Tuesday, July 24, 2012 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Jonathan laments crude oil theft

Impeachment threat against President P.2,6 patriotic –Reps

Vol. 1 2 N0. 115 410

FG, Manitoba sign $23.7m TCN management deal P.4,5 Nnaji

Air Nigeria to recommence domestic, regional operation soon

3 DAYS TO GO

JULY 27 - AUGUST 12, 2012

Nigeria to receive $350m London Games windfall P.30

Tuesday, July June24, 7, 2012 2011

Flood kills 35 in Jos T

N150 N150

JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

...scores missing, 200 houses destroyed

WE WERE SLEEPING WHEN WE HEARD WATER RUSHING INTO THE HOUSE AND THE WHOLE PLACE BECAME LIKE A STREAM… I IMMEDIATELY RUSHED TO WHERE MY CHILDREN WERE SLEEPING BUT DID NOT SEE THEM... I WAS CONFUSED AND RUSHED TO WHERE MY WIFE WAS, BUT BEFORE I COULD ENTER HER ROOM, THE ENTIRE HOUSE COLLAPSED

ragedy struck again in Jos, the Plateau State capital, as no fewer than 35 people were confirmed dead yesterday, following a flood disaster which ravaged some parts of the city on Sunday. Several other people were also discovered missing and were yet to be CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

SSS quizzes Pastor Bakare over antiJonathan comments P.7 Displaced residents of Makoko protesting the demolition of their houses in Lagos yesterday. Inset: Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba; Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola; Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello and Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulure, during the governor’s address to the protestPHOTOS: ADEMOLA AKINLABI ers. Story on page 8

Look inward for development, Nguigi wa Thiong’o urges Africa P.7

News

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jonathan laments persistent crude oil theft ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday vowed that his administration would stop the large-scale theft of the nation’s crude oil by Nigerians and foreigners. He lamented that the country was losing huge revenues from the criminal activity.

Speaking in Abuja at the opening of the Presidential Maritime Security Retreat at the Aso Rock Villa, President Jonathan said that those who indulged in the “embarrassing” act should bury their heads under the pillow in shame. Oil giant, Shell, recently estimated that Nigeria loses about $5bn (N775bn) to the theft of 150,000 barrels of crude oil annually by

highly organised gangs. The President said: “It is extremely embarrassing that it is only in Nigeria that crude oil is stolen; it is very bad news and I believe that Nigerians and foreigners who indulge in that act need to throw their heads under the pillow. “All over the world it is only in Nigeria that crude oil is stolen. We are not the only oil producing country,

why is it that it is only in Nigeria that people steal crude oil? This must stop. “In fact, if we have been doing well, by now Nigeria is supposed to have the best academies and institutions that will train Nigerians in the oil and gas sector because these are areas that in the 50s, we were leading. “Other African countries are supposed to be sending people here for training but

Some of the people rendered homeless when their houses were destroyed by flood at Rikkos in Jos yesterday. Inset: The flood. PHOTO: NAN

now we are rather going out to train our people.” He explained that given the importance of the maritime sector in the national economy, his administration had an uncompromising obligation to safeguard its territorial waters against all threats, including poaching, piracy, pipeline vandalism, coastal insecurity, crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, non-payment of statutory levies and charges, illegal entry of ships into the nation’s territorial waters and illegal importation of arms and hard drugs. Jonathan noted that although the West African coast had the richest fisheries resources in Africa, the inability of the region to take advantage of this natural endowment had been attributed to inadequate law enforcement and industry capacity. The President explained that the cost of piracy to the economy was unacceptably high, stressing that pirates frustrated fishing activities and threatened investments in the West African Coast while higher insurance premium and charges

on ships sailing along the Gulf of Guinea impacted negatively on the economy and image. He also said that pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft resulted in serious loss of revenue to government even as maritime environmental degradation from such disasters affected the well-being of Nigerians. He noted that the Maritime Operations Coordinating Committee is already working to address all illegalities in the maritime sector, stressing that “government is determined to reverse this situation. We will protect our natural resources and ensure their sustainable use for the benefit of present and future generations.” He explained that the committee comprises all maritime agencies, Ministries of Transport, Finance and Justice, adding that a sustainable patrol arrangement to enhance collection of revenue and ensure maritime safety had also been approved. He stated that his administration was encouraging

from the river, the flood will not affect you,” Usman added. The Director, Relief and Rehabilitation of the National Emergency Management Authority, NEMA, Mr. Edward Maigida, said the search

and rescue team had started work, adding that 50 people were still missing. He said the agency could not give the actual number of displaced persons for now, noting that

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Flood kills 35 in Jos, scores missing, 200 houses destroyed CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

found, while more than 200 houses were destroyed. Areas mostly affected include Anguwan Rogo, Gangare and Rikkos, all in Jos North Local Government area of the state. National Mirror gathered that the rain, which started about 9p.m. that resulted in the flooding of houses which were built on the bank of River Rikkos, which overflowed its banks during the downpour. It was gathered that most of those who died were women and children who were already asleep as the rain was falling. Some corpses have already been recovered and deposited at a morgue. “So far, we have recovered 16 corpses but many others are still missing,” the Publicity Secretary of Jama’atul-Nasril- Islam, Alhaji Faruk Umar, said. “We have just buried 14 corpses, while two bodies have just been discovered. But we are still searching for more bodies because many people are still missing.

“More than 200 houses were washed away following the flooding of Rikkos River,” he added, listing the worst-hit areas as Gangare and Ungwan-Rogo. There had earlier been a heavy rainfall between 3p.m. and 5p.m. on Sunday. Then, the heavier downpour started again about 9p.m. and lasted till 10:30p.m. The Secretary of the Red Cross in Plateau State, Mennaseh Pampe, confirmed the death toll. He said 35 bodies had so far been recovered. Phampe said among the victims are a 90-year-old woman and a three-monthold baby, adding that casualty figure is likely to rise. “Rainwater and water from the Lamingo dam swept across several neighbourhoods in the city,’’ he explained. “We are still searching for more bodies as many people have been declared missing.’’ Reacting to the incident, a community leader in Gangare, Alhaji Guda Usman Ali, said, “once there is a downpour, even

if it doesn’t rain in the area, water comes from around Dilimi down to Rikkos and Gangare, noting that the stream even flows into Lake Chad. “It’s a serious disaster, because several people have died, many are

missing and several others rendered homeless. “The only thing that I will urge the government to do is to come and repair this place for them, so that they can go far away from the river, because once you are away

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9>>

‘I lost seven children in one night’

allam Albdulhamed Hussaini lost seven of her children to the flood disaster. Hussaini, who resides in Rikkos, recounted his experience to National Mirror last night in Jos. According to him: “I have 12 children and lost seven of them to flood. Six corpses of my children were discovered yesterday morning while the body of one is yet to be found.” Hussaini said the unfortunate happened in the night when they were sleeping and there was no way he could rescue all the children as the flood came with force and submerged the entire building. He said his condition

was unstable, while calling for rehabilitation as he had no place to lay his head with the remaining children and a wife. Similarly, Mrs. Indo Abdulmumin, who lost six of her children, explained how the incident occurred. She said: “I was asleep when my husband woke me up and saw water flowing into our compound. I picked a Ghana-must-go bag and put our clothes inside. The water had flooded our rooms. We went into the room to pick the young boys, but we couldn’t because the wall had already collapsed. And when my husband tried to enter he also discovered that the flood had taken them away. “I have lost six of my

children; four girls and two boys. The oldest being 13 and the smallest being 90 days old. Then one belongs to my nephew. I am now left with only two surviving children; a lady of 17 years and a boy of two years. “I accept this as a testimony from Allah; I only prayed that Allah will have mercy on them, and also console our hearts.” Her husband, Alhaji Abdulmumin, also confirmed the incident to our reporter. Fifteen-year-old Faisal also told National Mirror that he and his father were attending the Ramadan tafsir, when the rain was falling heavily and they could not get home.

Abdulmumin said that after some times, his mother called him on the phone and he had her praising Allah, later the call went off. “We were at the tafsir at night and there was downpour. We tried to rush home with my father, we couldn’t pass, because all the roads were flooded. My mother who was at home then called me on the phone, she mentioned the name of Allah, while I heard the voices of my younger ones screaming and crying, suddenly the line cut off,” he said. “That was all, our house was destroyed, and my mother, Hajiya, with my four younger ones, have not been seen up till now.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Photo News

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

L-R: Deputy High Commissioner, Government of Canada, Mr. Jean Gauthier; Managing Director, Manitoba Hydro International, Mr. Lorne Halpenny; Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji; Director- General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa and Chairman, Technical Committee of National Council on Privatisation, Mr. Peterside Atedo, during the signing of Management Contract for Transmission Company of Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi (left) receiving the winners’ cup of the 2011 Garden City Games from the Local Organising Committe (LOC) Chairman, Engr. Tele Ikuru, during the presentation of its report of the Games to the governor at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: Representative of the Minister of Education and Principal, Federal Government College, Lagos-Ijanikin, Mrs. Ibukun Oyewole; Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr Phillips Oduoza; renowned author, Professor Ngugi wa Thiong’o; and MD, UBA Foundation, Ms Ijeoma Aso, during the formal launch of Read Africa 2012, an initiative of UBA Foundation to rekindle learning culture among youths in Africa, held at the UBA Head Office in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie; Acting Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta and Hon. Member, Prof. Olu Aina, during a joint press conference by ICPC/NUC on System Review of Nigerian Universities in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

National News

CBN may reduce banks’ liquidity, cash reserve ratios, experts say AYO OLESIN

s the Monetary Policy Committee prepares to announce its decisions on the interest rate today, financial analysts surveyed by National Mirror yesterday hinted at the possibility of the Central Bank of Nigeria reducing banks’ Cash Reserve Ratio and Liquidity Ratio instead of trimming the Monetary Policy Rate due to inflationary concerns. The analysts were however in agreement that there is no basis for further monetary tightening even if inflation remained in the double digits. Rather, the case is being made for a loosening of the monetary stance expected to favour economic growth, which has decelerated in recent months as high rates take an exacting toll on business, especially real sector entities. Chief Executive Officer, Economic Associates, a Lagos-based think tank, Dr. Ayo Teriba said the MPR appeared to have been raised to high and had re-

sulted in a slowdown in economic growth. “Growth has decelerated and I think the MPC needs to relegate inflationary concerns and treat growth as priority. There is no need for positive real interest rates. The MPR does not need to be higher than inflation at this time. What they have done is to make the yield curve higher than the rate of inflation, yet investors are not looking at the MPR,” he said. Teriba said that if the MPC was not inclined to cutting the MPR, it could reduce the Liquidity Ratio and Cash Reserve Ratio currently standing at 30 per cent and eight per cent respectively or remove the asymmetric corridor of plus or minus two per cent around the MPR and see how the market rates behave, before taking a final decision on a rate cut. Analysts at First Securities Discount House also said they expect the MPC to change its monetary policy stance in favour of monetary easing based on current economic realities and the short-to-medium term

outlook. Specifically, FSDH analysts expect a cut in the MPR from 12 per cent to 10 per cent, while the two per cent corridor is maintained. They also foresee a reduction in the Cash Reserve Ratio and Liquidity Ratio to five per cent and 25 per cent from eight per cent and 30 per cent respectively and the continuation of Open Market Operation (OMO) to manage liquidity and direct short-term yields to desired levels. Analysts at DLM Re-

search, while acknowledging inflationary threats, said the MPC may maintain the benchmark rate at the current level but still maintained their position which favours a gradual reduction of the benchmark rate to single-digit levels. “Our position is informed by the need to grow the domestic bond market, increase production, provide appropriately-priced long term financing to the real sector, strengthen the naira and place the economy on a path to sustainable growth amongst other is-

sues, “ the analysts said in a note to investors yesterday. However, First Bank Capital analysts said while it expects the MPC to hold its policy rate unchanged at 12 per cent, “we see little rationale for tightening, and acknowledge that the argument for easing is undermined by lingering inflation concerns and by the strengthening global headwinds.” The analysts noted that the MPC would be swayed by the CBN’s in-house projections, which forecast 14.5 per cent inflation this

month taking into account higher electricity tariff and anticipated effect of increased import tariff on rice and wheat and possible fuel price hike later in the year. They noted that the MPC appeared not convinced that monetary policy will address declines in the agriculture and oil and gas sectors with significant effect on GDP and foresee that the MPC may be tempted to trim its policy rate in the last quarter depending on the inflation rate and global outlook.

Air Nigeria to recommence domestic, regional operations soon OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he management of Air Nigeria has said that plans are underway by the company to recommence domestic and regional flight operations. A statement signed at the weekend by the company’s Media Relations Manager, Mr. Sam Ogbogoro, stated that the resumption of services would be announced soon. Besides, Ogobgoro said

that there had been series of meetings between board, management and employees over the last few weeks on the resumption plans. He said that its employees had, however, reaffirmed their loyalty to safeguard the airline from external forces, which he said had been trying to sabotage the airline’s achievements of the last two years that culminated with the successful launch of the growth strategy on May 16, 2012, with the start of the

Lagos London route. The statement reads: “Air Nigeria staff have also established employees counsel that comprises representatives across all the departments of the airline. The employees counsel will regularly meet with the top management to discuss plans and performance of the airline as well as follow-up of issues that have been raised by staff. Employees have also assured their readiness for the immediate start of do-

mestic and regional operations. “We would also like to inform that the Lagos – London - Lagos flights are operating to schedule and are not affected by the temporary suspension directive of the NCAA. Passengers are therefore encouraged to proceed with their confirmed itinerary while intending customers can make their reservations through all our sales channels or by calling the contact centre on 01-2711111.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

FG, Manitoba sign $23.7m TCN management deal TOLA AKINMUTIMI AND MESHACK IDEHEN

he Federal Government and Manitoba Hydro International of Canada yesterday signed a contract for the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, for three years. This is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to drive the power sector reforms aimed at boosting power generation and distribution in the country.

The Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa, who signed on behalf of the Federal Government, listed the key objectives of the contract agreement valued at about $23.7m (N3.6bn). They include stabilisation of the grid, reduction in electricity losses during transmission, provision for the achievement of certain predetermined targets that will improve grid security and general performance and cultural change and staff re-orientation.

Others are provision for reward and penalty clauses as incentives for success, provision of efficient management of government investments, ensuring adequate and equitable generation dispatch according to a fair merit order based on sound regulatory principles, ensuring fair market settlements between electricity traders and provision of skills and expertise transfer to Nigerian counterparts who will serve as deputy and other positions to the management staff of the company.

Onagoruwa said: “With the signing of the agreement, the Federal Government expects the management contractor to mobilise and resume on Monday, July 30, 2012 with all the eight key personnel and the associated support staff. “In order to ensure a seamless operational transition to the management contractor and obtain staff cooperation, a workshop/ briefing session will hold on Thursday, July 26, 2012 to sensitise staff of TCN, allay their fears and secure their commitment.”

L-R: Vice-President Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the Presidential Retreat on Maritime Security in Abuja , yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Jonathan laments persistent crude oil theft CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

an integrated port security system in all the ports for maximum results. According to the president: “The amnesty programme is yielding the desired fruits as typified in improved security along the coast, in offshore oil infrastructure, capacity development and job creation.” The President added: “We have recently streamlined and simplified the ports operational and administrative procedures. While these efforts are producing positive outcomes, they are not enough. More needs to be done. “This workshop provides an opportunity to capitalise on the gains so far made and to find durable solutions to the challenges in the maritime sector.” Jonathan told participants to focus on evolving a strong intelligence base and information gathering systems and measures for

crude oil theft to be completely eliminated. He also charged them to come up with plans that provide details on roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and timelines for harnessing the huge potentials in the maritime sector so that “our losses will, in the shortest possible time, be converted to net gains.” Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, raised the alarm on the increasing incidence of oil theft and piracy. She said that the situation was worrisome as it threatened close to $600m (about N93bn) of fishing exports, adding that the problem of piracy had not been solved. Okonjo-Iweala said that the retreat would focus attention on harnessing the potential of the sector, stressing that the cost of inadequate maritime safety

and security to the Nigerian society and the economy had been significant. According to the minister: “The objective of the retreat includes the need to come up with concrete initiatives that we can implement over the next six to 18 months to allow Nigerians to harness the opportunities we have in the sector. “The sector facilitates trade and commerce, enables us to export our goods and earn foreign exchange amongst others. The sector also generates significant revenue for government basically by Customs and Excise duties, and by leveraging our maritime resources such as fishing. “In addition, a significant number of Nigerians are employed by the sector. However, there are challenges. Preliminary analysis and interviews of some key stakeholders in this sector conducted by

Mackenzie and Company highlighted some key challenges which we must focus on addressing today.” She said that challenges include improving safety and security of maritime waters, increasing local participation and cabotage; completing the port reforms and maximising our revenue potential from the sector. The minister also noted that the Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria had disclosed that the nation was losing over N2trn annually in capital flight to foreign countries which own vessels that were used to lift about 150 million tonnes of cargos, including oil products from the country as there was no Nigerian flagged ship currently plying international routes. Nigerian-owned vessels make up less than one per cent of the global fleet and are quite old with an average of 30 years of age.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, allayed the workers’ fears on the ongoing reform, stressing that it would benefit the country in terms of socio-economic multiplier effects. The minister also noted that the workers would also benefit by building on their technical competences and skills that might help them in getting employed in the global market in the long run. He said: “What I want to assure the senior staff who are going to be affected is, it is best to support progress and reform because you will be the beneficiary. “In fact, let me say that when we had an interactive session with senior management teams of TCN and Manitoba, I told them that what Manitoba Hydro International is doing is depicting the business of managing transmission business and electricity business to other countries. “If we do things right, TCN of Nigeria can have TCN International and by that we would have gained competence and best practices and we will be able to sell our competence elsewhere. That is something we should aim at.” Meanwhile, workers in the electricity sector have rejected the decision of the Federal Government not to pay severance benefits to workers of TCN They said this development was based on the statement credited to Nnaji, that the workers should not expect severance pay because the company (TCN) was not being privatised. However, the President of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Corporations, SSAEAC, Mr. Bede Opara, told our correspondent yesterday that the minister’s comments would not help the reform process. Opara explained that even if it is argued that the companies, particularly TCN, were not being privatised, “electricity workers are wiser and know better than what the minister was saying.” He noted that the workers in the sector were due for the severance package which the Federal Government had already approved. Also, a senior official of National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Mr. Samuel Idoka, told National Mirror that electricity

workers were committed to the reforms, but the minister should stop playing on their intelligence by insisting that the TCN and other power sector companies were not being privatised. He explained that the radio and television jingles currently being aired on stations across the country proved that the government was privatising, contrary to what the minister was saying. Idoka argued that if what was going on at the TCN was not privatisation, what it then meant was that the whole power sector reforms process was faulty and being executed on a false premise. But the minister in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ogbuagu Anikwe, said the workers should find out from the three unions in the electricity sector if the ongoing negotiations included payment of benefits to workers of the other companies from the unbundled Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, totalling 17 in all. He explained that government had already approved the employment of additional engineers and technicians, instead of the rumoured privatisation, adding that privatising TCN would require sorting out labour issues, a situation the government was trying to avoid. He said the current managers of TCN would understudy the expatriate managers and keep acting as their shadows. “The Nigerian chief executive officer and executive directors will still function as the number two person in their current positions, to understudy the new managers,” he said. On the workers that protested at TCN head office, Anikwe said the minister had warned the workers who prevented the new management of the company from having access to the office to desist from the act, stressing that their protests would not yield results. He said that some of the workers had in the last three days used “all manner of force to prevent conscientious and law-abiding TCN employees from not only carrying out their legitimate duties but even gaining access to their offices.”

National News

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

2012 budget: Impeachment threat in national interest –Reps TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

he threat by the House of Representatives to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan is patriotic, the House spokesman said yesterday. The Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Muhammed, stated this yesterday in response to insinuations from the Presidency that the House threat is selfish and far from altruistic. He dismissed responses from commentators suspected to be coming from the Presidency as spurious and mere misreading of the House’s position. According to the spokesman, the warning of the House was for the good of the country and meant to jolt the president to action

Tambuwal

on the budget. “This bold and patriotic step by the Seventh Assembly has attracted different comments from a lot of quarters, expectedly, therefore some sponsored news editorial and commentaries choose to deliberately misinform the public on the rationale behind our nationalistic stand,” he said. Muhammed reiterated the earlier position of the House saying; “For the avoidance of doubt, whilst

we are aware that all revenue generating agencies have surpassed their annual target by mid-year. The House is worried that this positive development did not reflect in the implementation of the budget for the benefit of Nigerians.” He recalled that; “Arising from the Thursday, July 19, 2012 plenary which discussed extensively the snail speed implementation of the 2012 Appropriation Act, by Mr. President and the attendant ultimatum issued, that if by September 30, 2012, when the House resume from recess, there was no marked improvement, The House would be left with no choice than to initiative impeachment proceedings.” According to him, “This trend (not implementing budgets),if not arrested would worsen the already

fragile state of the nation, hence the need for our quick intervention.” He regretted that such an altruistic stance of the House would be interpreted as selfish and negative. “To then insinuate that the House of Representatives took this noble step to satisfy pressure from a political party or because the constituency projects were not awarded to members or because of the drama that followed the presentation of the fuel subsidy report, is to say the least malicious damaging and uncharitable.” According to him, “We in the legislature are lawmakers and not contractors and that the constituency projects execution has been the exclusive preserves of the executive and its agencies, at no time has there been any argument on this.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘FG may consider laws to support Nigerian vessel owners’ ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

ransport Minister, Senator Idris Umar, yesterday said that the Federal Government may consider possible legislation that would compel international companies operating in the country to patronise indigenous vessel owners. According to him, such legislation would address the ongoing practice in the maritime sector which excluded local shippers from participating in major maritime business. Speaking to State House Correspondents yesterday at the end of the Maritime sector Presidential retreat in Abuja, Umar said he does not support the idea where Nigerians, who own vessels, would be denied patronage. His words: “There are people who are complain-

ing that they have acquired vessels and their vessels are not being patronised by the oil companies. Of course, we are going to look at this, if it is legislation, if it is a policy issue we are going to look at this. “I don’t support the idea that Nigerians when they used their hard earn money to acquire vessels should be deprived patronage by international oil companies. It is absolutely wrong, we have to empower our people and that is the position of government,” Umar added. He stressed that the boom being witnessed in the sector was made possible because of the enabling environment put in place by the Federal Government. While highlighting the importance of the retreat, Umar said it was aimed at harnessing potentials in the maritime sector.

$3m bribe: Reps to resume hearing next week •May force Otedola to appear in camera TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

he House of Representatives Special Committee on Ethics and Privileges may compel the Chairman, Zenon Oil and Gas Limited, Mr. Femi Otedola, to appear before it in camera, National Mirror has gathered. Otedola had, a month ago, insisted a hearing on his allegation that sacked Chairman of the Provisional House Committee on Subsidy Regime, Hon. Faruk Lawan (PDP/Kano) took a $500,000 bribe from him to drop his company’s name on the list of oil marketing companies that defrauded the country on the pretext of petroleum products import, be held in the open. But the Ethics Committee Chairman, Hon. Gambo Dan-Musa (PDP/Katsina) and other members insisted Otedola must appear in a secret session, in line with Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution. A member of the Committee, Hon. Orker Jev (ACN/Benue), who spoke with National Mirror, said; “The committee may have to compel any party involved (in the allegation of bribery) to address in a manner that it deems fit within the provisions of its rules and the 1999

Constitution.” The lawmaker said: “The investigation that the Ethics and Privileges Committee is conducting is a cleansing mechanism that every organisation has.” According to him, “We are not conducting a general investigation to decide whether Otedola is right or wrong or whatever, but all we are concerned about is our member (Lawan). “When the matter came up on the floor, Faruk Lawan was suspended as a member of Education Committee and he was also removed as a member of the Ad hoc on subsidy. We have to look into some of these allegations to determine whether they are true or not. “If at the end of the day, we discover that indeed something like that happened, then we will make recommendations to the House. But we need to get to the root of the matter, by talking to all those who were mentioned. “Hon. Faruk Lawan earlier gave an extensive information on what he claimed happened and we needed to talk to other sides; everybody that was mentioned to get to the root of the matter, so that we know who exactly is telling the truth and whether there is any blame to apportion and all of that,” he submitted.

L-R: Assistant General Manager, Planning, Research and Statistics, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mrs. Nma Ossi; South-East Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Emma Ohuakanwa and Head, Technical Operations, Mrs. Cecelia Ochor, during a news conference on the forth-coming Owerri NHIS/Police Interactive Session, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Gunmen kill five in Maiduguri

•Air force develops vehicle for intelligence gathering

INUSA NDAHI AND A ZA MSUE

ive persons, including three brothers were yesterday shot dead by gunmen in parts of the troubled Borno State capital, Maiduguri. The three brothers were killed in the morning at Nganaram area of the city just moments after they left their parents. It was gathered that the visit to their parents was pre-arranged by the brothers in their normal custom and tradition of dropping foodstuffs for the celebration of Ramadan.

