Tuesday, January 22, 2013 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Obama calls for united America as second term begins

P Obama delivering his inaugural speech yesterday.

Vol. 31 N0. 540 115

resident Barack Obama has promised Americans a better deal in the nearest future just as he called for more unity among citizens as he began another term of his historic presidency yesterday. In his inaugural speech after

October 1 bombing:

being sworn in by the Chief Justice John Roberts on the steps of Capitol Hill, Obama admitted that the journey the past four years had not been easy for the country but raised hopes that the next four years will be far better. He talked of CONTINUED ON PAGE 52>>

Tuesday, Tuesday,June January 7, 2011 22, 2013

N150 N150 SOLA ADEBAYO, EMMANUEL ONANI, EMMA GBEMUDU AND KENNY ODUNUKAN

South African court A convicts Henry Okah

South African Court yesterday found the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Henry Okah, guilty of a 13-count charge of terrorism. The court has accordingly fixed January 31 or February 1 to sentence the ex-militant leader, who has

...faces life imprisonment

Clark, Asari-Dokubo, Tompolo hail ruling AFCON 2013: BURKINA FASO HOLDS NIGERIA

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Senate orders probe of police colleges

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Abubakar

War in Mali: French troops retake two towns Nigerian player, Godfrey Oboabona and Burkina Faso player, Moumouni Dagano, during the match in Mbombela, Nelspruit, South Africa, yesterday. The match ended 1-1.

37 foreign hostages killed in Algeria

Attack on Emir shows our security still porous â&#x20AC;&#x201C;NLC ...presidency vows to bring attackers to book

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UCH doctors embark on strike, protest NURTWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harassment

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CBN seeks quick passage of PIB, retains MPR at 12% Sanusi

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

How Okah’s trial in South Africa unfolded PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

he trial of Henry Okah, the suspected mastermind, of the October 1, 2010 deadly bombings in Abuja and the March 15, 2010 Warri bombing, got a decisive ruling yesterday as a South African court found him guilty. Henry Okah, found guilty on all counts, faces a minimum sentence of life in prison, said the prosecutor, Shaun Abrahams, who praised the verdict yesterday. “This is clearly indicative that South Africa cannot be seen as a safe haven for international terrorists,” Abrahams was quoted by a news agency. He praised South African law enforcement for working well with foreign law enforcement “to make sure justice is done in Africa.” Judge Neels Claassen said South Africa had proved Okah’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He added that Okah’s failure to testify meant evidence against him remained uncontested. Okah’s trial resumed in October 1, 2012, after an eightmonth postponement from January 30, and it ended in December 14 where adjournment for verdict was slated for yesterday. He was arrested in Johannesburg a day after the October 1, 2010 bombings. He is a leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, known as MEND, which claimed responsibility for the blasts. The court will sentence him on January 31. Okah was found guilty of engaging in terrorist activities, conspiracy to engage in terrorist activity, and delivering, placing, and detonating an explosive device. During Okah’s appearance on August 24, 2011, Abrahams said additional charges of terrorism and terror financing were being added to the charge sheet. These related to a bombing in Warri. Abrahams presented a list of 103 witnesses he intended calling, many of them from Nigeria. Okah, who remained in custody, was denied bail by the Court of Appeal on June 17. That was his third unsuccessful bid for bail. Abrahams explained that Nigerian authorities had sub-

sequently arrested three more people in connection with the terror crimes - illustrating the co-operation between the two countries. Okay’s lawyer, Isaac Lucky Maunatlala opened his argument by telling the court that MEND was involved in an armed struggle. Stating that the struggle had been on for several decades, he reminded the court that Nigeria’s Minister for the Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, had testified to that fact. The defence counsel also told the court that the emails by Jomo Gbomo, who claimed responsibility for the bombings of March 15, 2010 and October 1, 2010, came from Nigeria. Okah’s attorney asserted that the fact that the email account could be operated by more than one person meant that his client was not guilty of the charge of terrorism. A sore point during the trial focused on the uncertainty over the identity of the person named Jomo Gbomo as state witnesses offered varying testimonies about the identity of the said Jomo Gbomo. The credibility of the witnesses was attacked by the defence advocate who pointed out inconsistencies in details offered by witnesses. The defence argued that Mr. X, who claimed to be the supervisor of the attacks, was not mentioned by other participants in the bombings. In addition, the witnesses claimed they used timers to activate the bombing even though investigations by the Nigerian government showed that mobile phones were used to detonate the bombs. State prosecutor, Abrahams, insisted that the phone records tied Okah to the perpetrators of the bombings. In addition, the prosecution argued that the bank record of a state witness, Chima Orlu, showed that the accused deposited money into the witness’s account. The prosecution explained that some months were missing from the bank account because the Nigerian government had not submitted the missing information. The first witness in the Okah’s trial was the Niger Delta Minister, Godsday Orubebe. He was confronted with a series of questions. He claimed that he visited Mr. Okah (during a previous visit) in the company of an aide and

a personal friend, the alternative version of events was that he visited in the company of Abraham Gillow, Rodney Ambaowei and Kene Angozi. On the witness stand, Orubebe stated that President Jonathan did not know about his visit – a visit he claimed took place on March 15, 2010. Also, the minister claimed to have spoken to Okah on October 1, 2010 (the day of the bombing), but for some strange reason, he couldn’t recollect the phone number he called, or what number he called from. Another witness was Mr. Sele Victor Ben (Boyloaf ’s brother). Ben claimed that he and others sat with Okah for the planning and execution of the Agip platform attack of December 2006. At the time this meeting allegedly took place (in Nigeria), Okah was already in South Africa. Another attack he credited to Okah was the Bonga attack (which took place while the accused was in the State Security Service (SSS) detention facility in Nigeria). Ben’s testimony was followed by that of Mr. Zion Amada, aka Stanley, and Mr. Tamunotonye Kuna, aka General Obez. Other witnesses during the trial were a deputy director in Nigeria’s State Security Service and an officer of the SSS. Back home Okah still faces charges relating to two explosions in March 2010 in Warri.

Henry Okah

Okah with his counsel

Independence Day bombing: FELIX NWANERI

he twin car bombings carried out against the crowd and dignitaries including President Goodluck Jonathan and foreign diplomats celebrating the 50th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence in the capital city of Abuja on the morning of October 1, 2010 left 12 dead and 17 injured. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, which claimed responsibility for the blasts had issued a warning less than an hour before the first bomb, stating the location, near Eagle Square, the venue of the celebration and the time of the planned bombings. MEND said it set off the bombs because Nigeria has

nothing worth celebrating after 50 years of failure. The first blast occurred around 10:30 a.m. while the second went off shortly afterwards, after emergency services had arrived at the scene. It was MEND’s first biggest attack outside the oil-rich Niger Delta and Henry Okah, its former leader was subsequently arrested in South Africa and accused of terror. The Police also detained the chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who was then the presidential campaign manager of former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, for questioning over the bombings. The Presidency condemned the bombings as a low, dirty and wicked act of desperation by

criminals and murderers, but a twist was added when President Jonathan absolved MEND of complicity, as the people of the Niger Delta who were aware of the efforts of his administration to address the deprivation of the past, will not do anything to jeopardise the opportunity. Jonathan categorically said that terrorists were behind the deadly explosions and not the militant group. “What happened was a terrorist act and MEND was just used as a straw; MEND is not a terrorist group. It is erroneous to think that my people who have been agitating for good living will deliberately blow up the opportunity they have now,” he noted. The President’s position however sparked off chains of reactions with many insisting then

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Scene of the Abuja Independence Day blast

In the South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg.

The man Henry Okah

B Okah

Another scene of the October 1, 2010 bomb explosion in Abuja.

The attack that nailed Okah that it was a hasty conclusion since investigations were then still ongoing. In the claims and counterclaims that later ensued, Okah accused Jonathan and those working for him of being responsible for the blasts in a desperate political strategy. According to him, the bombing was meant to galvanise opposition against Northern leaders ahead of the 2011 election. He also claimed in an interview weeks after the blasts that he was arrested for refusing to influence MEND to retract its claim of responsibility. He then said: “On Saturday morning (October 2, 2010) just a day after the attack, a very close associate of President Jonathan called me and explained to me that there had been a bombing

in Nigeria and that President Jonathan wanted me to reach out to the group, MEND, and get them to retract the earlier statement they had issued claiming the attacks. “They wanted to blame the attacks on Northerners who are trying to fight against him (Jonathan) to come back as president and if this was done, I was not going to have any problems with the South African government. I declined to do this and a few hours later I was arrested. It was based on their belief that I was going to do that that Jonathan issued a statement, saying that MEND did not carry out the attack.” On how the bombings were to be used as a platform for the elimination of political opposition from the North, especially

Babangida, he explained: “It was also intended by the Jonathan government to create antiNorth sentiments nationwide in order to galvanise support from other sections of Nigeria against other northern candidates in the presidential elections.” Okah further claimed that he had a long-standing relationship with President Jonathan which dates back to 1999 while he was deputy governor of Bayelsa State. The Presidency did not only dismiss the allegations, it described them as “false in their entirety and without any factual foundation” aimed only at falsely impugning the character and integrity of the President and officials of his administration.

orn in 1965, Henry Okah grew up in Lagos but speaks with a cultured British accent, a consequence of his upper class upbringing and his education in Nigeria’s private school system. The discipline of engineering and experience in Nigeria’s merchant marine helped him as a salesman that used to sell handguns for personal protection door to door. He later relocated to South Africa with his family from where he ran the affairs of MEND after its creation in early 2006 from attacks on Nigeria’s oil infrastructure that cut daily production by about one quarter to a sophisticated media campaign involving e-mailing press releases to coincide with the attacks. The group claimed to be championing the disenfranchised residents of the Delta re-

gion, who see little benefit from the oil being pumped out from under them. Okah was arrested in Angola and deported to Nigeria in February 2008, and charged with 62 counts of treason, terrorism, illegal possession of firearms and arms trafficking. The trial, which began in April 2008, was held in private, because then President Umaru Yar’Adua said it would jeopardise national security, whereas Okah insisted that a closed trial was an infringement of his rights. In July 2009, Okah’s lawyer announced that he accepted an amnesty, which was offered by the government to militants willing to lay down their arms, in a bid to end attacks on the oil industry. He was rearrested in Johannesburg on October 2 following the Independence Day attacks.

Grew up in wealthy Lagos family 1990s:

Sold guns in Lagos

2003:

Moved to South Africa Seen as man behind MEND’s media-savvy e-mail strategy

2007:

Arrested on gun-running charges in Angola

2008:

Extradited to Nigeria

2009:

Freed under amnesty the day after MEND staged first attack on Lagos

2010:

Charged in South Africa over Abuja car bombing

2013:

Convicted in South Africa on 13 counts of terrorismrelated charges

Photo News

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Members of the Monetary Policy Committee, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Kingsley Moghalu; Head, Corporate Communications, Mr. Ugoh Okoroafor; Governor, Malam Lamido Sanusi and Mrs. Sarah Alade, at a news conference on the outcome of the committee’s PHOTO: NAN meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

L-R: Marketing Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Obinna Anyalebechi; Executive Secretary, Lagos State Sport Endowment Fund, Mr. Tunde Bank-Anthony; representative of the Lagos State Government and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sport, Youth and Social Development, Dr. Abiola Awonuga and Marketing and Innovations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc; Mr. Austin Ufomba, during a press briefing to unveil the ‘World Largest Jersey’ by Guinness Nigeria in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

L-R: Senior Special Assistant to Kwara State Governor on Investment, Policy and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Ogunshola; Regional Head for Africa, City & Guild, Mr. Juan Visser; contractor, International Vocational Centre, Haidar Hammoud; Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Saka Onimago, during the governor’s assessment visit to the International Vocational Centre at Ajasse Ipo, yesterday.

L-R: Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri; Chairman of occasion, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye and Project Director, Democratic Governance for Development (DGD), Dr. Moutarda Deme, at the DGD and Nigeria Community Radio Coalition briefing and strategy meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

National News

Bankers jittery over CBN directive on bank charges UDO ONYEKA AND KUNLE A ZEEZ

he new stringent disposition of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on banks’ charges has begun to cause bank chief executive officers sleepless nights due to anticipated negative effects it may have on revenues. The apex bank, National Mirror learnt, has made it clear to banks, through the Bankers Committee, a committee of CEOs of all banks operating in the country, that it would closely monitor charges made by banks as from this year. Part of the directive to banks was to stop charges on Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, transactions, which before now cost customers N100 on each transaction done on ATMs of other financial institutions other than the customers’ bank. It was gathered that the directive to stop ATM charges did not go down well with bank executives since it has become a huge revenue yielding channel for banks while it lasted, considering

•Monthly ATM transactions hit 110 million the volume of transaction done on ATMs on daily basis especially in big cities across the country. The banks had argued that such services should be paid for, since the banks bear some costs in its efforts to deliver ATM services to customers. According to industry sources, Automated Teller Machine cards so far issued in Nigeria has hit a whopping 25 million as at the end of 2012. These include the various brands of ATM cards being used for payment transactions such as the Verve card brand of Interswitch, Nigeria’s leading integrated payment and transaction processing company; Visa and Mastercards. According to Mr. Akeem Lawal, Director of Switching and Processing, Interswitch, at the end of December, 2012, a total of cumulative 25 million ATM cards have been issued so far. Transaction volume data released by the Nigerian Inter-bank Settlement System, NIBSS, transactions showed

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. National Mirror learnt that monthly ATM transactions increased from less than 17 million transactions per month to over 110 million transactions monthly in the last four years with revenue implications of close to N10bn monthly for banks.

It was equally gathered that the CBN’s ban on charges on inter-account transactions and returned cheques have not been totally heeded to by many banks. The apex bank, in the recently released exposure draft on the Revised Guide to Bank Charges, has banned banks from charging customers for transactions between accounts with same ownership and in the same bank. It also banned charging of Commission on Turnover, CoT, on returned cheques as well as charges

for account re-activation and re-opening. National Mirror investigations revealed that most banks introduce new charges and apply them without notifying their customers or seek their consent. Customers have accused banks of unilaterally applying charges on their accounts contrary to the directive of the CBN. National Mirror gathered that the increased regulation by the CBN has led to reduction of questionable bank charges. The Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability,

CBN, Dr Kingsley Moghalu, revealed recently that the apex bank recovered over N5billion wrongly taken from customers as bank charges and had been returned based on CBN directives. But Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, said banks do not need to make wrongful charges to make more profit. He said that with quality and cheap service that banks would attract more customers and at the long run the bank would make good profit margin.

FG expects more private jet owners in 2014 –Minister OLUSEGUN KOIKI

ontrary to a report yesterday that the Federal Government has placed a ban on the importation of private jets into the country, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, said rather than do that, the government was planning to encourage more private jet owners in the country in 2014. Also, the Deputy Sen-

ate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, insisted that the government was not planning to place restriction on the numbers of imported jets in the country. Both Oduah and Ekweremadu stated these yesterday at the commissioning of the General Aviation Terminal, GAT, of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, NAA, Abuja. Oduah noted that at present, there are about 50 private jet owners in the country, adding that the gov-

ernment was expecting an increase between now and next year. She specifically said that the government expected a massive increase in the number of private jet owners which gave credence to the dedication of a terminal to the operators. Also, Ekweremadu noted that there was no basis for the government to place a ban on the importation of private jets into the country. He argued that at present

in the United States, there are over 2,000 private jet owners in the country while they are less than 50 in Nigeria. He, however, appealed to the government to provide the same comfort provided for jet owners with the dedication of the GAT to other passengers of commercial airlines, stressing that by so doing, government would have created comfort for all users of the airport despite their classes.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Attack on Emir shows our security still porous –NLC AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST, OLUFEMI ADEOSUN AND

AZA MSUE

he Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday disagreed with the Federal Government’s claims that the security agencies were recording successes in curtailing the activities of the dreaded Islamic sect, the Boko Haram. Rather, the NLC said that the attack, last Friday, on the convoy of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, was an indication that the security situation in the country was still very precarious. President Goodluck Jonathan had recently praised members of the security forces for arresting the suspected masterminds of the bombings of Police Headquarters, UN Building in Abuja and St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Mandalla, Niger State. He had said: “Most of the terror suspects have been arrested. People may not know what our men in uniform have been doing. They have been doing a lot to check the situation. “The people who bombed the Police Headquarters, the United Nations Building and St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Mandalla have been arrested. We will continue to improve on our security architecture.”

But the NLC in a statement issued by its Acting Secretary-General, Chris Uyot, said that the statement could not be true, giving the spate of bombings in the country, particularly the recent attack on the convoy of the Emir of Kano, Bayero. “The attack on the convoy of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, had once again questioned the efficacy of security in the country and brought to the fore the urgent need for the reorganisation of Nigeria’s internal security system, as violent militant activities seem to be growing in strength by the day. “These attacks seem to expose the lie in the claim by the Federal Government that its security agencies have been able to curtail the activities of violent extremists,” NLC said. Apart from threatening the peace of the country, the union said the spate of violence was capable of jeopardising the country’s economic interests. The statement reads in part: “Kano, being a major industrial city in the North is very strategic to the Nigerian economy and polity. “The Emir of Kano is one of the highest traditional office holders and a leading traditional voice in the country. If he can be so brazenly attacked, ordinary citizens will continue to live in fear and conse-

quently the atmosphere of insecurity in the state and the country in general will grow deeper. “This will certainly affect the free movement of persons and workers to their workplaces with grave consequences on freedom of movement and commercial activities. “While condemning these incessant attacks, we reiterate our commitment to dialogue, national peace and unity, and call on those responsible for this spate of violence and spectre of fear to reflect on the monumental and devastating damage their attacks have inflicted on the economy, and ultimately the negative impact on our collective future.

“We commiserate with the families of the aides of the Emir who lost their lives during the attack while defending the life of the Emir of Kano. “We also condole with workers and the people of Kano State, and urge them not to despair or allow these attacks to discourage them in the pursuit of peaceful coexistence and commerce as they have always been despite the challenges of a clear state of insecurity, which is intended to engender anarchy. “We urge the security agencies to improve their intelligence to protecting lives and property, and to ensure that subsequent attacks are detected and ap-

prehended before they are carried out.” The military-led Join Task Force, JTF, in Kano however said yesterday it was not aware of the arrest of suspects in connection with the bloody gun attack on the Emir in which five persons were killed. The spokesman for the 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Kano, which coordinates the activities of JTF in the state, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, said that so far no arrests had been made, stressing that the issue was still under investigations The declaration by the JTF official yesterday contradicted the statement credited to the Kano State

Deputy Governor, Dr. Umar Ganduje, to the effect that some suspects of Saturday’s attack on the emir’s convoy were cooling off on their heels in custody. Iweha insisted that no arrest of suspects had been made, adding that “if we arrest suspects, we will definitely let the press know about that for now. “No such thing. We are seriously investigating the incident and making frantic efforts towards sourcing for clues that will lead us to possible suspects.” In another development, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris, said the attack was still under investigation, adding CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

L-R: Secretary to Oyo State Government, Alhaji Waheed Akin Olajide; Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof. Temitope Alonge; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin and Governor Abiola Ajimobi at the inauguration of 34 ambulances in Ibadan, yesterday.

South African court convicts Henry Okah CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

been behind bars after the October 1, 2010 bomb explosion in Abuja. The incident almost marred the 50th anniversary celebration of Nigeria’s independence. Okah faces a possible life sentence, according to South African judicial sources. The convict had denied the charges even though his group, MEND, said it carried out the attack. Okah’s elder brother, Charles, and three others are facing treason charges before an Abuja High Court also in relation to the October 1 bombings. In finding Okah guilty of charges bordering on conspiracy to commit terrorism as well detonating explosives, the trial judge

of the Johannesburg High Court, Neels Claassen, stated: “I have come to the conclusion that the state proved beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of the accused.” The judge, however, offered him an opportunity of “mitigation”. The Federal Government had accused Okah of being the mastermind of the deadly attack which occurred about a kilometre from the Eagle Square, the venue where President Goodluck Jonathan, former heads and members of the diplomatic corps gathered for the anniversary celebration. The explosion left about 12 people dead and many others injured. Okah’s epic trial commenced in October 2010

during which the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, testified before the court sitting in Johannesburg. He told the court that Okah was a “key figure in the Niger Delta struggle and the militants had a lot of respect for him.” In the course of the trial, the prosecuting counsel, Shaun Abrahams, had presented evidence of phone conversations between the accused person and those who were said to have carried out the attacks allegedly on his orders. He also provided computer records and photographs revealing incriminating images and footages. Though MEND claimed responsibility shortly after the affront, Okah, who was widely regarded as the

group’s leader, denied the claim. Rather, Okah accused President Jonathan and some of his close aides of staging the attacks in a desperate bid to “demonise” political opponents. This, he added, was with a view to currying public sympathy ahead of the 2011 elections. In a 194-paragraph affidavit, Okah had averred that “The purpose of March 14, 2010 bombing in my opinion was to create an atmosphere of insecurity in the Niger Delta where President Goodluck Jonathan at that time was fighting to oust the Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, whom the President was allegedly intended to replace with the Minister for Niger Delta, Mr. Godsday Orubebe.”

Okah had also claimed that he had been a long acquaintance of the President whom he said had been contacting him in South Africa through Orubebe and Oronto Douglas, seeking his backing of President Jonathan for the 2011 election. Reacting to the judgement, Charles Okah’s lawyer in Nigeria, Festus Keyamo, described the court verdict as politicallymotivated. Keyamo in a statement in Lagos yesterday said that the convict was not given adequate opportunity to defend himself before being found guilty. He said: “The decision of the South African Court that convicted Henry Okah of charges relating to terrorism is politically moti-

vated and legally incorrect. “As counsel to Charles Okah and others who are facing the same set of charges under Nigerian laws, I have been actively involved in coordinating the trials both in South Africa and in Nigeria. “The fundamental flaw in the trial is that Henry Okah was not given adequate facilities and the opportunity to defend himself. “This is because after the prosecution closed its case in South Africa, the defence attorneys and my chambers here in Abuja tried frantically to summon the witnesses of Henry Okah who are based here in Nigeria to testify on his behalf. These witnesses include some government officials. “In this regard, we wrote CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

News

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South African court convicts Henry Okah CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

to the Attorney-General of the Federation who replied and directed that Henry’s counsel in South Africa apply to the court there for an order to secure the legal assistance of the AttorneyGeneral of Nigeria. This was only two weeks ago. “Without giving Henry’s counsel in South Africa adequate time and facilities to follow the directives, the South African court fore-

closed his opportunity to call witnesses and rushed to convict him. This is a breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing and an obvious attempt by the South African authorities to please Nigeria at all cost. That is why the judgement is nothing but political. “I condemn this judgement and call on Nigerians and the international community to condemn the trial and judgement of Henry

Okah whose only offence was his refusal to accept the so-called amnesty offered by the Yar’Adua-Jonathan administration and his insistence on the Niger Delta controlling its resources.” But two prominent Nigerian lawyers, Prof. Fidelis Oditah (SAN) and Mr. Fred Agbaje have described the verdict as setting a precedent in criminal justice administration system in Africa.

The lawyers, who spoke in exclusive interviews with National Mirror in Lagos, said that the decision would enable Nigeria to learn how to tackle terrorism in the country. Reacting to the conviction, Oditah said: “I did not participate in the South African criminal proceedings that convicted Henry Okah but if you have to consider the time frame in which the trial was conducted, you

L-R: Art collector, Prince Yemisi Shyllon; author of the book, Jahman Anikulapo-Kuti and Prof. Duro Oni, during the presentation of Bytes of Treasure: Rhythms of a cultural troubadour in Lagos, at the weekend. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Attack on Emir shows our security still porous –NLC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

that it would be premature to begin to comment on it at this stage He added: “As soon as investigations are concluded, the outcome will definitely be made public through the press.” In the aftermath of Saturday’s bloody attack, the Kano Royal Father and his two sons left the country on Sunday for United Kingdom where they are expected to undergo medical checkup in a London hospital Those who left with the Emir were Nasiru Ado Bayero, the Turakin Kano and Sanusi Ado Bayero, Ciroman Kano, both of whom were said to have sustained gunshot injuries during the attack. They left the country through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Sunday aboard a chartered flight He was accompanying to the Airport by the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Ganduge, after a brief prayer session at the Kano Central Mosque presided over by its Chief Immam, Sani Zaharaddeen and the

trip was kept secret to avoid public attention It would be recalled that Bayero escaped assassination on Saturday by a whisker when gunmen suspected to be militants of the Boko Hara sect ambushed his convoy inside the city side of Kano. Those who lost their lives in the convoy attack, which occurred in the Tundu Murtala area of the state capital, Kano, were three palace guards, his driver and the interim management officer of Kumbotso local government council. Meanwhile, the national leader of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, General Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the armed attack on the Emir of Kano. In a statement made available to National Mirror by the CPC National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, the former military Head of State expressed sympathy over the loss of lives during the incident. He said: “The portent of this latest security challenge is: the Nigerian state

is not just under an ominous cloud of insecurity but all the citizens are also victims. This is indeed one attack too many! “Let it be stated that insecurity of lives and property in any clime is a measure of its level of development. This aptly explains why the nation’s constitution, in section 14, places security and welfare of the people on the government. “As citizens, we look forward to the time that this cloud of insecurity shall be lifted and all Nigerians (of whatever religious persuasion and ethnic extraction) shall be free to pursue happiness and living anywhere under the nation-space in tranquil setting.” Also, former governor of Kano State and senator representing Kano South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, has called on the Federal Government and terrorist groups to dialogue for peace. The All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP, stalwart also condemned the assassination attempt on the life of

Bayero in the Kano metropolis. He stressed that the investors would address youth unemployment, insecurity which had hampered the wheels of progress. The Presidency has vowed to bring those behind the attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, to book. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati. According to the statement, the attack on the Emir underscores the need for all Nigerians to be vigilant on the security challenge posed by terrorism in the country. It described the attack on the Emir’s convoy that resulted in the death of four people with others sustaining various degrees of injuries as “unfortunate and also a regrettable incident.” While condemning the attack in the strongest terms, the statement noted that the occurrence “once again underlines the senselessness of terrorism in all its ramifications.”

will see that South Africa has demonstrated precedent in criminal administration system in Africa. “It shows willingness and the strong desire on the part of both the prosecution and the defence to see the speedy administration of justice. In Nigeria, the reverse is the case, both the prosecution and defence frustrate the trial and in the intent of the court to ensure justice.” On the government’s attitude to combating terrorism in the country, he said: “The question is not whether we are serious about fighting terrorism, the question is do we have the capacity and the knowledge to combat terrorism? “The South African government has shown the capacity and the commitment to do this. We here in Nigeria have really not had the capacity to tackle terrorism. But I do think that given the limited resources, we have been able to do our best.” Agbaje, however, added that the greatest lesson the Nigerian judiciary could learn from the South African court was that a lot still needed to be done in the criminal justice system. “Nigeria is not really serious about combating the issue of terrorism; it is high time we learn our lesson from our brother country and start putting everything in place to fight this global crime called terrorism,” he said. Meanwhile, the leadership of the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, in Bayelsa State has urged Okah’s lawyer to appeal against the judgement. The State Chairman of the organisation, Nengi James, who spoke to National Mirror yesterday in Yenagoa, argued that the Federal Government had not been pursuing the recent bombings and killings across the nation, unlike the vigour it exhibited on the October 1, 2010 bombing in Abuja. James said the matter was far belated, stressing that there was a conspiracy to nail Okah in the case. Also, a rights activist and environmentalist in Niger Delta, Alagoa Morris, said that Okah’s arrest, detention and conviction had the support of

the Federal Government. However, South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark; the Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPFV, Alhaji Mujarhedeen Asari-Dokubo and an ex-Ijaw militant Commander, Chief Government Ekpemukpolo, a.k.a. Tompolo, hailed the conviction. Clark said he was disappointed by the involvement of Okah in the attack on the country. “I am shocked and disappointed that Henry Okah masterminded the attack on the nation during the 50th independence anniversary in October 1, 2010. I have no regret that he has been convicted by a court outside Nigeria. It is heartwarming that a court outside Nigeria has found him guilty of doing something wrong against his country. “Henry Okah was being used by some disgruntled politicians to destabilise the country and overthrow the government of Goodluck Jonathan. His fate will serve as a lesson and deterrent to others who may be planning such unpatriotic action against their country,” Clark said. Asari-Dokubo said: “As far as I am concerned, he deserved the sentence and even more for destroying the sanctity of our struggle. Our struggle was based on morality and not kidnapping, hijack and robbery. “I don’t have any sympathy for him, everybody knows my position about Henry Okah and I cannot pretend today.” Tompolo, in his reaction through his Media Assistant, Paul Bebenimibo, described the fate of Henry Okah as unfortunate. Tompolo, however, said that the law had to take its course. “It is unfortunate because he is a human being but the law has to take its course. It is sad that Henry Okah is being sentenced when his colleagues are enjoying the amnesty programme of the Federal Government in the region. We pray that the South African authorities will mitigate the sentence to enable him to return to the country to live a normal life again if God permits,” Tompolo added.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National News

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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CBN seeks quick passage of PIB, retains MPR at 12% TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday urged the Federal Government to fast-track the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. The bank described PIB as a strategic fiscal measure of boosting revenues and protecting the economy from the potentially dangerous implications of recent negative developments in the global economic environment. This is even as the CBN retained the Monetary Policy Rate at 12 per cent with a corridor of +/- 200 basis points around the midpoint

at the end of its Monetary Policy Committee’s meeting in Abuja yesterday. In addition, the committee also retained the Cash Reserve Ratio, CRR, at 12 per cent and the Liquidity Ratio at 30 per cent. Briefing the media on the decisions taken at the meeting, the CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said the passage of the PIB remained pivotal to increasing the revenue generation potentials of government in view of strategic importance of the sector to Nigeria’s economy and particularly, given its recent decreasing contributions to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Sanusi, who spoke on various economic and fiscal problems in the Euro zone, the United States and Asian countries and the implications for primary produce exporting countries, pointed out that Nigeria’s macroeconomic stability might continue to be threatened, particularly in view of the growing uncertainty in the global economy and the dwindling contributions of the oil sector to real GDP growth. Commending the Federal Government for its determination to bridge the budget deficits and promote prudence in public finance, Sanusi said despite

the positive accretion of the foreign reserves which peaked at $43.849 billion as at the end of last year, the economic climate still called for serious caution in fiscal and monetary measures to avert any likely macroeconomic instability in the economy. He said: “The committee noted that in spite of the slow progress made in the resolution of the Euro zone crises, the prospect of recession has yet not been completely averted in the near term. “Developments in the domestic economy in the past three months highlighted some new pressure

points to macroeconomic stability. “The committee was of the view that shocks to the economy could come from significant fall in the demand for oil, leading to a fall in oil prices and government revenues, weaker exchange rate, rising inflationary pressures and depletion in external reserves. “The committee also noted the drop in headline inflation in December 2012, although it also recognised that core inflation had risen, driven mainly by costpush factors even in the face of sluggish growth in the monetary aggregates.

“With regard to the budget of the Federal Government, the committee cautioned against complacency over government revenues, despite the high level of oil prices. “The committee noted uncertainty in global oil demand and supply of crude oil, and weak performance of non-oil and VAT revenues.” On the rationale for maintaining the MPR at 12 per cent, the CBN governor said the committee opted for the rate among the three options opened to it in view of the medium and long term effects on the economy.

Alleged N5.2bn scam: EFCC to re-arraign Ugbane, Elumelu Feb 1 EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

ormer Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Nicholas Ugbane and House of Representatives member, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, are to be re-arraigned before Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi on February 1. This stems from the reassignment of the case file by the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Justice Lawal Gummi, following the withdrawal of the trial judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, from the suit. Also scheduled to take a fresh plea is Hon. Jibo Mohammed. Ugbane, Elumelu and Mohammed are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged

breach of due process, criminal conspiracy, diversion and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N5.2 billion. The alleged misappropriation of funds is in respect of contract awards at the Rural Electrification Agency, REA. The accused were first arraigned on October 30, 2009 on a 130-count charge alongside six senior officials of REA. However, the charges were severed wherein the lawmakers were jointly charged on a 62-count charge, leaving the other six accused to face a 68-count charge. Meanwhile, the re-arraignment, which would have taken place yesterday, could not go on, at the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, as the third accused, Mohammed, was absent in court.

L-R: Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, University College Hospital (UCH), Dr. Abiodun Otegbayo; Chief Medical Director, UCH, Prof. Temitope Alonge and Deputy Chairman, Dr. Bukola Adesina, at a news conference on alleged “illegal strike action” by the Association of Resident Doctors, PHOTO: NAN UCH branch, in Ibadan, yesterday.

Failed politicians behind abductions in Bayelsa – Govt OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

ayelsa State Government has blamed ‘failed politicians’ for the incessant

kidnappings in the state. A statement issued yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said “failed politicians, especially the arrow heads

Senate moves to probe allocation to Police Colleges

olice authorities may have to explain to the Senate how funds allocated to police colleges have been utilised. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Account, Senator Ahmed Lawan, who made the disclosure in Abuja yesterday, said the upper chamber had invited the police authorities to come and account for how money allocated to the colleges were being disbursed. The Police College, Ikeja came under scrutiny last week when a private TV station exposed the rot within the institution.

According to Lawan, his committee intends to take a look at how money appropriated for the colleges are utilised. He said: “The Public Accounts Committee has already taken some steps to ensure that the police authorities appear before the committee to explain the utilisation of the funds appropriated particularly to the college. “But we are also expanding beyond the college because this is a sign that all is not okay with the police organisation. “I want to hope that the rot will stop with the Police College. But if in the course

of our investigation, we discover that it is more than the college and that some organisations within the police are facing the same thing, then we have to take very serious action. “First, we have to determine whether the funds were adequate so that if the funds were not adequate, we will like to see how prudent, economically and efficiently the scare resources were utilised. “If, however, the funds were enough and that someone failed to do his or her duty, we will surely recommend serious sanctions for whoever is responsible.”

According to him, the visit by President Goodluck Jonathan to the Police College has shown that some agencies of government have not lived up to expectations. The lawmaker noted that the National Assembly, particularly the Senate and House Committees on Police Affairs ought to have detected the rot rather than the President. He said: “But it is also very correct to say that there is Police Affairs and Police Service Commission. These are people that are directly involved with them. So it is a responsibility that we share.”

of those who have lost out in the power equation in the state,” were working hard behind the scene with some forces outside the state to sponsor kidnapping of innocent citizens. The statement read in part: “Their aim is not only to scare away investors and stall development, but also to make the state ungovernable and to give the impression that the government of the day is incapable of securing the lives and property of citizens.” Iworiso-Markson added that security is priority in the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson, who had shown the political will to protect lives and property of the people. He said: “Indeed, it is clear to all that this government has been able to turn around Bayelsa State from a haven of cultism, violence and criminality

to a state that is clearly adjudged as one of the most peaceful and stable states in the state.” According to the statement, the passage of the Bayelsa State Secret Cult, Kidnapping and Similar Offences Prohibition Law 2012, makes it easier for effective prosecution of anyone who contravene the law. It therefore warned the ‘failed politicians’ that the law would run its full course and bring to justice “anyone or group of persons involved, directly or indirectly in crime and criminality in line with the provisions of the law irrespective of their status. “Let it be stated for the umpteenth time that there will be no sacred cow in the enforcement of law and order. The era of playing politics with security matters is gone for good.”

