years, was very eventful and full of activities. I am not praising myself, but I will leave it for people like you, most especially, the media to assess. However, it has been a life, as far as I am concerned, noble. I never lose any sleep for not being in the Senate, because I have always been contributing to national discourse, politically, economically and socially. For me, I keep on criticising, advising and contributing to the nation’s debates on issues that cross my mind. Therefore, the only thing, perhaps, that I do tell people about my absence in the Senate is that it is not even about me; it is the Benue people that have been denied of the opportunity of effective participation in national issues through debates in the nation’s upper house, not Joseph Waku as a person. Then the nation also lost from my experience, having been in the chambers as a man who can navigate the activities through legislative responsibilities and to put the government on its toes to do what it ought to do through legislative mechanism intended to bring the government to life so that those that voted the government, if at all they did vote the government, are not shortchanged; therefore they owe the people the responsibility of good governance. For the four years that I spent in the National Assembly, it was eventful; no Nigerian in any part of this country that Senator Waku’s name would not ring a bell in his ears whenever it is mentioned. He knows without seeing me, he heard without knowing me, so what else? As a human being I thank Almighty God for what I have achieved.

TUESDAY INTERVIEW

investors; if there is insecurity even the people that have made corruption to become endemic, would not even enjoy the wealth of their corrupt practices, therefore the security of any nation, any community is the most paramount. For me, this government is only perpetuating and has made corruption legal to a point that there is no mechanism of punishing the corrupt ones because it has made it an award that who is more corrupt gets more awards. That is what the government is encouraging and why is it encouraging this? President Goodluck Jonathan was conscripted and has no plan; he did not know where to move, he didn’t know his right from the left. Definitely a country with such a leader is bound to suffer in every ramification; insecurity, job creation, instability, crisis, corruption. The government was built by corruption. The President himself came into power through corruption. How can you see a president; a leader bribing his citizens with foreign currency? It happened during the build up to the presidential election. Delegates that came to nominate the presidential candidate of their party went home with dollars. What did they manufacture to sell to earn dollars? Corruption. Therefore, from wherever he muscled that money he wants to recoup. Two scandalous things have happened in this country and Nigerians didn’t take it serious. Now, you have a First Lady who would scandalously go about claiming that she is now a permanent secretary and Nigerians would be clapping hands. Are there no mechanisms of deployment and abscondment? Is she under abscondment? Under which

law? What are we teaching the younger generation that a permanent secretary will abscond herself from her duty post? And by the way, will she be addressed as Permanent Secretary Dame Jonathan or will she be addressed as First Lady? How do you think insecurity can be tackled? If you want to tackle the security challenges in this country, it is very simple. In United States of America, many journalists are C.I.A agents, many taxi drivers are C.I.A. agents so to call it. In many hotels and restaurants, many stewards there are security operatives, but our security agents assume the position of royalty. They are rulers; they sit in their palaces and expect you and me to come and report to them and when you report they select what they want to hear and what they want to know and they never take into consideration the merit and demerit of the complaints brought to them. As a result people are fed up. You want to see the National Security Adviser of Nigeria, you would have gone to see President of the United States of America and come back. Yet you will not see him and he is supposed to be a security person. How will the security information disseminate? And let me tell you, they use these crises also to enhance their own fortunes, so they don’t bother about you and I. Boko Haram is a child’s play. Are the members not living in Nigeria? Are they not human beings, somebody is somewhere fuelling that crisis to persist for political reasons. I make bold to accuse some other parts of this country, they are the ones fuelling Boko Haram for their political gains. Particularly, they want to balkanise the North so that at the end of the day, the North will be highly insecure so they can sit in the Southern villages and thumb print and come up with results at elections while there will be crisis in the North. Boko Haram is manmade and man can always defuse it. President Jonathan told us that he knows who Boko

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Politics

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

to balkanise the North – Senator Waku PRESIDENT GOODLUCK

JONATHAN WAS CONSCRIPTED AND HAS NO PLAN; HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE TO MOVE... DEFINITELY A COUNTRY WITH SUCH A LEADER IS BOUND TO SUFFER IN EVERY RAMIFICATION

Haram members are. He told us they are in his cabinet, they are in the military, they are in the Police, and even in the judiciary. Fish them out. Prosecute them. I make bold to say that he is manufacturing Boko Haram, otherwise nobody is indispensable by law. If he knows these people, let him bring them out; fish them out so that the younger generation will have peace. Innocent lives are being wasted for no just cause. It is unfair on the families and relatives of those people that are being killed. What is the first duty of government? It is to protect and defend the territorial integrity of the country. When a president fails to do that, it is an impeachable offence and such president should be removed from the office. Ahead of 2015, there are already re-alignment by political stakeholders towards which zone produces the president. What is your take over agitation for the next president to come from the Middle Belt? There is no Middle Belt. Where do they belong? Are they from the South-East, South-South, or South-West? I am from the geo political zone carved out of the so-called Middle Belt; I am from North-Central. Those who are agitating that the next president should come from the Middle Belt have their region, I don’t belong to that; I belong to the North-Central. So, when someone from the North Central wants to be president, I am for him. But if somebody from the North-East or North-West and North Central, all of them from the North want the same position, then it is time for all the three zones in the North to sit down and discuss. But when you talk about Middle Belt wanting to produce the next president and the North wanting to produce the president I am too intelligent to be mingled in among the group of disabled politicians that want to use certain medium for their political jaundice. There is nothing like Middle Belt zone.

You were in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and of late, you have been romancing with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Where do you really belong? I am a student of English Language. I am not romancing with the ACN; I am in ACN. Then not only that I was in PDP, it may interest you to know that it was I and late Abubakar Rimi that registered the PDP. But don’t forget also that politics is dynamic. When you build a house and erosion overtakes and the house is about to collapse, would you say because you built the house, you must perish with it? You have to get out of the house, look for another land in order to build another house where there will be no erosion to take over. So, who is wiser? Is it the one that stayed there for erosion to consume his property and also his life? They tell you in the military, the best soldier is not the one that dies in the war front because you don’t have any history to tell of the war. So, a good politician is the politician that looks ahead. And again, look at it this way: I should be given a good award. I left a political party that is in power in this country and even in my state for now. Would I not be given such an honour in that order? But I am not a job seeker; I work on principles and they guide me and that is where I am today. In ACN, tomorrow if they differ from the principles and the objectives that we are bounded by, and I want to continue in politics to give services to my community, I will move to another party. I want you to know that I am not romancing with the ACN, I am a fully fledged active member. I am indeed recruiting more members into ACN. I have never romanced with a political party. I am either in or I am out. I left the ruling party for the opposition. Is that not somebody you can reckon with? Look at it, we are talking about corruption. Shameful things have happened in this country. Are you aware that Jonathan’s wife has attempted to seize Turai Yar Adua’s property and the matter is in court? Is that not corruption, abuse of office. Is it not abuse of position which shouldn’t be? And that is the man that brought you as his deputy. He died two years ago. Rather than trying to appease this woman, then you are now provoking her. Is that how the nation should be run. And you want me to support that kind of person, I never supported Jonathan, I don’t hate him, very nice looking young man but he has done terrible things. Kaduna was engulfed, 63 dead bodies were lined up, two major cities in one state including the state capital were engulfed in crisis and the President left on a foreign trip, not only did he leave, he was smiling at the airport. No remorse. Why won’t I say that he is one of the organisers of Boko Haram? Every day he tells you that Boko Haram will be a thing of the past. Of course, it’s going to be a thing of the past, when you and I are no longer be alive including him. Then Boko Haram will see nobody again to kill, and then it will be a thing of the past. How do you have a president that is insensitive about his citizens? If an American life is lost anywhere in the world, America will show concern and then you have a rascal, called ‘Minister of Misinformation and Disorientation’ churning out fallacies to the populace. When would the National Assembly question Mr. Presi-

PRESIDENT JONATHAN TOLD US THAT HE KNOWS WHO BOKO HARAM MEMBERS ARE. HE TOLD US THEY ARE IN HIS

CABINET, THEY ARE IN THE

MILITARY, THEY ARE IN THE POLICE, AND EVEN IN THE

JUDICIARY.

FISH THEM OUT...

I MAKE BOLD TO SAY THAT HE IS MANUFACTURING BOKO HARAM

dent? Of course you know the kind of National Assembly that we have. The National Assembly that was brought in not through a democratic process will speak and invite the president and the president will turn down the invitation and nothing happens. A president will tell the world that ‘I am not going to declare my assets’ and it’s a constitutional provision. We have a long way to go until we get a leader that is not a ruler, until we get a leader that is not a looter, then this country will progress, there are lots of opportunities in this country. What then would be your suggestion as the way out of the problems that you have enumerated? The way out of the log jam is credible election. Let Nigerians select who their leaders will be and not anointed ones by individuals. Then you will see that peace and tranquillity will reign, leading to progress and happiness. What is your take on the threat of impeachment by the National Assembly against President Jonathan over non-implementation of the budget? It is a constitutional issue. Nobody is inciting these representatives of the people. I was so disgusted when I attended the conference of National Democratic Studies sometimes ago only to hear the Deputy President of the Senate begging the President, to please implement the budget, which had been signed into law. A law that was enacted by the National Assembly! You don’t have to. There is a provision in the constitution that after 30 days of the President not assenting to a law made by the National Assembly, the two houses will recall that law and bring it back to the two chambers and through a 2/3 majority vote and it will became a law. Why do you beg the President? Because they were not elected, they were selected; they were appointed; they never went through the procedure of elections. It is only in a country like Nigeria, that somebody was accused of murder, was incarcerated in jail, and the next day you find him in the National Assembly, the Senate to be specific. We first have to get out of that mess. Otherwise, we will have a future but we will not know where that future will take us to. What is your reaction to the issue of money laundering which has become so rampant, to the extent that even banks now connive with perpetrators to sabotage the economy? Again, the laws are there. The problem is with the country’s leadership. I said we need leaders and not looters. When you have a zero corruption tolerant leader, Nigeria will flourish, because Nigeria has the best set of followership. Look at the late Murtala Muhammed, when he came, there was sanity in governance and public affairs. When Muhammadu Buhari came, the facts are there, nobody tells anybody go and queue up. Nigerians need a good leader. Nigerians are good followers. When you have a corrupt leader, Nigerians will follow him, and if you don’t take time by the time you wake up, they will overtake you in corruption. As a leader of the Arewa Consultative Forum, what should we expect with regards to where the occupant of the presidency comes from in 2015? Any Northerner, a Christian or a Muslim in the North, who loves this country, not even who loves the North will tell you the president has to come from the North in 2015. It is not just the Arewa Consultative Forum alone. It should be the consensus of every decent Nigerian. The National Assembly as an institution has been enmeshed in alleged widespread corruption. What is your reaction to this as a former national lawmaker? Any national lawmaker found culpable of corruption should be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others and also to rebuild confidence in that institution. Otherwise the institution is dwindling and many Nigerians have a lot of misgivings about the entire institution; not individuals anymore. Therefore, the law ought to take its course so that Nigerians will rebuild their confidence in the nation’s nascent democracy.

Politics

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Jonathan, governors and recovery of stolen subsidy fund

ASO ROCK FILE

with

Rotimi FADEYI

When performance becomes a bond for ministers

lthough President Goodluck Jonathan has promised that the Performance Contract Agreement (PCA) signed last week by all the 42 ministers in his cabinet was not to witch hunt anybody or a basis to determine their retention in the affairs of the government, it is now clear that that it would not be business as usual. It is also a clear message that indolence, mediocrity, and sleaze would be a thing of the past. The administration of Jonathan would be the first in the history of the nation’s 13 years democratic dispensation to have made ministers to sign Performance Agreement. So what happens to a minister that performs far below expectation, will such minister continue to warm the ministerial seat at the expense of performance? Certainly not, so the PCA could become a basis to boot out non-performing, lazy visionless and intellectually bankrupt ministers. The message is clear – perform or pack out of the ministerial position – a situation which now makes cabinet shake up imminent and so real to the ministers as

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they filed out before Jonathan to sign the PCA during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting last week Wednesday “I had stated clearly during the inauguration of the Federal Executive Council that ministers are expected to be accountable, productive, transparent and focused,” the President said. He noted that his administration is determined to ensure enhanced performance, transparency and accountability in governance. The ministers are also expected to sign similar PCA with their Permanent Secretaries and down to the heads of agencies and parastatals under their various ministries in this strong drive to put the ministers and other government officials to be committed to work and produce results. Jonathan told the ministers that with the PCA, the administration has set a tough task for itself and there is no going back. “Nigerians expect a better deal from government and that is what they shall get, under my watch. And that is what each and everyone of you must see as your primary goal,” he said.

he vexed issue of fuel subsidy became very contentious when on January 1, this year, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan announced as New Year gift; the removal of subsidy which shot up the pump price of petrol from N65 to about N141, before pegging it at N97. Following this decision was a loud call by the National Assembly members and other Nigerians that the fuel subsidy issue must be thoroughly investigated while those discovered to have collected subsidy from government and illegally enriched themselves without supplying any drop of fuel must be prosecuted and punished. After the review of the report on the illegal fuel subsidy payment, a total of 25 oil companies and their Chief Executives indicted and are presently facing criminal trials in court for allegedly claiming payments for fuel consignments brought in by ships but which investigations revealed were either non-existent or were somewhere else in the world. But there was a new dimension to the fuel subsidy saga last week as the Anambra State Governor and Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, Peter Obi disclosed after the meeting of the National

Economic Council (NEC) that some of the indicted oil marketers have started refunding the illegal subsidy monies that they collected without supplying any drop of oil. The NEC is made up of all the 36 state governors, CBN Governor, Minister of Finance and that of National Planning and some other top government functionaries and it is presided over by the Vice President. However, the refund of the illegal monies would not preclude them from facing criminal prosecution of theft, deceit and fraudulent activities. Over N400 billion was fraudulently claimed by oil marketers as subsidy for fuel not imported into the country. Obi also disclosed that the governors and NEC are full in support of the criminal prosecution of the oil markers and would ensure that the matter was not swept under the carpet. “From the report we got, some have started refunding, it is a serious case that people were paid for vessels that were not anywhere near the Nigerian waters. And I think when Federal Government do a thing that is courageous and right, they should be encouraged and can at least give them the courage to do more,” Obi said.

Stirring the onshore/offshore dichotomy oil revenue again

t was a strongly worded warning that came from the Presidency when the issue of heating up the polity came up regarding the fresh conflict and controversy over the Onshore/Offshore Abrogation law which was enacted by the National Assembly eight years ago. With the political calculation of those who think they have been short changed by the law, it was time to reopen the matter for a review in order to secure some benefits. But the Presidency has described the fresh agitation and pronouncements are disruptive, outrightly mischievous, and aimed at causing disaffection and that it smacks of sectional and ethnic sentiments It therefore strongly advised such politicians agitating for the review of the on-

Presidential Villa’s visitors 1. Chairman Stanbic IBTC, Atedo Peterside 2. Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa 3. Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Saeed Koorechi 4. Outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Lloyd 5. Outgoing Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Youssef Hassan Shawki 6. Governor Peter Obi 7. Governor Patrick Yakowa 8. Governor Godswill Akpabio 9. Governor Isa Yuguda 10. President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dr. Kanayo Nwanze 11. IFAD’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Atsuko Toda.

shore/offshore dichotomy to desist from playing up sectional and ethnic sentiments, over a matter that was addressed eight years ago to the benefit of all parties concerned. It also noted that at a time when the government was working hard to resolve security challenges in parts of the country, the political elite across board is expected to cooperate with the Federal and state governments to promote the cause of peace, stability and national transformation. The Presidency stated that those who are issuing threats and counter-threats over every issue, are obviously not just re-inventing controversy, they seem determined to fuel acrimony and needless conflict. But it is all about interest, the Northern Governors’ Forum led by Niger State Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu spearheading the review for the North would not give up as no section of the country can intimidate Northern governors over their position on the Petroleum Industry Bill. As time ticks, both the Presidency and the Northern governors are not in agreement over the onshore/offshore dichotomy even as the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State believes the battle for a fairer allocation of federal oil revenue was not over. This could be the beginning of another political battle. But the Presidency is of the belief that government is working tirelessly to ensure the full enjoyment of fundamental rights by all Nigerians, in an atmosphere that is free of rancour and tension while no individual, political interest or group should attempt to violate overtly or covertly to achieve certain interest.

L-R: Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke; Vice President Namadi Sambo and Deputy Chief of Staff, Alhaji Muhammed Kachalla during the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) meeting at the State House.

Stage set for unbundling of PHCN

he National Council on Privatisation (NCP) last week approved seven foreign firms to make the final financial bids in the privatisation of five power generation companies in the country, the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has come full stream. The Council endorsed the five companies at its meeting presided over by VicePresident Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa which deliberated on the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). Atedo Peterside who is a member of the council while speaking after the meeting listed the power plants which would be bided for as those located in Ughelli, Sapele, Gergu, Kainji and Shiroro According to him, Pheonix Electricity; Transcorp Consortium and Ampiron Power Distribution Ltd were announced as preferred bidders for the Ughelli Power plant. He also added that CMEC Consortium and GPN Nestoil Power Services Ltd. are the preferred bidders for the Sapele Power Plant. The others are Geregu Power Plant (Ampiron Power Distribution Limited),

Kainji Power Plant (Mainstream Energy Solution), and Shiroro Power Plant (NorthSouth Power Company Ltd). Peterside said the pre-qualification of the prospective power generating firms followed thorough evaluation by the council members using stringent criteria which the bidders were very much aware of. He explained that the firms made the pass mark of 750 out of maximum 1000 score, and therefore qualified to proceed onto financial bid opening on September 25, 2012. “They will proceed to financial bid opening but they will have to make some submissions, including security before the financial bidding,” Peterside said. He further assured that the final bid opening would be televised live on national stations to buttress the transparent process that has trailed the exercise from the beginning. Peterside disclosed that among the criteria were used to evaluate the firms include “track record, financial muscle, and technical expertise”.

MORE POLITICS STORIES ON PAGES 41, 42 & 44

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Views

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Dead: Repulsive replay of violent South Africa SIMILAR OCCURRENCES IN THE POST APARTHEID ERA

PAUL

HAVE SHOWN THAT

ARHEWE

XENOPHOBIA IS paul@nationalmirroronline.net 07081094311 (sms only)

A MILITATING PHYSIOLOGICAL

he killings of 34 protesting South African miners penultimate Thursday quite unfortunately amplified the global perception of Africans still ruminating in the Stone Age, in spite of the privilege of co-existing among people of civilised parts of the world where the value for human lives is inestimably cherished and protected. The apartheid era in South Africa was a blight in world civilisation because of the callous indifference of the minority white rulers to the rights of black Africans and the regime’s dehumanising and discriminatory practices against them, especially treating them as second class citizens and subjecting them to all kinds of cruelties. The massacre of the 34 miners by South African police at the Marikana platinum mine, Rustenburg, Johannesburg brings back memories of the ugly affairs of the apartheid state. An incident that has claimed 44 lives since the quagmire began is a sad reflection of the dark side of an uncivilised society. It is even

PHENOMENON IN THIS COUNTRY more painful that black South African policemen were killing striking workers in the public glare. It is pertinent to ask when black Africans would be civilized enough to disconnect from any acts that reflect us as still living in the Stone Age. This sad event shows South Africa is wallowing in the hangover of the evil of yesteryears. It shows the Zulu people are still in an apartheid state, but in a new garb. In the epochal 1948-1994 period, the various governments dominated by the National Party visited the worst forms of denigrations on the majority black South Africans. Torture, maiming, killings of blacks were elevated to an art by the Afrikaner minority in power. Just like what happened to the harangued miners in the Marikana platinum mine site, unprovoked killing of protesting blacks underlined the brutality of the apartheid era. The civilized world identified that regime

with extreme brutality and torture in its efforts to suppress opposition. Under the current black African leadership, such unpardonable carnage as displayed, tends to mangle the celebrated sacrifices the nonagenarian political icon and poster card of South African multiculturalism, Nelson Mandela and others paid in the redemption of their country. Mandela was arrested in 1962 for being the arrowhead of the 1961 workers strike. He spent 27 years in confinement at the height of segregation and apartheid in South Africa. His release in 1990 and subsequently becoming the first postapartheid president of the country (19941999), is seen as victory against the gory experience of the dark period of cruelty. Howbeit, the Marikana saga is quite revealing on violence in people in this part of the continent. How can one describe the situation where rival political group killed about 14,000 people between 1990 and 1994 even after the supposedly end of apartheid? It is a good thing President Jacob Zuma has instituted a panel of inquiry to get to the root of this massacre. I believe his chances of securing another term next December depend on how he would manage the current bad situation, which is the only way to placate aggrieved South Africans. Critics argue that Zuma was slow to responding to the massacre. It is true his visit to the mine site was delayed because of a state visit to neighbouring Mozambique. He couldn’t reach the aggrieved workers,

but he visited the injured in hospital. The police’s argument that they were acting in self defence is untenable. Using live bullets to quell a rioting mob and killing some in the process, is a premeditated murder. In civilized societies shield, batons and water cannons are normally deployed to disperse protesters, no matter how grievous the situation seems to be. It is unfortunate that South Africa is still showing flashes of a high level of intolerance. Similar occurrences in the post apartheid era have shown that xenophobia is a militating physiological phenomenon in that country. While the targeted recipients of such hostilities are foreigners, including blacks from other African countries, it was rare seeing attacks on natives, even as this spate of xenophobic dispositions becomes ubiquitous. When security personnel paid by taxpayers turnaround to unleash mayhem on the same people it is to protect, something is really amiss. South Africa, Africa’s largest economy, should not condone such dehumanizing penchant for bloodletting. What moral grounds would the big brother portray when mediating in other smaller countries with similar tendencies? The Africa continent needs to grow up and belong to the modern civilized age where people’s rights of protests are respected. Using brutality to quell justified grievances will only end up in causing more pandemonium; and things will get messier.

Dangers of emerging Republic of Lagos CHARLES OMOLE Continued from last week

hile I agree there is need for Lagos to set the pace for others as it has a unique capacity and means to do so, a Yoruba adage that a rich man in the family of 10 poor men is ultimately the 11th poor man, should inform its speed and pace of transformation. That is because the needs and demands of the 10 poor men will impoverish the one rich man. So it is in the interest of the one rich man to help others to be wealthy more speedily. Lagos cannot isolate itself from the realities of Nigeria’s existence. And in most federal countries where powers are fully devolved to the states, things work on the basis of reciprocity. That is, all states will recognise the instruments issued by one another without imposing any additional demands. Also (some differences may still exist), most states have tried to harmonise much of their public requirements in order to minimise the burden on new state residents. For instance in the USA, driver’s licence is issued only by state government. But a licence obtained from New York is fully recognised by all other states in America. So you can drive through any state in the union with your New York licence

without any problem. Hence as Lagos is part of a federation it is in its interest to carry other states along or risk possible reprisals against its own residents by other states. Such development portends badly for the spirit of one Nigeria. Lagos should try to minimise the plethora of new legislations it is churning out or at least create some exemptions for non-residents of the state. Nigerians should not be made to feel they need a visa (and legal training) to travel to Lagos from other parts of the nation, a perception that will be further entrenched by any new legislation peculiar only to the state. Lagos needs to show leadership by helping to spread best practice to other states as much as possible. I accept the inherent contradictions in my desire to encourage the emergence of Lagos as a global mega city and the need to avoid a two-tier country where Lagos is thousands of kilometres ahead of all other states in ways that can create unnecessary envy and cause a possible backlash from other states. Truth is all other states can make life difficult for Lagosians should they want to. Can you imagine Ogun State requiring all drivers on its road to buy a special permit for instance? That will mean you cannot travel out of Lagos easily without buying an additional permit to do so. Fashola must find ways of making La-

THERE SHOULD BE A HUMAN FACE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MANY OF THE

LAGOS

LEGISLATIONS gos laws work for the benefit of all. This can easily be done through the implementation procedures and policies adopted by its officials. For instance, many years ago I travelled to Orlando in Florida with my then four year old daughter. I was a resident of the UK at that time. I was allowed to drive in Florida on my UK licence for the duration of the vacation. One day, I was stopped by the Florida police and was going to be given a fine for not having a special booster car seat for my daughter. I explained that I was not a Florida resident (by showing them my UK licence) and that in the UK (at that time) there was no law against what I was doing. The police officer immediately reversed his decision and apologized, and used his discretion to allow me to go. Now that is an example of how a state specific law can be implemented but in a way that still allows non-residents to not feel victimised. There should be a human face to the implementation of many of the Lagos legislations. Officials should be well trained and informed (as

well as monitored) to use their discretion when dealing with Nigerians just passing through Lagos compared to a Lagos resident driving a Lagos coloured public transport for instance. The dangers of an emerging Republic of Lagos are many, not just for Lagos government and residents, but for Nigeria as a federation. If implementation discretion is not in place as suggested, new economic traffic could be diverted away from Lagos, thus delivering a blow to the economic growth of the state that would otherwise have not been the case. So, well done Fashola for many of the legislations to modernise Lagos, but remember the Yoruba adage that says if you send a slave to go and deliver a message, he does not have to deliver the message like a slave. Lagos can only truly develop in the spirit on one Nigeria. Concluded Omole, Charles@Prodelinternational.com, a business consultant and corporate strategist, operates from Lagos, London and New York Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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NUPENG and repeated strike threats

eports last weekend indicated that after over six hours of long-drawn negotiations between the Federal Government and organised labour, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) suspended the over one week strike of its members in Abuja as well as its threat of a nationwide strike should the FG fail to pay subsidy claims to some oil marketers latest by last Wednesday. The NUPENG strike which caught Abuja napping during the Eid el Fitri holiday had left filling stations dry in the nation’s capital, leading to acute fuel shortage and sharp increase in the cost of public transportation. The crisis begun when NUPENG, in addition to frustrating fuel supply to Abuja through its members strike, threatened to extend the industrial action to other parts of the country. The union complained that the delayed subsidy payment had not only put the jobs of its members working with the affected marketers on the line, but that its members were being owed about five months salaries. The union likewise alleged the FG’s preferential treatment in the settlement of subsidy bills, as well as drew the government’s attention to the need to rehabilitate the nation’s decrepit highways and poorly maintained refineries. The FG, on the contrary, through the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of

the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala and the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, insisted that NUPENG was being used by discredited fuel subsidy beneficiaries to blackmail the government. Okonjo-Iweala and Ngama were separately quoted as saying that the FG did not owe any marketer whose claims had been verified by the appropriate authorities. Ngama was specifically credited as saying that the NUPENG strike was instigated by fuel marketers who were indicted by the Aigboje AigImoukhuede-led FG committee that investigated fuel subsidy payments. “Their obvious intention is to blackmail the FG in order to escape sanctions for the crimes they have committed”, the Minister of State had said. The President of NUPENG, Comrade Achese Igwe, promptly denied any external influence in the union’s actions. It was in the process that the FG initiated the meeting where the knotty issues were sorted out last Thursday and the strike threat shelved. There may be absolutely nothing wrong with a trade union protecting the interest of its members. However, everything may be wrong when such protection with the instrument of strike, which paralyses business activities and results in serious inconvenience to the entire population, is ill-timed and suspicious. Though resolved, as reports have said, the unpopularity of the lat-

NUPENG SHOULD BE WARY OF ALWAYS ISSUING STRIKE THREATS IF IT WANTS THE NATION TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY WHEN IT IS ON A NOBLE PATH est NUPENG strike as reactions from across the country indicated portrayed how provocative certain actions of trade unions can be when considered unpatriotic and strictly self-serving. The union (NUPENG) was certainly aware of the monumental rot the House of Representatives uncovered in the name of subsidy management; as well as the fact that the principal beneficiaries of the subsidy fraud were oil marketers. The investigations of the frauds are also ongoing. Therefore, NUPENG should have been more cautious in declaring it latest industrial dispute, except of course it is telling the rest of Nigerians that the only thing that is right is the settlement of its members’ salaries and the huge subsidy rip-off shoved aside. We consider the NUPENG Abuja strike and its subsequent threat to make it nationwide as probably not the best approach to trade unionism. Indeed, like OkonjoIweala reportedly said, NUPENG

has no reason to hold Nigerians to ransom “on behalf of people who have been taking public money for fuel they did not supply”. NUPENG should be wary of always issuing strike threats if it wants the nation to take it seriously when it is on a noble path. Not too long ago, the union jumped into the fray during the face-off between the Lagos State Government and its doctors, a matter which did not directly affect its members. Habaa! Nonetheless, commendable is the union’s efforts to bring the death traps called the nation’s highways, as well as the FG’s inability to make the nation’s refineries work, to the front burner. Had they been properly maintained and made to produce at optimum capacity, the huge problem posed by imported fuel and the accompanying subsidy payment palaver could have become a thing of the past. We implore NUPENG to keep mounting pressure on the FG to repair the roads and fix the existing refineries, since the government seems not interested in constructing new ones (refineries). For its part, the FG should strive hard and revive rail transport to ease the bulk movement of petroleum products around the country. The government can also undertake strategic petroleum tankers arrangement in the interim to make it impossible for any group to hold the nation to ransom at the slightest opportunity.