A source revealed that the brothers had brought foodstuffs to their aged parents to break the Ramadan fasting daily and they were on their way back from the area when incidentally they were attacked and killed. The source further revealed that their Toyota Camry car was snatched from them and taken away to an unknown destination. When the area was visited by our correspondent yesterday afternoon there was apprehension and mourning with many contemplating relocating from the area for fear of another attack. In a related development, there was shooting at Gamboru area of the city, known

for incessant attacks from the notorious Boko Haram sect. In yesterday’s shooting it was learnt that two persons were shot dead around the Customs office in the area which led to many residents of the area scampering to safety. When contacted to confirm the incidents, the spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said he was not aware of the killings. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air force yesterday said it has developed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for surveillance and intelligence gathering to assist government to tackle terrorism threat

in crisis-prone areas of the country. The Air force added that they are in the process of developing a robot device that would detonate any kind of bomb from a far distance. The commandant of the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Air Vice-Marshal John Oshoniyi, said this at a pre-graduation press conference of the institute in Kaduna. The institute, affiliated to Cardiff University in the United Kingdom would mark its 41 graduation ceremony with the theme: “Transforming Aerospace Technology in Nigeria through Research and Development: The Role of AFIT.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

SSS quizzes Bakare over call for Jonathan’s resignation OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

ollowing his sermon on Sunday where he castigated the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan over the state of the nation and called for his resignation, the pastor of Latter Rain Assembly and vice presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in the 2011 general elections, Dr. Tunde Bakare, was yesterday interrogated by the State Security Services, SSS. Bakare was invited to the SSS Shangisha, Lagos office through a letter with reference number O.9/3757, dated July 23 and signed by A. Salami for the SSS director. The letter reads in part: “I am directed to invite you to interview (sic) the State

Director of the State Security Services (SSS) at the Command Headquarters along CMD Road Shangisha, Magodo, Lagos on Monday, 23rd July at 14.00 hours. “Accept the assurance of the State Director of Security’s highest esteem, please.” Bakare had on Sunday delivered a damning sermon, entitled: “How to change government peacefully and make society better,” in his church, at Plot 4, Akilo Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, where he said that with the prevalent sad events in the country, occasioned by corruption, insecurity, hunger and poverty, the President should resign from office, since he lacked the capacity to steer the ship of the nation back on course. Bakare, who arrived at

the SSS office about 15.10 hours, was not allowed to enter with his car and aides. He, however, went in to meet with the SSS director. Sources disclosed that the parley was a friendly interaction where the SSS appealed to the fiery preacher

to tone down his messages and was told to stop attacking the President. But the convener of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, told the SSS director that he delivered his message the way he received it from God. After the parley, howev-

er, it was gathered that the SSS called for Bakare’s car to come into the SSS premises to pick him up. He left the SSS premises at 16.20 hours, one hour and 10 minutes after he arrived. Bakare had in the sermon, which earned him the SSS invitation, described

Jonathan as a “victim of circumstance.” He said: “The purpose of any meaningful government is the welfare and security of the people, but in our clime, neither welfare nor security of lives and property of our people seems to matter anymore.”

Look inward for development, Nguigi wa Thiong’o urges Africa TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

frican countries, including Nigeria, must strive to secure their base in all spheres of life and not depend on Europe and America for their development. Celebrated author and professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, United States, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, said this in Lagos yesterday at the launch of the second edition of Read Africa. It was organised by the United Bank for Africa, UBA, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, on education. By the initiative, according to organiser, every African child is expected to have a book to read and on a continuous basis. However, Thiong’o, a guest speaker at the forum, who also said he was always proud to see an African in control of international is-

sues, urged both young and old to improve and enlighten their minds by reading relevant materials. He said: “The more we read, the more we develop our minds, expand our scope in knowledge and creativity, as well as ability to achieve our dreams and aspirations for life.” Decrying the negative influence of internet on children and youths nowadays, the renowned author said it was only what was in the brain that would remain even if all material acquisition was gone. Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of UBA, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, said the bank instituted ‘Read Africa’ to encourage reading especially among the youth in all African countries. He, however, called on students in particular to concentrate for now on their studies by using their time for something profitable rather than getting distracted by internet.

National Youth Service Corps Batch ‘B’ members at the close of their orientation course in Kaduna, yesterday.

$5bn fine: Shell knows fate Sept SAM OLUWALANA

hell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company will have to wait till September to know its fate concerning the $5bn fine slammed on it by the Federal Government, when the House of Representatives returns from its summer recess. This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Chairman of the Media and Public Affairs

Committee of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Zakari. The Ministry of Petroleum Resources had last week recommended that Shell pay the penalty for an incident on the offshore Bonga field last December that caused 40,000 barrels of crude to spill into the Gulf of Guinea. According to Zakari, the House of Representatives will hear a report from the Committee on the Environment when it returns from

ICPC, NUC investigate corruption in varsities OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

he Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, and the National Universities

Commission, NUC, yesterday began a pilot study of three universities aimed at verifying claims of massive corruption in almost all facets of university administration in the country. Addressing a joint press

2015: President, PDP ask court to dismiss suit

resident Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday asked an Abuja High Court to dismiss a suit filed by a member of the party, Mr. Cyriacus Njoku. Njoku, in a suit filed on March 20, is seeking a declaration of court that Jonathan’s tenure started on May 6, 2010. He also urged the court

to hold that Jonathan’s two terms should end on May 29, 2015 having taken his second oath of office on May 29, 2011; Njoku also wanted the court to hold that by virtue of Section 136 (1) (b) of the constitution, no person (including Jonathan) should take the oath of allegiance and the oath of office prescribed to in the Seventh Schedule to this constitution more than twice.

its annual recess in September and decide whether to approve the fine. Shell was forced to halt production from the 200,000 barrel-a-day Bonga field in December after a leak occurred during a routine tanker loading operation. The result was one of Nigeria’s worst oil spills in more than a decade. “The money will go to the development of the communities in those areas where the oil spill has caused environmental dam-

The aggrieved PDP chieftain also wanted an order of injunction restraining Jonathan from further contesting or attempting to vie for President after May 29, 2015 when his tenure should, by the constitution, end. Others joined in the suit were the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. At the resumed hearing of the suit before Justice

Mudashiru Oniyangi, the President, through his counsel, Kelechi Normeh, in a preliminary objection, asked the court to discountenance the suit. Normeh, who is holding brief of Ade OkeayaInneh (SAN) described the suit as “frivolous and vexatious” and meant to make the court to labour in futility because it was purely an academic exercise.

conference in Abuja, the ICPC Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta, and the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, said the aim was to generate empirical data upon which far-reaching policy decisions would be formulated. They said that almost on a daily basis, the anti-graft body received petitions from students, staff, unions and other stakeholders making all manners of allegations of corrupt practices and abuses in most of the tertiary institutions. “These petitions highlight fragrant abuse of processes in student admissions, examinations, appointment and promotion of staff, sexual harassment and victimisation of applicants, students and staff, syndicated plagiarism.

PHOTO: NAN

age,” Zakari said. Shell has continually maintained that the oil spilled from Bonga never reached the Nigerian coastline some 120 kilometres away. The oil giant said none of the crude reached land and that much of the leaked oil dispersed naturally in the water or evaporated. Some crude did wash up along the Western Niger Delta coastline, which Shell cleaned up, despite the company’s constant denial that it originated from Bonga.

“Petitions were also received on delay or nonpayment of gratuities and pension to pensioners, non-adherence to bidding processes in the award of contracts, bastardising accreditation processes through deception, running unapproved study centres, affiliates and programmes, establishing and operating unapproved and consequently illegal universities,” they said. Both Ekpo and Okojie disclosed that these activities have brought about frustrating, disruptive and fatal consequences on innocent members of the university community, the nation and even the international ranking of the universities “due to institutional decay, corruption and blatant abuse of processes”.

South West

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Obasanjo hails Ibidapo-Obe’s legacies as UNILAG VC MOJEED ALABI

ormer president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday paid glowing tributes to the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos and President, Nigerian Academy of Science, Prof. Oyewusi IbidapoObe. The encomiums came for Ibidapo-Obe for what Chief Obasanjo described as his sound legacies of administrative and academic

brilliance during his seven years’ tenure as the institution’s vice-chancellor. The applause came during the official launch and presentation of IbidapoObe’s selected speeches and lectures while he held sway as the university’s helmsman. The book is titled: From Excellence to Distinction: The University of Lagos on World’s Intellectual Map. Ibidapo-Obe, who was the university’s vice-chancellor between 2001 and 2007, was described as an

astute university administrator and one with a leadership sense, who combined academic excellence with transparency and accountability. Chief Obasanjo, whose tenure as elected president coincided with the tenure of Ibidapo-Obe, said he was not only familiar with the happenings on the university campus during the period, but was also instrumental to the author’s achievements, having seen him as a dependable ally. “I hope Chief Afe Baba-

lola could be here because I believe the period of Ibidapo-Obe as the VC and Chief Babalola as the ProChancellor could be regarded as the university’s glorious days. UNILAG, as a cosmopolitan university, benefited from his network of friends based on his humane character and leadership acumen. “With people like Ibidapo-Obe and several others we have here today, I can say it clearly that Nigeria has got noble men and women who can re-

cord world-class achievements,” Obasanjo said. He then charged the current leadership in the university to aspire to surpass the former VC’s achievements by making the institution to become one of the first 1,000 global universities. In his remark, the university’s Acting Vice-

Chancellor, Prof. Rahman Bello, said it was during the author’s tenure that UNILAG was ranked by National Universities Commission (NUC) as the best university in the country while its vicechancellor and pro-chancellor were also ranked the best by the same commission.

Makoko residents storm Govt House, barricade roads MURITALA AYINLA

L-R: Author of the book and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe; former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; wife of the author, Sola and renowned businessman, Chief Oludolapo Akinkugbe (CON), during the public presentation of the PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI book, From Excellence to Distinction: The University of Lagos on World’s Intellectual Map, in Lagos, yesterday.

Dana Air crash: Coroner laments witnesses’ low turn-out FRANCIS FAMOROTI

coroner’s court in Alimosho district of Lagos State conducting inquest into the June 3, 2012 Dana Plane crash yesterday expressed concern over the low turn-out of witnesses at the proceedings. The magistrate presiding at the coroner’s court, Mr. Oyetade Komolafe, who stated this at the resumed hearing of the proceedings yesterday eventually adjourned further sitting till tomorrow. The coroner also directed that henceforth the court would relocate from Abule Egba magistrate court’s to the premises of Ikeja Judicial division that has adequate space to cope with the influx of witnesses. When proceedings began yesterday, only few people and witnesses were available prompting the coroner to state that all the witnesses are duty-bound to attend the court. According to him, “Let all the witnesses know this.

You are under duty to be here. We will not be shopping for witnesses. People have to be here to give eyewitness accounts.” The coroner was particularly unhappy that a counsel, Chukwu Agu, representing the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, failed to bring his witness said to be an employee e of the Homicide Section of the Force. Komolafe told Agu to ensure that the witness was available at the next

adjourned date since the police was highly involved in the investigation of the crash. Mr. Femi Falana urged the coroner to compel witnesses to appear before the court but the coroner said for now he would give them a chance to appear voluntarily. He might be compelled to ‘wield the big stick’ if they continued to shun the hearings. Earlier, an officer of the Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Gbadebo Olaogun, who

was the only witness, had testified on the role of the agency in the management and mitigation of disaster with reference to its activities during the Dana air crash. According to him, “The crash was detected by the former Director of the Lagos State Fire Service and he informed the Fire Service at 15:56 hours (3:56 pm). At 15:57 hours, two appliances were ready. The Fire Service got there by 16:10 hours. “

One die, nine others injured in auto crash FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

t least one person was confirmed dead while nine others were critically injured in an auto crash which occurred in Awowo village, along Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway in Ogun State yesterday. The accident occurred around 12:05pm when the front tyre of a commercial bus, a Mazda with registra-

tion number LAGOS BU 339 EPE, bursted while the bus somersaulted trice. The Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Itori unit, Mr. Fatai Bakare, who confirmed the accident yesterday, said the passenger bus was on a very high speed when the accident occurred. The unit commander added that one person died on the spot while nine others were on danger list as at the time of filing this re-

port. Bakare, who said the body of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of Ifo General Hospital, he added that those who sustained injuries had also been taken to the same hospital where they were receiving treatment. He, however, warned motorists against patronising sellers of used tyres popularly called “Tokunbo,” stressing that such was not suitable for Nigerians roads.

undreds of displaced residents of Makoko Waterfront yesterday stormed the Lagos State Governor’s Office in Alausa, protesting their eviction by the state government, just as the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, reiterated that their eviction was in the interest of the slum dwellers. As early as 9.00 am, the protesters, who arrived in about 25 commercial buses barricaded the State House, Alausa, Ikeja for hours, chanting war songs and calling on the governor to reverse the state government’s decision on their eviction. They also demanded for justice in the brutal murder of one their traditional rulers, Chief Timothy Huntoyanwha, who was shot by the Marine Police Officer, Corporal Boma Pebble on Saturday while trying to pacify the demolition team. The protesters that consisted of various civil groups such as: Ilaje National Alliance Movement; Slum Dwellers Liberty Forum; Social and Economic Rights Action Centre; Lagos Marginalised Community Forum and others were led by human rights activists. On their placards were inscriptions such as: “Leave Makoko residents alone;” “Respect us citizens of Lagos;” “We are not foreigners;” “Lagos Government Respect our Privacy;” “We are Nigerians don’t eject us,” among others. Speaking before the governor, the Baale of Jejelaiye, one of the affected communities, Komayan Yusuf, said the residents had been living in the slum for years and have nowhere to move to after their eviction. His words: “A fish cannot come to the ground and live, don’t let us die. You are our governor and our father, listen to us. Please ask them to stop demolish-

Fashola

ing our structures because it is not in your character to send people out. We are here to tell you our grievances; we are not here for violence. “He debunked the rumour that the shanties have become criminal hideouts, adding that he was speaking on behalf of thousands residents in the affected area.” Responding, Governor Fashola expressed his condolence over the death of the traditional ruler in the course of the demolition exercise, adding that government recognises their existence and their means of livelihood. While advising them to be wary of people who may be benefiting from their misfortune, he said government is ready to allocate land to those who apply for it. Fashola’s words: “The truth must be told, some people are benefitting from your difficulty, that is the truth, in the guise of being your friends, forming all sorts of lies, purporting to help you, but it never gets to you. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, yesterday visited the family of late monarch who was allegedly killed by a police officer during the demolition of structures in Makoko area of Lagos. Addressing the community, Manko said the incidence which led to the death of the victim will be thoroughly investigated and assured the family of the deceased that justice will prevail at the end of the investigation.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Ondo poll: Ex-militants give condition for backing ACN OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

ormer militants in Ondo State have said that they would support the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the forthcoming governorship election if the party picks a former Chairman of the Ondo

Fayemi calls for robust funding of nation’s universities

State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Chief Adewale Omojuwa, as the running mate of its candidate. The former militants yesterday made their position known in a statement signed by Samagbeyi Felix, Ikuesan Kudi, Sapatan Omotehinse, Hibo Ogbaro, Sunny Sedara,

Ahunmo Ehimore, Bigjoe Orola, Ajimosun Oriole, Papa Obakpolor, Esanmore Sosor among others. They said Omojuwa impacted positively on the lives of the people in the oil producing communities while he was the Chairman of OSOPADEC. According to the statement, the former

militants in Ilaje Local Government Area have endorsed Omojuwa for the position and unanimously resolved to support ACN. The statement said: “We have unanimously resolved to work for ACN in the election on the condition that Chief Adewale Omojuwa is chosen as the

party’s deputy governorship candidate. This statement should not be seen as a treat, but as a reality of the political situation in the coastal area of Ondo State. “We are not imposing him on the ACN, but we are only appealing to the leadership of the party to see Chief Adewale Omo-

Amosun promises prompt release of allocation to LGs

WALE FOLARIN

FEMI OYEWESO

OSOGBO

ABEOKUTA

kiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has called for increase funding of the nation’s universities with a view to enhance their competiveness in the global university system. Fayemi made the call yesterday in Osogbo while delivering the second convocation lecture of the Osun State University titled: “Repositioning Nigerian Universities within a Dynamic Global University System: Challenges and Prospects”. He said that the explosion in the nation’s population and the dwindling resources of mono-product economic nature of the country had shown that the government alone could not provide sufficient number of universities to cater for the needs of an increasingly youthful population. Stressing the need for partnership among the private and public universities, the governor called on wealthy Nigerians and corporate bodies to show full commitment to the creation of a more civilized society through regular endowments to universities.

Cross section of the newly-elected 19 local government chairmen in Ogun State taking oath of office in Abeokuta, yesterday.

Nigeria’s security challenges over soon –Akinjide KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

inister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ms. Jumoke Akinjide, has assured that the Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges confronting the country would soon be tackled. She spoke yesterday in Ibadan when she led a Federal Government delegation to deliver President Goodluck Jonathan’s condolence letter to Oyo State

Governor Abiola Ajimobi over the death of his mother, Alhaja Alhaja Sikirat Ajimobi. Alhaja Ajimobi, 85, died last week in Ibadan. Ms. Akinjide said the Federal Government is committed to ensuring security of all Nigerians and their property at all times. Describing the Boko Haram insurgence as temporary, the minister said it would soon fade out because of the steps being taken by the government to tackle the menace. Ms. Akinjide said: ‘’The

security situation is worrying because the first task of every government is the safety of its people and this the present administration is doing .We are very sure the insecurity issue you talked about is temporary and government is working very hard upon its action programmes to surmount the problem. It is our priority and remained top on the government agenda.” She said there would be no going back in the government’s efforts at finding a lasting solution to the insecurity, adding that those

responsible for the problem are in the minority. Reading the letter of condolence to Ajimobi, she said: ‘’We are here to represent President Goodluck Jonathan to commiserate and to celebrate Mama’s life, having seen the fulfillment that any mother will want to see’’. Governor Ajimobi lauded the President for his good leadership qualities, saying: “President Goodluck Jonathan is my friend, despite that we are not in the same party, yet he sees everybody as one and that is how things should be.

Flood kills 35 in Jos, scores missing, 200 houses destroyed

Continued from page 2 some of them were being sheltered at the College of Arabic and Islamic Studies in Jos. “We are conducting a census to ascertain their number and work out immediate intervention before some lasting arrangements. “We are also still assessing the situation around the vicinities and shall do what we can do immediately before getting to the headquarters,” he said. The NEMA official said: “We are again going to sit with relevant government agencies because anything

juwa as a politician and leader that can brighten the chances of ACN and make the party secure our supports in the forthcoming election. “We have many other politicians that are of good characters, but Chief Omojuwa posses an outstanding record of service.”

to do with flooding means that so many things are wrong, especially town planning. “If we must address this, we must seat together look at all those things that lead to flooding.” The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. Emmanuel Abu, described the incident as a “natural disaster,” saying, however, that he had not received detailed report of the incident. “I will get back to you immediately we have the full details,” he told our correspondent on phone. Meanwhile, a victim of

the flood, Mr. Adam Ahmad, said that he was still searching for his wife and two children. “I am not sure they are still alive; but I can only say that I am still searching for them,” a visibly shaken Ahmad told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Jos. “We were sleeping when we heard water rushing into the house and before we realised what was happening, the whole place became like a stream. “I immediately rushed to where my children were sleeping but did not see them; the whole place was taken over by water with a

high speed current sweeping all around me. “I was confused and rushed to where my wife was, but before I could enter her room, the entire house collapsed. “It is a miracle that I escaped because the water almost consumed me. It got to my neck before I rushed out of the building. “The building is lying over there,” he said, pointing to the debris of what used to be his house. Ahmad, who could not hold back tears, said that life was not worth living without his family. The state government

in a statement by Commissioner for Information and Communication, Abraham Yiljap, expressed sadness over the disaster, even as Governor Jonah Jang directed that the State Relief Committee should step in immediately to provide assistance to the victims. “Government is saddened by this unexpected natural phenomenon, which has brought grief to the people in its wake. “Consequently, Governor Jang has directed the State Relief Committee to step in with immediate and provide relief for the surviving victims.”

gun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday promised prompt release of allocation to all the local government areas in the state. Amosun spoke at the inauguration of the newly elected 19 local government chairmen held at the June 12 Cultural Center, Kuto, Abeokuta, the state capital. He urged the local government chairmen to “immediately devise ingenious” means within the legal framework to increase Internally Generated Funds (IGR) to finance developmental projects in their areas. Reiterating that the local government is the closest to the people, the governor advised the chairmen to create a synergy between federal, state and their respective councils to ensure that voters enjoy dividends of democracy. Amosun also commended the State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) for conducting a successful council election which he described as a “great manifestation of the Ogun standard that sets new benchmarks”. Making a veil reference to some former local government chairmen in the administration of the immediate past Governor Gbenga Daniel, who acquired “gigantic hotels within few months of their assumption of office,” Amosun advised the new council chairmen against diverting public funds for personal use.

Amosun

South East

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Death in custody: Victim’s family cries for justice NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

embers of the family of a torture victim have called on the police authorities in Anambra State to ensure justice in the death of Osita Okafor in police custody. The family members said two policemen attached to the Divisional Police Station, Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State allegedly tortured Okafor, 45 years old, to death while in detention. Corporal Felix Egbosun and Inspector Charles Odigwe, they said, had on September 14, 2010 arrested and detained Okafor when he had gone to Ogidi Police Station to recover his property earlier taken away by the policemen. Though the family said former Police Commissioner in the state, Mr. Muhtari Ibrahim, had dismissed the policemen, after orderly room trial, the whereabouts of the inspector were unknown as police had not produced him in court for trial.

Counsel to the family of the deceased, Mr. Chris Ajugwe, said that the police refused to produce the inspector who was party to the murder of the deceased, adding that his absence was stalling trial in the matter. He said that the judge of the Ogidi High Court where the case is, Justice Onochie Anyalebechi, had threatened to strike out the case if the police refused to bring the inspector to court for trial. Ajugwe said Okafor was a businessman who travelled out to Ghana to buy goods but when he came back and noticed that his house had been broken into, he enquired from his neighbours who told him that some policemen came and evacuated his household property to the station while he was away. He noted that on getting to the station, the policemen arrested Okafor clamped him into detention where he died after a few days as a result of the severe torture and inhuman treatment he was subjected to while in the police

Nanka health centre, boost to maternal, infant healthcare –Obi CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

overnor Peter Obi yesterday inaugurated the Nanka Comprehensive Health Centre in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State. Obi said the health centre located in Agbiligba village was part of the programmes being initiated to improve the lives of the people in the 13 communities of Nanka. Speaking at the ceremony, the governor said that the inauguration of the health centre would boost the immunisation programme of the government which had reached a high level of over 85 per cent coverage, maternal and infant health. He urged the community to take over full ownership of the health centre as they were the major beneficiaries. The dignitaries at the ceremony included the member representing Orumba North constituency in the state House of Assembly, Mr. Romanus Obi, the Chairman, Transition Committee

in Orumba North Local Government, Mr. Emeka Aforka, and the immediate past Commissioner for Health, Prof. Amobi Ilika, who in his speech said the health centre would also be used for community health training and research programmes by the medical students of the Anambra State University, Amaku, Awka. Also, the Secretary General of Nanka Patriotic Union, the town union government, Mr. Patrick Emezuo, commended the governor for supporting the actualisation of the project.

custody. The lawyer added that the reason given by the police for arresting and detaining the deceased was that he was sharing the same apartment with an armed robbery suspect who was earlier arrested by the police. A source in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, disclosed that the family of the de-

ceased said that Okafor came home and was told that the police from the Ogidi station had carried his property to the station because his neighbour, one Hyacinth Agbo, was arrested for armed robbery. The source noted that based on that information, the deceased went to the police station with his friends to enquire why his property was evacuated to

OWERRI

he Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, Prof. Chigozie Asiabaka, said the fund from the Federal Government was insufficient to meet the operating cost of the institution. He added that the uni-

severe torture but the police refused him bail and continued torturing him till death. The source added that when Okafor’s brother got information of what happened, he went to ask the police to release the deceased for medical treatment but the Investigating Police Officer, IPO, Corporal Felix started harassing him with gun.

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi (right) and Bishop Owen Nwokolo of the Diocese on the Niger, Anglican Communion, at the presentation of the keys of a new ambulance donated to Iyi-Enu Hospital in Ogidi, yesterday.

Okorocha invites LG chairmen to meeting Friday CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

mo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has invited the reinstated local government chairmen to a meeting on Friday, saying that every party must obey the rule of law to ensure peaceful coexistence of all Imo citizens. Speaking with journalists at the Government House, Owerri, Okorocha, who just returned from an economic trip to the United States, promised to always uphold the rule of law as well as protect the interest of everyone in the state.

He said: “I am concerned about the unnecessary controversy surrounding the judgement of the Court of Appeal. As you are aware, the decision of the Court of Appeal has been appealed at the Supreme Court. A motion for stay of execution has also been filed. “When I took office, I swore to uphold the rule of law and I am aware that once an application for stay is pending in a court, the status quo remains.” The governor, who expressed surprise at the statement credited to the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mohammed

Poor funding, hindering FUTO’s achievements –VC CHRIS NJOKU

the station. The source added that on getting there, the deceased and his friends were arrested and thrown into the cell. It was gathered that while the deceased was being tortured by the two policemen, his younger brother came to get him on bail when his health condition started deteriorating as a result of the

versity had suffered several funding challenges as a result of the global economic meltdown. Asiabaka spoke while briefing the press yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on his first anniversary as the sixth substantive vicechancellor of the university. He said because of this financial challenge, laboratories and classrooms in the

university had remained grossly inadequate and poorly equipped to the detriment of effective teaching and learning. The VC also disclosed that poor electricity supply from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, had also affected the institution’s research activities and administrative process.