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News

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

UCH doctors embark on strike, protest NURTW’s harassment KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

he death of the Deputy Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State, Alhaji Kamorudeen Beyioku, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, has sparked off an industrial crisis between the management of the hospital and the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD). The doctors claimed that the mourning members of the NURTW assaulted two of their members over which they have declared a three-day-strike in protest. Beyioku, who was shot by unknown gunmen recently in Ibadan, died at the UCH last Saturday. National Mirror learnt that the transport union members reportedly went wild while waiting to receive the body of Beyioku. Addressing journalists yesterday in Ibadan, ARD Chairman, Dr. Tunde Babasanya, said

his members had resolved to embark on a three-day strike in protest against the inhuman treatment experienced in the hospital. He said: “It is sad and the situation is getting out of hand. Many of our members had been victimised and the undeserving treatment is fast becoming a norm. “Last year, a doctor was attacked with gun at the Accident and Emergency Unit, that same year a female doctor was dragged on the floor with her hair while another doctor was reportedly beaten up at the Children Emergency Unit of UCH. “We agreed on a 72 hour strike; we believe that the management would meet us midway before the expiration of the strike and we would review the situation. The action is directed at sending a message to the transport union members to stop harassing us.” But the hospital’s management disagreed with the decision of the union to embark on strike. The Chief Medical Di-

rector at UCH, Prof. Temitope Alonge, said: “We came to work this morning only to meet an illegal strike by the resident doctors. “We managed an important personality who had a gunshot injury in his upper tummy. We removed bullets in his abdominal cavity and he was responding well until we discovered that he had renal impairment. He had the first dialysis and while he was about to receive the second

one he had cardiac arrest and passed away. “It was between the process of autopsy and the release of his remains for burial that a medical officer was assaulted. “While we are not in support of this, we are also not in support of the strike. Strike is not the solution. When there is dispute, the proper thing is to report to the authorities. But there was no formal report in this case.” The Consultant Foren-

sic Pathologist at UCH, Dr. Uwom Eze, said: “We had a difficult case on hand on Saturday. The transport union members were agitated, maybe because they didn’t understand what we were doing. “While it might be right to react when slighted it is important to follow due process. We are not neglecting the safety of our resident doctors but let them come out and discuss rather than embarking on strike.”

L-R: Member, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senetor Shaba Lafiagi; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeruka Onyejeocha; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, during the commissioning of the remodeled General Aviation Terminal at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Forgery: Embattled APGA chairman has case to answer –Court EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court yesterday told the embattled factional National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Alhaji Sadeeq Massala, that he has a case to answer on the allegation of forgery preferred against him by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). Massala is facing an 11-count charge of forgery of signatures of some members of the National

Working Committee (NWC) of the party. Delivering ruling on an application brought by Massala’s counsel, Chief Tochukwu Onwubufor (SAN), the presiding judge, Justice Peter Kekemeke, held that the prosecution succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against the suspect. The judge held that the proof of evidence before the court established a link between the accused person and the offence he is being charged with. Consequently, he fixed March 18 for Massala’s ar-

Teacher killed in Benue HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

teacher, Mr. Abraham Baja, was killed yesterday by some unknown persons at his family compound on Aliade Road in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. The father of five, National Mirror learnt, teaches in one of the private secondary schools in the city.

Sources quoted the deceased’s wife, Mrs. Baja, as saying that the killers stormed their residence early in the morning and shot her husband dead. “As they forced their way in, one of them pointed his gun at my head and asked me to shut up or else she would kill me. At this point, I had nothing to do than to obey the instruction. “Subsequently, the gunmen went to my husband and brought him to the sitting room

raignment. On the issue of jurisdiction, the judge said: “The court has the jurisdiction to try the case and there is nexus between the accused and the offenses for which he is being charged. “The claim that there is no nexus is false and holds no water as the prosecution met all the conditions for the grant of the leave to prefer charges against the accused applicant. “The application...to quash charges fails as once there is substantial compliance to the rules for granting the application to prefer where they butchered him with their axe and cutlasses. “My husband pleaded with them to spare his life, but they refused to listen to his plea until they butchered him and also shot the lifeless body to ensure that he was dead,” the deceased’s wife was quoted as saying. Attempts to speak with the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Daniel Ezeala, were futile as several calls to his mobile phone to confirm the incident failed.

the charge the application will be granted. The leave was granted in accordance with the law. “There is a prima facie case against the accused and he is properly charged before the court.” At the last adjourned date, Onwubufor and prosecuting counsel, Mr. Frances Irabor, made their submissions on Massala’s application. Specifically, defence counsel prayed the court to quash the charges, saying the materials placed before it were not sufficient enough to warrant the grant of leave for charges to be preferred against the accused person. “Materials placed before this court are the proof of evidence which contains the names of the six witnesses we are not challenging the charge but we are challenging your Lordships consent that brought the charge into effect so until the consent given by the court is validly before the court, the issue of arraignment does not arise. “The motion seeks to quash the charge on the grounds that the court

lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the charge and that the application to prefer the charge did not comply with the Criminal procedure code, the proof of evidence attached to the affidavit did not indicate the offenses of forgery”, defence counsel said. In his objection to the application, Irabor said: “There is a link between the accused and the offense for which he stands accused. What the court should look at is whether he has questions to answer the prosecution as laid ample materials before the court to establish that there is the offense of forgery which calls for answers for which the court had called him to come and shed light on. “We submit further that the prosecution has fulfilled all the conditions for the grant of leave to prefer a criminal charge and we therefore urge the court to dismiss the objection as we have furnished the court with all the necessary documents, a copy of the charge, names and addresses of all the witnesses... .”

Three feared dead as police, urchins clash in Lagos FRANCIS SUBERU

hree persons were killed yesterday as police officers attached to Ikotun Police Division of Lagos State clashed with street urchins popularly called area boys and Indian hemps vendors at Ikotun Motor Park. The clash, which lasted for about three hours, started around 6pm when some police officers went to the Indian hemp vendors to arrest a suspect. It was gathered that the street urchins, on seeing the police officers, took to their heels, but they were pursued. One of them was eventually caught and was reportedly beating to death. When the news of the death was broken to the street urchins, they started protesting and went to the police station. Eyewitnesses said the street urchin threw stones and other hard objects into the station’s premises and were attempting to force themselves in, but the police officers started shooting tear gas to disperse them. As the policemen tried unsuccessfully to disperse the crowd, they resulted to using live ammunition and in the process, stray bullets hit and killed two of the protesters. The development stirred up greater anger. Reinforcement was eventually called for from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), which, with the help of Ikotun monarch, Oba Azeez Gbadabiu Asiwaju, were able to calm the rampaging urchins. The protesters, National Mirror learnt, later trooped to the Oba’s palace for reconciliation. The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident, but said she was yet to be properly briefed on what transpired. She, however, said that one person was killed in the imbroglio.

South-West

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Traffic law: Lagos records fewer Okada accidents – Investigation L ATEEFAH IBRAHIMANIMASHAUN

ccidents involving motorcycles, popularly known as Okada have reduced in Lagos State since the enforcement of new traffic law began. Statistics from the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, NOHI, show a significant reduction in accidents in the state since the ban on Okada became effective last year. A visit to the emergency unit of the hospital last week showed that there was only one patient who was injured in a motorcycle accident. This was a marked difference from the previous year when the traffic law

was not yet in force when the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital was daily crowded by Okada accident victims. Head of the Emergency Management Services, NOHI, Dr. Obianyor Ocee, confirmed the trend in an interview with our correspondent. He said accidents involving motorcycles had been on a steady decline in the state since the traffic law became effective. According to him, only 11 cases have been recorded this month against 48 within the same period last year. Ocee, a consultant orthopaedic/trauma surgeon, also disclosed that the decline became noticeable in August when only 38 cases were recorded against 52 cases in the same period

in 2011. Also in September 2012, the number of cases dropped from 55 in 2011 to 31 while the trend continued till December 2012 when the figure declined from 60 in 2011 to 45. He said: “Check the ward now, you will get to see that we have only one okada-related case of accident down there.” The surgeon, however, warned that the reduction of the unnecessary carnage on the Lagos roads as a result of okada accidents could be reversed if the government did not pay attention to tricycles popularly referred to as Keke Marwa. According to him, the tricycles are fast acquiring the notoriety associated with okada before the traf-

fic law was promulgated. He said Keke Marwa had become a nuisance on the highways due to the recklessness on the part of the drivers. Although Ocee did not give statistics on the tricycles, he said there was need to begin to look in their direction now that the traffic law had effectively addressed the okada menace. He said: “If they are not properly monitored, they may go out of hand. Some of them now carry passengers more than the capacity of the tricycles which can be harmful.” “There may not be a significant increase in the cases of accidents from the tricycles but there is need to train and set limits for them.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Same sex marriage against God’s will – Adeboye ADEOLU ADEYEMO OSOGBO

he General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye yesterday described same sex marriage legalised in some countries as anathema to God’s will and instruction. Adeboye, who spoke at the New Year thanksgiving organised by the Joint Christian Mission of the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, described same sex marriage as antiGod and ungodly. The cleric condemned the act, which, he said, could draw backward the biblical doctrinal principle of God in humanity. He said: “People should walk in the light of God and forsake acts that are traceable to darkness. Darkness is bad, it is evil. It produces poverty, hatred, sorrow, barenness and loneliness, but light produces love, peace, joy, promotion and faithfulness. “Darkness is capable of wrecking havoc in the

country, and Nigerian leaders should try to shun acts of darkness in 2013 for the nation to enjoy peace.” The GO added that the will of God for human being is to be fruitful, replenish and multiply on earth and argued that same sex marriage was capable of wiping out human race within just 20 years. Adeboye said anything contrary to man and woman marriage was devilish. He said: “Same sex marriage is anathema to God’s will and instruction. The will of God for human being is to be fruitful, replenish and multiply on earth and anything contrary to that is devilish.” “How can a man who marries a fellow man produce a child and how can a woman who marries a woman produce a child? “If this evil is allowed to stay, there will not be new born babies again in the world. As the older generation dies, would there be new generation to succeed? Even plants and animals have new generation to succeed them.”

My fake campaign posters, opposition’s handiwork – Obanikoro has not come to me as a

N Owa Obokun of Ijesa Land, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran (left) and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, during the the Owa’s visit to the Alaafin’s over the burnt palace in Oyo, yesterday.

Ajimobi launches free emergency medical services with 34 ambulances

yo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday inaugurated 34 ambulances, doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians drawn from the state Youth Empowerment Scheme, YES-O, to launch his administration’s free ambulance services. Speaking at the launch of the scheme in Ibadan, Ajimobi said emergency road points had also been provided for the ambulances, while arrangements had also been made with a network provider for a toll-free number. The governor also disclosed that a 24-hour con-

trol room had been opened at the state Ministry of Health, complete with a 30feet mast and a dedicated E-1 direct line, coupled with a GIS-based tracking system, to know the location of every ambulance at any point in time so as to ensure the fastest possible response time. Ajimobi said the state free ambulance service was borne out of the need to reduce mortality being recorded from road traffic accidents, home accidents, disasters, child births and all other types of emergency. He said: “It is well known that people in these situ-

ations do not know what to do, where to turn to or whom to call. With the flagoff of this programme, help is now just a call away.” According to the governor, it is only in a primitive society that accident victims are carried to the hospital in open pickup trucks, commercial taxis or Okada. He said: “Such accident victims often die needlessly through lack of application of basic first-aid interventions. “It is our belief that any modern society must be able to respond promptly to emergency situations, whether on the highways

or in the homes.” Ajimobi added that any patient who made use of the ambulance service would be entitled to free drugs for the first 48 hours of his stay in the hospital, due to the N200 million worth of essential drugs currently being distributed by the government. He recalled that one of the priority areas of his administration’s programme, as articulated in his inaugural address, was the urgent need to revamp the state health sector and restore the quality of healthcare delivery to the people of the state.

igeria’s former High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday denied sponsoring governorship campaign posters, which flooded parts of Lagos State at the weekend. Obanikoro described as cheap and miscalculated the fake campaign posters purportedly presenting him as gunning for the governorship of the state in 2015. The former ambassador said the motive behind the move had failed ab initio because, apart from the fact that the strategy was oldfashioned, the timing was ill-advised and the intention stymied. Obanikoro said the move was intended to achieve either of two things: to present him as desperate or a politician of uncompromising tendencies and therefore concluded that both intentions had failed because they could neither push him out in the ring nor stifle him. He said: “Honestly, this

surprise because I understand the terrain in which I operate. But I would have thought that even if those who relish in destructive politics still admire the trade, they could have at least, gone a notch up in their game. This is cheap, ill-timed and a miscalculation. “I know where this is coming from, but it is good for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, because it shows clearly that the opposition is jittery already and when the time comes, our party which is bigger and better now will put them in their place. “If all this has set out to do is cause disaffection among us, too bad because it failed even before it was recognised as mischief. “Interestingly, the same approach was used against the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and it failed because it was false. Even a member of the opposition party, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, recently had a whiff of his party’s bad politics.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

South West

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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AFCON 2013: Burkina Faso holds Nigeria, throws group open IKENWA NNABUOGOR

uper Eagles threw away a first half goal lead and allowed forceful Burkina Faso to grab a late-minute equaliser to end the tie 1-1 in the Group C second game of the ongoing 29th Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, at the Mbombela Stadium, Nespruit, South Africa, yesterday. Spartak Moscow striker, Emmanuel Emenike, who

was preferred ahead of Eagles talisman, Ikechukwu Uche, opened scoring for Nigeria in the first half before Alain Traore equalised for Burkina Faso with just seconds left. The result has thrown the group open as defending champions, Zambia, had also earlier played a one-all draw with Ethiopia at the same venue. Eagles looked more promising in the first half and it was a matter of time

before they broke the resolute Stallions’ defence. Dynamo Kiev striker leading the Eagles attack proved a handful for the Burkinabe defence as the Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel, continued to feed the attack with his deadly long balls. Ideye had the first call but missed one of the Mikel’s beautiful long balls from just six yards out just a few minutes in the game. It was not until the 23rd

minute when Eagles deservedly put their noses in front from yet another Mikel’s probing long pass. Ideye skillfully backheeled Mikel’s trademark long pass unto the path of Russia-based Emmanuel Emenike who beat two defenders to rush the ball into the net. Eagles would have doubled the lead just before the recess but for the brilliant goalkeeping of Asante Kotoko goalkeeper, Abdou-

laye Soulama, who stood between Nigeria and the second goal. The Stallions came in the second half smoking, looking more determined to wear down their more illustrious West African brothers, but poor marksmanship was their undoing. The Stallions’ resolute attacking force was helped by Efe Ambrose’s sending off, giving them the numerical advantage. Time and time again, dangerman Moumini Dagana-led Stallion attack continued to trouble the Eagles’ defence as the Joseph Yoboled defence prayed for the final whistle to calm their frayed nerves. With just a second left on the clock, came the sucker punch when Burkina Faso’s substitute, Alain Traore, grabbed the well deserved

equaliser, driving the ball home from six yards after Sunshine Stars’ central defender, Godfrey Oboabona, feebly cleared the ball into Traore’s path before the FC Lorient striker’s low drive beat Vincent Enyeama, to end the game 1-1. Nigeria will now have to beat Zambia in the group’s next fixture on Friday to keep hopes alive of advancing to the next stage. Eagles Line up: Vincent Enyeama, Efe Ambrose, Elderson Echiejile, Godfrey Oboabana, Joseph Yobo, Fegor Ogude (Ogenyi Onazi 70’), Nosa Igiebor, John Obi Mikel, Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike (Ikechukwu Uche 58’), Brown Ideye (Kenneth Omeruo 78’) Results Zambia 1 – 1 Ethiopia Nigeria 1 – Burkina Faso

Civil Defence threatens to sue Ekiti cyber cafe owners ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

L-R: Chairman, Council of Obas and Chiefs, Lagos State, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu 1; Governor Babatunde Fashola; his Deputy, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ademorin Kuye, during the inauguration of the newly constituted Council of Obas and Chiefs in Lagos, yesterday.

Grab land, go to jail, Oba Akiolu warns monarchs

• Says only God knows Fashola’s successor MURITALA AYINLA

raditional rulers who specialise in the act of land grabbing in Lagos State may need to have a re-think as they may, henceforth, face the full wrath of the law on account of their actions. The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, yesterday gave this hint as he warned that any Oba or chief caught in this immoral act would be handed over to the Inspector-General of Policåe for prosecution. Oba Akiolu also charged the traditional rulers to be actively involved in security and health issues in their domains. He said the recent happenings in the country call for the custodians of tradition, norms and value to begin to show unflinching interest in the welfare of their people. Speaking after the inauguration of the newly constituted Council of Obas and Chiefs which will serve between 2012 and 2017, the monarch said it is disgusting that some tradi-

tional rulers also engage in land grabbing in the state. His words: On the part of any Oba, to whom much is given, much is expected. All thuggery and land grabbing activities are illegal. Any Oba or Chief or Bale who illegally assemble land grabbers will go to jail. “I have discussed with the Inspector-General of Police on the matter, anybody caught will be prosecuted. I will personally handover the person to the police.” On who may emerge the next governor of the state, Oba Akiolu said those clamouring to succeed Babatunde Fashola are jokers, saying only God knows who will succeed him. He continued: “Only God knows who will be the next Governor of Lagos, those who are deceiving themselves, they will ‘chop’ their money and ‘chop’ their money. The future belongs to God. God will give us somebody who will continue and surpass the good work the governor is doing.”

While commending the governor for his continued support for the traditional rulers in the state, the Oba appealed to the governor to appreciate the Council of Obas and Chiefs before the end of his term like his predecessor did. Earlier, while inauguration the council of chiefs, Governor Fashola had charged them to ensure

that Lagosians continue to enjoy peaceful co-existence, adding that their inauguration would not have been possible if the state had not enjoyed peace. Fashola hinged the harmonious relationship among the various ethnic groups in the state on the contribution of the traditional rulers through their valuable counsel to his administration from time to time.

he Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ekiti State command has threatened to prosecute owners of any cyber cafe indicted in the illegal recruitment into the corps. The NSCDC said this will be in addition to sealing off such business organisations. Spokesperson for body, Mr. Tolulope Afolabi, said in a statement in Ado Ekiti yesterday that; “There is no recruitment exercise going on anywhere in the country in the name of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Afolabi advised Ekiti

people to “note that any website created or designed to recruit employees into the corps is fake, illegal, fraudulent and capable of destabilising the state, applicants and their parents.” He cautioned owners of cyber café in the state to “stop any activity related to the illegal recruitment of people into the organisation as security operatives are in town checking computer systems for the illegal business.” The corps spokesman, who said NSCDC would adequately publicise its recruitment exercise in the media when recruiting, advised prospective applicants to always visit the website of the corps for up to date information.

Ogun LG poll: Tribunal dismisses 43 petitions

ll the 43 petitions filed against the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission over the July 2012 Local Government election has been dismissed by the election tribunal sitting to adjudicate on the dispute arising from the election. OGSIEC Commissioner, Barrister Mutiu Agboke, who disclosed this at the weekend, said that the development was a clear indication that the election was credible, free and fair and pledged that the commission would continue to be non-partisan and be

fair to all parties in future elections. Agboke made this known in Abeokuta while presenting Certificate of Return to the elected councillors in all the 236 wards of the 20 local government areas of the state. Explaining why the presentation of the certificates was delayed, he said OGSIEC delayed the presentation because of its firm believe in the rule of law, stressing “we have to wait till when all petitions relating to the election were disposed by the court. “Immediately we received the petition, every-

thing was suspended. We had 43 petitions and we followed all of them up at the tribunal; we had petitions from Abeokuta in Ogun Central, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun East and Ota in Ogun West. All of them asked us not to release the certificate until they see the outcome of the litigation,” he explained. Speaking earlier, Chairman of OGSIEC, Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi, advised the councillors to fulfill all the promises made during their electioneering campaigns to justify the mandate given to them by the electorate.

According to her, “After winning the race, it is not over until it is over, you gave your words to the people and in return they gave you this mandate, they identified you as persons that can deliver, so don’t disappoint them, do everything that is constitutionally right to impact positively on them.” She also admonished the councillors to cooperate with the executive arm in the provision of dividends of democracy and shun all acts that could lead to rancour between the two arms in their respective council areas.

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

SUPER TUESDAY Anger spurs me to performance in Akwa Ibom – Akpabio

Politics

Bribe-for-job: Moral burden for Senate to discharge

14&15

Revolution: The change Nigeria deserves

Calls for revolution have continued to reverberate across the country despite the Transformation Agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan administration. FELIX NWANERI takes a look at the various forms of change being advocated by stakeholders for Nigeria to get out of the woods.

ormer Minister of Petroleum, Prof. Tam David-West, rekindled a waning light recently when he assessed the prevailing socio-economic conditions of Nigerians and submitted that the pauperised masses will soon take up arms against the state. David-West made the submission while delivering a lecture entitled: “The Social Pyramid and Good Governance” at an event organised by a group known as The Forum at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, last December. He said a situation where government policies and programmes were for the few rich, who dominate the apex of the country’s social pyramid, at the expense of the masses, who populate the base of the pyramid was unhealthy, noting that any government that is anti-poor, like Nigeria, is also anti-God and would be pulled down by God. The former minister further maintained that Nigeria is daily preparing for its requiem in view of the social inequality currently creating upheavals in the country and warned that the political class would have no hiding place when the people revolt. His words: “Like Jeremy Bentham said, the happiness of the people in a society is the end of governance. But what do we have in Nigeria. The gap between the rich and the poor keeps expanding. If this gap is not narrowed, a time will soon come when the suffering masses will see no difference between living and dying and will take up arms against the state. And when this happens, Abuja cannot stand. “From the way the country is being run, Nigeria has no right to succeed. We are called the giant in Africa and we are truly the giant in many negative things. This country can’t survive because it is antipoor and consequently anti-God. There is also an elastic limit to people’s suffering.”

The Patriots model But in what seemed a template of the type of revolution Nigeria needs at the moment, The Patriots, a group of eminent Nigerians, insist that President Jonathan must as a matter of urgency, adopt revolutionary actions to halt the country’s accelerated descent to a failed state. Warning that time is running out of

L-R: Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN), Gen. Alani Akinrinade and Olorogun Felix Ibru at the meeting of The Patriots last week.

NIGERIA IS DAILY PREPARING FOR ITS REQUIEM IN VIEW OF THE SOCIAL INEQUALITY CURRENTLY CREATING UPHEAVALS IN THE COUNTRY hand for a peaceful well-managed change, the group also called on the President, to “reconstruct his government immediately and appoint a competent, energetic, selfless, patriotic team, which will assist him in initiating the peaceful but far-reaching revolution involved.” Addressing a press conference on the state of the nation, last week in Lagos, foremost constitutional lawyer and former Minister of Education and Youth Development, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, who spoke on behalf of the group, said the position was spurred by the need “to draw attention of the people of this country to the accelerating descent of Nigeria towards becoming a failed state and the need for revolutionary action by the President to halt this descent, to change the style of leadership to one fired by the demands of good governance and to convene a National Conference as a means towards the attainment of the objective of good governance.” Members present at the briefing were the first civilian governor of Delta State, Olorogun Felix Ibru; former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Alani Akinriade; Afenifere chieftains, Chief Ayo Adebanjo

and Sir Olanihun Ajayi; former ministers of Petroleum and Commerce, Chief Philip Asiodu and Chief (Mrs) Bola Kuforiji-Olubi; Ohanaeze Ndigbo chieftain, Engr. Chris Okoye; the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi; Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN) and Mr. Michael Orabotor. The group’s statement read in part: “There is great unease in Nigeria today. There is increasing loss of confidence on the part of the majority of Nigerians in the ability of the government to resolve the enormous problems confronting the people as the country cascades dangerously towards enormous disaster. “These grave challenges include: all pervasive corruption, exhibition of insatiable greed and the pursuit of self-enrichment on the part of members of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary as well as the payment of outrageously inflated remuneration in salaries and allowances to political office holders in total disregard of our very low per-capital national income and of international norms and in the contest of increasing pauperisation of the people with 70 per cent of Nigerians living below the poverty line. “The deteriorating situation with regard to the security of persons and property; proliferation of government agencies and the seemingly uncontrollable patronage system, all contributing to the excessive cost of governance; failure to begin to deliver on improved infrastructure of

power and transportation; failure to begin to deliver on improvements in educational facilities, access and quality of education; failure to punish appropriately and promptly the few persons found guilty of corruption following due process of prosecution and failure to embark on effective and widespread publicity of Vision 2020 and the Jonathan 2011 – 2015 Transformation Agenda to demonstrate the commitment and determination of the leadership to implement it and to motivate the people to give them some hope.”

National Conference to the rescue On the need for the Jonathan administration to act fast, The Patriots said: In order to avoid the horrors of descent into a very bloody and destructive anarchy, there is need for a revolutionary change of attitude amongst key elements of the national leadership and the emergence of a re-awakened and re-vitalised responsive government. “It is the duty and historical challenge of President Jonathan as the democratically elected president of the country in whom authority for government is vested; to initiate and lead the necessary revolutionary changes to enable the nation avoid the horrendous holocaust which threatens.” This, the group explained, requires an immediate return to all the important criteria and conditions of good governance; and the initiation of the process for convening a National Conference that will produce a peoples’ constitution, as the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is a product of the military. “The initiation of the process for convening a national conference for producCONTINUED ON PAGE 41

Politics

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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Anger spurs me to performance in Governor Godswill Akpabio believes he has literarily built Akwa Ibom State from the scratch. He said anger spurred him to turnaround his state through infrastructural development. In this interview with newsmen, Akpabio speaks on the onshore-offshore issue, governance in Akwa Ibom and other salient issues. TONY ANICHEBE brings excerpts:

How does it look like being and oil producing state? When we had the onshore and offshore problem in 2000 for about nine months, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo offered a remedial measure for the SouthSouth by given additional N600 million to Akwa Ibom. And when the situation was corrected, Akwa Ibom went back into receiving revenue from derivation. Generally speaking, we have at least four major states that collect their derivation levies; we have Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom. Then Edo and Ondo also joined. The truth is that it is not the money being so much that translates to development; it is the vision, dedication, sincerity, commitment, and the totality of your being. Is it your intention before coming to government that you really want to move the government forward? I think that is where the problem lies and if it is your intention to do so, then you will really do so. I was at the meeting of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in 2011 when Borno State governor was telling us about his state economy and he announced to us that his predecessor left behind N64 billion, but if you look at Borno and how much it gets in a month, for Borno to have saved up to N64 billion and the new governor met N64 billion, the press should have asked questions. What did you leave behind? He left behind Boko Haram and N64 billion in the bank. That is why sometimes they say if you don’t give to God, you give to devil. Am I right? So, if you fail to spend the money for the benefit of your people, then what will happen is that you have to use the money to cure the problems that you caused because the reaction to the neglect of the poor, to the neglect of the pauperised and the weak, to the neglect of human capacity building would come in an attempt to say you are not corrupt, and then you keep billions in the bank in order to attract interest. And your business is booming while the society is dying and you are now saying if the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) comes you can account for the money, is that governance? That is a very clear example of the fact that you don’t know how to manage and then the money does not speak, the money does not benefit the people, the money does not impact on the lives of the people and the money is just kept in the bank; it does not have value. Can you compare your administration with that of your predecessor? To compare myself with the past regime, one thing is certain: before I came into government, cement was costing about N700. You know in government today, cement is above N2,000. So, if the past administration collected about N5 – N6 billion a month and cement was selling at N700 as at that time and I am collecting N10 billion or N12 billion, almost double, and cement is above N2,000, is there any gain? You understand. You could just have performed if you have the vision, sincerity, passion and commitment. You could also have impacted on the lives of your people if you do not have ulterior motive and this has been the problem. So, I am building the state from the scratch as if Akwa Ibom State was born today. It seems you are angry with governance? I started with a lot of anger. I served as commissioner for five years and I knew where I met the state was not where it ought to have been. I used my money to repair the Calabar-Usi road when I was commissioner. That

Akpabio

IF YOU ARE NOT ANGRY WITH THE STATE OF INSECURITY AND THE STATE OF UNDERDEVELOPMENT,

THE STATE OF POVERTY IN THE SOCIETY, IF YOU ARE

NOT ANGRY WITH THE LACK OF DEVELOPMENT AND

INFRASTRUCTURE... THEN YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS IN GOVERNANCE was the time when President Obasanjo was to pay a visit to the state. I brought a heap of sand to fill potholes along the road. Before doing that, I went to the then incumbent governor (Victor Attah) at that time and I said, sir, let’s do something about the road. He said get out and added: ‘Is

it my father’s road? Let him (Obasanjo) come and see how he has been neglecting Akwa Ibom.’ I said sir, but the visitors that are coming, they would think this government is not performing. Attah said was it his business to fix federal roads? ‘Will you get out of this place?’ So I was a man who over-advised. At times you have to be very careful how you advise government because the reason my former governor picked quarrels with me is because I over-advised him; if you over-advised government, you become an opposition even with your best intention. Let me also tell you; an international award was given to me in Kenya and a television correspondent came to interview me and asked: What was your motivating factor for all you have achieved in your state which won you the award? I was stunned because that was not the question I expected she would ask. I expected she would ask how is Akwa Ibom and the rest. So, I looked at her and said, anger. What motivated me was anger. Do you know that after my speech, they set up a panel of discussants on Kenya Television to discuss the Anger of the Akwa Ibom governor? And the conclusion was let Kenya produce many angry politicians who can on the spur of anger bring monumental and phenomenal development to the country. If you are not angry with the state of insecurity and the state of underdevelopment, the state of poverty in the society, if you are not angry with the lack of development and infrastructure and if you are not angry that it is the duty of state to ensure that employment opportunities should be created for thousands of people, then you have no business in governance. Somebody must be

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Akwa Ibom – Akpabio angry. It is that determination and anger that spur you to greater heights. What about the anger that spurs you into effective governance now? The anger should be going down now. I am only telling you the situation of things as a regards how much we are getting and the transformation we have put in place in Akwa Ibom. But after five and a half years, the anger is waning. In fact, when I listen to the way people identify with what we are doing in Akwa Ibom, my anger keeps going down. There was a bridge that collapsed in 1969. Do you know that those who tried to pass that bridge ended up not being alive? Also a prominent man in this state said his major regret was that when his father was to be buried, his guests could not access his village. His guests turned back in Port Harcourt. Look gentlemen, you can’t even understand what I am talking about. In my village, the economic activities there died for years; there was no single filing station, there was nothing for 29 years. Any time I am going home, I had to pack my car at Ikot Ekpene and even the okada man that would carry me must be somebody who knew me because he would refuse no matter how much you offer. You have to understand what I am talking about. I don’t want to get angry. When I tell you I was angry, you need to understand. If you are to assess your performance, have you done well? Chief Obasanjo came here and described the three segments of Akwa Ibom society: those who support Godswill Akpabio; those who are neither here nor there and those who are in total opposition to Akpabio. That those who are in support of Akpabio said the governor is performing excellently well; those who are neither here nor there say the man is trying and those who are in opposition say yes, he has done well but he has money. My prayer is that anybody that is coming to Akwa Ibom should have money and should also do well. The fact is that, what Akwa Ibom is receiving is 0.00001 per cent of what comes from the Federation Account monthly. On a monthly basis, what I use is 0.00001 per cent of the Federation Account. All states in the federation collect 24 per cent of federal revenue. If the Federal Government has agreed to increase derivation and Akwa Ibom is able to get 1 per cent, I would have transformed Akwa Ibom into a small Dubai; you wouldn’t need to go abroad again. Since 2007, not even in a kilometre of road that I have done that you can see a single pothole. I have done drainages, major underground drainages system. We have done a lot on drainages and the rest of them to take care of flooding and within two minutes after major rainfall, you can hardly find water on the earth surface in Akwa Ibom. Those are the kind of drainages we have done. The President even advised that we could do a documentary, so that it could be put in the National Library for future reference. This is the kind of legacy we are leaving behind. I prefer to dispense rather than acquire, let me dispense goodwill, let me dispense dividends, let me dispense good governance. What is your take on the onshore and offshore dichotomy? There is a dichotomy on revenue from oil, no doubt. The onshore and offshore issue is still there; it has not been totally removed. The compromised position was that states are to be paid for oil wells located within 200 meters isobar. What Governor [Rabiu] Kwankwaso said that they came to agree on 200 nautical miles was to incense the North. Two hundred nautical miles on international waters, no African country has the capability to produce oil there? What Kwankwaso said in his interview was that they are paying derivation for 200 nautical miles that is deep on international waters. There is element of falsehood

IF THE TOTALITY OF

DICHOTOMY IS REMOVED,

LAGOS WILL PRODUCE THE HIGHEST QUANTITY OF OIL. THIS IS SO BECAUSE BONGA OIL FIELD IS LOCATED WITHIN THE

LAGOS AREA

in order to cause violence. He knows the truth; he said it so that he can get support. I know Nigerians. If the totality of dichotomy is removed, Lagos will produce the highest quantity of oil. This is so because Bonga oil field is located within the Lagos area; it is a deep sea oil, it produced 800,000 barrels of oil a day. If the issue of dichotomy is removed today and they say there is no longer dichotomy, the state that might be the highest oilproducing state in Nigeria today is Lagos. Go and look at the amount that they pay derivation on, it is not commensurate to the oil sourced because the rest of oil wells are beyond 200 metres isobar. The governors are saying that exploration is affecting aquatic life and the livelihood of the people, because the life can never be the same. In the past, you could take white sand by the shoreline and used it to brush your teeth but now the sand is black. You know with the ecosystem, this oil will not last forever. So you can assist me and tell Nigerians that if we continue doing that for another 25 years, because the oil will finish in 30 years, the whole of this Niger Delta will finish while Nigeria will continue in Abuja. So, why don’t you allow the people to have a reasonable share while they wait for the day when there would be no more oil to tap, you can’t take that opportunity away. Does the current agitation pose any threat to the unity of the country? It was the same derivation issue and same onshoreoffshore issue that gave birth to militancy in the Niger Delta, which made Nigeria had nothing to sell for months. Under former President Yar’Adua, there was a month we had nothing to sell. So, why do you as a country continuously take decisions that take us backwards? That is the point I am making. Even there is something that has to do with our railway system. There was a time in this country when I was going to the Nigerian Military School in 1970. I took a train from Aba to Zaria, 32 years later, the railway had disappeared from Nigeria. While others are now going to the moon to see how the surface of the moon looks like, Nigeria can no longer service her railway. Is that the kind of legacy we want to leave for our children? I think we should focus on doing things that will unite this country rather than doing things that will divide us. I am very worried that we are promoting religious dichotomy today when Nigeria is supposed to be a secular state. I take decision based on the Nigerian Constitution. My Chief Security Officer is a Muslim, and he is from Kano State and you will not believe that for the past six years, my ADC is from Azare in Bauchi State, he is a Muslim. He had worked with me for over six years. My first orderly for the first four years came from Benue State, this present one for the last two years is from Kaduna State. So, I recognise Nigeria in people. It is incumbent on leaders to live by example. If Nigerians begin to focus on religion, on things that divide us, it means people like my CSO, my ADC and the rest will be from my tribe. Leadership must be seen to be promoting the unity of Nigeria. We must live by example. I am a beneficiary of good governance and that was why in 2011 anywhere I went for campaign, I kept telling my people that if I was not contesting the election, I would have voted for Governor Godswill Akpabio. Do you think democracy has brought more dividends

Akpabio

than military government? As media men, you need to know that there are more projects in Nigeria between 1999 and today than between 1960 and 1998. So, no matter how you hate democracy, don’t ever forget to highlight that side. The military underdeveloped this country. There are many more projects in the states now. I was in Anambra recently; you will be surprised that they have built some good roads in the area, such that for one and half hours, I was driving on good road. I was very happy to see the development. This came about through democracy. When you post a military governor who hails from Sokoto to Akwa Ibom, after doing the road that comes to Government House, he would not start thinking of doing roads in another area or community. Is that his community? He is on military posting. And this was the situation we had for 35 years in the country. So, nobody can love your people more than you do. What are the measures you care putting in place to safeguard or maintain the infrastructure your government has put in place? As part of efforts at ensuring sustainability, I signed a bill into law which is on the establishment of Infrastructure Maintenance Agency last week to take over aspects of roads maintenance, filling of potholes, maintaining the street lights and the rest of them. Well, the issue of road maintenance does not lie with the workers; it lies with the leadership. If you have somebody who has the same vision with you and he becomes the governor, he will do that. If you don’t have somebody who shares the same vision with you and he becomes the governor and notwithstanding the maintenance agency you have set up, everything will go backwards. My prayer is that God will bring a successor that will think like me, that will be part and parcel of the policies we are doing, somebody who will go with the same passion to see to the full implementation of the policies of government. After developing infrastructure in the state, what are you doing in developing human capital? There is always something you don’t have to do, you CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Politics

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Cheering verdict of the World Bank

ASO ROCK FILE

with

Rotimi FADEYI

Jail term for human traffickers

or many years, the issue of human trafficking has become an issue of great concern to successive governments in the country as it has become an embarrassment to see many Nigerians subjected to inhuman treatment in other countries. Human trafficking is a serious offence under the laws of Nigeria with tough penalty but unfortunately this has not reduced or stopped people from engaging in the criminal act. Realising that the laws may not be tough enough to effectively combat the scourge of human trafficking in the country, the Federal Executive Council last week proposed a maximum of sevenyear jail term for any person involved in the act. The council reasoned that the existing legal framework for addressing the subject matter which is the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition), Law Enforcement and Administration Act, 2003 (as amended) was fraught with deficiencies and grossly inadequate to effectively tackle

the crime. For instance, several provisions in the existing law are not consistent with the requirements of the Trafficking in persons Protocol, Supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, (Palermo Convention) 2000. The principal objective of the current bill is to repeal and cure the defects in the existing law and reposition the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons of effective delivery on its mandate and provide for a more comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution and punishment of human trafficking offences in the country. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) is already working on the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition), Enforcement and Administration Bill, 2012 which would soon be presented to the National Assembly for necessary consideration.