ON THIS DAY August 28, 2003 An electricity blackout disrupted power supply to about 500,000 people living in southeast England and brought 60 per cent of London’s underg round rail network to a halt. Even before the blackout, the United Kingdom press was anticipating a UK equivalent of the north-east blackout of 2003, which occur red two weeks earlier (August 14) and af fected about 100 times more people.

August 28, 1988 Pakistan’s National Assembly passed a constitutional amendment to make the “Qur’an and Sunnah” the “supreme law”, but the bill was defeated in the Senate. The Quran is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim words of God. The word Sunnah means a smooth or direct flow path. The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad includes his specific words, habits, practices, and silent approvals.

August 28, 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom: Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his I Have a Dream speech. The March was one of the largest political rallies for human rights in United States’ history and called for civil and economic rights for African Americans. It took place in Washington, D.C. The late Martin Luther King, Jr., standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” speech advocating racial harmony.

Dana crash: Stakeholders want airline’s AOC returned

‘Training essential for professional development’

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Naira restructuring: The politics, economics, intrigues As with every other component of its recent reforms aimed at strengthening the financial system, the plan by the Central Bank of Nigeria to restructure the nation’s currency has continued to generate controversies over the past few days as both the well-informed and the barely informed in monetary management are marshalling their views from divergent perspectives on the proposed exercise. TOLA AKINMUTIMI, captures the mood of both the ‘political analysts’ and ‘experts’ on the crux of the matter.

he new move to restructure the naira, particularly the introduction of N5,000 single banknote, has triggered reactions from various interests groups in the political economy with each interpreting the implications of the restructuring agenda from analytical prisms of interpretation. From the organised labour through the financial experts to the politicians, the reactions have been an admixture of intellectual and sentimental or emotional outbursts that have left most of the people the policy is intended to serve more confused than informed about how the exercise would serve their transactional needs. The NLC, TUC, CPC, ANPP, ACN and many more groups have had to issue statements condemning the proposed restructuring plan without reservations in a manner that could be likened to a deliberate attempt to call a dog a bad name all with the intention of hanging it at all cost. For instance, the opposition politicians have not only found the planned monetary measure as veritable tool to launch sentiment-laden tirades of attacks on

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Aero Contractors

Naira notes

the ruling party for what they termed another step towards further impoverishing millions of Nigerians but have also continued to lampoon the CBN for trying to add another pain to the pangs of the rising inflationary trend to which Nigerians have been subjected over the past few years. Expectedly, most of the political parties’ position on the exercise has largely been tainted by their grouse with the present administration’s economic policies rather than the real issues of currency restructuring agenda. But for a few voices of reason by some financial analysts, Nigerians would probably have

risen in arms against a measure that has, no matter how little, potential for improved efficiency of the financial system and by implication performance of the economy in the long term if properly implemented. According to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the major restructuring of the nation’s currencies, which include the introduction of N5,000 banknote, changing of N5, N10 and N20 notes into and modifications of the key features of the other banknotes would complement the Bank’s cashless policy by reducing the volume of currency in circulation in the long term just as the redesigning of other old notes and redenomination

of others into coins would enhance their security and other transactional features. .The Central Bank Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, who cited the example of many developed economies where introduction of higher denomination of banknotes had not worsen their inflation rates to debunk the argument that introducing higher naira banknotes would necessarily worsen the inflationary trend in the economy, said rather the exercise would translate to immeasurable gains for the country based on the cost-saving and other benefits to the economy in the long run. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Foreign reserves rise to highest level this year

How to grow your career, by expert

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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Business & Finance

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Naira restructuring: The politics, economics, intrigues CONTINUED FROM 19 He explained: “Under the structure, the existing denominations of N50, N100, N200, N500 and N1,000 will be designed with added security features. It is our pleasure to inform you that a new high currency denomination will also be introduced. It is the N5,000 note. In the same vein, the lower banknote denominations of N5, N10 and N20 will be coined. Consequently, the Naira currency structure will now be twelve; these are six coins and six banknote denominations.” He listed the objectives of the exercise to include, upgrading the design of the entire range of currency denominations in order to enhance the quality and integrity of the banknotes; incorporating a more effective feature for the visually challenged; and introduction of new security features on the redesigned banknotes to enable the bank take ownership and control of the new features on the series and eliminate payment of royalties on patented security features. Other benefits of the restructuring process are, achieving an optimal currency structure that will ensure cost effectiveness and balanced mix and utilization of all the currency denominations; introducing new series of coins that would be generally acceptable for purposes of transaction; and reducing the cost of production, distribution and disposal of banknotes. He explained further that the exercise was also in conformity with international best practices which require monetary authorities to review their nation’s currencies at intervals of between five and eight years, pointing out that the last comprehensive review of the nation’s currency was carried out in 2005. Speaking on the implications of the currency restructuring agenda for the economy, the Director General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf, described the exercise as a timely response to the current economic dynamics of the country in terms of the effects on the payment system. Despite the positive side of the initiative, the LCCI boss pointed out however rather than being a supportive leg to the current cashless banking policy, it could further aid corruption and faking of the currency since the higher the denomination of a currency the better it becomes in aiding corruption and abuses by counterfeiters. He explained: “The new currency restructuring initiative of the CBN is a step in the right direction. It should be seen as a policy response to current economic dynamics. I believe it would enhance the efficiency of the payment system. “Specifically, introduction of higher denomination of N5000 would reduce the volume of cash needed for transactions in the economy. This, by extension, would reduce the cost of currency management - printing, movement, storage and distribution. For instance, a N1 million transaction would normally require 2000 pieces of N500 notes or 1000 pieces of N1000 notes. But with the introduction of N5000 notes, only 200 pieces would be needed. This is a significant reduction

Okonjo-Iweala

Lamido Sanusi

IF YOU LOOK AT THE N5,000, PEOPLE SAY THIS WILL WORSEN CORRUPTION. THEY MIGHT BE RIGHT. BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ALSO LOOK AT IT FROM ANOTHER ANGLE. GHANA, FOR INSTANCE, REMOVED THREE ZEROS FROM THEIR CURRENCY AND AT THE INITIAL POINT, IT CREATED SOME HICCUPS IN THE ECONOMY, TRIGGERING SOME LEVEL OF INFLATION. BUT TODAY, WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THE CEDI IS ALMOST AT PAR WITH THE UNITED STATES DOLLAR in the volume which offers tremendous convenience for those who have cause to handle large amounts of cash. “In addition, with the currency restructuring initiative the ATM machines will be able to stock larger value of cash which could last much longer. This is very valuable for bank customers, especially during holidays. Pressure on the machines will be much less as well. It would reduce queues in the banking hall and reduce pressure on currency counting machines. It is faster to dispense higher currency denominations than lower ones”, Muda said. He explained further that the new measure would give the use of coins increasing and better relevance because of the higher value they would now carry. Coins have lost relevance in commercial transactions because the current values have no bearing with the prices of goods and services in the economy. Besides, coins have longer durability than notes. According to him, contrary to fears in some quarters that the restructuring of the naira, especially the introduction of the N5,000, may worsen the inflationary trend in the economy and further compound the predicament of the poor, the issue of rising prices in an economy depends on many variables, adding that “it is not correct to say that introduction of higher denomination would induce inflation”, adding that this assertion has no

basis in economic literature. The LCCI Director General however expressed some concern about the irreconcilability of the initiative to the cashlite policy of CBN, since it will now become much easier to carry around large amounts of cash. In addition, he believes that introduction of N5000 note will aid corruption, pointing out that many cases of bribes and extortion usually involve use of cash and that the higher the currency denomination, the better the use of cash as instruments of corruption. Appraising the measure from a similar broad perspective, a leading financial analyst, Mr. Charles Iyore, agreed with the LCCI boss on the fact that the restructuring was a welcome development since it would avail users the opportunity of convenience as a means of transaction. Iyore, who is the Managing Partner of Dion and Associates, a leading financial advisory services entity, argued that introduction of N5,000 note would not add any real value to the economy since by the exchange rate it would just imply we are having the equivalent of about 20 pounds sterling as the highest denomination in circulation in the system. “I don’t think the policy will add any value to the economy. The major benefit is the convenience it would afford users since with the higher note, people will find it easy to carry about for transac-

tions. The idea that it would help in reducing the cost of printing the currency is just an operational issue. “But I think beyond the restructuring, the regulatory authorities should be concerned about the high interest rate on bank credit which is not supportive of the real sector now. They should give more attention to supporting the real sector by ensuring cheaper funds for operators. That is the most important matter that should be the focus now”, Iyore advised. Reacting to the raging controversy on the planned exercise, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Traders, Barrister Ken Ukaoha, described the condemnation of the CBN by a section of the society for daring to introduce the restructuring plan as uncalled for, saying that it the prerogative of the apex bank to do whatever it deemed reasonable in the effort to stabilise the financial system and breath life to the economy through adoption of appropriate monetary measures. He stated: “My take on this issue is very simple. We should allow the CBN to look at policies. As Nigerians, we are very good at criticizing everything, whether we know the underlying principles or concepts of any issue we criticise and when you are cutting and you cut the head off, you kill the whole body. The CBN must have seen some things that made them take this decision and if we are looking at a cashless economy, the authorities are saying for the agenda to be successful, let us do some things that will reduce the volume of cash people carry about within the system. “If you look at the N5,000, people say this will worsen corruption. They might be right. But we should be able to also look at it from another angle. Ghana, for instance, removed three zeros from their currency and at the initial point, it created some hiccups in the economy, triggering some level of inflation. But today, what we see is that the Cedi is almost at par with the United States dollar. It has brought about some form of financial system stability. “So, the onus is on the CBN to see ways of regulating constantly, frequently, regularly and modulating the currency and the fiscal policies. Once it is allowed to do that without unnecessary distractions as we are witnessing now over the restructuring of the currency, the economy will be stable”, Ukaoha added. He pointed out further that if people go to Europe and make use of coins and they accept coins as change after their business transactions either in cent or shilling or pence, and they carry these coins without refusing them, he would not see any sense why the same Nigerians should not be prepared to use coins as means of exchange or economic transactions. The NANTS boss explained that if the same set of Nigerians now come here and want to play big men by refusing to carry coins, they should leave it, adding that “we have a lot of people that want to carry those coins, we have the traders, the farmers, the artisans and others that want to carry those coins. I think what the CBN is doing is right and should be supported by Nigerians who truly desire some level of growth in the economy”.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Omar accuses FG of plotting to split NLC MESHACK IDEHEN

he President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, has claimed for the first time that the Federal Government is plotting to destabilise and split the NLC, and that several clandestine meetings had been called by government in that regards. Omar said that the Presidency has not relented in its attempt to break up the congress, and that a former Registrar of Trade Unions whom he did not name has been recruited by the government to hasten the plot. Speaking after the NLC issued a communiqué after the end of its National Executive Council meeting; the NLC president disclosed that most of the affiliates of the NLC invited by the agents of government told the registrar that they were committed affiliates of NLC. According to Omar, “It is no longer news that the government is not happy with what

L-R: General Manager, Internal Assurance, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Eso Ekeng; Airtel free millionaire winner, Omoniyi Olayinka Ajiboye and Mr. Victor Chernnanman-Chedid, during the prize presentation ceremony in Lagos, recently.

happened in January over the issue of fuel subsidy. So they intend to weaken NLC. The first move visibly made was when a

CPC settles 2,760 complaints in two months

he Consumer Protection Council (CPC), said that it had handled no fewer than 2,760 consumer related complaints between January and June according to a document obtained from the CPC office in Abuja. The document also disclosed that a total of 3,550 complaints were resolved in 2011. The complaints, the document said, were lodged by the end users of goods and services in various sectors of the economy. The resolved complaints were captured in the document entitled; “Data of Sectorial Analysis of Complaints resolved by CPC’’, for the first half of 2012. The analysis of complaints resolved were classified into various categories which included telecommunications, financial services, health, food, drinks and beverages. Others were aviation, road transport, automobile, education, broadcast, land, electricity, electronics, accommodation and rent, general products and general services among others. In the said document, financial services sector recorded the highest complaints with 339 in the first six months of the year compared to the 475 that was recorded in the first half of 2011. This was followed by electronics which had a total of 292 complaints in the first half of this year as against 253 recorded in the first half of 2011. The number of complaints on

telecommunications services and products during the period under review was 209 compared to 144 recorded last year. Aviation had a total of 184 complaints in the period under review compared to 139 recorded in the first six months of 2011. In the data, general products, general services and food, drinks and beverages had 114,113,113 complaints in the first six months respectively as against 141, 16 and 53 recorded in the first six months of 2011. In the first half of 2012, accommodation/rent, education, road transport, health had 42, 42, 20 and 7 complaints compared to 71, 29, 4 and 3 in the period under review. Other classification included automobile, utilities, and other unclassified areas, which recorded 50, 31 and 1,111 respectively between January and June this year compared to 37, 16 and 198 recorded in the first half of 2011. However, Broadcast and land which recorded 40 and 24 complaints respectively in 2011, had yet to record any complaint this year. Director-General, CPC, Mrs. Ify Umenyi, while commenting on the data, said that the number of complaints recorded showed that consumers were beginning to assert their rights. Umenyi advised consumers to continue to go for quality products and services that would give them value for their money.

senator tried to sponsor a bill called ‘Democratisation of Labour Union”. “The bill was to amend the

law that from now on, any union that wants to go on strike must obtain express permission from all the members through the bal-

lot. That means 50 per cent of the entire membership would vote. For instance, if NLC has to go on strike, and it has over one million members, over 500,000 has to vote yes, before the strike is embarked upon. “We got wind of that and worked with progressive members in the National Assembly to scuttle the bill. And we sensitised Nigerians on the short falls of the bill”, he said. The NLC president said the congress is not deterred by the action of the government, saying aggrieved members being used by the government will find their way back to the NLC. “Government however is still attempting to break NLC by using some of the aggrieved members, who lost during our last election, by telling them that they can form their labour centre. I heard they are holding clandestine meetings. We are also aware that a former registrar of trade unions is commissioned to do the job.”Omar added.

FAAN reiterates readiness to combat emergencies OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria says it is up to the task in handling any emergency in any of the airports in the country. The agency said that it had procured enough equipment and human resources to combat any emergency in any of its 22 airports. The General Manager, Public Affairs, FAAN, Mr. Akin Olukunle, in an interview with National Mirror in Lagos over the weekend said that the agency in the last couple of years had

beefed up its equipment detailed in all the airports in the country, adding that the management had also acquiring more equipment to increase its emergency capacity. He noted that the agency planned to acquire more fire tenders, fire fighting equipment and increase its fire fighting personnel after the completion of the ongoing remodeling exercise in all the airports in the country. He said, “If there is any emergency or airplane mishap within the airport, we are the first to get there. There is time limit to be there. We have to be at the site within three minutes. But

when the emergency is outside the airport that is when other emergency agencies, like the National Emergency Management Agency and other fire fighters come to support. “We are not expecting NEMA to help us within the airport for emergency, otherwise we request for it. We have enough equipment and expertise to handle the situation.” On the traffic congestion along the Hajj camp and access gate within the Lagos airport, Olukunle assured that the agency would soon embark on exercise that would rid the road of congestion.

Hotel owners, workers bemoan losses over insecurity MESHACK IDEHEN

he President of Hotel and Personal Service Senior Staff Association, (HAPSSSA), Mr. Micah Isaiah, said the association is unhappy about the huge losses its members have been experiencing in the wake of insecurity that some parts of the country are grappling with. He also said the hotel and hospitality sector is a huge money earner for the country, and that government must work towards tapping the source of wealth that abound in the sector through protecting hotels in the country from all forms of attacks.

In a statement made available to journalists on Monday, the HAPSSSA President explained that insecurity and unstable power supply is undermining the growth and sustenance of hotel businesses in Nigeria. According to him, the government has to revamp the tourism sector since the country needs to open up other sectors of the economy rather than relying solely on oil and gas, adding also that such protection of the hotel sector would also save and create jobs. “It is quite unfortunate that in Nigeria, we have a lot of resources to generate income for us. Why then is so much effort

devoted to crude oil? The government should diversify into other sectors. The tourism sector is dying. Government can tap huge resources from it just like many other countries. So we appeal to government to live up to the challenge. If other sectors are opened up, more people will be engaged productively,” he said. He lamented that most hotels in the northern part of the country have closed down due to the upsurge of the activities of Boko Haram, and that the union has lost thousands of its members who were retrenched prematurely from their organisations due to dwindling business as a result of insecurity.

Business & Finance

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

IFAD to provide $74.4m loan to improve incomes of rural households STANLEY IHEDIGBO

he International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide a loan of $75.4m to the Federal Republic of Nigeria to help improve food security and incomes of smallholder farmers, with a particular focus on young people and rural women. According to statement made available to National Mirror the loan agreement for the new Value Chain Development Programme was signed in Abuja by Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the President of IFAD, Mr. Kanayo F. Nwanze. In Nigeria, more than half of the total population lives in rural areas, with the agriculture sector accounting

for more than 40 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and more than 60 per cent of total employment. Smallholder farmers – cultivating less than five hectares of land – produce about 90 per cent of the total national output. While the country has seen growth over the past five years, rural poverty remains prevalent with two-thirds of the rural population living at or below the poverty line. Food self-sufficiency in Nigeria received a significant boost last year, when President Goodluck Jonathan pledged to end rice importation by 2015. The country spends about $3bn a year on rice imports. The government also plans to boost cassava production by 17 million tonnes in the same time period. The Value Chain Development Programme, which is in

line with the government’s vision for agricultural development, will focus on supporting cassava and rice small farmers in the six states of Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba. The programme will strengthen farmer organisations by building their capacity to take advantage of existing market opportunities and overcome constraints along the value chain. The programme will also improve rural infrastructure such as roads and water facilities. More than 200,000 poor rural households will benefit directly from the programme, which will have a particular focus on women and young people. Since 1985, IFAD has financed 11 programmes and projects in Nigeria for a total investment of $225 million, directly benefitting more than one million rural households.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stakeholders meet on PIB bill ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

he Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN) will today organise a oneday Consultation and Expert Review of the Draft Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The event will bring together civil society groups and environmental experts to examine the current version of the bill which was submitted to the National Assembly on July 18, 2012, with a view to making necessary inputs on provisions relating to environmental and livelihoods protection. In a statement issued in Lagos, ERA/FoEN said the draft PIB is one of the most anticipated and controversial draft legislation in Nigeria’s legislative history.

According the group, a reading of the new version of the bill, coming after several months of confusion, shows drastic fall in standards in comparison to previous versions. This is even as the new draft bill has been viewed with suspicion due to the lack of adequate consultation in the drafting process. The PIB was originally submitted in 2008 during the sixth National Assembly by former President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua. However, it was not passed because of the many controversies surrounding its provisions and content. With the commencement of the 7th National Assembly, the issue of the PIB was resuscitated. In response to public pressure the government set up a committee to draft a new draft bill that the Executive will present before the National Assembly.

1,000 exhibitors to partake in Bayelsa maiden trade fair EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

t least, 1000 exhibitors from Nigeria and five countries would participate at the forthcoming maiden trade fair in Bayelsa State scheduled to hold at the Peace Park between October 13 to 27 in the state capital. Theme of the International trade fair is “Enhancing Regional Trade and Economic Development”. President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to officially declare the fair opened where regulatory agencies such as Standard Organisation of Nigeria(SON),Consumer Protection Council (CPC), National Food and

Drugs Agency (NAFDAC) and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), would check the genuineness of goods that would be exhibited at the fair. Director General of Yenagoa Chamber of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture(YECCIMA) Mr.Warmate Idikio, disclosed this at a press briefing yesterday in Yenagoa, warned that exhibitors of fake goods would be banned from the fair. Idikio said local producers would be given a lee-way to market their products, noting that 47 chambers of commerce across the federation and state governments would also participate in the trade fair.

NAMA partners Stormberg for hybrid power solutions L-R: Distribution Head, La Casera Company Limited, Mr. Guna Shekaran; a distributor of the company, Mrs. Janet Okwy; Area Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, Ibadan, Mr. Agberebi Egbuson and Marketing Manager, La Casera, Mr. Benson Abraham at the regional launch of LATINA sugar free drink in Ibadan, recently.

Courier firms opposes 1000% increase in licence fees STANLEY IHEDIGBO

takeholders in the nation’s courier sector, under the auspices of the Association of Nigerian Courier Operators, ANCO, have opposed the upward review of courier companies’ licence fee from N1m to N10m by the Nigerian Postal Service, NIPOST. They also condemned the new minimum tariff, apart from the registration fee, approved by the NIPOST through its enforcement unit, Courier Regulatory Department, saying

the licence fee increase and the introduction of the minimum tariff would not stand. The new arrangement was contained in a NIPOST document dated July 31, 2012 and signed by the Assistant Post Master General, Dr. Simon Emeje, where a new tariff regime was approved for courier companies operating in Nigeria. However, the new tariff restructuring is expected to take effect from January 1, 2013. National Mirror gathered that, in the new arrangement by NIPOST, courier companies

in Nigeria with international footprint are now to pay N10m licence fee up from the hitherto N1m paid for registrations. Also, annual renewal fee has also been increased from N250, 000 to N2.5m. For domestic courier operators, they are now expected to pay N3m for registration and N750, 000 as against the N1m and N250, 000 hitherto being paid respectively. However, speaking through their umbrella body, ANCO, said the development pose serious threats to their sustenance as business organisations. ANCO also condemned the introduction of the minimum tariff prices for the industry, a development that positions NIPOST, both as a regulator and operator, to determine and control the services charges by the courier companies.