Adoke, posited that such comment which generated the controversy might have emanated from sheer misinformation about the true situation on ground. He said: “I am therefore surprised at the press statement credited to the Attorney-General of the Federation who I believe may not have been well informed about the true situation on ground. I am dismayed at the resort to self help by the council chairmen with the active connivance of the police, acting as sherriff with-

out proper court order. This is clearly against the principle of respect to the rule of law and due process.”

Okorocha

2014: It’s our turn to produce Anambra gov –Omabala people NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

he people of Omabala area in Anambra North Senatorial District of Anambra State said that in 2014, it would be their turn to produce Governor Peter Obi’s successor. They said that since Anambra Central and Anambra South Senatorial districts had at various times produced the governor, since the pres-

ent Anambra State was carved out from the old Anambra State in 1991, Anambra North should be given the chance to produce the governor in 2014. This call was made by the Senior Special Adviser (Special Duties) to Chief Victor Umeh, the embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Lawrence Anikpe, and the Treasurer of Omabala Union, Chief Chike Obidigbo.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Tuesday, July 24 , 2012

Gunmen shoot Delta HOS in abduction attempt SOLA ADEBAYO AND AMOUR UDEMUDE

elta State Head of Service, HOS, Mr. Okey Ofili, on Sunday escaped death by a whisker in a failed attempt by five gunmen to kidnap him in Asaba, the state capital. Although the HOS escaped from the gunmen, his leg was ruptured by bullets. He is currently on intensive care at an undisclosed medical centre in the state capital. Ofili became the latest victim of the security breaches in the state, especially in Asaba, Warri and other major cities in the oil-rich state. It was gathered that gunmen swooped on Ofili despite the heavy presence of security agents in the state capital. Security was beefed up in Asaba to herald the meeting of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, which ended in the area on Sunday. It was also learnt the gunmen trailed the HOS to a popular eatery operated by the wife of a senior member of Delta

State cabinet, located a few metres from the state police command headquarters and Inter Bau roundabout, where the police had stationed an armoured car to ward off criminals. Findings showed that Ofili was ordered into a waiting car by the gunwielding youths as he came out of the eatery. He challenged and resisted the order, a development which reportedly infuriated the gunmen. Consequently, the hood-

lums opened fire on one of his legs, apparently to convince him about the seriousness of their mission. The gunshots attracted some policemen attached to a new generation bank, who stormed the scene. The kidnappers fled the scene following the intervention of the police. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, also raced to the scene and made efforts to apprehend the hoodlums.

Ofili, writhing in pains from the gunshot wound, was rushed to a medical centre in the metropolis. The civil servants were gripped by fear yesterday as information about the fate of the HOS filtered into the state secretariat. Yesterday, security was beefed up at the eatery, whose patronage has become a show of loyalty to the powers that be in the state. Armed policemen kept vigil at the eatery and its neighbourhood.

BENIN

overnor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State said he would fulfil every promise he made during his campaign across every nook and cranny of the state. The governor also promised to defend the rights of Edo citizens, regardless of who they voted for in the governorship election. Oshiomhole spoke at the weekend while receiving some traditional rulers from Edo Central District who

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN, BENIN

en of the anti-kidnap squad of the Edo State Police Command have shot and killed a suspected kidnapper in Benin City. The suspect, whose name was not disclosed at press time, was a member of a four-man kidnapped gang which the police alleged was responsible for the recent kidnap of a Benin-based female lawyer. The anti-kidnap squad, it was learnt, also succeeded in arresting two members of the gang. According to police sources, the operatives, who were acting on a tip-off, traced the kidnappers who were driving in their operational Honda Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, around Ogida Po-

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (middle) and some of the traditional rulers from Edo Central during a visit to the governor, yesterday.

came to congratulate him on his victory. Led by the Onojie of Opoji, Zaiki Aidenojie Ehidiame, the traditional rulers described Oshiomhole as the governor who truly had the genuine mandate of all Edo people. They said Edo State had never witnessed an election as transparent and as peaceful as that of July 14, which rendered thugs in the state jobless. “We have come to congratulate the governor on the victory which revealed God’s hand at work. We are

also appreciative of the role of the Oba of Benin, who spoke on peace and progress during the election. We have full confidence in you as the governor. We have the governor that has the genuine mandate of the people. You are the governor of every Edo man,” the traditional rulers said. In his response, Oshiomhole thanked the traditional rulers for their prayers and support that ensured a peaceful and credible election in Edo State. He said: “As royal fathers, you have made the point

DELSUTH performs hip replacement surgery

rthopaedic experts at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara, have carried out a hip replacement surgery. The surgery done on a 29-year-old Ete Erueyin on July 5 came six weeks after a knee replacement operation was carried out in the hospital.

Kidnapper dies in shootout with police

lice Station in Upper Siluko Road of Benin City. Arms, ammunition and cash were recovered from the kidnappers. It was also learnt that the female lawyer, who is a wife of a professor in one of the higher institutions in the state, was kidnapped in Benin City penultimate Sunday. It was gathered that she regained her freedom after paying an undisclosed ransom to her abductors. Sources said the lawyer’s abduction triggered the covert investigation by security agents in the capital city which led to the encounter with the gang. Commenting on the arrest, the state police spokesman, DSP Anthony Airhuoyo, said a full-scale investigation was going on with the assistance of those in police net.

Bayelsa: Pirates seize vessel crew, collect N3m ransom

I’ll fulfil my electoral promises -Oshiomhole SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN

According to Professor Godwin Iwegbu, who led the team of experts in the operation, hip replacement medical condition is usually for those aging. He, however, said that the surgery was necessary for young Erueyin because of the high level of damage of his hip bone resulting from the ste-

roids he received for the bronchial asthma he suffered. Iwegbu explained that damage to hip joint is characterised by severe pains, tilted body posture, difficulty in sitting, standing and most of all walking, even short distances as was the case of Erueyin.

that you do not belong to any political party but that you cannot be neutral. As Adolor of Esanland (the traditional title they conferred on the governor before the election), you have done me proud as the people voted for their Adolor in every ward. We will fulfil all those promises made on my visit to your domains. It is now time to return to work, I will carry all royal fathers along.” While commending the Oba of Benin for reminding the people that all Edo people actually traced their origins to Benin, the governor maintained that the government would defend every Edo citizen regardless of how he or she voted in the election. “I am humbled by the outcome of the election, Edo people reminded us we are one and the same and they want a governor that must apply the resources for the development of various parts of our state,” he added.

ea pirates attacked a fishing trawler off the coast of Akassa in Brass local government, Bayelsa State, abducted the captain and a crew member and held them hostage for four days in a mangrove forest. The attack took place at the weekend. The pirates, according to one of the hostages, collected N3m ransom from the victims’ firm before releasing them. It was learnt that both victims were blindfolded, beaten and denied food while being held at the sea pirates’ den before conveying them to Awegbene in Sagbama Local Government where they were pushed inside the river to find their way. It was also gathered that a woman on a fishing expedition in a canoe at Awegbene saved the victims. The Captain of the fishing trawler, who simply identified himself as Sabastine, said that the beatings received from the sea pirates were having an adverse effect on them. Sabastine, who said they were employees of Atlantic Shrimpers Limited, Lagos, said that they were taken to an unknown destination where they were kept for four days without food. He said: “Our attackers

were fully armed and they took me and my colleague to an unknown destination. They kept us in the mangrove forest for four days without food. We were maltreated, beaten even with gun butts. They collected N3m ransom from our company before allowing us to go. “After receiving the ransom, they agreed with our company that they will deliver us safely at Amassoma. But this was not to be. While taking us out today, they blindfolded us and took us on a speedboat ride. We thought they were really taking us to Amassoma, but getting to around Awegbene community they pushed us into the river and sped off. We were rescued by a woman.” In an interview, the Project Officer of Environmental Rights Action, ERA, Bayelsa State, Alagoa Morris, who saw the victims, said they were assisted with a boat ride from Awegbene to Amassoma because they were stranded. Morris said the captain and the crew member bought new clothes and bathroom slippers at Amassoma.

Governor Seriake Dickson

North

Plateau: Corps members withdraw redeployment applications JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

hirty of the 802 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who earlier applied for redeployment in Plateau State have withdrawn their applications. Speaking yesterday at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Batch ‘B’ orientation course held in Bukuru, the NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Maram Maful, said that of the 802 corps members that applied for deployment, 30 had written to withdraw their applications, while others are still contemplating their withdrawal. Maful said the request would be forwarded to the NYSC headquarters and warned those who chose to stay back against joining local politics, but to participate actively in individual and group projects. He said no corps member would be posted to crises-prone areas except the spouse of a married corps member is in such area. Meanwhile, Governor Jonah Jang, represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Lohfa Bako, assured the corps members of security of their lives.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Cholera cases recorded in Adamawa LGs

he Adamawa State Ministry of Health yesterday said it recorded a few cases of cholera outbreak in some local government areas. The Director for Disease Control, Dr Chidama Barka, said in Yola, state capital, that the cases were recorded in Lamurde, Ganye and some parts of Numan. Barka, who attributed the outbreak to dirtiness associated with the indiscriminate dumping of re-

JOS

resident Goodluck Jonathan has said he is saddened by the death of Senator Gyang Dangtong and Hon. Gyang Fulani, a member of Plateau State House of Assembly. He spoke in Jos at the funeral rites for Fulani who died during a mass burial of violence victims in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochepe, said his administration would ensure that peace returns to all the troubled states in the country He advised the people to work hand in hand with security personnel and to always be watchful as peace is a collective responsibility Speaking earlier, Pla-

fuse, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the cases were quickly treated and contained effectively. The director expressed concern over what he described as the ugly attitude of rampant dumping of refuse by the people. He said that the lack of commitment by the community towards environmental sanitation contributed to the re-emergence of the killer-infection in the state. Barka said: “This year,

we are lucky that there were pocket cases of cholera in the state. “The cases were recorded in Lamurde, Ganye and some parts of Numan, and we are able to contain them in time. “Even though, there is no report of death, the ugly head is not buried, because refuse is still dumped around and potable water is also limited to the people. “After laboratory tests, almost all the sachet wa-

ter products on our major streets contain some contaminant agents which are harmful, while empty polythene bags also poise danger to the environment.’’ He said that since government alone could not afford to provide potable water for all, the private sector should step in. The director said, “Issues of environmental sanitation and provision of potable water for the people of the state cannot be done by

the state government alone. “We have to come out collectively to find ways and means of making our environment clean and providing safe drinking water for our communities.” He explained that there was the need for non-governmental organisations to join government in providing drinkable water and on environmental sanitation issues to make people free from illness. He said that increasing the number of commercial water vendors in the state would not solve the problem. Barka said it would rather compound the situation because many of the private water vendors lacked standard requirements for the business.

Governors meet Thursday over insecurity PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

A Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang with his wife, Talatu, during a funeral service for the late state House of Assembly Majority Leader, Hon. Gyang Fulani, in Jos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

I’m saddened by Fulani’s death –Jonathan JAMES ABRAHAM

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teau State Governor, Jonah Jang, called on the people to always pray to ensure that lasting peace returns to the state Jang stressed that the violence that has been rocking the state for a while must stop with the death of Hon. Fulani. He said: “Plateau State is in the hands of God and whoever touches Plateau has touched God.” Meanwhile, the Plateau State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon John Clark Dabwan, said that Hon Fulani and Senator Dangtong shed their blood for Plateau and he believes this would bring lasting peace to the state He stressed that no leader would be happy when his people were being killed. Dabwan advised the people to forget their political, ethic and religious differences and work towards ensuring that lasting peace returns to the state.

ACF asks N’Assembly to reject seven-year single term AZA MSUE KADUNA

he Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday rejected President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposed seven-year single tenure, just as it called for the removal of offshore oil derivation to South-South against the North. In a memo sent to the National Assembly on the proposed 1999 Constitution amendment, ACF said that the continued calculation of oil offshore to South-South derivation allocations would not help economic advancement of other regions. ACF National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, disclosed this to National Mirror in Kaduna on the forum’s input to National Assembly over the proposed amendment. Sani said ACF sent 16 contributions, which

among were state creation, offshore oil explorations, local government autonomy, to the National Assembly. He said: “Single tenure of any kind will not solve Nigeria’s problems; two terms has no obstacle to performance of any political office holder in this country. If Nigerians want, they should adopt Chile system where an elected political office holder cannot hand over to himself or herself. The single term will create more corruption in this country. I read in some newspapers that National Assembly at their recent retreat in Uyo talked about the single tenure again, there is no need for discussing single tenure. “In some of our contributions to the National Assembly on the proposed constitution amendment, as far as we are concern, resource control is to compensate communities for the degradation, but in case of

offshore oil far away in the sea, how does it affect people? So there is no need of calculating offshore oil to oil producing states. Once offshore oil exploration is not calculated together with Niger Delta derivation, more resources will alleviate poverty in non-oil producing states, it will improve agriculture as well. “No need for states creation again, the issue of state creation should put on hold. But we back autonomy of local government, council joint accounts should be scrapped, state government should only supervise the third tier of government.”

pparently worried by the security challenges confronting the North, the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has fixed an emergency meeting of the body for July 26, 2012 in order to bring to end the menace. The forum’s chairman, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State said the 19 governors were determined to end the violence that had led to the loss of many lives and property in the region. Speaking in Minna, the Niger State capital, Governor Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, explained that the meeting, which is scheduled to hold in Abuja, is expected to come up with recommendations that would help return peace to the North.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

SUPER TUESDAY Nigeria’s security challenges’ll get worse without state police – Uduaghan

14&15

Politics

When Senate bid Dantong goodbye

CAPITAL MARKET COLLAPSE

Reps’ damning verdicts on Oteh, others

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU and TORDUE SALEM write on the recommendations of the Ad hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on the collapse of the Capital Market submitted last week.

he House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on the crash of the Capital Market last Thursday submitted its report on the floor of the House. The voluminous report made extraneous claims of impropriety against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Assets Management Commission of Nigeria (AMCON) and other players in the equities and financial sector. The Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Hon. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi (PDP/ Taraba), in his opening remarks, before the presentation of the 38-point report, painted a grim picture of the equities market at the time the House decided to wade in and the justification of such intervention. His words: “The threat of the collapse of the Nigerian economy was real at the onset of the fiscal year 2009. Despite the claims that Nigeria was insulated from the economic meltdown that was ravaging the globe, the Nigerian capital market, being a vital component of the financial system was almost at its knees by the end of the fiscal year 2008 to 2009. “The Nigerian Stock Exchange market capitalisation was N0.294 trillion by the end of 1999. By the end of 2003, it stood at N1.302 trillion; N1.93 trillion by year end of 2004; and N2.521 trillion by end of the 2005 fiscal year. “In 2006, market capitalisation closed at N4.23 trillion; rose to N9.98 trillion in 2007, and rose to N12.5 trillion within the first 60 days of 2008. It was N12.15 trillion by the end of March but closed at N6.80 trillion by year end of December, 2008. It fell further to N5.00 trillion at the end of December 2009; rose to N7.81 trillion by the end of fiscal year 2010, but fell again to N6.53 trillion by the end of 2011.” He added that as at March 2012, the market capitalisation stood at N6.61 trillion, accounted for, mainly, by mergers and acquisitions in the banking sector. The Ad-hoc Committee on Capital Market which members include: Udoka Ini Akpan (PDP/Akwa Ibom), Yakubu Dogara (PDP/Bauchi), Bimbo Daramola (ACN/ Ekiti), Toby Okechukwu (PDP/Enugu), Jibril Umar Bubar (PDP/Kogi), Usman Adamu (ANPP/Kano) and Oko Rose Okoji (PDP/Cross River), commenced public

Oteh

El-Sudi

Sanusi

THE APPOINTMENT OF

hearing on Tuesday, April 17 and concluded its sitting on Tuesday, May 22. The committee also applied for an extension of time to conclude its assignment due to non-submission of requested documents from some government agencies and was granted additional two weeks. The committee’s mandate, according to El-Sudi, included carrying out an investigative public hearing “with the objective to investigate the factors that led to the near collapse of the capital market, making recommendations on its findings as deemed appropriate; explore the factors that are directly and/or indirectly contributory to the near collapse; and the current state of the capital market in Nigeria.” In carrying out its functions, the committee enquired into the activities of persons and agencies connected with the capital market from 1999 to date. But El-Sudi regretted the non-cooperation attitude of some government agencies like the SEC, CBN, AMCON which failed to avail his committee of vital information and documents, adding that “the attitude of these agencies did not affect the committee’s ability to arrive at very useful findings and recommendations.” In a preamble, the committee stated that: “In recent times, world economic dynamics have pointed to one direction; that it is a good economic environment that guarantees stable and sustainable political system. “Stability of the polity, peace, equitable economic growth and genuine welfare of the citizens is found to be highly dependent on a virile and credible economic system. However, a credible economic system de-

MS. ARUNMA

OTEH BE TERMINATED FORTHWITH AS DG OF SEC AS HER APPOINTMENT IS IN VIOLATION OF

SECTION 3(2) A AND SECTION 38 (1) (B), 2 AND 3; SECTION 315 OF THE ISA 2007 pends on the reliability of the credit system.” The committee opined that “markets for real sector finance succeed only where there is credibility in market regulation. It is market regulation that assures that financial assets are properly priced; bubbles do not persist for a long time. In addition, given the utility of the flag value of market information and diligent regulation, the risk/return nexus are promoted by the way economic agents react to market stimulus.” The committee noted that “most economies that suffered similar fate as the Nigerian capital market in the immediate past can at worst, if not recovered, measure how far they are from recovery. The exact levels of aggregate deficits in the economy are known and fully disclosed.” “Most of these economies have evolved measures to correct the observed flaws that usually present perpetual problems to effective capital market intermediation,” it

said. The committee said that in Nigeria’s case, “it is not clear what the regulators of our capital market want to do differently, and whether the past actions and omissions of the regulators that failed to correct market infractions are now set to be contained.” Advising that “it is also important to investigate why the regulators fuelled the pumping and dumping of shares by regulatory fiat, and why despite the time and cost that taxpayers bore for regulatory capital verifications, why the regulators could not effectively detect bubble capital during the various Initial Public Offers that the market witnessed.” The report further added: “If the Nigerian capital market must return to the part of genuine growth, then, it became very necessary to investigate the reasons for the near collapse: to establish the extent to which those factors exist till this day and to offer corrective solutions that require urgent attention.” Drawing from all stakeholders’ observations and submissions on the tragedy of the market, the committee submitted 38 recommendations in its report following what it observed from the inquiry it conducted.

Removal of Oteh One of the recommendations was the removal of the Director General of the SEC, Ms. Aruma Oteh due to perceived incompetence, and her investigation on allegations of fraudulent conduct. The committee recommended: “That the appointment of Ms. Arunma Oteh be terminated forthwith as DG of SEC as her appointment is in violation of Section 3(2) a and Section 38 (1) (b), 2 and 3; Section 315 of the ISA 2007 in that she did not have 15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

Politics

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria’s security challenges’ll get worse Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has been at the helm of affairs of Delta State in the last five years. In an interactive session with journalists at the weekend, he spoke on the constitution review and his expectations from the exercise. He also shared his view on the Delta Beyond Oil concept, non-implementation of budgets and state police, among other issues. AYODELE OJO brings excerpts:

What is your impression about the visit of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review to your state? What has happened is that we are highly honoured as a state to host the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review. Their coming has enriched us as a state, it has exposed us. But specifically, while at the plenary session, it is quite interesting because what I could come up with is that everybody is eager to do something about our constitution. It is obviously a constitution that requires some tinkering. There is no doubt that no constitution is perfect. America has been trying to modify its constitution for several years now and we just started in 1999. Because of our experience in the last 13 years or so in dealing with the constitution, many people have experienced the flaws and they believe we need to do some changes. People in government, executive, legislature and judiciary, who have been using the constitution to manage the country, have seen the weaknesses. Then the Nigerian people themselves who have been governed with the constitution, have also experienced the flaws. So, everybody, whether you are in or outside government, believe that we need to deal with the constitution and I believe that what will come out at the end will be the people’s constitution.

Uduaghan

Which of the issues would you consider as the most important in the constitution review? For us in the South-South and as a state, the issue is really, what kind of federation are we practicing? People have had their own definition of federation, you either have a federation or you don’t have it, there is nothing like a false or true federation. Those are academic arguments as far as I am concerned. The truth is; if we say we are in a federation, are we really practicing federalism the way it should be? The answer is no. So, for us in the South-South, I say, let us practice federalism the way it is known worldwide. What does that mean? There is a centre and the various states. In a real federation, the states are not appendages of the centre. There is no one big man up there and then you have the small men, and then the big man will start distributing crumbs to the small men down there, which seems to be happening now. What we are saying is this: there are 36 states and a Federal Government; for us, we will call it 37 governments. Yes, the Federal Government is bigger than the others but there are 37 governments in Nigeria. And the various governments should be able to manage the affairs, somehow independently, with all of us converging at the centre. Coming down to specifics, we are saying that as a federation, the Federal Government is taking too many things and should be confined to certain areas and let the states do a lot more than they are doing now. Why should the Federal Government build primary schools and healthcare centres or construct boreholes? We believe that the states should handle that. But in so doing, we also need to review the allocation formula. I hear people talk about Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) but the reality is that Nigeria today still depends on oil; you can call it 65 or 70 percentage. Most of the revenue today, either at the federal or state level, still comes from oil. There has to be a proper way of dealing with the funds that come from the oil: who gets what? Who has the right to get what? And the states of the Niger Delta, the oil-producing communities, because of the challenge we have and the difficulties in the terrain and in developing our area, justice and fair play demands that we should be getting 100 per cent and paying tax to the centre. But if

TUESDAY INTERVIEW

that arrangement is not on, then they should increase the derivation to the various oil-producing areas. And then we are also talking about security. Today, every part of this country is talking about one form of security problem or another and we think that with our long history, we need to review our security arrangement and one

WHY SHOULD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUILD PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND HEALTHCARE CENTRES OR CONSTRUCT

BOREHOLES?

WE BELIEVE

THAT THE STATES SHOULD HANDLE THAT.

BUT IN SO

DOING, WE ALSO NEED TO REVIEW THE ALLOCATION FORMULA

of the areas that we believe should be reviewed is the area that states should have their own police. And from what I have heard today, I think that seems to be one of the most exciting parts. Agreed that there should be a state police, what is left is what should be the relationship between the state police and the federal police. And how do we ensure that when the state police is put up it won’t be abused by the governors; those are issues that can be discussed. But as for the issue of having a state police, everybody knows and I speak in my position as a governor, that if we don’t go that way, our security challenges will continue to get worse. There have attepts in the past at reviewing the constitution. Now, we have moved even further to give a date of completion, what is the possibility that we will get it right this time? I am happy that you said we didn’t move initially but we have moved further, they have now given you a date of July next year; that is a movement. If you listen to the Deputy Senate President’s speech, he said that there are critical areas amongst others, which means they have been able to narrow issues to at least 16 critical areas. If we take these 16 critical areas, even if we cannot get them, we can get some percentage. What gives me hope is the way we were able to amend the Electoral Act. It is just for the people to be resolved that we need to get some of these things and it was changed. Now that we have narrowed it down, the National Assembly will come together, articulate all their feelings and once they agree, they will be able to pass it. All the stakeholders are in agreement on one thing; that we need some amendments. It might not be all, but I believe that something will come out. I don’t see it as a waste of

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Politics

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

without state police – Uduaghan time. In fact, this is the closest we seem to be getting. Of course you know what happened to the last one.

if you have a deficit budget the performance is definitely going to reduce.

You mentioned that the derivation formula should be revised, to what percentage are you suggesting? The minimum should be 50 per cent.