FG to beat 2015 deadline on MDGs

he Federal Government has put in place the needed infrastructure to accelerate the attainment of all the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with less than 1,000 days to the 2015 deadline. Vice-President Namadi Sambo disclosed the plan of the government during the stakeholders briefing on the Application of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Acceleration Frame Work (MAF) to fast track progress against the MDGs in Nigeria. Sambo said: “In addition to what directly the MDGs office is doing, it is recognised by this administration, through Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda, that in order to address the issue of poverty, we must put the infrastructure needed for creation of wealth and in this direction we identified the various factors that are militating against our growth.” The Vice President identified the militating factors to include inadequacies in the power, health, transport, education, agriculture and water resources sectors, stressing that government had made significant strides in addressing them. Speaking on the MDGs Acceleration Framework, Sambo said that the goals are at the heart of the Transformation Agenda of the present administration, adding that government would continue to formulate and execute policies and programmes towards their attainment. According to him despite prioritising MDGs Goal 5 (reducing maternal mortality), through the MAF methodology, the three tiers of government would not neglect the seven other goals. He stressed that the outputs of the MAF, which would include summary of identified problem areas, cost effective solutions and an action plan “will be presented to the Presidential Committee on the As-

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sessment and Monitoring of the MDGs, the National Economic Council, and the National Council on Health for adoption and implementation by the three tiers of Government.” For the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, the President should be commended for his commitment and political will to ensure the MDGs are met.

s Nigeria grapple with economic development and security challenges which has posed a threat to the peace of the nation, the World Bank has said that the country is one of the fastest growing emerging economies in the world in spite of the current global recession. The verdict of the World Bank came from its Vice President for Africa, Mr. Mouktar Diop when he met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House last week. Diop was of the opinion that by the bank’s own criteria and assessment, the level of poverty in Nigeria had actually declined from 48 per cent to 46 per cent under the Jonathan-led administration The World Bank Vice President commended the ongoing reforms in Nigeria and the management of the economy while assuring Jonathan that the World Bank would use all instruments available to it to support Nigeria’s power sector reforms. According to Diop, he had a clear brief from the World Bank President to give all necessary support to the reforms, stressing that the World Bank has decided to put up a task force which would include private sector branch to support the reform. “At the time when the economy is going down, we have seen that Nigeria has been keeping a growth rate which rather significant. So, I was here to hear from the President’s priority and discuss oth-

er issues such as how poverty has been evolving in the country and what we can do to accelerate the reduction of poverty,” Diop said. President Jonathan reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the implementation of reforms necessary for accelerated economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation. For him, his administration has no choice than to be committed to the implementation of reforms necessary for accelerated economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation. He said that although it was not easy to undertake certain reforms in an intensely political environment, the Federal Government under his leadership would continue to evolve and implement policies that would assure sustainable development and the long-term well-being of the nation. While acknowledging Diop’s commendation of his administration’s stewardship of the Nigerian economy, the President said that with the continued support of the World Bank, other international institutions and investors, the government will achieve an even higher growth rate for the national economy. Jonathan further said that Nigeria would welcome more support for the World Bank for the concluding stages of its power sector reforms especially for the speedy resolution of labour issues and other matters related to the ongoing privatisation of the sector.

Presidential Villa’s visitors 1. World Bank Vice President for Africa, Mr. Mouktar Diop 2. Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III 3. Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole 4. British Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew John Pocock 3. South Sudan Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Parmene Mankuet Mangar 4. Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Nuhu Bayoga 5. Special Envoy from South Sudan, Mr. Pagan Amon Okiech 6. Chairman, Senate Committee on MDG, Senator Mohammed Ndume 7. President ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo 8. The Counsellor, Embassy of the Vatican, Monsignor John Kallarackal

President Goodluck Jonathan with World Bank’s Vice President for Africa, Mr. Mouktar Diop during his visit to the State House.

Jonathan’s global response to terrorism

resident Goodluck Jonathan has advocated for a more robust global response to the scourge of terrorism. Speaking after reviewing recent terrorism-related events in Algeria and Northern Mali with the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew John Pocock, the President said the whole world clearly needed to unite and do much more than is presently being done to contain terrorism with its very negative impact on global peace and security. Jonathan condemned the kidnap-

ping of British, French and other foreign workers at a gas facility in Eastern Algeria by terrorists who claimed to be responding to France’s intervention in Mali, saying that Nigeria would continue to work hard with its partners in the international community to ensure that terrorism is vigorously rolled back across the world. The President told Pocock that in furtherance of Nigeria’s commitment to the war against terrorism in West Africa, Nigeria and other multinational forces would ensure that the control

of Northern Mali is fully restored to the Malian Government. Also last week, Jonathan assured the first Ambassador of South Sudan to Nigeria, Mr. Parmena Mankuet Mangar that Nigeria would remain a strong advocate for peace between South Sudan and Sudan, stressing that the Federal Government would also give all possible developmental assistance to the new country.

MORE POLITICS STORIES ON PAGES 41-43

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Nigeria in the eyes of a returnee I LEFT NIGERIA WITH

PIUS ADESANMI

THE REALIZATION

Continued from yesterday

THAT DESPITE OUR

further deduced upon interacting with people that since there is only so much people can do to help, they are forced to turn a blind eye and pretend that they cannot see the abject poverty that surrounds them. Soon people become jaded and desensitized losing their basic humanity. So, a poor beggar comes to them and they see a nuisance not a life worth saving, they don’t see an existence which could easily be theirs if the lottery of life had yielded a different result. Observation number four: We can be a good people I earlier alluded to the toilet attendant in the MMIA lounge during my return journey. I went to use the restroom and saw this attendant who was probably the same age as me. I looked at this guy and it occurred to me that the only difference between us was that I was fortunate to be born to parents who could afford to send me abroad for my studies years ago. Our situations could easily be reversed. I listened to his story as he appealed to my generosity while handing me a towel to wipe my hands. I looked into my wallet and found that that all I had left was dollars. You see, by the time I made it through security I was out of naira having “seen” all the immigration and customs officials.

ENDEMIC PROBLEMS, WE HAVE THE POTENTIALS TO BE

“GOOD PEOPLE AND A GREAT NATION TRULY A

Under my breath, I muttered “there but for the grace of God go I”, and gave him some money. I will never forget the look of appreciation on his face. I hope you don’t think I’m being self-congratulatory because I’m not. I’m only pointing out how we’re wasting our talent resources in Nigeria. This toilet attendant is a university graduate for crying out loud. All he needs is opportunity and he could contribute far more substantially to the greatness of Nigeria than he does as a toilet attendant. I despondently left the toilet en route to board the plane, suddenly I realized that I left my college ring on the sink as I washed my hands. This ring is a prized possession of mine and is of high sentimental value in addition to it being costly. I gave it up for lost. Surely this attendant would realize its mon-

etary value. I beat a path to the toilet and there was the attendant with my ring heading in my direction attempting to return it! I left Nigeria with the realization that despite our endemic problems, we have the potentials to be truly a “Good people and a Great Nation”. We just need to be led by those who can appeal to the best in us, not the worst. Who see the dignity in every man regardless of ethnicity, sex, religion or social class. Conclusion Can I ever move back to Nigeria? People ask me this question and, to answer it simply, “e go hard oh”. For one to move to Nigeria from the Diaspora, one most ask the question, “how much is your peace of mind worth?” Yes, there is money to be made and many opportunities to harness, but what is the opportunity cost of going through the many bureaucratic and logistical roadblocks? Consider this anecdote; my dad took me from our home on the mainland, to visit a friend of mine on the Island on a Sunday afternoon. We realized that the petrol level was quite low and not too many filling stations were selling. The ones that were selling had long queues. We were in line and my dad realized that if we continued, we would get nowhere. My Dad still has his youthful Obalende instincts about him and is no aje butter. So he bade me take the steer-

ing, while he took an empty jerry can and walked into the station. About 20 minutes later, he called me to drive up front. I did and to my surprise he used a small plastic hose and with his mouth siphoned petrol into the tank from the jerry can with the skill of a roadside mechanic. We continued our journey, and without batting an eye he told me “that’s how we survive here oh.” I was silent as my mind recalled the father of a childhood friend of mine, who slumped and died at the wheel while queuing at a petrol station for hours in the 90s. We arrived my friend’s place. My friend is an author. He saw a job opportunity and moved from the US to Nigeria and told me how he has to chase book stores up and down to be paid for the books they order. They give him the “come tomorrow” rigamarole and basically act like they’re doing him a favour by paying for the books they ordered. Meanwhile book stores in nearby Ghana credit his account automatically, without he having to wrangle them. Now if I, a Nigerian citizenborn and bred in Lagos has misgivings about moving back home, imagine how difficult it is to attract foreign investment. Adesanmi is a scholar and writer

Canada-based

Appreciating Osun’s anti-poverty drive YOMI OBADITAN

he National Bureau of Statistics has adjudged state of Osun second to Niger State in poverty level index rating of states in Nigeria. What this means is that Osun State is one of the states in Nigeria with a significant drop in the level of poverty. According to NBS, its empirical data for arriving at its findings include unemployment rate where Osun is rated lowest! This development shows how the state’s dynamic governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, has deployed the meager resources available to make Osun record the second lowest poverty rating in Nigeria. Coming from a credible federal agency, the propaganda machine of the South West Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should shut up if it could not accept the stellar performance of the hard working governor. The prudent management of the resources of the state by Ogbeni Aregbesola was further commended by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam when he said, “despite the fact that the revenue profile is still operating at arithmetic pace as against the geometric pace of the challenges facing the state, we are glad that the federal data acknowledged the prudence of this administration”. For any government to be taken seriously in this part of the nation it must go beyond rhetoric, but strive to improve the condition of the people. I remember an event in 1980. Chief

THE STATE OF OSUN IS PROBABLY THE FIRST IN

AFRICA

TO COMMENCE COMMERCIAL APIARY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF REFINED HONEY Obafemi Awolowo as the national leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), made an appearance at Ondo State House of Assembly. Among other things, he had said: “The rich, and the highlyplaced in business, public life, and government, are running a dreadful risk in their callous neglect of the poor and the down-trodden”, and he there after cautioned those who were in position of authority not to neglect the basic needs of the people. In conclusion Awo said, “it is for all these reasons that I advocate, and will continue to advocate until my advocacy is heeded and upheld by all that FULL DEVELOPMENT and FULL EMPLOYMENT (as I have described them) of every Nigerian are accepted as Nigeria’s TOPMOST PRIORITIES and the CORNERSTONE OF ALL OUR DEVELOPMENT PLANS”. This is exactly what Ogbeni Aregbesola has imbibed and has since put into action in other to reduce poverty among the people of the state. Speaking on the vision that gave birth to Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, otherwise called “OYES”, Aregbesola

said that “given the ever increasing unemployment rate and the apparent lack of a grassroots-based employment initiative from the centre to tackle this problem and create jobs, Nigeria risks a revolt of the unemployed youths and adults. The onus is therefore, on governments at all levels to conceive programs that can get the youths out of the streets and engage them in viable ventures”. In pursuance of the above vision, the state has committed over N1 billion to farmers’ cooperative societies to make them solvent enough to expand their farm holdings and total productivity. As part of its support services to the agricultural sector, the administration cleared and prepared over 1,765 hectares of land, and partitioned them to the farmers free of charge! The same Aregbesola government supported 28 cooperatives groups to plant 17 kilometre stretch of maize and backed up 2000 farmers to plant 1.3 million plantain suckers for refined plantain flour production. And still it supported cooperatives groups to cultivate 400 acres of yam cluster for elubo (yam flour). The state of Osun is probably the first in Africa to commence commercial apiary for the production of refined honey, and also took about 300 youths through the rudiments of bees farming. A 10,000 capacity cattle ranch at Oloba, Iwo was commissioned under him. At the ceremony, the governor announced publicly that his policy for cattle farming is the laissez faire one, an all comers affair. As part of his agric revolution, the state financed 220

farmer groups to run the Osun Broiler Out Grower Scheme. In Okuku town, in Odo- Otin LGA, the miracle is how an individual could produce 120,000 live fish a day. The support from the government made it possible. Governor Aregbesola has urged the “O meals” (Elementary School Feeding scheme) operators to patronize fish, cereal and root crop farmers. The multiplier effects of making the food vendors gainfully employed (by the state) and in turn creating markets for the farmers who supply them the foods items they cook for the pupils in junior primary 1 to 4 in the state, have succeeded in socializing labour in the state. The programme has been acknowledged by the federal government and UNESCO. In all these aforementioned areas there is a lesson: We have to return to the land for massive food production. The donation of Keke NAPEP and motor cycles is a temporary way to deliver the people from hunger and poverty. Let us all be FARMERS, there is wealth in it. Obaditan, a media practitioner, wrote from Osogbo.

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, January 22, 2013

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SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

FRANK OBOH

HEAD, GRAPHICS

Criminal impunity in the land

he penchant for criminal impunity by bandits in the country should be of great concern to both the government and law-abiding citizens. Criminals now operate as if there are no laws and security agents to checkmate their activities. Quite recently, specifically January 7, 2013, oil thieves and hoodlums in Majidun and Ogolonot areas of Ikorodu, Lagos State, engaged operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and the police in a fierce battle. Motorists were attacked and robbed, while some stateowned mass transit buses were vandalized. At the end of it all, one person was left dead. Late last year in Arepo, Ogun State, the maintenance team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was also ambushed by fuel thieves when they were at a site to repair a vandalized pipeline. The violent attack left three NNPC engineers dead. To public knowledge, the perpetrators of the crime are yet to be apprehended. Across the length and breadth of the Niger Delta region are mini illegal refineries, bunkering points, dens of kidnappers and armed robbery gangs, et cetera, all operating with impunity, unmind-

ful of the security operatives charged with crime control in the area. The situation is also the same in varying degrees in the North, East and West. Hoodlums are scarcely jolted presently by the fact that they are involved in criminal acts that attract harsh consequences if the nation’s laws are truly enforced and allowed to work. The pervasive impression these days is that Nigerian is fast becoming a failed state, where state machineries and the institutions are very impotent and cannot guarantee law and order. Many citizens, especially in the North, are too scared to go about their legitimate businesses for fear of the unknown, while self-help has become rampant. The grim trend is objectionable and should be pointedly addressed. For, no nation can make any meaningful progress in the absence of security of life and property. Failure to quickly arrest the embarrassing situation may force citizens to take it that the government has gone on indefinite recess and cares less; a situation that could lead to the complete breakdown of law and order. It is now common knowledge that many Nigerians with the requisite resources spend heavily on private security arrangements.

CONTAINING THE DAREDEVILRY AND AUDACITY OF CRIMINALS DEMANDS THAT CRIMES MUST BE PUNISHED TO SERVE AS DETERRENCE Yet, this is an unacceptable aberration in a supposedly organized state, where security agencies are alive to their responsibilities and the people perform their civic duties. The high level of criminal impunity deserves condemnation the more, especially given the fact that both the federal and state governments budget heavily for security, in addition to huge security votes for the offices of the president and governors. Where and how the votes are spent are not for public enquiries. This remains one of the sore points of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Such monies should be used for the purposes they were appropriated. Likewise are past revelations about the Nigeria Police Force which indicate that resources meant to keep the police in good operational shape are corruptly diverted by the leadership of the

force. It is an open secret that junior police officers (the rank and file) work under inhuman conditions, with grumbling as their companion. They insist there is no way they could be effective when funds meant to equip the police are routinely diverted by their ‘big men’ for personal aggrandizement. But in the end, Nigerians pay dearly for the frauds and corruption through the loss of lives and property to sundry bandits and insurgents. A reversal of this trend at the federal and state levels has become inevitable to steer the nation away from the path of anarchy. No government is worth its tenure in office that cannot guarantee security of lives and property, as well as the welfare of the governed. Equally deserving of attention is the country’s resoundingly weak criminal justice system that helps crime to fester instead of punishing criminals. Containing the daredevilry and audacity of criminals demands that crimes must be punished to serve as deterrence. Corrupted and slipshod police investigations and the nation’s compromised judiciary contribute a whole lot to the confidence criminals exude in their nefarious activities. It is not too late to right these wrongs in the interest of all.

ON THIS DAY January 22, 2007 Two powerful car bombs ripped through the Bab Al-Sharqi market in central Baghdad, killing at least 88 people and wounding 160 others in one of the bloodiest days since the United States’ invasion of Iraq. The blasts were aimed at a Shiite area and seemed timed to inflict maximum damage, occur ring at noon, local time, two days after the start of the 10-day Shiite festival leading up to Ashoura

January 22, 1999 Australian missionary, Graham Staines and his two sons were burned alive by radical Hindus while sleeping in their car in Eastern India. Dr. Staines (1941 – 1999) was an Australian Christian missionary who, along with his two sons, Philip (aged 10) and Timothy (aged 6), were burnt to death by a gang while sleeping in his station wagon at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district in Orissa, India on January 22, 1999.

January 22, 1987 Pennsylvania politician, R. Budd Dwyer, shot and killed himself during a televised press conference, leading to debates on boundaries in journalism. Dwyer (November 21, 1939 – January 22, 1987) was an American politician in the state of Pennsylvania. He served from 1971 to 1981 as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the state’s 50th district.

Private jet ownership increases as commercial aviation nosedives

Nigerian health insurance scheme still in a shambles 37

SUPER TUESDAY

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Experts caution WAMZ leaders, chart roadmap towards monetary convergence

or Nigeria and her other West African sub-regional sister-countries, the dream of having a fully integrated monetary system has been kept alive by past and present leaders of the countries as they continue to commit their efforts, resources and time towards the realisation of its noble objectives over the past years. Fashioned after the order of the European countries’ monetary dream which crystallised into the Euro, a currency that has become the major means of economic transactions in the Euro Zone, the West African sub-regional drive was also conceptualised with far-reaching macroeconomic and socio-political benefits for the countries in the now tagged West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ). In addition for its usefulness in cross-border transactions at the sub-regional level, the proposed currency - Eco – is also expected to show that ECOWAS and indeed African countries can also develop and explore the opportunities availed by a single currency for regional economic integration and sustainable development. The monetary union agenda, as most analysts have noted, represented a bold attempt by Heads of Governments and peoples in the West African sub-region to minimize major obstacles to inter border trade and other socioeconomic relations amongst the member countries. Speaking on the strategic importance of the monetary plan to the WAMZ during the last meeting of the Board held in Abuja last year, President Goodluck

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For leaders of West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), the idea of having a single currency to fast-track regional economic integration remains a cherished dream. With about four years into the journey for monetary convergence, fundamental debates about how to realise the noble objective still dominate deliberations at their meetings, even as analysts believe they need to make real progress. In this report, TOLA AKINMUTIMI, analyses the challenges and prospects of the monetary policy agenda.

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

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IRS

Idiroko border post in Ogun State, a major route for trans-border trade flows

Jonathan, who lauded past leaders who initiated it, noted with enthusiasm that the implementation would radically transform the sub-regional economic landscape with the attendant positive implications for member-states and their people. President Jonathan said: “The agenda of monetary integration is not only beneficial to our people but is equally an agenda whose implementation has become overdue in view of its relevance internationally. Some of the benefits are the facilitation of inter trade among the member-countries and promotion of investment and economic growth.

“The vision of the founding fathers of the WAMZ is to establish a common central bank and introduce a single currency scheme. It is meant to achieve rapid socioeconomic development and integration of the zone through stable prices, sound public finances and monetary conditions and a sustainable balance of payment for member-states of the WAMZ”, he added. In spite of its potential benefits the adoption of the single currency, Eco, indications continue to show clearly that the road to realising the noble objectives is laden with challenges which many of the member-states are yet to devel-

op appropriate policy frameworks to frontally tackle. The spill-over effects of some of these across the sub-regional geo-political borders remain the most threatening to the realisation of the laudable objectives of the agenda. For instance, poor ratings of the countries in their compliance with the criteria for the monetary convergence drive, including Nigeria, despite their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth prospects, were the major highlights of the concern of delegates at 34th meeting of the Technical Committee of the WAMZ held last week in Abuja.

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

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

FG’s axe dangles over port concessionaires

Understanding key, effective factors in job search

How to stay on budget when building your home

Business & Finance

CBN Governor, Sanusi

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Act.Gov. Central Bank, Ghana, Henry Kofi Wampah

Central Bank of Liberia Governor, Mills Jones

Experts caution WAMZ leaders, chart roadmap towards monetary convergence CONTINUED FROM 19 The worrisome scorecard gave strong indications that the proposed January 1, 2015 take-off date for the fully integrated monetary system in the sub-region may not be feasible. The Acting Director General of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI), Dr. John Kitcher, who appraised the macroeconomic state of the economies and the implications for the collective agenda in his report at the meeting, rated the performances of the member- states as not too assuring to guarantee that the target date for the monetary union would be met. Specifically, the WAMI boss disclosed that four countries, namely the Gambia, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria were able to meet three primary criteria out of the six targets of set while Sierra Leone satisfied two criteria and Ghana fulfilled only one criterion. According to him, as was in the previous assessment periods most of the countries were still contending with inflationary and fiscal deficit challenges in their economies, a situation which, he said, posed serious challenge to meeting the 2015 deadline, especially at a time of increasingly ugly developments in major economies in Europe, Asia and Americas. On the secondary convergence criteria, Kitcher disclosed that only four countries - the Gambia, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra Leone - complied with two out of the six criteria, while Ghana satisfied only one criterion, and Liberia none. Speaking on the planned single currency agenda in the sub region and how to navigate it through the prevailing stormy macroeconomic climate in most of the economies, a financial consultant, Dr Boniface Chizea, believes that crossing the hurdles on the way to monetary convergence would take more than mere lip service but a stronger political will on the part of leaders in the sub-region to tackle the fiscal and other associated problems confronting their economies today. While alluding to the experiences in the Euro Zone and the recent fiscal cliff in the United States and the challenges of ef-

THE AGENDA OF MONETARY INTEGRATION IS NOT ONLY BENEFICIAL TO OUR PEOPLE BUT IS EQUALLY AN AGENDA WHOSE IMPLEMENTATION HAS BECOME OVERDUE IN VIEW OF ITS RELEVANCE INTERNATIONALLY ficiently managing those changes, Chizea pointed out for the current drive towards a single currency in WAMZ member countries to succeed, the leaders should aggressively mobilize domestic savings, improve efficiency in tax administration by broadening the tax net and achieve overall improvement in effectiveness and productivity in the polity efforts would have to He explained: “Achieving monetary Union is not a walk in the park for most governments and most economies despite the lip service some leaders of government pay regarding their intention to be compliant to the specifications of the protocol. There is no magic wand to being compliant with keeping fidelity with the protocols for the union as the case with the European Union countries will attest particularly the situation in Greece where every day there is one protest or another because there is a roll back in benefits which citizens have enjoyed over the years and which is now being withdrawn. “The only requirement is the political will to bite the bullet. Usually there is the need to meet targets of deficit/GDP which has implications for benefits and for employment opportunities. And not many governments could muster the will to go down the austerity path with all its implications for macro-economic stability and overall peace in the polity. “There will also be the need to aggressively mobilize domestic savings, improve efficiency in tax administration by broadening the tax net and achieve overall improvement in effectiveness and productivity in the polity”, Chizea said. The seasoned financial analysts who advised that WAMZ leaders might at the end

of the day group the countries, said “what is required is for the countries within the Union to be convinced and buy fully into the need for the monetary Union based on the advertised benefit of greater posterity, better employment opportunities and general improvement in the quality of life of a generality of its citizens to be able to make the needed sacrifice for the benefit of the whole”, he added. In his analysis, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), Ken Ukaoha, lauded the WAMI for its pronouncement about positive trends in sub-regional trade a development which, he pointed out “is a sign of good health and proximity to the vision of “an ECOWAS of people” which is the background objective canvassed by the currency convergence and is the perfect proclamation of ECOWAS Vision 2020 adopted by the Authority of Heads of States” While explaining that such trade growth is also fundamental for cross border oriented wealth redistribution based on inflow and outflow of currency in exchange for goods and services, amongst other benefits, Ukaoha, who is also a legal expert, however expressed his concern about the average real GDP growth rate for the WAMZ, particularly given the potential deceleration in Nigerian and Ghanaian economies and the backlash effects on the sub-regional macroeconomic order. He said: “You may recall that these are the two ‘giants’ in the region who are largely expected to uphold the economy to a reasonable extent. The significance is the urgent need to improve in the domestic production capacity. A situation where the region is majorly dependent on imports or where only

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a few member countries are industrially forward-looking or being relied upon for production that could satisfy close to 300 million population of ECOWAS is tantamount to near economic collapse, which is absolutely detrimental to any convergence theory and practice. “In a nutshell, a decelerated growth for the two great economies is a signal of weak and staggering economic outlook that is yet very dangerous for convergence’ Ukaoha said. While commending the WAMZ leaders in their efforts to tackle the fiscal monster of inflation and determination to understudy the dynamics of the economies of the converging nations, the trade expert believes that these efforts would help in avoiding the Greece situation and provide many intending regional economic blocks the basic key posts or footprints to watch out for in consummating economic/currency matrimony. Generally, Ukaoha who noted that most of West African countries have shifted the goal post for currency convergence, argued that “it is more honourable and rewarding to wait patiently for all indicators to rhyme so as to result in proper convergence that would deliver strong regional economy rather than a dissipated or fragmented weak economic bloc where states and citizens may go poorer to the extent that workers salaries and livelihoods become difficult to approach.” Ukaoha, who doubted Nigeria’s preparedness for the convergence in view of the seething level of corruption, financial recklessness and high propensity for debt accumulation when prudence should be guiding principle in the implementation of the monetary union agenda, advised that while dates and deadlines are important to be kept, advised WAMZ leaders not to see the 2015 deadline as sacrosanct but to concentrate on the provision of essential regional infrastructure required to improve redistribution of goods and services”. In his brief comments on the proposed plan, a chartered banker and Managing Director of LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited, Mr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, believes that WAMZ leaders must learn from the current experiences in the Euro Zone with a view to averting the implementation problems for the Euro. “I want to advice the architects of the laudable initiatives and the Heads of State and Governments in the sub-region to learn from the experiences of the adoption of the Euro in Europe and try to avoid some of the implementation problems their leaders are contending with now in their efforts to achieve a fully integrated monetary system”, Ehigiamusoe said. By his assessment, a chartered banker and forensic audit expert, Mr Ayo Taylor, believes that “the desire for a converged monetary union will be ambitious over the position of the West African nations in terms of interest rates ,trade policy and most of this nations still been import dependent. According to him, “Three key factors are important in the determining the fiscal and monetary policy of any nation-inflation rate, exchange rate and interest rate” adding that the positions of the world major currencies have not helped matters as a Liberian business man coming to Nigeria would prefer to hold the dollar as a mode of currency support and trade rather than the Nigerian naira.

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Business & Finance

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

FG’s axe dangles over port concessionaires FRANCIS EZEM

trong indications emerged at the weekend that the Federal Government may descend heavily on some seaport concessionaires over the imposition of arbitrary and illegal charges on port users. The Nigerian Shippers Council had recently abolished over seven of such illegal charges imposed on imported goods into the country, which include Cost of Transaction (COT), Tally Clerk charge, bank charge, Concessionaires’ service charge, port administrative charge and sorting charge. Minister of Transport, Mallam Idris Umar, who gave the indication, took a swipe at port concessionaires over the imposition of arbitrary charges on port service users as well as use of obsolete plants and equipment, which delay the release of cargo at the seaports, warning that the government would no longer tolerate it. Some clearing agents had besieged the minister during and unscheduled visit to the port at the weekend to inspect some road projects with documented evidence of imposition of unjustifiable charges by the concessionaires, especially demurrage charge. The minister, who addressed stakeholders in Lagos shortly after the visit to the ports, observed that

L-R: Public Relations Manager, DUFIL Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju; Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi and Director-General, Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Ify Umenyi, during the presentation of Product Excellence Award to Indomie at the maiden edition of the Nigerian Consumer Award in Abuja at the weekend.

there are much abnormalities at the ports. “Many a time we hear of allegations of imposition of charges on port users and some time one is made to believe that they are not true, but I tell you, many of them are true even though they might exaggerated”, he lamented The minister also said: “We were at a terminal within the Lagos Ports Complex, Apapa and some agents confronted us with documented evidence and when we met the management of the

Deputy Senate President makes case for national carrier OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu yesterday canvassed for the return of a national carrier for Nigeria. This is just as he urged other ministers in all the spheres of the economy to emulate the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah in the Federal Government’s transformation agenda. The senator made these calls yesterday at the commissioning of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport (NAA) for charter operators. Ekweremadu said that Nigerians would be happy to see an airline painted in its national flag colours with its name boldly written on it. He added that countries like South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzanian Rwanda, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal and others have carriers, which fly their flag, adding that Nigeria could take a cue from these countries. He challenged the minister to ensure that the country had a viable national carrier in her on

period, stressing that the liquidation of Nigeria Airways was a wrong move by the Federal Government. He emphasised that the commissioning of the GAT was an example of what the government could do for the people Nigerian people. He said, “What we are seeing today is an example of what government can do to transform the society. If every segment of government decides to develop the society, there would be developments in all the sectors of the economy. “We will like to see railways, marine, road transportation and other parts of the economy to develop like this. This is an example of democracy at work. I congratulate the minister and her team of transformation in the sector.” Also, the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriesi informed that the construction of the terminal was the first to be dedicated to private charter operator in the country. Apart from this constructed in Abuja, Uriesi said the government would still construct terminal in Port Harcourt, Enugu and others.

concessionaire company, they admitted imposing such charges, especially demurrage, which is not proper”. “The presidential committee on port decongestion and reforms came here last year with a message from Mr. President, which is that

the ports must be made to work for honest Nigerians and we want to do just that, government is taking steps to address these anomalies”, the visibly angry minister said. The visibly angry minister noted that the government would not fold its arms and watch some oper-

ator make things difficult for port users, especially at a time the government is making serious efforts at making the ports cost effective, efficient and user friendly. The agents had accused the concessionaires of arbitrary charge imposition, unnecessary delay in the release of their consignments so that they could attract more demurrage payment. They had also alleged that many concessionaires still uses some of the cargo handling equipment inherited from NPA more than eight years, some of which frequently breaks down in the process of operation while the agents are made to pay for delays caused by the failed cargo handler. It would be recalled that it took the intervention of the new management of the Nigerian Ports Authority to avert a major strike action by freight forwarders under the aegis of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) over the decision of the terminal operators to impose a 20 percent hike in the storage charges.

Heritage Bank to validate Societie Generale Bank account holders JOHNSON OKANLANWON

he Central Bank of Nigeria has granted approval to Heritage Banking Company (Heritage Bank) to commence Commercial Banking operation in the country. According to the terms of the CBN approval, Heritage Banking Company Limited, which will trade as Heritage Bank is to offer full commercial banking services under a regional bank status. As a preliminary step, the bank has announced that it will commence an immediate valida-

tion exercise for account holders of the former Societe Generale Bank (Nig.) Ltd. (SGBN). The letter conveying CBN’s approval for grant of Banking Licence to HBC titled, ’Re: Application for a Commercial Banking Licence with Regional Authorisation’ was dated December 27th, 2012 with reference number FPR/ LAD/CON/HBC/02/062, and signed by the CBN Director of Financial Policy and Regulations, Chris O. Chukwu. In a media statement signed by the Group Head, Corporate Affairs- Heritage Bank, Josephine Aligwekwe, the Bank announced

that with the CBN approval secured, it is set to commence operations immediately in conformity with the terms of the licence. As a first step, the statement said, Heritage Bank would commence from Tuesday, January 29, a fourweek exercise aimed at validating the accounts held by customers of the old SGBN. “All customers of the former Societe Generale Bank (Nig.) Limited are advised to look out for announcements in the national dailies detailing the processes and procedures for the account validation exercise,” the statement noted.

Hotel workers accuse NTDC of extortion, threaten action MESHACK IDEHEN

orkers under the auspices of the National Union of Hotel and Personal Service Workers (HPSW) said the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) has concluded plans to “extort money” from workers in the sector under the guise of conducting biometric registration of hotel workers in the country. NTDC, however, has refuted the allegations, saying the project to conduct biometric registration of hotel and personal service workers across the country is designed to ensure safety and security of users of hospitality outfits, and to ensure that only genuine

and credible people work in the tourism and hospitality industry. According to the NTDC, which said further that the project is for the good and development of the hotel and tourism sector, the initiative will also check the movement of staff to avoid fraudulent characters within the industry, and maintain a viable database to encourage direct foreign investment in the industry. However, the National President and General Secretary of HPSW, Mr. Leke Success and Mr. Augustine Mbavough, said in a statement made available to journalists on Monday that the union is against the planned deduction of N1, 000 from workers’ salaries, describing it as a clear violation of the extant labour laws.

According to the union leaders, NTDC should approach the Federal and State Government to provide the needed funds to execute the project, rather than extort money from workers who are not responsible for the “crime” in the industry. “Although we are not against this project, but as a responsible workers organisation duly registered under appropriate Nigeria labour laws and with jurisdiction over workers in the tourism and hospitality industry, we will not allow our members to be surcharged through any programme no matter how laudable its objectives when it has not been sufficiently carried along and certain fundamental issues have not been properly addressed.