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), has contracted Stromberg Power Limited for the procurement, implementation and commissioning of hybrid power backup solutions in 20 different sites of six airports across the country. A source close to the agency yesterday mentioned named Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano airports as well as the Bida airstrip as those to benefit from the project. The source who does not want his name mentioned explained that the project is already in different stages of implementation with commissioning in some of the sites expected in the next couple of weeks. The source said that hybrid

power solutions are required to ensure the smooth running of the agency’s Instrument Landing Systems, which are required to navigate aircraft to their destinations within Nigeria. This project will ensure greater safety in the Nigerian airspace. The solutions consist of solar panels, charge controller, deep cycle batteries and solar array mounting support. Others are trunk construction armoured cable accessories, galvanized steel battery racks and pure sine wave inverters. The solar provision in this facility offers increased resilience, cost efficiencies and a back-up to the power supply from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria and is capable of supplying 12 hours of power on a full charge, thereby eliminating over-reliance on generating sets currently used by the Agency.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

How to grow your career, by experts Human resource highlight ways by which working professionals can boost their careers. MESHACK IDEHEN writes.

uring a recent interview with National Mirror, the Managing Director of Team Building International Nigeria, Mr. Yinka Olugbodi, said many organisations are on the verge of collapse because most of the employees in such firms are at a loss about how to developing their careers. Olugbodi said while most public and private sector based employment creation initiatives were geared towards creating jobs for the teeming youths” in the country, that not much attention has been paid to “strengthening those already in employment in order to establish them in their jobs, and make their employment sustainable”. According to him, people usually wrongly think of the career process as just being able to decide on a career, getting the education required and finding a job, adding that the career process does not end once a job seeker finds a job. He said in every profession, new information are always being developed, hence, the critical need for those already engaged by organisations to constantly figure out ways by which they can grow on their jobs and careers. In that regards, experts said by partnering with relevant stakeholders in providing knowledgeable services and innovative solutions in team development and workplace tips that can aid workers to grow on their jobs, that employers are adding long lasting values to their organisations in particular, and the economy in general. Author, Conceptual Framework in Human Resource Development and Managing Partner, Soreb Consulting International, Mr. Kunle Rotimi, told National Mirror at the weekend, that it is important for those already in employment to be updated on their field of choice in order to make themselves marketable within the workplace and in the community. He explained that certain career in the past that requsted employees to have a certain amount of educationa in order to keep current positions has now become the trend and practice amongst employers globally. Rotimi said to grow and developed on their jobs, that

employees must keep “ taking classes and making themselves available for any training opporturnities”,adding that such move will further increase their knowledge at work. He added that the training does not necessarily have to be directly linked to present job or carreer,while citing the example of learning a second language which he described as valuable in any career. “Another universally beneficial class or training is computer class. We are living in the computer age and most jobs involve some sort of computer knowledge. Expand your mind and see what kind of classes can be connected to your field of work”, he explained. On his part, Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, Mr. Sunday Adeyemi, told our correspondent that joining a professional organisation can go a long way in helping an employee grow and develop on their jobs with a view to contributing to national economic development. Adeyemi said further that almost every kind of career has a professional organisation that corresponds with it, adding that the benefits of belonging to a professional organisation are many, including the opporturnity it provides employees to build relationships with others in the same profession. According to him, for employees to grow and keep developing on the job, attending workshops and conferences is inevitable. He said attending a workshop is sometimes more desirable and feasible than taking a class or even training sessions because employees can find out the latest happenings in their field in a short period of time. “Most workshops last no longer than a week; however, they can be intensive in the amount of hours spent in a day. The downside is they can sometimes be costly, which does not removes its contribution towards making employees grow and develop on their jobs”, said Adeyemi. Speaking in the same vein, outgoing President of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, Mr. Olusegun Ajanlekoko said workers can grow on their jobs, contribute more meaningfully to the economy of the country, and enhance professionalism, when they open

Rotimi

Adeyemi

A JOB THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE THINKING WILL NOT DEVELOP YOUR CAPABILITIES. UNLESS YOU TRY TO DO SOMETHING BEYOND WHAT YOU HAVE MASTERED, YOU WILL NEVER GROW. A JOB WHICH DEMANDS CREATIVE IDEAS WILL DIFFERENTIATE YOU AMONG ALL OTHERS. YOUR UNIQUE IDEAS WILL BE NOTICED AND IT IS ONE GREAT WAY TO GROW YOUR CAREER their minds and read books. He explained that reading provides an excellent source of information for employees and employers alike, saying though that the only downside is because of the speed of new technology, in that by the time the book is published, new information has likely been developed. Ajanlekoko added that handling project for your place of employment also indicates that an employee is growing on the job, while urging those in employment to engage in projects that can contribute to them and the organisations they work for. “Brainstorm on a project you can do that would benefit your company and increase your

knowledge at the same time. This project can be done on your own time, or if you have permission from your employer, it can be done during work. Come up with a project you would enjoy so that it will be easier and more fulfilling”, he said. Managing Director of Prot International Limited, Mr. Sunny Agboju, said “using the internet to educate yourself as an employee, can also promote your job and career, because it is possible these days to find a wealth of information on almost any topic online.” Agboju explained it was also important for employ-

ees to find a mentor who is knowledgeable in the field, which can help in making their career grow, adding also that exchanging information with other peers, generating creative ideas, and accepting to face challenging tasks, can also improve an employee’s growth and development. “A job that does not require thinking will not develop your capabilities. Unless you try to do something beyond what you have mastered, you will never grow. A job which demands creative ideas will differentiate you among all others. Your unique ideas will be noticed and it is one great way to grow your career”, he explained.

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NLC wants permanent solution to FG, electricity workers’ dispute MESHACK IDEHEN

s the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Power and electricity workers under their various unions prepare to meet this week, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), have said it is seeking a permanent solution to the crisis. Amongst other concerns, the congress said the dispute in the power sector is capable of derailing whatever gains that have been made since the reforms began. According to the NLC President, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar in a statement, the current stalemate has been engendered by disagreement over pension and gratuity, saying that while the unions had demanded for 25 per cent, which hitherto had been deducted from workers salary for pension and gratuity, the government had insisted on paying 25 per cent up till 2004, and 15 per cent from 2005 to date. The NLC president said one of the solutions to the crisis, was for the Federal Government to commence the removal of armed soldiers that has been drafted to take over the facilities of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). He said removing the soldiers from the facilities and dialogue with the workers will bring about equal negotiating rights for stakeholders. On his part, the President of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Corporations ( SSAEAC), Mr. Bede Opara said the undervalua-

Nnaji

Omar

knowledge. Getting involved in community activities, volunteer work, sporting teams or university committees will demonstrate that you have practical skills beyond your academic results. Build your network-One of the most effective ways to find a role is through networking. Inform your family, friends, lecturers and peers about your job search so they can stay alert for relevant opportunities. Get involved in professional associations and attend events to begin meeting potential employers. Networking at these events can provide you with job leads and start building your reputation in the industry as an engaged, enthusiastic and well-connected young professional. Courtesy :( www.michaelpage.com

(www.jobberman.com). Requiring experiences of 5 - 7 years, the responsibilities includes Implementing the induction and orientation programme as well as carry out the ON BOARDING process for new staff, and the review of performance management report on monthly basis amongst other functions. Qualifications are a Minimum of BSC from a recognised institution, with a Masters Degree being an added advantage.Moreso, the successful candidate must have worked in similar industry (Manufacturing) for a minimum of 5years and should have understanding of ISO procedures. Financial institutions jobs for fresh graduates (www.latestnigerianjobs.com) are also on offer for the week. The Graduate

Trainee Programme affording successful applicants the opportunity to fill a variety of positions with the objective of receiving the right level of functional capacity and skill, said candidates should not more than 27 years by September 2012, and must have completed NYSC programme with a valid certificate. The qualifications are minimum of a first degree at second class division from a reputable University in Humanities, Banking & Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Law, Accounting or other related disciplines. Remember, job seekers are advised to report to relevant authorities when asked to give bribes or monetary gratifications to secure jobs.

IF THE GOVERNMENT WILL ONLY SELL IT TO THEM

a list of potential of roles that will help you get there. Start looking early-Start scanning graduate job opportunities as early as you can. Internet job boards, trade publications, newspapers and your network are great sources of potential openings. Not only will you get a good indication of the type of roles available, including the skills required and salaries on offer, but you may also be amongst the first to uncover a great opportunity. Get prepared-To have an edge in a competitive job market, it is essential to be as well prepared as possible. Identify target companies and research graduate recruitment programs so that you

Job vacancies T op on this week vacancies are media based positions offered by (www.jobberman.com) for an Admin Executive for You Tube Platform, and a Video Production Assistant. The job description for the former includes the ability to make the company highly visible, well known and easily approachable. Other responsibilities are the conduct constantly of web research, search engine optimisation and development, and to be trained on use of various softwares and put these softwares to good use of the company. The qualifications and requirements for the post are a good university degree, proficiency in internet marketer on YouTube and the ability to conceptualise and implement internet marketing ideas on YouTube. For the latter,s position of a Video Pro-

can make contact prior to completing your studies. Make a list of the job types and salary you are looking for and register with recruitment agencies that specialise in your market. You should also start rehearsing common interview questions to polish your technique. Thorough preparation will mean that you can quickly and comfortably seize any opportunities that arise. Increase your employability-High achievement at university is only one element of what makes a graduate attractive to potential employers. They will also be looking for work experience, leadership in extra-curricular activities and key ‘soft skills’ such as interpersonal and communication skills, critical reasoning and problem-solving plus passion, enthusiasm and industry

TO BUY THESE ASSETS WITH THEIR ENTITLEMENT

Tips for graduate job seekers s a graduate, taking the first steps towards a new career is an exciting and rewarding experience, provided you are prepared, focused and flexible in your approach. Here are some practical suggestions to help you make a smooth and successful transition from study to the workforce. Be flexible-Competition is strong for the best graduate opportunities, with many applicants competing from a relatively level playing field. It is important to keep your options open and consider a variety of roles, with a degree of flexibility in terms of salary expectations. Think about where you want to be in 2-3 years time and make

According to Opara, the number of vehicles, wires and power plants, in PHCN are worth over N200bn each, adding that the reason the Federal

government decided to devalue the assets of the corporation has and will remain a mystery. He said the workers of the power company are ready to buy these assets with their entitlement if government will sell it to them, saying further that the two unions, SSAEAC and National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), will invite international valuers to value the assets with a view to buttressing its claims on the matter.

WORKERS OF THE POWER COMPANY ARE READY

tion of PHCN, when addressed by the government, will also serve to ensure permanent solution to the disagreements the sector is grappling with.

duction Assistant also on (www.jobberman. com), between 1 - 3 years experience is required, while the job description includes being charged with the responsibilities of Videography, editing and other related activities. Other responsibilities are to prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability, and Read copy or proof to detect and correct errors. The qualifications and requirements also are a degree from any university, experience in a media organisation and knowledge of setting up of cameras and other equipment. Also on offer this week, is the position of Training Manager at a manufacturing & production company, Lagos from

Opara

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Real Estate & Environment dayoayeyemi@yahoo.com 08033312578

Protecting Lagos shoreline from effects of climate change

Shanties demolished after the ocean surge at Kuramo Beach, Lagos.

Following the ocean surge that hit the Lagos coastline last week with a number of casualties, people have not stopped making accusations and counter accusations on the cause of the gincident. But environmental experts concluded that the effects of climate change have become real in Lagos and canvassed appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures to stem the trend. DAYO AYEYEMI, writes

or the third times in seven years, Lagos seashore was weighed down by ocean surge last week at the Kuramo Beach end, drowning scores of people, while several shanties serving as shelters for the community were carted away by the strong tidal wave. As at the last count, 10 bodies have been recovered, while effort is still ongoing to retrieve others. In its usual manner, the Lagos State Government has ordered the evacuation of all â&#x20AC;&#x153;illegal squattersâ&#x20AC;? at Kuramo Beach while their shanties been removed by the authority to make way for movement of sand into the area. According to the Commissioner in the ministry, Mr Segun Oniru, the action was taken to avert the disaster of the Atlantic Ocean joining the Kuramo Waters and subsequently, the Lagoon. He explained that the state is experiencing extreme weather conditions due to its location, and noted that other coastal areas badly affected from which people would be expected to move include Badagry and Ojo areas, Bar Beach, Goshen Estate, as well as Maiyegun and Alpha beaches. This is not the first time Lagos is experiencing ocean surge in its coastline. The first one occurred in 2005 at the Bar Beach, where the entire sea sand was submerged and water covered the entire Ahmadu Bello Way, making it impassable for pedestrians and motorists. Although, Lagos State Government in 2006, carried out permanent restora-

Fashola

Malafai

tion of the Bar Beach with a whopping N6.5bn. Another ocean surge devastated the entire waterfront community of Okun Alfa at Alfa Beach. The beach was degraded while strong erosion washed away coconut trees adorning the shoreline, roads, and houses in neighbourhood. As at now, no solution in sight to restore Alfa Beach as the state government said it is awaiting support from the Federal Government to carry out permanent restoration programme which is estimated at N20bn for the entire area affected. Early this year, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), had predicted that Lagos would experience a rainy season of about 236 days with intermittent breaks between March and November. This prediction made the state government to warn residents of flood prone locations in the state to relocate in order to prevent a repeat of July 10, 2011 flooding in the

metropolis. With the latest ocean surge at Kuramo Beach, there is no doubt that the reality of climate change is here and what should be done to mitigate them dominated minds of stakeholders throughout last week. Although many people, especially the evictees of Kuramo Beach attributed the devastating surge to the development of Eko Atlantic City project, an initiative of the Lagos State Government to prevent coastal erosion and flooding from Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikoyi, saying since the sand filling of the project site, tidal wave along the coastline has increased. One of the evictees, Mr Abbey Edwards, specifically raised posers concerning the Environment Impact Assessment of the project, saying it is high time the developers make it open for members of the public to see. CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NIOB renews call for review of Public Procurement Act DAYO AYEYEMI

rofessionals builders under the auspices of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) have called for the review of the Public Procurement Act (2007) to include an elaborate provision for construction project tender durations validity. Besides, they called for the need to make it mandatory for construction programme, project health and safety plan, and project quality management plan to form part of contract document requirements in tandem with the National Building Code. All these were contained in a communiqué signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, at the weekend as part of the resolutions reached during the 42nd National Conference/Annual General Meeting of NIOB held recently in Enugu, with the theme, “Transformational Agenda and Building Production Management in Nigeria.” Also, the group canvassed that the list of built environment professionals should be reflected in the tender documents and accordingly verified from their various professional/regulatory bodies. The communiqué urged professional builders and building organisations to adopt appropriate construction practices with emphasis on construction methodology, materials development and efficient technology. Participants at the conference noted that the transformational agenda of the Federal Government, if properly executed, would not only engender sustainable

Elegunshin Estate in Lekki, Lagos

development of key sectors of the economy, but will also minimise the issue of corruption in the country. The communiqué read, “There cannot be genuine national transformation in the built environment sector without the well articulated inputs of builders, who are statutorily responsible for the management of building construction process. As a matter of urgency, the group called on the Federal Government to establish a Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in order to engender sustainable transformation of the Nigerian construction industry.

Besides, they recommended that there should be appropriate funding of construction researches and research institutes such as Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), to deliver on their mandate. They also canvassed a training and research fund by pooling contributions from construction organisations in the country to sustain the sector, while urging that government institutions in the country should be adequately professionalised and that sufficient resources be committed to the industry to improve national infrastructure. The communiqué read, “The confer-

ence commended the National Assembly on the progress towards enacting the National Building Code enabling law and calls on all government at state level to domesticate this law in their respective areas for implementation once it is enacted and also for the Federal Government to amend the Land Use Act in order to boost housing delivery.” The conference which was well attended and had over 3000 participants comprising builders, built environment professionals, individuals from corporate organisations and private sector, public servants and students.

Protecting Lagos shoreline from effects of climate change CONTINUED FROM 25 But Waterfront Infrastructure Development’s commissioner, Mr. Segun Oniru had on several occasions absolved the construction of Eko Atlantic City as causing the surge. He described the project as unique, saying that its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) had been duly conducted and certified okay. He blamed the disaster on the neglect by the Federal Government, saying the problem would have been solved a long time ago if the central government had redeemed its promises to assist Lagos State Government to solve the ocean problem. Climate change refers to an increase in average global temperatures as a result of natural events and human activities caused primarily by increases in greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Nigeria is experiencing adverse climate conditions with negative impacts on the welfare of millions of people. Persistent droughts and flooding, off season rains and dry spells have sent growing seasons out of track, in a country dependent on a rain fed agriculture. Scientific studies had shown that snows are disappearing rapidly and that Africa will be worst hit by the effects of climate change which Nigeria is part of.

Alfa Beach Lagos

Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves. Speaking with National Mirror at the weekend, acting Executive Director, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Dr. Alade Adeleke, cities along the coast such as Lagos will continue to experience ocean surge due to rise in sea level with storm occasioned by melting glacier ice as a result of high temperature on earth.

As part of the adaptation measures, he said Lagos State Government should give more space to the coastlines while advising people to move away from such locations. Pointing out that most of the blames of the surge could not be attributed to climate change, Adeleke explained that Land Use Planning in the country has failed to give much room for the understanding of the ecosystem of the coastal zone. Asked if Eko Atlantic City project could contribute to the ocean surge, he said that areas have been developed and some areas

are still being developed, adding that the claims of people could be right but that no study has suggested that. He said, “There is no study that really suggests that the ocean surge is because the Eko Atlantic City is being developed. I think there was an EIA before it was embarked on. I am not saying it is not based on the fact that Eko Atlantic City is being developed but there could be an additional factor. “Everywhere in the coast when you want to develop, you should be aware that there is a kind of threat on the wetland system of the coastal ecosystem. I believe the development of Eko Atlantic City would have taken it into consideration.” He urged the need for government and the people to have a long term view of living in coastal area by designing comprehensive adaptation and mitigation measures. One of such measures, he said include a green belt along the coast - a wetland that can take the ocean surge, where people can take refuge and promote eco-tourism. As to whether the Lagos State government has any planning document for coastal line management, Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr. Makinde Ogunleye, said since the expiration of the Lagos Master Plan, there have been disjointed developments along the coast.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

How we can redeem athletics – Uruemu 30

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

I sincerely think Stephen Keshi has to be careful with handling the foreign players he has invited - Sports critic, Shuaibu Gara-Gombe

Dope ‘all-clear’ delights Falconets’ coach AFOLABI GAMBARI

alconets Coach, Edwin Okon, has expressed delight at the clearing of his players, Desire Oparanozie and Chidimma Okoro, of drug-related offences after both were tested by FIFA sequel to their opening group game against South Korea on August 19 in the on-going U-20 World up in Japan. The doping result was released on Sunday as the Nigerian camp erupted in jubilation at the hearing. “I am happy with the result as it is a good one for the team especially at this crucial time,” Okon said yesterday. Interestingly, Oparanozie has yet to fulfil her scoring potential at the Japan competition, although she offers promise as Nigeria squares Mexico in a quarter final clash on Thursday.

Heartland FC captain, Chinedu Efugh, displaying the Federation Cup and his MVP trophy after the 2012 Federation Cup final won by the club in Lagos on Sunday.

CCL: Sunshine in semis as CAF throws out Etoile EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

he Confederation of African Football (CAF) yesterday threw out Tunisian club, Etoile du Sahel, from this year’s CAF Champions League, thus paving the way for Nigeria’s Sunshine Stars to qualify for the semi-finals. Therefore, next Sunday’s match in Tunis between defending champions, Esperance Sportive du Tunis and Sunshine will be the Nigerian club’s final group game and the outcome could well determine the winners of Group A. Esperance is still topping the group with six points after their two matches against Etoile were cancelled by CAF, while Sunshine Stars second also on six points with their goalless draw with Etoile in Sousse also cancelled. A draw or a win for Esperance in Tunis will see the defending champions finish top of the new three-team standings as they will still welcome bottom team ASO Chlef of Algeria in a final group game. In a statement sent to National Mirror yesterday, CAF said that Etoile was disqualified because of

“missile throwing, stones, bottles, firecrackers and pitch invasion” carried out by their fans during their derby against Esperance on August 18. The referee was forced to call off the match in the 69th minute with Esperance leading 2-0. CAF further explained that it based its decision on Article 7, paragraph 6 of its Inter-Clubs Competition Rules and Regulations to eliminate Etoile from the League “without prejudice to any other sanctions that may be imposed by CAF Disciplinary Committee Board.”

The provision stipulates, “If the referee is forced to stop the match before the end of the regular time because of invasion of the field or aggression against the visiting team, the host team shall be considered loser and shall be eliminated from the competition, without prejudice to the sanctions existing in the regulations.” The winner of Group A between Sunshine and Esperance will clash with the runner-up in Group B, which currently looks like a straight fight between TP Mazembe and Berekum Chelsea of Ghana.

Okon

Victorious Heartland hits Owerri today I KENWA N NABUOGOR

ictorious Heartland FC team that retained the Federation Cup on Sunday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, will depart Lagos for Owerri today. The team, which lodged at the Adig Hotels, Adetola Street, Surulere will storm the Imo State capital by road.

The team made up of 18 players, officials and travelling fans, is expected to leave Lagos early this morning and arrive Owerri later in the afternoon into the waiting arms of thousands of their fans and supporters. National Mirror learnt that the team would be received by the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, later in the week at a reception, where he is ex-

pected to reward the team for their feat. Meanwhile, players of the club have revealed that they were determined to retain the Fed Cup trophy because of their Chief Coach, Ndubuisi Nduka. The players said that they played their hearts out to win the title due to the fatherly relationship they have enjoyed with the veteran coach. Coach Nduka rejoined the

Victor Moses

Moses pockets £50, 000 at Chelsea

igeria’s Victor Moses will earn £50,000 a week after he signed a five-year deal with European kings, Chelsea. Moses, 21, last weekend finally joined Chelsea after several of their bids were turned down by fellow English Premier League side, Wigan Athletic. MTNFootball.com has now learnt that the former Crystal Palace star will earn at Stamford Bridge five times what he was paid at modest Wigan. “Moses has hit it very rich at Chelsea. He will now pocket £50,000 a week at Chelsea, while at Wigan he was on £10, 000,” a source close to the player disclosed. “He has also signed a long-term deal of five years because Chelsea see him as a player for the future.”

club this season following the departure of Dutchman Lodewijk de Cruijk. Osas Okoro said: “There was no way we would have let our coach down because he’s been there for us both on and off the pitch,” “His encouragement on and off the pitch is noteworthy and it helped us to come this far. I thank God we won the title to thank him for all these.”

Sport

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Chess: Nigerians face Turkish battle

Euro briefs…

Modric

AFOLABI GAMBARI

nternational Master Dapo Adu and nine other Nigerian chess players will today do battle with other nations as the 40th World Chess Olympiad gets underway in Istanbul, Turkey. Chess prodigies led by Grand Masters Viswanathan Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen will display their brilliance over the chess board for their countries to determine the overall winner of the 11round Swiss-event pairing. The Nigerian team led by International Master Dapo Adu, who joined the team from his USA base, expressed optimism of the country’s participation at the global event. “We know that we are competing among the best in the world and Nigerians are looking up to us especially after the bad outing at the just concluded London Olympic Games,” Adu said yesterday. “We have a team with a blend of young and experienced players that will make a mark when the competition and if we cannot make something in the team event, I am sure that Nigeria will make something from both category and continental placements.” Other players in the male section are Bomo Kigigha, who made his debut at the global event in 2008 in Dresden, Germany, Oragwu Chukwunonso, Balogun Femi and Adesina Adeyinka; the last three of who are debutants in the event. In the female category, the trio of Olatunji Oluwatobiloba, Dzaayem Vivian and Funmi Akinola, all debutantes at the last event in Russia, will lead the pack with Asanga NsisongBassey and Alexis Dikeocha all aiming a mark on the center stage. About 162 countries are participating in the completion with host Turkey parading two teams for both male and female.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Samuel Eto’o

AFCON 2013 qualifier: Eto’o shuns Lions’ party

AFOLABI GAMBARI

WITH AGENCY REPORT

sports,” Eto’o further said, adding, however, “I doubt if supporters of the Indomitable Lions will understand my move aimed at attracting attention to the imperative necessity to make the team professional.” Meanwhile, Lavagne has already expressed his intention to remove Eto’o as captain on his return from suspension.

eleaguered Indomitable Lions captain, Samuel Eto’o, has refused to play for Cameroon as a protest against what he describes as poor organization in the national team. The striker, who was listed in the squad to face Cape Verde in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on September 8 after completing an eight-month international ban last week, said in a letter to the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) yesterday that he had suspended his return. “The shortcomings I raised as team captain are unresolved,” Eto’o said. The multiple African Footballer of the Year winner, who has won 109 caps and scored 54 goals for Cameroon, was suspended for his part in a player strike over unpaid bonuses following a tournament in Morocco last year. “Our national team continues to dwell in an environment characterized by amateurism and poor organization not compatible with professional

KEMI OLAITAN

Minister charges federations on Rio

he National Sports Commission (NSC) has given the various sports federations in the country a two-week ultimatum to submit their programmes and targets for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics or get blacklisted. Chairman of the NSC and Minister of Sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, gave the directive on Sunday in Abuja at a meeting with the sports’ federations’ presidents and secretaries. He said the federations must hit the ground running as he would set up a committee that would monitor their programmes and targets for the next four years. The NSC chairman vowed that any federation that did not meet its target would not be favoured in terms of planning and implementation for the 2016 Olympics scheduled for Brazil. The development followed President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive for a re-organisation after Team Nigeria’s disgraceful outing at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder, Luka Modric, has finalized his switch to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur after passing a medical with the Spanish club and signing a five-year contract worth 33 million pounds. Spurs announced earlier on Monday that a deal had been struck with Real for the sale of Modric as part of a partnership agreement between the clubs. The Croatian has now put the finishing touches on his move after coming through his physical assessment with no trouble and penning a long-term contract until 2017.

Messi

Barcelona hero, Lionel Messi, insists the team never panicked as the visitors came from behind to defeat Osasuna 2-1 on Sunday. Messi scored twice in the last 15 minutes as Barcelona survived a scare against 10-man Osasuna. “We were able to play from behind and didn’t lose our heads. Luckily, the goals came,” Messi said.

Sahin

‘Name National Stadium after Abiola’ IBADAN

eneral Manager of Heartland Football Club of Owerri, Chief Fan Ndubuoke, has appealed to the Federal Government to name the National Stadium in Abuja after the winner of June 12 presidential election and sports philanthropist Chief Moshood Abiola. Ndubuoke made the appeal at the weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State at the public lecture organized by the Sport Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN ) to commemorate the 75th birthday anniversary of the late politician. The speaker, who is a former national President of SWAN, said Nigeria’s fortune had nosedived after Abiola’s death in 2008, noting that the situation had proved unfair to his memory. In a lecture titled “ Sports Philanthropy: The M.K.O Definition”, Ndubuoke said the late Abiola was named Africa’s Pillar of Sports for his unquantifiable contributions to sports development in Africa and the world. “It is lamentable that government at all tiers have not financed sports like the late Abiola did,” he observed. “His honour will only be complete after the Abuja stadium is named after him,” Ndubuoke said.

Liverpool legend, Steve Nicol, has welcomed the signing of Nuri Sahin who joined from Real Madrid last week on loan. “Liverpool lack the cutting edge and hopefully Sahin can come in and sit in front of Steven Gerrard and Joe Allan and thread the balls through for Suarez, which will help him,” Nicol said. “I’d love to see Sahin come in and do the job of creating chances,” he added.

Dempsey

Fulham Manager, Martin Jol, has no idea what he will do with Clint Dempsey this week after the USA international again missed selection for defeat at Manchester United on Saturday. “Clint could have played until he got his big move and I would have liked that,” Jol said yesterday. “It is a very bad situation for us, and for him of course.”

Hernandez Manchester United striker, Javier Hernandez, insists he doesn’t feel threatened by the arrival of Robin van Persie. The 24-year-old Mexican, who could only net 12 times last season after 20 in his debut campaign in 2010-11, says he wants to learn from last year’s PFA Player of the Year. “I think in life you never stop learning and I try to learn from all my team-mates,” he said yesterday.