You are the brain behind the Delta Beyond Oil Concept, what does it entail? The concept of Delta Beyond Oil is simply put; when states that are oil producing get funds from Federal Government as allocation because of our oil producing status, what I am saying is that we can use those funds no matter how small they are, to develop other areas of the economy which is almost totally zero for now. Let us develop other areas of the economy so that in future whether near or far; oil is not something you can rely on fully, there might be fall in price, it can finish, so that in future whether we have oil or not we can have a stable economy. What has happened is that because we have oil, we seemed to have forgotten the other areas of the economy, not just in this state alone even in the nation. So, how do we develop other areas of the economy? We have two boxes; we have a box in which we think we should develop infrastructure that will attract investment; but these are long term investments. First, in the area of power, many industries are not thriving today, they are dead, they are not even coming because of the challenges we have in power. So, we are investing in that area. Two, in the area of transportation, roads, and that is why we are trying to develop some major highways and airports. On seaport, we are working with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to improve on our ports, both the channels and the port itself. These are infrastructures that are required for industries to thrive or to come. We have that box and like I said, those are long term; to be able to attract enough power to achieve those things is not easy. The second box is what we call the Low Hanging Foot,

You said that oil-producing states should be given 50 per cent derivation in a situation where many of the states are broke. How do we reconcile that? That I need 50 per cent derivation is my own pain, another person’s pain is to create states, another person’s pain is to create local governments. So, let us put all our requirements on the table and negotiate. What about the survival of the states if they are broke now? When we put it on the table; that is the democracy we are talking about; I have the right to request for a 100 per cent but I am even generous by requesting for 50 per cent. So, let us discuss our requests; you want states, let us discuss your request too. Is your state viable? If it is not viable, of course, you will withdraw your request. If my own request is 50 per cent, if you say I cannot get 50 per cent but I can get 40. No problem. Realistically, we can look at it, what is the realistic percentage I can get, then you can give me. It’s about understanding and not by force for anybody. There is the fear of possible disintegration of the country… It is not possible. Forget it. Nigeria will not break up. In fact, the review of the constitution is not even going close to that at all. We have our contacts, we have our friends, nobody is contemplating a break-up. The issue of budget performance has been generating a lot of reactions in terms of what is on paper and what is implemented. What is responsible for this? On the issue of the budget itself, carry any budget in this country now, most of them are deficit budgets and what does that mean? You come out with a budget in which you want to execute N100 billion project, but realistically, what you are expecting is N60 billion from the allocation and the IGR. But because of the policies, people force you to put some projects and when it gets to the Assembly, either national or state, one project is added and all that, such that by the time the process is concluded, the expenditure itself is quite high. But there is another aspect that people do not consider: how do you get the money to finance it? It is like your salary and loan can only buy you a Toyota, meanwhile you are budgeting for a Mercedes. Now, you are ready to buy the Mercedes but the money you have is just for a Toyota and you are insisting you must buy the Mercedes; you already have a deficit. That is how most budgets in this country are. At the end of the day, you might have to look for a loan to be able to bridge that gap. And of course, you can’t consistently take loan every year because as you are taking the loan, you must pay back. Then secondly, when you budget at the beginning of the year, before the end of the year, something comes to distort your budget. Maybe midway there is a wage increase that shoots up your expenditure. Sometimes, there is a problem with our exchange rate and that increases the cost of contracts; you award a contract for N10 but because of exchange rate by the end of the year, there is inflation. We have a lot of things that combine to make it difficult to execute the budget. Now, what have we tried to do? We have to be realistic; there is no way I can tar all the roads in Delta State, but everybody expects me to tar the roads to his village, to his house; my friends, my brothers, my political associates, they all want me to do everything, but it is not just possible for me to do everything. Even classmates that you have not seen since primary school, once you become a governor, they surface and they expect you to do something for them. Nobody bothers about how you get the money but they want you to do something for them. You can’t also blame them because if I were in their position, I would look for my classmates if they get into positions. So, we have that challenge of having deficit budget; of course

something that will have an immediate impact and that is where we are concentrating on our Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). We have been giving out a lot of funds for the micro credit schemes and we have a lot of micro industries that have come up, some are moving to small scale industries. In fact, right now, we have some of our women who are at the London Olympics, exhibiting some of the products that they made from the micro credit that we have given to them. These are people that never ever believe that one day they will reach the airport. By tomorrow, if they are serious, they can blow it to large scale industries. I would call those ones Low Hanging Foot because we are using it to empower our people. If you go to a place call Ekpan now, we have one of the biggest fish farms run by youths; they have their various fish ponds. Ekpan was a place where many of the youths were very restive but many of them are engaged in that farming. So, in terms of other areas of the economy apart from oil, we are looking at agriculture, tourism, solid minerals and some other things. That is how far we have gone. There is no terminal date in terms of when we are expecting to execute them. It is not even a programme that will develop during my tenure alone. The next person coming in will build on it until we have a lot more persons getting engaged. When is Delta State likely to have local government election? On the issue of local government, there are two federating units in Nigeria, the federal and state governments. Look at the Nigerian law, the truth is that the local government is not a federating unit; the House of Assembly can make laws for the governing of local government council. That is to clarify the issue of federating units. In the state, in my first tenure, I conducted a local government election, so you cannot accuse me that I haven’t not conducted a local government election before, unfortunately, their tenure expired sometime last year. And you know we had the highest number of elections in Delta State at about that period. The tenure of that local government elapsed and almost at the same time, the tenure of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) expired. Unfortunately too, the DSIEC we have been having also had its own challenges, in the sense that the membership of the commission with the old law was lopsided and there have always been complain about the membership; some senatorial districts have more than others. So, we sent an amendment to the House to ensure that there is equity and justice in the representation at the commission level. That has been passed. I want to conduct the election; I don’t run away from it. Why have you not assented to the Anti-Kidnapping Bill? First, what happened was that at the time the bill was passed, I didn’t give assent to it. Now, they have resuscitated that bill, they have had a public hearing, and when they were doing the public hearing, I sent my AttorneyGeneral to give them my own view. And one of the things I did send him to do was to tell them that I don’t believe in death sentence for any crime because death sentence has not stopped any crime in this world. Instead, sometimes, it has made the crime more deadly.

AS FOR THE ISSUE OF HAVING A STATE POLICE, EVERYBODY

I SPEAK IN MY POSITION AS A GOVERNOR, THAT IF WE DON’T GO THAT WAY, OUR SECURITY

KNOWS AND

CHALLENGES WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE

There was a dispute between your administration and an elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark. How is your relation with him at the moment? We have reconciled fully. Nothing is static in this world; I don’t make permanent enemies and I don’t think anybody should make permanent enemies. In any case we are not even enemies, we only had political differences, he had the advantage of age, experience as a former commissioner, minister, senator. He has been a lot of things, so he had that experience. He had his own style of putting up whatever he had against me and I also had my own style of dealing with it by not first responding, being abusive and rude, taking him as an elder, listening and reading some of the things he was talking about and the ones I could do, I did them. It got to a point that everybody decided that it was enough and that it was not in the interest of the state or the interest of anybody. So, there is no crisis anymore.

Politics

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PIB and Alison-Madueke’s Midas touch FRANCIS OTTAH AGBO

t was not surprising that President Goodluck Jonathan retained Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke as Petroleum Minister in the face of unfounded calls for her head. And with the recent presentation of the water-proof Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to the National Assembly for passage by the executive arm of government, the Bayelsa-born technocrat has added another feather to her cap. It is true that she is not the first to moot the PIB but Alison-Madueke is clearly the architect of this new-version PIB and midwifed it to maturity, in spite of the distraction by enemies of reforms. She achieved this by rallying round all the stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, including the Oil Producing Companies (OPCs), through dialogue, wide consultations with Nigerians across board and the engagements of the media and civil society, the result of which is a brand new PIB that, in the words of the minister, addresses the concerns of OICs and engenders a win-win situation for Nigeria, Nigerians and the OPCs alike. The new PIB, which is adjudged to be pro-Nigeria because of its rich local content, is divided into eight broad parts and four schedules, couched in 226 pages with 365 sections makes interesting reading. The minister must be praised for securing the buy-in of the OPCs in the new PIB. It will be recalled that OPCs had surreptitiously frustrated the passage of the earlier bill in the sixth National Assembly on the grounds that it was insensitive to their strategic interest. They, for example, claimed that the old PIB amongst other things, compelled them to pay mind-boggling and unrealistic royalties and taxes to the Federal Government through the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and feared that if passed into law, it would freeze them from business. Some of them, like Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chevron, Mobil among others, even threatened to vacate the shores of Nigeria for neighbouring countries like Ghana, Niger, Angola and so on that now have oil in commercial quantity. No responsible government would allow them to leave as that would cripple oil exploration, exploitation, refining, and revenue profile of Nigeria. So, the government was in dire need of solution to keep the OPCs in the country and an AlisonMadueke had to come to judgement by deploring her sterling leadership qualities and persuasive skills. The minister quickly addressed the issues of royalties, taxes and licenses in such a manner that the interests of the OPCs are protected in the new PIB. And before the sceptics and cynics could say Nigeria, the minister talked the OPCs into it and they flew with it! If the bi-cameral Nigerian legislature, as expected by Nigerians, passes the PIB into law as quickly as possible, as promised by Senate President, David Mark, the administration of the oil and gas sector will be transparent and accountable to the public and the pricing of petroleum products in the downstream sector will be completely deregulated with more indigenous participation. Deregulation will amongst

Jonathan

Alison-Madueke

THE MINISTER QUICKLY ADDRESSED THE ISSUES OF

ROYALTIES, TAXES AND LICENSES IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE

OPCS ARE PROTECTED IN THE NEW PIB... THE MINISTER TALKED THE

OPCS INTO IT AND

THEY FLEW WITH IT other things create fair market value for petroleum products in the Nigerian economy, make enough products available by removing artificial scarcity and ultimately remove economic distortions. If critics thought the new PIB would be insensitive to the Niger Delta, the region that produces the golden egg, then they were dead wrong. The minister ensured that the PIB provides for the setting up of a Petroleum Host Community Fund which compels oil companies to surrender 10 percent of their profits from upstream activities for the development of the oil producing communities as more and more Niger Deltans, especially the youths, will be gainfully employed. This I believe will complement the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and quell youth restiveness in the area. The PIB further protects the environment, terminates gas flaring and makes it punishable by law! Rather, the hitherto flared gas will now be exported to developed nations in dire need of the product, hence creating another window for the inflow of revenue into the economy and hence signalling the implementation of the gas master plan. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) which had become the butt of many jokes in pepper soup

joints in recent times are to be scrapped if the new PIB sails through. They are to be replaced with Petroleum Technical Bureau (PTB) and the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (DPRA) with in-built measures to curb malfeasance and waste. Equally interesting is the fact that the NNPC is to be unbundled into three companies – the National Oil Company (NOC), the National Petroleum Assets Management Corporation (NPAMC) and the National Gas Company (NGC). To further give the public a say in the oil and gas sector, Nigerian investors are to have 30 per cent equity in the NOC and 40 per cent in the NGC within six years from the date of incorporation. Parts of section 150-152 of the PIB read: ‘‘The Minister of Petroleum shall, not later than three months after the effective date, take such steps as are necessary under the Companies and Allied Matters Act to incorporate the National Oil Company as a public company limited by shares, which shall be vested with certain assets and liabilities of the NNPC. At the time of its incorporation, the initial shares of the National Oil Company shall be held by a nominee of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Ministry of Finance incorporated on behalf of the government.’’ The PIB insulates the NOC from the hammer of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 and the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007. The bill also makes it mandatory for government to, within six years of the incorporation of the NOC, divest up to 30 per cent of the authorised shares of the company to the public in the stock market transparently. If the NOC is incorporated, the assets and liabilities held by the NNPC on behalf of the Federal Government, except the interests in the unincorporated joint ventures and Nigerian Gas Company Limited shall be vested in the NOC within 12 to 24 months from the effective date. The transfer of liability or obligation under the section stated above frees the NNPC from the liability or obligation as far as the transferred assets are concerned but the NOC can defend or enforce all obligations for or against NNPC as if it is the original party to such obligation in the event of majeure or default.

The PIB provides for an NPAMC as a holding company which will operate fully on a commercial swing. Consequently the corporation will have powers to: (a) enter into contracts and incur obligations; (b) acquire, hold, mortgage, purchase and deal with all types of property; and (c) establish and maintain subsidiaries for the discharge of its functions as the Corporation may determine and so on. Similarly, the sections allow the DPRA to oversee tariffs to prevent hijack of deregulation by exploitative marketers. Aside this, the agency will oversee transportation of pipeline, bulk storage of petroleum products at designated depots. In spite of this power conferred on the agency, the PIB empowers all marketers to establish loading facilities, jetties and own independent pipelines and depots to create a level playing field for all players in the oil and gas sector. One salient provision of the PIB is that it gives absolute power to licensed oil marketing company, bulk consumer of petroleum products or independent refineries to construct and operate independent pipelines, depots or jetties for their exclusive use. A deep study of the crux of the NNPC reform embarked upon by Alison-Madueke is to reposition the corporation in such a way that it is more transparent and profit-oriented, so that it could generate more funds for the federation, thereby dispelling rumours of NNPC’s insolvency, alleged sharp practices and inefficiency. The reforms will equally make the NNPC to be at par with its counterparts in other oil- producing countries like the Petrobras of Brazil, Aramco of Saudi Arabia and Petronas of Malaysia. The implication of this is that NNPC will declare more money for government to develop the country. Nigerians and the National Assembly must rise up in unison to own and fly with the PIB and chart the course of our collective destiny by ensuring that the PIB is expeditiously passed into law. It is by so doing that the name of the seventh National Assembly will be written in gold. It is by so doing that there will be more money to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). All men of goodwill, the civil society and the media must sustain the support for the bill that seeks to revolutionise the downstream sector. Neither the baby nor the bath water should be thrown away since this version of the PIB has received the endorsement of majority of Nigerians, the critical stakeholders in the oil and gas sector. The insinuation by a few individual and a section of the press that the PIB vests too much power on Alison-Madueke should be discarded. The issue at stake is not about her or President Jonathan but about our destiny as a people and institutional reforms of the sector which we all desperately desire. In any case, Alison-Madueke will not be Minister of Petroleum till eternity; many will still come after her. So, Nigerians should not allow the thunder of the minority to cow the ovation of the majority as far as the PIB is concerned. Agbo, a journalist and public affairs analyst wrote in from Abuja. MORE POLITICS STORIES ON PAGES 42-44

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Oshiomhole and the social contract with Edolites THE GOVERNOR HAS VOWED

PAUL

ARHEWE paul@nationalmirroronline.net 07081094311 (sms only)

he Edo State governorship elections held on July 14, 2012, has since left in its trail a victor and a vanquished. Incumbent Governor Adam Oshiomhole triumphed over his closest rival, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (retd) of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), in what observers dubbed the ‘most one-sided electoral contest’ in Edo political history. The clear victory of ACN received enthusiastic responses even from people outside the state. Social media were awashed with commentaries from thousands of applauders and censurers. My congratulations to Comrade Governor Oshiomhole for a well deserved victory. The Oba of Benin, His Royal Highness Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Solomon Igbinoghodua Aisiokuoba Akenzua Erediauwa I, had captured the endorsement of the incumbent governor for a second term thus: “You have cleaned up the roads not only in Benin Kingdom but

BEFORE THE

BENIN

MONARCH THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE WOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED in several other towns. The last time you came I prayed through our ancestors for you to come back and complete the work and also do more for Edo people”. So the victory of the ACN candidate was settled even before the July 14 elections. That election has confirmed President Goodluck Jonathan as a rare statesman and true national leader. He was among the first to send goodwill and congratulatory messages to victorious Oshiomhole. While lamenting his party’s loss, Mr. President had reiterated his stance that he would not use federal might against opposition parties. Indeed, Nigerians need more of such non-partisan assurances from their leaders. They are what we need to nurture and nourish our burgeoning democracy. Victory gyrations should be over now, I think it is time for serious business. Edo people have spoken through the ballot box; they have played their part of the social contract bargain. It is now left

for Oshiomhole to fulfill his side of the contract. He must ensure that he accomplishes more of what made the people to endorse his second term. It is becoming a norm in this part of the world, where politicians who are elected for second term tend to relax in delivering on expected promises. In some quarters, the argument is that Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, is now a slumbering leader; a far cry from his commendable and laudable performance during his first tenure. This assertion maybe wrong, but it is somewhat tempting that a second term leader who has nothing at stake, may want to selfishly use this period to lord it around rather than meeting the needs of the people, as promised during political campaigns. In a previous article in this column titled, ‘The votes of Edo electorate must count’ and published on June 5, 2012, I wrote: “I urged politicians in the state to respect the wishes of the people and this should be seen as supreme”. In that article I argued that politicians’ campaigns should be issues-based and not personality-based with overconcentration on what would give them cheap publicity. Now that the elections are over, explicit execution of those issues- based promises is paramount. Anything short of this would be a disservice to the conscience and reputation of the leader. The former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Pally Iriase, has

assured that Oshiomhole would deliver on his campaign promises. “The Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that I worked with will never renege in his promise to even do more in his second tenure”. I will only say time will definitely tell and prove him right or wrong. The votes of Edo electorate must have counted and given him his heart desire; he must not betray the trust of the people. The voting pattern in the last elections indeed showed that the electorate are apt in clinging more to the candidate that they believe in and not unnecessary pandering to ethnic sentiments. Oshiomhole got 90 percent of Benin votes; 80 percent of the votes from his Afemai people. This near absolute support from the people would only be compensated when the governor outperform his first term feat. The governor has vowed before the Benin monarch that the development of the state would not be compromised. “I want to assure your majesty that we will ensure that the great Benin Kingdom witness accelerated development in order to restore the glory of the kingdom”, was how he put it. The people would only wish that this promise is fulfilled, not only to the people of Benin Kingdom, but to all the ethnic sub nationalities that make up the state. Four years from now the good work Oshiomhole would have accomplished will sufficiently burnish his CV so much that Nigerians would endorse him for a higher national office. So he should know that the whole of Nigeria is watching him.

Joseph O. Abolade: Tribute to a classic school master BUKAR USMAN

r. Joseph Oladejo Abolade (19382012) died on June 20, 2012 and was interred at his home town Ikirun, Osun State on July 20, 2012. He might not have been a public figure of note in his life time, but he was a notable molder of young men and women, many of whom are today public figures of note. On this rested his greatness. He laid not his treasures in perishable things, but secured those virtues our nation is in dire need of today - virtues of passionate dedication to duty, forthrightness, excellence, exemplary leadership and, professional contentment. He inscribed those virtues in the hearts and minds of many of his students now serving in different capacities across the nation. My classmates and I were fortunate to be one of those so uniquely touched by Mr. Abolade. He was one of our former tutors at King’s College (KC), Lagos (1963 -1968). He was the head of a distinguished family of academicians and school administrators. While he taught at King’s College, his spouse was the head of Queen’s College (QC), Lagos. Those were two premier educational institutions renowned for moral and academic excellence in the country. Mr. Abolade went on to establish and head similar institutions across the country, where he taught his students not only to master their subjects but also

to subject themselves to discipline and self-control. After serving as a tutor at the Federal Government College Sokoto, (1969-1972), Mr. Abolade went on to serve at different times as the principal of four other federal government colleges at Odogbolu (1973-1976), Enugu (1976-1980), Ijanikin (1980-1985) and Ilorin (1985-1989). He later moved on to the Ministry of Education to serve as a Director of Education Planning and later Director Inspectorate, he retired in 1998 in that capacity. On my personal relationship with Mr. Abolade, I must say that since we parted in 1965, we did not meet again until about five years ago. Even then it was an accidental meeting at Hamdala Hotel, Kaduna. I was in Kaduna on a social visit while he was there for a workshop on education. That encounter provided me the opportunity to express my gratitude for his contribution to my literary career. We never met again. I was told that he used to grace the meetings of the Ingots, our student association, at Prof Fetuga’s residence at Magodo, Lagos, where he happened to live. I was not fortunate to meet him there. Mr. Abolade’s contribution to my postretirement effort at book-writing came about also by chance. Ironically, it was after I read the tribute he wrote on our former principal, Dr Rex E. O. Akpofure, in 2003. I found not only the sentiments he expressed in the eulogy, but also his mastery of the English Language quite touching. That was about the time I had

MR. ABOLADE WAS A GIFTED, THOUGH UNHERALDED, LITERARY ARTIST-A PLAYWRIGHT AND A POET written my autobiography. Still in manuscript, I felt that I must locate him to help me go through it. I secured his phone number from one of our colleagues and called him, he was most obliged to grant my request. I was not disappointed at the outcome. He edited it as if he was marking a school paper, and his feedback was like a report card on me. In a remark dated January 17, 2004, he said, “What I’ve done is to remove verbal blemishes and polish up the language where I’ve noticed inelegance or banality...” On the whole he said, “I’ve found the story of your life as narrated in the manuscript quite captivating. It’s the portrait of a man with a sensitive mind, a sharp intellect and an acute sense of observation-a person with a mission and who is resolved to achieve that goal despite distractions, distress or disappointments.” I think his life reflected these qualities more than mine. Mr. Abolade had a solid educational background. He began his educational career at Ibadan Grammar School (1952-1956) and

attended Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone (1959-1962), Leeds University (1968-1969), University of Pittsburgh (1977) and University of Ibadan (1986-1987), harvesting in the process prizes and honours in history, Latin and essay-writing. After his Bachelor of Arts in 1962, he had a diploma in Teaching English in 1969 and attended educational management training in 1977 and 1987, where he bagged a master’s degree. Mr. Abolade was a gifted, though unheralded, literary artist - a playwright and a poet. A long-term examiner in English language for WAEC and GCE, he was also an authority on basic education, girl-child education, objective test and oral English. To crown it all, he was a member of the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction. As a clear demonstration of his family’s devotion to child up-bringing, he died as the president of Child Lifeline, an NGO engaged in the rehabilitation of street children. Through that organization, he continued his penchant for community service, even after retirement. Usman, is a former Permanent Secretary in the Presidency 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, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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HEAD, GRAPHICS

Federal Government on birth control

resident Goodluck Jonathan, at the swearing in of the newly-appointed chairman and commissioners of the National Population Commission (NPC) on Tuesday, June 26, 2012, complained about population upsurge in the country in an insightful suggestion of the need to introduce legislation on birth control in the land. “For us to plan properly, we must manage our population; but it is extremely sensitive; we are extremely religious people”, he stated. Jonathan said the Federal Government cannot fold its arms for the situation (population explosion) to become uncontrollable; stressing that Nigeria would not be the first country to legislate on population control. The public impression dogging the statement since then has been that Jonathan must have been very impressed by the 1798, Thomas Malthus theory on population growth as published in ‘An Essay on the Principle of Population.’ Simply put, the Malthusian theory of population espouses the notion of population increase in a geometrical ratio, whereas food supply increases in an arithmetic ratio. This disharmony, according to Malthus, would lead to widespread poverty and starvation, which would only be checked by natural occurrences such as diseases, high infant mortality,

famine, war or moral restraint. The theory listed two steps to control the population namely: preventative checks - control in birth rate, and uses of different methods to control birth; and positive checks - natural calamities, war, etc. The theory has nevertheless been subjected to furious disputation for considering food supply and population growth only in drawing its conclusions, without reference to other factors such as improvements in technology. Jonathan is not the first Nigerian leader to tinker with population control in the country. During the Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd) military era, there was a national population policy that encouraged couples to have a maximum of four children, with enough sensitization to encourage Nigerians to respect the policy. Unfortunately, not enough success was recorded since it was a mere policy decision not backed by law. It appears the FG wants to go further in firming up the policy this time around. On its face value, a thought along this direction should be commended as right. Proper planning and sustainable economic growth requires a predictable population policy. A country not conscious of its population growth vis-a vis its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) wallows in

HAD THE FG BEEN ALIVE TO ITS RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROVIDING THE NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE; AND

CATERING FOR ITS LESS PRIVILEGED, IT WOULD NOT BE LOSING SLEEP OVER PURPORTED OVERPOPULATION planning ignorance and may find itself in serious economic crises. Nigeria is groping in the dark as to the number of its productive work force and the number of idle but employable hands. The nation is currently working with an estimated population figure of about 150 million people, for instance. A number of questions however arise: Foremost, has Nigerian population gotten to an unmanageable level? Should the FG’s woeful failures in infrastructural and social service provisioning stand as sound excuses for pegging population growth? Is it not obvious that bloated urban population, which creates the overpopulation impression, is the product of the utter neglect and disempowerment of rural com-

munities which often necessitate massive rural-urban migration; and would most cities in the country be overpopulated if portable water, electricity, motor-able roads, job opportunities etc., are in place in the hinterlands? Can the mass movement of frustrated and disgruntled youths to the urban areas in search of greener pastures be taken as population explosion? The list seems endless. And like critics say, had the FG been alive to its responsibilities of providing the needed infrastructure; and catering for its less privileged, it would not be losing sleep over purported overpopulation. Like the President rightly said, however, the issue of population control is sensitive, in fact, explosive. Not a few Nigerians across religious divides believe that children are the gift of God, and that He provides sustenance for them. Legislating on population control would thus sound strange to such people. Truly, some countries, China inclusive, have strict birth control legislations. Yet only effective education and aggressive public enlightenment campaigns geared towards encouraging people to bear the number of children they can adequately cater for, seem the solution to the Nigerian population question, today. The FG should return to the drawing board and live up to its responsibilities.

ON THIS DAY July 24, 2009 The MV Arctic Sea, reportedly carrying a cargo of timber, was allegedly hijacked in the North Sea by pirates, but much speculation remained as to the actual cargo and events. The MV Arctic Sea was a merchant vessel cargo ship, formerly registered in Malta. On July 24, the Arctic Sea, manned by a Russian crew and carrying a cargo of what was declared to consist solely of timber, was allegedly boarded by hijackers off the coast of Sweden.

July 24, 2002 Democrat, James Anthony Traficant Jr. was expelled from the United States’ House of Representatives on a vote of 420 to 1. Born May 8, 1941, James Anthony Traficant Jr. was a Democratic politician and member of the US House of Representatives from Ohio. He was expelled after being convicted of taking bribes, filing false tax returns, racketeering, etc. He was sentenced to prison and was released on September 2, 2009, after serving a seven-year sentence.

July 24, 1982 Heavy rain caused a mudslide that destroyed a bridge at Nagasaki, Japan, killing 299. Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. The city was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District. It became a center of Portuguese and other European peoples’ influence in the 16th through 19th centuries.

FDR: Mixed reactions trail AIB’s preliminary report on Dana Air crash

Loss adjusting profession crucial but unprofitable –ILAN President

SUPER TUESDAY

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Arbitrary bank charges: CBN rises in defence of customers The Central Bank of Nigeria recently issued guidelines to address the problem of unfair bank charges and fees, which customers hope will usher in a new era of a more equitable relationship with their bankers. JOHNSON OKANLAWON reports.