Business & Finance

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Lagos auditors devise means of blocking leakages in state IGR DAYO AYEYEMI

iscussions that concentrated on improving the reporting process, providing potent advisory services to government and its agencies and devising means of blocking leakages in state Internally Generated Revenues, IGR, topped the agenda of auditors in Public Service in Lagos State, when they met at a retreat at the weekend. They also looked for ways of ensuring that government expenditure are properly monitored and controlled The auditors were urged to do everything possible to reduce fraudulent activities in the public service. Speaking during the 3rd Annual Auditors’ Retreat with the Theme, “Enhancing the Audit Process in the Public Sector,” Vice Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Lagos State House of

Assembly, Hon. Alimi Kazeem Ademola, noted that the office of the Auditor General has been living up to expectation following its re-strategising process, pleading that it should keep up the good work. He said, “In the last three years, they have been able to reduce fraudulence activities in the state. If government is performing, other agency of government must also perform.” Speaking on the importance of the retreat, the Acting AuditorGeneral in Lagos State, Mrs Oyenike Abimbola, said it was part of the desire to go a step further by corporately deciding the modus operands of achieving the organisational objectives and vision of being a “role model in public sector auditing providing objective and reliable information for good governance.” She disclosed that the retreat was designed to position auditors in providing value added services

that will assist in good governance as well as sharpen the ability of the state House of Assembly in carrying out its oversight functions. She said, “We are here to channel a way forward on how to do it better and come up with working papers that will ensure the state has high standard of reporting. She described the forum as a technical retreat on auditors’ job to look for ways to improve performance. “It is to focus on activities on how to do it better especially on the modus operands; to enhance the audit process in the public sector; and to improve the financial unit of the state and to improve the level of reporting for organisation to rely on the report,” she said. Compared to the past, the acting auditor-general said the system is getting better as people are now aware that when they defraud, they would be tried.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interswitch partners merchants to encourage card usage KUNLE A ZEEZ

nterswitch, Nigeria’s leading integrated payment and transaction processing company, has introduced the Reward Money loyalty programme in partnership with merchants to reward cardholders. In the rewards scheme, customers who make cashless payments with Verve cards are awarded Reward Money for purchases made at merchant locations. The Director of Switching and Processing at Interswitch, Mr. Akeem Lawal at the official launch of the programme at merchant locations at Ikeja Shopping, said the scheme was an innovative merchant loyalty scheme, which allows Verve cardholders to get instant rewards while using their cards at merchant locations. According to him, Interswitch has been enc organised

‘Local maintenance hangar‘ll reduce cost by 40%’ OLUSEGUN KOIKI

L-R: Talent and Organisational Effectiveness Manager, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Mr. Chinedu Nwomaguma; Winner of N250,000, in the Yummy Bournvita Promo, Mr. Timoth IIelaboye and Corporate Controller, Finance, Mr. Dipo Dawodu, during the presentation of prizes to winners in Lagos at the weekend.

OPS advises FG on made-in-Nigeria products STANELY IHEDIGBO

takeholders in the Organised Private Sector (OPS) have said that the Buy Nigeria campaign embarked by the Ministry of Trade and Investment is a step at the right direction if Federal Government will take the lead in patronising locally made products . The Chairman of Conference of the Northern States Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, CONSCCIMA, Alhaji Ahmad Rabiu, said that as long as various government agencies and paratastal are not patronising locally made products, the Buy Nigeria campaign is a waste. He said that low demand for locally products are major of chal-

lenges facing the manufacturing sector in the country. He added that Nigeria is a peculiar country where government is the biggest consumer in the economy as their procurement forms the largest market. “It is only when government gives preference to made in Nigeria products in public procurement that the sector can improve on their level of access to market with the resultant growth” he said. He urged Federal government to intensify its efforts and commitment assuring that all its agencies patronise made in Nigeria goods to enable the manufacturing sector grow. Rabiu advised that the porous borders should be secured and protected against the influx of smuggling of foreign goods,

which has contributed to kill the sector. Lending his voice, the former President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Vincent Furo, said that the Buy Nigeria campaign should include everything produced in the country like vehicles and clothing materials. However, he commanded some state governments that brought some of the INNOSON Motors vehicles for their agencies and offices. The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, who launched the campaign recently, had said that the move was FG efforts in reiterating its commitment in supporting the manufacturing sector in the country and create employment .

to launch the loyalty scheme by the need to foster better relationship between merchants and cardholders “This is first of its kind loyalry programme in Nigeria as it allows customers to earn Reward Money based on each merchant’s pre-agreed Reward Money allocation. The Reward Money earned is instantly converted to spendable money on the customer’s card. The receipt obtained from the merchants POS shows the Reward Money earned and the total Reward Money balance accumulated”, he said. He explained further that the solution has been designed to be “simple to use, simple to earn and simple to redeem” and it is also very easy to set up for the merchant. “It is very easy for the merchant to use and operate as it is automated and requires minimal human interaction from the Merchant and cardholders,” he said.

he Federal Government has been called upon to encourage the construction of maintenance hangar facilities in the country to reduce cost of carrying out checks on aircraft outside the country. The Group General Manager, Chanchangi Airlines, Mr. John Disley made this call over the weekend in an interview with aviation journalists in his office at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Two (MMA2), Lagos. Disley explained that the construction of maintenance hangar facilities, which can catre for minimum of C-checks for the operating aircraft, would reduce cost of carrying out same maintenance outside the country by at least 40 per cent. To carry out a C-Check on

a Boeing 737 aircraft, Disley said cost the airlines between $500,000 and $1.5m depending on the level of C-Check an operator wants to carry out on its aircraft. He said that with the availability of this in the country, such funds could be diverted for training of personnel and upgrade of facilities for the airlines. He said, “If we have maintenance facilities in Nigeria, it will be cheaper to carry out maintenance in the country and this will go a long way in reducing the money we spend on maintenance. As at present, to do a CCheck on a Boeing 737 start from $500, 000 and above. The cost largely depends on the level of C-Check an operator wants to do, but if we are doing this in Nigeria, the cost would have reduced by 40 per cent because we pay for a lot of things abroad.”

Etisalat rewards 10 customers, staff with foreign trip KUNLE A ZEEZ

tisalat Nigeria, one of the country’s telecommunications companies, has rewarded top 10 of its loya customers with a ten loyal customers with an all-expense paid trip to South Africa to watch the Nigerian matches that will be played in the preliminary round of the 2013 African Cup of Nations competition. Also, two of its best performing frontline staff of 2012 will also join the customers on the trip, scheduled from January 23 to 31, 2013. Chief Commercial Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Wael Ammar, said the reward scheme was one of the avenues Etisalat had chosen to appreciate its

customers for their continued patronage and to acknowledge the efforts of its dedicated staff that have consistently delivered a superior customer experience to its customers in the past year. Ammar said the gesture was part of Etisalat’s efforts at building customer relationships, whilst also recognising its deserving staff. “Etisalat is a customer-focused company that seeks to continuously delight its subscribers with quality of service, innovation and operational excellence. Our customers are at the heart of our business and so we take special care in listening to them and responding with tailor-made products and services that suit their lifestyles,” he said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Understanding key, effective factors in job search The inability of many job seekers to understand and master effective strategies that can enhance their job search has added in no small measure to the raging unemployment in the country, writes MESHACK IDEHEN.

riting in her career blog on the traits of highly effective job seekers, popular career development expert, Clare Whitmell, highlighted several factors that have made the difference between perennial jobseekers and successful high flyers that can change or swap jobs at will. Hitting the nail on the head as some analysts have described Whitmell writings, the jobs and career development specialist argued that factors that includes but not limited to self-awareness, a detailed plan and knowledge of how to market yourself and your skills as a job seeker can put such ahead of the competition in any job search, considering moreso, that job hunting can be a daunting prospect for even the most prepared. Thus, based on that notion that job hunting can be a daunting and hard process, professionals in the business of recruiting said it is necessary to advocate how to reduce the time and stress of the exercise by adopting the characteristics of successful job seekers who have been able to make the most of their job hunting efforts. In that regard and while making clear that recruitment of job seekers is not about filling jobs that are currently vacant but about making continuous long-term investment to build high quality workforce capable of accomplishing the organisation ’s mission now and in the future, Director General and Chief Executive of the Institute of Professional Recruitment Consultants, (IPRC) Nigeria,Mr. Nick Odife, said unlike selection, that recruitment which is the process of searching the candidates for employment and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organization must be approached with detailed and effective strategies. According to him, “effective job seekers understand their key strengths and value, and can match these to their career goals.They also know where they will find the greatest sense of purpose and satisfaction ”, adding also that understanding key, effective factors in job search will also enable an employment hopeful to pursue a career that reflects their values. Speaking in the same vein on how understanding key job search factor can assist the potential employees in their search for employment, Recruitment Expert, and Former Managing Director of Errand Express Limited, Mr. Sunny Agboju, said job seekers must be clear on what they want to do, what skills and experience they bring, and how they want your career to progress, saying this clarity is vital for writing focused application materials. He said also that a clear sense of worth; understand-

Popoola

Mapaderun

EFFECTIVE JOB SEEKERS UNDERSTAND THEIR KEY

STRENGTHS AND VALUE, AND CAN MATCH THESE TO THEIR CAREER GOALS.

KNOW WHERE THEY WILL FIND THE GREATEST SENSE OF PURPOSE AND SATISFACTION ing of own skills and the impact of achievements will help the job seekers define the direction they want their career to go, while at the same time, not relegating the place of adequate planning to the background. Lamenting the lack of planning on the parts of most job seekers, Agboju said planning skills are an effective factor in a job search, because a plan gives focus and direction to the search, adding that it was imperative to set daily, weekly job-hunting tasks, and block off time to complete them. “The job seeker that is applying effective strategies for their job search will need to identify the companies they most like to work for, research industry trends, companies and people. They will need to make contacts, send out applications, and prepare for interviews or meetings. These all forms parts of planning ”, he said. On his part, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria,Mr. Adeyemi Mapaderun,said another effec-

TUC cautions police MESHACK IDEHEN

he Trade Union Congress (TUC) has asked the Nigeria Police Force to “come out clean and debrief ” Nigerians on the case about the murder of former private secretary to the Edo State governor, Mr. Oyerinde Olaitan. President of the congress, Mr. Peter Esele, in a statement, said the congress is giving caution to the Nigeria Police not to hide under the disguise that the case is in court from briefing Nigerians on the outcome of their investigations.

THEY ALSO

tive strategy that can aid in the job search, is for job seekers to monitor their progress, evaluate what is working, and refine their your search strategies accordingly. Citing the example of a job seeker spending all day behind the computer-a search strategy unlikely to get results- instead of beefing up network considering that many jobs are filled through referrals and personal contacts before they are ever advertised, Mapaderun explained however that it was always better to use a combination of strategies rather than one. He added that job seekers ability to learn from failure is also a strategy because not getting interview invitations after sending out applications is an indication that the curriculum vitae used probably needs reworking. Expatiating further, the ISMN registrar added that the willingness to enlist others in the job search process is a critical strategy that can go a long way to support the job seekers in their quest to secure employment, due to the fact that job hunting can be a long, lonely process. “Ask friends to help you practise interviews, and make sure everyone knows you are looking for work. Say who you want to meet, or which companies you are trying to get contacts in ”, he explained. Other effective job search strategies, according to Mapaderun, are to stay up to date with job search methods, utilising free online resources and getting a professional CV writer or career coach if there is need to. Futhermore, the he said the CV used should reflect the job seekers skills and attributes that can position them for the job and career they want.

UBA announces new board appointments Esele wondered if Mr. Adams Oshiomhole who is a seating governor of a state in this nation cannot get clean investigation by the Nigerian Police, what then is the hope of the ordinary man? According to the TUC president, “that the Police are shying away from briefing Nigerians on their investigations is a testament that they have something to hide. Secrecy paves way to conspiracy.TUC strongly believe that the action of the Nigeria police is sheer abuse of power. The police should disclose their investigations for public scrutiny ” Esele said.

MESHACK IDEHEN

nited Bank for Africa (UBA), said key board appointments have been made in the bank taking effect from January 2, 2013. A statement from the bank said the Board of Directors of UBA Capital Plc includes Chairperson, Ms. Angela Aneke, while the Managing Director is Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, with others are: Ambassador J.K. Shinkaiye, Mr. Chika Mordi, Mr. Yoro Diallo (Senegalese), Mrs. Stella Kilonzo (Kenyan) and Mr. Adim Jibunoh.

Olaoluwa, the managing director is a first class graduate in Civil Engineering and has held series of senior appointments in the industry, including managing director of Universal Trust Bank. At UBA, he held strategic management positions, including CEO, UBA Africa, where he pioneered the expansion of UBA ’s presence in 18 countries. His last position was executive director UBA Nigeria-South. Board appointments for Africa Prudential Registrars include Mrs. Eniola Fadayomi, who is the chairperson, while the Managing Director is Mr. Peter Ashade.

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ILO bemoans fate of 52 million domestic workers MESHACK IDEHEN

ifty two million people around the world, made up of mainly women are employed as domestic workers, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said. According to a research conducted by the apex global labour organisation, ILO said the figure accounts for 7.5 per cent of women ’s wage employment worldwide, and is a far greater share in some regions particularly Asia, Africa the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. The report said between the mid-1990s and 2010 that there was an increase of more than 19 million domestic workers worldwide adding that many migrated to other countries to find work in that category. Futhermore, the report stated that it is likely the figures contained in the report underestimated the true number of domestic workers worldwide, which may in reality be tens of millions more. The figures, the report added, also excluded child domestic

workers below the age of 15 that are not included in the surveys used by the report. Their number was estimated by the ILO at 7.4 million in 2008. Bemoaning the fate of millions of these categories of workers, the ILO said despite the size of the sector, many domestic workers experience poor working conditions and insufficient legal protection. ILO Deputy Director-General, Sandra Polaski said in the report that domestic workers are frequently expected to work longer hours than other workers and in many countries, do not have the same rights to weekly rest that are enjoyed by other workers. Combined with the lack of rights, the ILO said the extreme dependency on an employer and the isolated and unprotected nature of domestic work can render them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. The report, ‘Domestic Workers Across the World: Global and Regional Statistics and the Extent of Legal Protection ’ follows the adoption, in June 2011, of a new ILO Convention and Recommen-

Tips for developing employees

ccording to a recent poll of human resource professionals, only ten percent of managers are fully prepared for the next level. Given this information, is it really a surprise that approximately fifty percent of promotions fail when the selection decision is based on current performance level?. By following these tips, you can prepare your employees for success at the next level. Encourage professional development- High-potential employees are not satisfied with the status quo. They are typically ambitious, high performing, and dynamic. They will be the future leaders of your organisation if they are given proper guidance in their development. If not, be prepared to lose them to the competition. Create a plan- Planning is crucial to advancing your career. Help your employees establish goals that are aligned with their strengths, interest and experience and then create a plan to get there. A development plan serves as the roadmap that will take you to your goal. It can be simple or complex but it must include action steps, resources, and deadlines. Pair your employee ’s with a mentor- Once their goals have been established, find someone who is in a similar role to the target position to serve as a mentor. Mentoring enables an organisation to use its existing talent to

impart their knowledge and expertise to one another. Everyone - the organisation, the mentor, and the mentee - benefits from the mentoring process. Identify opportunities to expand their professional network- Having a solid network is imperative to the success of future leaders. A network is a great source of information, advice, support and inspiration. Recommend opportunities within the organisation, as well as, networking or professional groups that will help them build strong connections. Challenge your employees to move out of their comfort zone- You can ’t move forward if you don ’t grow and you can ’t grow if you never leave your comfort zone. When possible, give your employees challenging assignments. Help them prepare by providing them a safe environment to learn from the mistakes that they are bound to make. Hire a coach- For high-potential employees and employees who need to be redirected to another career path, it can be best to bring in an outside coach. An external coach provides a confidential environment where employees are free to discuss the challenges and opportunities they face in their careers through the use of assessments, powerful questions, and individual development plans. Source: www. leverageyourtalent.com

Somavia

dation on Domestic Work. These new international standards aim to ensure decent working conditions and pay for domestic workers worldwide. The Convention so far has been ratified by three countries. Three other countries have completed national ratification procedures and many others have initiated them. The findings of the research will act as a benchmark against which progress in extending legal protection will be measured. More than half of all domestic workers have no limitation on their weekly normal hours under national law, and approximately 45 per cent have no entitlement to weekly rest periods.

pening jobs and careers this week are positions for Medical Sales Representatives (www.jobsvanguardngr.com) in a firm in Cross River. With specialisation in the Healthcare / Pharmaceutical sector, a minimum qualification of a relevant Degree is needed, while the Job Summary amongst others are to be Responsible for sales to grow customer base, business volume and overall market share of the company. Other responsibilities are detailing of products, sales and marketing of products and achievement of product and revenue budget. Others are handling and dispatching of stocks to customers. As a must, qualifications and requirement must be a bachelor degree in pharmacy, pharmacology, biochemistry, and physiology with a minimum of 1 – 3 years experience. Have strong persuasion ability, good communication and presentation skills, alongside being tenacious on set objectives and not easily distracted, and

Wogu

Just over half of all domestic workers are entitled to a minimum wage equivalent to that of other workers. Lack of legal protection increases domestic workers ’ vulnerability and makes it difficult for them to seek remedies. As a result, they are often paid less than workers in comparable occupations and work longer hours. The precarious legal status of migrant domestic workers and their lack of knowledge of the local language and laws, make them especially vulnerable to abusive practices, such as physical and sexual violence, psychological abuse, non-payment of wages, debt bondage

and abusive living and working conditions. Live-in domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation since they are often paid a flat weekly or monthly rate irrespective of hours worked. In practice, it means that a domestic worker is available whenever needed. “The large disparities between wages and working conditions of domestic workers compared to other workers in the same country underline the need for action at the national level by governments, employers and workers to improve the working lives of these vulnerable but hard-working individuals, ” stressed Polaski.

Job vacancies have a good knowledge of the preferred location, and have a place to reside in the city of their preferred location is required. Ability to drive and ready to travel is a must. Also available on this week are positions for full time Drivers (www.jobberman.com) in Lagos, and requires a minimum qualification of a high school (S.S.C.E) and experience of between 1 - 3 years Some of the responsibilities of the drivers shall be to strictly observe traffic rules and regulation and maximum speed, maintain assigned vehicles always clean and in good condition. The drivers shall be responsible for the routine check-up of the vehicles, routine check-up to include but not limited to oil, brake function, water, lights & tire condition and the likes. Moreso, the drivers shall observe strictly the company rules and regulation, policies and directives and instruction of the company, and must have a current valid professional class driver ’s license, along-

side a good knowledge of major roads in the state and at least 1 years driving experience in the state. The position for a Corporate Travel Manager/Supervisor (www.jobsvanguardngr.com) is also available this week in a firm in Lagos. Requiring a minimum qualification MBA / MSc and experience 5 - 7 years, the responsibilities are to Identify opportunities for new business development, and help secure new corporate through the presentation and promotion of the company ’s product and service offerings. Other responsibilities are to manage and adapt corporate travel module as and when the need arises, and manage the sales process: lead generation; credentials pitch; asking questions; solution pitch; negotiation; close deals. Five or more years of experience at a managerial level in the banking sector or aviation industry and strong negotiating and sales skills proficient in Microsoft Office is compulsory.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Real Estate & Environment dayoayeyemi@yahoo.com 08033312578

How to stay on budget when building your home A

visit to some locations such as Mowe, Ibafo, Igando, Agbado and Egan, all on the outskirts of Lagos will reveal many abandoned housing projects especially those owned by individuals litter these communities. Some of these uncompleted building projects, no doubt, are as a result of lack of careful planning and shortage of fund. However, to become a home owner in Nigeria, is a project that first-time home builders in low and medium income brackets must take very serious with careful planning in order to ensure they complete by building within limited resources. On how low and medium income earners can build two or three bedroom within limited budget, National Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Institute of Building, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, told National Mirror that it would be wise for the builder to choose a plan that will meet his needs for many years to come. According to Awobodu, cost control starts from design, saying that some people were in the habit of designing their homes in conflict with the fund available as they would design in anticipation of fund that is not available. He advised that people should avoid this pitfall to save cost. Provided the intending home-owner has an existing plot of land, he said he should start with building design by consulting an architect followed by the preparation of site for construction. He stated that building a home start with careful planning by considering one ’s budget, house plan, type of house, type of foundation, house size, roof types and finishing. He maintained that preparing site for construction could have a big impact on the cost of a home, pointing out that building on a flat plot would usually cost less, while building on a swampy and rough terrain which would require a lot of grading, clearing trees, or blast through large rocks would make site preparations more expensive. On the number of blocks required, he said the builder should buy between 2,000 and 3, 500 blocks for a two and three bedroom flat, depending on size of the building. On the choice of materials for the foundation and whether to use granite or gravel, he advised that gravel is tolerable if it is in appropriate sizes, warning that gravel in the market now is mixed with laterite and is of small sizes which are below the required standard. According to him, if one must use gravel, it must not contain impurity.

A 3 bedroom flat in Lagos

Housing construction is capital intensive, considering the high cost of land, building materials and labour. But building experts say with careful planning and building design, low and medium income Nigerians can achieve their dream home on planned budget. DAYO AYEYEMI, writes.

THE MORE TIME YOU SPEND FIGURING OUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL NEED, AND EXACTLY HOW MUCH IT WILL COST IS GOING TO GIVE YOU THE MOST ACCURATE IDEA OF HOW YOU CAN STAY WITHIN YOUR BUDGETARY LIMITATIONS On whether to use brick or block for the wall, Awobodu said bricks are not bad but that availability of laterite especially in Lagos to mould bricks coupled with workmanship challenges have made usage of bricks nearly impossible. He noted that modern bricklayers have lost touch with the methodology of setting bricks. “So, they are more or less block layers and not bricklayers, ” he said. In order to avoid mistake and cut cost, he said usage of blocks is appropriate because they are readily available and workers are familiar with the setting without any challenge.

He, however, warned that quality of blocks have to be considered as substandard blocks presently dominate the market. He said, “Some of them are not load bearing blocks. Instead of moulding 25 to 235 blocks with one bag of cement, manufacturer would mould between 45 and 50 blocks from one bag of cement which in the long run affect the strength. Block wall is the cheapest and less cumbersome in our environment. ” On woods for roofing, the spokesperson of NIOB, said they are of different types, disclosing that species such as Kokoigbo, Orindudu , Eku are good and not too ex-

pensive. Putting the budget into consideration, he advised that corrugated iron sheet may not be suitable but because of the weather condition, fibre cement roofing sheet is preferable. Awobodu is of the opinion that surface wiring is cheaper than conduit wiring in order to save cost, adding that metal doors that come with reasonable cost are appropriate due to their durability. He said, “Casement window is also advisable since it is affordable and bring in better ventilation. Plastering is not expensive but the cost of workmanship is becoming high. ” However, a building construction expert, Mr Emmanuel Nwachukwu Agabi, in his publication in Prime Property, broke building process into four parts namely: sub-structure, super structure, roofing and ceiling and others which include plumbing, wiring and septic tank. He referred to sub-structure as the founCONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

How to stay on budget when building your home CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 dation and advised that before a people embarked on it, property ’s plot must first be identified with the help of existing boundaries or with the survey plan before setting out of the building. He stated that it is always safe to make sure that the height of the foundation block work before the slab on grade (German Floor) is above the nearest road level with not less than 75 centimetres if one can afford it. According to another expert, who did not want his name in print, people would need about 700 blocks for the foundation of a three bedroom flat if the land is stable and relatively flat, while between 1, 500 and 1,800 would be needed for the super structure depending on its size and design. He estimated that 90 bags of cement on the minimum are required for the building project

including block work, flooring and rendering. According to a specification specialist with Hixson, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr. Ralph Liebing, a architect, if people want to stay on a budget when building, it requires more than just knowing how much money they have got to work with. He pointed out that planning everything out meticulously is how they would be able to make sure their spending stays is within its reasonable limits. He said, “You might wind up feeling like you ’re spending more time than you need to on the construction of your new home, but this is only saving you money. The more time you spend figuring out exactly what you will need, and exactly how much it will cost is going to give you the most accurate idea of how you can stay within your budgetary limitations.

A unit of two bedroom flat at Tola Tos Estate, Ibadan.

Pepple

“If you ’re really dealing with strictly limited resources, you should start with the amount that you ’ve got to work with, and plan your expenses accordingly. ” According to him, a worker that new home builder hires to help with the work is another way to make sure they stay on

views, you will almost always need to choose the land before you select floor plans or other details. You (and any pros you hire) will need to investigate factors such as soil condition, drainage, zoning and building codes in the region. Line up your team Unless you are a homesteader, you ’ll need a team of experts to design and construct your house. Key players will include a builder, an excavator, a surveyor and a home designer or an architect. Many homeowners begin by selecting the builder or contractor. That pro then selects other members of the team. However, you may also opt to hire an architect or designer first. Pick a plan Many new homes are built using stock plans from a catalog. The builder or a home designer may make minor modi-

task. He advised that it would be appropriate for them to talk to contractors and make sure they get estimates on anything and everything they are going to have done. “If you can use a friend or other connection to find your contractor or construction

Floor plan of a three bedroom flat.

Steps to building your new home uilding a new home begins long before the foundation is poured. To avoid costly mistakes during the construction process, a building professional, Jackie Craven, at About.com Guide, said home builder must start with the following five important steps. Plan your budget Begin now to think about how much you can afford to spend and how much building your new home is likely to cost. Chances are you will need a construction loan and a mortgage. It ’s not too early to find out what size loan you qualify for. Also, knowing the approximate costs will help you modify your building plans to meet your budget. Choose your lot Whether you are building your home in a suburban development or a site with sweeping ocean

Awobodu

fications in room size, window style or other details. A customdesigned home, on the other hand, is created specifically for the family which will live there. In most cases, custom-designed homes require the services of a licensed architect. Whether you opt for a stock or a custom design, you will be wise to choose a plan that will meet your needs for many years to come. Negotiate a contract Be sure to get a written contract which has been signed and dated by both the builder or contractor and the architect or designer. A contract for new home construction will describe the project in detail and include a listing of all the parts to be included in the house. Remember to amend the contract if you or your team make any changes to the project later on.

company, you might even be able to get a discount and save some money that way, as well, ” he said. To make sure your new home fulfils your vision, he advised builders to keep costs in perspective, noting that N135 per block will translate to N135,000 when 1000 blocks are involved. According to him, an average house contains approximately 1,500 to 2,000 square feet, saying posers should be raised if home builders need more while considering the cost. H e said, “Take care that glitz and gadgets (suggested by friends, the builder, or magazines) do not overwhelm good basic construction-- don ’t trade them for lesser construction. Bouncy floors (where joists are stretched to the maximum) are not remedied by a hot tub, flocked wall covering, skylights, or jazzy door hardware. “You pay for each and every square foot of space in your house, be it occupied, usable, or otherwise. If the cost is N500, N850, or N1100 per square foot, “extra ”, unused, vacant and unnecessary area is provided at the same cost. ” He said there would be need to check the local building codes, adding that one should realise that some things are virtually unchangeable; and they should be done properly, first off. This, he said included a properly sized and constructed foundation system, a properly designed and installed structural system, etc. Changeable items such as finishes, coverings, among others should not distract you from watching for and requiring good basic construction.

Building materials mart Cement Dangote Cement per bag of 50 kg-------------- N1,800 Burham Cement per bag of 50kg---------------N1,800 Elephant Cement …. … …N1,800

Sandcrete blocks 6 inches sandcrete block ---N130 9 inches sandcrete block ----N150

Sand Sand per tipper load------N12,000 Sharp sand (double)------N22,000 Gravel (single) -------------N18,000 Gravel (double)------------N23,000 Granite----------------------N120,000

N135,000 12mm-----------------------------N161,000 16mm---------------------------N172,000 20mm (53) pieces-----------N122,000

Wood Timber (hard) 1x1x12-------N1,000 Timber (hard) 2x2x12----------N600 Timber (hard) 2x4x12---------N700

Soft wood 2x2x12-----------N250 2x3x12-------------N300

Plywood 3x3x6-----------------N3,500 2x4x8-----------------N2,400

Reinforcement

Roofing Sheet

8mm (153) pieces per ton (N125,000 10mm (153) pieces per ton – – –

Corrugated iron sheet per bundle--------------N10,000 Asbestos 4x8 per piece-----N1,600 Asbestos (solo)-----------------N1,100

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Sport

I think we have kept our minds open with regards to our chances in South Africa. We wait and see - Ivorian midfielder, Yaya Toure

Udo-Obong makes case for Para-athletes 30

‘Black Stars lost to indiscipline’

Democratic Republic of Congo’s forward, Dieudonne Mbokani, celebrating after scoring a goal against Ghana during their 2013 Africa Cup of Nations match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Ethiopian fans outnumber Nigerians in Nelspruit E

thiopia and Zambia have outshone Nigeria and Burkina Faso in the purchase of match tickets for the Group C games of the South Africa 2013 AFCON that kicked off yesterday. A total of 33,437 tickets were distributed for yesterday’s matches with 6,000 tickets being complimentary. According to AFCON 2013 LOC Chief Executive Officer, Mvuzo Mbebe, Ethiopia accounted for 30% of the tickets sales, while Zambia accounted for 20%. “I hope the other federations, Nigeria and Burkina Faso, would see this as

Today’s Matches Cote d’Ivoire v

Togo

4pm

Tunisia

Algeria

7pm

a challenge and get more of their fans into the stadium,” he said. Prior to the Nigeria and Burkina Faso clash last night, there were fears that the game would suffer fans’ apathy. Ethiopia brought over 50,000 fans to cheer their team at the Nations Cup after a very long absence. Ethiopian and Zambia fans yes-

terday finally breathed life into Nelspruit’s 2013 Africa Cup carnival spirit. But there remains a low-key presence of both Nigerian and Burkinabe supporters. Nelspruit had until late Sunday been an AFCON ghost town with the only semblance of the tournament being sirens of team convoys under police escort criss-crossing their way through the city to and from training. So far over 660, 000 tickets have been distributed for this tournament. This exceeds the 500, 000 target set by the organisers.

Zambia dangles $.09m carrot at Chipolopolo IKENWA NNABUOGOR

he Zambina government has promised to give the Chipolopolo boys up to US$90, 000 each if they retain the Africa Cup of Nations title this year, National Mirror has exclusively gathered from media sources in Zambia. This was announced to the team on Sunday by Sports Minister, Chishimba Kambwili, soon after President Michael Sata and First Lady, Christine Kaseba, vis-

ited the team at their Nelspruit base . More financial incentives were also promised as Kambwili said the players would each get US$20, 000 if they get to the finals. President Sata gave a clear message on the expectation of the nation as he urged the team to retain the cup. “What you have to bear in mind is that the people of Zambia support you. When you start on Monday, fight! Be brave and fight like the freedom fighters who won

independence. You have won the cup once, but we want you to win it again; so don’t worry about anything. “Go and play and even if you meet the hosts at any stage, go and wallop them,” the president said. The president was presented with an orange Chipolopolo jersey by team captain, Christopher Katongo. Zambia’s Chipolopolo tackles the Super Eagles on Friday and the defending champions will be hard pressed to beat their arch rivals.

lack Stars’ coach, Kwesi Appiah, has said that ‘tactical indiscipline’ caused his team to give up a two-goal lead over DR Congo in their group B match on Sunday. DR Congo forced Ghana to a 2-2 draw in their opening match of the ongoing 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in Port Elizabeth. Ghana was already two goals up by the 50th minute, thanks to goals from Emmanuel Agyeman Badu and Kwadwo Asamoah. However, DRC rebounded to score in the 53rd and 68th minutes - through Tresor Mputu and Dieudonne Mbokani Bezua, respectively - to deny Ghana a win in the match. “I knew it was not going to be an easy game. Usually, it is expected that you win your first game, but it was not the case here. They (DR Congo) were a very good side. “We have learnt a lot from this game in which we gave up a two-goal lead. It was due to some tactical indiscipline and we hope to correct them before the next game,” Appiah said. Ghana next takes on Mali, while DRC will battle Niger on January 24.

Gyan

AFCON blackout boosts viewing centres

he failure by the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) to secure the broadcast rights for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa has given a business boom to television viewing centres in Ebonyi State. Similarly, dealers in cable networks in Abakaliki are also smiling to the banks, according to investigations by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). A correspondent who visited some viewing centres in Abakaliki on Saturday reported that they were filled with people as the local television stations in the state failed to transmit live

matches from the competition. Host South Africa drew 0-0 with debutants Cape Verde in the opening match while Angola also drew goalless with Morocco in the second game. A man who runs one of the viewing centres, Ikenna Chukwuanu, said that the business was booming. “My centre was filled by all sorts of people, including the elderly, who came to watch the Nations Cup matches. I used to enjoy the patronage of mainly youths who come to watch Premier League and UEFA championship matches, but today witnessed the influx of the elderly,” he said. Another viewing centre owner, Osita Nwankwo, said he had to rent extra chairs to meet the surge by the customers.

Sport

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Toure wary of group’s foes C

o t e

Leopards’ show delights coach Coach Claude Le Roy (m) sandwiched by his players

emocratic Republic of Congo coach, Claude Le Roy, says he is delighted his talented team have put their problems behind them at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. The Leopards, who last featured at the tournament seven years ago in Egypt, showed great character on Sunday when they fought from two goals down to draw 2-2 with tournament second favourites Ghana. The team were rocked by Congolese media reports on the eve of the match that Le Roy had quit over frustration with bad management of the team, but the experienced coach later denied this. “After all the problems, this was a fantastic experience for the country and I hope this result will now get the whole nation behind us,” the 64-yearold Frenchman said yesterday. “You have to go back to 1974 for the only time this country qualified for the World Cup. “We now have to take it step by step in our comeback to a high-level competition like the Africa Cup of Nations.” The Leopards were the dominant force in African football in the late sixties and early seventies, winning the Nations Cup in 1968 and 1974 as well as qualifying for the 1974 World Cup in the then West Germany.

Le Roy R , who was also in charge of o DRC when they last featured d at the Nations Cup, said he e never doubted the quality at a his disposal. “They ey y have huge talent and quality as we showed a ality againstt a new Ghana team. I am a proud of my players,” ,” ” he boasted. The two-time tw wo-time African champions am mpions will be expected ec cted to win their next ne ext group game on n Thursday against ga ainst Niger who o lost 1-0 to Malii in the second game of the group grroup on Sunun nday.

d’Ivoires midm fielder, Yaya Y says Toure, say ys his ready side are rre challenge to chall le for the 20133 AfriA Nations ca Cup of Na at strong despite the st tr opposition that tthey will face. The Elephants go o into the tournament as one on of o the top favourites, and an nd the Manchester City star says they are prepared mentally mentallly and physically. “We are working in a good atmoa sphere. I think the group is wel well ll prepared for the African Cup of Nations,” Natiio Toure, who is the reigning African Affr Player of the Year, said yesterday. The Elephants will start their camc paign against Togo at the Royal Bafo Bafokeng ok Stadium today, and Toure believes believe es the match will not be a walk in the park parrk for his side. “It will be a difficult game as all matchma m es are. Togo remains a very good team t

El Hamdaoui seeks push

Poor fitness worries Annan

hana midfielder, Anthony Annan, says he is battling for fitness ahead of Thursday’s crucial game against Group B leaders Mali. The Osasuna player has been an injury doubt since picking up an ankle injury last week during a pre-tournament friendly against Egypt in Abu Dhabi. But Annan was a second half appearance last Sunday in Ghana’s 2-2 draw with DR Congo at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. It was after the match the combative midfielder admitted he was far from his best form. “I am not 100 per cent fit. I am working on my fitness level and hopefully, I should be in line against Mali,” Annan said yesterday.

El Hamdaoui

orocco striker, Mounir El Hamdaoui, believes the Atlas Lions need to start delivering after failing to get off the mark in their opening African Cup of Nations match on Saturday evening. After a promising first

half, which ended goalless but with all the opportunities falling to the Atlas Lions, the Moroccans were left disappointed as they came away with a point. El Hamdaoui, who stars for Italian club Fiorentina, has called for his teammates to keep push-

ing. “We really want to achieve something with this team because we have some really good players,” he said yesterday. “It’s really important we now work towards winning the next game so we do well in the competition. It is a young team, we have a lot of good players but you know the results are what counts,” he added. Younes Belhanda came on in the second half to try ease off the pressure and he believes it is the finishing that has let his side down. “I think our final pass has to improve. We have good positional play but we let ourselves down with the final touch or the final pass. We have to work on that,” El Hamdaoui said.

that th t has h produced d d some positive iti results. “For us it is very important to win the first match for our morale and to continue the rest of the tournament with full confidence. “Group D, which includes Ivory Coast, Togo, Algeria and Tunisia is the most difficult and things will not be easy for the four teams. “Each wants to qualify, but in the end only two teams will qualify to the quarterfinals and the other two will be eliminated. “Everything will be decided on the field, but in my opinion, the matches from this group will be the hardest and most beautiful to watch for the fans.”