Emmanuel Emenike (l), bullying a Gu

Madu eyes co IKENWA NNABUOGOR

eartland Assistant Co some Madu, says his tea gin preparation ahead CAF Confederation Cup campa diately. Speaking shortly after his team Stars 2-1 to win the 2012 Federati Sunday at Teslim Balogun Stadiu mer Heartland defender promis team will fly the nation’s flag wel tinent. Madu, who was part of the (then Iwuanyanwu Nationale) t to the final of the Cup Champi 1988, reckons that he will be wi prepared this time to avoid the sh

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Power-playing striker, Emmanuel Emenike, is making a return to the Super Eagles after a long stay-off. But the Spartak Moscow player tells IKENWA NNABUOGOR that he is determined to make a lasting impression this time as he prepares to lead Nigeria’s attack against Lone Star of Liberia on September 8. How does it feel to be back in the Super Eagles fold again? The feeling is great and I can’t wait to serve my country. I have never thought twice about offering my services for Nigeria. The coming game against Liberia is crucial and personally, I would want to give it my all. Keshi said he went for you, Brown Ideye and Ahmed Musa, describing you guys as firebrand attackers as he resolved to get a win against Liberia. Do you see this as a tall order? As a player, I would put in my best and the game against Liberia won’t be an exception. So, I see it as task that must be done. The strikers the coach named are proven players who have shown what they could do in their respective clubs. Personally, I have been looking forward to this and was glad when I made the list. Sure, every nation nowadays is no minnow and we will approach the game in Monrovia with all we can muster.

ntinental crown

m beat Lobi on Cup title um, the forsed that his ll in the con-

e Heartland team to get ions Cup in ill be better hock ouster

Beating Liberia is a must task –Emenike

uinean defender during the ill-fated Gabon/Equatorial Guinea AFCON 2012 qualifier in Abuja in October last year

oach, Ranam will beof the 2013 aign imme-

Sport

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

in this year’s competition. Heartland were thrown by Congo’s AC Leopards in the second round of the Confederation Cup. “I’m glad we are back in the continental competition and I must say that we will be better prepared,” he assured. “I strongly believe we will compete better next season. We have put behind us the disappointment of losing out early in the competition this season and I’m confident we will be better next season.” Heartland are yet to win a title in the club continental competitions. Apart from reaching the final of the then Cup Champions Cup in 1988, they were also beaten finalists in 2009 when they lost to DR Congo’s TP Mazembe in the same competition. They have also reached the semi-finals twice in same competition.

hijoke Ejiogu, popularly called ‘Arugo Monkey’ has become the most successful player in the Nigeria FA Cup after he won his sixth winners’ medal with Heartland on Sunday Heartland defeated Lobi Stars 2-1 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos to retain the trophy they also won last year and in the process goalkeeper Ejiogu has now emerged as the most successful player in the 67-year-old cup competition. Ejiogu, who was discovered featuring for Cinderella side FC Arugo in 1999, added the 2012 winners’ medal to his triumphs with Julius Berger (2002), Dolphin (2004, 2006 and 2007) and Enyimba (2009).

How many more that great goal against Argentina in Abuja last year should the fans expect from you, now that you’re back in the fold? I have watched the goal over and over again and I can’t help but admire the beauty it really was. I have also scored similar goals for my clubs and I believe I can also repeat it again. I can assure the fans of goals from my boots. You know, goal scoring is a collective effort from the whole team.

So, should Nigerians bank on you for the goals that will nail the Liberians? I have never been a player that talks, I believe in action so much. I know my worth and what God has helped to put inside me. As I said, I see this game as a task that must be done. I’m happy with my goals at club level and I can only be at my best to transform same to the national team.

What’s your impression of the squad invited for the Liberia game? The players invited are proven quality and they are all upbeat ahead of the huge task. The disappointment of missing out in the last Nations Cup is still very fresh in the minds of the players and we can’t afford not to be in South Africa. Personally, the Nations Cup finals in South Africa next year will actually be my first and I can’t wait to make the most of this crucial home and away ties to be part of it. All the players share the same view too.

You have been capped five times in the past. Do you see this latest call as opening more doors for you? First of all, I’m grateful to coach Keshi for handing me this invite and I must give it my all. Having been capped five times before this invite was a great opportunity and experience for me. I’m not a boastful type of player and naturally, I have always been modest in my

Liberia was beaten 2-0 by home-based Eagles in an international friendly in February. Do you see your squad repeating the feat next month? We can only hope for the best. Remember, there are no minnows again in world football. Moreover, that was a friendly and it will be totally different from this one. But we are upbeat and Nigeria will get the best from us.

‘Arugo Monkey’ enters Cup folklore IKENWA NNABUOGOR

approach to everything. I believe the technical crew and the fans are in the best positions to pass their judgement. God has really been good for me and my performances over the years will speak for me. The decision of the coach to hand me more invitations will always be final and I’m very optimistic they will judge by my performance.

Before the 2012 final, Ejiogu was at par with former Shooting Stars legend Segun Odegbami on a record of five cup triumphs. The highlight of this year’s competition for ‘Arugo Monkey’ was in the semifinals when he saved from the penalty spot as Heartland stopped giant killers Prime FC 3-0 on penalties after full time scores stood at 0-0. The Heartland technical crew introduced the former Dolphins keeper as the tight encounter was nearing the lottery of penalties with just few minutes left on the clock as scores stood 1-1 but Brendan Ogbu’s header handed Heartland the third Federation Cup title Ejiogu was yet again modest in his Chijoke Ejiogu penalty-stopping exploit.

Sport

Tuesday,August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

On the track with

YEMI OLUS danyella172003@yahoo.com

Retired athlete and sprints coach, Adu Uruemu, who is currently preparing Lagos State athletes for the National Sports Festival due in November, speaks on his passion for young athletes and sundry issues. How has this season been for you as a coach? This year has been very busy for me because I take many athletes especially in the sprints event as the head coach of athletics under Adopt-A-Talent Grassroots Sports, an initiative of the Lagos State government. I’m always busy trying to discover new athletes for the state and also train them. As the athletics coach of Yaba College of Technology, I have to be available to train their athletes while I have my athletics club too. So, it has been a tough but wonderful season for me. What’s your assessment of Track and Field in 2012? It has been great even though people might feel that there was a downward slide but our athletes held fort at the African Championships. We did not do well at the Olympics as people may say but if we take into consideration what was tendered at that particular time, they did well. Generally I will say kudos to the athletes. You have shown a lot of passion for working with very young athletes which is quite rare. What motivates you? I think it is a passion and we lack that in this country. I believe in catching them young because when they are caught early and taught the basics, they will go places and that has always been my drive. My drive has always been towards technical perfection and you can only do that with the young ones. I derive joy from working with them and it is fun; sometimes you see us dancing during training. They are amenable and can change them easily, unlike the older ones. Looking at some of them, I know that in time they will represent Nigeria and do the country proud. Could you expatiate on the Adopt-A-Talent programme? It is an initiative of the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, who was a product of school sports. He felt such things should be re-enacted and so some 10 sports were chosen including athletics, boxing, table tennis, under the Grassroots Sports Development office headed by Prince Wale Olajundoye. We have picked some athletes who have done the state and country proud in junior competitions. I wish other states could do the same. The idea is for an individual or corporate organization to look at the pool of athletes cutting across different sports, ‘adopt’ one of them, and see how you can help that youth become a star in future. A number of people have already adopted some of them

How we can redeem athletics – Uruemu Athletics coach, Adu Uruemu (inset), believes grassroots athletes as these can be nurtured to greatness through adequate planning

but we need more people to do same. It costs about N15, 000 every month to support an individual athlete and this will go a long way in helping them achieve their goals. A lot of people were disappointed by the performance of Nigerian athletes at the Olympics. Do we have athletes who can take over from them by 2016? We have some young ones but it is a long term project. Someone like Blessing Okagbare is still young because Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is older than her with about four years. I believe that Ajoke Odumosu can also do well if she is well supported. The bulk of our female 400m runners are still young. They will do better in 2016 with the right support but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t search for younger people. The problem we have is about putting all our eggs in one basket. We focus on an athlete like Okagbare and forget that we should think of getting younger athletes that can replace her. We have an athlete named Kemi Adekoya in the women’s hurdles running a low 57 and a lot of younger athletes who are running 52 seconds in the 400m. If they are given the right support, they will make rapid improvement. We do not have a good support system in the sense of giving them stipends that can aid their training and afford meals after training and cater for some of their needs. The support must start now; athletes should be given grants and we are not talking of a short-term scenario where they will be given for two months and then it stops there. The National Sports Commission has not done well in terms of taking care of the athletes. The mindset they have is about giving them grants just once in a year and that is not good enough. Perhaps the money can be channeled through the Nigeria Olympic Committee so that it can be dispensed over a four-year period. We

IT IS THE LACK OF SUPPORT FOR THE ATHLETES BECAUSE THERE IS INCONSIS-

TENCY IN THE TRAINING SCHEDULE OF THE ATHLETE ONCE THIS IS MISSING have the talents but the support system is terrible. We also want a scenario where corporate organizations also pitch in. What are the major challenges you face as a coach? It is the lack of support for the athletes because there is inconsistency in the training schedule of the athlete once this is missing. They tell you things like, ‘Coach, I couldn’t come for training because I do not have transport fare’, ‘I have not eaten’, ‘I don’t have spikes’ and so on. Also, lack of facilities is a challenge but we can always make up for it. The main focus should be the athlete’s training equipment and proper funding. With these in place, they can go very far because they are naturally endowed. We also don’t have a support system from the older athletes to the younger ones. Some of the older ones see their younger colleagues as threats instead of encouraging and supporting them. We are missing out in that respect. Someone like Haile Gabresselassie is considered a legend in Ethiopia because he brings back money to support a lot of his younger colleagues in terms of training, logistics and other things. Some of the former athletes are now coming out to lend their support.

You are deeply involved in the Masters competition which is for retired athletes and even went to compete in Finland last year. Where do you get the motivation from? It is a passion in the sense that life is continuous. Sports should also be continuous. It improves your health and level of fitness. Competing helps me educate and coach my athletes better because they are inspired when they see me run and they feel if coach can do it, then I can. It helps me pass a message across to them on focus and determination. We have just started the Masters competition in Nigeria but we are highly regarded in Africa. Without much ado we have been given the go-ahead to host the West Africa region of the Masters next season which is a big plus for us. Hopefully we will go to Brazil for the World Masters Championship next year. It is also an avenue for us to come together to train the younger generation. As a sprint coach preparing Lagos State athletes for the National Sports Festival, how would you rate the host state’s chances and are you under pressure to deliver? There isn’t much pressure but individually as coaches, we want to impress. We have one or two things up our sleeves that we wouldn’t want to disclose but it is a challenge for me. The athletes we are raising for Lagos State are young and talented; they are greenhorns but ready to spring surprises. As coaches, we are doing all we can to ensure that Lagos State succeeds.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

We can’t talk of urban mass housing until we’re ready to build high-rise, says Ajayi How can the nation’s urban centres such as Lagos cater for housing needs of its teeming population? Like I always say about urban mass housing, in Nigeria we don’t have urban mass housing, we only talk about it and we have not done anything about it. I want to go back to the example of Singapore because it is very close to home in the sense that people there have similar circumstances with us and they have done much. People always say that we don’t have much land in Lagos; it’s so limited that people are reclaiming land and building low structures and we say that rather than building mass spreading, I mean horizontally, we have to go up. I have had some people saying that we don’t have the technology to go up, who says? Do you think it is possible? It depends on the way you look at it. We are talking about Dubai and everybody is talking about Dubai, but how did people of Dubai get to that level? It is because of the will to get there. A lot of technologies they used must have been imported but yet, they have the will. We have the brain-know-how, we may not have the technical facilities that will assist to achieve such developments, but there are people who are able to bring such things here. That is why we are saying that if you want to have urban mass housing, we have to go up. In Lagos, we talk about high-rise, people call 15 floors high-rise, it is not high rise. We are talking of high-rise of international standards comprising 25 and 30 floors because this is where high-rise start from. 15 floors can be called medium-rise. So, all these houses people are calling high-rise are not high-rise at all. Until we get to that point where we are building real high rise buildings, we cannot talk of urban mass housing. We have Eko Court, 1004 Estates, Eric Moore Towers and Bar Beach Tower, but how old is Eric Moore and Bar Beach Towers? Why can’t we go to that era and go up? I see that Lagos is trying to do some mass housing and the government is building two, three floors. It is a joke! Why can’t we build like all these towers that I mentioned? Look at 1004 Estate, the buildings are not even high but if we start to have something like that, it will solve more problems. Look at the building I am now, we have three apartments; there is no reason why we can’t go up to accommodate 20 apartments. Land is expensive in Lagos, so there is no reason we can’t maximise its usage. A plot of land in Ikoyi is about N200m and government is saying you can’t go more than five floors, so how much am I going to spend on each unit? We have not started, we are only talking. But you can’t rule out the issue of technology to build these houses or towers you talked about? Yes, I can’t rule it out but someone built Eko Court in Victoria Island which was designed by Chief Fola Alade, an architect. How did we build Union Bank and 1004 Estate? Are they not built in Nigeria? So by the time you build houses like these, you create employments. So what do you think is the problem? I don’t know. I believe it is a matter of will. There are so many things why government is not ready. Government is busied with so many things, people in public office are saying what they don’t mean, and there is no obvious plan to implement what they are saying they want to do. It’s like you say you are going to Yaba and you are heading towards Lagos Island. What about the issue of an enabling environment and legal framework to get things done? I want to tell you that there is no enabling environment and we have always say that government cannot provide all the houses, but can provide the enabling environment. I gave you one example ear-

Mrs. Abimbola Ajayi, former Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Lagos Chapter is a thorough bred professional whose achievements during her two-term stay in office are yet to be surpassed. In this interview with DAYO AYEYEMI, she spoke on the need for urban mass housing with a focus on high rise structures in a city like Lagos that has limited land for building purpose among other issues.

Ajayi

OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DO TRAVEL TO SINGAPORE, CHINA TO SEE WHAT THEY

ARE DOING, AND WHEN THEY COME BACK, THEY DON’T

TRANSLATE WHAT THEY HAVE

SEEN.

SOME OF US HAVE BEEN

THERE IN QUOTE BUT WE HAVE SEEN WHAT THEY ARE DOING, SO WHY CAN’T WE DO THOSE THINGS?

lier about buying land of over N2000m in Ikoyi and government put a restriction that I can’t go more than five floors, so how much will each family dwelling be? I have a project I am doing now and the problem we have is that the location ought not to be zoned for residential but it is. Government calls it Central Neighbourhood Centre (CBD) for Lagos Island, and it went ahead to call the area residential. How can it be zoned residential? Also at this particular era, there is no law establishing in an area like Lagos Is-

land that it should have a parting wall. It is better to introduce parting walls in a plot that is just half a plot in size. I can show you some sets of buildings in London with parting walls. In Tokyo they have the same problem, I saw a documentary about a Japanese architect and what he does is on housing on narrow plot and they allow parting walls What is parting wall? Parting wall is what allows me to build the entire site because of the small size of the plot. Where do you want me to give setback again? A parting wall means that you are building just the way will have terrace buildings in Central London. What we have in old Lagos Island is that when you remove the bungalow, then you have big yard at the back of the house. So how can I have a plot of land of nine metres wide and you expect me to observe setback of three metres left side and another three metres right side? What remains is just three metres. Can you have a density like 3 metres wide? There are some plots like that in Surulere too, like when my mother was in Surulere, the house she was living was built in the sixties. If you break that house now, you can’t develop it and land is expensive in that axis. I think we are not sincere about what we say we are doing. Our government officials do travel to Singapore, china to see what they are doing, and when they come back, they don’t translate what they have seen. Some of us have been there in quote but we have seen what they are doing, so why can’t we do those things? Don’t you think observing setback in building plan is important because of emergency? The setback is the problem. Why must I get a setback instead of having parting wall? That is where government has to come in because if I buy land in Lagos Island now, I can’t develop more than a particular size. What is the normal standard because I know you are a professional? What is the normal standard when they shared the wall? The issue of three metres left and right is the anomaly that came with standard plot. We are not talking of standard plot here. Also, I am hearing now that in some states, they are going to stop terrace houses. That is silly. In Central London, we have terrace houses. You will see that all the houses are joined until six to seven houses. But now, the government here is saying they don’t want it anymore. Let’s use 1004 Estate before its sale to a private firm for example; don’t you think it is because of lack of maintenance that government is not supporting high-rise construction? We don’t lack maintenance culture, we are just deficient. When 1004 Estate was 1004, we have public servants living there, their own is that it is not their property and they can use it the way they like. This is total arrant indiscipline. Now that it is privately owned, why is it maintained? Why Eko Court and Eric Moore Towers are are still being maintained? You understand what I am saying now; people have the habit that since it is not their property, they don’t care what happen to the houses. Look at these highrise apartments that belong to private people in Ikoyi, they are well maintained.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Relieve pressure on your joints with waterbed

aterbeds are recognised for providing relaxation, support, and comfort during sleep. A waterbed mattress may be filled with water, or a combination of air and water, and shapes to the body while helping to relieve pressure on joints and other body parts. Waterbeds are known to provide relief at night to back pain sufferers. In addition, people with allergies find waterbeds beneficial because dust mites, dead skin particles, and other allergens cannot be trapped in vinyl as they can be with fabriccovered mattresses. Types of waterbed mattresses A hard-sided mattress is what many people think of when they consider a waterbed. These mattresses have support on the bottom and all four sides. These vinyl mattresses were perfected in the late 1960s, making waterbeds a popular choice for sleepers in the 1970s and 1980s. This type of waterbed mattress requires a sturdy frame. These beds frequently take up more room than a regular bed, but make up for that by offering drawer storage space beneath the bed and sometimes within the headboard. However, a hard-sided mattress is no longer the only choice when considering a waterbed purchase. Today’s softsided mattresses have sturdy sides and can stand alone. This mattress does not require a special frame or box in order to maintain its shape. A soft-sided mattress is a good choice for someone who does not want a bulky bed frame. In fact, the bed frame you already use might work well with this type of mattress, as these mattresses are designed fit regular bed frames.

Disadvantages

Before you make your purchase, you should be aware of these issues: •Waterbeds can be costly, particularly since electricity is needed to heat the mattress. Soft-sided waterbeds cost less to heat than a hard-sided waterbed. •Bed sheets may be difficult to find for odd-sized mattresses. •Moving a waterbed can be difficult. The water must first be drained from the mattress before the bed can be moved. Then it must be filled back up again. •Waterbeds may leak. While they are easily repaired, having to sleep elsewhere until the mattress is patched could be inconvenient. •Some apartments or other rental dwellings do not allow waterbeds. Check your documents prior to purchase. •Waterbeds can weigh a lot, and the flooring in older homes may the weight. y not support pp g

Mattress interior design

The way a mattress is made on the inside also makes a big difference in the way it feels. A free flow mattress is one that holds water in one single chamber, like filling a balloon with water.

Courtesy: www. better-sleep-better-life.com

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Urban renewal:

Changing the face of Ibadan through beautification projects KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

n the recent past, Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, was regarded as one of the dirtiest cities in the world, no thanks to the shabby environmental situation in the largest city south of the Sahara. Indeed, for a first time visitor, the eyesore that the refuse that littered the streets could only be imagined. However, the time is certainly changing as better days seem to be coming the ways of not only the people of the city, but the entire Oyo State if the ongoing beautification exercise embarked upon by the present administration in the state is allowed to come into fusion with most areas now beginning to wear new looks and Ibadan particularly wearing a look befitting of a state capital. It could be recalled that all efforts by the past administrations in the state at making Ibadan look more of a befitting state capital ended up in shamble as most if not all the past administrations often left the condition terrible more than what they met on ground especially in the areas of beautifying the city, such that most of the structures put in place for the beautification turning to refuse dump site, abode for lunatics and reptiles in most cases. Paying a visit to places such as the Agodi Secretariat /Government House road, KS Cinema/ UCH/Secretariat road, Secretariat-Bodija-Agbowo-U.I area back to Sango enroute Mokola, the Iwo road interchange, Lagos Ibadan expressway toll gate, Ring road area, Mapo Hall side, Beere, Sabo/ Mokola roundabout, Onireke, Dugbe, Ojoo and Monatan area will clearly reveal the sad end of most of the beautification exercise embarked upon by past administrations in the state comprising of the both the civilian and military administrations. However, on assumption of office on May 29,2011 as Oyo State helmsman, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, desiring to be different promised to change things for good in the state by returning it to its normal pace setting status especially in the environmental sector which will take good care of the beautification of major cities in the state. Thus, in his inaugural address, he said, “this government will pursue a programme of urban development and renewal. We are not happy that Oyo State, Ibadan in particular, remains a recurring decimal in discussions about urban degeneration. We are going to institute a robust programme of urban renewal for our urban centres. ‘’The transformation that we envision for Oyo State and our people can only be translated into reality with the provision of necessary public infrastructure.” In given vent to this promise, within the first 15 months of the Ajimobi administration, signs of new beautification agenda are becoming more and more clearer in

MKO Abiola Way, Ring Road, Ibadan, one of the areas affected by Ajimobi’s beautification exercise.

the state especially in Ibadan, the state capital, thus raising the hope of the people of the state on what the present administration is up to with the fresh beautification agenda having witnessing series of such lofty agenda with their hopes dashed at last watching the beautification whatsoever ending up in a mess as could be seen till date. The beautification exercise could be seen in areas such as the Lagos-Ibadan expressway toll gate point, Ring road cum Challenge area of Ibadan, the Iwo roadOjoo end of the Lagos –Ibadan expressway, Sango-Eleyele road, Agodi-Iwo road cum new Ile-Ife road expressway end of the city, considering what the areas looked like in the past years and its present look. Also, driving round areas such as the Oyo State Secretariat at Agodi to Queen Elizabeth road, -Mokola Roundabout and later to Dugbe through the Secretariat road, to Oke Bola/Oke Ado enroute the famous Molete junction heading towards St Anees’ Church end of Challenge and back to the Ring road will surely reveal even to a doubting Thomas that series of new beautification exercise are ongoing in Ibadan city. Speaking on the seriousness that the state government attached to the beautification exercise, the state Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Hon. Wasiu Dauda, said it has come to stay and that there would be no going back in the commitment of the Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration’s at making Ibadan and the entire Oyo State look better in the next few months. He maintained that the on-going beatification exercise in and across Ibadan, was part of the efforts of the governor at bringing about the much needed transformation, restoration and resuscitation agenda

Ajimobi

of the state in line with its set goals. He added that apart from the fact that the ongoing beautification is being solely financed by the state government, the governor has also mandated local governments in the state to commence beautification exercise in their respective areas especially the council headquarters to make the exercise total. His words, “What is important is for the people to consider where we are coming from, it is not an understatement to say that the present administration under the leadership of Senator Abiola Ajimobi inherited a state that could not be write home about in terms of environmental situation, from Ibadan, the state capital, to other cities such as Oyo, Ogbomoso, Iseyin and Eruwa, it was the same story. “Thus, what the administration has succeeded in doing in the last 15months or there about, is to set a pace for other incoming governments in the state, the beautification exercise would certainly not be a one stop thing but a continuous exercise such that the state would be one

to be followed by other states in the country.” But most of the residence in the areas where the beautifications are ongoing while speaking on the new development expressed mixed feelings about the possibility of the exercise coming to stay or not. Mrs. Bola Adeagbo, a resident of Ring Road area of Ibadan, said it will be too early for anyone to predict or ascertain whether the beautification exercise will actually put an end to the years of dashed expectations on beautification agenda in Oyo State and especially Ibadan, the state capital. Another resident of Mokola area of the city, Mr. Samuel Olatunji, said the present administration needs to be given support and co-operation in all its ongoing beautification exercise considering the level of commitment so far by the administration as can be clearly seen in few of the development projects embarked upon by the administration since its inception. For now, it is glaring that the people of the state are more than ever eager to see whether the ongoing beautification exercise will be a difference from what it used to be, considering the position of the state in the past years or that Ajimobi and his team are ready to break the age long jinx of abandonment of structures by completing all the beautification projects ranging from the beautification of various major roundabouts, planting of flowers on major roads, laying of inter locks to design roadsides among others. With all the on-going projects in terms of beautification, it will not be out of place to say that the Ajimobi administration has set for itself the beginning of a new era in the quest towards changing the face of major roads and areas in the state especially in Ibadan for the better.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Survey-General tasked on suitable geodetic datum DAYO AYEYEMI

inister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, has called on the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGF), to come up with the adoption of suitable geodetic datum required for developmental activities in the country. Speaking during a workshop organised by OSGF, Onolememen, stated that the occasion has afforded the Federal Government a chance to appreciate surveying and mapping products which are produced on a referenced datum, either “topocentrically orgeocentrically” in the country. He implored participants to be mindful of the goal of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda to make Nigeria one of the top 20 economies in the world by the year 2020, urging them to come up with an acceptable set of transformation parameters to guide the profession in the country. The minister said he is expecting the outcome of the workshop to enhance the harmonisation of old and new maps in one seamless whole, while facilitating the desired physical development and the transformation of the coun-

try. Onolememen said he was aware that a lot of surveying and mapping activities around the country are being carried out on various local origin, which is neither Minna datum (Clark 1880) nor World Geodetic System 84 datum, adding that despite the advancement in surveying and mapping techniques and tools for geo-spatial data acquisition, presentation and management, it has resulted to dearth of up-to-date maps in the country and affected the quality of the maps produced including limited use to which the maps are deployed in physical development. He said, “I believe the workshop will also translate into production of more accurate and current maps, maps substitutes and other geoinformation products, adding that the WGS 84 which is a world geocentric referenced datum and which is a global best fit datum would be more desirable to Nigeria.” Contributing, Minister of State for Works, Amb. Bashir Yuguda, explained that the focus of the workshop connotes academic exercise which will adopt a suitable set of transformation parameters that will not only provide opportunity to merge maps and oth-

er geo-information products produced on different platforms but will also translate into production of accurate maps and other geo-information for the nation’s national development. Yuguda who believes that maps are sine qua non to physical development, noted that such documents would assist in the provision of functional and sustainable infrastructure, affordable housing, land management, population census and delimitation of electoral wards. He stated that national planning would remain impossible without accurate, current and seamless maps. He added that also in security, a contiguous and seamless map of the country, properly referenced to either the national or world system will assist in no small measure to curtail or reduce to barest minimum all insurgences in the country that have been a serious threat to national security and unity in recent time. The Surveyor General of the Federation, Professor Peter C. Nwilo, stated that the relationship between global and local datum is normally established by transformation parameters which are a set of values that enable one to convert from one datum to

Onolememen

another and vice versa. He added that these sets of values are usually expressed in

three translation parameters, three rotation parameters and a scale.