Banking hall

oday’s banking services in the country creates a dilemma for customers operating accounts with banks. Banks in Nigeria have been known to impose arbitrary charges on all manner of transactions including withdrawals, transfers, deposits and to adjust rates on loans without knowledge or consent of borrowers. Yet, the numbers of bank customers are increasing due to the need for banking services to ex-

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ecute most transactions. These numbers are expected to grow with Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy and deliberate efforts to reduce the unbanked population. To protect customers, the CBN a had on July 10, said it was reviewing the extant guide to bank charges which has been in use since January, 2004. The move followed incessant complaints by customers over sundry charges not related to services rendered. The apex bank said it will soon come up with a template of fines and other sanctions against any bank found to have made illegal deductions or charges on customers’ accounts without evidence of commen-

surate services to justify such deductions. Giving the hint at the end of the Bankers Committee in Abuja, the Chief Operating Officer of Sterling Bank, Mr. Yemi Adeola, stated that CBN has set up a consumer protection committee committed to ensure that the consumer derives maximum benefit from banks. According to him, the incidence of multiple charges by banks has become a source of concern to the apex bank, urging consumers to lodge their complaints to the Consumer Protection Department of CBN for thorough investigations and punishment of any bank found culpable after such investiga-

tions. “The CBN will not take lightly to issues of over-charging of customers by banks and that is why we have issued several exposure drafts and one of them is the guide to banking charges. This is a contract between banks and their customers. It will detail the charges the bank intends to make on the customers so that they will be aware before hand and also to avoid unnecessary charges that are not in the contract,” he said. The committee affirmed that where evidence of overcharging based on agreements in the contract is discovered; any bank found to have made such deductions would make refund to customers and in extreme cases would be penalised in accordance with the law. The CBN had on July 6, in a draft titled, “Exposure Draft of the Guide to Bank Charges,” provided a standard for the application of charges on various types of products and services banks in the country offer to their customers. According to it, lending rate by deposited money banks should be 20 per cent, and the bank should obtain customer’s consent on any changes to agreed rates on additional interest. The draft signed by the CBN Director, Consumer and Financial Protection Department, Mr. U.F. Shehu, explained that interest on current account in credit balance, is negotiable and subject to a minimum of 0.5 per cent per annum payable monthly on daily balance of N.5 million and above. On savings account, the CBN recommended minimum of three per cent per annum on daily balance, not subject to any condition and withdrawal CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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

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NYMEX

NCAA cautions against cash and carry fuel purchases by airlines

Unemployment: How to know what employers want

Flooding: Riverview Estate residents in search of solution

Business & Finance

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arbitrary bank charges: CBN rises in defence of customers

Sanusi

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 from the account should not attract any charge. The CBN guides covers interest on deposits, interest rates/lending fees, commission on turnover, bonds guarantees and indemnities, foreign exchange commission, bills for collection and straight forward handling of documents. Others are inward and outward letters of credit, internal transaction within Nigeria, electronic banking, including miscellaneous. According to the CBN, there should be no charges on Automated Teller Machine transaction within the issued bank, but transaction on other banks attract N100 and N150 on approved independent ATMs. It added that withdrawal from current and savings account at another branch of a bank by an account holder shall attract N100 per transaction and it will be borne by the payee. The CBN explained that the review is intended to align the tariff regime in the banking industry with the present economic realities and offer a platform for standard application of charges on different types of banking products and services. “An important component of the review exercise was the development of a minimum disclosure requirement that stipulates the information banks are required to disclose to all customers prior to the consummation of every credit transaction. “The overarching goal of the review is to produce a guide that is collectively owned by all the stakeholders in the banking industry with the concomitant feature that it will accommodate the freedom of operators to charge competitive prices, while protecting consumers from arbitrary and excess charges,” the CBN said. The apex bank stressed that wide consultation with relevant stakeholders was considered in arriving at the charges prescribed in the guide. “The intendment of the guide is to enhance flexibility, transparency and competition in the guided deregulated Nigerian economy. “Where a charge is negotiable, banks are required to appropriately draw the attention of their customers to it consequent upon which the two parties should mutually agree on the applicable charge,” the guide read in part.

Onasanya

Aig-Imoukhude

AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE REVIEW EXERCISE WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MINIMUM DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT THAT STIPULATES THE INFORMATION BANKS ARE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE TO ALL CUSTOMERS PRIOR TO THE CONSUMMATION OF EVERY CREDIT TRANSACTION It said that although the guide provides for charges on various products and services of banks, it is not exhaustive, adding, “Banks are mandated to present any new product, service and charges not covered by this guide to the CBN for approval.” The guideline also seeks to address a fundamental paradox of the banking industry where rates on deposit are low while interest rates are high and has recommended payment of interest on current accounts with substantial deposits while pegging maximum lending rate to eight per cent above the Monetary Policy Rate. National Mirror’s investigation showed that banks normally deduct five per cent Value Added Tax on every current account, Commission on Turnover, usually N5 on every N1,000 withdrawn or transferred from current account; Cell phone/email alert charges vary from bank to bank. For issuing a ATMs to customers, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, First Bank and Union Bank Plc for example charge N1,000 though ATMs are supposed to reduce the pressure in banking halls. According to the GT Bank Manager, E-Business and Card Services, Mrs. Bolanle Soyinka, the money is deducted for MasterCard naira issuance fee and customers are expected to pay transaction charges of N100 for withdrawing from other banks ATMs in the country and N1,000 outside the country. Others are: N210 monthly maintenance fee for every current account, N5 inter-state commission for every N1, 000 transferred into or withdrawn from savings accounts in a state different from where the savings account is opened or domiciled, etc. Also, Customers of Union Bank Plc have pointed accused fingers at the management of the bank for ‘fraudulently’ charging them for the use of their ATM cards on the bank’s ATM machines. Investigations revealed that the bank had

introduced a charge of N50 for every transaction carried out by its customers on its ATM machines for withdrawals and other ATM-based transactions. “I noticed that each time I made withdrawal as a Union Bank customer, using the same bank’s ATMs, I was charged N50. The one I’ve always been charged for is the use of my bank’s ATM card for transactions on another bank’s ATMs, where customers are charged N100 per transactions, Mr. David Adebayo, a salary account holder with the bank narrated. And the bank’s Head, Corporate Communications, Mr. Francis Barde, confirmed that the charge was introduced but added that it had been suspended following complaints received from the bank’s customers. “It was suspended because the customers are complaining that they don’t understand the basis for charging them N50 for ATM transactions on Union Bank’s ATMs. We suspended it because we want to engage them more, so that they can understand why it was so,” he said. But another account holder with the bank disagreed with Barde, saying that the bank still charge the amount on withdrawing. “Why on earth will a bank charge money for using the bank’s own ATM? This is apart from CoT charges! Secondly, why are people limited to a maximum of N20,000 on each withdrawal when there is transaction charge (and not a flat fee if there should even be any at all in the first place) for the use of the same bank’s ATM,” Jide Salako, another customer asked. “Except for Nigeria, I don’t think there is anywhere in the world where people are charged such frivolous charges for using the ATM. Also, why on earth will bank alert customers twice for a transaction and deducts N5 each? “Though most banks abroad do not offer this SMS notification service, we must commend our banks for this value-added service but the cost being charged is astro-

Otti

nomical, “he said. Also, paperless fund transactions such as inter-bank funds transfer, instant payments and cheques processed on the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System Plc are expected to grow to N6.5tn in the second quarter of the year, investigation has revealed. NIBSS, which provides the infrastructure for automated processing, settlement of payments and funds transfer instructions between banks, discount houses and card companies in the country, is now handling 140,344 transactions, valued at N70.2bn every day. The document, whose authenticity was confirmed by the Head, Shared Services, CBN, Mr. Chidi Umeano, showed that the NIBSS processes 6,749 instant payments, 99,602 electronic fund transfers and 33,993 cheque transactions on a daily basis. The transactions worth N5.66bn, N40bn and N24.7bn respectively, with an aggregate of N70.2bn daily. Although cheque transactions are still low in the country due to the time it takes to clear cheques, experts said they were likely to increase from July as a result of the new technology introduced by the CBN, which would be put to use soon. On lending rate, most banks charge between 20 and 25 per cent on loans. Investigation by National Mirror revealed that First City Monument Bank Plc charges 24.9 per cent on loan to customer. “The bank gives me N400.000 loan at 24.9 per cent interest rate,” Mr. Kunle Adegoke, a salary account holder with the bank told National Mirror. Union Bank Plc charges 25 per cent on loan to customers on salary account, while First Bank Plc charges 24 per cent. An ex-banker, Mr. Idris Kazeem, said that many Nigerians do not receive bank statements and when they do, they do not read it closely and raise objections to charges that do not form part of their contract with their bank. Failure to raise any objections to any disputed entry to your bank statement is an implied consent to abide by the entry. He said much litigations abound in several courts abroad over unfair charges on loans, noting that banks can charge millions of account holders arbitrarily without their permission and through such raise a lot of money. This is the reason every bank customer is required to obtain bank statement to check and verify every transaction stated in it.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

NCAA cautions against cash and carry fuel purchases by airlines OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren said that the agency concerned about how the indigenous airlines get aviation fuel from oil marketers. Demuren said that the agency would be worried if aviation fuel supply to the airlines becomes ‘cash and carry’, stressing that such practice does not augur well for the industry. He, however, posited that to have a safe and healthy airline, operating carriers must have fuel for alternate destination in their tanks before embarking on a flight operation, saying that this was necessary in case of bad weather in the air. She made this statement over the weekend in Abuja while speaking with journalists at the just concluded African Ministerial Meeting on Aviation Safety. Also, he explained that every airline in the country must have enough funds in reserve to buy spare parts and maintained that any airline without spare parts in its store would not be able to operate a healthy airline.

He said, “We are particular about fuel, how do you get your fuel from fuel marketers? If fuel becomes cash and carry I am a bit worried. You must have fuel for an alternate destination, in case there is bad weather, you must have those. “You must have enough money to buy spare parts all those things to me make you financially healthy, if you have billions in your bank account, I will respect you, you are richer than me, but you have not met my requirement. Central Bank of Nigeria can certify you, but NCAA will not.” On how to boost safety operations among the airlines in the country, he emphasized that it would be pertinent for the airlines to be IATA Operational Safety Audit complaint, adding that without this, it would be difficult for the airlines to compete with their foreign counterparts. Demuren explained that there are three major audits including the International Civil Aviation Organisation, United States Federal Aviation Administration and IOSA. He stated that of the three, only

IOSA concerns the airlines while the other two had to do with the operating environment of the airlines. He said that their membership of IOSA would make it easier for them to interline with foreign carriers and grow their operations rather than “picking the crumbs.” He said, “What they are saying is that they don’t have to be members of IATA, they should just pass the IOSA exam, we are interested in the safety audit, they don’t have to be IATA and that is why IATA

said that many other airlines who have passed IOSA are not IATA members. “It is important that our airlines get IOSA, we are not saying join IATA, but if you are going to do international operations, I have news for you; if you are not a member of IATA you are carrying crumbs under the table. “Do you know why this IOSA came in? There were too many audits, every airline you want to interline with, because of insurance, they will say they want

to know your safety level; they will come and audit you and you will find out that one airline will come and do 20 audits in a year, that is what they do all the time, audit upon audit. “Why are we doing this? We want to be a premier league, if you want to work with us, this is your standard, if you do not have this standard, we are not interested. This is what IATA is saying and what they are talking about is only their safety audit.”

....Stakeholders disagree on Open Sky policy OLUSEGUN KOIKI

takeholders in Africa’s aviation industry yesterday in Lagos disagreed over the desirability of Open Sky policy, an international protocol which allows carriers from signatory nations to operate multiple entry points in their respective territories. While a section of the stakeholders at an industry forum urged the Federal Government to promote the policy in the country, others said the policy is detrimental to local carriers. The Editor, Business Traveller Africa, Mr. Dylan Rogers, said that for the country’s carriers to operate profitably and compete for potential air travellers, the government should encourage Open Sky policy in the country. He urged the government to encourage partnerships with all operating airlines in the country either indigenous or foreign and called for formation of a national carrier to further protect the interest of the country in the international community. He said, “This situation is unpleasant and disheartening and I believe a sensitive government would be concerned about this and find a way of bringing back people’s confidence into flying. Aviation business is big and wide. It’s all about money; government should subsidise and float a national carrier. But a consultant with Knights and Wrights, Mr. Tayo Orisadare, emphasised that the Open Sky policy was detrimental to the local carriers and urged government to device a mean to control its imple-

mentation He said, “The local carriers should be able to operate as best as the foreign airlines were doing. The local carriers should be brought to their feet before an Open Sky policy should be operated in any country.” He challenged the government to provide infrastructure and enabling environment for indigenous airlines to function optimally in the country. Orisadare observed that Africa has many untapped potential and called on the operators to partner with foreign carriers for a consistency regulation for the industry. Also speaking, Sales and Marketing Director, Executive Jet, Mr. Stephen Paddy, urged indigenous airline operators to work with the government to set the rules and regulation that would govern the aviation industry. He identified incessant government interference in the running of the aviation sector as one of the major impediments against growth in the continent and implored the foreign operators to understand the local rules of their host countries before commencing flight operations to such a country, saying that this would bring about further understanding of the local environment. “To run a smooth operation in Africa, the airline has to set up a tarmac. If African government do the right thing and provide facility for smooth operation, investors will be encouraged to take the opportunity given. “Local airlines do not have the huge capital to train and retrain their staff, while also providing facility government should have provided. The airline will collapse at the end of the day.”

L-R: Sales Director, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Mr. Paul Udochi; Senior Brand Manager, Medicated Candy, Mrs. Bimbo Alabi and Marketing Director, Mr. Dele Anifowoshe, during the media launch of the new TomTom Honey Lemon in Lagos recently.

Move to create African Central Bank intensifies TOLA AKINMUTIMI

overnors of Central Banks in Africa are billed to meet in Algiers next month to decide on the proposed plans to establish the African Central Bank (ACB), the idea of which has been at the front burner of discussions by the regulatory banks’ chieftains in the last two years. The Chair of the Technical Committee on the development of the draft document for the proposed financial institution and Director for Economic Affairs, Commission of the African Union, Dr. Rene N’ Guettia Kouassi, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the draft document on the

creation of the ACB would be reviewed in Abuja this week. According to him, African Central Bank governors will first study the document before it is adopted as a working tool for the creation of the African Central Bank and then the “document will be admitted in to the organs of African Union.” In addition to the creation of the African Central Bank, the AU chief hinted that the continent also planned to have its own African Investment Bank which will be sited in Libya; the African Monetary Fund in Cameroon and the ACB in Nigeria. All these financial institutions, Dr. Kouassi said will however receive the final endorsement of the African

Heads of State. While noting that the institution of a Common Currency was symbol of autonomy of Africa, as the African Union (AU) and ACB governors have agreed to get experts to come up with draft document, he stated that endorsement of the of the draft by the African leaders would translate the long cherished dream for a continental Central Bank and common currency a reality. If all the African Monetary Institutions (AMIs) are accepted by the Assembly of African Central Bank Governors an organogram will be developed and the financial implications which will impact on contributions of the member states will be decided.

SON beams searchlight on telematics operators STANLEY IHEDIGBO

he Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has beamed it’s searchlight on the Telematics sector which covers operators of vehicle tracking devices and services in a bid to sanitise and rid the sector of poor quality products and service providers. Director General of the agency, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, who disclosed this at a Technical Commit-

tee Meeting on Vehicle Security in Lagos, said that the quality of most tracking equipment brought into the country are bad and besides, there are usually reported cases of failed tracking systems in the event of the vehicles being stolen which is not a good thing considering the money invested to install these car tracking and recovery devices by car and vehicle owners. He added that SON will not relent efforts on zero tolerance for substandard products campaign

across the country with the aim of improving the quality of life of Nigerians, adding that SON partners with stakeholders from different sectors acting as a secretariat to identify needs for establishing various standards in different sectors of the economy. He added that the Vehicle Security Operators of Nigeria (VESON) came up with the idea of a code of standards for telematics which will cover the operations of vehicle tracking for security and fleet management.

Business & Finance

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bonga spill: FG issues new regulations on pollution control FRANCIS EZEM

orried by the increasing cases of pollution on Nigeria’s waters, which has wrecked havoc on farm lands and aquatic life, the Federal Government has issued 12 new regulations designed to check the menace. The government had following the Bonga spill, which was described as the worst in the recent past in terms of devastating effects, having destroyed many farm lands and fishing settlements in Rivers, Bayelsa and other riverine communities placed a $5billion (£3.2bn) fine on Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, an affiliate of the Royal Dutch Shell, which the company protested, claiming that Nigeria has no law in her statue books covering such fine. Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, who made the disclosure at the weekend, said the Federal Ministry of Transport has approved a total of 12 fresh regulations that would cover the various forms of pollution and other illegalities on the nation’s waters.

L-R: Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Bob Steetskamp with the winner of Session 2 of Three Crowns Family Game Show, Mr. Joseph Baba and family in Lagos recently.

According to him, the approval of the ministry was sequel to the official gazetting of the 12 regulations, which would hence forth have a force of the law, as they prescribe appropriate sanctions for shipping companies and oil and gas operators, who pollute the nation’s waters in the course of their operations. These regulations cover areas such as illegal dumping of sew-

Compensation, utility relocation drive up road project costs DAYO AYEYEMI

uge compensation, cost of relocating utilities and poor supply of electricity have been banned for the high cost of constructing roads in Nigeria. All these cost components in addition to the high cost of borrowing for infrastructural projects, Commissioners for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said were responsible for high cost of roads projects in the country. Speaking against general view that it costs much more to construct a kilometre of road in Nigeria than other countries of the world, Hamzat, stressed that huge compensation that is usually paid when new roads are constructed or existing ones expanded in built up areas is a major factor. He disclosed that though, the cost of constructing roads in Nigeria was very high when compared to other countries, but major contributing factors have nothing to

do with the actual construction work. The commissioner said the that Lagos State Government had paid N4bn as compensation to house owners affected by the expansion of the Lot 1 of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway from Eric Moore to Maza Maza. According to him, the figure would be higher upon the completion of the project. Besides, he stated that the cost of relocating utilities from right of way in built up areas is also another factor, saying that the state government relocated utilities like PHCN cables and poles, water pipes and telecoms facilities at great cost some of these roads that are being expanded and reconstructed. Poor supply of electricity from the national grid, Hamzat noted was another factor that usually add to the cost of road construction. He explained that the focus of the Governor Babatunde Fashola administration in the area of infrastructural development was job creation, which would reduce crimes and help to create middle class citizens.

age into the waters, ballast water management, garbage, sea dumping, oil pollution preparedness and ship waste regulations. Others include regulations covering the dumping of dangerous substances, liability and compensation regulation based on tonnage and sea protection regulation, among others. “Nigeria’s waters are the dirtiest in the world. Many shipping

companies are in the habit of dumping of their ship and other wastes into the waters, which are harmful to the marine environment to which Nigeria has lost so much over the years and so these regulations have become necessary to check these atrocities”, he lamented. He disclosed that plans are underway to present the new regulations to the shipping community

in Nigeria as a way of enlightenment to create awareness that such regulations are currently in force. NIMASA had, following the spill, which occurred in December last year enjoined the government to declare the incident as a national disaster, regretting that foreign companies would come to Nigeria, subvert her laws and get away with it. The agency had subsequently assembled a team of lawyers led by Mr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN, with a view to instituting a case against the company, details of which are still sketchy as press time. Meanwhile, the $5bn fine followed a meeting organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Environment aimed to ascertain progress report on the Bonga oil spill of December 28, 2011. Chairman of the Committee, Uche Ekwenife had said going by reports and complaints from affected communities that no cleanup had been carried out by Shell. SNEPCO, which had earlier ruled out any form of compensation for the affected communities, had argued that the spill did not reach the shoreline before it was contained.

Expert tasks regulatory bodies on housing finance delivery

real estate consultant Mr. Adeyemi Williams, on Monday urged the country’s regulatory bodies to harmonise and implement all pending reforms on housing finance delivery. Williams, a Managing Partner in Adeyemi Williams and Company told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that there were about eight housing bills before the National Assembly. He said that these bills were critical to the housing finance delivery in the country. “There are about eight real estate related bills before the National Assembly and if these bills are passed into law, it will improve housing finance delivery,’’ he said.

Williams said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) should take a holistic view of the sector and discharge their duties. He said that the poor state of the Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs) must be critically resolved as it was an indication of inefficiency in the system. According to him, the current situation where only two out of 90 PMIs are listed on the capital market shows that the options for raising funds have not been fully exploited. Williams said that commercial banks and insurance companies should be encouraged by the regu-

latory bodies to commit more of their funds into the housing sector. “Commercial banks should buy into emerging credit registry firms, while the credit registry firms should deploy efficient systems that will enable fast credit search process,’’ he said. Williams canvassed that the government should reduce the time frame for accessing the National Housing Fund (NHF) loan to a maximum of 30 days. “This is because contributors to the fund are stakeholders or unit holders, thus the approval must be streamlined to facilitate quicker access to mortgage.’’

Kogi to take delivery of N200m farming tools from China

ov Idris Wada of Kogi said on Saturday that the state government would soon take delivery of modern farming equipment worth over N200 million from China for distribution to farmers. Wada disclosed this on Monday in Lokoja while briefing newsmen on the outcome of his trip to China last week. He said that the equipment which comprised potable machines for cultivation and tilling of land, were ordered by

the former administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris. According to him, the outgone administration had paid for the farming implements with the aim of migrating the farmers from traditional to modern farming methods. The governor said that since the equipment did not arrive before the exit of the former administration even though they had been paid for, he decided to do a follow-up while in China. “I met with the president

and vice-president of the company and they said there was some more money to pay particularly, for the shipping and delivery of the equipment.” The equipment, according to him, will arrive the country in 30 containers and they will be distributed to farmers in all the 21 Local Government Areas of the state to expose them to modern farming methods. “This was envisaged to increase production and the benefits our people derive from their work on.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Due to high unemployment rate, most job seekers apply for all and any vacant positions they come across, with the hope of being invited by employers. Experts think otherwise, explaining that it is important for job seekers to know what employers are looking for in their next hirings, MESHACK IDEHEN writes.

2009 survey from CareerBuilder and Robert Half International; has revealed that recruitment professionals have changed the face and practice of employing workers. Employers from major corporations across the world said aside from having basic job qualifications, other salient factors are major in consideration when employment is being done. Listing the ability of job seekers for multitasking (36 percent); ability to take initiatives (31 percent) and creative thinking (21 percent) as the most important characteristics in an applicant’s resume, the experts said though it was rather sad that many job seekers are yet to aware of those skills and competence attributes, let alone applying them in their job search. According to them knowing what an employer is looking for beforehand as a job seeker is almost a guarantee of getting the job irrespective of every other factor. Other analysts who spoke with National Mirror opined that in today’s Nigeria unemployment sector that most job seekers focus more on their certificate rather than on taking time to find out specific requirements and industry needs capable of ending their job search. Explaining the situation, Management Recruiter, Mr. Sunny Agboju said it was important for employment hopefuls before applying for a job, to know exactly what they are looking for, adding that job seekers must apply to the company or organisations they love, and which may have advantages like having great coworkers, decent salaries, a culture where newly employed fits in and the workers love what they will be doing. He said because competition for places is steep among job seekers, it is equally important to know what employers want from an employee before going into an interview, adding that by doing that, such candidates can sell to the recruiters how they would be an asset to the company. “If the candidate does not know what the employer is looking for, he or she cannot properly communicate why they are the most qualified candidate for the position. Understanding what the employer is looking for ahead of the interview is so the candidate can be sure to communicate all of the information that is likely to be most relevant to the employer,” he said. Agboju said however that while most employees would want to be able to see their future within a company so they can be motivated and excited about their career path, the employers on the other

Ifezulike

Adeyemi

Oshinowo

Unemployment: How to know what employers want hand would want people in their organisations that are ready and willing to work their way up, is multidimensional and can grow with the company. On his part, Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, (CIPM), Mr. Sunday Adeyemi told our correspondent that employers are always on the lookout for job seeker that possesses the ability to work well with others. Adeyemi said the ability to work well with others is considered important and a crucial skill by employers, considering that most workers spend a lot of time at work; saying also there could no workplace nightmare worse than having someone that cannot get along with others at work, adding also that employers are usually afraid of having workers that may not be able to “flow” with the other employees. However, the Director General of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, Mr. Gbenga Oshinowo said despite all the skill competence, that employers will always give consideration to the job seeker that has the ability to make money for the company. According to the NECA DG, Hiring managers and professionals recruiting on client’s behalf would always want

people (job seekers) who can prove that they will increase the organisation’s revenues or decrease its costs of operations and doing business. He explained that employers give due consideration to job seekers with ability to make money because in times of economic recession when revenues are difficult for organisations to generate and employers have cut costs as much as they can, that it is such employees the organisation look up to for solutions to those challenges. Oshinowo said that employers look out for the job seekers with the best resume, adding because the résumé is a reflection of the applicant in the eyes of the employers. “First impressions are lasting ones and a résumé is often the vehicle to either make a good impression or a poor one on the employers”. According to him, relevant work experience, creative problem-solving skills also come in handy, when employers will have to make the decision on which job seeker to employ, because experience allows a job seeker to hit the ground running, and many managers do not have time to mentor and train people as in the past. Also speaking on what employers are looking out for from job seekers, Man-

BY TAKING INITIATIVE, YOU ARE CONVEYING A TRUE TEAM SPIRIT AND ILLUSTRATING THAT YOU AS A JOB SEEKER IS NOT SOMEONE WHO SIMPLY MEETS THE CRITERIA OF A JOB DESCRIPTION, BUT WHO GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED TO HELP THE BUSINESS SUCCEED

agement Expert, and Institute of Chartered Accountants Fellows, Mr. Emeka Ifezulike said job seekers should be prepared to offer quality references to substantiate their background and experience. He said on many occasions, quality references may be the critical key to landing a job when the hiring decision is a close horse race, while saying also that job seekers must know how to tackle challenges and opportunities in a way no one will find in a textbook to get employers attention. Ifezulike added that due to technology, that a “strong online presence” is also needed by job seekers to have employers notice them, because social networking has become the primary way that people communicate. He said though the downside to a strong online presence for the job seekers is that employers will have access to the job seekers personal life, including likes and dislikes, political views, good and bad behaviour. While admonishing job seekers to be “digitally dirt-free”Ifezulike also identified enthusiasm and initiatives as crucial elements employers are looking for from the job seekers. “If you show consistent enthusiasm and take initiatives during the job search, you can count on being noticed and called up. Every business looks to put their most enthusiastic people forward with important clients and customers. “By taking initiative, you are conveying a true team spirit and illustrating that you as a job seeker is not someone who simply meets the criteria of a job description, but who goes above and beyond what is required to help the business succeed,” he said.