‘Mali ready for Ghana’

agles of Mali coach, Carteron Patrice, yesterday declared his team’s readiness for Ghana after a morale-boosting win against Niger in their Sunday’s first group match of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. Mali captain and veteran midfielder, Seydou Keita, scored the only goal in the 84th minute to put his country along with the Black Stars of Ghana as favourites to top this group as both teams clash on Thursday. “It was a difficult game against a very defensive team like Niger,” Carteron said yesterday. “I’m happy for the players because they have worked hard and this win will boost confidence for the next match against Ghana.” Meanwhile, Niger coach, Gernot Rohr, has expressed pleasure with his side’s performance, despite the result, saying: “We tried our best against a top team like Mali. “My players have great fighting spirit and big hearts, so you can be happy even when they lose.”

Coach Patrice Carteron

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Australian Open…

I put my son first –Messi Lionel Messi is undisputedly one of the most popular sporting personalities on the planet at the moment, with his goals played and replayed countless times in every corner of the globe. The petit star, who recently turned 25, spoke to FIFA.com What does it mean to you that you have attended the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala for six consecutive years? To be honest, it hasn’t become a habit for me. Even though these events are similar or practically the same, every year is special. It’s a sign that I am doing a good job.

Murray

Murray cruises past Simon W

orld number three, Andy Murray, barely broke sweat yesterday as he reached the last eight at the Australian Open with victory over an exhausted Gilles Simon. In a low-key afternoon encounter on Hisense Arena, the Briton won 6-3 6-1 6-3 in one hour and 32 minutes. Murray, 25, is through to the quarter-finals in Melbourne for the fourth year in a row, and will play another Frenchman, Jeremy Chardy, tomorrow. He has yet to drop a set in four matches and enters the final stages as fresh as he could possibly hope for. “It was a tough situation for both players-more ob-

viously for him,” Murray said. “After the first few games, it didn’t feel that competitive. At this stage of a Grand Slam, you’re sort of geed up and prepared for a tough battle.” After breaking serve immediately, Murray handed it straight back to love with a poor service game that saw him misjudge a Simon drop shot and then fire a backhand wide and a forehand into the net. Murray put Simon out of his misery on his second match point to wrap up a win that will not live long in the memory, but will serve the Briton better than the type of marathon match seen already this week.

B’ball: ISL out-dunks Doregos

You’ve changed an awful lot since you first attended in 2007… It’s true. A lot of things have happened to me and obviously I’ve grown up both as a player and a person. I’ve become more mature, my personality has developed and my career has taken shape. You set a new record by scoring 91 goals over the course of 2012. Which was your best goal? Like I’ve said many times before, I’m always more likely to remember goals for their importance rather than if they’re beautiful or not. Goals scored in finals for example. So, in this case, the one I scored against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey is the most important.

AFOLABI GAMBARI

H I was right to dump Gunners–RVP

anchester United striker, Robin van Persie, is convinced that he got the timing of his decision to leave Arsenal for the Old Trafford just right. The Dutchman completed a switch in the summer of 2012, with Arsenal reluctantly sanctioning a sale as his contract entered its final year. But the Holland international has been an immediate success at United, with his prolific form firing the Red Devils to the top of the Premier League table. “Arsenal are a great club and I always had a good feeling but after eight years, sometimes you feel that you need a new challenge,” Van Persie said yesterday. “I found that challenge at Manchester United. I do feel that I am surrounded by champions. “I do feel that this is exactly the right time to be here. I don’t think it would have been better to come here earlier. Everything has gone this way for a reason. On and off the pitch, everyone has been helpful and I have settled in well.”

ost Doregos Private Academy suffered a double loss in its bid to win the Doregos Inter-School Basketball Competition for Private Secondary Schools in Lagos and Ogun states. Playing in front of its vociferous supporters, Doregos lost by 21-13 point to defending champion, International School Lagos, Akoka in the girls’ semifinal. Both teams started competitively before the Akokites eventually gain control of the game. Poor shooting and fatigue by Doregos girls favoured ISL who eventually triumphed to reach its second straight final where it will face twotime champion Vivian Fowler Memorial Girls, who saw off Effortwill College Ejigbo 14-3 in the second semi final, on February 6. In the boys’ category, ISL again cruised to a 42– 38 victory over Doregos as it completed a double over the hosts who sought their third title since 2008 and now meets Air Force Secondary School Ikeja who reached the final without touching the ball in the second semifinal after their opponent Whitesand College failed to show up. Meanwhile, sponsor of the competition, Mrs. Clementina Doregos, has commended the participating teams for their performance. According to the renowned philanthropist and educationist, the competition has helped to promote healthy rivalry and friendship among the players. “I expect the final to be a memorable event,” Doregos said.

Messi

Do you feel more appreciated back in Argentina now? Yes, I do. With our results and our football, we’ve fired people’s enthusiasm and I’d say we’re more united than ever. Which was your most special hat-trick in 2012? The three goals against Brazil were extra-special. But it’s scoring goals that’s great, whether against Brazil or anybody else. Were you born with or did you learn how to chase the ball without falling to the ground? I’ve been that way my whole life, since I was little. I’ve always tried to keep hold of the ball and keep going, whatever happens. I’ve worked on that trait and it’s part of me. What’s your wish for 2013? Of course, my son is now my number one priority. It’s been a very nice and very big change and I will always put him first. Then I wished for Abidal and Tito to get well and put their health issues behind them for good. I also wish to pick up some more silverware.

Sport

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

On the track with

YEMI OLUS danyella172003@yahoo.com

Gebrselassie targets Vienna record

Greene opens Glasgow campaign

orld 400m hurdles champion, Dai Greene, will open his 2013 season in Glasgow on Saturday with his first indoor race for six years. Two of Britain’s Olympic heroes will go head-to-head over 600m at the British Athletics Glasgow International Match at the Emirates Arena on Saturday January 26. Olympic 800m finalist Andrew Osagie will drop down in distance to take on Greene in one of the held on the European circuit. Both athletes will have their sights set on Ikem Billy’s 28 year old British indoor 600m record of 1:17.6. Glasgow will be Greene’s first 600m race since 2006, when he recorded a time of 1:18.8 indoors, whilst Osagie’s only 600m was a 1:20.70 performance outdoors in 2008. Greene, who has held European, Commonwealth and World titles over 400m hurdles, will be making his first appearance over 600m for nearly seven years.

thiopian Haile Gebrselassie, will return to Vienna on April 14 to compete in the Half-marathon which will be staged parallel to the Vienna City Marathon. The 39-year-old, who is one of the greatest distance runners of all time, has won the IAAF Gold Label race over the past two years and now intends to add a third victory to his collection and possibly attack his own course record (60:18, set in 2011). “We could not have hoped for a better ambassador for our jubilee race than Haile. He loves Vienna’s spectators and I believe the same applies the other way round. He still is the most thrilling personality in running worldwide. We are very proud that he again chose to run in Vienna,” Race Director, Wolfgang Konrad, said yesterday. Aside from Vienna, there are only a few other road races in the world where Gebrselassie has made three appearances in a row: the Berlin and Dubai marathons and the Great Manchester 10km. The two-time Olympic 10,000m champion first came to Vienna in 2011, where he established the current course record of 60:18. In last year’s edition he ran a ‘chase race’ against Britain’s World marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe, who had been given a head-start of several minutes. Since Radcliffe had not been fully fit, she was overtaken by Gebrselassie relatively early with the Ethiopian clocking 60:52. Other competitors for this year’s race will be announced at a later stage.

Gebrselassie

Accra to host joint awards

Udo-Obong makes case for Para-athletes D

espite the wide jubilation that greeted Nigeria’s participation in last year’s Paralympic Games in London where Team Nigeria won 12 medals, Olympic gold medallist, Enefiok Udo-Obong, believes that the potential of the physically challenged athletes in the track and field could be harnessed for further success. Only Eucharia Iyaizi won bronze medal in athletics while powerlifters secured eleven other medals for Nigeria at the event. “The rest of the world has also started taking the Paralympics seriously and that was why we didn’t win like we used to,” Udo-Obong told National Mirror yesterday. “We have won medals in the past based on pure talent but these days, such talent has to meet scientific research and this means we have to develop more than talent. “If we continue to depend on talent, our paralympians won’t win anymore in the next four or eight years. We need to join up with the rest of the world and do research. We have universities and institutes where we can do research on how we can improve,

win and get better athletes for the Paralympics.” Udo-Obong, however, frowned at the comparison of the physically challenged and the able-bodied who failed to win a medal at the main Olympics. “It is always good to win medals but we should understand that the development of the Paralympics is different from that of the Olympics,” the former Olympian counselled. “Countries that are winning medals have taken their talented athletes, done some research on them and have brought out super talented athletes.” Meanwhile para-athletics coach, Joseph Unuareokpa, has said that he would target new athletes that would replace the ageing ones this year. “With the low performance of our outing in 2012, scouting and preparation should be the watch words,” Unuareokpa said. “We have international competitions this year in France, Dubai and Tunis and we are hoping that the National Sports Commission will provide sponsorship for the programmes as well as create enabling environment for us to flourish,” the coach added.

wo of Africa’s sports media companies, Athletics Africa and African Sports Media Network, have decided to join forces to recognise the efforts of Africa’s athletes. The joint sports awards ceremony at the 1st Biennial African Sports Development Conference and Expo will be hosted in Accra, Ghana in December 2013. The two CEO’s of both Companies, Mr. Yomi Omogbeja of Athletics Africa and Mr. Leslie Koroma of African Sports Media Network, who have run two distinct and separate awards for African athletes, recently agreed that the venture would be beneficial. The event is expected to be held annually in select cities across Africa, making it a constant fixture in the continent’s sports. Omogbeja, who is one of the pioneers of online African Sports Media, had initiated and runs the annual ATAF Awards (Athletics Africa Awards) while Koroma and his group had run the sports discipline neutral; African Male and Female Sports Personality of the Year Awards all in an effort to give credence and recognition to the efforts of Africa’s athletes. As an integral part of the 1st Biennial African Sports Development conference and Expo, both men saw the need to integrate the Joint Sports Award show into the conference timetable of events as many Africa’s sports aficionados will be at the conference.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Expert laments shipment of toxic waste into Nigeria

its known, tested and verifiable harmful effects are those who believed that for toxic waste to be categorised as dangerous, it must cause an instant death. Explaining further he stated, “The first are those die hard critics who continue to believe that for toxic waste substances to be categorised as dangerous, it must be such that can cause instant death. These critics fall in the category of people who continue to resist government ’s efforts to change the status-quo. They allude to the fact that since they are ubiquitous across the country, no death has been directly related to them. “They cry foul each time a vessel is seized at the ports; and you hear them say: “oh, after all they found only common television sets, DVD ’s, Microwave and refrigerators! So what ’s the big deal? Really? We must pity them because they are obviously un-

aware of the differences between End-of-life products and NearEnd-of-life. ” Ndanusa noted that the prohibition order on e-waste materials is not limited to Nigeria, stressing that the order is in force in other countries such as Ghana, China and other developed economies. “Ghana recently placed higher tariff charges on second hand cars to discourage their importation, which explains why newer vehicles are on Ghanaian roads. Again, in China, the media reacted strongly to dangerous levels of pollution recorded in many northern cities. It was reported that air pollution soared past levels considered hazardous by the World Health Organization. These are proactive measures similar to the type initiated by NESREA, ” he said. You don ’t wait for material death to occur before you do something. This, I believe is another major point in NESREA ’s crusade. While saluting the NESREA ’s efforts in exposing harmful effects of e-waste on the people, he called on other agencies operating at the country ’s entry points to join hands with it. “If other agencies operating at Nigeria ’s entry points can emulate the efforts of NESREA sooner or later Nigeria ’s environment would be a safer place for all to live in. We must begin to think of what happens to our children, and their children ’s children. People talk of planning; how do we hope for the best when we fail to plan? There is no gain saying the fact that if all of us join hands to work, government would benefit us, ” he said.

affected states and have mobilised resources at the branch level, but this centralised response will focus on the most affected areas in the 12 identified states with materials and support for emergency shelter and recovery, basic household items, provision of water and sanitation facilities in, household water purification tablets in certain identified areas, first aid, sensitisa-

tion on flood related health risks; water, sanitation and hygiene promotion activities, targeting 50,000 people. Overall, the Nigerian Red Cross Society in the document said it will provide shelter, cash/voucher assistance, water, sanitation, hygiene and health support to 50,000 disaster-affected people (approximately 7,142 households) for 12 months.

STORIES: OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

n environment expert, Mr. Umaru Ndanusa, has joined the trail of condemnations that followed the shipment of e-wastes into the country, stressing that such act is inimical to the health of the people and the environment. Since a vessel, MV MARIVIA, which allegedly contained two containers e-waste berth at Tin Can Island, Lagos on the 5th of January, 2013, there have been controversies as to how such items could be imported into the country. The provisions of the Nigerian law, in particular the Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Provisions, etc.) Act, Cap H1 LFN 2004, prohibits the carrying, depositing and dumping of harmful waste on any land or territorial waters or contiguous zone or exclusive economic zone of Nigeria or its inland waterways. Ndanusa wondered why anybody would contemplate shipping items considered as injurious to people ’s health after the sensitisation programme embarked upon by the Federal Government through its agency, National Environmental Standards Regulations and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on the danger of such illicit enterprise. He said, ”After all the Federal Government had done to sensitize Nigerians, especially traders of second hand electronic goods on the do ’s and don ’ts of Used Electronic Electrical Equipment, otherwise known as UEEE, the dangers and the terrible outcome on human health, it is tragic that

Marivia-Monrovia, the alleged toxic waste carrying vessel

a group of people who call themselves businessmen would still go ahead to test the will and resolve of the Federal Government. “What is particularly disturbing is that although it is true that Nigeria ’s entry points – the airports, border points and the ports, are porous, the fact that these unscrupulous businessmen still manage to evade detection at the point of embarkation is a source for concern. The immediate assertion here is that there is indeed a rush or rather collusion in Europe to discard these items anywhere but their country! Otherwise, why would anyone in his sane mind import non functional equipment in two 40 foot containers? ” The environment expert who stated that time had come to choose whether to move forward in line with Mr. President ’s Transformation Agenda or lag behind in terms of development, however explained that Nigeria

would not serve as a dumping ground again. “Nigeria is no longer a big market for dumping. Yes, these may have been the fad in the distant years of the 80 ’s and 90 ’s; now it is no longer so. With new technological advances, it is thought that all hands are supposed to be on deck to make the environment a freer place. This is exactly the reason why Nigeria is always represented at all climate change conferences, whether RIO+ 20, or 10. “But the huge market emanating as a result of the endless turnover of old technologies and the need to create space for the new ones has continued to prove irresistible to hideous businessmen whose only thought is financial gratification and not the safety of the environment —or the risk they pose to human health, ” he said. He said those who continued to engage in the illicit trade despite

Red Cross seeks N583.8m for 2012 ood victims

onsidering the suffering of victims of 2012 nationwide flood disaster which occurred in about 33 out of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) has launched a N583million fund to provide basic amenities such as food, non-food items and money for them. In its initial assessment of needs in 11 states, the society noted that 422,691 individuals were affected in 56 local government areas with 256,767 of them displaced. Out of this number, 116 persons died, 867 were injured, and two people were declared missing. The document also revealed that one hundred and sixty one camps were set up with 224,161 displaced persons residing in the camps.

According to the document, considerable response to the appeal has been received from private sector donors such as Shell, Exxon Mobil, FCMB (First City Monument Bank PLC), Stanbic IBTC, the French Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria LNG limited, Czech Government, VERF/WHO Voluntary Emergency Relief, as well as movement partners such as the American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross Society (from Canadian Government), Japanese Red Cross Society, Netherlands Red Cross (from Netherlands Government), Swiss Red Cross, Red Cross of Monaco, Swedish Red Cross and Finnish Red Cross. The assessment report also added that 26,801 houses altogether were destroyed in Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Niger, Edo,

Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states. The NRCS will spend the money to support over 50,000 victims in 12 states over a 12 months period up to September 25, 2013, the report further stated. NRCS also revealed that volunteers were active in all the areas affected in the provision of relief and health materials, psychosocial support and hygiene promotion. “The assessment shows that in the upper areas, the numbers of displaced are relatively low, but the number of houses destroyed relatively high. The delta area shows a higher number of IDPs, but a lower number of destroyed houses, most likely because of the type of construction more adapted to flooding ”, it added. NRCS is represented in all

Flooded Falluja village in Taraba

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, January 22 , 2013

Add value to your house with stylish bathroom design

athrooms has become one of the most important rooms in the house. Modern bathroom design is pleasing to the eye, functional and relaxing. Modern bathroom decor helps people feel better and rejuvenated. Stylish and comfortable modern bathroom design, according to experts at www.lushome.com, adds value to a house or an apartment, increasing its price and selling homes faster. Functional and elegant modern bathroom design is an important part of new home design or home staging. The variety of bathroom features, furniture, decorative materials, like modern wallpaper, floor and wall tile designs for bathroom decorating, gives a chance to create unique bathroom designs for any taste and in any style. Modern bathroom design trends 2013 will help you select the best bathroom decorating ideas for your home and choose right materials for bathroom renovation or home staging, creating stylish interiors that make a house or an apartment more desirable and comfortable to live in • Practical and attractive ceramic tiles and wall tiles are popular choices for modern bathroom design. Mosaic tiles are especially stylish and decorative material for functional rooms with a high humidity level. • Ceramic tiles and bathroom wallpaper bring few attractive trends. Modern bathroom wallpaper patterns offer large geometric and floral designs in stylish colours. • Modern wallpaper patterns come in natural and light colours, like white, cream or light beige. Modern bathroom decor emphasizes the variety of textures and interesting 3d surfaces. Mosaic tiles and modern wall tile designs in patchwork fabric style • Large floor or wall tiles create beautiful pattern combinations with contrasting mosaic tiles, adding unique flavour to modern bathroom design • Wall tile designs with ethnic, traditional, exotic, ancient, futuristic and nature inspired patterns offer one of the most unique, artistic and interesting bathroom design trends. Abstract, geometric and floral designs, animals, birds, traditional

houses and familiar traditional images add cosiness and romantic charm to modern bathroom decor. • White and pastel light colour shades are stylish choices for modern bathroom decorating. Wall tiles in bright colours, like rich blue and grayish colour sades, orange and green-brown colours, are also trendy options for modern bathrooms. • Modern wallpaper for bathrooms and wall tile designs that look like wooden, natural stone or brick surfaces, bring interesting bathroom design trends that look realistic and surprising. • The combination of natural stone texture with shiny or glossy mosaic tiles, simple and elegant bathroom fixtures and impressive LED lighting is one of the most exciting, rich and expressive modern bathroom design trends 2013. • Bathroom fixtures in minimalist style, elegant shapes and classy colours, combined with luxurious natural materials, are modern bathroom trends for 2013. • Innovative technologies bring contemporary transparent very fine coating which makes bathroom tubs, toilet bowls and sinks surfaces smooth, easy to clean and super attractive. Energy saving bathroom lighting, smart heaters and water saving faucets, controlled by electronic devices, with photo elements and remote controls, are modern bathroom design trends for 2013 • Bathroom sinks and shower designs with integrated shelves and faucets, horizontal showers, contemporary faucets and colour changing lighting fixtures add beautiful new designs to modern bathrooms, offering ergonomic and space saving bathroom design trend 2013. • The luxurious blend of classic and contemporary bathroom sinks with wood furniture make modern bathrooms look exclusive and expensive. Gorgeous classic bathroom furniture bring the beauty of natural wood into modern bathrooms. Mixed with beautiful lighting and mirrors, wood furniture create bright, warm and stunning interiors in classic style.

Culled from: www.divinecaroline.com

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Conservationists want solution to security risks induced by environmental degradation DAYO AYEYEMI

The security of nations in the 21st century, she explained would depend on the security of natural resources, adding that the modern global economy would depend on access to such resources as energy, minerals, potable water, and arable land to meet the rising expectations of a growing population, which by no means assured. She said, “As the demand for land increases and there is continued decrease in arable and grazing land, there is forced migrations of people towards the South, with increasing violence and conflicts over land rights which are sometimes misinterpreted as ethnic and communal clashes in Nigeria ”. She noted that the decline of Lake Chad to one fifth its size and its inability to support a growing regional population must be understood as among Nigeria ’s leading security challenges. Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Philip Asiodu, called for joint effort to tackle environmental challenges facing Nigeria. He said, “Nigeria is no doubt presently facing serious climate change induced by environmental challenges like flooding, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, soil erosion and others. The ill effects of these climatic changes are evident and these make it imperative for all of us to seek solutions to these challenges. This forum therefore affords us yet another opportunity to look at the problems from a new perspective in the hope that the attempt will provide fresh solutions to mitigate the negative impact on the people and the economy. ”

mbassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, Professor Joy Ogwu, has called on relevant parties to seek solutions for managing security challenges induced by environmental degradation. Speaking while delivering lecture on, “Addressing Environment and Conservation: A Development and National Security Imperative ”, during the Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture organised by Nigerian Conservation Foundation, in Lagos, Ogwu urged that national policy community should rethink what constitutes security threats to the state. Desertification is fast spreading in Nigeria She stated that impact of the environment, including biologidetrimental environmental deg- design for environment, and ultical diversity, climate change and mately supply chain sustainabilradation for the nation. desertification, encompasses While urging inter-agency col- ity. global warming, land degrada “Elements of national power, laboration, she said, “There is tion, deforestation, and loss of compelling need for many gov- that is diplomatic, economic and vital resources such as land, ernment agencies to concertedly law enforcement that have been agriculture and water which work on all issues related to na- historically used to address patent support life, livelihood, lifestyle, tional security, including matter crimes such as terrorism, should housing and more. be deployed to address the latent of security and environmental. ” These dimensions of the enAccording to her, the construc- underlying conditions which is vironment in recent times, she tive power of science and tech- environmental degradation that noted have become the sources nology must be harnessed to pro- provide the breeding grounds for of increasing threats to national the eventual crimes, ”she stated. pel humankind to new levels of security. Ogwu enjoined the need to global well being, noting that the Ogwu said stakeholders must practice of sustainability science facilitate local community resilhave the understanding that it could help to anticipate problems, ience, using bespoke solutions tairequires concerted effort to depromote innovation and support lored to the requirement for each rive solutions for each unique local area, fostering development decision-making. case. She appealed to leading compa- with sustainability as the central Besides, she canvassed the nies to move beyond compliance focus to ensure rural development development of strategies and and risk management and adopt and sustainable development. policies, with robust and holistic She said, “Education, sensitisavoluntary practices including facilitation of decision making corporate citizenship, pollution tion, empowerment and developprocess centred on mitigation of prevention, product stewardship, ment of rural/local capacity to

manage environmental degradation. Active reclamation of environmentally degraded land, and protection of scare resources, particularly in the face of looming population explosions, and the treats from an uncertain climatic future. “It is common knowledge that since the beginning of time, we have witnessed to a considerable dependence on the earth ’s resources for humanity ’s increasing need for sustenance and survival. The exploitation of mother earth for food, timber for housing and energy for production, power and transportation has led to national development success. Indeed, it can be argued that the prestige and security of a nation-state have flowed from exploitation of these assets ”.

Zebra Tech partners, U.S Firm, launch property search engine

New law to protect property investors in Dubai

OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

Nigerian based company, Zebra Technologies, in partnership with a leading U.S information technology outfit, Pilot Group, has commenced operation of a property search engine www.propertyfinder.com.ng, specifically for the Nigerian property market. According to the Executive Chairman of Zebra Technologies, Mr. Augustine Okonkwo, the website backed by one of the world ’s leading InfoTech firm, Pilot Group, is offering a completely new solution that will raise the bar in the Nigerian property sector. He said, the search engine will give Nigerians the one-stop opportunity of getting the best housing deals; find their dream homes; make quick home sales

and much more at the touch of a button. ” Unlike other online property search engines already in existence in Nigeria, Okonkwo noted that the website offers free listing of properties with several other additional services at no hidden charges to both home owners and buyers. He said the website, which began full operations last December and currently has over 2000 properties enlisted from various part of the country with a target capacity of more than 1million property listing by the end of the year, is user friendly and affords browsers, both property finders and sellers, a-do-it-yourself approach. “This is the best offer so far in the country. We have done a great deal of research, working with the best in the industry worldwide to ensure Nigerians have

a no-holdback access on the latest in the property market. With our international affiliates and links, being on our site will no doubt sell your properties within the shortest period, all these and much for free-of-charge. “We are working on partnering with similar outfits both in the U.K and Dubai to ensure a richer and more robust service to our subscribers. At the home front, we are working in close relations with housing agents, developers, builders, private home owners, etc. we shall be working with the Real estate Developers association of Nigeria, REDAN and a few others. “Nigeria can drive its housing sector through online as currently obtainable in some other countries. You can cover the entire country; check as many properties as you can without having to leave the comfort of your house.

ubai ’s new real estate investor protection law is to be released during the first quarter of 2013, the Dubai Land Department has confirmed. A draft was published in June and after a consultation process the final law is now being drawn up, according to Majida Ali Rashid, director of planning and organisational development at the DLD. He said that the department received several suggestions from the public and interested parties. The law will pave the way for property investors to get a complete refund if a developer fails to complete or handover a property within the stipulated timeframe, or if the developer deliberately defrauds, or alters the specifications of the unit without obtaining the necessary permits.

Investors will also be able to claim compensation in cases of breach of any warranty or undertaking contained in the sale contract by a broker or for misrepresentation by a developer or broker. Meanwhile, new figures from the emirate ’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), the regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department, show that there are now 3,094 real estate brokers registered in Dubai. In terms of nationalities, UAE nationals dominated this profession with 620 brokers, while Indians ranked second with 438 brokers, whilst Pakistanis came third with 428 brokers. British came fourth with 304 brokers, followed by Egyptians with 160 brokers. At the bottom of the top 10 list came the Filipinos with 59 brokers.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Work progresses on 6-lane Mile 12/Ikorodu Road expansion ...Lagos urges quality performance from contractors

The Mile 12- Ikorodu Town Road Expansion /BRT Lane during inspection tour by Governor Babatunde Fashola and members of the State Executive Council last week.

DAYO AYEYEMI

oming exactly a week after the first tour of all ongoing infrastructure projects in the state, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, at the weekend, toured additional ten on-going projects in Ikorodu, charging contractors on quality performance. Some of the projects toured in Ikorodu included the Mile 12-Ikorodu Town extension, BRT lane/road expansion, terminal buildings at Ipakodo Jetty, rehabilitation of Ibeshe Road and construction of Jetty, Igbogbo Baiyeku (HOMS) Road, housing scheme along Odo-Onosa/Odo-Ayandelu Road, Resettlement Centre for flood victims in Ikosi, Agbowa, housing site at Agbowa (Choice Estate), relocation of Oko-Baba Sawmill to Agbowa (Timber Village) and LASPOTECH projects, among others. Speaking to newsmen after his assessment of work on the Mile 12/Ikorodu Road, Governor Fashola explained that the 14 kilometre road would be expanded to six lanes; three on each side with one reserved for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on each side. He added there would also be three BRT terminals along the road. The governor also explained the seeming slow pace of job on the road, saying the contractors were working in collaboration with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to relocate their facilities on the road including about 300 electricity poles as well as cables. He told the people, “This is what we do with the money we borrowed. By making the investment, we build for tomorrow. And this is the best way to build infrastructure. Aside from the low interest rate, we have a long period of repayment. Alternatively, if we wait for later, the cost will be high as the naira continues to lose value ”. Governor Fashola also threw more light on the purported borrowing of $15 million from the EXIM Bank of Unites State by his government, saying the state has not applied for any loan but placed order with a firm in Illinois, United States manufacturing fire engines, for the supply of 30 fire engines to Lagos state. Speaking at the site of the on-going relocation project for Oko-Baba sawmillers, Governor Fashola said, “It is going to be a clearly articulated timber village, that is a

whole industry on its own with the offices, trailer park and other ancillary services like welding, carpentry and woodwork ”. He said, “What is further interesting about the Timber Village is the housing estate that is being constructed where people can live in much more modern housing facilities away from the unsightly and unacceptable conditions that now exists. That is now a matter of choice. ” “We made an agreement with them, I signed on behalf of government a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with them. This is the future that we want for them. We are delivering on our promise and there is going to be a community of about 3000 houses here with the first 400 already done ”, the governor said. Fashola hinted that work is going on at Agbowa, Ejinrin and Ikosi area of Epe just as he was also at Ikorodu to see the 144 units resettlement housing scheme to accommodate the people displaced by the flood at Ajegunle. He told newsmen, “We have also been to the housing unit being built by the Ministry of Housing at Igbogbo where you have about 264 housing units. We also saw the one been constructed by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development where there are 660 units ”, adding, “What this implies is that the whole place is coming alive as development is reaching the inner recesses of Igbogbo, Ejinrin, Ikosi Agbowa all in Epe area. ” At Ibeshe Road, which has been completed by Messrs Arab Contractors, Governor Fashola expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done, urging the company, however, to speed up work on the new Jetty also being constructed at the road terminal by the company. He told newsmen, “Last week, we visited Mile 2 Jetty. Last year, when we visited Ajah, we saw the Ajah Jetty. Now, we have done Ibeshe Road and we decided that before the contractors leave, let ’s put another jetty here so that people can actually have a choice whether to drive or take a ferry to Ipakodo ”. Recalling that the seven kilometre Ibeshe Road took his campaign train about one and half hours to travel during the electioneering campaigns, Governor Fashola declared, “Today we have done it in 10 minutes. This is what development is all about and, I think, the people are pleased ”. “Our work continues. Our work

is not finished. This is the kind of development we have planned and we are implementing with a methodological approach. The jetties are not all completed. Until we complete them and link them by radio, by departure and arrival schedule that is timed, we cannot start full operation. ” He noted that operating coordinated water transportation such as being put in place by his administration does not end in building the jetties adding, “building is only an aspect of the work. The ground work of getting the concessionaires, licensing them, making sure that the waterways remain safe, that is part of the core responsibility of the State ’s Waterways Authority (LASWA) ”. He disclosed that his government has already acquired two ferries, while it has embarked on the repair of the five aluminium boats acquired during the Jakande administration for the Mile 2 Jetty. The governor said with the completion of repairs on the five boats, the state would have seven ferries and in addition to the ferries now being operated by private companies such as Metro Ferry which moves from Ipakodo to Ebute-Ero

and a lot of other smaller ferries from other companies running from Lekki all through to Ojo, the water transportation capacity of the state would continue to increase. The governor said there is plan to purchase pontoons that could ferry cars and passengers across the water for commuters who wish to take their cars along with them to their destination. At the Okobaba Sawmill, Ebute-Metta, where fire destroyed sawmill equipment and shanties in the community, Governor Fashola promised that those rendered homeless by the fire incident would be resettled at the Resettlement Centre while the Government continues with re-planning the area warning, however, that nobody should rebuild any structure in the place as long as the work of redesigning and clearing the garbage-filled drainage in the area lasts. Fashola, who recalled that he had extensive consultations with the people in 2008 over the relocation of the Village to a new site, disclosed that the new site was almost ready with no less than 3,000 housing units adding that the place offers the people the opportunity to live and do their business in a more decent environment. While sympathizing with the traders and inhabitants of the Sawmill community who trooped out to receive him and appeal for government ’s assistance, Governor Fashola noted that the administration has already done a lot in addressing the problem of developing a new site that is more conducive to their business and living. “It is a choice you have to make ”, he told the people. “You have to decide whether or not you want to relocate to a more decent environment to live and do your business or you stay here. But nobody should redevelop any property here until we complete our re-planning of this place ”, the Governor said.

‘Investors see real estate in Europe as a more favourable option ’

he climate is looking more favourable for real estate investment in Europe with many viewing the Eurozone debt crisis as a potential stimulus for activity, a new survey shows. According to report from Property Wire, among more than 500 real estate investors across 15 countries in Europe surveyed in late 2012 by Ernst & Young, there is a change in perception that is likely to boost sentiment. Investors still view most European countries as attractive investment destinations, particularly for non-Eurozone countries such as the UK. The survey also found that investors expect transaction volumes to rise, driven in large part by cross border investments and think green building standards are playing a key role in many markets. However, they also perceive that speculative project developments are returning only gradually in many markets. Overall they expect stability and also some growth potential for prime offices

or rising prices for prime retail and residential property in most European countries. ‘Global capital markets are yet to regain pre-crisis levels of liquidity, but there are suggestions that the economic climate is looking more favourable for real estate investments. Both volumes and transaction size in 2013 are likely to exceed levels seen in 2012, ’ said Hartmut Fründ, Global Transaction Real Estate Leader. The report also highlights that while some new regulations are likely to make traditional sources of financing harder to access for real estate investors, alternative sources of debt funding could become more plentiful. Almost three quarters of investors surveyed say that the continued weakness in the Eurozone economy will strengthen European investors ’ activity in the real estate markets. This highlights the ongoing flight into real estate assets by investors around Europe.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aviation

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The recent craze for acquisition of private jets among Nigerian billionaires is having a massive effect on commercial airline business as potential passengers now own jets or fly chartered flights to their destinations. OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

istaJet is one of the world ’s leading luxury private aviation companies with headquarters in Switzerland and major offices in few countries like London, Salzburg, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Beijing and Lagos being the only office of the aviation company in the continent. Also, private jet manufacturers and dealers have found a ready market in Nigeria. Indeed, Bombardier and Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, both jet manufacturers, are smiling to the banks courtesy of Nigerian billionaires. Overflying the Nigerian airspace today are some of the best and, of course, most expensive private jets these companies have on offer. In the past, private jet owners were mostly in oil companies, the Presidency and some very few individuals, but today, governors, politicians, legislators, religious leaders and top executives in telecommunications and banking have joined the exclusive list of jet owners in the country while those who do not own jets travel on chartered flights. Ironically, while business is booming for private jet operators and manufacturers in Nigeria, the commercial airline business is shrinking daily with several challenges confronting their operations and hundreds of Nigerian employees thrown out of jobs each day due to lack of support from the relevant authorities. Popular among Nigerian billionaires today are Hawker Siddley 125-800 and 900XP, Gulfstream 450, 550 and 650; Bombardier Challenger 604, 605; Global Express; Embraer Legacy and Falcons among others. Besides, over 70 per cent of jets flying in the Nigerian airspace today come with foreign registrations, which make regulations by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) impossible while most of their employees are also foreigners. The questions on the lips of many aviation stakeholders and professionals are ‘why is it that Vistajet Aviation only has an office in Nigeria and not in other countries in the continent? Why the sudden interest in jet acquisition by Nigerian billionaires? And why are these jets registered in foreign countries like South Africa, Kenya and United States of America among others and not in Nigeria ’s call sign, 5N? A recent report revealed that the craze for private jets rose by 650 per cent between 2007 and 2012 in Nigeria. According to the report, as at 2007, there were just about 20 private jets in Nigeria, but as of today, the report claimed there are about 200 and that Nigeria is one of the fastest growing private jets markets in the globe. But, NCAA said that the figure being peddled by some reports are not the true position of things. The regulatory agency put the figure at about 67 and disclosed that most of the jets are registered abroad for various reasons. Sources close to NCAA confided in National Mirror that between 2010 and 2011, Nigerian billionaires acquired at least six private jets for a combined fee of about $225m (N36bn). In fact, in the last four years, acquisition of private jets has been

Challenger 604 Jet , loved by Nigerian billionaires for cruising.