Homeowners unaware of need for energy performance certificate - Research

illions of home owners in the United Kingdom do not know what an energy performance certificate (EPC) is despite it being a legally required document for purchasing or renting a property, new research shows. An EPC is a legally required document that enables home owners and tenants to assess the energy effectiveness of the properties they live in, as well as understand their energy costs but 22 million British people are unaware, the report from The Green Home Company shows. Property Wire reports that awareness varies according to age and location. Those aged 18 to 24 and 35 to 44 are least likely to know what an EPC is whereas 25 to 34 year olds are most likely. While people living in Scotland are least likely to know what an EPC is, whereas Wales and the South West region have the most number of people aware. The fact that every other person in Britain is unaware of what an EPC is hugely worrying given it plays such an important part in telling us how energy efficient

solar panel technology installed. Internal decorating ranked as the most popular home improvement followed by purchasing new furniture, as people look to make changes and update their homes at relatively low cost as the health of economy remains uncertain. Putting in a new kitchen ranked third and install-

ing new windows fifth. People are equally as likely to build an extension, as they are to install solar panel technology or add a conservatory to them home. As the outlook for the economy remains uncertain, people are looking to upgrade and make changes to their existing homes, which costs considerably less

Dutch facing property price slump of 30%

T London property

our homes are and therefore, acts as an indicator of where cost savings can be made. With households all over the country feeling the pinch, making sure you know about energy performance certificates is an absolute must, said John Benner, managing director of The Green Home Company. The research also found that home owners are more aware of other energy saving issues. Energy saving light bulbs are the most popular green

initiative with 28 million home owners saying they have them in place, some 16 million people have cavity wall insulation, 13 million have water tank insulation and 11 million have water butts to collect rainwater. The research found 1.2 million home owners have chosen to install solar panels as a green initiative on the roof of their properties and a further 627,000 have biomass boilers. In total there are 1.6 million households in Britain with

he Netherlands is facing a Spanish style housing price slump, according to the country’s biggest construction firm. According to Property Wire report, BAM says that it expects average house prices to fall another 10 to 15 per cent, taking them to levels similar to that in debt stricken Spain and down 30 per cent since their peak in 2008. “In our models, we are now counting on further price drops in 2012 and 2013, in total to a 25 to 30 per cent drop. That’s about the level of Spain and I would think that would take us to somewhere near the

bottom,” said BAM chief executive Nico de Vries. Having previously forecast the Dutch market would hit bottom in the second quarter of 2012, BAM now says there is unlikely to be a rebound before 2014 or 2015. “From 2015 on, we’ll see a slow inflation linked rise in the housing market,” De Vries told reporters. Most Dutch banks and economists have said they expect prices in the Netherlands, an European Union member with a triple A debt rating, to reach a low this year before stabilising in 2013. BAM posted a net loss of 251 million for the first half of 2012 after a net profit of.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aviation

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Dana crash: Stakeholders want airline AOC return

arely 24 hours after the Dana Air plane crash of June 3, 2012 at the Iju Ishaga area of Lagos, which killed over 163 people onboard and on ground, the Federal Government announced the suspension of the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) of the airline. The decision to ground the airline received a wide commendation from industry professionals, stakeholders and indeed the public, but the continuous suspension of the airline by the government almost three months after the accident has changed the signature tune. Today, most players in the country’s aviation industry are calling for the reinstatement of the airline’s AOC for it to resume flight operations, but so far, the appropriate authorities have refused to yield to this demand. Players in the industry have accused the government of inconsistent policies on aircraft accident. They said that since the operations of the airline were grounded, the government was yet to issue any clear guidelines to the airline’s management on potential resumption of flights, stressing that there are no clear policies regarding airline operations after an accident in the country. The continuous grounding of the airline, stakeholders insist negate global best practices and international regulations guiding air accidents. Speaking on the issue in an interview with National Mirror, the President of Aviation Round Table, Capt. Dele Ore said that operations of Dana were grounded by government fiat and not the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority that is statutorily authorised to carry out such exercise. He explained that government succumbed to public sentiment and took over the job of the civil aviation regulatory body, decrying that the sector is unjustifiably controlled by the government. He urged the government to, as a matter of urgency release the AOC of the airline in line with international best practices. He said, “In line with international best practices, if Dana had another type of aircraft in its fleet, the type not involved in accident should have been allowed to continue commercial operation. Since there was no justification by Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration or any other countries whose airlines operate MD-83, then Nigeria should not have continued to ground Dana Air’s MD83 aircraft. “As a face saving tactic, the same government that grounded the airline, which usurped and took over NCAA’s responsibility should direct Dana to return to commercial flight operations since the release of the preliminary report of the accident. “In other jurisdiction, it is not unusual to ground the entire operation after a crash, but when it is done by the legitimate authority charged with such responsibilities and upon review of preliminary report and subject to meeting certain conditions, the airline is allowed to fly again.” Also, the former President, National Association of Cabin Crew, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo said that while the government could temporarily suspend the airline’s operations after the crash, it was wrong for it to continually ground its operations without recourse to international rules on air accident.

Stakeholders and professionals in the Nigerian aviation industry are calling on the Federal Government to rescind its decision on the suspension of the Air Operators’ Certificate of Dana Air since June 4, 2012 after the Iju-Ishaga crash. OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

MD83 Aircraft

Oduah

Ore

DID YOU SEE ANY LETTER SIGNED BY NCAA ANNOUNCING THE SUSPENSION OF THE

AIRLINE?

WHY DID YOU SAY SUCH A THING?

ASK DANA MANAGEMENT WHO SUSPENDED ITS OPERATIONS. IT IS THE MINISTRY AND ASK THEM, DON’T ASK ME, ASK THEM Ohunayo explained that the MD83 aircraft used by the airline still flies around the world most especially in the United States of America, adding that the same aircraft brand is parked at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja by United Nations for operations. He said it was high time the government reversed its decision on the airline and consider the Nigerians working with the airline, urging the government not to phase out the aircraft type in the country. He said, “When an accident happened, similar aircraft in that fleet may be grounded temporarily for inspection or recertification. Again, if the Airworthiness Directives (AD) is issued, it can also be grounded. Dana’s fleet is made up of MD83s, which makes it a harrowing experience. I feel the government was a bit hard on the airline. “The MD 83s should have been grounded instead of suspending the AOC, which would have enable Dana to operate charter

or lease aircraft operate pending the reversal of the order. The government should please restore their AOC while we wait for the final report. This is their first accident and their track record is good enough. “On the tarmac at the Abuja Airport, there is a UN MD83 aircraft parked there and it is used regularly to move troops and any other related movement by the organisation. The MDs are not sick; we should not phase them out.” Besides, a member of National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Engr. Mohammed Fika said the continuous grounding of the airline would send a wrong signal to the entire aviation industries all over the world. Fika recalled that in June 2009, Air France flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean killing all 216 passengers and 12 aircrew members onboard, but the government did not stop the operations of the airline. He also cited the Bellview Airline’s

Flight 210 crashed of October 22, 2005 at a remote village in Ogun State, Lisa. He noted that the AOC of the airline was not indefinitely suspended, but the government allowed the airline to continue its operations until its fortune dwindled due to lack of operating aircraft. Fika emphasised that what the government ought to have done was to inspect all the aircraft type that involved in the accident to ensure that there are no issues with them, rather than suspending the entire operations of the airline. Also, the Secretary General of Airline Operators of Nigeria, Capt. Mohammed Joji insisted that it was wrong for the government to still hold on to the AOC of the airline almost three months after the crash. He said that continued closure of Dana, which the operators said had been cooperating and complying with insurance rules, is dangerous for the industry. Joji observed that the policy of grounding all the planes of an airline whenever it is involved in a crash should not be meted on Dana. He said rather than correct the situation; it was hampering operations and bringing loss to the airlines and workers. He stated further that the trend of grounding airlines and phasing out of a particular fleet of aircraft in each accident is becoming a recurring culture in the Nigerian aviation industry, stressing that this is contrary to the practice in most of the International Civil Aviation Organisation - member countries. However, when our correspondent contacted the Director-General, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren on the issue, he denied suspending the airline and directed our correspondent to the ministry of aviation for clarification on the airline suspension. He said, “Did you see any letter signed by NCAA announcing the suspension of the airline? Why did you say such a thing? Ask Dana management who suspended its operations. It is the ministry and ask them, don’t ask me, ask them. “It is the government that suspended its operations and not the authority. After the wake of the accident, a lot of vibes was written in the news papers that various things were bad in the industry and the airline, so, what do you want the government to do? Did you say they should continue? What you should be talking about now is the lifting of the suspension order, which is a different story from its AOC. Please get your statement right.”

Aviation

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

U.S Citibank, FAA, DoT support minister’s aerotropolis project

Oduah

STORIES: OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he US Citibank, the Federal Airport Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DoT), have all endorsed the Ministry of Aviation’s proposed Aerotroploils project, pledging to be involved in the various phases of its implementation. This followed a detailed presentation on the project

by the ministry’s delegation on the Investors’ Roadshow to the United States led by the Minister, Princess Stella Oduah. At its corporate headquarters in New York, top management team of the bank led by its Head, Global Investment Banking, Mr. Ray Mc Guire said the Aerotropolis project offers a huge opportunity for a major infrastructural development; second to none on the sub-continent, around the na-

tion’s airports. Mc Guire said Citibank’s prepared analysis and roadmap for actualising the aerotropolis project objectives were consistent and in tandem with the model already adopted by the ministry and meets international standards and best practices. He said the financing, operational and execution modules that were explored and considered most practicable are exactly what the aviation ministry is adopting so far, including with respect to discussions about the most appropriate potential investors, collaborators and partners. Mc Guire expressed optimism that with its huge client database, it would not be difficult to secure investors to buy into the project, and pledged the bank’s expertise in terms of providing needed advisory services and financing to investors currently studying the investment opportunities under the aerotropolis undertaking. Speaking on behalf on the Nigerian delegation, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ms. Anne ENE-Ita reiterated Nigeria’s willingness to continue to collaborate with the US on initiatives such as ETS and promoting safety in Africa. She identified areas of capacity building in Nigeria’s aviation sector that would be of mutual benefit and interest to both countries to investment in the broader aerotropolis project as well as collaboration between American and Nigerian domestic carriers.

British Airways extends summer special for first, business classes

ritish Airways has said that due to high demand and positive response from its passengers, the sales period of the summer special sale has been extended from August 15 to August 31 for outbound travel before 1 September. The summer special sale sees highly discounted fares for travellers from Lagos and Abuja to the United Kingdom and New York in its awardwinning Club World and newly refurbished First Class cabins. A statement signed by the airline’s media consultant in Nigeria stated that under the specials, fares to London start

from $2160 in Club World and $6610 in First while flights to New York are priced from $2960 in Club World and $6720 in First. According to the statement, this extension would enable more of its loyal customers to benefit from these special prices. Country Manager, British Airways/Iberia, Nigeria, Mr. Kola Olayinka, urged customers to book soon as the fares are extremely competitive and likely to be snapped up fast. The special fares Olayinka noted are exclusive of all taxes, fees, charges and surcharges and subject to availability.

BA CEO keith Williams

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

Still on the road show abroad

lthough the business road show, which took the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, agencies’ chief executives and other members of the delegation to China, Canada and United States of America has come and gone, the criticisms and commendations, on the issue is not dead and buried. Airside was indeed glad when Oduah through her Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Joe Obi in press statements reeled out the names of potential foreign investors like Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing Company, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd, Bombardier Aircraft Manufacturing Company, US Citibank, Federal Airport Administration and the Department of Transportation among many others who are ready to partner and collaborate with the

Federal Government on various projects in the sector. Airside wants the industry to leapfrog from its present comatose state to the next level, but it’s equally bothered about policy summersaults of the Federal Government in the past years, a fear exercised by one of the investors during the business tour. It is still fresh in our memories how late President Umaru Yar’Adua dislodged the agreement his predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo had with Sir Richard Branson on Virgin Nigeria in 2008 and the subsequent removal of Branson’s investments in the airline. Also, the ongoing war between the management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operators of Murtala Mohammed Airport Two, Lagos and the Federal Government over contractual terms can not go unnoticed.

When will FAAN fix this airfield lighting?

hen in December 2006, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation re-opened the closed 18L runway (domestic runway) of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, it was with fanfare. During the opening ceremony at the airport, the erstwhile Minister of Aviation, Mr. Babatunde Omotoba did promise that the airfield lighting of the runway would be fixed within three months, but about six years after the commissioning, the airfield lightings are yet to be fixed. The effect of this on the airlines is that anytime from 6pm,

no domestic airline can land or take off from the runway. All domestic airlines landing or taking off from the airport will have to make use of the international runway, thereby burning the expensive aviation fuel. What baffles Airside is the information at its disposal. which suggests that money had been released for the installation of the airfield lighting, but nothing has changed on the runway yet. Although, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah did promise to fix the airfield lighting together with the ongoing remodeling of the airport. Airside prays this promise comes to fruition at the end of the exercise.

Etihad Airways increases new stadium deal to 2019

tihad Airways says it has signed a new multimillion dollar agreement to extend to 2019 its naming and marketing rights for Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium, the city’s premier sports and entertainment venue. The five-year extension was announced in Melbourne last week by the President of Etihad Airways, James Hogan and Chief Executive of Melbourne Stadiums Limited, Ian Collins. Hogan said, “Placing the Etihad name on this world class sports and entertainment stadium, as well as activating our marketing and hospitality rights, has provided Etihad Airways with a solid platform to build our brand across the state of Victoria and the whole of Australia. “The partnership with Mel-

bourne Stadiums Limited gives Etihad Airways unparalleled exposure in Australia, one of the most important routes in our network, and we are delighted to extend the naming agreement for Etihad Stadium until 2019.” The airline became the stadium’s naming rights sponsor on March 1, 2009, the same month it commenced non-stop flights between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi. By 2019, the Abu Dhabibased airline will have sponsored the stadium continuously for 10 years. Collins said of the agreement, “Renewing the agreement is in many ways more exciting than when it was first signed in 2009 as it demonstrates how successful the partnership has been for Melbourne Stadiums Limited and Etihad Airways.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurance

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

N.Y. distributed $574m in post-Hurricane Irene, TS Lee aid

ew York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday marked the upcoming one-year anniversary of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee by issuing a comprehensive report – NY Responds. The report says more than $574m in state aid has been distributed in the past year to help communities across New York rebuild and recover. Gov. Cuomo said that over the past year, more than $277m was provided in direct aid programs for families, individuals, businesses, farms, and localities throughout the state, including $137m to the seven hardest hit counties: Broome, Delaware, Essex, Greene, Orange, Schoharie and Tioga. To date, 774 farms and 741 businesses have received direct aid from the state.

“Today, we recall the devastating storms that hit New York last summer, causing massive destruction to homes and communities across the state,” Cuomo said. “A year later, we remember the extraordinary response efforts of the thousands of brave men and women in emergency services, law enforcement, and the National Guard who put their lives on the line to protect countless New Yorkers,” the governor said. “For all of the destruction and damage caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, these storms could not break the kindred spirit of New Yorkers, and in the aftermath we experienced an unprecedented outpouring of good will with neighbor helping neighbor and communities coming together to rebuild as one.”

To continue rebuilding communities affected by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee and prepare for future emergencies, the governor also announced a series of new measures for affected localities. The measures include: $2.4 mil-

lion for dam repairs; $500,000to assist businesses and homeowners in the hard-hit Town of Prattsville; $145,000 in grants to first-responder organisations in Schoharie County; an initiative to improve cell phone coverage in the North-

ern Catskills; and additional federal funding to cover unmet individual needs of storm victims across the state. The report, NY Responds, can be found on the New York State government website.

P/C Insurers show improved results mid-year: Fitch

.S. property/casualty insurers’ operating performance improved significantly in the first half of 2012, according to Fitch Ratings. The aggregate combined ratio of 47 publicly traded property/casualty (re)insurers improved to 96.2 per cent through mid-year 2012 from 107.9 per cent in the prior year. This improvement was driven largely by sharp reductions in catastrophe-related losses, which declined to approximately 4 per cent of the group’s earned premium from 16 per cent in the first half of 2011. Core loss ratio improvements from recent premium rate increases and other underwriting actions was a more modest factor contributing to the year-to-year change in underwriting results, Fitch said. A large number of insurers and reinsurers returned to generating underwriting profits in the first half of 2012. Underwriting results improved for all but six companies in Fitch’s universe of (re)insurers in the first half of 2012. Earlier last week, Moody’s released its analysis of second quarter P/C industry results showing improvement including lower catastrophe losses and higher net income. Fitch said reinsurance specialists experienced the sharpest turnaround in performance of any sub-segment, as there have been no large catastrophe loss events in 2012 of the magnitude of the earthquakes and floods that took place in 2011. Regional underwriters continue to post underwriting losses and weak-

er earnings due to several inland-storm related losses and inadequate pricing, according to Fitch. The aggregate group reported an operating profit of $22.4bn through mid-year 2012 versus a $10.2bn operating gain in the previous year’s first half. The group’s operating return on average equity (ROAE), which excludes realised investment gains and losses from earnings, grew to 8.5 per cent in the first half of 2012 from 4.1 per cent in the prior year. Seventeen companies in the group reported an operating ROAE above 10 per cent thus far in 2012 versus only three companies a year ago. Shareholders’ equity grew by five per cent for the group since year-end 2011, as earnings growth was coupled with higher unrealized gains. Share repurchase activity declined modestly relative to first-half 2011, as underwriting opportunities have marginally improved. Underwriting leverage, measured by annualized first-half net earned premiums divided by common equity, declined modestly yearover-year to 0.5 estimates. Commercial line pricing improvements have been better than anticipated and are likely to continue through year-end 2012 and into early 2013. In the longer term, Fitch believes that competitive forces will eventually promote a shift back toward stabilizing rates, and a return to the broad hard market and strong operating performance of the mid-2000s remains unlikely, Fitch said.

Victims of Hurricane Irene

Credit risk rises as Insurers become ‘aggressive’

nited States propertycasualty insurers are accumulating lowerrated bonds as near record-low interest rates limit investment income from higher-rated securities, JPMorgan Chase & Company said. The portion of corporate bonds in the insurers’ portfolios that are rated A or higher fell to 54 per cent as of Dec. 31 from 60 per cent at the end of 2005, JPMorgan analysts led by Eric Beinstein said in a report. The analysts reviewed holdings of the 20 largest carriers. “Over the past six years, P&C insurers have become

significantly more aggressive with their portfolios,” Beinstein said. “Their allocations are now much closer to the market.” Property-casualty companies build investment portfolios to back costs from auto accidents, natural disasters, lawsuits and other claims. The firms held about $1.5trn in assets at the end of last year, with $927bn in fixed income, according to JPMorgan, which reviewed data from the Federal Reserve and National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Allstate Corporation (ALL), American International

Group Inc. (AIG), and Travelers Cos., the largest publicly traded U.S.-based propertyand-casualty insurers, have been pressured by declining yields on bonds. Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke has pledged to keep interest rates low through at least late 2014 to stimulate economic growth. AIG, the bailed-out insurer, posted $1.15 billion in secondquarter investment income at its Chartis propertycasualty insurer, up 1 per cent from a year earlier. AIG altered its portfolio as the yield on the 10-year treasury fell to 1.65 per cent on June 30 from 3.16 per cent a year earlier.

Training essential for professional development, CIIN DG OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO

irector General of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Mr. Adegboyega Adepegba has said that it is becoming increasingly necessary for all insurance professionals to key into the Institute’s professional development agenda. Adepegba disclosed this recently while speaking on the upcoming 2012 Insurance Professionals’ Forum scheduled to hold in September at Ibadan with theme, Beyond Professionalism: Making a Difference. The CIIN DG regretted that attendance at the annual fora has been below expectation, especially in an era when other professions are maximizing such opportunities without compulsion.

He stated that apathy to professional education cannot correct the palpable skills imbalance in an industry that is in dire need of greater expertise in the effective underwriting of many special risks including the emerging risks occasioned by security threats across the nation”. He decried the segmentation of the profession by some practitioners for selfish interests, stating that all must first see themselves as Insurance professionals before classifying themselves as underwriters, reinsurers, brokers and loss adjusters. “It would be a new beginning for the Institute if all insurance professionals in mainstream insurance practice and those engaged as risk managers in government parastatals such as NNPC, NLNG as well as oil companies, manufacturing com-

Adepegba

panies and banks, attend professionals forum. He called on professionals in the industry to attend the professional forum, stating that it is the only way they can key into the Institute’s Professional development agenda.

Insurance

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NAICOM vs A&G Insurance: Court discharges interim order es.

OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO

he management of Alliance and General Insurance Plc seems to be losing the battle to stop the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), from carrying on its suspension order on the company. Recently, Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Lagos, discharged the interim order it granted in favour of the company against NAICOM. It is noteworthy to state that while NAICOM said it has suspended the operations of A&G Insurance, A&G Life and Fidelity Bond for six months, its management said the suspension of the two insurance companies is null and void as the companies does not exist following an approved merger by the commission. According to them, the existing company is Alliance and General Insurance Plc. The companies had pro-

Daniel

ceeded by dragging NAICOM to court following the suspension slammed on them for various infractions ranging from nonrendition of accounts; misrepresentation and non-disclosure of liabilities; non-remittance of premiums and commissions, and corporate governance abus-

The suspension is to remain in force until such a period when the Commission is satisfied that, “The violation of the provisions of the National Insurance Commission Act 1997 and the Insurance Act 2003 has been addressed, and the method of transacting business is no longer hazardous to the policyholders and potential clients. But the Interim Order of injunction made in favour of A&G Insurance, A&G Life and Fidelity Bond was discharged last week on the strength of an oral application made by NAICOM’s counsel, Professor Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, according to a statement released by the commission’s spokesman, Lucky Fiakpa. “In discharging the Interim Order, Justice Ajoku held that the interim injunction granted in favour of the companies on August 14, 2012 was without jurisdiction”. Sequel to this, the court among others, granted Alliance and General Insurance

Access Bank renames Intercontinental WAPIC Insurance ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

he Intercontinental WAPIC Insurance has been renamed WAPIC Insurance Plc, following the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank plc. At a joint media briefing between management of Access Bank and new WAPIC Insurance Plc. on Friday, the name change was said to be in line with the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank. According to the Executive Director, Access Bank, Mr. Taukeme Koroye, the “strategic actions manifested by the change of the name of Intercontinental WAPIC Insurance to WAPIC Insurance Plc and

unveiling of the new corporate identify for one of Nigeria’s premier insurance companies is premised on Access Bank’s acquisition of controlling interest in WAPIC Insurance Plc.” According to him, “these changes, approved by the shareholders of our institution, are a clear indication of the changes that the institution has undergone in its operations.” The change of name according to the new corporate position applies to all WAPIC products such as Wapic Life Assurance Limited (formerly Intercontinental Wapic Life Assurance Limited) and Wapic Insurance (Ghana) Limited (formerly Intercontinen-

tal Wapic Insurance (Ghana) Limited). The new identity has significance sameness with Access Bank whose corporate identity employs blue and orange. The Deputy Managing Director WAPIC Insurance Plc Mr. David Aluko said, “In the build-up to this event, we have had opportunities of reviewing the achievements recorded under a period of 54 years and one conclusion we had was that Wapic Brand has consistently shown its resilience over other brands that were its peer. Established in March 1958 as West African Provincial Insurance Company Limited (WAPIC), to transact life and non-life insurance business”.

Obama aims to shift campaign focus back to Medicare

resident Barack Obama used his regular weekly radio address on Saturday to continue pounding away at Republican plans to overhaul Medicare, the U.S. healthcare programme for the elderly. The address underscored the new prominence Medicare has assumed as a campaign issue in the past two weeks, since the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, picked Paul Ryan as his running mate. Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman and chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee, has championed an alternative to the government-run Medicare programme that would

provide vouchers to older Americans for the purchase of private health insurance. “I’m willing to work with anyone to keep improving the current system, but I refuse to do anything that undermines the basic idea of Medicare as a guarantee for seniors who get sick,” Obama said. The son of a single mother, Obama said his family background taught him the value of programme s like Medicare to his grandparents. “I saw how important things like Medicare and Social Security were in their lives,” he said. “And I saw the peace of mind it gave them.” Republicans have been run-

Obama

ning ads in swing states accusing Obama of “gutting” Medicare in order to finance aspects of the healthcare overhaul enacted in March 2010.

an interim order restraining the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her ministry from either approving the removal of directors and management of Alliance & General Insurance or ratifying the appointment of new directors and management to assume control over the company.The court also restrained NAICOM from proceeding with planned sack of the current management of the company. It went beyond that to also restrained NAICOM from implementing a directive suspending the company from transacting new businesses in Nigeria for the next six months with effect from August 6, 2012. Justice Ajoku went further to order NAICOM to remove forthwith from its website, information regarding the suspension of the companies from transacting insurance business in Nigeria for the next six months, as well as further publishing same in the national newspapers. The orders were to remain

in force pending the determination of a motion on notice filed by the companies against the NAICOM, including Ministry of Finance, Minister of Finance and the Attorney General of the Federation, Bello Adoke (SAN). The commission however said, “In the course of proceedings last week, Prof. Osipitan, called the court’s attention to the facts that the motion ex-parte filed by the companies which resulted in the interim injunction was not accompanied by a written address as required by Order 26 Rule 3 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009. Furthermore, the summon ex-parte filed by the companies in support of the application for leave to be heard during vacation, was also not signed. The written address in support of the said summons was also not signed. No date has been fixed for the motion for interlocutory injunction in view of the ongoing court vacation in the Federal High Court.