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ASSIBIFI to resolve workers’ dispute with Mainstreet Bank STORIES: MESHACK IDEHEN

he Trade Union Congress (TUC), said the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has taken charge of the process of resolving the dispute between workers of Mainstreet Bank and the management. Furthermore, TUC said it will watch the proceedings of the dispute from the sidelines and would only come in whenever it is called upon by the union to intervene in the process of bringing sanity to the situation. Justifying the reason for the action in a statement made available to National Mirror on Thursday, the President and Secretary General of TUC, Mr. Peter Esele and Chief John Kolawole said it has become exigent that clarity is brought to bear on the affairs of Mainstreet Bank, especially as it concerns the bank’s “recent penchant for colossal abuse of the rights of its workers and an increasing penchant for lawlessness and brigandage”. According to Esele and Kolawole, “the belligerent and

Esele

Salako

flagrant disregard of the relevant statutes and laws of the federation including the utter violation of the tenets of the extant procedural agreement governing Industrial relations within the industry, and which led to the unlawful and malicious termination of the services of over 700 workers, were driven by the unconscionable quest of the management of the bank to continue exploiting its workers at

the altar of profit maximisation”. TUC said it is reiterating that Mainstreet Bank’s workers are members of ASSBIFI which has the responsibility of organising senior staff within the nation’s finance industry, adding also that the Mainstreet branch of ASSBIFI, in collaboration with its national leadership was working to find ways of ensuring that these actions of manage-

ment were reversed. The union leaders explained that TUC became directly involved in the process when its intervention was requested by ASSBIFI (its affiliate) as a responsible organisation that has an eye for the protection and advancement of the rights and welfare of its members. According to Esele and Kolawole, “the management of Mainstreet Bank had chosen

rather the path of lawlessness and an uncommon contempt and disdain for dialogue by refusing to respect and comply with the nuances of the tripartite committee set up by the relevant agencies of the Federal Government to settle the issue. They had vehemently abandoned the negotiation table which every responsible and peace seeking organisation would have pursued. “Our intervention therefore became very urgent as Mainstreet Bank’s management had not only trampled on and abused the rights of its workers, but was actively involved in the continuation of further rape of the rights of its workers as more and more workers were forcefully removed from service without proper safeguards. “We, therefore, want to announce that since the management of Mainstreet Bank has returned to the negotiation table through the resumption of the Tripartite Committee meeting which will take place tomorrow the 20th of July, 2012, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has concluded its temporary mandate in the debacle”, the statement added.

FRC certificate now mandatory for professionals

overnment agencies may now be required to insist on the production of evidence of registration with the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) from professionals intending to do business in line with the provisions of the FRC Act. The Chief Executive of FRC, Mr. Jim Obazee, in a statement made available to journalists over the weekend after the visit by a team from the Fiscal Responsibility Commission to the FRC in Lagos, said that the move to certify professionals in the country would help to promote the adoption of the

FRC Act. According to him, the FRC Act requires that a professional will not be allowed to hold any appointment or offer any services for remuneration for public interest entities unless he is registered by the FRC. Obazee said that the Council has established regional offices in Abuja, Enugu and Port Harcourt in order to fast track the registration of professionals in the country. According to the statement, the FRC chief also disclosed that the FRC/ IFRS Academy, which is expected

his week on International job vacancies, available jobs are led by the position of a Sales and Marketing Manager (www.gcc.clients.pageup.com.au/job) in Congo Brazzaville and Gabon. The job description for the incoming will be to contribute in coaching and developing local sales & marketing organisation to accelerate the achievement of Congo and Gabon business objectives. As a member of the management team, he is expected to contribute to the formulation of the Company Plans strategies and is jointly responsible for achieving agreed Company objectives. The requirements for the post are a

to be located in Abuja, would help to bridge the knowledge gaps that presently exist between the practice of financial reporting in the country and the demands of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The FRC chief executive officer pointed out that the commission’s council will bear the financial burden of universities and other higher institutions lecturers that intend to attend the Academy, while adding that the move would help to deepen the teaching of IFRS in the country and in the sub-re-

gion. While urging the team from the Fiscal Responsibility Commission to embark on sensitisation and re-orientation on the requirements of IFRS and Inter national Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), he said part of the mandate will be to prepare account using cash basis by 2013 and accrual methods in 2015. According to Obazee, this became necessary as government and its agencies were increasingly engaging in activities in the capital market. Obazee

International job vacancies solid brand marketing and trade marketing experience with a minimum of 4 years managerial experience in a FMCG company that has adopted a modern trade marketing approach, alongside being a good communicator / team player and being fluent written and spoken French and English. Also on International job vacancies for the week, South Africa based Corporate Strategy Manager, (www.gcc. clients.pageup.com.au/job) with Key Responsibilities for Identifying, analysing and making recommendations for key strategic business issues.

Amongst other expectations, the incoming will be expected to communicate complex topics clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, tailoring communications to fit the audience. The position which is applicable to African Nationals especially will also have those fluent in French on the advantage. Finally on offer for the week is the position for a Quality, Environment and Occupational Health and Safety (QEOSH) Manager (www.gcc.clients.pageup.com.au/job) to be based

in Angola The job description for the post include the ability to develop and implement a comprehensive quality environment and safety plan targeting the achievement of the Business Unit QEOSH goals, and the acceleration of the quality improvement across the supply chain. Other responsibilities are to develop and Implement an annual QEOSH Improvement plan for each bottling plant and Co-Packer. A Bachelor degree or equivalents in science, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology or related disciplines are needed with ability to speak English and Portuguese as added advantage.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Real Estate & Environment dayoayeyemi@yahoo.com 08033312578

Flooding: Riverview Estate residents in search of solution Residents of River View Estate and surrounding communities are worried over the annual flooding of their neighbourhoods. Knowing what could befall them if excess water from Oyan Dam is released as usual this year, they hosted the management of Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority at the weekend to discuss lasting solutions. DAYO AYEYEMI, reports.

Underdeveloped land due to incessant flooding of River view Estate.

he residents of River View Estate in Isheri, an Ogun State Government’s mixed development scheme on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, are not living any stone unturned to ensure that their neighbourhood and investments are protected from the yearly flooding. Beyond what they have done in the past by resorting to self-help through construction of dykes and embankments, sand fillings and dredging of river channels within the estate among others, the residents’ association has taken a step further by hosting the management in charge of Oyan Dam, the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority (OORBA) which they believe always floods their estate yearly by the release of excess water from the dam, in a meeting at the weekend. Various issues regarding the flooding of their estates by the release of excess water from the dam, palliative measures taken in the past, and longterm solutions to end flooding in the area were discussed. Representatives of River View Estate and other communities which include Isheri North Estate, OPIC Estate, Majindun, Agboyi-Ikorodu, Owode-Araro-

mi and host of others that are affected by the annual flooding were present at the meeting. Speaking after the representatives of the residents’ association have spoken, the Managing Director of OgunOsun River Basin Authority, Mr. Jimi Omoliki, told them that their community would always experience flooding being a low lying area. He pointed out that the annual flooding they are experiencing is beyond the release of excess water from Oyan Dam, but that of climate change which has made water levels from the Atlantic Ocean and Lagoons to increase and spill over to nearby land areas. Besides, he explained that Ogun

Amosun

Akinde

River also found its natural drains into the Lagoon through the location of the estate, telling the residents that they are in transition zone and that there is no way their communities would not experience flooding. He said if care is not taken and something is not done urgently, the road leading to Ikorodu may be completely submerged. On what can be done to protect the residents and their investments, Omoliki tasked them to involve Lagos and Ogun governments, who will in turn engage Federal Government in formulating best strategies to reduce the incessant flooding of communities in the two states . The managing director of OORBA, stated that their locations would continue to be flooded unless the three tiers of governments come together to do something urgent about it, saying that the problem is beyond what residents can tackle considering the huge financial implications. According to him, there is need to construct big concrete channel like that of Ogunpa River channelisation

in Oyo State by making use of the Ecological Fund to end flooding in the communities. He said, “There is need for political will to fund it because as it is now, state government alone cannot fund the project. You can invite the two state governments and let them invite the Federal Government, Ministry of Environment, Ecological Fund and Presidency so that they can partner to develop this area while the present location should be retained as residential area by protecting it with the construction of dykes and canals or channels to move flood water freely since it does not have erosion tendency. “We need to come together and call on the Federal Government through the state governments to end the problem. The problem is bigger than Oyan Dam, the problem is national and should be solved nationally through the intervention of the Federal Government,”he said. Cooperation between the Lagos and Ogun State governments, he said should centred on how to replan the location by developing it into satellite towns and make the corridor centre of Lagos-Ogun Mega City project. What the authority of Ogun-Osun River Basin is doing in the interim, he said was to release the water slowly to prevent massive flooding. He disclosed that there is Ikere Gorge Dam which is higher than Oyan Dam that is built on Ogun River, saying that if it rains in Oyo North, “the water is released toward this direction.” Before now, a source from Ogun CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND CALL ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE STATE GOVERNMENTS TO END THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS BIGGER THAN OYAN DAM, THE PROBLEM IS NATIONAL AND SHOULD BE SOLVED NATIONALLY THROUGH THE INTERVENTION OF THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fashola suggests ways to tackle housing shortage, rural-urban migration DAYO AYEYEMI

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola , has called on world leaders to initiate population control policies in their jurisdictions to tackle the crisis of housing shortage and stem rural-urban migration. This, he suggested as one of the measures to combat the rapid depleting life supporting resources like water and arable land facing the growing human population. According to a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on, Mr. Akeem Bello, Fashola made the call during a panel discussion with the theme, “Slum Upgrading and Social Housing Provision: An Intercontinental Dialogue”, at the recent Rio+C40 Mega City Mayors Summit in Brazil. The governor also advocated more focus on agriculture and agro-allied development in rural areas to check the growing rural-urban migration. He told the panelists, which had as Chairman the Housing Secretary, City of Rio de Janeiro, Mr. Jorge Bittar; and had as co-discussants the Head of Housing Policy Section of UN-HABITAT and Coordinator of the UN Housing Rights Programme, Claudio Acioly Jnr.; and Urban and Environmental Management expert, Jakarta Municipality, Indonesia, Ms Aisa Tobing; “if you want to take people out of poverty, you must first deal with those who are already

Participants at the NIOB conference in Enugu last week.

poor because if you continue to add to the number, it will not only be an uphill battle, it will be continuously in decline”. He pointed out that with the growing population, the world’s global supplies of water and arable land are depleting, stating that the issues of how to feed the people and provide enough houses for them should be addressed. He noted that the answer to the problem of rural-urban migration was in the development of the rural areas, pointing out, if all leaders of the world begin to invest massively in agriculture and agro-allied businesses in the rural and urban settlements, the trend would slow down, if not reverse. “World leaders must come to the reality of population explosion. It is not

just providing houses for the people; can we feed that population?” reiterating that the only way to reverse the trend was through population control and massive investment in agriculture and agro-allied businesses in rural areas”, he said. On what his administration has been doing in the last five years to solve housing problems in Lagos State, Governor Fashola said his administration has developed a policy called the Lagos HOMS which is an acronym for Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme. “What our government is doing is that we are using taxpayers’ money and every month from our revenue, we are pooling a percentage of income together. We have designed a housing model that we think can adequately ad-

dress the needs that we face”, he said, pointing out that the real challenge of housing falls not only on the number of people needing houses but the number who have the capacity to pay for them. For this reason, he said, “We adopted a model of four floors including the ground floor with each block having 12 apartments and they are integrated in the sense that on each floor, there is a one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom units and it is erected like that right to the top floor”. Explaining the reason for the model adopted by his administration, Fashola noted that the land size of the state is small and as such his government has to build vertically in order to accommodate people that are coming in. “The one bedroom unit is above 70 square metres and the two bedroom unit is about 90 square metres while the three bedroom unit is about 120 square metres,” he said. “Now as I speak, we are contemplating a supply initiative that delivers each of the housing units at roughly about $600, 000 per block. By the end of this year and in the first quarter of next year, we will deliver about 3, 000 units of houses”, the governor said. According to Fashola, the new model represented the plan by his administration to sustain the investment in housing, pointing out that the plan would fill the gap between demand and supply created by the absence of housing development as against population increase over the years.

Flooding: Riverview Estate’s residents in search of solution CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 State Government had explained that the location of the estate ought not to have been developed in the first place being a pathway to river. According to him, the state government had recently set up an intergovernmental committee to look for a way out. He blamed the residents and other subscribers for buying into the estate having known that the location is water pathway. The estate was initiated by the former governor Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel Earlier, Chairman of River View Residents’ Association, Mr. Abayomi Akinde, had lamented the adverse effects of flooding in the area attributing it to regular release of excess water from Oyan Dam, urging the authority to begin the release of water slowly to prevent massive flooding later in the year. He also lamented the plight of residents of River View Estate, saying that at full capacity, it has been estimated that over 30,000 families would be residing there, in addition to the surrounding estates and villages. He stated that residents and their families are disturbed by the activi-

ties of the dam, pointing out that when a dam is built, it is meant to control flooding and not to amplify it. He said, “Before the construction of Oyan Dam in 1981, these flood plains used to flood once every 15-20 years. With the arrival of the dam, it was calculated that flooding could be once in 80-100 years. Now it has become a yearly ritual.” He drew the attention of the management of OORBDA to the fact that the main purpose of a dam is to enhance irrigation, control flooding, assist in electricity and water supplies, wondering why Oyan Dam is not serving any of these purposes. He said that the meeting must define a road path to end the yearly disaster which has been the lot of residents in recent years. One of the residents, who identified himself simply as George, an architect, told the management of OgunOsun River Basin that the residents have discovered that there was no presence of government along river courses and their tributaries in the state. He pointed out that most of the rivers were not dredged and as such, at the slightest additional water, they flood the surrounding land areas.

Another resident, Dr. Akintola Omigbodun, urged the authority in charge of Oyan Dam to find ways to control flood in the axis, noting that one of the major aims of establishing the dam was to control flooding. He reminded the authority that it has the responsibilities to construct,

operate and maintain dams, dykes, polders, wells, boreholes, irrigation and drainage systems; and to develop and keep up-to-date a comprehensive water resources master plan by identifying all water resources requirements in the authority’s areas of operation.

Some properties abandoned by owners because of fear of flood water.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Akwu will explode in Brazil 2016–Osheku

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

With the preparation we have had so far, I think the sky will be our limit in London - Athletics coach, Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo

Inferno: NFF regrets Okunnowo’s losses AFOLABI GAMBARI

igeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday expressed deep regret at the fire that razed the home of former Super Eagles’ defender, Gbenga Okunnowo, in Ibadan on Sunday morning. Chairman of NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Chief Emeka Inyama, said that the incident was received by the NFF board as a rude shock. “Okunnowo served this country meritoriously at junior and senior levels and does not deserve what has happened to him,” Inyama said, adding, “We grieve with him and his family at this sorrowful and lamentable period.” Reports said a spark of fire from a Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) building next to Okunnowo’s duplex around 1a.m. had spread to his

compound, ravaging the building as the ex-Eagle lost valuable items that include international passports, European residency papers and cash. Okunnowo played for Barcelona in Spain and Benfica in Portugal, among other European clubs, before returning to Nigeria last year to join NPL club Sunshine Stars of Akure. In a related development, the Flying Eagles contingent left Nigeria yesterday for Kigali where the team is due to meet its Rwanda counterpart in a friendly tomorrow preceding the AYC 2013 qualifier with the Young Taifa Stars of Tanzania in Dar es Salam on Saturday. The Falconets also left Lagos for Accra, Ghana where they will engage their counterparts in two-legged friendly games ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup scheduled for next month in Japan.

Eagles to enter camp Aug 18

uper Eagles will open training camp in Abuja ahead of their 2013 AFCON qualifier in Liberia on August 18. The date was picked by Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi, and has since been approved by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), according to MTNFootball. com report. Keshi has returned to be with his family in the United States of America, while his assistant, Daniel Amokachi, is doing televi-

sion work for Supersport at the London Olympics. Players from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) will open the training camp in Abuja. The foreign-based callups will join up with the squad a week to the September 8 clash in Monrovia. The return leg match is fixed for October 14 in Calabar with the overall winners advancing to the Nations Cup, which kicks off in South Africa on January 19, 2013.

Reuben Gabriel (in green shirt) scored one on the goals with which Pillars beat Plateau United 3-2

Pillars, Prime book Fed Cup s/final tickets IKENWA NNABUOGOR

ans were treated to top level football yesterday at the Agege Stadium, Lagos as Kano Pillars defeated Plateau United 3-2 to secure a semi-final ticket of this year’s Federation Cup. The fans, who had pre-game high expectations were not disappointed as the match had all the trappings of high class soccer. Both teams, former Federation Cup champions, showed great potential for a semi-final ticket but it was Pillars that carried the day, with Rabiu Ali hitting the winning goal in the second half as scores stood at 2-2. Plateau United drew the first blood as early as the 6th minute to send some panic situations in the Kano-based side. But the goal was just a wakeup call for the 2010 league champions as Gambo Mohammed levelled things up a minute later as he buried his fourth goal of the competition. He, however, scored all the four Results

Super Eagles players warming up before a match.

Pillars

3-2

Plateau Utd

Prime

2-0

Enyimba

Heartland

2-0

Crown

goals in Lagos. Soon after the leveller, the game became balanced as both teams shared scoring chances. Solomon Bitrus ran things in the midfield for Plateau United but also met his match in Super Eagles midfielder, Rueben Gabriel, and beanpole midfield grafter, Mustapha Musa. Reuben showed his class by putting Pillars ahead just three minutes before the recess. Hardly had the referee blown his whistle for the restart had Plateau

United levelled things up when Reuben Bala benefitted from a pass to punish goalkeeper Theophilus Afeokhai after Pillars defence had gifted the rampaging United winger a pass. Rabiu Ali put the icing on the cake for the Pillars when he scored the third goal in the 62nd minute and that proved to be enough and his last kick before he was substituted. In a nother match, Prime of Oshogbo defeated Enyimba FC of Aba 2-0 at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.

League resumes Saturday

igeria Premier League (NPL) will resume on Saturday after as a break to allow for the Federation Cup matches, a top official has announced. Executive Secretary of the NPL, Tunji Babalola, told MTNFootball.com that the league board had tentatively picked July 28 as the resumption day. “We have concluded plans to resume league on Saturday July 28 with Week 35 fixtures. The date stands, but we would have to change it if the NFF fixed the Federation Cup semi-final for

that weekend,” Babalola said. Rangers lead the table with 58 points with Kano Pillars three behind. The league leaders will return to Ibadan, where they crashed out in the Federation Cup group phase, to take on local favourites, Shooting Stars. Other top-draw fixtures will see Pillars at home to champions, Dolphin, Warri Wolves taking on Sunshine Stars and the northeast derby between Wikki Tourists and Gombe United in Bauchi. On Thursday, Kaduna United will host Heartland in a rescheduled game.

Sport

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ballon d’Or: Iniesta makes mates’ plea

arcelona midfielder, Andres Iniesta, hopes one of his teammates in the spanish national team will win the Ballon d’Or. Argentinean forward Lionel Messi, who is Iniesta’s teammate at Barcelona, as well as Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo are being tipped as frontrunners for the award. However, Iniesta believes there are Spanish players who did well for both club and country last season. “I hope that one of my team-mates of the national team wins the Ballon d’Or,” Iniesta said yesterday. “However, a lot of people will cast their vote, and we’ll just have to wait and see what happens,” her added. Spain will look to book its place in the 2014 FIFA World Cup which will take place in Brazil when it begins its qualification campaign with an away match against Georgia on September 11.

‘Ba won’t dump Toon Army’ Demba Ba on the ball. Inset: Pardew

ewcastle Manager, Alan Pardew, is staying calm over the future of Demba Ba as he believes the striker wants to stay at Tyneside and repay the supporters who love him. Ba, who joined the Magpies last summer, has been linked with a move away from the club during the current

transfer window. The Senegal international has a buy-out clause in his contract which can be activated until the end of July, so the next week and a half is a crucial period for both him and the club. But Ba has repeatedly stated that fans should ignore reports about a possible exit, and Pardew has no doubts

Ayew nears Inter switch

Ayew

Grassroots: Amaechi charges Rivers youth AFOLABI GAMBARI

ivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, kicked off the maiden Chibuike Amaechi Football Tournament over the weekend with a charge on the participating teams to exploit the spirit of friendship that the competition offers. Governor Amaechi, who said the competition was sponsored to get the kids engaged in what he called meaningful social activity, also expressed belief that the event would produce future stars for the state and Nigeria. “The incentive that will make the winner go home with N10m,

the runner-up N5m and the third place team N3m will be enough to make the kids compete favourably while the crowd will get the desired excitement,” Amaechi said. “It is also my hope that some of the talents discovered here will end up playing for Sharks and Dolphin and possibly venture abroad to ply their trade.” Amaechi said the renovation of the old Port Harcourt Township for the tournament was a forerunner to the refurbishment and reconstruction of other stadia and sports facility in the state. The competition will end on August 18.

FUTSAL ‘resurrects’ in Ikorodu

Dempsey’s Reds’ offer swells

atest reports have revealed that Olympique Marseille midfielder, Andre Ayew, is in talks with Italian club Inter Milan.. The 22-year-old Ghana international is contracted to Marseille until June 2015 but has a release clause of 18m Euros. The reports however said that Inter is not scared by that fee as it seeks to build a fortified squad for the new campaign after struggling last term. Ayew, who is recovering from a shoulder operation he underwent in April this year, has played two pre-season matches for Marseille as he fight backs to regain full fitness.

about his commitment to Newcastle. “Demba’s always had the same feeling for the club. I think he understands that the fans love him here,” Pardew said yesterday, adding, “He wants to get himself chances to score goals and I think that in 90 per cent of the games next year that’s where he will play.”

Gov. Amaechi

iverpool is weighing up making a swap offer for Fulham striker Clint Dempsey with reports yesterday claiming that midfielder Charlie Adam could be used as a makeweight in the deal to take Dempsey from Fulham to Liverpool. The Scotland international only joined the Anfield club from Blackpool last summer but failed to make an instant impression. Liverpool is leading the race for Dempsey and could be convinced to include Adam, who would be further sidelined if new boss Brendan Rodgers completes a £15m move for Swansea’s Joe Allen.

espite Nigeria’s withdrawal from the second leg of the FUTSAL World Cup qualifiers against Egypt last month, the 5-A-Side football has enlivened the Ita-Oluwo community in Ikorodu, Lagos State where the Ita-Oluwo Champions League, organised by SkillfulJim Youth Organisation is ongoing. Spokesman for competition’s organising committee and former defunct Julius Berger FC of Lagos attacking midfielder, Innocent Imafidon, said the event which kicked off on June 3 with 12 teams would end on July 29.