Private jet ownership increases as commercial aviation nosedives BUT AGAIN, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IF INDIVIDUALS OWN JETS, BUT IT IS OUR MENTALITY

THAT IS MAKING US TO MAKE MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLE HILL on the increase. Some Nigerians with preference for luxury jets include Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chief Mike Adenuga, Barr. Jimoh Ibrahim, Sir. Joseph Arumemi-Johnson of Arik Air, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Sam Adeyemi and several state governors among others with affluence. Dangote in April 2010 acquired a Canadian made Bombardier Global Express XRS with a Rolls Royce engine at an estimated cost of $45m (N6.75bn). The eight-passenger aircraft, with registration number, N104DA, according to the source, is regularly parked at the General Aviation Terminal near the Associated Airlines ’ hangar whenever it is not in use while Adenuga equally purchased a Bombardier Global Express XRS. Both Dangote and Adenuga own at least two private planes each. A source close to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) told National Mirror that for landing and parking charges, owners of private jets pay about N118, 717, which also depends on the weight of the aircraft as at the time of touching down at the airport. The charges to be paid on parking however depend on the state of residence of the owner of the jet. For instance, if the owner of the jet resides in Lagos, he would not pay parking charges for parking at the Lagos Airport, but if it is outside the state, the owner pays for parking at the airport. Unlike the commercial aircraft that are charged per hour, private jets are charged daily. Also, it is not cheap to own and maintain a private jet. On average, it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to maintain a personal plane. A member of the Aviation Round Table and an aeronautic engineer with the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways Limited, Engr. Sheri Kyari, listed the costs associated with the ownership of private

jet to include scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, keeping the flight crew, landing and parking charges and the use of Air Operator ’s Certificate (AOC), which usually belongs to airlines, among others. Kyari, added that some unplanned expenses also occurred from time to time. The immediate past Managing Director of Aero Airlines, Capt. Akin George, recently condemned the increasing number of private jets in the country. He was particularly peeved that most of the private jets carry foreign registration credentials, rather than Nigerian registration. The decision to register the jets in foreign countries, particularly in South Africa, it ’s said to be informed by the notion that in case the owners want to resell the jets, they would warrant a bigger value from buyers. George urged the authorities to make registration in Nigeria friendly and attractive, noting that all the aircraft in Nigeria were registered in company ’s names, rather than private names. However, the Media Assistant to the Director-General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, Mr, Sam Adurogboye in an interview with National Mirror informed that private jet falls under general aviation while scheduled operations come under commercial fights. He explained that general aviation does not require the owner having an AOC because of the size of its operations, stressing that the owner only has to put his jet under an AOC holder who will be held responsible for the insurance, maintenance, qualified crew and others. He insisted that the regulatory body cares less about owners of private jet or commercial airline operators. He said it is the responsibility of security agencies to carry out background checks on intending owners of airline operators He said, “NCAA is not interested in who owns an airplane; there are agen-

George

cies to do that. To run an airline, you go through security checks, security agencies play their roles. That is why they carry adverts in the media to get necessary information about the person. The security agencies will check the source of your money and not the NCAA. Everybody have their roles to play. That is why you can not categorically say a particular person owns a particular jet. ” On foreign registrations by jet owners, he said, “There are two types of aeroplanes; foreign and local registered. For every foreign registered, the country of registration has oversight over the airplane, whether it is general aviation or commercial, but all the same, we still carry out oversight functions on them especially if their operation is dangerous when they fly into our airspace. “We can stop the crew from flying, but we can ’t say we ground its operations and we will contact the country ’s of registration Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on what next to do. This affects all of them; small or commercial aviation. “Most of the private jets are registered abroad because of so many reasons like cost over value, insurance premium, which is a little bit lower abroad. They want to save cost and the third reason is to cover their identities because of persistent questioning from people. But again, there is nothing wrong if individuals own jets, but it is our mentality that is making us to make mountain out of a mole hill. ”

Aviation

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

NCAA warns National Assembly over interference in safety oversight STORIES: OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), last week warned National Assembly members against political interference in the oversight function of the agency, saying that such interference may affect the rating of the country in international aviation community. The Director-General, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren said this while reacting to the joint committee on aviation report on the crash of Dana Air and Allied, which stated that the agency did not comply with its procedure in re-issuing AOC to Dana Airlines. Demuren insisted that the agency complied with the laid down rules on issuance of AOC to airlines, saying that the AOC process is the most intense, technical and comprehensive safety process NCAA engages in. He said, “With greatest humility and respect to the distinguished senators and honourable members, these types of considerations may be construed as political interference in safety regulations, which the Senate President and Joint Committee at the beginning of it ’s sitting and public hearing explicitly stated that it had no intention to do. “With due respect to the powers of the National Assembly to

Demuren

conduct oversight, a strict and intolerant construction of this exercise is certain to compromise our certifications and violate our international obligations. The AOC process is perhaps the most intense, technical and comprehensive safety process the NCAA engages in. It is a 5 phase process, which includes flying the aircraft in demonstration flights for 50 hours without passengers in the 4th phase. “The only people on the aircraft are the crew and NCAA safety inspectors. It also involves analysis of technical and other operational manuals and processes of the airline including number of crew and their qualifications and evidence of the plan or program for carrying out both light and heavy re-

pairs on the aircraft of the airline. The process is exactly the same for every airline. The same process that certified Arik, is the one Dana went through. After the crash, Dana has undergone the rigorous AOC recertification. ” Besides, on the report of the joint committee, which stated that Demuren was unqualified to be the helmsman in the agency under the Civil Aviation Act because he was not licensed or type-rated on any aircraft, Demuren informed that what the law required in Section 8(2)(d) of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 was that the Director-General should only posses relevant and adequate professional qualifications, which he must have had for at least 15 years. He insisted that there was no provision in the law that required the Director-General to be licensed or type-rated on any aircraft, but noted that he is a design and maintenance engineer and type rated on Russian aircraft, Ilushin 62, with NK-8 engines with other local and international qualifications and memberships. Demuren, however, concurred with the recommendation of the joint committee, which stated that all aviation agencies do not have well-trained employees and implored the joint committee to support the agencies in increasing the technical-know-how of the personnel in the agencies.

Etihad to commence Abu-Dhabi-Amsterdam ights in May

he national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Etihad Airways last week announced the launch of daily flights between the airline ’s home-base of Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The new EY77 and EY78 services will commence on Wednesday 15, May 2013 with the KL code of Dutch national carrier, KLM. An online statement signed by the airline ’s media consultant in Nigeria stated that the daily flights will complement KLM ’s current service between Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi, which will increase to daily from the Summer and carry Etihad Airways ’ EY code, ensuring that the two airlines can offer a combined double daily service. The Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Etihad and KLM, James Hogan and Peter Hartman respectively at a press conference disclosed details of the expansion of the codeshare agreement between the two airlines. James Hogan said, “We are delighted that Amsterdam will become a part Etihad Airways ’ global network from 15 May. The Dutch capital joins a group of 17 leading European cities that Etihad Airways flies to including Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, London and Paris. “The double daily service be-

tween Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi will benefit passengers looking to travel from the Netherlands to Abu Dhabi and beyond to destinations like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia. “This is indicative of Abu Dhabi ’s growing importance as a global hub. In addition to Amsterdam, Etihad Airways will also launch flights to Sao Paulo, Washington D.C., and Ho Chi Minh City in 2013. ” The statement added that strong demand for the Etihad Airways service is anticipated from the Dutch community in the UAE, which consists of more than 5,000 Dutch nationals and 300 Dutch companies. Bilateral trade between the Netherlands

Etihad Airways

and UAE is currently valued at US$3.6bn. Etihad Airways said it will operate a two-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft on the new Amsterdam service, configured with 22 seats in Pearl Business class and 240 in Coral Economy class, offering each week a total of 3,668 seats between the two capital cities. The codeshare expansion will see Etihad Airways placing its EY code on KLM flights to Stockholm, Aberdeen, Barcelona, Bergen, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Leeds/Bradford, Madrid, Nice and Toronto. This adds to the current codeshare flights to Billund, Cardiff, Newcastle, Oslo, and Stavanger.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

FAAN and private investors ’ crises

ast week, users of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos were taken aback by a brawl between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and one of its supposed concessionaires, AIC Hilton Hotel over the construction of a hotel within the complex. This was not the first time the agency would be having dispute with its private investors over agreements signed and sealed, but later reversed after some critical observations. However, Airside feels most of the agreements signed in the sector in particular and the country in general are tailored to favour concessionaires at the expense of the government and the Nigerian people. Inasmuch as Airside will want agreements signed to be followed to the letter by parties involved, Airside is equally bothered about an agreement with a 50 years lifespan! According to the promoters

of the hotel, the Federal Government through FAAN concessioned the parcel of land to it in 1998 for 50 years under the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) scheme, but not quite long after the country moved from military rule to civilian, the game plan changed. Airside feels there are moral questions in the whole crisis, how many countries concessioned its assets to private companies for 50 years anywhere in the world especially in the global aviation industry? How did both parties arrive at 50 years concession period? Was the bidding process transparent or was it based on ‘man knows man ’ basis? Who were those that signed for FAAN during the transactions? How much of its annual revenues will be remitted to the coffers of the agency throughout the concessioned years? Airside awaits the response of industry professionals and stakeholders on this prickly issue.

Celebrating Capt. Dele Ore @ 70

n January 10, 2013, one of the most respected and authoritative aviators in Nigeria and maybe in the West African sub-region, Capt. Dele Ore clocked seven decades on earth. Although, the celebration was low key, but he deserves to be celebrated by all and sundry. Some professionals and stakeholders, especially those in government, may not agree with his objective criticisms on some critical issues in the sector, but no one can fault his love and unbiased passion for the growth of the aviation industry in Nigeria. Ore, after his retirement

as Director of Operations in the defunct Nigeria Airways went ahead to study law and was called to the bar after the completion of his programme. He ’s one of the few aviation lawyers in the country today. He is one of the few professionals who know their onions in the sector and have been very consistent over the years with his criticism despite the barrage of attacks on his persons by some ‘powerful ’ helmsmen in the sector. Airside wishes Ore many fruitful years ahead. Ride on, the people ’s Captain.

Lufthansa Group increased trafc performance in 2012

ll the airlines in the Lufthansa Group significantly improved utilisation in 2012 through more effective and more flexible capacity management. An online statement sent by the airline ’s media agents in Nigeria, stated that more than 103 million passengers flew with airlines in the Lufthansa Group last year. In total, Lufthansa, Germanwings, SWISS and Austrian Airlines carried 2.5 million or 2.4 per cent more passengers in the January to December term than in the previous year. All the group airlines profited from more flexible capacity management, while capacity overall rose by 0.6 per cent, sales at the passenger airlines

grew by 2.2 per cent. The passenger load factor improved across the Group by 1.2 per cent to an overall 78.8 per cent. Lufthansa German Airlines carried 74.7 million of the total passenger count, an increase year-on-year of 2.4 per cent. Passenger numbers rose on the previous year in the Middle East/Africa and Europe traffic regions. The number of flights dipped by 1.3 per cent. Lufthansa increased capacity by an overall 0.2 per cent, largely by deploying larger aircraft. The airline, simultaneously, sold more than the additionally available seat-kilometres. Revenue-seat kilometres rose by 1.3 per cent so that the seat load factor improved by 0.8 percentage points to 78.1 per cent.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurance

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Health insurance scheme still in a shambles The Federal Government established the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2005 to provide easy access to healthcare for all Nigerians at an affordable cost through various pre-payment systems. OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO reports that presently only about six per cent of Nigerians are covered due to serious flaws in the scheme’s implementation.

n a country where only the wealthy can afford access to quality healthcare, a health insurance scheme would be the most logical way of bridging this gap. But obviously, this has not been the case with the National Health Insurance Scheme virtually in a shambles. The many problems and inability to adequately provide social health insurance in the country can be traced to the poor budgetary allocations to the NHIS and the non-passage of the Health Bill by the National Assembly among several inadequacies. A social health insurance scheme is one where the policyholder is obliged or encouraged to insure by the intervention of a third party. For example, government may oblige all employees to participate in a social security programme employers may make it a condition of employment that employees participate in an insurance programme specified by the employer; an employer may encourage employees to join a programme by making contributions on behalf of the employee; or a trade union may arrange advantageous insurance cover available only to the members of the trade union. Contributions to social insurance programmes are usually paid on behalf of employees, though under certain conditions non-employed or self-employed persons may also be covered. But since the official launching of NHIS in 2005, the scheme seems not to have had any meaningful impact in the lives of majority of Nigerians. Indeed, investigations by National Mirror revealed that only about six percent of Nigerians have health insurance coverage. Initially the NHIS was to be patterned after the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom and experts have said that until this is done, Nigerian citizens will not have access to health insurance. Others have called for total overhaul of the system. The NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in United Kingdom. It is the largest and the oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, in a similar fashion to the funding model for fire departments, police departments, and primary schools. The system provides healthcare to anyone normally legally resident in England, and also any other part of the United Kingdom should a person from another UK area be travelling in England, for example), with almost all services free at the point of use for all such people. The idea of the NHS being free at the point of use is contained in its core principles from the original NHS set-up, which are non-negotiable at the beginning but have variously been open to some interpretation over the years. Some specific NHS services do however require a financial contribution from the patient. Since 1948, patients have been charged for some services such as eye tests, dental care, prescriptions, and aspects of long-term care. However, these charges are often lower than equivalent services provided by a private health care provider. However, the NHIS scheme established under Act 35 of 1999 by the Federal Government of Nigeria is aimed at providing easy access to healthcare for all Nigerians at an affordable cost through various pre-payment systems. According to the Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Abdulrahman Sambo, the scheme is totally committed to securing universal coverage and access to adequate and affordable healthcare in order to improve the health status of Nigerians, especially for those participating

National Hospital Abuja

PRESENTLY, 5,949 HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, 24 BANKS, FIVE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THREE INSURANCE BROKERS HAVE ALSO BEEN ACCREDITED AND REGISTERED in the various programmes and products of the Scheme. Given the general poor state of the nation’s health services and the excessive dependence and pressure on Government provided health facilities, with the dwindling funding of healthcare in the face of rising cost, the Scheme is designed to facilitate fair financing of health care costs through pooling and judicious utilization of financial risk protection and cost-burden sharing for people, against high cost of health care through institution of prepaid mechanism, prior to their falling ill. This is in addition to the provision of regulatory oversight on Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and other players in healthcare delivery. According to him, “Commencement of services to enrolees started in September 2005. Till date, over four million identity cards have been issued. So far 62 HMOs have been accredited and registered and more applications are being processed. “Presently, 5,949 Healthcare Providers, 24 Banks, five insurance companies and three insurance brokers have also been accredited and registered. In the list of states that have so far shown their interests are; Rivers, FCT, Benue, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom while Cross River State has fully rolled in. As a matter of fact NHIS is adjudged as one of the fastest growing social health insurance schemes in the world. The contributions paid cover healthcare benefits for the employee, a spouse and four biological children below the age of 18 years. More dependants or a child above the age of 18 would be covered on the payment of additional contributions from the principal beneficiary. However children above 18 years who are in tertiary institutions will be covered under Tertiary Insurance Scheme. However, industry observers have faulted the scheme on the grounds that it enriches the Health Management Organisation (HMOs) to the detriment of the users, which include the hospitals who are offering the health services. The question however is whether the Federal Government have been able to deliver through the NHIS fair financing of health care costs through pooling and judicious utilization of financial risk protection and cost-burden sharing for people, against high cost of health care through institution of prepaid mechanism. A medical doctor who spoke with National Mirror on condition of anonymity said presently many corporate bodies are withdrawing from the scheme owing to the fact that their staff were not getting adequate treatment from the NHIS accredited hospitals.

Minister of Health, Oyebuchi Chukwu

“Most of them have withdrawn and the doctors cannot be blamed for this because apart from the fact that HMOs do not pay capitation as and when due, the poor capitation and other incentives paid to these hospitals limit patient care,” he said. A banker, Mr. Wole Adeyemi, whose bank was part of the scheme but merged post consolidation with another bank that have never joined the scheme said his new employer has paying them their medical allowance directly. Adeyemi said he prefesr the present arrangement by his new employer to his old employer as he was not getting good treatment and service. Chief Medical Adviser, Academy of Traumatology & Medical Sciences, Prof Babatunde Solagberu, in an interview with National Mirror said he believes the NHIS meant well but the best assessment can be obtained from users of the programme, who complain of several inadequacies and the private hospitals themselves who feel that many of the patients that should come to them keep going to the tertiary hospitals. Solagberu whose organisation carried out a research on the operation of the HMO and health insurance generally in the country noted that indeed the first Chairman of the NHIS itself declared that government’s failure to vote at least 15 per cent of its yearly budget to the health sector remains a challenge. Asked if he thinks the NHIS has failed the Nigerian people, he said, “It depends on what you interpret as failure. “Success and failure are both continuums and not absolutes. Certainly, NHIS has not met its goals and I believe the operators are listening to the yearnings of the stakeholders to reposition the scheme. When new ideas are able to supplant the NHIS if it does not innovate, then you can talk of failure. I believe one new idea is the innovation called Refundable Healthcare Financing. Buttressing his point, he said the history of the HMOs is very clear and those who know its origin in the 1990 when promoters visited the United States of America and other countries have affirmed the poor vision in its establishment in Nigeria. CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

Insurance

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health insurance scheme still in shambles CONTINUED FROM 37

He noted that America has gone on to Obamacare and keeps innovating. “One major issue of HMOs in Nigeria might also be that it is like putting the cart before the horse. How can you talk of maintaining something that is below standard? Most of the healthcare provisions in this country require a repair process. I believe that after a repair process you can talk of maintaining the standard. That is the holistic view behind the operation of Refundable Healthcare Financing. “The major problem with the HMOs is that many hospitals complain of non-payment of the bills of patients that they have treated for the HMOs. The clients complain that many diseases are not covered and they are given substandard drugs. Many of the clients still spend out of pocket to finance their health. Thus, what was meant to be solved, spending out of pocket is being encouraged. “Meanwhile the philosophy of healthcare lies in compassion and knowledge base of the healthcare provider. My experience over the last 25 years being involved with patients either in public or private setting has been that many patients remain grateful to you after paying their bills by giving you gifts or further passing great remarks about you to so many about your performance treating them. “The Refundable Healthcare Financing brings with it the compassion and skill in healthcare that makes patients appreciative. Secondly, the HMOs complain too that they would want government to make it compulsory. I see this as a laughable idea or an admittance of failure of the concept. It is like MTN or Glomobile saying that government should make use of mobile communication compulsory. I think an essential service like health could only thrive when efficiently run. No compulsion is required. Patients are not stupid and if they see satisfactory service they would increase their patronage. I think HMOS should stop looking for compulsion and face rendering efficient service.” “In our research, we found out that Outof-Pocket spending (OOPS) in Lagos State is about 78.2 percent in a survey of 1,939

Mark

people polled in August 2011. Some 85 per cent were not satisfied with the services received through HMO and some 70 per cent of them still spend out of pocket after having purchased health insurance. What is most outstanding is that none of the about 120 private hospitals that ATMS is partnering like the operations of the HMOs. “Indeed, at a national conference we convened at Abuja in June 2012, the President of the Guild of Medical Directors lamented that the private hospitals are an endangered species from debts owed them by the HMOs. “I can tell you that a particular major bank, one of the top three, has never allowed HMOs into their operations while another major bank that once was with HMOs have now left the scheme and getting back to another means of running the financing of the healthcare of its workers in the last two years.” The professor opined that the HMOs have polluted the market with offers of cheap payments which are not sustainable in the presence of poor operation of the services provided. He added that many corporate clients are attracted by the huge promise of very low spending noting that most companies would love to spend less or not at all on healthcare of their staff even though they would love to be thought of as caring for the welfare of their staff.

Segun Ogundimu

They actually do both successfully, funny enough. For many, profit is the only word, he said. Speaking on the way forward, the professor said there are so many ways but they must conform to compassion and applied knowledge which the Refundable Healthcare financing stands for. “Patients want a refund of unused funds. Funds contributed must be utilised for what it is meant for. Patients believe in reality and they make arrangements for taking care of bills overshot at their convenience. With RHF, negotiation of bills takes place on behalf of the patients so they get great service at affordable price. Professor Obinna Onwujekwe, a health economist at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka at the recently held Medic West Africa conference late last year on Universal Health Coverage said there is a need for new ideas, as well as more health for money and more money for health. Managing Director of Clearline, a Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO), Dr Segun Ogundimu, had earlier said only three million Nigerians are enrolled in the NHIS. The situation according to him is worrisome for organisations like his that have been agitating for affordable and quality medical care for Nigerians. Ogundimu said HMOs have been in the vanguard of ensuring the success of the

NAICOM bemoans premium payment delays MESHACK IDEHEN

he Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission, (NAICOM), Mr. Fola Daniel has said part of the reasons insurance companies are unable to settle claims promptly could be attributed to the delay or non-payment of insurance premium by the insured. According to him, most insurance companies make huge provisions for outstanding premiums in their books annually, which invariably affects their bottom-line and thus, their ability to settle claims as at when due to the insured, make profit, pay dividend to shareholders and attract investments to enable growth.

A statement by the NAICOM chief also noted that the situation is unhealthy and dangerous to the insurance industry, adding unless the trend is halted that it is capable of driving the industry into extinction. Daniel said it is regrettable that government at all levels in the country are the major culprit in this regard, saying also that the commission has noticed that budgetary provisions for insurance of government assets and properties are either inadequate or in most cases not made at all. “Where the provisions are made, payments of premium to insurance companies are either delayed for months or the fund redeployed to meet other needs by ministries, departments and agencies of government which is in clear breach of Section 50 (1) of the

Insurance Act 2003.” Furthermore, Daniel said the implementation of the No-Premium-No-Cover rule as contained in the Insurance Act 2003 is already being implemented, adding the relevant sections of the country’s Insurance Act which stipulates that the receipt of an insurance premium shall be a condition precedent to a valid contract of insurance and that there shall be no cover in respect of an insurance risk, unless the premium is paid in advance will be fully enforced this year According to him, only insurance covers for which full premium have been received in advanced, either directly by the insurer or through a duly licensed insurance broker, are recognised as insurance contracts in the eyes of the law.

programme as crusaders, urging the Federal Government to be alive to its responsibility of revamping the sector. “The concept of the Retail Health Insurance Scheme is a deliberate strategy to create massive awareness about the NHIS in order to sensitise Nigerians on affordable health care that does not take all their life earnings. The scheme is also designed to make health services available for Nigerians irrespective of their socio-economic background. Nigerians should not wallow in ignorance and poverty, thinking that quality medical attention is not their right. “The slow pace of the envisaged growth of the NHIS in Nigeria has led to a re-thinking and re-strategising by HMOs especially, Clearline International. “At Clearline, our core competence is in pooling funds from individuals, unions, associations and corporate organisations, managing the funds with a sound understanding of medical practice and financial management, to provide qualitative health care services to the enrolees through a network of accredited reputable health care providers spread nationwide. We provide qualitative, equitable and affordable health care for all,” he added. Deputy National President, Health Care Providers Association of General and Private Medical practitioners of Nigeria (HCPAN) Dr. Jimmy Arigbabuwo on his part explained that the primary intention of the scheme was to follow the steps of the NHS in the UK. It would be recalled that HCPAN had in recent past being at loggerheads with the HMOs over the debts they owe doctors (service providers) to the tune of billions of naira. According to him, the problem of the scheme has to do with subsidy gap. “The problem the NHIS is facing is how to bridge thye subsidy gap and government is not ready to pay the balance. We have suggested and proffered solutions to the Government but they are not listening. “We even suggested that they can use some part of Value Added Tax (VAT). They can even link with MTN and ask everybody using phones in the country to sacrifice five seconds from their airtime for their health insurance but nothing has been done yet. He affirmed that only about six percent of the country of the entire nation is covered. He stressed that the community based insurance that would have covered the informal sector is being frustrated by the same problem of subsidy gap. He however said that there has been some improvement and HCPAN is building a strong relationship between the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), the HMOs and NHIS. “A national committee was set up among the four of us of which I am a member of the board and I am hopeful that a lot of the issues hindering the success of Scheme will be resolved. “If the citizens are not feeling the impact, it is because changes in the Scheme are just revolving and it may take some time before we start reaping the dividend. “The new NHIS boss, Sambo has inherited it from the former executive secretary, Dogo Muhammed and we are working to resolve our differences.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Capital Market

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at January 21, 2013 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

CONTINUED FROM 13 ing a people’s constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose source of authority, as the supreme law of the land, is the people, acting in a national conference and a referendum, otherwise called a Peoples’ Constitution. “The purpose of the conference is to enable the people of this country, as members of ethnic groups and as individuals, to deliberate and agree on how they are to live together in peace and unity, and to work out a programme of ensuring development and progress for the benefit of all Nigerians and for promoting nation-building and integration of the various ethnic groups in the country in equality and freedom, and the continuing development of the Nigerian nation,” The Patriots said. On the make-up of the proposed conference, the group explained: “The Patriots believe that a national front comprising itself, Project Nigeria, Afenifere, Arewa Consultative Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Northern Elders Forum, Middle Belt Forum, Conference of Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta, South-South Peoples Assembly and other civil society organisations, is necessary to facilitate the process of convening a national conference. “We (The Patriots) are at present actively engaged in efforts to create such front. When the effort is completed, a meeting of the front with Mr. President and leaders of the National Assembly will be organised, and a memorandum on the national conference submitted to them, accompanied by a draft bill on the subject, covering all aspects of it, particularly representation at the conference, election/selection of delegates, preparation of a draft constitution and its submission and adoption at a referendum.” The group further disclosed that it will approach certain persons who command reverence and credibility as “fathers of the nation” to join in appealing to the President and the leaders of the National Assembly to accede to the demand of a National Conference. Nwabueze said: “We are only postponing the evil day until we have a national conference. We must have it, if we don’t have it now; we will have it some day.” The group also spoke on the need for governance, saying: “A president imbued with a revolutionary ardour for national transformation can in a matter of weeks begin to make the people notice a change in the purpose and pace of government.” It listed the aspects of good governance which must be embraced to include: total respect for the rule of law; efficient and prompt administration of justice; predictability, objectivity and consistency in government measures; respect for the sanctity of contracts; zero tolerance for corruption and reduction of cost of elections among others.

Recurring decimal Other prominent Nigerians who had equally warned of a looming revolution of late are the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Ola Makinde and a former governor of Yobe State (now a senator), Bukar Abba Ibrahim. Makinde, in a recent media interview said: “When you keep people unemployed for a long time, you are asking for a revolution. And let me tell you, Boko Haram has become a revolution; they don’t kill

Revolution: The change Nigeria deserves

Nwabueze

Adebanjo

A COUNCILLOR IS EARNING MORE THAN A VICECHANCELLOR OF A UNIVERSITY OR A PROFESSOR AND YOU SAY THERE WILL BE NO REVOLUTION.

THERE WILL BE REVOLUTION

only Christians again, they kill Muslims now. They go into their homes while they are praying and shoot them. They are going beyond religion and it is becoming a revolution. The Niger Delta militancy case is a revolution. You can’t take resources from our place and develop the North, while you neglect us. A councillor is earning more than a vice-chancellor of a university or a professor and you say there will be no revolution. There will be revolution.” He however noted that a revolution will not lead to the country’s break-up, saying: “The revolution will not be restricted to any region because we have all got it wrong. I will not advocate for a break-up. Going our separate ways is not the answer to our problems. Getting it right and returning to God is the answer. The spirit of those who died during the civil war will not forgive us if we divide as a nation. To jaw-jaw is better than to war-war.” To Abba Ibrahim, the country risks a revolution unless the level of poverty is addressed to give the citizens a sense of belonging. His words: “Nobody wishes revolution to happen, they just happen. Revolutions are spontaneous reactions to certain situations; situations can get to a certain stage and people cannot bear it any more, everything erupts and then the revolution comes. So, nobody sees it coming but the elements are there, when the country is so blessed with so much resources like we are in Nigeria and yet everybody complains of being poor and suffering. “The poverty level is on the increase rather than decrease. These are situations that can push the poor to the level they cannot withstand again and then everything erupts. That is how it happens. The only thing we need to do is to be conscious of our ways. We need to take care of the poor. The resources are there, but we don’t just have the kind of leadership that will galvanise these resources for everybody to benefit.” On the capability of the present administration addressing the situation through its Transformation Agenda, the

former governor said: “Jonathan apparently seems to lack strong political will, but I hope he will have the power to introduce free education from primary to secondary level. If he does that and leaves in 2015, Nigerians will be happy with him.” Similar fear had also been raised earlier last year by former Head of State and the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 elections, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as well as Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka. While Buhari warned then that there would be a revolution if the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fails to address the social injustice ravaging the country, Soyinka cautioned that the security problems in the country, particularly the Boko Haram insurgency in the North is capable of leading to a violent change if nothing was done to arrest the trend. Buhari’s words: “Nothing can happen unless there is justice. The question of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leadership is that they don’t accept social justice. If there is no social justice in the country, in a question of time, there will be a revolution in one form or the other.” Soyinka, on his part averred: “If we fail to act now, some forces will take control of the affairs of the nation for selfish reasons as Nigeria, as a nation, has a lot in terms of natural resources to be coveted. The uprising we are experiencing in all aspects of our national life is a testimony to the fact that if nothing is done soon, violent change might take place.”

Possibility of a peoples’ revolt What is the possibility of a revolution in Nigeria? Many have asked. While some analysts and stakeholders have repeatedly dismissed the possibility of such, it is believed in some political quarters that grinding poverty occasioned by unemployment across the country may trigger a popular revolt as recently witnessed in the Arab world due to discontentment over disconnect between economic growth and employment generation as the case of Nigeria.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is among those that hold such conviction, it would be recalled, had late 2011 warned that “there is the possibility of having the Arab Spring in Nigeria if similar conditions; hardships and unemployment which gave birth to it are not addressed.” Another critical question being asked by some stakeholders is: What form should the proposed revolution take – reforms through constitutional amendment as envisaged by the present administration or a violent change of government? Revolutions have occurred through human history but vary widely in terms of methods, duration, and motivating ideology. However, their results have almost been the same - major changes in culture, economy, and socio-political institutions within a relatively short period of time. Those in support of reforms are of the view that though a revolution may bring the desired change, it is likely to be wrongly executed given the religious, ethnic and tribal barriers demarcating the Nigerian nation. To them the various sectional vigilantes may cash in on such and turn it to an ethnic cleansing. They further opined that there would be no need for a violent change of leadership with the ongoing reforms by the present administration to address and strengthen the nation’s socio-economic factors and weak political structures. Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, had at last year’s Chief Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture/Symposium organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, argued that instead of a revolution, Nigerians should be seeking how democracy could be deepened. He said: “The forcible removal of long standing dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and other places cannot be compared to crises attendant to security challenges emanating from the incompetence of security agencies and disagreement over policy choice between the government and the people.” Founder and president of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Fredrick Fasehun is also of the view that a bloody revolution would not work in Nigeria. “I want to let Nigerians know that not all revolutions are bloody but unfortunately that is the conception here; nobody wants to die in a revolution; we are not advocating for bloody revolution in this country, but a revolution that will bring about change,” he said. While some members of present leadership seem to believe that a people’s revolt is unlikely with the smooth transition from one administration to another since 1999, they should realise that wherever conditions for revolutionary change exist; responses are usually determined by class interests and subjective imperatives of living conditions. President Jonathan, it would be recalled, admitted to this fact in 2011, when he warned that the nation risks a revolution unless the government provides jobs for the youths roaming streets. He said then that “in four to five years time, if government did not create jobs to accommodate those leaving schools, the youths of this country may revolt against constituted authority.”

Politics

THE

PARLIAMENT

The Senate, last week, set up a committee to investigate the alleged irregularities that marked recent recruitment exercises in the nation’s civil service, police, military and para-military services. GEORGE OJI writes that given the alleged degree of involvement of the lawmakers in the employment racketeering, it will be difficult for the committee to do a good job on the assignment.

he action of members of the red chamber last week was to a large extent reminiscent of the Biblical story of the woman caught in adultery. When the Scribes and Pharisees brought the woman before Jesus, they reminded Jesus of the Mosaic law, which prescribed that the adulterous woman should be stoned to death. Jesus was quick to tell the woman’s adversaries that, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” The rest, according to the scripture, is history. Last week, the Senate debated a motion on the, “Employment irregularities in the Nigerian Immigration Service and other ministries, departments and agencies in Nigeria.” The motion, which was sponsored by Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, offered an opportunity for the lawmakers to self glorify and pour all manners of invectives on ministers, heads of ministries and departments and agencies of government for allegedly abusing the recruitment exercises thoroughly. Like Jesus in the story of the woman caught in adultery, it was only the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Awisu Kuta (Niger Central) that urged caution and admitted that they too equally over-reached themselves in the exercise. Kuta was frank to admit during his contributions to the debate on the motion that, “Unfortunately what has happened is that almost everybody is guilty of this offence. Many of us, particularly parents are desperate for our children to be employed but it is unfortunate that somebody who is qualified cannot get employment unless he has enough money to pay for that.” On his part, Ekweremadu actually painted a more vivid picture of how the lawmakers get involved in the recruitment scandals. “Every day we receive hundreds of requests for letters of recommendations, then they come back and tell you that they (employers) said unless you get a letter from your senator you will not get employment. I consider it a blackmail. “They will not tell you that they are employing in so and so place, all they tell you is that they needed a letter from you and then they employ the person. You explain to the person that it does not work that way. When the pressures continue, eventually you write a letter and they will come back to you and say they (employers) want

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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Bribe-for-job: Moral burden

you to make a phone call, sometimes they even tell you that you should go and see the man. So, I believe it happens to everybody here. That is the problem,” Ekweremadu explained. Indeed, there is no running away from the fact that members of the National Assembly had their hands, feet and perhaps their entire bodies enmeshed in the recruitment irregularities that took place, particularly last year, both in the police, military, para-military as well as the MDAs. As a matter of fact, there was hardly any recruitment exercise in any of these places that the lawmakers did not nominate their own candidates. To say the least, the employments were quotarised. In almost all the instances, the slots were shared among the lawmakers, ministers, chief executive officers of the organisations, top officials of the supervising ministries, other top government officials like the Vice President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Head of Service etc. as the cases may be. “There is no lawmaker in the National Assembly who can in all honesty look Nigerians in the face and say that he or she did not write notes or lobbied to employ his candidates in all of those employments. You know them now, particularly members of the House of Representatives, they demanded it as a matter of right. Even when some of the organisations said they were not employing, it was the lawmakers that would tell them to do so,” a director in one of the Federal Government’s establishments told National Mirror. Continuing, he said, “When you try to oppose some of them, they will not waste time to remind you that ‘don’t you know that we are the representatives of the people, can’t you see the amount of pressure that we are facing. If they do not come to us where else will they go? If you insist on challenging them, they will come up will all manners of threat, sometimes they will even raise the issue of budgeting and want to let you know that you will run into trouble with your next budget. They come with all manners of pressures,” the director said. At a stage, particularly last year, the National Assembly became like an employment bureau, where job applicants troop in every working day of the week seeking to obtain notes from their representatives to enable them secure jobs. In some instances, many of the job applicants had their letters of employment delivered to them through the lawmakers. One lady was overheard last year at the lobby of the National Assembly telling one of her friends that she was just from the office of a lawmaker, where she had gone to collect her employment letter after he (the lawmaker) had persisted her for long to come for the letter. All that went on unannounced until the Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment scandal blew open last year and exposed how 4,000 job offers were secretly filled by a few top officers of the service in collaboration with other top government officials and lawmakers. In the motion last week by Senator Bagudu, he said the Senate Committee on Interior was awash with complaints from various job seekers, complaining about practices that are discriminatory and not in compliance with laws of this country

Jonathan National Assembly complex

Ekweremadu Mark

I WAS APPROACHED SEVERAL TIMES TO BRING

N500,000 FOR

MY CONSTITUENTS TO BE EMPLOYED.