Canada insurance brokers complain about RBC marketing

s Canadian banks await report of third-quarter earnings this week, insurance brokers had filed a complaint with the country’s bank regulator against Royal Bank of Canada, the country’s biggest bank, alleging the lender violated rules that prohibit banks from selling insurance alongside banking products. The dispute is the latest in a years-long battle between insurance brokers and the banks, which already dominate Canada’s investment banking and asset management industry, and are eager to push further into the insurance business. The complaint centers on a letter sent last month by RBC to a bank client in Calgary offering insurance products, a violation of rules, the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC) said in the complaint. The bank client, as it turned out, was a member of IBAC, and brought the letter to the organization’s attention. “As an RBC Royal Bank credit card client, you already have a relationship with RBC Royal Bank. Now you can trust RBC Insurance for your insurance needs,” the letter reads, according to a copy obtained by Reuters. Canadian banks are allowed to sell insurance, but are prohibited from selling insurance alongside banking products or passing marketing information

between the two businesses. This is meant to keep banks from tying the selling of car loans, for instance, with buying car insurance. The rules mean that a customer taking out a loan in a bank cannot be directed to or informed of insurance products offered by that same bank. It has led to bizarre situations such as bank branches being located next to, but not connected to, insurance offices run by that same bank. Recent tension has focused on the marketing of insurance through bank websites, and IBAC filed a complaint earlier this year alleging RBC and Bank of Montreal broke those rules. “We are surprised that the banks continue to defy the (rules) when it comes to banking and insurance,” IBAC spokesman Steve Masnyk said. The group filed the complaint with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Intuitions (OSFI), the country’s banking regulator. OSFI is looking into the matter, a spokesman said. RBC’s shares were up 1.2 per cent at C$53.95 on the Toronto Stock Exchange late on Friday afternoon. “We are committed to regulatory compliance and respect the Bank Act and privacy legislation,” the bank said in a statement.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Islamic index sheds 0.81% in one month JOHNSON OKANLAWON

nvestors’ appetite on Islamic stocks listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange dropped, as the stocks have lost11.06 points or 0.81 per cent in one month. The index on NSE which stood at 1,362.62 points on July 27, 2012 closed on the Exchange yesterday at 1,373.68 points. The Exchange in partnership with Lotus Capital Limited inaugurated the First Islamic index in the capital market on July 30, 2012. Deposited money banks, insurance and tobacco companies were excluded from the Lotus Islamic index, which comprises 15 stocks that met the eligibility re-

quirements of Shari’ah advisory board. Others that did not make the list are gambling, alcoholic beverages and adult entertainment companies. Speaking at the launching, the Managing Director of Lotus Capital, Mrs. Hajarat Adeola, said the index was created to track the performance of Shari’ah compliant equities trading on the floor of the Exchange. She pointed out that the index comprises 15 stocks which have met the eligibility requirements of Shari’ah advisory board, adding that the stocks are rigorously screened and reviewed bi-annualy to ensure their continous compliance for inclusion. The companies are; Ashaka Cement Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, Larfage

WAPCO Plc, Nahco Plc, Unilever Plc, Nestle Plc, Cadbury Plc, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc, etc. According to Adeola, each stock in the index undergone a two- stage screening process and those companies that pass the initial test are evaluated on the basis of Islamic financial screens to eliminate those with unacceptable levels of debt, cash and interest income. “Only companies that pass the second stage are considered for further analysis. Other importnact criteria such as liquidity and market capitalisation of the equities also taken into account,” she added. Adeola explained further that cnsituent stocks are ranked based on the high-

Banking stocks lift ASI by 0.4% JOHNSON OKANLAWON

ally recorded in banking stocks lifted value of equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as more investors took position in stocks with good dividend yields. The gain in banking stocks mostly dragged the All Share index by 0.39 per cent to close at 23,491.17 points, from 0.92 per cent increase recorded on Friday to close at 23,399.58 points. Market capitalisation rose by N29bn to close at N7.48trn, lower than the

appreciation by N68bn recorded on Friday to close at N7.45trn. The banking index led the sectorial indices by 0.59 per cent to close at 364 points, followed by consumer goods index with 0.53 per cent to close at 1,988.80 points. The NSE-30 index appreciated by 0.42 per cent to close at 1,100.15 points, while the insurance index gained 0.34 per cent to close at 122.64 points. The Lotus Islamic index dropped 0.19 per cent to close at N1, 373.68 points, while the oil and gas index dipped by 0.16 per cent to close

at 164.82 points. RT Briscoe Plc led the gainers’ table with eight kobo or 4.97 per cent to close at N1.69 per share, followed by Berger Paints Plc with 36 kobo or 4.95 per cent to close at N7.63 per share. Eterna Oil Plc gained 11 kobo or 4.82 per cent to close at N2.39 per share, while Union Bank of Nigeria Plc appreciated by 24 kobo or 4.80 per cent to close at N5.24 per share. Air Services Plc closed at N1.82 per share, up by eight kobo or 4.60 per cent. On the flip side, University Press Limited Plc shed 22 kobo or 4.85 per cent to close at N4.32

est market capitalisation and average daily volume traded over a six-month period with a minimum average volume of 100,000 units. The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, reinterated that the index consists of companies whose business practices are in conformity with the principles of Shari’ah and ‘we believe that it will increase the breadth of the market and create an important benchmark for investments as the alternative non-interest investment space widens.’ He noted that the launching will bring on boardvarious ethical investors who were previously not sure about the suitability of investing in stocks,to embrace the market .

per share, while UTC Plc lost four kobo or 4.65 per cent to close at 82 kobo per share. Custodian Insurance Plc depreciated by six kobo or 4.62 per cent to close at N1.24 per share, while Ikeja Hotel Plc fell five kobo or 4.39 per cent to close at N1.09 per share. NAHCO Plc dipped by 23 kobo or 3.83 per cent to close at N5.77 per share. Transaction volume in equieties rose by 12.4 per cent, as a total of 251.9 million shares worth N2.90bn were exchanged by investors in 4,174 deals, compared to N270.7 million shares valued at N2.36bn traded in 3,715 deals on Friday.

US stocks little changed as investors await Fed signals

nited States stocks were little changed, following the first weekly decline in about two months for benchmark indexes, as investors awaited indications on whether the Federal Reserve will provide further stimulus measures. Commodity and financial shares in the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index fell, while technology companies gained. Apple Incoporation, the world’s most valuable company, climbed 2.2 per cent after a jury found Samsung Elec-

tronics Company infringed six of seven patents for its mobile devices. Google Incoporation, which offers the Android mobile software, declined 1.6 per cent. Best Buy Company jumped 6.5 per cent on an agreement that will allow founder Richard Schulze to conduct due diligence in his effort to acquire the retailer. The S&P 500 declined less than 0.1 per cent to 1,410.70 points. The benchmark gauge dropped 0.5 per cent last week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 29.19 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 13,128.78 points yesterday, while the Nasdaq-100 Index gained 0.2 per cent to 2,784.31. Trading in S&P 500 companies was down 24 percent from the 30-day average. “There’s no great conviction in either direction,” said Richard Sichel, who oversees $1.6bn as chief investment officer at Philadelphia Trust Company. “There are a couple of bright spots, such as Apple. People are looking

ahead for Fed signals. I believe Bernanke’s speech will probably be more of the same. It’s more likely that it will be a continuation of what we’ve been hearing and less of an event.” The S&P 500 has rallied 2.2 per cent in August and is on pace for its third straight monthly gain. It snapped a sixweek advance on Aug. 24 amid concern European leaders may fail to tame the region’s debt crisis and as investors speculated whether central banks will provide further economic stimulus.

Source: NSE NIBOR QUOTES 24 AUGUST & 27 AUGUST 2012 25.00 24.00 23.00 22.00 21.00 20.00 19.00 18.00 17.00 16.00 15.00 14.00 13.00 12.00 11.00 10.00

24-Aug-12

27-Aug-12

Market indicators Market indicators

All-Share Index 7,477,408 points All-Share Index 22,191.14 points Market capitalisation 23,491.17 trillion Market capitalisation 7,084 trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

RTBRISCOE

1.61

1.69

0.08

4.97

BERGER

7.27

7.63

0.36

4.95

ETERNA

2.28

2.39

0.11

4.82

UBN

5.00

5.24

0.24

4.80

AIRSERVICE

1.74

1.82

0.08

4.60

DNMEYER

0.66

0.69

0.03

4.55

GOLDINSURE

0.51

0.53

0.02

3.92

CONTINSURE

0.58

0.60

0.02

3.45

BAGCO

1.53

1.57

0.04

2.61

ROYALEX

0.50

0.51

0.01

2.00

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

UPL

4.54

4.32

0.22

-4.85

UTC

0.86

0.82

0.04

-4.65

CUSTODYINS

1.30

1.24

0.06

-4.62

IKEJAHOTEL

1.14

1.09

0.05

-4.39

NAHCO

6.00

5.77

0.23

-3.83

DANGFLOUR

6.49

6.26

0.23

-3.54

MAYBAKER

1.59

1.54

0.05

-3.14

CCNN

4.12

4.02

0.10

-2.43

LIVESTOCK

1.33

1.30

0.03

-2.26

TRANSCORP

0.95

0.94

0.01

-1.05

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Day

30,647.81

13.50

23-Aug-12

182-Day

20,000

15.50

23-Aug-12

364 -Day

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

178Days

14,231.30

15.50

23-Aug-12

118-Day

50,282.86

14.08

30-Aug-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$200m

N/A

$126m

27-Aug-12

$180m

N/A

$147m

22-Aug-12

Capital Market

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at August 27, 2012 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Onshore/Offshore dichotomy: North stokes fresh conflict CONTINUED FROM 13 The court held that “the seaward boundary of a littoral state within the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the purpose of calculating the amount of revenue accruing to the federation account directly from any natural resources derived from that state pursuant to section 162(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, is the low water mark of the land surface thereof or (if the case so requires as in the Cross River State with an archipelago of islands) the seaward limits of inland waters within the State.” The decision was derived from ancient common law, international law, landmark cases in the United States and even indigenous claims in Canada. According to the Supreme Court, “The overriding legal precept gleaned from the exercise is that that the national government has greater authority as the sovereign does over offshore land and natural resources. This has been established through the evolution of national admiralty and marines laws, progressively enshrined in the controlling international rules and guidelines called the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.” It further held: “The Law of the Sea has fundamentally established the powers of the coastal nation over three key levels of offshore land and resources: Territorial Sea, Exclusive Economic Zone, and Continental Shelf. The Law recognises the sovereignty of the coastal nation over the water, subsoil and airspace of the immediate outlying portion of the ocean called the territorial sea. This area, which may not exceed 12 nautical miles offshore, begins with a baseline that must be clearly identified, starting with the low-water mark of the land territory. “The Exclusive Economic Zone begins with the territorial sea baseline, but goes beyond to 200 nautical miles. It is called economic zone because it is internationally agreed that the coastal nation regulate, in its interest with due regards to other nations, mineral resource, fishing and scientific activities, among others, within that stretch of water. “The Continental Shelf is described as the submerged prolongation of the landmass of the coastal nation, including the seabed and subsoil of the shelf, as well as the slope and rise. But it does not extend to the subsoil of the deep ocean floor. Sixty miles from the slope of the shelf is the mark the deep ocean floor begins.” Thus, while the littoral states lost some revenue due to re-introduction of the offshore/onshore by the court, they nonetheless gained some revenue due to the application of 13 per cent derivation to onshore gas production and the exclusion of some “first line item” from the net onshore revenue before the application of the 13 per cent derivation. It would however be recalled that there was no such dichotomy under the 1960 and 1963 constitutions. In fact, section 146 (6) of 1963 constitution stated: “For the purposes of exploitation of minerals, including mineral oil, the continental shelf of a region was deemed to be a part of that region.” This meant that the 50 per cent derivation on natural resources under both constitutions also applied to offshore natural resources. Unfortunately, the takeover of govern-

Obasanjo

THOSE WHO ARE ISSUING THREATS AND COUNTER-THREATS OVER EVERY ISSUE ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT

JUST RE-INVENTING A CONTROVERSY, THEY

SEEM DETERMINED TO FUEL ACRIMONY AND NEEDLESS CONFLICT ment by the military in 1966 led to the centralisation of fiscal power and the relegation of the federal system of government to the background. The negation reached its climax when the military promulgated the Petroleum Decree (No. 51) in 1969 which vested ownership and control of all petroleum resources in, under or upon any lands in the Federal Military Government. This was followed by the Offshore Oil Revenue Decree No. 9 of 1971 which abrogated the rights and entitlements of the littoral regions/states in the minerals (and revenue thereof) found offshore. The latter decree vested the territorial waters, continental shelf as well as royalties, rents and other revenues derived from or relating to the exploration, prospecting, or searching for, winning or working of petroleum from seaward appurtenances (offshore) in the Federal Government only. This decree found its way into the 1979 and 1999 constitutions promulgated by the military for in-coming civilian governments then. Section 40(3) of the 1979 constitution (repeated as section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution) stated: “Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the entire property in and control of all minerals, mineral oils and natural gas, under or upon the territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone of Nigeria shall vest in the Government of the Federation and shall be managed in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.” However, given both the fact that section 2(2) of both constitutions stipulates that “Nigeria shall be a Federation consisting of States and a Federal Capital Territory” and the powers granted the National As-

Attah

sembly to prescribe how offshore resources (and revenue thereof) should be managed, an act or a policy that allows for the application of the derivation principle to offshore resources is not inconsistent with section 44(3) of the constitution because the derivation principle does not impinge on the power or control vested in the Federal Government over offshore (and indeed onshore) resources. The application of the derivation principle to offshore resources only ensures that the littoral states that are impacted negatively by offshore activities (e.g., oil spills, ocean surges, floods, quakes, etc) get more revenue from the offshore natural resources than non-littoral states. But the Supreme Court’s decision which abrogated the claims of the littoral states to revenues generated from offshore petroleum operations flung open, doors of political conflicts and intense agitation from the states affected. The trouble was particularly evident in Akwa Ibom State, which at the time stood to lose nearly all of its oil revenue as a result of having no onshore production. The governor of the state then, Obong Victor Attah, accused Obasanjo of personally introducing the onshore/offshore dichotomy to deny the state of its right. To address the challenges, the Federal Government sought for a political solution. To this end, the National Assembly passed a bill, supported by Obasanjo, which in effect gave up some of the offshore areas to the littoral states. The bill was in accordance with court’s recommendation that the legislature should follow the constitutional provision to work out a formula for the implementation of the 13 per cent natural resource revenue allocation to the states. Some people, especially in the North, however argued that the bill went to the extreme by providing that “the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone contiguous to a state of the federation shall be deemed to be a part of that state for the purposes of computing the revenue.” To them, sharing of revenue from the continental shelf between the Federal Government and the littoral states will only reduce the money left for the rest of the country. This prompted Obasanjo to initially refuse to sign the bill into law though he officially cited foreign affairs implications as his reasons. He said states involvement in offshore activities will mean “doomsday

regional conflict,” apparently referring to the proximity of adjacent countries. But after two years of legislative and political intrigues, the bill was signed into law in February 2004. Little wonder why the Presidency in a reaction to the renewed debate on the issue, last Wednesday described the pronouncement of those calling for a revisit of the issue as “disruptive, outright mischievous and aimed at causing disaffection.” In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, the Presidency ratheradvised the affected persons to desist from playing up sectional and ethnic sentiments over a matter that was addressed eight years ago to the benefit of all parties concerned. The statement read: “At a time when the government is working hard to resolve security challenges in parts of the country, the political elite across board is expected to cooperate with the federal and state governments to promote the cause of peace, stability and national transformation. “Those who are issuing threats and counter-threats over every issue are obviously not just re-inventing a controversy, they seem determined to fuel acrimony and needless conflict. Government is working tirelessly to ensure the full enjoyment of fundamental rights by all Nigerians in an atmosphere that is free of rancour and tension. No individual, political interest or group should attempt to violate this, either overtly or covertly.” The Federal Government reassured Nigerians that while it respect individuals’ right to freedom of expression, it is also duty bound to forestall any attempt to undermine the peace and security of the country under whatever guise. Though the affected states, majority of them in the South-South are yet to officially respond, there are fears that their reaction may trigger a fresh demand for an upward review of the derivation principle on oil to 50 per cent, true fiscal federalism and resource control. This stems from the fact that such was their response earlier this year when the Northern governors faulted “huge” revenue earned by the oil producing states. Political leaders in the South-South have not only described the campaign by the North against the 13 per cent derivation principle as “provocative,” but “vexatious, ill-advised and unpatriotic.” They argue that the current 13 per cent derivation is hardly commensurate to the environmental hazards and degradation being suffered by the people of the region. They also fault the attempt to link the insecurity in some parts of the North to the revenue sharing formula, describing such as “unfortunate and misplaced.” Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, whose state is a major beneficiary of the Onshore/Offshore Abrogation law, has persistently maintained that the 13 per cent derivation being paid to the oil producing states is paltry, saying it cannot cushion the effects of environmental and health hazards plaguing the region and therefore called for an upward review of the principle. His words: “The number of children suffering from throat problems as a result CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Politics THE

PARLIAMENT

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Abaribe gives account of stewardship

FELIX NWANERI writes on the recent Town Hall Meeting organised by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for his Abia South Senatorial District.

enator Enyinnaya Abaribe is a household name in Abia State politics. He was a deputy governor of the state, a one-time governorship aspirant and two-term senator. While many of his colleagues are on vacation enjoying their two-month recess, Abaribe took time to organise a Town Hall Meeting with constituents of Abia South Senatorial District at the Aba Sports Club. Town Hall Meeting is fast becoming part of Nigerian legislature. Many of the lawmakers are using the mechanism of town hall meetings to interact in a robust atmosphere with constituents whose mandate they hold in trust for four years. The event, as usual, provides avenue for feedbacks and allows the public office holders to render accounts of stewardship. At the event held recently in Abia, stakeholders in the senatorial district came out in their numbers to the venue. On the need for the Town Hall Meeting, Abaribe told the audience that it is pertinent for a representative to always return to the constituents to render account of stewardship. To him, such democratic tendencies are quite imperative in many ways. “Doing so would, no doubt, confer a sense of belonging on the electorate and also serve as a veritable platform to gauge the pulse of the people. “This is what we are asked to do during this vacation and we all agreed that interaction, consultation, political education and sharing of veritable information are democratic imperatives,” he said. The account, which was embedded in the annual national budgets of 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and the current 2012 was captured in the third edition of his constituency newsletter “ABARIBE”. The emphasis on budgets was to showcase the projects he attracted for the district that have either been executed, not executed or those awaiting implementation by the executive. The import was to educate the people on the real function of the legislator, which is to make laws while the executive implements. Perhaps the explanation achieved the aim giving that the people were giving the opportunity to ask questions to which answers was proffered. Shortly after the event, the senator told journalists that: “You can see that the constituents enthusiastically asked questions, made demands and through voting, they gave me a marching order on what their expectations are, and what their position are with regards to the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution. To me, it was a fulfilling experience just as it was a tonic for me to do more for my people. It is their mandate that brought me this far and therefore, I will continue to serve

Abaribe

IT IS PERTINENT FOR A REPRESENTATIVE TO ALWAYS RETURN TO THE CONSTITUENTS TO RENDER ACCOUNT OF STEWARDSHIP...

DOING SO WOULD, NO DOUBT, CONFER A SENSE OF BELONGING ON THE ELECTORATE AND ALSO SERVE AS A VERITABLE PLATFORM TO GAUGE THE PULSE OF THE PEOPLE them diligently and zealously,” he said. For an hour, Abaribe was on the spot given account of his stewardship in the first year of the Seventh Senate; his fifth year in the red chamber. He highlighted the series of projects executed under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as the constituency projects he had personally undertaken, which include health centres, new school blocks, water projects and electrification of communities in the six local government areas that make up Abia South Senatorial District. In his account, he said his office was able to provide no fewer than 64 units of 500 KVA electricity transformers and also distributed drums of cables to power the transformers in the 64 communities. On job creation, the senator presented a list of some 34 graduates of the constituency, whom he had helped to secure employment into various federal agencies and institutions in 2012. For the business community, the town hall meeting was also an opportunity for proper enlightenment on how business concerns, especially small scale businesses, could access funds and expand their growth. In this regards, Abaribe brought the

management team of Nigeria ExportImport Bank (NEXIM) to the event. The NEXIM officials addressed the people on ways of accessing funds for business expansion. He brought the NEXIM officials purposely to explore ways of re-energising the industrial base of the once bustling commercial and industrial city. It is worthy to note that Abaribe has been pushing for a bill that would permit the establishment of an Apparel Industries Commission. While responding to the question raised by a constituent, Leo Nwankwo, on the deplorable state of the Enugu- Port Harcourt, Abaribe told the audience that the road has been captured in the 2012 budget. He promised to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure the rehabilitation of the road. Abaribe called on the constituents to make use of his Constituency Office for information on matters affecting their interest. The 60-page newsletter presented at the occasion highlighted the quick win projects executed by the MDG and the constituency projects that were attracted by Abaribe.

Of utmost attention for which the people applauded Senator Abaribe was the over 64 units of 500 Kva electric transformers that he attracted. He distributed the transformers to 64 communities with drums of cables to power the transformers. The constituents in particular applauded his gesture which they described as unprecedented. In fact, the 30 traditional rulers that graced the occasion according, to the chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Eberechi Dick, declared: “Our people have not had it so good especially with the electrification of our villages”. At the end of the over five hours of the Town Hall interactive event, the stakeholders arrived at a seven-point communiqué that articulated the district’s demands, which must be tabled before the constitutional review committee. The communiqué was arrived at after exhaustive articulation, debates and voting by all the constituents present. The agreed positions for which they gave Abaribe the marching order were: Demand for creation of new state, specifically for the creation of Aba State out of the present Abia State; Autonomy of local governments particularly the abrogation of the State-Local Government joint accounts which will enable local councils to draw their allocations directly from the federation account; rejection of State Police; retention of immunity clause; single term for executive office holders and creation of constitutional role for traditional rulers. Politicians, lawmakers, stakeholders, including Abia State Deputy Governor, Emeka Ananaba, who stood in for Governor T. A. Orji; National Vice Chairman South East of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Austin Akobundu, state Chairman of the party, Senator Emma Nwaka and a host of others described the event as a novel idea that will change the face of democratic representation in the state. In his keynote address at the occasion, the deputy governor, Ananaba, applauded Abaribe’s approach to good governance against the backdrop of the significance of the Town Hall meeting. He told the audience that Abaribe has set a standard, which should be emulated by others. He specifically asked other lawmakers and public office holders to consider seriously such approach. Akobundu thanked Abaribe for being a beacon of the PDP. He said: “I have known him, I have worked with him, so I expect nothing less from him. We are very proud of him and we will support him all the way.” Dignitaries at the event also included, PDP state and zonal party officials as well as members of other political parties. Others were former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Hon. Eric Acho Nwakanma, member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Uzoma Abonta; a former Rep. Emeka Stanley, serving and former members of the Abia State House of Assembly, some state commissioners and chairmen of local councils. The clergy was led by the Bishop of the Aba Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Christian Ugwuzor.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Politics

ABDULRASHEED MOHAMMED

igeria, with its peculiarities and challenges never cease to have in stock some amusing developments from time to time. Sometimes, one is forced to wave off some issues even when they arise with the potency to shake the polity to its base because this is Nigeria, where huge jokes are couched in political toga; Nigeria outlives all issues no matter how serious. But I have been confused about how to treat the recent attempt to reopen the onshore/offshore brouhaha which was part of the nation’s political controversies until 2004 when the law was abrogated. The effect of that abrogation, one must acknowledge, has been conspicuously pronounced in the last eight years – the owners of the lands where oil is extracted have a little more access to the wealth which has brought them untold hardship in the past. While a part of my mind says it is a needless effort from some jesters from the North, my region – the region has hundreds of jesters as leaders in any case; another part says it is more serious than a joke given the vehemence with which some of them have talked about reviewing the revenue sharing formula. The region seemed to have let loose its agents who despite the unrest and poverty in the region, had no clues for peace but are capable of spewing yarns that could lead to disharmony and acrimony in the land. These leaders have chosen no other period but now to reopen the already forgotten onshore/offshore issue which had brought about crises in the polity for decades, as my very good brothers, Niger and Kano states governors, Babangida Aliyu and Rabiu Kwankwaso among other governors; former Yobe State governor, Senator Abba Ibrahim and countless other leaders have been haranguing Nigerians about the sacredness of the need to review the revenue sharing formula. Attempts were made to discredit the 2004 abrogation of the onshore/offshore law by the National Assembly, a move that could not have been made without the North’s support as the region had and still have the majority in the legislature. Maybe the Northern oligarchy were asleep when they supported the abrogation, maybe some things changed hands, maybe not but it is sad that the region has begun to cry foul

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

North’s quest for abrogation of Onshore/Offshore dichotomy WHAT WE HAVE IN THE

NORTH NOW AS

LEADERS ARE LAZY PEOPLE; PEOPLE

WITHOUT VISION... BUT OUT TO LINE THEIR POCKETS AND THOSE OF THEIR CRONIES

Aliyu

over a matter that is dead and buried. I am really sad and disappointed by the recent position of our supposed leaders. It is noteworthy that the presidency has condemned the fresh attempts to reopen the case. As a Northerner, I am indifferent to the region’s arguments about whether 13 per cent derivation should be given to littoral states (no matter how few they are!) from oil extraction far away from their territories. The technical words such as Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone, Coastal Zone, Coastal Basin and so on which make up the discussions on onshore/offshore are way beyond the head of an average Northerner (I doubt if most of the leaders understand them too!). What the people want and have failed to get from their leaders are; access to education, potable water, health facility and infrastructure but the language our leaders understand is sharing – which must be why they are fighting over the oil in faraway places rather than develop agriculture which used to be the mainstream of the region’s economy in the past. Call me a bastard, I agree but the question is, the dichotomy which the Northern leaders are now demanding, are the North-

ern states the only ones affected? If claims are being made that a few littoral states are collecting huge revenue because they get 13 per cent from extraction hundred miles away from their territory, are those hundred miles closer to the North than some South-East and South-West states? How come the governors of these places have not been crying wolf ? The position of Northern governors in this matter has only exposed them – they cry for review of revenue sharing because they want to share more for their pockets! The late Sardaunan Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, who appeared to be the last caring leader the region has had, must be weeping over the crop of leaders that the North have today, a disgraceful generation of wealth-grabbers who have no thought for the people. It was no surprise when I read how the region’s leaders have cornered the oil wealth of the country in the National Mirror newspaper recently; of course Nigeria and its wealth belonged to the region for decades with nothing to show for it by the people. When my friends from the South point accusing fingers at me for being a Northerner and for the way the region has ruled the country and brought it to its present deplorable state; I shake my head in sadness. For a region that produced the country’s leaders both military and civilian for more than 36 years, it is saddening that the level of poverty in the region could still be as