“It has been a rallying point for recreation, leisure and unity for indigenes, natives, youth and elders in the community,” Imafidon said yesterday. “This year’s final will be explosive, especially as it will feature one of the leading goal scorers in the contest, Gbenga Bello, who has scored five so far for Chelsea,” he added. Among some holidaying foreignbased footballers expected at the occasion Charlibe Okolie, Benjamin Onwuachi and Akeem Omolade, as well as community elders, businessmen and other dignitaries.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

On the track with

YEMI OLUS danyella172003@yahoo.com

Akwu will explode in Brazil 2016–Osheku Former national 400m champion, Noah Akwu, qualified for the 200m at the Olympics just two days short of the expiration date for qualification. His coach, Tony Osheku, who trained the likes of African record holder in the women’s 400m, Falilat Ogunkoya and Seun Ogunkoya, spoke to National Mirror on the tedious challenges faced by Akwu enroute the London 2012, saying the best of the Middle Tennessee State University junior is yet to come. As Noah Akwu’s coach, how did you feel seeing him qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games? I was so amazed and thrilled that Noah ran 20.54 in Kumasi, Ghana on July 6. I expected him to get the Olympic standard at the Africa Championships in Port Novo but he could not hit the standard there because of the rounds they ran and the short recovery between the rounds which made it impossible to run that fast. After the race in Port Novo, I reassured him that he could still get the Olympic standard in Kumasi if he ran smart and execute well. With the type of workout he was doing, I had no doubt that he would be at the 2012 Olympics. When I got the news from Kumasi, I jumped up and thanked the Lord for making it possible for him. We have to also give credit to Andrew Owusu, the Ghana national record holder in triple jump, who invited him for the meet in Ghana. Without him he would not have the opportunity to race in the last chance meet. How did you get to start working with Noah? I still remember when I met him at the national camp in Abuja in 2008. I persuaded him to join my group in Lagos and I promised to make him an Olympian, get him a track scholarship in the USA and also make him a national champion and I’m glad that we already accomplished all the above set goals. I’m very gratified that he listened to me when I met him in Abuja and I hope to take him to the next level. How has it been working with him over the years? He is the type of athlete that every coach wants to train because of his mentality to the sport and his discipline. Every athlete on my team gets along with him and he has carried them along. He calls them regularly from the USA to check on and motivate them. When he was coming back to Nigeria this year for the Olympic trials, he brought them some kits for training which all the athletes appreciated and prayed for him to qualify for the Olympics. Noah has some good qualities that really helped him this year. He is a good listener, very patient and hard working. Over all he believes in me and my workout and I wish we can see more Nigerian athletes like him that approach athletics the way he does. He reminds me of Falilat Ogunkoya and Mercy Nku who were very good students of the sport

when it comes to discipline and hard work. But did you actually believe he would qualify for the London games, bearing in mind that he was just returning to the track? To be sincere nobody expected him to qualify for the Olympics with 200m. We mapped out plans to do that because we didn’t want to put all our eggs in one basket-meaning just running the 400m. Also, with the nature of the injury he had last year that made him to have surgery, I just decided that he should concentrate more on the 200m. Don’t get me wrong; he was still doing the 400 training from the beginning of the year when he started his build-up. He did a lot of strength and endurance workout and I also made him to run the 800m for stamina. He could not run the indoor well because of the injury so we focused on outdoor and to qualify for the Olympics. When he opened up with 21.50 on March 4, I knew he was at the right track but many people thought the time was too slow for a guy who aspired to go to the Olympics. When he ran 20.9 in his second meet and 20.8 in his 3rd meet before his personal best of 20.74 on May 25th, I was so impressed and encouraged. The question was when and how could he get into the right race that suits his style to get the standard. In most of his races, he was running with athletes that were very fast in the 100 and I knew that with time he will get the speed to match other guys for the first 100m. We didn’t do a lot of speed work because of the surgery he had. How did you feel when he won a medal at the African Championships in Benin? When he won the bronze medal in the 200m in Port Novo I was so happy because I had felt downcast somewhat at not seeing any Nigerian male on the podium after the 100m final. I remember telling Noah that he was capable of winning a medal in the 200m because his workout was similar to the workout of the late Sunday Emmanuel who was one my athletes that won a silver medal behind the

HE IS THE TYPE OF ATHLETE THAT EVERY COACH WANTS TO TRAIN BECAUSE OF HIS MENTALITY TO THE SPORT AND HIS DISCIPLINE

Noah Akwu getting ready for a recent race Inset: Coach Tony Osheku

great Frankie Fredericks in the 200m at the 1998 Africa Championship in Senegal with 20.45. I told him that he must believe in his workout and himself if he wanted to qualify for London. Anyway, I’m glad that he did the right thing in Kumasi and he won the event with 20.54 that gave him the ticket to London.

Akwu (in front with head band) pose with members of MTSU’s 4x400 relay team after winning the Sunbelt Indoor Championships last year.

Considering the challenges Noah has faced, what are your expectations for him at the Olympics? Well, he has had a bit of problems doing his workout the way I wanted because of the bad weather in London. Most of the times it rains and the weather gets too cold for speed work. I just told him to keep lifting and do some endurance workout so that he would not get injured. He has com-

plained of cramping up a couple of times which I didn’t like. He told me that some of the Nigerian athletes moved to Italy to train in hot weather. I can only say that he will try to do his best in London but I honestly think he will really achieve his full potential at the Brazil 2016 Olympics. All is well and we are very grateful that he made it to London. I’m very proud of him and the entire Osheku Striders Club is praying for him as well as rallying to his support.

Sport

Brazil’s soccer team abandons Games Village

razil’s Olympic soccer squad is opting for a quiet life away from the “temptations” of the Athletes’ Village, coach Mano Menezes said on Sunday. The young squad is under huge pressure back home to win the country’s first Olympic soccer gold and Menezes believes they have a better chance of doing that from a secluded hotel in the Hertfordshire countryside outside the capital. “There are too many temptations here,” he said with a smile as he spoke to reporters in the sunshine during a visit to the Village at the Olympic Park. While players shopped for Olympic souvenirs in the Village megastore, Menezes continued: “Some of the players like Neymar and the others have already been the

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

3 TODAYS GO TO GO

JULY 27 - AUGUST 12, 2012

focus of attention from so many other athletes when we’ve been here and we have serious work to do at these Games.” Neymar, 20, is the brightest star in the Olympic side, composed mainly of Under-23 players, who have been preparing for the Games at Arsenal’s training complex at London Colney just north of the capital. Brazil faces Egypt, Belarus and New Zealand in their opening group and their squad, many of whom should be in the senior team at the World Cup in Brazil in two years’ time, are the clear favourites for the gold.

Hoy

Hoy is Team GB’s flag carrier

ir Chris Hoy has been chosen to carry the flag for Great Britain at the opening ceremony of the London Games on Friday. The four-time Olympic gold medal winner polled the most number of votes among the 542 members of the British team. The 36-year-old cyclist also carried the Union Flag at the 2008 closing ceremony in Beijing. “I’m absolutely delighted and honoured to have been voted as the flag bearer for Team GB. To lead out your team at a home Olympics is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and one that that I can’t wait to experience in just

a few days time,” Sir Chris told BBC Sport. Other Olympians who received support included archer, Alison Williamson, who will compete in her sixth Games. Hoy, who will compete in the team sprint and keirin is the first cyclist to have the honour of carrying the British flag at an opening ceremony. The Scot will lead out Team GB when they become the last of the 204 competing nations to enter the arena. He won a silver medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, a gold at Athens in 2004 and another three gold medals in Beijing four years ago.

National N Nat ional Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net www ww w.na ..n natti na tio iio on na nal allm a mir mi iirrroronline.net

Nigeria to receive $350m London Games windfall EVEREST O NYEWUCHI HI

he Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) NOC) will receive about $350million USD from the Internationternational Olympic Committee e (IOC) as part of its shares from om the income generated from m the merchandising of the 30th 0th Olympiad beginning in London ondon on Friday. A calculation made de by DPA shows that Nigeria is among the 204 IOC member countries, whose 26 sports federations ations are currently represented ed at the London Games and who ho are entitled to receive around und $350m each from the IOC. This windfall is coming to the NOCs because the e Olympic Games remain big business usiness in a grim economic environment, ironment, with the IOC raking g in more than $7billion from the Vancouver 2010 and London ndon 2012 Games. The DPA calculation on further shows that the record income is far higher than the $5.45bn .45bn generated from the 2006 and 2008 editions in Turin and d Beijing, respectively. The turnover comes mes from four major sources off income: television, international onal and national sponsors, television rights and ticket sales es and licensing. It was revealed that TV rights and international onal sponsors deal directly with h the IOC, while the other issuess are done by the organising committeeommitteebased on strict IOC rules. ules. For this London 2012, TV rights alone generated d $3.91bn, the four-year period, d, after a price hike of almost st 40 per cent, with the top sponsors, who can advertise their heir products around the world d with the Olympic rings, paying almost $1bn. The calculation further revealed that though the IOC is not necessarily charitable, but it keeps about 10 per cent of the generated income - which in this case is still around $700million. This money is kept for scenarios such as cancelled Olympics. Host cities get the biggest chunk from the IOC income, in the case of London around $1billion. Organisers also receive an estimated $1.6bn from domestic sponsors as well as around $600m from ticket sales and merchandise.

That money almost covers the Olympic budget of $3.7bn, with further investment by the British gover nment in infrastructure a n d othe r areas another $14.6bn. The 26 sports federations currently represented at the Games and the 204 IOC member countries receive around $350million each from the IOC. The Olympic Committee of the U.S., the main Olympic financer through the biggest TV rights deal and many top sponsors, has a special role and gets around 400million euros over the Olympiad.

Organisers worry about Bolt’s legs

rganisers may think that the most closely-guarded secret of the 2012 Games is who will light the Olympic flame but of far greater interest to the wider sporting public is the condition of Usain Bolt’s right hamstring. The Jamaican triple gold medallist from the Beijing Olympics is the number one attraction of the London Games but the question mark over his fitness has added an extra layer of intrigue to what is already an eye-watering, exciting 100 metres race. Bolt needed some stretching and massage treatment for a tight hamstring, following his 200m defeat by Yohan Blake in the Jamaican trials at the start of the month, having also lost to Blake in the 100m days earlier when he looked to be nursing the injury with a tentative start. He immediately withdrew from last Friday’s Monaco Diamond

League meeting, where he had been due to run the 200m in a last race before the Olympics. Bolt then travelled to Germany to see renowned German sports doctor, Hans-Wilhelm MullerWohlfahrt, although his agent Ricky Simms said the trip had been long-scheduled as part of his regular “prehabilitation” regime. The 6ft 5ins (1.95m) sprinter suffered hamstring troubles early in his career, a problem linked to a curvature in his spine, and has to put himself through a gruelling stretching and conditioning regime to prevent any recurrence. “He had a slightly tight hamstring during the trials and that’s why possibly he didn’t push as hard as he could have,” Simms said recently when assuring the public that his man would be in good shape for London.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Why Enugu govt gave out Hotel Presidential on concession –Mammel Amid high speculations that Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, has sold the once famed Hotel Presidential Enugu, his Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Ozor Joe Mammel, in this interview with DENNIS AGBO, sheds more light on reasons the government had to let out the hotel on concession and not on outright sale. Why did Enugu State government give away Hotel Presidential? The state government met Hotel Presidential moribund; it was a liability and not an asset that was handed over to this government and we felt that being the pride of the South East geopolitical zone, since it has been a hotel for the old eastern region, it has to be upgraded Incidentally, the government met it with no management. All the things that made it a hotel were in bad shape and we decided that the best approach to it is to see if we can invite the private sector to come into Public-Private Partnership (PPP). So we met the SSA’s and the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), to look out for investors and among many other requests, we had to look the way of Status Symbol Nigeria Limited by working with their technical partners. The idea is to work out concession to develop Presidential Hotel, establish the existing facilities, fix in new facilities there, and we gave them right of concession to manage it for a period of 35 years and hand it back to the state government with an option of renewal. So it is not an outright sale, it is revisionary right of concession granted based on their financial input into the business evaluated, while they will be paying the government a proceed of 20 per cent upwards every year. Did the government advertise for the bid? We did not advertise for the bid because the Presidential Hotel is under BPE and anything under BPE has been known statutorily for commercialisation or listed for privatisation. Some people are insinuating that it is Governor Rochas Okorocha that bought the hotel, is it true? I don’t know that Status Symbol belongs to Rochas Okorocha, I signed on behalf of Enugu State Government and I don’t know about Rochas Okorocha’s hand in this matter. They can go to the Corporate Affairs Commission to find out but what I know is that I was dealing with a corporate entity under Nigeria companies and allied matters. What happens to the workers of the hotel that have been laid off? The workers were that of Hotel Presidential, if they make profit they pay them, they are not government staff. The hotel has not declared dividends to the government in the past

six years. What will the new face of the hotel look like? They are going to give it a new ambiance. They are going to renovate the building, while attaching a new structure to it. It will be redeveloped into a new concept showing better aesthetics joined by a new building to meet a brand international standard. It will still retain the name. Investors are going to fund it and the state government is not going to put in any money but will be collecting percentage. Right of concession is different from sale. They are doing what government would have done if it had the capacity to do so. That is what concessionary right is all about. So Hotel Presidential is not sold, the investors have the finance and we don’t have the finance. We have right of nominal director. People always feel that top government personnel use this kind of opportunity to corner investments for themselves. How are we sure that a government official has not transacted business with this? I will tell you authoritatively that the way this people came to see His Excellency in a casual note on a Sunday and he asked them if they have capacity to do what they are saying. They replied that they have a first investment of at least $20million and it made an impression on him that this people are serious. Not only that, there is a work plan that is attached to the agreement that this thing must be finished within a period of 18 months and they must follow strictly the work plan or it would be subject to disengagement. So, these guys have no relationship with people over here. They are here to give this place a better value than allowing this place to be used only for weddings, church and all sort. What happens to the tenants like the church that had erected a building here? It was an illegality. They were granted a temporary operating licence which is the much a government can give but to put up that structure is not feasible and so they went beyond their jurisdiction. It’s something they thought they can do with an abandoned project. The governor came here to inspect this place and he found out that the land of Enugu State Government has been turned into a church and the two businesses are not compactable to each other.

Mammel

INVESTORS ARE GOING TO FUND IT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO PUT IN ANY MONEY BUT WILL BE COLLECTING PERCENTAGE.

RIGHT

OF CONCESSION IS

DIFFERENT FROM SALE.

THEY ARE DOING

WHAT GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE DONE IF IT HAD THE CAPACITY TO DO SO

Some people that lodge in a hotel could be Muslims for instance. It was agreed they should make a fresh application to the Ministry of Lands

and the Commissioner for Lands is a member of the church. What will the people of Enugu State gain at the end of the day? They have got their investment, it is not sold, and someone has put in money here, so not only is it going to be back as Presidential Hotel, a good hospitality industry, a good refreshing and leisure place, it will create employment for the state, make profit and the trained staff of the hotel have the right of job if they qualify among others. They give 20 per cent interest to the government and a nominal director to be appointed by the state government so that it will be part of the policy. The only thing is that government has no business with the business in terms of management. It is government management that brought it down to where it is today. Even Nike Lake Resort is under such management now and that is why it is going up in a good scale. At the end of the day, it adds hospitality strength to the South east.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Do’s and don’ts

ofbathroom tiling I

f you are going to do your bathroom tilling personally to save money, Kay Balbi, a contributor at yahoo Network, has some guidelines for you:

Do not use a high gloss finish on anything that is going to be near water. It becomes very slippery and dangerous. Choose a grade/type 3 or 4 tile for floors and leave the grade 1 and 2s tiles to the walls. The size of your tile should complement your bathroom. Expert Marc says “Homeowners should stay away from 14” tiles or bigger, as they are difficult to work with; even some professionals refuse to install them because they are difficult to manage”. (Yes, size does matter!) Ideally, for most bathrooms, you will want a 6” or 8” tile for the bathroom floor. If the bathroom is extremely large, you can get away with a 10 or 12” but you risk the chance of having problems with grout lines lining up, the bigger you go on tiles. If you are planning on installing tile in the shower, you will want to choose a 1”x1” or 2”x2” tile size, no bigger because of the slope of the shower, and the fact that larger tiles tend to hamper drainage. If you are tiling an area that will be in a “wet” area such as a shower wall, then you will want to use green board, a gypsum product which is moisture resistant rather than plywood but this is not required for the floor (unless you are doing a pool area). Sealant is not necessary for most home applications unless you are choos-

ing to do a white grout, and it is recommended that you stay away from that as over time, it will wear. Things to think about before you tile If the condition of the existing floor is linoleum, you might be able to just tile over it without having to rip out the existing floor. However, if there is water or structural damage, you will need to fix these issues before you install tile. You will also need to pull the toilet, and then later, re-install it. For most homeowners, you will want to call a plumber for this so that you do not risk flooding or causing a dangerous condition which can occur if you do not block the fumes from the open pipe while remodeling. Most people choose to install a marble or hardwood threshold that can be shimmed into place. The important thing to think about is that you will want to make sure you don’t cause a trip hazard so be wary of what the height of your tile will be. Most likely you will want a ¾” threshold that will allow you to build up underneath it, if you need it. Point about spacers: Some professionals use these, but most don’t and the reason for this is that because of the baking process, tiles come in different sizes. Even when you buy a lot of tiles in the same box, you may find variation from tile to tile. When you use spacers, you can risk being totally off kilter with your grout lines, and having the end project look like a hack job. If you do use them, use caution and consider very carefully, the size of the tiles as you place them and how they are impacting your lines. The better way is to square the room, and shift the square if necessary.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

492 housing units at Igando Lagos HOMS target mixed residents ...NTDA boss irked by the slow pace of work by contractors STORIES: DAYO AYEYEMI

he Lagos State Government has reiterated its determination to ensure the success of sustainable human settlement programme embarked upon by the present administration. This disclosure was made by the General Manager, Lagos State New Towns Development Authority (NTDA), Dr. Adeyemi Isiba during the tour of the on-going construction works on the 492 housing units Igando Lagos HOMS site. Speaking during the inspection, Isiba noted that the vision to design each block to consist of 1,2 and 3 bedroom flats was to facilitate mixed co-habiting amongst different social class in the society. This, according to him would further promote social harmony and peaceful co-habiting among low, middle and high income groups in the society. According to the general manager, the estate which consists of 41 blocks of 12 flats of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom flats, was designed with functional in-

frastructure like a mini-water treatment plant, a central sewage treatment plant, laundromat with solar drying room and refuse disposal point for each of the block which would be serviced through an alley which goes all around the estate to service the flats. The estate also has provision for school, worship centres community centre, basketball court, shopping mall as well as lot of green area. This, according to him would ensure that the estate is an independent community on its own with sustainable facilities that would make life more meaningful to its inhabitants. Isiba described the design of the Lagos- Fly Roof as invert, slanting inward with a loop to collect water which could be recycled and processed for domestic use. The roof, he said could be converted for solar power in the future. He was however irked by the slow pace of work by some of the contractors handling the project, which according to him, has made some aspects of the project to be behind sched-

Hotel Presidential, Enugu

ule. He, therefore, directed the project managers to ensure that contractors work extra-hours to achieve prompt delivery of the project as at when due. In his reaction, representa-

LAWMA partners with NBC on waste management

n a bid to ensure that every community in the state experiences its transformational agenda in the area of effective waste management, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), has launched a community clean-up project in Oluwole Ogba Community in collaboration with Nigerian Bottling Company Plc. This scheme, which is being executed under the authority’s Community Participation Programme, is geared towards ridding every community in the state of refuse, its attendant consequences, and at the same time providing job opportunities for the locals. The authority has in time past partnered with some corporate bodies like Nigerite, Universal Steel, Protea Hotel – Maryland, Guinness Nigeria Plc and a host of others to bring meaningful development to every community in the state. Speaking to newsmen at the event, the General Manager, Administration and

Special Duties of LAWMA, Mrs. Abimbola Jijohom Ogun, said the community clean-up was initiated to keep up with the ongoing round-the-clock sanitation work of LAWMA in the state. She said the project first began on the major roads and highways, but due to the need to involve every part of the state, it was moved to the inner communities. She added that more corporate entities are stepping in to partner with the authority in the area of championing the cause for a cleaner Lagos, having seen the results achieved so far with the scheme. She seized the opportunity to appeal to other corporate organisations that are yet to partner with the authority to key into the corporate social responsibility by giving back to society, saying “together we can make a difference in our society.” The Head of Public Affairs and Communication, Nigerian Bottling Company

Plc, Mrs. Adeyanju Olomola, said what informed the company’s decision to partner with LAWMA in the clean-up exercise was its desire to make life more meaningful for the people. In her words, “In every area where we operate, we always want to partner with our communities and government; the project with Lagos Waste Management Authority is one that we believe symbolises an epitome of the kind of partnership we seek after.” Olomola said that government alone cannot develop a nation, which is the reason private sector players should be involved in such CSR programmes to give back to society for the desired change to take place. The Oluwole Ogba Community Development Association’s Chairman, Alhaji Shalafadin Bashorun, commended the efforts of the LAWMA in partnering with NBC to help rid the community of waste products, and at the same time provide job opportunities for the unemployed.

tive of HFP Engineering, who identified himself simply as Oladapo, assured the management of NTDA that his company would deliever the projects as scheduled

Construction works on Lagos HOMS are going on simultaneously in Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Sangotedo, Mushin, Ilupeju,Omole, Magodo, Lekki and Badagry.

Lagos to allottees of houses in govt estates: Take physical possession now

he Lagos State Government has called on allottees that have left houses vacant in her various housing estates to immediately take physical possession of their respective houses. Failure to do so, the state government will be left without an option but to implement the terms of the agreement entered into by the concerned parties to the letter. Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Bosun Jeje , who made this known in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Adesegun Ogundeji, expressed the displeasure of the state government at the continued abandonment of houses in some estates long after they have been allotted to interested members of the public. Jeje expressed worry that there are as many as 87 housing units left unoccupied at different Millenium Housing Estates such as Oke-Eletu, where 9 units of houses are vacant, two units at Alaagba , 33 units at Ojokoro , 10 units at Shasha and 33 units of houses at Ibeshe . This, he noted negates the spirit and purpose for which the houses were built; which was to provide shelter for the teeming Lagosians who are in need of decent accommodation.

The commissioner who restated the state government’s commitment to reducing drastically the estimated 5 million units deficit in housing need of Lagosians, reminded the allottees that non occupation of the houses denies many citizens access to that aspect of democratic dividend which the government is desirous at providing for a larger number of the populace. According to Jeje, the abandoned properties constitute environmental challenges and security threat to the concerned estates and the neighbourhood. Many of the unoccupied houses, he noted, now constitute eye-sore, with weedy and dirty environment defacing the aesthetics of the affected estates. They also serve as hide out for criminals who hibernate in them, plan crimes and use them as launch pads to attack unsuspecting residents and innocent members of the public. Stressing that the trend was not acceptable and therefore will not be allowed to continue, the commissioner said, the state government has magnanimously approved a 60 day moratorium within which the allottees should comply with the terms of the agreement or the law will take its full course.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

America’s sickest housing markets

Sandiego

ccording to data released earlier this month, asking home prices in the America’s largest metro regions rose for the fourth time in five months. This, according to the report by 24/7 St., is another positive sign for the national real estate market. However, a review of the data, provided by home price authority Trulia.com, indicates that many of the country’s largest cities continue to struggle due to weak demand, high foreclosure rates and negative equity. While many of the largest housing markets are showing positive signs, based on both vacancy rate and average year-over-year home price decline, many markets are taking longer than most

ubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) is considering fining individual property brokers for violations rather than the firms they work for, it has been confirmed , according to Property Wire It has held a series of meetings with firms as part of an ongoing revamp of the system aimed at making the emirate’s real estate industry more transparent, said Al Hashmi, director of RERA’s Real Estate Licensing Department. The Real Estate Permits and Inspection Section has already carried out a study to monitor violations. Preliminary findings show that the top violations by brokers are hiding information from investors, failure to maintain the privacy of the firm and client, using telephone calls for promotion and advertisement purposes without obtaining official approval, and arranging deals without the knowledge of their accredited office. Twelve companies failed to register the real estate broker, while seven companies violated the type of licensed activity by performing other activity. Other irregularities include failure to mention the company’s registration number, failure to register the licence in the brokerage registry and failure to renew the broker ID card. ‘RERA is working to create pro-

to recover. Several of these are a product of the burst housing bubble, while others have been in trouble for decades. Based on housing data, 24/7 Wall St. identified the five “sickest” housing markets in America. Three of the five worst housing markets are in California. They are Sacramento, San Diego and the Riverside-San BernardinoOntario metro region -- the part of the state often referred to as the “Inland Empire.” The remaining two cities are Virginia Beach, Va., and Toledo, Ohio. Each of these areas averaged a decline in home prices between the first six months of 2011 and the first six months of 2012.

These housing markets also have high home vacancy rates, indicating a lack of interest in these regions. High vacancy rates -- the percentage of homes currently unoccupied -- also tend to depress property values. Each of the five markets is among the top 25 for the highest home vacancy rates and rental vacancy rates. Riverside and Virginia Beach are in the top 15 for each. Toledo has the highest home vacancy rate in the country, at 5.6 percent of homes. Trulia’s chief economist, Jed Kolko, told 24/7 Wall St. that the underlying causes of home price declines are high vacancy rates, foreclosures and negative equity. He explained that in many cases

the burst housing bubble, and subsequent collapse of home prices, were the primary causes of these metro regions real estate woes. Of the five markets on our list, three had among the largest declines in home prices during the recession. Housing in Sacramento and Riverside lost over half of their value during the decline. “Markets like Sacramento and Riverside-San Bernardino saw a lot of overbuilding during the bubble and therefore had more housing than there was demand. They have a lot of foreclosures still on the market, their short sales are still a big share of home sales,” said Kolko. Indeed, according to the first quarter 2012 negative equity report from real estate site Zillow, each of the three California markets have among the largest proportions of homes with mortgages worth less than the current home value, known as underwater mortgages. In San Diego, nearly one in 10 mortgages is underwater. The troubles in other markets, Kolko explained, are more the result of long-term economic difficulty, as in the case of Toledo, for example. Toledo and many other Midwestern locations, he explained, “are not suffering from overbuilding so much as from years of slow job growth and slow demand.” A review of Realtor.com’s

search ranks, which rate the amount of interest in a housing market based on incoming searches, shows that Toledo is the second-least searched large housing market in the country. RealtyTrac’s foreclosure rates for the first six months of the year also reflect the trouble these markets are in. Four of the five markets on our list are in the top third for homes in foreclosure. The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area has the highest foreclosure rate in the country among the 75 markets we reviewed, with one out of every 39 homes with mortgages foreclosed upon between January and June. To identify the America’s sickest housing markets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed U.S. Census Bureau home and rental vacancy data for the 75 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country for the first quarter of 2012. We then narrowed the list to markets where home vacancy rates had declined from the previous quarter to eliminate those markets that are showing real improvement. Using a six-month average of year-overyear declines in asking price from Trulia.com, we excluded metro regions where asking prices had shown a trend of increasing in the past six months. Finally, we excluded any remaining markets with positive housing data. These data sets included: negative equity and home price declines from Zillow.com, foreclosure rates from Trulia.com, home price forecasts from Fiserv and time on market and real estate search popularity from Realtor.com.