THE

I AM

SENATE LEADER

AND IF PEOPLE WERE NOT AFRAID TO MAKE SUCH DEMANDS FROM ME...

and their disadvantage. This was in addition to media stories of employment irregularities in many other MDAS. The lawmaker in particular, invited the Senate to note with serious concerns the media stories on irregularities in employment at the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other MDAS. He noted also that according to the statement credited to the Comptroller General of Immigration, the over 4,000 employment slots were approved by the Federal Govern-

ment but were allegedly sold to job applicants and some allocated to various other personalities. Bagudu said due process involving advertising for interested members of the public to apply was not observed. According to him, the employment letters were also allegedly offered for sale between N400,000 and N500,000 by the syndicate whose operations are based in Gwagwalada, Karu and other places. He further observed that the recruitment exercise favoured some states of the federation, which is a total negation of the federal character principle. He proposed that because the recruitment exercise embarked upon by the Nigerian Immigration Service and others have generated a lot of criticisms and outcry from the general public, the Senate should accordingly resolve to mandate its committees on Interior and Federal Character and Inter Governmental Affairs to carry out a holistic investigation into the matter and report to the Senate within two weeks. However, at the end of debate on the motion, the prayer for the Senate Committees on Interior and Federal Character and Inter Governmental Affairs to investigate the matter was amended to assign the inquest to the Committees on Federal Character Commission, Labour and Employment. Kuta, who spoke immediately after Bagudu’s lead motion expressed concern that

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Politics

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

for Senate to discharge

PEOPLE THINK OF THEIR IMMEDIATE ETHNIC GROUPS

WHEN IT COMES TO

EMPLOYMENT.

THIS IS

BEGINNING TO BRING A LOT OF FRUSTRATION TO THOSE WHO HAVE ACQUIRED

QUALIFICATION, BUT CANNOT BE EMPLOYED

Ndoma-Egba

Rose Uzoma, former Immigration boss

employment was gradually becoming an exclusive preserve for the highest bidders in Nigeria and disclosed that the Senate, particularly the Senate Committee on Federal Character, which he chairs had tried to see what they could do to reduce the menace. The lawmaker said he had discussed with the Federal Character Commission and found out that one of the problems is the indiscriminate issuance of certificate of compliance to MDAs by the commission. According to him, the action of the Federal Character Commission was found to have encouraged a lot of irregularities in the recruitment exercises by the MDAs through their agents. Kuta said the problem was not only limited to the civil service but also includes the military and paramilitary organisations. The police, he said, are also guilty of what is happening. The lawmaker revealed that in most establishments, there are agents who go about collecting money from applicants to see one or two people in these organisations to get employment for them. According to him, “The report we have from the FRSC showed that over 41 people were found to have issued fake letters of employment after collecting over N300,000, N400,000 and N500,000 from innocent applicants. Also in the Civil Defence since 2007, over 500 fake letters of employment have been issued out but have been traced.

“In the Customs Service, right now, students are undergoing courses in Lagos and out of the number, 41 have been discovered to have fake employment letters after paying for it. The 41 people have been dismissed and we are urging that they should also be prosecuted along with those who facilitated their fake employment. “The ministers, the DGs, the CEOs of the various parasatatals are also guilty one way or the other. People think of their immediate ethnic groups when it comes to employment. This is beginning to bring a lot of frustration to those who have acquired qualification but cannot be employed because a particular person heading a particular place has decided to take only people from his area. “This will bring frustration, it will bring declining productivity, it will bring corruption and also not augur well for patriotic people of this country. Anybody who has been able to buy his way through and as a future leader, then it means there is no hope for tomorrow. Section 14(3)(4) of the FCC has spelt out penalties for the contravention of the FCC principles, but the penalties are so soft that we cannot do anything. “If you contravene the law you pay N50,000; it is only corporate bodies that pay N100,000. We may have to do something to ensure that the FCC principles are complied with.”

Senator Suleiman Adoke (Nasarawa Central) described the motion as timely because employment practices in the country and the corruption associated with them are becoming very alarming. He stated that the scandal was more worrisome because some of the federal institutions that are employing young Nigerians are very sensitive. He said if you take the Immigration, for instance, it is the first contact between this country and foreigners coming into Nigeria and when you employ people who are not patently qualified or their employment is so lopsided, you give the wrong impression that this country is dominated by one section only. The lawmaker stated that the more worrisome aspect of the job irregularities was that it does not allow for merit, stressing that we cannot afford not to have the best practices that is happening in other parts of the world. He said if the country’s best brains are not employed to transact business on behalf of the country with other countries of the world and then you employ people that are least qualified, it is something that is very worrisome. He said the FCC is there to reflect the diversities of the country. “I believe that there is no part of the country today that you don’t have qualified people if you give them the opportunity,” Adoke said. According to him, it was not enough for the Senate to make the condemnation but the people who will be saddled with the responsibility to investigate the shoddy practices must do an honest job of it because the corruption associated with employment in the country has become very scandalous because virtually every aspect of the Nigerian service is affected by it. While noting that the bribe-for-job scandal was everywhere, the lawmaker said it was just that the immigration’s own has come out in such a proportion that it has attracted public criticism, but I can assure you that there is such practices going on in every service in this country and it speaks very poor of us. For Ekweremadu, our children are the victims of the unprecedented unemployment situation in the country. He said a situation where the bulk of the population is unemployed makes room for manipulation and exploitation, which according to him had given rise to problem at hand. Ekweremadu said he had been privileged to be the Secretary to a State Government and he knows the basic procedures for employment. Explaining this, he said: “if a vacancy

is created, that position is to be advertised and people will be invited for interview.” The lawmaker regretted that in Nigeria, we hardly see any public announcement or advertisement that there is a vacancy in any public service. According to him, how they employ people is certainly a miracle and mirage for some of us. He said a situation where you have for instance state commissioners or controllers or whatever they call them and some states will have like five of such and some states will not have, is certainly unacceptable. He urged that, in addition to the recruitment, the deployment of senior staff should also be investigated, saying that is why the Senate has the Committee on Federal Character. According to him, if it is going to take them one whole year to do this, it will be worth it so that “we will be able to deal with this especially where ministers take full advantage of their positions against the rest of the people.” Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba disclosed that at least in three different occasions in December 2012, he was approached by three different people who apparently came to him for favours by telling him that certain agencies were employing but that each opportunity would cost N500,000. For him, the lawmaker said it was not a hearsay, saying “I was approached several times to bring N500,000 for my constituents to be employed. I am the Senate Leader and if people were not afraid to make such demands from me then you can imagine what is going on further down the social ladder.” Ndoma-Egba’s concern was the development is going to encourage what he described as dynastic poverty; that is poverty in a situation where the grandfather is poor, the father is poor, the child remains poor and the grandchildren would eventually be poor. According to him, “If you are selling employment, it means that it is only those with the money, the rich that can get employment for their children and their wards; the poor will be perpetually shut out and if you shut out the poor, the problems we are experiencing in Nigeria today will get compounded.” The implication, he said, was that we are unwittingly lighting a fuse for society just because of short term gains. “We are planting a time bomb and when that bomb explodes, the problems we are having today will be child’s play.” The second implication of the bribefor-job scandal, according to the lawmaker, was that when you have a child from poor background, who has applied himself to his studies, has made good grade, hoping that his qualifications will entitle him to certain opportunities in this country and he is denied those opportunities, it would ultimately discourage education. He said people will definitely lose interest in education, they will resort to sorting; sort out lecturers, sort out question papers and at the end of the day “we will lose the capacity to move this country forward.” According to him, the situation was a clear evidence of systemic failure, clear evidence that we have lost our values. “Immigration has been mentioned but I believe it is not the only place involved. It came to the fore because of the share volume of opportunities created. But it is something that is happening everywhere,” Ndoma-Egba said.

Politics

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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Rot in Police College: ACN commends Jonathan’s visit, decries comments CNPP warns against witch-hunt

FELIX NWANERI

he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his surprise visit to the Police College in Ikeja last week, to see the decrepit state of the training institution. The party, however, decried the comments made by the President during the visit, saying the President again dropped the ball by his comments. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said instead of using the occasion to tell Nigerians what his administration will do to uplift the training institution and many of its likes across the country, the President chose to berate imaginary enemies who are bent on embarrassing his administration, and also questioned how Channels TV managed to film the rot in the college.

The party stated: “Mr. President, those comments were totally unnecessary, and they put a damper on what would have been a great moment for you. A surprise presidential visit is always a good strategy for leaders to see things in their real state, without the usual window dressing that heralds scheduled visits. But it must be properly managed to achieve the maximum effect. Failure to make the best of that moment is akin to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.” The ACN said the expose by Channels TV shows that the media is alert to its watchdog responsibility, hence it should not matter how the TV station gained access to the college or who was behind it. The party said the President can still make amends by making a policy statement on how his administration plans to turn around the fortunes of the police college in particular, and all the police training institutions across the country in

general, as part of a general effort to improve the overall welfare of the men and women who are saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of all citizens. “Subjecting police men and women to dehumanising and demeaning conditions, the type exposed by Channels TV, during training means we cannot and should not expect them to be exemplary after their training. Nothing good can come out of what we saw in that college. “Terrible as the state of the Police College in Ikeja is, it represents a tip of the iceberg when compared with the pervasive rot in police barracks and police stations, as well as the generally poor welfare of the police. “Therefore, there is no better time than now for the administration to embark on a concerted effort to reverse the rot. It may also not be a bad idea for the President, who was reportedly angry and shocked at what he saw during the visit, to order a probe into how the

institution deteriorated so badly, with a view to prevent a recurrence,” it said. Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) on its part warned the Federal Government against witchhunt over the report that exposed the rot and dehumanising conditions under which police recruits live in the institution. According to the CNPP, more of such exposé would come up in the coming months and how they are handled would be the yardstick for assessing President Jonathan’s administration. The CNPP said in a statement by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu that: “Punishing the commandant of the college or harassing Channels Television on the allegation that they out to embarrass the President is hardly the response Nigerians expect in the face of such national rot. What they want is action and a commitment to halt and reverse the decay that beset the country.” The group added: “Presi-

L-R: Lagos State Permanent Secretary,Ministry of Education, Mrs Omolara F. Erogbogbo, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; the Provost, Micheal Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCOPED), Prof. Olu Akeusola and Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa during the presentation of the 2012 TETFUND Special Intervention approval letter to the MOCOPED’s Provost, at Noforija Epe, yesterday.

dent Jonathan should rather confront the problems of the Nigeria Police Force as an institution head on instead of reading political meanings into what most Nigerians have always suspected that a group of people feed fat on funds meant for security while institutions are allowed to go to rot. “Our expectation is that the Minister of Police Affairs, Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Inspector General of Police and contractors for the Nigeria Police Force should

C21 applauds new Ohanaeze leadership OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

South East sociopolitical group, the Committee 21 (C21) has commended the newly elected leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and urged them to assert themselves quickly to recover the lgbo socio-cultural integrity and moral content. Speaking on the election, the president of C21, Senator Annie Okonkwo said: “The conclusive election of the Garry lgariweyled team and the popular transmission of authority to them by our august past leaders is a welcome impetus for a speedy rev by the endowed team.” Okonkwo emphasised that Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as the apex socio-cultural leaders of men and women of all lgbo in Nigeria and the Diaspora, have in this particular election spoken with unambiguous transparency that the day has come when we must move forward stronger and cleaner. “The humble path of honour, we the people owe

Anger spurs me to performance in Akwa Ibom – Akpabio CONTINUED FROM 15 leave for the next government. I would leave that in my handing over note that the next government should focus a lot on that. But I am sure that for every single contract we give out, employments are being created. Foreign contractors doing the projects are not working with foreigners, except supervisors, they are working with Akwa Ibom people. For every single job that we give out, hundreds and thousands of Akwa Ibom people are being employed at any point in time. At the same time, we are also trying to bring in industries because that is the focus now. In 2008, when I realise that alumini-

um company may collapse because they didn’t have enough gas, I have to sign an agreement with an energy company that I will buy gas from them at $2 per cubic feet and then distribute it straight to independent power plants and aluminium smelter company. So they are in with an investment of over $350 million. We are also trying to do an underground gas pipeline through to NIPP in Calabar to supply gas through that project. By February, we are going to get Mr. President to come and commission that gas processing plant. We have also sent a lot of our children abroad for training. When I came on board, in the whole state, we were having

be made to explain the rot in the college and other police training schools.” “He should also find out why policemen are responsible for buying their own uniforms or why divisional police station are responsible for fueling patrol cars.” The conference further noted that the shame uncovered at the institution should not be swept under the carpet with ceremonial committees and probe panels as was the case with other similar probes in the past.

one consultant and that was already in the ministry as a director. I have to employ additional 30 medical consultants to come and be attending to children and others in the hospital. Today, I have sent a lot of doctors abroad to study in different places so that they can come back and offer services to the people. Then I also realised the need to have additional institutions because of the increase in enrolments in the state. It is the policy of the state that any child who is a Nigerian is entitled to free education up to senior secondary level. So there is no discrimination at all with the policy in the state. Any school that you see that has not been

them, is supportive seamless followership, so that for once in our recent history, the Igbo agenda in Nigeria can be heard with the loud strength of our courage and unity,” he added. Reacting to the insinuations in the media that the Ebonyi State government is planning a sponsored breakaway, Okonkwo observed that Governor Martins Elechi, being the eldest of the South-East governors will not abandon the wisdom of maturity for theatrical misadventure. “In fact, I’m certain that at his age and in his position, he will not dance the beat that lacks class, nor attract applause,” he said. The C21 president therefore urged the new leaders to see the speculated dissent as the baptismal test for their skills in engagements and conflict management, because, according to him, “every Igbo man, not the least our elder Governor Elechi, must enjoy his reassuring space under the accommodating comfort of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo umbrella.”

refurbished, were handed over to the missions and even when I indicated interest in renovating those schools, the missions instead want money for the refurbishment and I said I am not giving them money. So any missionary school, whether primary or secondary school, that allows us to step in to intervene, I would step in and that also include hospitals. There is, therefore, no way any government will avoid the aspect of capacity building. The future of the country lies in education and I am hoping that if my children cannot get employment on the basis of quota, they should get employment on the basis of their skills.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror The biggest challenge in governance is urban renewal

NDLEA arrests 378 drug suspects

DELTA STATE GOVERNOR, EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN

Woman jailed for killing own child ADEOLU ADEYEMO, OSOGBO

middle aged woman, Yidiat Bakare, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by an Osogbo Magistrate court for killing her own child. The accused was said to have deliberately thrown her threemonth-old baby into a river in Ifon-Osun, headquarters of Orolu Local Government Area of Osun State on January 10th, 2013. Community Mirror gathered, the accused had quarreled with her husband, Amodu Bakare for refusing to give her housekeeping allowance.

Because of this, the accused threw her child into the river. Police prosecutor, Mr Oladoye Joshua, told the court that” the act of the accused person resulted in the death of the child and therefore had committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 325 of the criminal code, cap 34 voll II, laws of Osun state of Nigeria 2003.” Counsel to accused person, Mr Jimoh Daramola pleaded guilty to the one count charge against his client. In his judgement, the presiding magistrate, Mr. Olusola Aluko, sentenced Yidiat to five years imprisonment with hard labour without an option of fine.

Police officers brawl in public FRANCIS SUBERU

t was a show of shame at the Isolo Police Division, Okota, Lagos last week, as a woman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) publicly insulted a male Assistant Superintendent of Police over case handling. Community Mirror gathered that the Traffic Officer, identified as Beatrice Agbator, was seen raining abuses on ASP Peter, even as she prevented him from getting into the office. The incident took place in the full glare of visitors and complainants at the division, even as the Divisional Traffic Officer (DTO), DSP Dare, could only call for calm. It was gathered that ASP Bea-

trice was angry with Peter for daring to investigate an accident case from the DPO, without her consent. Beatrice was observed as saying: “Come and go for the assignment and let us see. Your mates are carrying guns to fight armed robbers; you are fighting for accident case. You are an idiot and useless man who calls himself an officer,’’ While lamenting his ordeal, Peter, said he had no business with Beatrice, pointing out that he got the assignment directly from the DPO. “I was in my office, when the DPO instructed that I handle an accident case and report back to him. Where is the problem with that? Am I supposed to say no to my superior”? Supol Peter added.

Group tasks new Ohanaeze boss on Igbo unity NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

he Ohaneze Media Forum, OMF, has hailed the election of Chief Gary Igariwe, as President General of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, the apex socio-cultural group uniting Ndi Igbo. According to the body, the election signals a new dawn in the affairs of the ethnic group, considering his wealth of experience in the affairs of Ndi Igbo, which he has championed over the years. In a communiqué issued and jointly signed by the major principal officers of the Ohaneze Media Forum, led by Peter Anosike, the Forum implored him to unite

Ndi Igbo, as the first step towards achieving the desired progress in the land. “We have utmost confidence and joy in the emergence of a man as distinguished as Gary Igariwe, who has a deep wealth of experience in the affairs of Ndi Igbo. His election marks a new dawn in the quest for pan-Igbo unity and progress. We want him to bring this experience to play in the unity of Ndi Igbo, and preservation of Igbo culture and values. He must also use the position to galvanise the various groups towards the wellbeing of the average man in the land, while forging a peaceful alliance with other ethnic groups for equity and justice.”

Some commercial porters waiting anxiously for clients on Broad Street, Lagos.

PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Oyo to remove beggars from streets

KEMI OLAITAN, IBADAN

ard times now await street beggars in Oyo State, as the government will soon evict them from major highways and motor parks. The state Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Barrister Lowo Obisesan, made the disclosure while speaking in his office on activities of the government towards making the state clean. He said all destitute, especially those engaged in street begging, are to be repatriated to their states of origin, even as efforts are on for the commencement of operation to clear all the highways and streets of beggars in the next two weeks.

He explained that all the street beggars evicted from highways and motor parks will be moved to Ajoda new town, where they will be rehabilitated and then repatriated to their various states of origin. Obisesan, disclosed that beggars and others to be affected in the exercise, will be given token amount of money to enable them settle down. Speaking on the ongoing demolition exercise in the state capital, he said the government is demolishing only illegal structures, contrary to rumours by some people. He said, “It is a pity that some people, especially those not comfortable with the achievements of Governor Abiola Ajimobi are alleging that the administration is busy demolishing everything,

whereas it is not so. I want to say that it is illegal structures that are being demolished. We are not demolishing any legal structure.’’ He then challenged those claiming that their legal property was demolished to come with any proof, stating that the government is ready to look into genuine claim concerning the demolition. The Commissioner said there was no storey building that was affected in the demolition exercise at the Ogunpa market area, saying “with records available to us, no storey building was demolished at the Ogunpa market during the exercise’’. He pointed out that all structures demolished in the area were those that flouted the 45 metre spacing from a stream or river as stipulated by Oyo State law.

Community Mirror

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NDLEA arrests 378 drug suspects ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

total of 378 suspects planting and selling Indian hemp and other psychotropic drugs were arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ekiti State in 2012.

The state NDLEA Commandant, Mr Bamidele Akingbade, said that 344 of the suspects were male, while 34 were female. Akingbade, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, the state capital said that the agency discovered and destroyed 1,889 acres of cannabis farms in addition

to prosecuting those arrested. According to him, 69 of the suspects were convicted and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment by the court. He said:”At the time under review, we counseled and fully rehabilitated 127 drug addicts. Among them are 120 males and seven females. We urge parents

who suspect their children are into drugs to bring them so they can be rehabilitated.” The NDLEA boss, who said the drugs were destroying the future of the youth in the state, appealed to landowners not to lease their lands to cannabis growers, as he accused them of luring younger ones

into taking the banned substance. Akingbade, praised the state government for donating a building to be used as rehabilitation centre for drug users, as he also appealed for more support, saying the agency lacked facilities to make it functional.

100 VVF victims empowered in Katsina JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

ore than 100 women treated for Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) disease have received vocational equipment, food items and cash donations worth millions of naira in Katsina State. The assistance by the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with Millenium Development Goals, MDGs, is aimed at empowering and re-integrating them into society. Speaking at the event, the state MDG boss, Isyaku Dikko, said beneficiaries were the third set of similar exercise to former VVF victims. Dikko, said they were trained for weeks on how to use the vocational equipment, while N7, 000 was given to them on monthly ba-

sis for their upkeep. Represented by MT Ahmed, who is MDG director for water and supply, Dikko said N50, 000 each would be given to 10 best trainees, while others would get smaller sums for business start ups. In her address, wife of the Governor, Mrs. Fatima Shema, called for more awareness among women as a way of addressing the problem of VVF in the country. Mrs. Shema also called on interested organisations to collaborate on promoting sensitization programmes on the disease. A total of 50 VVF patients from Katsina, Jigawa, Borno and Niger Republic who benefitted were given cash and vocational equipment. Some of the items distributed included 50 sewing machines, 50 grinding machines, 25 knitting machines, among other items.

NGO donates items to pupils OJO OYEWAMIDE

AKURE

Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) based in Baltimore, Maryland United State of America (USA), High Dimensions (HD), has distributed school uniforms, exercise books and writing materials estimated at several millions of naira, to pupils of Saint Paul’s Catholic Primary School, Agbogbo-Oke, Ondo town. Founder of the organization, Miss Korede Oladapo, also renovated the school fence and presented gift items and certificate to serving teachers in recognition of their dedication to duty and exhibition of hard work. Speaking at the event, Oladapo, said the gesture was aimed at complementing efforts of government and encouraging the students to strive for academic excellence and integrity. According to her, the NGO inaugurated two years ago, was to champion the cause of the lessprivileged in the society, especially those at the grassroots. She stated that the decision to

flag-off the programme in Ondo town was part of resolve to give back to the community what she had gained from it. She pleaded that the schools yet to benefit will be next in the exercise which would hold next year,even as she appeal to philanthropists, public spirited individuals, and indigenes in Diaspora to always assist the needy in society.

Two kid hawkers trying to complete their trading account in Lagos.

Badagry inaugurates MDGs committees TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

he Chairman of Badagry Local Government Area, Hon. Husitode Moses Dosu has formally inaugurated two Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) committee to transform Badagry Council Area. Speaking, Husitode charged the committee members to be dedicated and cooperate with

the President’s representative on MDGs and the technical adviser, Mr. Rotimi Toviho. The council boss said that Badagry is fortunate to have been selected as a beneficiary of two projects which include health and education. His words: “These two laudable projects are practical evidence of dividend of democracy. I am sure that on completion of our community based projects on both health

Ubulu-Uku people urged to respect authorities

he people of Ubulu-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State have been urged to respect constituted authorities, even as they are implored to shun all nefarious activities to enable the ancient kingdom make more meaningful progress. A Mass Communication scholar, Dr.Charles Ikedikwa Soeze, gave the advice at a lecture titled “Moving Ubulu-Uku forward through patriotism: Our roles” during the occasion of Ubulu-Uku Day at palace of His Royal Majesty (HRM), Obi Edward Akaeze Ofulue III, Ag-

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

bogidi, Obi of Ubulu-Uku kingdom. The guest speaker said that a good citizen and patriot must honour the duties and obligations ascribed to him by constituted authorities and must not to engage in unruly behaviour. His words “A good citizen and patriot must be faithful and loyal to constituted authority and not oppose every policies and proposal without proffering alternative”. According to Soeze, to build, project and protect the UbuluUku of our dreams, all hands must be on deck in order to promote richer and improved

life for everyone. He added that such lifestyle results from the passionate activities undertaken by individuals and groups towards the attainment of the positive results that they have greatly desired. Dr. Soeze disclosed that the dream of Ubulu-Uku people should be that which will promote richer and improved lifestyle for everyone,even as they must reap the results of good leadership by understanding and acting out what it entails. This can only be achieved if people, regardless of who they are, begin to take responsibility for their lives and communities.

and education, Badagry would be a role-model to other local governments.” The 15-man Planning Committee include Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Setonji Sunday Balogun, Council Manager, Prince Olujobi Sunday Adegbola, Hon. Demawu Taiwo Abimbola, Hon. Pot Balogun, Chief Owolabani, Samuel Amosu. Others are; Dr. Solomon Oyetoyan, Mr. Olushola Gbesoevi, HOD Education; Mrs. Princess Adeniyi, Council Engineer, Engr. Olufemi Joseph; Secretary Local Government Education Authority, Mr. Segun Onilude and Planning/Budget Officer, Mrs. Bose Vaugher. In his address, the Technical Adviser, Mr. Rotimi Toviho, stated that the committee is basically composed of technocrats, even as he enjoined members to see themselves as field officers to identify and determine the needs of the people which are paramount and essential to their existence. “This task is not office or sedentary job, rather the community leaders must be carried along,” Toviho advised.

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Police arrest 27 for murder, robbery, abduction in Anambra CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

olice in Anambra State yesterday announced the arrest of 27 suspects for various offences such as murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. The suspects were arrested this month. Two of the suspects, including one Okechukwu, were arrested for the murder of former Imo State Protocol Officer, Lazarus Anyanwu, nine for armed robbery and 16 for kidnapping. Also during the month, the police said they recovered 10 different vehicles and large quantity of arms and ammunition from suspected criminals. The Commissioner of Police, Bala Nasarawa, announced the arrest of the 27 suspects at the launch of the Code of Conduct for Officers and Men of the state Command in Awka. Nasarawa disclosed that the two murder suspects

South East

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

were arrested by men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS. He said that one of the kidnappers was killed during an encounter with the police, while six kidnap victims were rescued during the period. The commissioner assured that police would not relent until kidnapping and other serious crimes were eliminated in Anambra State. Nasarawa also spoke on the progress the police had made in the investigation of the bodies dumped in Ezu River, Amansea, last weekend. He said: “All the corpses are male adults. We have discovered that there was no gunshot wound or machete cut injury on the bodies of the victims.” The commissioner also disclosed that so far 18 bodies had been recovered, out of which three were taken for autopsy conducted by a police pathologist.

Nasarawa said the code of conduct was aimed at providing all members of the Police Force with set of principles and standards of behaviour, either while on duty or offduty. He added that it was expected to guide all police officers not to exceed their authority in the enforcement of law and to conduct themselves in accordance with the constitution.

Igbo must succeed Jonathan, says Ohanaeze TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

he Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze said it would go along with President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to either run or not in 2015. Addressing a maiden news conference in Lagos, the newly elected National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Chief Tonnie Oganah, said the President was constitutionally empowered to seek re-election at the

expiration of his tenure except he declined. He said: “After Jonathan’s tenure is completed either in 2015 or 2019, it will be the turn of the Igbo for the Presidency. “What we are saying is that the Igbo, being a major player in the country, are entitled to the Presidency and it is their turn. “If President Jonathan declines to run in 2015, it then makes it quicker for the Igbo. The bottom line is that an Igbo man will succeed Jonathan whether in 2015 or

2019. “Either way, we are not against him. We will urge Nigerians to give him the necessary support needed to make life better for Nigerians until his tenure expires.” Stressing the need for Igbo presidency, Oganah tasked political parties to have the Igbo Presidency in mind in selecting their flag bearers for the presidential election. He said all Ohanaeze and indeed the Igbo wanted was to get their fair share of leadership of the country.

UNN produces 116 first class graduates DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

bout 116 students of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, have graduated with first class honours. The institution’s ViceChancellor, Prof. Bartho Okolo, who disclosed this, said that this year’s convocation comprised 18,150 first degrees/diplomas as well as 1,730 higher degrees. Classification of the degrees shows that 1st class honours are 116; 2nd class honours (upper division) – 4,405; 2nd class honours (lower division), 10,048; 3rd class honours, 2,633; pass 154; diploma/unclassified, 794, bringing the total to 18,150. Okolo also disclosed that 195 students would be awarded doctoral degrees, masters (1,266), post graduate diploma (269), making it a total of 1,730 in the postgraduate degree category. He announced that the conferment of bachelor’s degree and other certificates of the institution would take place on January 25, 2013, while the grand finale, which would be the con-

ferment of higher degrees and post graduate diplomas, would hold the following day.

L-R: Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bala Nasarawa; Governor Peter Obi and others at the sight of recovery of some bodies dumped at Ezu River in Amansea, Awka North Local Government, yesterday.

Imo youths protest abductions, ritual killings CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

bout 1,000 youths yesterday took to the streets of Owerri to protest the rising cases of kidnapping, ritual killings and other heinous crimes in Imo State. The protest, which start-

ed around 9am, grounded vehicular movements along major streets in the state capital, resulting to gridlock, especially around the entrance to the Government House. However, stern looking security men fought hard to prevent the aggrieved youths from gaining access

to the Government House and the state Police Headquarters. However, the protesters, who wore black shirts and trousers, were not deterred by the presence of armed policemen and soldiers, as they chanted anti-police songs and demanded explanation from the police on the cur-

rent security situation in the state. The leader of the protesters, Emeka Ohasiri, said the protest, tagged: “Black Monday,” was a peaceful walk through Owerri to create awareness on the mounting insecurity in the state. He said: “We are trying to register our displeasure over

the killings, arson, armed robbery and kidnapping and we want to bring it to the notice of the state government because we can no longer keep quite while the state is overrun by insecurity. “The most worrisome is the incessant kidnappings which have continued unchecked.

Expect stable power supply Obi’s achievements laudable, says UNICEF soon –Maku C O CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

he Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, has said that Nigerians would soon begin to enjoy stable power supply with the near completion of 10 new power plants being built across the country. Maku spoke yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital. The minister is on a threeday working visit to the state in continuation of the National Good Governance tour. He said President Good-

luck Jonathan was at the verge of giving the country stable power supply. Maku also told the gathering at the Government House that in addition to the 10 new power plants, the Alaojin Power Plant at Umuahia, Abia State with 504 megawatt capacity and Geometric Power Plant to generate 188mw would be completed before the end of the year. According to him, with the completion of these power plants, the perception of how people think about Nigeria in terms constant power supply will change.

HARLES AWKA

KEKE

nited Nations International Children Emergency Fund, UNICEF, “A” Field Officer, Mr. Charles Ncuzi, has commended Anambra State Governor Peter Obi for his developmental strides. Ncuzi gave the commendation yesterday during the Anambra Children Town Hall Meeting held at the Women Development Centre, Awka. He said Obi’s commitment to work and the welfare of his people was unparalleled. The field officer said it was always humbling to see the

governor interact with the grassroots, visit schools and see things for himself around the state. Ncuzi said he was particularly moved by the governor’s practice of giving his phone numbers to school prefects to call him whenever the need arose. He linked the desire of international partners to work with Anambra State to Obi’s passion for excellence and said that UNICEF would continue to strengthen the partnership with the state, especially on issues affecting children. The field officer also thanked the governor for the state child law, promotion

of early child education and provision of basic tools to missionary, government and private schools in the state. He added that Anambra State was 100 per cent compliant in her efforts to conform to global best practices in the area of education. Speaking at the meeting, Obi, who described education as the best currency for competing in a globalised world, reiterated the readiness of his government to continue to do the right things in all sectors. The governor noted with excitement the improvement that has been made in Anambra State, especially in education and other key sectors since he took over.

South South

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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DELSUTH begins kidney transplant soon –Uduaghan G overnor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State yesterday said that the state University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) in Oghara would soon commence kidney transplant. Uduaghan disclosed this in Asaba, while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) led by its President, Dr Osahon Enabulele, on a courtesy visit. He said that the state government and manage-

ment of the hospital were collaborating with a university in Texas, United States in that regard. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit was part of the activities marking the seven-day 1st National Health Summit organised by NMA in Asaba. The governor said that the provision of world class facilities and expertise at the teaching hospital by his administration would end the quest by Nigerians for

medical treatment abroad. “We must develop the health sector in the country to provide international standards in the medical services. “This is to make the sector to become a big revenue earner for the national economy, in terms of medical tourism,” Uduaghan said. He decried the growing cases of unethical conducts by some medical practitioners in the country, saying that it is of great concern

to him. “The NMA must take bold steps to address the issue of unethical practises by its members, as they have dragged the image of the profession in the mud,” he said. Uduaghan charged the association to conduct “soul searching and house cleaning”, and said that the medical profession was noble and should not be allowed to be tainted. He commended NMA for choosing Delta for the sum-

mit, and said that he was excited about the number of participants, especially the elders in the profession, who had already arrived in Asaba. Enabulele had told the governor that the summit was historic because it was the first in the country, adding that Delta was chosen as host owing to its robust healthcare delivery programme. He said that the summit would seek ways to advance development in the

nation’s health sector. The NMA president said that more than 15 thematic professional issues would be addressed at the summit. Enabulele commended Uduaghan for his commitment to the development of the health sector, not only in Delta, but in the country as a whole. He said that the association would continue to collaborate with the state government in all its health programmes.

A/Ibom promises tax holiday to steel mill investors

he Akwa Ibom State Government says it will grant tax holiday to prospective investors in the steel and building materials sector of the state’s economy. Governor Godswill Akpabio spoke at the weekend when Mr. Alex Gbosi, the Chairman of Rigid Global Buildings, a United States-based steel building industry, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Uyo, the state capital. Akpabio said the state was prepared to partner with Rigid Global Buildings to boost its industrialL-R: Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu; Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Chairman, Senate Committee on ization drive. Health, Senator Chris Ngige, during the opening ceremony of the 1st National Health Summit by Nigeria Medical Association in Asaba, “I can assure you that Delta State, yesterday. you won’t make a mistake to invest here. Akwa Ibom State is a Free Trade Zone where major industries do not pay tax. “I would also recommend that you invest in Qua Steel Rolling Mill, with some “dubious” com- leader is resisting, even to tioned, denied the claim Eket, that has long been EMMA GBEMUDU munity representatives to the extent of bribing secu- that the company was med- abandoned,” Akpabio said. YENAGOA impose themselves on com- rity personnel to beat up dling into the election of He said that his adminmunities where the firm duly nominated KCRDC KCRDC to impose Tuduo istration was determined former militant operates. on the host communities. nominees.” to support and provide leader in Bayelsa Sese warned that the KEFFES is an acronym State, Keithy Sese, for Koluama, Ekeni, Fish host communities would yesterday urged Chevron town, Foropa , Ezetu and engage Chevron Nigeria he Chairman of the Gov. Chibuike Amaechi folNigeria Limited to stop Sangana – oil company’s Limited, if the state govRivers State Univer- low due-process in the reits alleged interference in host communities. ernment and other stakesity of Science and appointment of Fakae. KEFFES board election. Sese regretted that ten- holders failed to intervene Technology (RSUST) chapAmaechi had, in return, Sese said that the inter- ure of the KEFFES Com- in the issue in the interest ter of ASUU, Dr Felix Igwe, told the union that the law ference had been causing munity Regional Develop- of peace. on Monday denied the alle- gave him as governor of the disquiet among the people. He lamented that resi- gation that he had resigned state, the right to appoint a ment Council leaders had He said the development expired after four years, dents were still suffering his appointment with the vice-chancellor for the unicould trigger off violence but alleged that its Chair- from the January 16, 2012 versity. university. among residents of South- man, Christopher Tuduo, gas explosion that ravaged The governor said that The News Agency of Niern Ijaw and Brass local wanted to impose himself the host communities. geria (NAN) reports that the union could take the government areas of the on the people for another Effort to reach the ASUU and the University government to court if it state. KCRDC Chairman, Chris- Administration have been felt that the government did four years. The former militant He said: “The Chairman, topher Tuduo, was not in disagreement over the re- not follow due-process in leader, who spoke in an in- Christopher Tuduo, did not successful, but one of his appointment of Prof. Bari- the appointment exercise. terview yesterday with Na- perform effectively during loyalists claimed Tuduo Igwe told NAN in an inneme Fakae as the institutional Mirror in Yenagoa, his tenure, coupled with was qualified to seek for reterview in Port Harcourt tion’s Vice- Chancellor. the Bayelsa State capital, al- issues of corruption. The election. The union had on Au- on Monday that the resignaleged that the oil company’s communities needed a reA Chevron official, who gust, 2012 embarked on a tion claim was not true. officials were collaborating placement, but the former did not want his name men“This is absolutely unstrike action to demand that

Chevron accused of interference in host community’s election

land for immediate commencement of the investment. “We will provide you a land in the free zone area at the envisaged Ibaka Deep Seaport project so that as you produce you can also export. “If we build the industries in Nigeria, we would reduce the cost of construction because Nigeria has the market for building materials.’’ He also promised that the administration would supply the prospective investors with gas from the gas processing plant being built by Septa Energy in partnership with Akwa Ibom Government. Earlier, Gbosi said the company had expertise in steel manufacturing, made name in the building industry and designed the largest airplane hangar in Dallas, United States. He said that his company had put in more than 34 years in steel business and could supply and recycle all types of building materials.