North stokes fresh conflict CONTINUED FROM 41 of air that they breathe in the Niger Delta, the pollution of water, the loss of means of livelihood through polluted water and dead fish, crude oil-filled water and all sorts of things are enough to demand for more money. Some of our parcels of land are permanently put out of order and some have been devastated for more than 50 years because of crude oil exploration. “There’s nothing like farming in those parcels of land. What it means is that if crude oil ceases to be relevant, then the people of this area might live in poverty forever. They cannot go back to till the soil. When you are talking about sufferings of the people and the effects on the health of the people, then there’s need for us to highlight and look at the various problems.” The anticipated response from the oil producing states, some analysts however

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

believe, will force the North to give up the demand. Indication to this has already emerged going by the advice of Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State that the issue be left for now until the injustices done to the oil producing communities by oil companies over several decades are redressed. “We should appreciate one thing. The communities in the South-South have been traumatised and bastardised by the Federal Government of Nigeria by allowing the oil majors to impoverish them, to waste their land, waste their terrain and pollute the environment. Billions have to be sunk today to restore them back to where they were 40 years ago,” Yuguda said at the weekend. While many will argue that Yuguda expressed a personal opinion, it is unclear if other members of the Northern Governors’ Forum, who have maintained hardine positions on key national issues of

Yuguda

late, will give up the fight given the fact that they have persistently argued that it would be herculean to build the Nigerian nation under a system whereby the 19 Northern states get less than what Rivers and Bayelsa states, each recieves from the federation account.

terrible as it is today. And the region is still holding most of the highest positions in the land today; it has the highest number in the legislature, meaning that the wealth of the nation has never been far away from the laps of the North. What do we have to show for these? The truth is, even we, Northerners are not proud of these leaders because the poverty in the region is greater than elsewhere, as evident in the violence-prone nature of the region today. And some people are waging needless wars over oils that are thousand miles away rather than the fields for agriculture which are close by? What have we gained from the ‘little’ allocation the states in the region collect now to support call for upward review? Of course, nothing but insecurity and Boko Haram insurgence all over the north. At best, I see the calls for the reversal of the widely-supported abrogation of onshore/offshore dichotomy as a renewal of the grand plot against the South-South of Nigeria by some Northern leaders. If the current leaders want us to believe that they are agitating for more wealth in the interest of the masses, they should look inwards first by regenerating the strongholds of the region’s wealth. They should develop what truly belongs to the North – agriculture, rather than seeking to grab from the perks of collective allocations and thereby make nuisance of themselves or even cause controversy in the country. It is sad that what we have in the North now as leaders are lazy people; people without vision, people without foresight but out to line their pockets and those of their cronies. Why can’t our leaders look inwards rather than depend on money from the sale of oil? Where are the groundnut pyramids, the solid minerals and agriculture which our forebears used to run the region when oil was yet to be discovered? It is my sincere wish and other Northerners that the country returns to true fiscal federalism so that each other would develop its economic potentials to the fullest. The Niger Delta people no doubt produce over 90 per cent of the nation’s resources whether off shore or onshore. They equally suffer the environmental hazards and degradations associated with oil exploration and exploitation while we in the North sit in the comfort of our offices awaiting the sharing of the proceeds equally with them. These leaders are nothing but callous in their demand for increase revenue. Can they even withstand the danger the oil producing communities face on a daily basis? A friend jovially said to me recently, “Mohammed, why are your leaders fighting against resource control again?” and I told him it’s because they have eaten all the resources of the North and no longer have any to control. The truth is there are countless resources in the North and they should be developed so that we too can have something to collect derivation from, rather than fighting a lost battle. The good news is that there are reports of discovery of oil in commercial quantity in Sokoto State. Mohammed is a Kaduna-based public affairs analyst.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror Philanthropist donates equipment to journalists

“At the moment, we do not see why it (creation of state police) should happen because we know even in those days how the regional police were used to stop other people from enjoying their fundamental rights.” NIGER STATE GOVERNOR, DR. MUAZU BABANGIDA ALIYU

NAFDAC confiscates fake products WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

he National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has confiscated fake goods worth millions of naira in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Legislator condemns Cynthia’s murder

The haul was made in a raid by the agency on major markets in the state capital, even as some of the items seized included adulterated and fake green peas, Dettol Soap, Dettol disinfectants, Jik bleach, among others. The NAFDAC officials, accompanied by armed policemen, stormed markets at Oja

Tuntun, Yoruba Road and old Oja Oba where most of the products were displayed. State coordinator of the agency, Mrs Phebean Odu, said the agency’s store is full of adulterated goods, including edibles seized from the various markets, as she called on manufacturers to partner with

NAFDAC to ensure that fake products become a thing of the past and culprits brought to book. Odu said the raids will be on regular basis, even as she implored the public to always be on the lookout for fake products and also help the agency with information to aid its work of

safeguarding the health of the nation. The coordinator disclosed that the public should also report whenever they see any of these fake products, adding that many innocents consumers have been hospitalised or killed while using substandard and fake products.

NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

he member representing A n a o ch a / D u nu ko f i a / Njikoka Federal constituency in the House of Representatives and leader of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, caucus in the National Assembly, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, has condemned the gruesome murder of Miss Cynthia Osokogu, daughter of General Osokogu(rtd). Speaking on the issue, Mrs. Ekwunife expressed surprise at the incident, describing it as barbaric and wicked, even as she called for establishment of data base in the country, to assist security agencies track down criminals. The lawmaker said “I wish to condemn the murder of Miss Cynthia, a young lady full of life and expectations and it is so unfortunate that an Anambra indigene was implicated given that our people are averse to such act. I also call for justice and anyone found to be culpable and those at large must be punished severely to serve as deterrent to other young people who would not want to work hard but desire to have everything for themselves, even as I advocate the introduction of moral lessons in our educational system”. Mrs. Ekwunife also challenged Vice Chancellors of universities and rectors of higher institutions to administer code of conduct forms to all students in order to get them behave according to the law. “Vice Chancellors and others saddled with educational responsibilities, should administer moral code of conduct forms and make their students swear to be of good behavior, as it would serve as a way of bringing them to face wrath of the law whenever they go contrary to the oath”, she said.

A goods trailer which overturned at Ahmaddiyah bus stop, Ijaiye-Ojokoro on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Lawmaker convenes stakeholders’ meeting in Kogi ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

he lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatoral District, Senator Nurrudeen Abatemi Usman, is to lead a delegation of stakeholders to the state governor over security challenges facing the area. Abatemi who disclosed this when he paid visit to the Deeper Life Bible Church, Okene said the government is determine to put an end to mindless killings in Kogi State. In an emotion laden voice, Senator Abatemi quoted Romans, Chapter 19 of the Holy Bible, as he appealed to church members to leave vengeance to God. He stressed that the meeting holding on September 7, will

be attended by Christian and Moslem leaders, including elders of various communities, as well as traditional rulers to seek permanent solution to the increasing violence threatening peace in the state. The senator who promised to look into how relatives of victims would be compensated, expressed the hope that normalcy will return to Okene and its environs soon. Head of the Deeper Life Bible Church in Okene, Pastor Irewole Rapheal, thanked the law maker for his visit, as he said the congregation will be encourage by his support and wisdom, adding that those behind the carnage have no fear of God. The senator later paid condolence on paramount ruler of the area, Dr. Ado Ibrahim.

PHOTO TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

Tension mounts over succession ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

he Chairman, Forum of 3rd Class Chiefs in Kogi State, Chief Livinus Enemaku, has debunked insinuations that a grandson of a traditional chief can ascend the throne of Attah Igala. He said members of Igala Traditional Council comprising first, second and third class chiefs, were aware that there is no law, bye law or edict which empowers a grandson to ascend the throne of paramount ruler of Igala Kingdom when direct sons are still alive. Chief Enemaku, who is Obaje Otalu of Okpaga in Itobe, Ofu Local Government Area, said as enlightened traditional rulers from various professional backgrounds they could not be igno-

rant of the law, stressing that the edict on appointment and deposition of chiefs was very clear and unambiguous. Enemaku who expressed surprise at a local tabloid publication on the issue, denounced such insinuation as intended to create anarchy in the East Senatorial District of the state. He said the district is known for peace, even as he claimed that the attempt to cause crisis will fail as the people of Igala Kingdom will always remain law abiding. “ Having made this clarification, I want to state that we are still mourning the demise of our revered paramount ruler, Alhaji Aliyu Obaje and the burial process has not been completed and the local tabloid is publishing falsehood to mislead the public”, he said.

Community Mirror

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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Philanthropist donates equipment to journalists A ZA MSUE KADUNA

he Chairman of Dialogue Group of companies, Dr Shehu Mahdi, has donated 32 i-Pads and 20 tape recorders to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Kaduna State branch, as well as chairmen and secretaries of chapels. Making the donations at the state NUJ secretariat, Mahdi said it was in the

spirit of social responsibility and love for the journalism profession, even as he expressed dismay at the state of insecurity, particularly in the north, stressing that journalists must be at the forefront of returning the country to the road to peace. He said Nigerians should be adequately informed on happenings in and outside the country, adding that the equipment should be a catalyst

in achieving this. He said, if nothing was done to the present dire situation of the country, the consequence could spell doom for coming generations, as he called on journalists to contribute positively through objective reporting.

Dr Mahdi said “I want to inform Nigerians through the media that at the end of time, everyone will give account to God of his or her deeds on earth, it therefore dawns on all to do what is right. The media should speak more of the things that

unite rather than those that divide us”, he added. He said that some minorities are holding the country to ransom and sinking the rest of Nigerians into poverty. We need to fight back through proper information which can be done by the media.

Dr Mahdi said as part of philanthropy activities during the Ramadan, he negotiated the freedom of 83male and six female inmates of Katsina prison, including 50 others in Kaduna prison after payment of their fines and compensation options.

FCTA rercuits women, youths for cleaning exercise OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

he Minister of state in the Federal Capital Territory Administration,(FCTA), Ms Olajumoke Akinjide, has said that the Satellite Towns Development Agency and the Ministerial Committee on Clean and Green Greater Abuja Initiative, will soon engage 300 youths and women in the six area councils for cleaning and greening of the towns. Akinjide said this while inaugurating a ministerial committee on Clean and Green Greater Abuja Initiative, even as she mandated it to build effective and sustainable enforcement strategies in the cleaning and greening of the satellite towns. She also directed committee members to recommend appropriate and sustainable waste management strategies. “The FCTA is going to assist in the area of capacity and funding, while the administration would help out in cleaning up the satellite towns and regional road corridors, even as area councils are expected to clean up the villages, including minor settlements. “The ministerial committee will work out details on employing 50 youths and women in each of the six area councils. Let me however state that, the engagement will not be based on party lines. We want people that are ready to work,” she stated. The minister called on the ministerial committee to embark on aggressive tree planting exercise and vegetation control to achieve the greening of sat-

ellite towns. She listed other terms of reference to include, public awareness through effective publicity and sensitisation campaign to foster the culture of cleanliness amongst residents; to design and identify locations for public convenience at strategic locations; and to achieve the clean-up of the satellite towns and highways in the FCT. The ministerial committee is chaired by the Director of Satellite Towns Development Agency, Mr. Tukur Ibrahim Bakori, while the Head of Environment, STDA, Mr. Olusegun Olusa, will serve as secretary.

Officials of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) arresting a truck pusher for urinating in an open gutter in Lagos. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Foundation carries out free surgeries in Owo AKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

he Owo community in Ondo State was recently in joyous mood, when 15 indigenes benefited from the free Benign Jaw Tumour surgeries carried out by the Health, Education, Work and Shelter Foundation, HEWSF. In fulfillment of its promise, HEWSF, in collaboration with the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, carried out the surgeries. Patients from outside the host community also took advantage of the exercise as they came from places like Sobe and even from far-away Iju-Ishaga in Lagos State, Ogbomoso and Ado in Ekiti State. According to Mrs. Shola Soji-John, Vice President of the Foundation, a 13-year old girl, Rebecah Ilevbadje, had a

swollen jaw treated. Other beneficiaries include; Christopher Samuels, 13, Mr. Clement Akinsanmi, 61, Mr. John Ajala 58, a 15-month old baby and Bimbo Elegbeyemi,10. She said one of the reasons for the late treatment of the disease is the ignorance on nature of the disease, given that in the early stages, there is no pain or major discomfort to the patient. In addition, the use of local and traditional methods to treat the diseases rather than going to hospitals, health centres and clinics, have contributed to the docile attitude of this targeted group. Therefore, by the time they present themselves at the hospital, their conditions have grown worse and even become malignant. According to Soji-John, ignorance especially in rural communities on

these conditions has contributed to its prevalence, as many patients linked causes to superstition, evil spirits and witchcraft. “There is an urgent need to create awareness about these specific and maxillofacial conditions in general. Although the generality of people are concerned about their health and wellbeing, but insignificant numbers pay attention to their oral hygiene.More so, Benign Jaw Tumour, as an intriguing disease, is not only an unpleasant sight due to its nature of presentation but can do grievous damage to the mouth, jaw and face of a sufferer and has the tendency to become malignant if not treated early.” In line with HEWS Foundation’s goal of building a knowledge based community-network of health and spirit

filled citizens, we have employed a flexible and inclusive style of delivery of our services, transcending targeted groups to one which focuses on people development through provision of free health care, where there is a perceived greater need and the introduction of empowerment initiatives of giving out microcredit grants to beneficiaries. In furtherance of this, a total of four parents with a median qualification of primary school certificate have been identified for the next phase of micro credit grant. “Therefore, it is of great import that a proactive and collective approach is taken by the government, medical institutions, non-governmental organisations, the media and general public in tackling these

conditions, by imploring the force of enlightenment and public awareness towards achieving cultural change in the attitude of ordinary Nigerians towards orthodox treatment of such health issues which are on borderlines between non-malignancy and otherwise”. The primary focus of the foundation in the health care sector is to provide free cleft lip and palate surgeries to indigent Nigerians, especially children who are suffering from these congenital defects. “However, the need for intervention in other related areas due to high incidence of such deformities, led to extension of our assistance to include cases like Benign Jaw Tumour, locked jaw and other conditions on a need and availability basis,”she said.

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Cocktail

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Oddities

DUI suspect blames ‘being a bridesmaid’

olice in Florida said a woman arrested for driving under the influence told a deputy the arrest is what she gets “for being a bridesmaid.” The Manatee County Sheriff ’s Office said a Holmes Beach police officer Friday pulled over Lesley Falcone, 27, for driving 18 mph over the speed limit and drifting into oncoming traffic, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported

Monday. The officer called a deputy to administer a sobriety test and Falcone was allegedly “unable to stand in the starting position” for the walk and turn test. “I’m done and I don’t want to look like a fool,” the woman allegedly told the deputy after attempting the test. The deputy said Falcone admitted to having several drinks

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Panda marks third birthday in Thailand

Chinese consul general in Thailand presented a cake to the first giant panda born in the country to mark its third birthday. The Chiang Mai Zoo said it celebrated the

third birthday of panda Lin Ping about three months after the actual anniversary and Zhang Weicai, China’s consul general in Chiang Mai, attended the celebration, bringing a four-layer iced

cake topped with fruits for the animal, MCOT reported Monday. Zhang praised Thailand and the zoo for taking care of Lin Ping and her parents, mother Lin Hui and

father Chuang Chuang. The pandas are currently scheduled to return to China next year but Zhang said he would lobby Chinese officials to allow the pandas to remain in Thailand longer.

Broken cell phone returned with pix of masturbating factory worker

ASTERAS, Sweden, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Swedish authorities said a woman sent her cellphone in for repairs and it was returned to her with a video of a man masturbating. Police said the woman took her phone to a Kristinehamn company in June and the broken device was sent to a Vasteras factory for repairs, The Local.se reported Monday. The woman called the

company shortly after getting her phone back and reported there was a video of a man masturbating saved on the device. The company filed a police report and investigators said the man depicted in the video is believed to be a factory worker since he was wearing factory-issued shoes and the clip was recorded in the factory’s bathroom.

Panda Lin Ping being presented with its birthday cake.

PHOTO: UPI.com

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Bauchi tops National Housing Fund contribution – FMBN E ZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

he Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, yesterday said that Bauchi State is one of the three states in the federation that has been up and doing in paying its contributions to the National Housing Fund (NHF). Kumo made the declaration in Bauchi at the commissioning of the 288 housing unit phase one of the Bauchi Unity Housing Estate developed by Terra Quest Development Company Limited at Kilometer 13, Jos-Bauchi Road in the

North

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

state capital. According to him, as at June 2012, the Bauchi State government has recorded a cumulative NHF collection of N2, 066, 212,873.92 out of which FMBN has so far refunded N57, 674,084.72 to 2,573 beneficiaries qualified for refund by retirement or incapability to continue contributions. His words: “With this, I want to proudly say that FMBN has delivered excellently on its mandate in Bauchi State, we have financed the construction of 2, 074 housing units in seven estates located in the state. We still hope to finance more housing programmes to support the efforts of the state.”

Bodies of four flood victims recovered in Katsina JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

he bodies of four victims swept away by flood in Katsina State recently have been recovered. The bodies were recovered even as there were apprehensions on the part of the affected communities that were yet to see their missing loved ones. The development came on the heels of continued heavy downpour and flooding that had wrecked havoc on the communities

with the attendant loss of farm crops and houses in six local government areas of the state. Mostly affected by the flooding are Kusada, Kurfi, Safana, Maiadua and Bindawa council areas, with three of the victims said to have died in Safana while a middle-aged woman lost her life in Kurfi. An eyewitness and a source at the state Ministry of Environment, who confirmed the number of the dead, said the flooding has affected most villages in the six council areas

with report of other areas currently being affected. Speaking in an interview on the issue, the Head of Operation, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in charge of North-West Zone, Aliyu Kafindangi, lamented what he described as the “terrible state of flooding in Katsina State.” Kafindangi, however, said that officials of NEMA in collaboration with the State Emergency Committee on Disaster have taken time to visit the affected areas and that an

assessment of the damage done is being taken with a view to addressing same. He assured that the agency would work round the clock to ensure that relief materials reach those affected by the flooding in good time. On his part, the Executive Secretary of the State Rehabilitation and Relief Agency, Sulieman Rawayau, said the agency has compiled a report on the flood and forwarded same to the state government for assistance to affected victims.

Christian, Muslim leaders sue for unity WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

meeting of Christian and Muslim leaders in Kwara State with the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, has resolved that it is too late for Nigeria to break. The meeting was tagged: “Special interactive session for leaders of all religious groups in the state on peace and stability.” Their resolution includes condemning “all manner of violence against fellow Nigerians. Every religious leader in Nigeria should desist from preaching hate in their places of worship and that the unity of Nigeria is not in doubt.” The NOA director general in his opening remark said though no Nigerian leader ever asked his followers to go to war against fellow Nigerians, they still owe it a duty to call such fol-

lowers to order whenever they engage in acts inimical to the nation’s stability. According to him, “the culture, tradition and languages of the country, particularly among our children have dissolved into themselves beyond any hope of the people to easily part ways.” The duo of the Chairman of Kwara Inter-Religious Committee, Alhaji Shaba Koro and his Deputy, Chief Peter Olorunnisola (SAN) said the state has a habit of live and let live. They highlighted efforts of their committee since it was constituted by the government to douse and resolve every religious dispute. Similarly, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir, who spoke through a representative said the Holy Quoran said that no “Muslim will be accepted a believer if he hates or unleash terror on his neighbour.”

Buildings submerged by flood in Jimeta following the release of water from Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroun, at the weekend. PHOTO: NAN

Three women granted bail for gripping man’s manhood

n Upper Sharia Court in Gusau has released on bail, three women accused of gripping the manhood of one Abdurrahman Suleiman, until he slumped. The accused were first arraigned on August 13, but the case was adjourned by the judge, Malam Sani Magami, to allow the prosecution to present its witnesses.

The women, Hannatu Ibrahim, Rukayya Hassan and Wasila Hassan, all of GRA, Gusau, were said to have attacked Suleiman following a disagreement between them over the use of a mobile phone. At yesterday’s hearing, the prosecution presented a witness, Muawuyya Salisu, 22, who told the court that the ladies had attacked the victim, a member of the

First Aid Group deployed to maintain peace and order at a Ramadan preaching event, pulled his manhood until he fainted and was rescued by his colleagues. The witness further told the court that the accused had held their hands over Suleiman’s mouth to prevent him from shouting for help from the neighbourhood. The prosecuting police

officer, Hamisu Ibrahim, said the women, charged with criminal conspiracy, criminal force and assault, had committed an offence contrary to sections 97 and 265 of the Penal Code. The defence counsel, Mr. Muttaqa Ahmed, asked the court to enter a ‘not guilty’ plea for his clients and wondered why the media would celebrate the case as that of rape.

Police repel terrorists’ attack in Gombe DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

he Gombe State Police Command said it was able to crush an attempted terrorists attack in some parts of Gombe metropolis yesterday night. According to the Command’s Police Public Re-

lations Officer, Fwaje Atajir, the patrol team chased away some gunmen at the Gombe Central Roundabout when they were shooting sporadically in a bid to carry out an attack around 9.45 p.m. He said a police team got wind of the shooting and immediately mobil-

ised to the scene even though they could not find any of the gunmen. He added that the police could not establish reasons for the shootings as they could not arrest any of the suspects. He said further that no casualty was recorded during the operation

because the command’s operation is carefully carried out to minimize casualties. He also revealed that the shooting heard around Gombe Prison, which is few metres away from the central roundabout, was a diversionary tactics by the police to ward off pos-

sible attack. He refuted allegations from some members of the public who are crying out against incessant molestation by some security agents, especially riot police officers while carrying out their operations and argued that it was false and unfounded. Gov. Dankwambo

Emergency Update

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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Kuramo Beach: NEMA attributes ocean surge to natural disaster

fter a week of rescue efforts and assessment of the impact of the devastating Atlantic ocean surge at the coastline of Lagos state, a team from the National Emergency Management (NEMA) had concluded its assignment with a report indicating that the causes of the surge was natural

disaster while human-casualty was man-made. Using an emergency boat, NEMA rescue officer at the weekend recovered another body floating on the water near Nigerian Navy Dockyard, Victoria Island Lagos. Leading the NEMA team after the completion of the assessment at the weekend,

... seeks action against flooding in Oyo state

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has enjoined the Oyo State Government to be decisive in tackling age-long perennial flooding in the ancient city of Ibadan by removing all risk factors that aid the disasters yearly. The Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, made the call in a speech at the Flood Prevention and Mitigation Workshop organized by the Agency in Ibadan on Tuesday. He pointed out that erection of structures in flood plains and obstruction of natural paths of rain water are the lead factors of flooding in Ibadan. The Director General, who was represented by the South West Assistant Coordinator of the Agency, Babatunde Adebiyi, acknowledged the efforts of the State Government at reconstruction and rehabili-

tations of canals, extension of drainages and bridges. While acknowledging the capital-intensive measures taken so far, he said that building people’s resilience against identifiable disaster risks is the best legacy that a leader can bequeath to his people. According to Sani-Sidi, “Disaster-resilient people can conveniently tackle poverty that forces them to resort in looking for cheaper land at flood plains and the risks of losses during disasters which can never be recovered can be eliminated with flourishing economic and social development as immediate outcome of government investment while government would have more focus toward stability and virile environment to developmental programmes without the fear of disaster sweeping off the gains of government efforts.”

TIPS ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT ABUBAKAR JIMOH CAUSES OF CHOLERA OUTBREAK 1. Insufficient access to safe water supply or drinkable water 2. Living in crowded conditions without adequate sanitation 3. Eating raw or undercooked seafood, especially shellfish 4. Eating raw or unpeeled fruits and vegetables 5. Improper disposal and accumulation of rubbishes in our surrounding 6. Poor environmental sanitation or personal hygiene 7. Disruption of drainage systems and exiting basic environmental infrastructures 8. Eating food or water that has been contaminated with fecal matter from an infected person 9. Personal and Environmental Indiscipline in part of individuals 10. Occurrence of natural disasters such as flood and gully erosion

PREVENTIONS AGAINST CHOLERA OUTBREAK

1. Provision of adequate water supply across the country 2. Avoid putting ice in drinks, unless such ice is made from boiled, or treated water 3. Eat only foods that have been thoroughly cooked, well covered, and eat it hot 4. Avoid eating undercooked, raw fish, shellfish, and vegetables 5. Beware of foods and drink beverages from street vendors 6. Wash your hands often with soap and safe water 7. Use latrines or bury your faeces; and do not defecate in any body of water 8. Maintain a regular sanitation in your home and environment 9. Adequate public awareness about causes and prevention of cholera 10. Avoid living in improper unsanitized or overcrowded environment

the Director of Planning Research and Forecasting of the agency, Dr. Charles Agbo said while the Atlantic Ocean surge is a natural phenomenon, the human casualty was attributed to man-induced disaster, that is when human engage on activities close to or on the sea without precautionary measures in place. Dr. Agbo said: “Though nine bodies have so far being recovered and con-

firmed by NEMA officials while others, as claimed by residents are still missing, the ocean surge at Kuramo beach and other areas of Lagos was natural phenomena while the human casualty could be blamed on carelessness of people living too close to the coastline in spite of early warning alert which was were raised by appropriate authorities on the effect of climate change and global

warming.” The agency said more beaches might be affected by wave tide after the team assessed the impact at the worst affected Kuramo Beach and also visited Oniru Private Beach and some parts of Ojo, Badagry, Tarkwa Bay, Maiyegun and Alpha Beach. NEMA therefore urged effective collaboration among response institutions to ensure the clearing

of shanties at the beaches as well as evacuation of people living close to the coastlines. It also called for the removal of ship wrecks that dotted most of the areas. According to Agbo an ocean or storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system. The surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean’s surface.

Dr. Charles Agbo (centre), Director NEMA leads officials on assessment tour of Kuramo beach in Lagos.