Rivers varsity ASUU boss denies resignation claim

true; that is probably a propaganda that is designed to weaken other members of the union in their resolve for the proper thing to be done in RSUST. “I and the Secretary of the union had not resigned; we will not resign; we will be together to ensure that the proper thing is done in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology. “No member of the union had tended any resignation letter since we have been on strike and we challenge the university to produce the letters of resignation that we had written.

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North

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Two die in Niger Deputy Gov’s auto crash PRISCILLA D ENNIS MINNA

he entourage of the Niger State Deputy Governor, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, was at the weekend involved in a fatal auto crash resulting in the death of at least two

persons. The accident, National Mirror gathered, occurred along the Minna-Kagara road at about 10.30 in the morning. Eyewitness account said the incident happened when Ibeto was travelling to Kagara, the headquarters of

Rafi Local Government Area of the state on his way to attend the closing ceremony of the state Qu’anic recitation competition that was held there. It was learnt that the accident involved two persons that were on a motorcycle, a vehicle

ahead of the motorcycle and the escort vehicle of the deputy governor’s convoy. It was also learnt that the crash was caused by the rider of the motorcycle that was on high speed closely behind the car ahead of him, which lost control and hit the

vehicle that slowed down to dodge some portholes. The impact of running into the car caused the motorcycle to summersault and fell on the bonnet of the escort vehicle of the deputy governor. One of the motorcy-

clists was said to have died on the spot while the second person was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention, but later died. The state Police Public Relation Officer, Pius Edobor, confirmed the incident, when contacted.

Again, fuel queues resurface in Abuja CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

ong fuel queues have again resurfaced in most of the filling stations in Abuja and its environs. National Mirror reports that there were long queues of vehicles in some petrol stations in the city yesterday, while others were under lock and key. At the NNPC Mega Station in the Central Area, the queue was so long that motorists were worried that the fuel may never reach their turn. At the Conoil filling station opposite the NNPC Tower, the queue extended to about two kilometres causing Wuse-bound traffic to be blocked. Traffic on that route was diverted to other alternative routes. Efforts to get the cause of the long queue from the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Mr. Fidel Pepple, proved abortive as his cell phone was unavailable. However, some analysts said the queue may not be unconnected with the Federal Government’s alleged inability to settle oil mar-

keters, resulting in short supply of petroleum products. It will be recalled that the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, had earlier warned that there would be fuel scarcity if their claims were not settled. Accordingly, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA and Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farms Owners of Nigeria, JEPTFON, had given similar warnings. The associations had in a recent advertorial, entitled; “Warning of Imminent Fuel Crises in Nigeria,” called on the Ministry of Finance to pay their legitimate subsidy claims within seven days or risk fuel supply crisis. MOMAN’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, had said that its members were yet to be paid subsidy claims for the year, despite assurances from the Federal Government. He appealed to government to immediately pay their claims, so as to avoid fuel crises.

Bauchi State Head of Service, Mr Abdon Gin (left); Bureau for Information and Communication Technology, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal (2nd right) and Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda (seated), at the inauguration of the state’s bio-data capturing exercise in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Three-man gang responsible for soldiers’ attack –Police

he Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Katsina, yesterday said a three-man gang was behind last Saturday’s attack on the convoy of Mali-bound soldiers at Abobo village, on the Okene-Lokoja road. The commissioner, who made this known during a briefing in Lokoja yesterday, said

the high capacity Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, used by the suspects was manufactured less than 24-hours before the attack. Katsina said the soldiers were actually travelling on chartered civilian luxury buses to their destination when they were attacked by the hoodlums. He, however, said that no arrest has been made by the

police. According to him, the Army and men of the State Security Service, SSS, will meet in a few days to analyse and collate their findings on the incident. Katsina said that the police was making progress in its efforts to track down the suspects, adding that the state remained one of the most peaceful in the nation, in

spite of the incident. It will be recalled that two soldiers were killed in the attack while five others were seriously injured on Saturday. The soldiers were travelling in a convoy of two luxury buses when they were attacked at about 6.30 am. Expended shells of AK 47 rifles and one active IEDs were recovered from the scene, Katsina said.

Borno to provide free maternal health care Bauchi denies foreign loan for LG poll INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

etermined to reduce infant and child mortality in the state, the Borno State government has launched free maternal and child health care delivery programme across the 27 local government areas of the state. While launching the programme at the multipurpose hall of the Government House in Maiduguri, wife of the state Governor, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, said the programme, tagged; “Sauka Lafiya a Rayuwa,” meaning safe de-

livery and stay alive, is a deliberate attempt by the government to reduce maternal mortality rate and improve child health care delivery in the state. She said the launching of the free maternal health care is to fulfill the campaign promises of Governor Kashim Shettima to improve maternal and child health care delivery in the state. She said child delivery is a thing of joy and should not be a thing of sorrow, calling on pregnant women and nursing mothers across the state to seize the opportunity offered them by patron-

ising government health facilities nearest to them. Speaking at the occasion, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Salma Anas Kolo, said the state government is determined to establish functional health care facilities in all the 27 local government areas of the state. The commissioner said out of every 100 births recorded in the state, 16 deaths were recorded which is not acceptable; as such the state government has taken a bold step to reverse the ugly trend through the provision of free maternal health care facilities and drugs.

EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

he Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission, BASIEC, has debunked the allegation that the state is going to secure a foreign loan for the conduct of the forthcoming local government election in the state. Executive Chairman of the commission, Honorable Abdullmumini Kundak, denied the allegation in an interview with journalists in Bauchi at the weekend, saying though the money required for the local government election exercise was

huge, the state government will not resort to seeking loan from abroad that could put unnecessary financial burden on the state. His words: “We actually sought for support from overseas only in areas of capacity building, staff training and other logistics to facilitate and hasten the conduct of the election but we are not taking any loan.” Kundak reiterated that foreign democratic institutions could assist the commission with ballot boxes that would gulp over N500 million; the state government could be relived of such burden and the money

used to take care of other areas of need. The BASIEC chairman promised that the commission would conduct free and fair and credible election that will stand the test of time, nothing that political parties would be treated equally to wipe away the erroneous impression that the ruling party must win all the positions in all the local government areas of the state. He then appealed to politicians to put their house in order for future political engagements and the forthcoming local government election in the state.

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North

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Tragedy averted as police detonate bomb in Kano AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

L-R: Senator Muhammadu Magoro; former Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki and Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammed Ilisu Bashir, at the burial of Dasuki’s wife, Hajiya Goggo-Baba, in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Katsina NBA alleges neglect in minimum wage payment JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

he Katsina State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has decried the alleged neglect of the judicial workers by the state government in the implementation of the new minimum wage. The allegation was made in a statement signed by state NBA chairman, Murtala Kankia, following a joint meeting of the state Judiciary Staff Union, NBA unions from Katsina and Funtua senatorial zones, Law Officers Association of Nigeria and Shari’a Court Judges Association. The statement said the joint meeting was convened to “address the burning issue of non implementation of approved professional and other duty-related allowances”. It alleged that the state government had refused to pay judicial workers the new minimum wage sever-

al months after other state employees had begun enjoying theirs. According to the statement, judiciary staff workers, including state counsel and magistrates, were excluded in the minimum wage and that nothing has since been done despite “several correspondence and promises” made by

government on the issue. The statement said following the minimum wage increase for state workers, “the salaries of state counsel and magistrates became drastically reduced” and that the stance is “in contra-distinction with other workers in the state where salaries had almost doubled compared to their old sala-

ries”. It added that the decision of the state NBA would be known at a future date as meeting would be held for further deliberation on the matter. Efforts by to reach the state’s Commissioner for Justice to comment on the matter failed as his mobile phone was unavailable.

My sons are not violent, woman pleads PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

ajiya Aisha Abdullahi, the mother of an Islamic scholar, Sheik Isa Mohammed, arrested by security operatives has called on Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, to help ensure the release of her son. The islamic cleric, alongside his younger brother, Ahmadu Mohammed; a personal Assistant, Zuberu Adamu, were picked up

•Seek Aliyu’s intervention from the cleric’s residence in Bida area of the state in July last year in the middle of the night without granting his family access to him. Making the call in an interview in Minna, Hajiya Abdullahi expressed worry that since their arrest last year, the family is yet to meet with them in spite of several efforts made. She said that Sheik Isa was arrested with others by a police team in Bida on

July 25, 2012. Hajiya Abdullahi said: “I am worried because the absence of my sons is almost sending me to the grave and that is why I am begging Governor Aliyu and those in position of authority to help so that they are either charged to court or released if no criminal charges are found against them.” She described her sons as peace-loving persons, adding that they had not been a threat to security.

Al-Makura returns 2,000 violence victims home IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

overnor Umaru AlMakura of Nasarawa State yesterday returned over 2,000 violence victims to Bassa district, their ancestral home. They are those displaced during the EggonFulani communal crisis that broke out recently in some parts of the state in

which dozens of people were killed and property worth millions of naira destroyed. Speaking in Garaku, headquarters of Kokona Local Government Area of the state, Governor AlMakura assured the victims of adequate security. He said over 100 soldiers had been deployed to provide security for them. Earlier, the governor’s attempt to convince the

victims to return to their homes was resisted as they alleged another attack on them by their foes. But Al-Makura said their continuous stay in refugee camp would rather convert them to beggars which would not augur well for their children’s future. He said: “Soldiers are detailed to condone off your areas for a period of not less than one month depending on the security

outcome of given areas.” The governor advised the victims to be security conscious by reporting to the soldiers any strange movement within their vicinity as they return back to their homes. Al-Makura, in company of some soldiers, was, however, seen escorting some victims to their ancestral home in Bassa district of Kokona Local Government Area.

ragedy was averted in Kano yesterday as bomb disposal experts attached to the Kano State Police Command detonated an explosive abandoned near a second generation bank on Murtala Muhammed Way. The Police Public Relations Office, Mr. Magiya Magaji, said that the bomb was concealed in a bag and kept beside the bank. According to the police spokesman, the strange object attracted the attention of some customers and passers-by, who

promptly notified the bank’s management. The customers also notified the police of the development following which men of the bomb disposing unit were mobilized and dispatched to the scene. “The bomb experts upon examination of the object discovered to be an explosive and immediately blew it up at the scene of discovery,” Magaji said. The PPRO said there was no injury sustained by anyone during the exercise, pointing out that normalcy was restored to enable people continue with their normal businesses.

Kwara gets N2.8bn monthly allocation –Commissioner WOLE ADEDEJI Ilorin

he Kwara State Government gets an average of N2.8 billion monthly from the Federation Account. The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Prince Tunji Morohunfoye, told journalists that the government spent between N2.1 billion and N2, 2 billion of the amount to service loans, bonds and overhead costs. He, however, said the state government generates between N800 million and N1biion monthly.

According to the commissioner, the government had resolved to depend less on Federal Allocation for funds, but concentrate on its tourism, agriculture, aviation college and others for revenue generation. To enhance jobs creation for youths, the commissioner said the state government had entered into partnership with the City of Guilds of London to train people at the proposed International Technical School at Ajase Ipo. Meanwhile, he said some local government chairmen were being investigated for alleged financial improprieties.

Stop distracting Jonathan, group tells CPC JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

group called Vision for all Nigerians has called on the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to stop distracting President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. The group said the call became necessary to enable the administration concentrate on provision of good governance to Nigerians. In a statement yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, the group condemned comments credited to the Founder of Latter Rain Assembly and

CPC vice-presidential candidate in the last election, Pastor Tunde Bakare, that a revolution looms in the country in 2015 The statement, signed by the group’s president, Elvis Isa, urged Pastor Bakare to concentrate on how to win souls for Christ rather than dabbling into politics. The group, therefore, urged CPC to accept the fact that it was defeated in the last general elections. It said: “Pastor Bakare, since his party lost the 2011 presidential election, has not seen anything good in the Nigeria project. He is always predicting doom for the country at any slight provocation.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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World News “For me, the Congress party is my life. The people of India are my life and I will fight for them” – Heir to India’s Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, Rahul Gandhi

War in Mali: French troops retake two towns

rench and Malian troops have seized the key Malian towns of Diabaly and Douentza from militant Islamists, the French defence minister has said. A BBC reporter in Diabaly says the town bears the scars of conflict, with burnt-out vehicles and chunks of shrapnel strewn on the ground. Islamist fighters fled Diabaly and Douentza last week after a French bombing campaign started on 11 January. Egypt’s Islamist President

Foreign hostages killed in attack –Algeria

Mohammed Morsi has condemned France’s actions. “We never accept military intervention in Mali, because this will exacerbate conflict in the region,” he said at an Arab economic summit in Saudi Arabia. France has sent some 2,000 troops to help Malian forces fight the militants, saying it entered the conflict because the insurgents, in control of the north, were advancing south, threatening to turn Mali into a “terrorist state”. It has called on the West African regional bloc, the Economic

Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to speed up the planned deployment of a force of more than 3,000. Burnt-out vehicles destroyed by helicopter fire, chunks of shrapnel littering the ground and Malian soldiers picking through the debris - the scars of conflict in the small town of Diabaly. It is the first town to have been recaptured by French forces on behalf of the Malian government. A resident said hundreds of Islamists had occupied the town

earlier this month, and the Malian army was forced to withdraw when the insurgents used the population as human shields. It may also be that the Malian army was overwhelmed and needed French help to retake the town. Amongst all the destruction, there was a bizarre sight - the mayor of Diabaly walking through the sandy streets in a smart suit with his ceremonial sash of office across his chest. He thanked the Malian army and the French in every conversation he had.

lgeria announced a new death toll yesterday from the four-day siege at a natural gas plant, saying that 37 foreign hostages and 29 Islamist militants were killed. A Canadian was reported among those who took hundreds of workers hostage. One Algerian worker was also killed, another five foreign workers are still unaccounted for and three attackers were captured, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal told reporters at a press conference in Algiers, the capital. At least one Canadian was among the al-Qaida-linked militants that attacked the remote plant in the Sahara desert and kidnapped scores of workers, he said. The attackers also included men from Egypt, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Tunisia, as well as three Algerians, he said. He did not say whether the Canadian was alive or dead. He said a number of the hostages had been found killed by a bullet to the head. The press conference was the government’s first effort to provide a coherent narrative of events of the four-day standoff that transfixed the world after al-Qaida-linked militants raided a natural gas plant and took hundreds of workers hostage. The prime minister said the heavily armed militants came from neighbouring Mali carrying a great deal of explosives and mined the facility. They had prepared the attack for two months. Sellal justified the Algerian military helicopter attack Thursday on vehicles at the plant filled with hostages and Islamists, saying that his forces feared the kidnappers were attempting to escape.

French troops inspecting the charred remains of military vehicles used by islamist militants on the outskirt of Diabaly, Mali, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

‘Attempted coup in Eritrea’

ore than 100 dissident soldiers stormed the Ministry of Information in the small East African nation of Eritrea yesterday and read a statement on state TV saying the country’s 1997 constitution would be put into force, two Eritrea experts said. The soldiers held all of the ministry workers — including the daughter of the president — in a single room, said Leonard Vin-

Eritrea’s President, Isaias Afworki

cent, author of the book “The Eritreans” and co-founder of a Parisbased Eritrean radio station. The soldiers’ broadcast on state TV said the country’s 1997 constitution would be reinstated and all political prisoners freed, but the broadcast was cut off after only two sentences were read and the signal has been off air the rest of the day, Vincent said. By late afternoon there were indications the soldiers’ attempt would fail. A military tank sat in front of the Ministry of Information, but the streets of the capital, Asmara, were quiet, and no shots had been fired, said a Western diplomat in Eritrea who wasn’t authorized to be identified by name. Vincent stopped short of calling it a coup d’etat and said it wasn’t immediately clear if the action was a well-organized coup attempt or what he called a “kamikaze crash.” Later Monday government soldiers surrounded the ministry,

an indication the action by the dissident soldiers had failed, said Martin Plaut, a fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies in Britain. “It looks like it’s an isolated attempt by some soldiers who are completely frustrated by what is going on. But it wasn’t done in a coordinated manner,” Plaut said. “They did seize the television station, they did manage to put this broadcast out, but the government is still functioning calmly. There is nothing on the streets.” Eritrea is an oppressive and politically isolated neighbour of Ethiopia and Sudan situated on the Red Sea that broke off from Ethiopia in the 1990s. The U.S. government’s relations with Eritrea became strained in 2001 as a result of a government crackdown against political dissidents, the closing of the independent press and limits on civil liberties, conditions that the State Department says have “persisted to this day.”

No issue with UN drones in Congo –Rwanda president

Rwandan President Paul Kagame said yesterday he has no problem with a United Nations proposal to use surveillance drones in neighbouring Congo. Kagame told a news conference that if the U.N. thinks the drones will help achieve peace, then “let them do it.” He added that he doesn’t think Rwanda has the power to stop such a U.N. deployment. Earlier in January, the U.N. outlined its case to the Security Council to use surveillance drones in Congo for the first time but ran into opposition from Rwanda’s U.N. ambassador, who expressed reservations over the plan. Drones are being increasingly used in Western military operations but there are suspicions, especially in developing nations, that they will become a new intelligence-gathering tool for the West. Kagame also said he thinks an African peacekeeping force deployed to Congo would achieve better results than the U.N. force now there. That force, known as MONUSCO, has more than 17,700 U.N. peacekeepers and over 1,400 international police, but it was unable to contain violence between M23 rebels and the Congolese army that broke out late last year. Kagame reiterated denials that Rwanda has helped aid M23. Those accusations, contained in a U.N. report, have led several countries to suspend aid to Rwanda. “The bigger problem in DRC has not been identified and they prefer to see Rwanda as the problem. Even the Congolese themselves, if they continue to see Rwanda as the problem, then this situation is not heading anywhere,” Kagame said.

Oil tanker seized off Abidjan Armed men have seized an oil tanker off Ivory Coast’s main city, Abidjan, officials say. The Panamanian-flagged vessel, ITRI, was attacked on Wednesday as it prepared to deposit 5,000 tons of oil, officials said, releasing the information for the first time. Pirate attacks have sharply increased in recent years off West Africa. But most of these have taken place off the Nigerian coast, where oil is often stolen to be sold on the black market. Ivorian-based shipping company Koda Maritime’s deputy director Serge Constant told the BBC that 16 Nigerian crew were on board the ITRI boat, when it was seized by pirates. The attackers had fled with the vessel, which was now in Ghanaian waters, he said. “We are getting contradictory information about police operations so we don’t know what’s exactly going on”, he said.

emonial on the national g slain Martin and the ced the

World in Pix

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

US President Obama giving his inaugural address, yesterday in Washington.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

L-R: President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Speaker of the House, John Boehner clapping during the inaugural luncheon in Statuary Hall, Washington, yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERS

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Vive-President Joe Biden being sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, as his wife, Dr Jill Biden looks on, in Washington, yesterday PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Former US President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arriving for the presidential inauguration PHOTO: REUTERS in Washington, yesterday.

Obama calls for united America as second term begins CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

possibilities in future after years of economic despair and pressure the country has gone through the past four years. According to him, “We are made for this moment and we are going to seize it as long as we seize it together,” a statement which drew ovation from the over 800,000 strong crowd that converged on the nation’s capital to be part of the historic event. The inauguration was a traditional showpiece event with Obama taking his oath with his hand placed on two Bibles, one owned by Abraham Lincoln and that of civil rights leader, Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Obama later inspected the parade of the American Armed Forces as the Commander-in-Chief before the traditional motorcade parade from the Capitol to the White House which electrified the whole environment. Outlining his agenda for the next four years, Obama called for an end to the political partisanship that marked much of his first term in the White House in bitter fights over the

economy with Republicans. “We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat namecalling as reasoned debate,” Obama said from atop the Capitol steps overlooking the National Mall. Speaking in more specific terms than expected in a nearly 20-minute inaugural address, he promised “hard choices” to reduce the federal deficit and called for a revamping of the tax code and a remaking of government. The Democrat arrived at his second inauguration on solid footing, with his poll numbers up, Republicans on the defensive and his first-term record boasting accomplishments such as a U.S. healthcare overhaul, ending the war in Iraq and the killing of Osama bin Laden. But fights are looming over budgets, gun control and immigration, with Republicans ready to oppose him at almost every turn and Obama still seemingly at a loss over how to engage them in dealmaking. Obama, however, is sounding more emboldened because he never again

needs to run for election. When Obama raised his right hand and was sworn in it was his second time taking the oath in 24 hours - but this time with tens of millions of people watching on television. The president beamed as chants of “Obama, Obama!” rang out from the crowd. Obama had a formal swearing-in on Sunday at the White House because of a constitutional requirement that the president take the oath on January 20. Rather than stage the full inauguration on a Sunday, the main public events were put off until Monday. It was another political milestone for Obama, the Hawaiian-born son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas. Obama, 51, sought to reassure Americans at the mid-point of his presidency and encourage them to help him take care of unfinished business. “Preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action,” he said. Enthusiastic crowds still turned out on the National Mall but the euphoria of

2009 was gone. Touching on the kind of volatile issues rarely mentioned in inaugural speeches, Obama ticked off a series of liberal causes he plans to push in this second term. Most surprising was a relatively long reference to the need to address climate change, which he mostly failed to do in his first four years. “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations,” the president said. On gay rights, Obama insisted: “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.” And in a nod to America’s fast-growing Hispanic population that helped catapult him to re-election in November, he said there was a need to “find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity.” Obama, who won a second term by defeating Republican Mitt Romney

after a bitter campaign, opened round two facing many of the same problems that dogged his first term: persistently high unemployment, crushing government debt and a deep partisan divide. The war in Afghanistan, which Obama is winding down, has dragged on for over a decade. He won an end-ofyear fiscal battle against Republicans, whose poll numbers have continued to sag, and appears to have gotten them to back down, at least temporarily, from resisting an increase in the national debt ceiling. And Obama faces a less-dire outlook than he did when he took office in 2009 at the height of a deep U.S. recession and world economic crisis. The economy is growing again, though slowly. But he still faces a daunting array of challenges. Among them is a fierce gun-control debate inspired by a school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, last month, a tragedy he invoked in his speech. He said America must not rest until “all our

children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm.” Obama’s appeals for bipartisan cooperation will remind many Americans of his own failure to meet a key promise when he came to power - to act as a transformational leader who would fix a dysfunctional Washington. His speech was light on foreign policy, with no mention of the West’s nuclear standoff with Iran, the civil war in Syria, dealings with an increasingly powerful China or confronting al Qaeda’s continued threat as exemplified by the recent deadly hostage crisis in Algeria. But Obama said: “We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully ... We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom.” With Agency reports.

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Features

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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Declining fortunes of free, compulsory In 2007, the Kaduna State Government introduced free and compulsory basic primary education for children. Six years on, the once laudable programme has become a ghost of its former self, as residents are battling to access the initiative all over the state. AZA MSUE writes on the high and low points of the programme and its effect on the Almajiri syndrome.

bservers believe that quality education and good governance are main ingredients for national development. Various schools of thought say that it is the process of transmitting societal values and desirable attitudes from one generation to another. It seeks to socialize individuals and equip them with the desired mode of behaviour in conformity with the society they live in. For a nation to fully transform, the educational sector must be given the needed boost in terms of infrastructure alongside manpower which must be given the required training to match the challenges of imparting knowledge through the various methods of teaching, especially at basic primary education which is the foundation. Analysts observed that lack of access to basic primary education is responsible for the “Almajiri,” especially in the Northern part of Nigeria. The Almajiri which is derived from the Arabic “Almuhajirun,” meaning an emigrant, refers to one who migrates from the luxury of his home to other places or to a popular teacher in the quest for Islamic knowledge. It is hinged on the Islamic concept of migration, which is widely practiced, especially when acquisition of knowledge at home is either inconvenient or insufficient. The hike in school fees has caused more harm to the “Almajiri” children who cannot afford even three meals a day. However, with the introduction of free and compulsory primary education in Kaduna State by the former state governor, Namadi Sambo, now Vice president of Nigeria in 2007, brought smiles on the faces of residents, especially low income earners who find it expensive to pay school fees for their children in both public and private schools. The programme involved free uniform, text books and school fees,even though it was in phases. The state free and compulsory primary education has 92 selected schools with 64,078 pupils said to be benefiting from the project. The programme faced many hurdles due to years of neglect and mismanagement in the education sector like in other parts of Nigeria. In some parts of Kaduna State, many of the educational infrastructures are dilapidated due to poor maintenance and incompetence of those charged with the responsibility of maintaining them. Another major obstacle facing not only free education but the entire sector is that of unqualified teachers who do not have the requisite knowledge, skills, techniques, aptitude and method necessary for teaching. National Mirror investigations revealed that most State Universal Basic Education primary schools, especially in the Kaduna metropolis are charging, N1, 000 and N1, 500 per pupil while others collect N2, 000 per term. This means that some schools collect N6, 000 as school fees per child in every school session on pretext of school levies, contrary to free and compulsory education policies of the state. A primary three school pupil, Hauwa Ibrahim, who attends one of the free education project school in Kaduna said “We paid N1,000 as school levies each term. They give us books to read and after school hours, the teacher would collect them back from us. Our parents purchased the school uniforms and not

President Goodluck Jonathan (back middle) with some Almajiri pupils

A group of Almajiri children

THEY GIVE US BOOKS TO READ AND AFTER SCHOOL HOURS, THE TEACHER WOULD COLLECT THEM BACK FROM US.

OUR

PARENTS PURCHASED THE SCHOOL UNIFORMS AND NOT THE GOVERNMENT the government”. Confirming this, the headmaster of the school who pleaded anonymity, said the lack of funding from the ministry of education and demands from State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, has forced them to levy the pupils. “We are collecting the levies with the

knowledge of both the ministry of education and SUBEB, because we have to sustain the running of this school. The school is one of those selected for free and compulsory primary education by administration of former governor Namadi Sambo. We don’t know what is going on again because money is not forth coming. No uniform, textbooks and chalk, as we buy them ourselves. The ones distributed at inauguration of the project more than five years ago have since been exhausted”, he said. The former governor, late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, at different forums said, the state embarked on reforms, aimed at strengthening its public sector for greater productivity, since this can only be achieved through a vibrant education sector that will supply the needed human capital for the present and future benefit of the state. Last year, late Governor Yakowa, embarked on the

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Features

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

education in Kaduna State

A crumbling primary school building in Kwoi Local Government Area.

Almajiri pupils in a classroom

screening of teachers in public schools, while 1,840 ghost teachers were sacked in a bid to sanitise the primary and secondary education sector. The Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Usman Mohammad, had in an interview with National Mirror, said the sack of unqualified teachers was for alleged possession of forged certificates. He said “After discovering that the standard of education has fallen in the state, government decided to flush out teachers with fake certificates. Can you imagine a teacher who has been working for years without the necessary qualifications and its implication for the educational system? At least 1,840 of them were sacked”, he explained. The action was greeted with lots of criticism, as many alleged witch-hunting, particularly primary schools teachers in the local governments, as they claimed that their demand for the implementation of the N18,000

WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE QUALIFICATIONS OF

OUR TEACHERS.

SO PART

OF WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO REPLACE THEM WITH QUALIFIED TEACHERS minimum wage was responsible for government action. The education commissioner, further said that the government spent more than N3 billion on the upgrading, improvement and maintenance of its 3,780 primary and secondary schools last year. Lawal, said that more than 50 blocks of two classrooms had been constructed in some selected secondary schools, with 32 thers being renovated.

He said the ministry had also renovated 25 staff quarters,11 laboratories,16 libraries, six hostels and three workshops in the first phase of the project, even as the ministry had supplied 168 schools with furniture, adding that 256 schools were provided with science, technical and vocational training equipment. Also, 64 schools were provided with water, 16 laboratories, nine libraries and five hostel blocks, within the period under review. He said the secondary school projects, cost more than N1.7 billion, as it had completed the Education Trust Fund (ETF) intervention project, involving 89 blocks of two classrooms, 21 offices and 21 VIP toilets. “This also included 2,357 units of furniture, 19,670 text books and1, 754 library furniture at cost of N304 million”, Lawal said. The commissioner said similar renovation and reconstruction projects were executed in some selected primary schools in the 23 local government areas, even as the Japanese government had also executed primary school projects, including the construction of 265 classrooms, 170 toilets, five boreholes, 6,095 desk and benches, four head teachers offices, as well as supply of 265 chalk boards in 32 selected primary schools. “It had cost the state more than N312 million to implement the first and second phases of the free education project,” he said. The state has also earmarked N500 million for the implementation of phase III of its free education programme. He said “When you look at subjects like chemistry, biology at times the teachers are few. How do you expect the students to perform well? The state is also taking into cognizance the infrastructural development of the schools caused by long years of neglect, as well as the number of schools in existence. We have more than 4000 primary schools and over 500 secondary school, and for any purposeful renovation, we more than need N50 million. Many of them are dilapidated and need to be rehabilitated. A lot of budgetary allocation has been made. At the basic education level, it is about N 3 billion and at the primary education level, N2.9 billion will be needed to address the issue of infrastructural development. Aside these, we discovered that 50 percent of teachers in primary schools are not qualified. But we have decided to discuss with relevant teacher training institutes in the state and country to train about 18,000 of them to get the NCE. Also, we are working on retraining, even for those that are qualified, so they can refresh their knowledge. We are also recruiting new teachers because the level of manpower in the secondary schools is very low. We need to recruit teachers in core subject areas, like English, mathematics and sciences,” he said. Lawal added “That there is need to roll out policies that will guide against poor education, as this can be achieved through quality teaching. I must confess that, we are not happy with the qualifications of our teachers. So part of what we want to do is to replace them with qualified teachers who can impart positively on the sector and these cut across primary and secondary schools.” It noticed that, most teachers recruited through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), are among the unqualified teachers as uncovered during the screening exercise. National Mirror further learnt that, no strong disciplinary measures were put in place by the authorities to punish erring teachers, head teachers and principals who failed in their responsibilities, apart from queries issued from time to time. However, stakeholders are of the opinion that for a successful qualitative free education scheme, resources must be properly harnessed for the provision of adequate human, financial and material resources. Meanwhile, civil society groups, as well as concerned stakeholders are watching to see how the new administration of Governor Yero would revive the free primary education to reduce street begging and reshape the future of Almajiri children who cannot afford the exorbitant fees in schools. Although, all efforts to confirm allegations against the Ministry of Education and Universal Basic Education Board over school levies failed.

WORLD RECORD

Most birthday greetings videos received Vol. 03 No. 540

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Obama’s place in history

ith the 57th inauguration of an American President, Barack Obama made history yesterday as he took oath of office for a second term of four years. Being the first African American to lead the most powerful nation in the world, Obama has challenged the Black race that no matter how bad or hard the circumstances of a man, that should not be an excuse not to make the difference. His first tenure was as tough as securing the mandate of the American people for a second term in office. In spite of a formidable opponent in Senator John McCain in 2008, Obama dared the odds and with his audacity of hope swam against the tide to emerge the preferred candidate of not only the Americans but the world at large. Not even the eight-year rule of the Republicans could work against the determination of Obama as the flagbearer of the Democratic Party to brace the odds. And

N150

The most birthday greetings videos received is 10,754 and was achieved by Kinder Niespodzianka (Poland). The videos were collected from all over Poland between 7 September and 11 November 2012.

ngland star, Ian Bell, believes the country can draw inspiration from their victory in the opening One-Day International against India as they try to level the current series. After winning the first game in Rajkot by nine runs, the tourists have been resoundingly

TALKINGPOINT Seyi Fasugba

seyifasugba@yahoo.com 08053069514 (sms only)

for the first time in American election, the relatively hitherto unknown first term Senator from Chicago, Illinois, became a phenomenon, a leader well-prepared and properly groomed to assume the responsibility of leading a nation with the most sophisticated economy in the world. If the contest against McCain was tough, then squaring up against another Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts in 2012, was even considered tougher but Americans spoke loudly than before to stick to Obama for the second term in spite of the state of the economy which the opposition capitalised upon to curry favour. In his first tenure, Obama made no mistake in telling the whole world, particularly Africa that his focus was to strengthen the United States and to once again establish the country’s reputation as the policeman of the world. Four years after, the relatively unknown talent from Africa some years back has turned out to become one if not the most successful American President in history. In the fight against terrorism, he demystified the man who dared the American supremacy with the celebrated 9/11 attack which proved that America was after all vulnerable in spite of being the world power. He chased Osama bin Laden to his enclave and made a mess of him given the way he was shamelessly killed and hurriedly buried. He did not stop at that; Obama jettisoned the combat approach to handling international diplomacy of the George W. Bush’s regime to that of empow-

ering the people to take their leaders to task which eventually ignited the flame of revolution globally. Rather than committing more American troops to fight militancy of the Arab world, he chose to withdraw American troops from Iraq and other volatile regions while providing covert support to insurgents to challenge the status quo and to agitate for a new order. This ultimately led to what was to become the Arab Spring, the effect of which the world is yet to recover. Thus without firing shots across the borders, an ingenious approach ended the reigns of autocratic rulers in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt with the brutal killings of Muammar Ghadafi and his sons. The place of Obama goes beyond what he has been able to achieve in his first tenure and what he has been able to do for America and the Americans. The significance of an Obama Presidency is the symbolism that in the same society where the Blacks had been relegated for too long, he has been able to demonstrate that the colour of a man’s skin has nothing to do in producing an outstanding leader but a determination to become one. In spite of the daunting challenges which threatened the American economy, President Obama was able to galvanise the people to see hope and to hope against hope. Today, the rest is history. Those who did not believe in his vision of introducing fundamental changes in the society had no option that to align with the picture of another strong America. Therefore, his strides in the US today is a lesson to Africa and the leaders who have

remained a burden to the continent over the years. If Obama in eight years could bring about changes in his country with the African blood flowing in his veins, then the sit-tight leaders should realise that they have long expired and that it is time to quit the stage for home-grown Obamas who possess the zeal to bring about the progress the continent needs badly now. It is a matter of choice to make the difference. Obama was able to achieve because the American society provides the platform for her youths to improve on what those who had gone ahead did. The same can be achieved in Africa if the right environment is allowed to exist to bring about the best out of the youths of the continent. While eagerly awaiting the turn of Africa to lead the way, there must be a deliberate approach to achieving this. A corrupt political system which had become the norm rather than the exception definitely cannot take the continent far. A corrupt leader cannot impact the people but will instead endanger their future through selfish desires. How I wish that the place Obama had succeeded in creating for the black race and indeed the African-American in world history should be repeated on the continent itself. It is time for Africa to agitate for her own spring capable of sweeping away the agents of corruption and directionless government who have impoverished the continent and her people. More than any country in Africa, Nigeria has the potential to be the best not only on the continent but globally. Why this has remained elusive and the country continues to drift directionless is because there is no focused leader for the people to follow to the Promised Land. One that can rekindle hope of the people and can be trusted to deliver on promises, the basis of the people’s mandate freely handed over to those in government. What we have witnessed over the years is however a rape of our democracy by those in power to enrich themselves and their cronies while in government. How do you explain that a country as endowed as Nigeria lacked the provision of basic amenities such as good roads, water, uninterrupted power supply.

Sport Extra

Cricket: Bell set to run over India beaten in the last two matches, losing by 127 runs in Kochi and then seven wickets in Ranchi. If England are to win the series, they must claim victory in Mohali tomorrow and Bell is keen to remind his side that

they have proved themselves once during this trip. “Hopefully we have the opportunity to put in a performance like we did in the first ODI and take it to 2-2,” Bell said yesterday.

“We went into that first match after losing two warm-ups but we put in a performance. We have to keep believing we can win and we’ve shown we can do that.” “We have to excuse but to perform.”

Bell

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