Stakeholder advocates psychological trauma counselling for IDPS in Camps

stakeholder attending the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has Advocated for the Psychological Trauma Counselling for the Internally Displaced Persons to alleviate the trauma being faced in the IDP Camps during emergencies. Mr.Tireng Retshik of Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Plateau state made the call during A-One Day Stakeholders meeting in Jos. In his earlier address, the

Director-General, NEMA, Alh. Muhammad Sani Sidi said the nationwide Stakeholders meeting on Emergency Management with the theme ‘Reducing disasters through adequate education of the citizens’, is a follow-up to the series of sensitization efforts conducted by NEMA in the first quarter of 2012. The Director General who was represented by the Ag. Zonal Coordinator of NEMA North Central Abdulsalam Muhammed said the meeting was in line the

the Hyogo Framework for Action which was signed by the International Communities in 2005 which represents five goals and priorities for action in Disaster Risk Reduction over a 10-year period from 2005-2015. Alhaji Sani Sidi added that he appreciated the exemplary works of Gov. Jang for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and continued support towards establishment of the State Emergency Management Agency which

bill is on the final phase of being passed into law by the State Assembly. In his remarks, the Ag. Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Alhasan Barde commended NEMA for organising this all encompassing consultative forum which he said was an intended collective resolve to fashion out vulnerability occasioned by insecurity, conflict and disasters and build a state where justice, truth and tolerance can reign supreme.

Agency boss expresses worry over attacks on aid workers

irector General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammed Sani Sidi has expressed worry over the global rise in cases of attacks on aid and humanitarian workers. Speaking during this year’s World Humanitarian day celebration yesterday in Abuja, Sidi said it has become necessary to draw attention to the

upsurge of threats and attacks on humanitarian aid workers across the globe. He said the services of emergency workers should be appreciated especially now that they are faced with increasing risk at the ever-growing hotspots of disasters and armed conflicts across the world. Sidi said though Nigeria was less prone to the natural hazards of vol-

canic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis, there were other causes of emergencies that often result in human displacement that require “concerted efforts at raising awareness on effective humanitarian service delivery.” The World Humanitarian Day is celebrated every August 19 after it was adopted in December 2008 by the resolution of

the United Nations General Assembly’s 63rd Session. The date coincides with the anniversary of the 2003 attack in a hotel in Bagdad where 24 humanitarian operators of the United Nations including its High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Representative of the Secretary General to Iraq lost their lives.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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World News

10,000 Syrian refugees stuck at Turkish border

“Syrian opposition should form a provisional government — inclusive and representative — that can become the legitimate representative of the new Syria” - French President Francois Hollande

24 South Sudan troops killed by rebels

WORLD BULLETIN AU troops in Somalia take key town from militants

t least 24 South Sudanese soldiers have been killed in clashes with a militia group that the southern government accuses of subverting a disarmament campaign, a southern military official said on Monday. South Sudan army spokesman Col. Philip Aguer said that an additional 12 soldiers were wounded and 17 are still missing from the Aug. 22 ambush of 200 South Sudanese troops who had been sent to quell alleged rebel activity in Jonglei State, the scene of a disarmament program that Human Rights Watch criticizes as too violent. The killing of South Sudanese troops has been condemned by the U.N. mission in South Sudan, which said in a statement that the attack was “deliberately intended to undermine progress made in improving the security environment and in forging inter-communal reconciliation in Jonglei State.” Aguer said the rebels are led by an elusive militant named Yau Yau and that they are backed by South Sudan’s northern neighbor Sudan in a clandestine effort to keep Jonglei State lawless and ungovernable. Aguer said the rebels are allied with the cattle-keeping Murle tribe, whose men are resisting the government’s disarmament efforts. The soldiers were ambushed at a place called Fhodo in Pibor County, he said, describing the rebels simply as a “Khartoum-supported militia.” Sudan has consistently denied such allegations. Relations between the two Sudans have been especially tense since April, when the southern military forcibly took a disputed oil well in an armed conflict that threatened to escalate into full-blown war between the neighbors. South Sudan became an independent state last year, but it has outstanding border and oil-related issues with Sudan. The neighbors are currently engaged in on-and-off negotiations mediated by the African Union.

The daughter of Aboud Rogo, crying as Rogo’s father holds the slumped and blood-stained body of his son in the vehicle where he was shot dead near the Jomo Kenyatta Public beach, Mombasa, Kenya, yesterday. PHOTOS: AP

Kenyan militant assassinated 6flooding die in Senegal TOBORE OVUORIE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

eadly riots broke out in Kenya’s main port of Mombasa yesterday after the assassination of a radical cleric linked to Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-allied Shebab militants. At least one person was hacked to death as thousands of angry protestors took to the streets after Aboud Rogo Mohammed -- who was on US and UN sanction lists for allegedly supporting the Shebab -- was shot dead. “A car behind us aimed at my husband, they shot him on the right side,” said his widow, Haniya Said, screaming in grief after the killing by unknown attackers.

…deadly riots follow “One person has been killed, he was slashed to death during the protests,” said regional police chief, Aggrey Adoli. Cars were set on fire and two churches were looted in the city -- Kenya’s main port and a key tourist hub -- according to an AFP reporter. “There is chaos in town now, and our officers are on the ground dispersing the rioters to maintain peace,” added Adoli. “They are demonstrating against the killing of Aboud Rogo, who was shot by unknown people.” Witnesses said that Mohammed’s car was riddled with bullets, and a photograph released by his supporters showed his bloody corpse slumped behind

the wheel of a car. “He died as we rushed him to hospital. Why have they killed my dear husband?” his widow added, before she and her children were taken to the hospital. Mohammed was placed on a US sanctions list in July for “engaging in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security or stability of Somalia”, specifically for recruiting and fundraising for the hardline Shebab. The United Nations Security Council placed a travel ban and asset freeze on the cleric in July, saying he had provided “financial, material, logistical or technical support to AlShebab”.

34 South African miners killed, 150 thoroughly beaten in police custody

outh Africa’s police directorate of complaints has opened 34 murder dockets in the police killings of 34 striking mine workers and also is investigating complaints that more than 150 arrested miners have been beaten in police custody, the directorate spokesman said Monday. The news comes as President Jacob Zuma is being grilled by the African National Congress

A spokesman for African Union forces in Somalia says they have seized the port city of Merca from rebels linked to al-Qaida. Mission spokesman Col. Ali Aden said on Monday that Merca, a coastal town south of the capital that is noted for fishing, was a key stronghold for al-Shabab militants, who have been gradually losing territory since they were pushed out of the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011. Aden said Merca was taken on Monday morning after “some fighting.” He did not say how many were killed or wounded. Somalia is in political transition after the mandate of a U.N.backed caretaker government expired on Aug. 20. The Horn of Africa country is trying to select a new parliament and a president. Somalia has lacked a stable government since 1991.

national executive committee over the police shootings that wounded another 78 strikers at the Lonmin PLC platinum mine on Aug. 16. The killings — the worst display of state violence since apartheid ended in 1994 — have shocked the nation and damaged the reputation of Zuma and his governing ANC, already fractured over Zuma’s bid for re-election as party president in Decem-

ber. As party president, he would be guaranteed a second term as president of South Africa. Zuma’s enemies say the police shootings highlight what they say is the party’s disregard for the poor. The ANC has been unable to stem massive unemployment. Many in South Africa have inadequate housing, lack electricity and access to arrested mine workers await to be escorted adequate education and Unidentified into the court by police at the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria, South Africa, yesterday. PHOTOS: AP health services.

Six people were killed by falling structures over the weekend, after a torrential rain lashed Senegal, causing houses to crumble and neighborhoods to flood under the rushing water. President Macky Sall cut short his trip to South Africa, and was returning to Senegal where he had ordered a full emergency response, said spokesman Abou Abel Thiam Monday. The low-lying suburbs of the capital, Dakar, flood every year, but this weekend’s rain and the flooding that accompanied it were on a different order of magnitude. “These rains are worse in terms of their intensity. If you just look at the quantity of the water,” said Thiam. “We have never seen 156 millimeters (6.1 inches) of rain fall in a two-hour window. That’s what happened yesterday morning.”

Museveni grooms son to succeed him Uganda’s President Museveni has made his son a one-star general and appointed him commander of the country’s Special Forces, leading some Ugandans to conclude that the son is being groomed to succeed his father. In changes announced yesterday, Col. Muhoozi Kainerugaba was made a brigadier-general, the latest promotion in the 38-yearold’s quick rise through the ranks. Some Ugandans have long believed that President Yoweri Museveni, who took power by force in 1986, is nurturing his son to eventually take over from him when he retires. Mwambutsya Ndebesa, a political historian at Uganda’s Makerere University, said the promotion gives that credence.

World News

Briefs Taliban beheads 17 Afghanistans Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused the Taliban on Monday of beheading 17 villagers, including two women, in volatile Helmand province, in a gruesome attack recalling the dark days of the hardline group’s rule before their 2001 ouster. He ordered a full investigation into the “mass killing”, which a local official said was punishment to revelers attending a party with music and mixed-sex dancing. “This attack shows that there are irresponsible members among the Taliban,” Karzai said in a statement. The Taliban denied they had taken part in the attack, which Karzai’s office said took place in Kajaki district in the southern province. “The victims were killed for throwing a late night dancing and music party when the Taliban attacked,” Nimatullah, governor for neighboring Musa Qala district, told Reuters.

Isaac poses risks due to storm surges, heavy rainfall U.S. federal emergency officials has disclosed that the on-going tropical Storm Isaac poses risks to life and could cause extensive damage to states along the U.S. Gulf Coast. The storm is moving with a surge of up to six to 12 feet. Addressing newsmen yesterday in a conference, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate disclosed that: “There are some aspects of this storm that are very concerning, particularly storm surge as well as now potentially heavy rainfall across the area of impact”.

Iran to allow diplomats visit suspected nuclear Iran indicated yesterday that it might allow diplomats visiting Tehran for this week’s Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit to go to the Parchin military base, which U.N. nuclear experts say may have been used for nuclear-related explosives tests. When asked about the possibility, Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Mehdi Akhoundzadeh said: “Such a visit is not customary in such meetings...However at the discretion of authorities, Iran would be ready for such a visit,” the Iranian government-linked news agency Young Journalists Club reported. The tentative offer was made just three days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) again failed to gain access to Parchin for its inspectors at a meeting with an Iranian delegation in Vienna. Iran is hosting the NAM summit, which ends on Friday, at a time when the West is trying to isolate the Islamic Republic over suspicions it is seeking a nuclear weapons capability. Tehran says its atomic program has only peaceful aims.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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10,000 Syrian refugees stuck at Turkish border

o fewer than10,000 Syrian refugees are stuck on the Syrian side of the border as Turkey rushes to build more camps to accommodate the influx and carries out more stringent security checks on the newcomers, Turkish officials said Monday. The developments underscore the growing toll Syria’s civil war is having on neighboring countries, several of which have seen a massive flow of Syrians trying to escape the conflict which activists estimate has killed more than 20,000 people since March of last year. Turkey has so far taken in more than 80,000 Syrians, and all nine Turkish refugee camps along the border are full. Until recently, newcomers were being housed in schools, dormitories or sports centers near the border while Turkish authorities scamper to construct four new camps that will increase Turkey’s capacity to 100,000 refugees. The refugees still stuck on the Syrian side will be allowed in “within a day or two” when a new camp near the border becomes operational, a Turkish official said, adding that Turkey’s Red Crescent organization was providing emergency aid to the refugees as they wait to cross into Turkey. Another official said Turkey was also carrying out more stringent security checks on the refugees, adding to the delay in bringing them across the border. The tighter checks come amid Turkish fears that Kurdish rebels fighting for self-rule in southeast Turkey

Stranded Syrian children, who fled their homes with their families due to fighting between the Syrian army and the rebels, lie on the ground, while they and others take refuge at the Bab Al-Salameh border crossing, in hopes of entering one of the refugee camps in Turkey. PHOTOS: AP

may be coming in through Syria. There are also concerns that foreign jihadists are moving in and out of Turkey to fight the Syrian regime. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of government rules that bar civil servants from speaking to the media without prior authorization. Turkey’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has said the United Nations should es-

U.S. troops punished over Koran burning, urination video

he U.S. military said on Monday it was disciplining U.S. troops over two incidents that provoked outrage in Afghanistan early this year, one involving a video depicting Marines urinating on corpses and another over burned copies of the Koran. The military said the punishments were administrative, which could include actions such as a reprimand, reduction in rank or forfeiture of pay. Neither incident so far has resulted in criminal charges, however, something that may fail to satisfy Afghan demands for justice. Afghan President Hamid Karzai branded the Marine’s actions in the video as “inhuman,” and he initially called for a public trial for the soldiers over the Koran incident. The Marine Corps announced three Marines had pleaded guilty to charges over the video, including one for “urinating on the body of a deceased Taliban soldier.” Another wrongfully posed for a photo with human casualties and the third lied about the incident to investigators. The identities of the Marines were not disclosed and disciplinary actions against other Marines would be announced at a later date, the Marine Corps said. The video, which became public in January after the images were posted on the Internet, actually took place on or around July 27, 2011, during a counter-insurgency operation in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, the Marines said, describing findings of the investigation. One of the four Marines shown in the video can be heard saying, “Have a nice day,

buddy,” while another makes a lewd joke, as they urinated on three corpses. Also on Monday, the Army announced that six soldiers received administrative punishments over an incident in which copies of the Koran and other religious material were removed from a prison library and sent to an incinerator to be destroyed. Four of the individuals involved were officers and two of them were non-commissioned officers, a spokesman said. The incident in February touched off several days of rioting and attacks on U.S. troops after local workers found charred copies of the Koran among the trash at the incinerator at the Bagram base north of Kabul. U.S. officials at the time said some of the religious material had been removed from the prison library at Bagram because of concern that it was extremist in nature and was being used to pass messages among prisoners.

Afghan men shouting anti-U.S slogans while protesting in Kabul earlier this year. PHOTOS: REUTERS

tablish refugee camps inside Syria and that his country would struggle to cope if the refugee numbers rise substantially. “Turkey is carrying out its humanitarian duties toward the Syrian people with whom it has historic brotherly ties,” Davutoglu said Monday. “On the other hand, the increasing numbers are becoming an encumbrance. The international community must help share this burden.”

Rebels’ firepower crashes Syrian helicopter

Syrian military helicopter came down under fire and in flames in Damascus on Monday as President Bashar al-Assad’s air force strafed and bombarded rebel-held districts in the capital and in Aleppo. State television confirmed a helicopter had crashed in Damascus but gave no details. Opposition activists said rebels had shot it down. Opposition video footage showed a crippled aircraft burning up and crashing into a built-up area, sending up a pillar of oily black smoke. A day after his enemies accused Assad’s troops and sectarian militia of massacring hundreds of people in the town of Daraya near Damascus, the possible shooting down of the helicopter, the latest of several such successes claimed by lightly armed rebel fighters, bolstered morale. But, witnesses said, even more intense army bombardments followed. “It was flying over the eastern part of the city and firing all morning,” an activist calling himself Abu Bakr told Reuters from near where the helicopter came down in the eastern suburbs. “The rebels had been trying to hit it for about an hour,” he said. “Finally they did.” Video footage carried the sound of people celebrating the helicopter’s dive with shouts of “Allahu akbar” (God is great). Although rebel commanders have asked foreign allies for anti-aircraft missiles, Western nations are unwilling to supply such weapons for fear of them falling into hostile hands. There was no indication fighters in Damascus had used any missiles.

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Features

The demolition exercise in Maza-Maza area, on the Lagos- Badagry Expressway is taking a toll on those whose properties were affected. OKAY OSUJI writes that, victims are crying out for immediate compensation.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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Maza-Maza: As victims

hen the bulldozers from the Lagos State Ministry of Environment rolled in on August 6, 2012 to demolish hundreds of buildings in Maza Maza on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway to make room for the state light rail project and by extension, expansion of the road to a 10- lane highway, little did those whose property would be demolished and tenants occupying them, know what lay ahead of them. Before then, the state government had claimed that property owners were invited for extensive verification and certification exercise, that will enable all those affected to receive adequate compensation. Having complied with the directives, the landlords hoped that before the demolition exercise begins, they would have been paid to enable them make alternative arrangement for accommodation in other parts of Lagos. But that was not to be as many residents and landlords claimed that the demolition exercise took them by surprise. One such landlord, Mr Afeez Balogun, said though most of them were informed earlier of the exercise, they were least prepared when it came. “This is a place I had lived all my life and suddenly, it is no more. It is devastating. The most worrying aspect is that we were supposed to have been paid adequate compensation before the demolition begins. We were asked to bring proof of our authentic documents which were verified and the promise of compensation made. But now, no compensation has been paid on any of the houses before the demolition, and that is why we are pleading with the authorities to listen to our cries and immediately pay compensation to save us from impending hardships.” A visit to the area showed one of commotion and bedlam, as people scampered to salvage anything that remained of their properties. Those mostly affected were small scale traders and businesses on the Lagos-Badagry Express Road, particularly between Maza-Maza and Okokomaiko, as bulldozers were seen pulling down structures on what was clearly marked as ‘Lot Two’ of the road expansion. Before long, all shops and shanties standing on the Right of Way (RoW,) including vast swathe of structures, especially at the Agboju Market, had been reduced to rubble. Several traders at Agboju Market were seen in solemn mood discussing their fate, while the bulldozers plowed through the shanties and piles of rubble. One the traders who pleaded anonymity said: “We heard that work would be soon start on the second phase of the road, but never expected it would so soon. For long, I had been planning to relocate my business, but the lack of funds hindered the move”. Other of his colleagues were however, seen packing iron zinc and planks used in the construction of their shops, as they lamented that the development has thrown them out of business and took away their means of livelihood. However, an official of Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure said the traders were given adequate notice on the impending demolition and should have vacated the area. “They have been instructed several times to leave the road, but you know peo-

One of the demolished hotels at Maza-Maza, Inset: Jide Balogun

THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED SEVERAL TIMES TO LEAVE THE ROAD, BUT YOU KNOW PEOPLE ALWAYS WAIT FOR THE LAST MINUTE TO TAKE ACTION ple always wait for the last minute to take action,” the source said. Another trader, Uche Anayo, said she was yet to secure a new place to relocate her business. “As I speak now, there is nowhere to go”, even as she was seen loading her wares into a waiting van. One the landlords, Mrs. Queen Edhere, who owns a two storey building at No.23 Badagry Expressway that went under the wreckers ball said: “We are now helpless and at the mercy of Lagos State Government, since we have limited options. But we are confident and have trust in God, since we are still in possession of our documents; we hope that adequate compensation would soon be paid to us. Before now, the authorities asked that we produce them for verification and certification, and this was done. Then for long,

the demolition exercise was suspended as nobody heard of it again. All of a sudden, the bulldozers appeared taking everybody unawares, and before people could remove

One of the demolished buildings

their belongings, everything went down in piles of rubble. This house which has been demolished is our only source of livelihood. Not only this; there are other properties on this road that were also demolished. In a twist of fate, my widowed mother toiled to own this property but due to this development, she suffered severe stroke and died. We are not against government’s plan to expand the road since it will bring more development. But our grouse is that successive govern-

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Features

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

wait for compensation

Another building being demolished. Inset: Queen Edhere

ALL WE WANT IS FOR THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO IMMEDIATELY PAY US ADEQUATE COMPENSATION SO WE CAN RELOCATE AND REBUILD OUR LIVES

ments would have made long term plans for expanding the road and therefore put appropriate markers to which no building would cross. They should not now turn round to demolish the same buildings for which their predecessors approved Certificates of Occupancy(C of O). With this present predicament, where do we go from here? We heard the Federal Government has released funds for payments of compensation on the demolished buildings but no official of Lagos State Government is informing us on this. All we want is for the state government to immediately pay us adequate compensation so we can relocate and rebuild our lives”. Another landlord, Mr. Jide Balogun, agreed that the government gave them adequate quit notice to vacate the area. But for him, the ongoing demolition also took him by surprise. Who then is to blame? He quickly retorted that all the blame should be on government. “This is because when we ere informed that the exercise would commence, it did not materialise. Such procrastination made us have a false sense of security and then for long took things

for granted. I had the feeling that the demolition exercise would never come to pass”. On issue of compensation, Balogun said, they are still waiting and expecting that it would come any time soon. “I am sure the government would honour its commitment to pay because that was done in the case of buildings and other properties demolished in Orile. Moreover, the authorities said they will pay everyone with genuine documents and entitlement to the land. After that, they will then look into the issue of those without proper documents but had properties in the area”. The lot 2, of the project runs from Mile Two in Amuwo-Odofin to Okokomaiko. Work on lot one (starting from the Eric Moore end of the road to Mile Two) had been ongoing for more than two years now; and it is being undertaken by Julius Berger Plc. The project, probably the most ambitious of the Babatunde Fashola-led administration, entails the expansion of the over three decades’ four-lane expressway to 10 lanes with rail line in the middle. The rail line is a separate contract also being handled by Construction and Civil Engineering Corporation of China (CCECC). Mr. Femi Hamzat, Lagos State Commis-

A bulldozer demolishing structures along the Badagry Expressway.

sioner for Works and Infrastructure, had recently confirmed the award of contract for the second phase of the road project to Construction and Civil Engineering Corporation of China. Five companies bided for the contract after it was advertised by the state government last year. At a stakeholders meeting, Hamzat had said the CCECC in addition to the new deal, also had the responsibility for the rail component in lot one. He explained that the meeting was convened to bring on board the views of those who will be affected by the construction. He noted that the plan to expand the road

was to harness the economic value to the state. The development, he said, would not only open up the West African market to Nigeria but will also positively impact on properties along the corridor. “On completion, the road will impact on economic, commercial and social activities on the corridor,” Hamzat said, adding that diligence will be followed in arriving at compensation for those affected, even as he disclosed that the Right of Way (RoW) for the project is 120 metres, saying the state is committed to carrying the people along as it implements its development agenda.

WORLD RECORD

Most Olympic medals won, Men

Vol. 02 No. 435

Tuesday, August 29, 2012

State police and matters arising

ne of the most contentious issues on the front burner and particularly one that has so far succeeded in dividing the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, is that of state police. There are many divergent views as there are competing interests for the emergence of a security apparatus under the control of state government as opposed to the present arrangement of a unitary structure with the powers concentrated at the centre, leaving the so-called chief security officers of the states powerless. There is no doubt that the outpouring of views in support and against the idea of a state police is a clear indication that it has actually matured and can no longer be ignored. How to go about it remains a key point but the more it is being discussed, the closer we get to find a last-

N150

The most Olympic medals won by a man is 16 by the swimmer Michael Phelps (USA). Phelps achieved his impressive medal haul in the course of just two Olympics, winning six gold and two bronze medals in the pool at the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece, and a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Games in Beijing, China.

op favourite at the US Open which got underway yesterday, Serena Williams, is happy to embrace her status as she chases her third title. The American went into Wimbledon without a grand slam crown in two years and having lost in the first round of the French Open, but she swept any

TALKINGPOINT Seyi Fasugba

seyifasugba@yahoo.com 08053069514 (sms only)

ing solution to the contention. For those who have expressed the fear that state police will become a weapon in the hands of politicians in government to hound opposition as witnessed in the First Republic, the fear is genuine. For those who have campaigned and still agitating for a return of police under the states, their views may equally point the way forward on how to strengthen and or change the present arrangement. For those moderating the divergent views of the contending groups over this issue, there must be a common ground for all to find a solution and perhaps come up with a solid arrangement that will meet the yearnings of all while at the same time solidifying our nascent democracy in the face of competing interests. Indeed, what makes human society dynamic and not static is the readiness to accept the need for change as often as possible. Time waits for no man and by the nature of man, as ideas surface there must be a proportional ambience to allow such to flourish as long as such will benefit the majority and possibly all humanity. The fact that policing as a state apparatus was abused does not mean that such will be repeated or taken for granted under the current dispensation. To hold firm to that doctrine in the light of current realities and more importantly,

BUT ONE THING THAT WILL DEFUSE THE TENSION OF ETHNIC LOYALTY IS TO RESOLVE THE INDIGENE STATUS advancement in knowledge and information technology is comparable to living under illusion. The experiment failed, as some would want to say, not because it was being manipulated only by the politicians in power then, but largely due to the level of development of the people as at that time. The size of the states or the regions as the case may be, when the concept disappointed cannot be compared with the situation on ground now. This is so because of the level of sophistication in governance and political awareness which cannot be underestimated. For the antagonists and those who believe in the unitary structure as it is, the question that must be satisfactorily answered is: has the present structure able to handle the challenges of insecurity particularly the ones emerging of recent? The answer is known to all and the implication is that something must be done for us to have an efficient and effective police force. Any system that refuses to grow at

the pace of the information age we are is bound to crumble under the pressure of the emerging culture. It is unfortunate that crimes and perpetrators are growing with the emerging trend while the state security apparatus is lagging behind. That explains why the vacuum so far created has continued to remain a challenge confronting us as a people. The emergence and proliferation of ethnic militias and numerous security outfits who are well equipped, exposed, trained and grounded in weapon handling is a pointer to the weak structure of the police force. All efforts and attention are concentrated at the centre where the politicians enjoy maximum coverage at the expense of the larger society left to focus on God for protection. State police without modern equipment to function and adequate exposure will also end up becoming a lame duck perhaps worse than what we are condemning now. Therefore, we must consider what Steven Covey would have conveniently tagged; the third alternative, that is allow the states have their own security apparatus whose functions and operations will complement that of the federal police. Instances abound from older democracies, especially India, a country with more diversities than we have in Nigeria and which has continued to enjoy a stable system of governance and polity. The western world provides a most modern integration of smaller models of policing complementing one another at least to ensure a peaceful coexistence of citizens in spite of divergent interests, religious and political leanings. There is, therefore, no reason for us not to evolve a workable arrangement. But one thing that will defuse the tension of ethnic loyalty is to resolve the indigene status in such a way that will make Nigerians feel free and secure to live and work in any part of the country they choose to.

Sport Extra

US Open: Serena savours champion status doubts aside to win her fifth title at the All England Club. Three weeks later she returned for the Olympics in London to win her first singles gold medal. “You’ve got to embrace it

whether you’re the favourite or the one to beat or whether you are not,” the 30-year-old said yesterday. “I don’t feel pressure as the only pressure you have is the pressure you put on yourself.”

Meanwhile, Belgian Kim Klijsters, who is retiring after this championship, has tipped Williams for glory in New York. “Serena is the best ever because physically she just stands out as fast and strong,” Klijsters said.

Serena Williams

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