Real Estate regulatory agency in Dubai crackdown on broker violations

fessional real estate environment in Dubai governed by clear laws and regulations,’ Sultan Al Suwaidi, section manager. Fines totalling AED900,000 have been levied on 22 real estate companies and brokerage firms during the first half of this year. Yousef Al Hashmi, director of RERA’s Real Estate Licensing Department, said the firms had been guilty of repeated violations of regulations. The fines were issued after the companies failed to respond to warnings.‘Such procedure came as last step after exhausting all means to ensure compliance and safeguarding the rights of concerned parties,’ he added. RERA said the regulations were being enforced in order to protect the rights of investors against any violations of laws and professional ethics that can be committed by real estate brokers. Dubai real estate agents made a total of AED700 million ($190 million) in commission last year, according to figures from RERA. Real estate brokers generally receive 1 percent of the deal value as a commission on successfully completed, unless parties agree otherwise.

Dubai real estate

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aviation

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

FDR: Mixed reactions trail AIB’s preliminary report on Dana Air crash With the advancement in technology in the global aviation industry, stakeholders and professionals in the Nigerian aviation industry say that the Flight Data Recorder of the Dana Air crash of last month should not have burnt under intense fire as released by the Accident Investigation Bureau. OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

Oduah

light Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder are electronic devices employed to record instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft. They are devices used to record specific aircraft performance parameters and are usually useful in case of aircraft incident or accident. Due to their importance in investigating accidents, these International Civil Aviation Organisation-regulated devices are carefully engineered and stoutly constructed to withstand the force of a high speed impact and the heat of an intense fire. The exterior of the FDR is coated with heat-resistant bright orange paint for high visibility in wreckage, and the unit is usually mounted in the aircraft’s tail section, where it is more likely to survive a severe crash. Following an accident, the recovery of the FDR is a priority for the investigating body, as analysis of the recorded parameters can often detect and identify causes or contributing factors. In case of an accident, if the investigating teams are unable to recover the FDR, the probable cause of an accident may not be unraveled. Ironically, the preliminary report of the crashed Dana Air aircraft, MD 83, which killed over 160 people onboard and on ground on June 3, 2012 released about two weeks ago by the Accident Investigation Bureau was without the necessary FDR equipment. The Commissioner of AIB, Capt. Muktar Usman in the report said that the two flight recorders, CVR and FDR were analysed at the facilities of the National Transportation Safety Board,

Araba

Washington, D.C., USA. Usman explained that the solid state based memory in the CVR was in good condition while the FDR succumbed to the post crash fire and melted, consequently no data could be recovered. However, most of the country’s aviation stakeholders and professionals are not comfortable with the preliminary report of the agency. In fact, they received the report with mixed feelings. They expressed surprise that the FDR, which they described as the most important aspect of aircraft in case of a crash, could cave in due to “post crash fire.” The immediate past Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Capt Adebayo Araba said that the FDR of the aircraft may have burnt due to the inability of the Dana Air management to modify the component. He explained that over the years, all aircraft manufacturers had modified the FDR to withstand any severe condition including fire and described the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board as a credible agency to analyse any accident crash in the world.

He said, “No one knows the quality of the FDR of the crashed plane because all aircraft manufacturers have modified FDR of all planes and I doubt if this went through any form of modification. The taking of the report to the NTSB, however I want to authenticate the report because it is the highest investigative body when it comes to aircraft accident. “It is possible for the FDR to crash if the aircraft is an old model. It is possible Dana did not go through all those modifications being an old aircraft. We are talking about an aircraft that is over 20 years old”. Araba emphasised that with the facilities at the disposal of the country at present, it would be difficult for Nigeria to handle the supervision or maintenance of any airplane that is above 20 years old, noting that most crashed planes in the country were over 20 years old. “We don’t have the capability to monitor or supervise old aircraft in this country. We should do away with these airplanes. If the airline operator claims he had effect checks on his fleet, we don’t have the capability to cross check whatever he claimed to have done. We just rely on whatever he says.” He also doubted if Dana air had been complying with the Airline directives from the manufacturer on the maintenance of its fleet and dared it to make public the evidences of compliance since it acquired the aircraft. Besides, an engineer with one of the indigenous airlines, who wishes to remain anonymous, maintained that the crashed plane may not have been equipped with a functional FDR while the CVR relayed to the public by AIB was not for that particular aircraft. According to the engineer, it is impossible for the FDR to burn no matter the intensity of the crash or heat, alleging that government was hiding some vital information on the crash from the public. He said all FDRs are manufactured to transmit between 17 to 25 hours information while the CVR is manufactured to reproduce at least two hours data before the crash. He wondered why the CVR of the crashed Dana Air could only reproduce 31 minutes data prior to the crash.

ALL OVER THE WORLD, THIS IS THE INSTRUMENT

ALL INVESTIGATORS RELY UPON TO GET THE FACTS ABOUT AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY INSTRUMENT THAT CAN RECORD FAULTS IN AN

AIRCRAFT, THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE PILOT AND THE

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, THE STATE

OF THE MACHINE AND EVERY OTHER FACTS

He said, “It’s a pity that the FDR got burnt, but I can’t remember when last such component burnt. However, it is happening in our report. It’s a pity. But I still think the CVR can give you guide on the cause of the accident because it is a conversation between the two pilots and the Air Traffic Controllers in the control tower. Let us allow AIB to finish their work and I believe whatever they want to do will be under ICAO rules. I believe the CVR can record over an hour or two, but I’m surprised when they said the CVR only recorded only 31 minutes data. I’ve been in aviation for some years now and I know it can record far more than that.” Also, Ag. Secretary General of National Union of Air Transport Employees, Comrade Abdulkareem Motajo expressed shock at the report of AIB on the accident. Motajo explained that the most indestructible part of aircraft is the black box, which include the data recording instrumentation, stressing that the FDR is a major instrument investigators rely upon to divulge cause of the aircrash. He said that the inability of the investigative team to read the FDR would further set the sector backward and would make it impossible for the report to act as a guide against future occurrences. He said emphatically that the report lacked merit and challenged the appropriate authorities to show the burnt FDR to the public most especially the professionals in the sector. “I want to say proper and deeper investigations should be made on this report because what we are going for is the fact of the matter to prevent a recurrence of past mistakes. All over the world, this is the instrument all investigators rely upon to get the facts about an accident because this is the only instrument that can record faults in an aircraft, the discussions between the pilot and the Air Traffic Controllers, the state of the machine and every other facts.” The Secretary General of the Nigerian Aviation Professionals Association, Comrade Abdulrazak Saidu received the report with mix-feelings. He said the black boxes are always at the tail end of the aircraft, adding that fortunately, the most parts of the tail of the aircraft was not affected by the crash and wondered how the FDR would have been consumed by intense heat as claimed by AIB. “No, I don’t have any confidence in that report released by AIB and I can tell you, government has something to hide from the public. I don’t believe in that report. We have to be encouraged to fly. The report will only send wrong signal to the global aviation industry.”

Aviation

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Nigeria to make IOSA compliance compulsory for indigenous airlines STORIES: OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren said the government will henceforth make IATA Operational Safety Audit’s compliance compulsory for indigenous airlines. Speaking at the gathering of Directors-General of Civil Aviation Authorities in Africa last week in Abuja, Demuren said the purpose of this was to enhance safety in the country’s aviation industry. He emphasised that safety is the greatest watchword for any successful aviation industry, noting that imposition of IOSA on Nigerian registered airlineswhether those flying on international or domestic-routes became necessary because despite the efforts made to take the industry to greater heights, the recent crashes setback the industry. He pointed out that these accidents occurred after the country’s aviation sector had successfully carried 50million passengers; op-

t the just concluded 2012 Farnborough International Air Show, Airbus has won about $16.9bn worth of business for a total of 115 aircraft. The commitments comprise Memorandum of Understanding for 61 aircraft worth $5.8bn and firm purchase orders for 54 aircraft worth around $11.1bn. The A350-1000 was the notable star at the show, receiving a significant endorsement from one of the world’s foremost carriers, Cathay Pacific Airways. The airline not only placed 10 new orders for the model, but also converted 16 previously ordered A350-900s to the new larger variant. This represents almost $4.2bn worth of business. The A350-1000 ordered by Cathay Pacific features the recently enhanced Rolls-Royce Trent XWB turbofan with 97,000lbs thrust. Another star at Farnborough was the A330 Family, which won 10 firm orders worth $2.3bn from CIT Group. This order is additionally significant since it marks the launch of the new upgraded 240 tonne take-off weight A330. This version opens more routes and offers up to 400nm more range and nearly five tonnes more payload than the A330s. In addition, Synergy Aerospace ordered six A330200s plus three A330 Freighters, bringing the total com-

Demuren

erated more than 1million flights and traffic growth by almost 40 percent in the last five and half years. He, however, explained that despite the accidents, the regulatory agency remained focused on safety enhancement, stressing that it would not relent on its safety drive. He enjoined his colleagues

from other African countries that despite the low safety ratings of the continent compared with other regions of the world, “We may have experienced bumps on the road, as we have, but those bumps cannot and must not be the end of the road as collaboration and cooperation among African states must expand and continue.” In pursuance of Safety, Demuren noted that at the recently concluded Africa Safety Summit organised by ICAO and IATA together with other leading organisations like AFRAA,ASECNA, ATNS CANSO IFALPA, Boeing and Airbus a five point safety improvement plan for Africa and Indian Ocean region was adopted and would be presented to the meeting of the Ministers of Africa’s Air Transport tomorrow in Abuja for consideration and endorsement. He urged for the adoption of AFI Safety Improvement Plan, which he said if endorsed, would give African countries tools with which to improve tsafety in Africa.

Airbus wins $16.9bn worth of commitments

British international students recently visited Mish Aviation School in Accra, Ghana. At the centre is the Chief Executive Officer of the school, Capt.Ibrahim Msheila.

mitments for the A330 Family at Farnborough to 19 aircraft. The A320 Family also scored at Farnborough by winning 86 commitments worth over US$8.4bn. Airbus’s Chief Executive Officer, Fabrice Brégier said, “The quality of orders at Farnborough has been high at the show, with significant endorsement from leading customers of our strategy to continuously innovate and improve our products.” He adds: “With the recent announcement last week to build an A320 production line in America, coupled with the start of production for the A320neo in Toulouse, Airbus is cementing

its leading global position.” In addition to aircraft order announcements, Airbus Customer Services enhanced its global footprint by signing a cooperation agreement with GMF Aero Asia, the maintenance and repair subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia. This 10-year strategic partnership will develop a local maintenance training centre for Airbus customers in the region. Airbus also became the first aircraft manufacturer to launch an innovative range of iPad ‘Electronic-Flight-Bag’ applications to enable pilots to manage aircraft performance data on the popular light handheld device.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

AIRSIDE

shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

Were these ‘dinosaurs’ wrong with their criticisms?

ate last year and earlier in the year, some chief executives in the Nigeria aviation industry labeled some aviation stakeholders and professionals as “dinosaurs who are no longer relevant in the country’s aviation industry but consistently seek relevance.” The reason for this label is not far-fetched. The “dinosaurs” consistently criticised some actions taken by the government in the sector, which did not go down well with some powers that be. Some of the criticisms centered on insecurity in most parts of the airports in the country; noticeable lapses in the operations of the airlines and continuous interference in the running of the agencies among others. In fact, the “dinosaurs” warned of imminent plane crash if the industry’s policeman, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority did not beef up its regulatory oversight, but their warnings went unheeded. Definitely, their objective criticisms did not go down well with some helmsmen who felt they were unnecessarily being criticised by these professionals and then the

verbal assaults began. But events of the last one month or so have proved them right. The Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos is still porous as ever, while the airport landlord, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria seems helpless in handling the sordid situation despite the massive insecurity in the country. Also, barely four months to the celebration of six years of accident free years, the country recorded double tragedies in two days. First to occur was the Allied Cargo Air, which crash landed in Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana killing 10 souls on ground. Less than 24 hours later, the entire nation was thrown into mourning with the crash of Dana Air aircraft at IjuIshaga Area of Lagos killing about 160 people onboard and on ground. For the industry to grow, Airside thinks today’s generation should not disregard the advice of the elderly and persistently seek knowledge from the “dinosaurs,” rather than see the proven professionals as antagonising every action they take. Hope someone will not treat this with a pinch of the salt too.

Day Demuren refused to smile

o doubt, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren is a go-getter and a workaholic who has achieved a lot for the country’s civil aviation industry since his appointment as the helmsman of the agency in December 2005. Characteristically, whenever Demuren speaks, everyone listens with rapt attention, but there is an aspect of Demuren, which has become his trademark over the years; whenever he delivers his speeches or sits on the high table, he does so with captivating smiles and exhibits confidence that is second to none. Airside was however surprised some few weeks ago when

Demuren who represented the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah at the inaugural flight of Etihad Airways to the country at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos did so without his distinctive smiles. Although Demuren performed the duty well as expected of him, but Airside and others missed his charming smile whenever he speaks. Definitely, the recent accidents have taken a big toll on Demuren, a man popularly called “Mr. Ground them” by admirers, but everyone knows he has taken the country’s aviation to the next level with his actions over the years. He should come out of his shell and continue his work for the benefit of all.

Again, Qatar Airways emerges best airline in the world

atar Airways has received another recognition at the just concluded annual Skytrax World Airline Awards, winning three top accolades including the main awardWorld’s Best Airline for the second year running. The Doha-based carrier retained the coveted title of Airline of the Year 2012 and notched up two further awards; Best Airline in the Middle East for the seventh consecutive year and the Best Airline Staff Service award in the Middle East.

A statement signed by the media consultant to the airline in Nigeria stated that the winners were announced at an awards ceremony attended by leading figures from the global aviation industry at the Farnborough Air Show, the world’s largest aerospace event, which took place in the United Kingdom recently. The Skytrax awards, conducted by the global aviation research organisation, polled over 18 million business and leisure air travellers from more than 100 countries.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurance

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Loss adjusting profession crucial, but unprofitable â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ILAN President Chief Lebi Omobayowa is the President of the Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria (ILAN) and Managing Director of Corporate Loss Adjusters. In this interview with OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO, he speaks about the profession, challenges facing loss adjusters and the effect on the insurance industry, among other issues. What is the institute all about? Traditionally, insurance all over the world has a body divisible into three principal bodies. Primarily the number one is the insurance company which is the underwriter, the risk bearer. The number two is the broker. These are professionals also that introduce the business from clients as agents but they are more than ordinary agents because they know the nitty-gritty of insurance broking and they know the laws concerning agency vis-a-vis insurance so they are professionals in their rights and they serve as intermediary between the insuring public and the insurer. Insurance company are the risk bearer and the agent will bring the business from the public to the insurer who will issue out the policy based on terms and conditions. They give cover according to the terms and condition of the policy. However if there is a disaster that falls in the purview of the insurer and a claim occurs, the risk bearer will call on an expert, the loss adjuster to investigate the claim. This expert is the third arm of the industry. The loss adjusters are well trained in the art and science of claim handling. They would find out what happened or what caused the loss by carrying out thorough investigation as to the cause of the loss. They will find out if the loss actually occurred or not and if it occurred, does it fall within the responsibility of the insurers, does the insurer cover it, even the circumstance being covered by the insurers would be investigated to ensure that there is fair play between the insurer and the insured. Is there any difference in your role and that of the police? Our role in terms of investigation can be similar to the police but they have the power of greater level of investigation because they can use force to get information which we, the private investigators cannot get. This is why we relate with them when we need certain information which we may not be able to get. We rely on police report because in a number of cases, they are helpful in some cases while they are not in other cases. I have seen a situation where my own investigation is different from the police investigation and mine was of more value and in such situations, I rely on my own report. Where there is need for prosecution, we rely on the police and where there is need to use some force to get to the bottom of a situation, it is the police that can interrogate because when they put you in detention room, you will confess. But a private investigator cannot do this. Do you investigate all types of cases

was in 1992. However, since 1985, we have been clamouring for a review because things have changed. The adjuster then who agreed the scale with NIA is today a very old man and the question we ask the insurers is who will serve them when the man retires. Even when he dies, who will take over his company? We have had three or four of our founding members who have died now and they have died with their experience because nobody is qualified to run such companies. This is happening because our present fees are uneconomical and as such many graduates are not showing interest in what we do. The fee does not support growth. We cannot employ graduates and keep them to learn the job. Loss adjuster profession is a post graduate type. You must have finish with the ACII?? or your first degree before you can come into it. That is the qualification before you can be allowed to do the exam. So it is not as profitable as it should be? It is uneconomical and not profitable. It is of great concern to us because we do not look like our counterparts in developed or developing countries where loss adjuster earns a lot of money. We are finding it very difficult but we will continue to serve in the industry and hope that things get better.

Omobayowa

including stolen vehicles? Yes. But at the same time, there are some inspectors who are technicians and engineer that carry out investigation but where there is loss of vehicles and we need to find out whether it is a genuine loss or a stage managed loss, the adjuster will carry out thorough investigation. While the

IT IS UNECONOMICAL AND NOT PROFITABLE. IT IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO US BECAUSE WE DO NOT LOOK LIKE OUR COUNTERPARTS IN DEVELOPED OR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHERE LOSS ADJUSTER EARNS A LOT OF MONEY

police will be looking for the suspect and where they will get the vehicle, the adjuster will be carrying out his own investigation in house to know whether the owner has truly lost his vehicle. How certain are your reports since you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t involve forensics? We have our own way of carrying out investigation as professionals. For example, a man who has a very old car and wants to claim insurance to get a new car drove the car inside the bush, ran it beside a tree and set it on fire. He reported to the police but the insurance company said sorry we have to investigate what happened and they appoint the loss adjuster to investigate. We were able to discover that the man came out of his car, brought out a can filled with fuel, poured it on the car and set it on fire. We will investigate based on our skills to unravel such situations. What are your challenges? The major challenge that we have is in the area of our scale of fees. The last time we agreed on fees with Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA)

Can this problem lead to an extinction of the profession? That is our major concern right now. People are getting old and weaker but as it is now they cannot pass their knowledge to the younger generations. Many loss adjusting firms are dead with their founders and this is majorly because they do not have the financial means to engage graduates. The few that are taking the job and ready to accept as low as N50,000 leave after they have been well trained. The same insurance company that refused to pay us good fees are the ones that snatch them from us and pay them more than what we can afford to pay them. What are you doing to bring a change? We are discussing with NIA that they should let us agree on an upward review of the scale but they are yet to give us a positive response. We have been talking to their various regimes since 1985 and it has not yielded anything but hope is not lost. It is one of our priorities and I personally as the president intend to achieve an upward review before the end of my tenure. I am going to consolidate my discussion by inviting them to let us meet once again and this is what I am doing very quickly. I believe that one day some people will reason with us even though some are reasoning with us individually.

Insurance

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Unhealthy rivalry undermining insurance business –Zakariya’u

…Niger declares N2.50k dividend STORIES: OMOBOLA TOLUKUSIMO

he unhealthy rivalry among insurance operators resulting in rate cutting and other unethical devises has made it extremely difficult for operators to play by the rules, Chairman, Niger Insurance Plc, Alhaji Bala Zakariya’u has said. Zakariya’u made this statement during the company’s Annual General Meeting held recently in Lagos. According to him, renewals of insurance policies were effected not strictly on cash and carry basis as required by law but at terms and conditions dictated by the client. He said, “Although insurance ought to be a sellers’ market, in reality, the market power rests with the buyers. This is mainly due to cost reduction strategies of company coupled with unhealthy rivalry among insurance operators. He disclosed that depressed earnings of listed insurance companies and investors’ fatigue have made it difficult for companies to raise funds in the capital market in 2011. Meanwhile, as a result of profits recorded by Niger Insurance in the financial year

Zakariya’u

end 2011, shareholders of the company are to receive dividend of N2.50k for every share held by July 9, 2011. The company’s earnings performance increased substantially over the previous year as it achieved a profit after tax of N1.2bn in the year under review as against N118.6m in the financial year end 2010 while its gross written premium grew from N7bn

to N7.8bn representing an increase of N766.4m or 9.8 per cent. The chairman however said that in spite of the difficult operating environment, the company returned to profits after recording losses in the past two years. It marked the turning point for the company in profits, results and growth performance, he said.

CIIN’s second female president, Erelu Aina dies

he Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), has announced the death of its second female president, Erelu Olusola Aina at the age of 74. In a statement signed by the institute’s Director and Head Corporate Affairs, Mr. Joseph Obah and made available to journalists stated that her family at Iperu Remo last Saturday broke the news. According to the statement, Erelu Aina was president of Insurance Institute of Nigeria (IIN), now CIIN in 1990 following the footstep of Mrs. C. A. Okpaise. She was the 22nd president of the Institute which has since produced two other female presidents, Mrs. C. A. Rowaiye and Mrs. Seyi Ifaturoti in 1996 and 2005, respectively. Born on 16th May, 1938, Erelu Olayiwola Oyesola Aina qualified as Associate of Chartered insurance Institute, ACII (UK) in 1962 but commenced her career in insurance in 1961 at the National Employees Mutual, London as Junior Manager. She joined N.E.M Insurance Ltd, La-

Aina

gos on her return to Nigeria as Fire and Accident manager until 1971 when she joined Sentinel Assurance Co. Ltd as managing director, making her about the only female CEO in the insurance sector at the time. She, therefore, represented a strong female voice in a male dominated industry, reinforcing her position when she assumed presidency of Professional Insurance Ladies

Association (PILA) and subsequently President of the Insurance Institute of Nigeria. Aina’s presidency of the IIN was remarkable, especially in respect of consolidation of efforts of her predecessors in office in the conduct of the professional Insurance examinations locally after years of Nigerians seeking professional education in the UK. She was president of the Institute when IIN received a clean bill of health from CII (UK) to conduct its examinations in Nigeria, having conducted the examinations from 1989 under the strict supervision of the UK Institute. Aina even after her presidency of the CIIN remained an active member of the Institute’s Governing Council and provided leadership in many respects whenever she was called upon. The Insurance Amazon was never tired even in retirement. She established Lakin Insurance Brokers Ltd and functioned as its Managing Director until her demise.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Problems with insurance? Send a text: 08086946621

Frequently asked questions and their answers on Contributory Pension Scheme (Part 1) What is this new pension scheme? This new pension scheme is contributory, fully funded, privately third party custody of the funds and assets and based on individual accounts. It ensures that everyone who has worked receives his/her retirement benefits as and when due. Who is covered by the new pension scheme? The new pension scheme covers all employees in the public service of the Federation, the Federal Capital Territory and the private sector of the economy. Who is exempted from the new pension scheme? The existing pensioners, employees who have 3 years or less to retire and the categories of persons covered by the provisions of section 291 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 are exempted from the new pension scheme. Does an employee who has 3 years and 1 month to retire come under the old scheme or the new scheme? Any employee with more than 3 years to retire comes under the new pension scheme. Is the new pension scheme mandatory for all categories of employers and employees covered under the act? The new pension scheme is mandatory for all categories of employers and employees covered under the Pension Reform Act. Is The Private Sector Pension Being Marged With The Public Sector? There is no merger of private sector pension with that of the public sector pension since the sources of funding are not the same. However, both are now being regulated under the same rules and regulations. What is the main objective of the new pension scheme? One of the main objectives of the pension reform is to ensure that every person that worked in either the public or private sector in Nigeria receives his/her retirement benefits as and when due. How is the new pension scheme different from the old pension scheme? Most of the old pension schemes were not fully funded. Therefore, upon retirement, there were no ready funds to pay the pensioners. The new pension scheme is fully funded. Money is contributed into individual employee’s Retirement Savings Account (RSA) and when he/she retires, there will be money in his/her RSA to pay his pension. Will private sector pension schemes be allowed to continue? Private sector pension schemes will be allowed to continue provided if there is evidence to show that the pension scheme is fully funded at all times, any shortfall made up within 90 days, pension funds assets are segregated from the assets of the employer/ company, the pension funds assets are held by a licensed Custodian

and the scheme is specifically approved by the National Pension Commission. How much will an employee contribute into the new scheme? An employee shall make monthly contributions of a minimum of 7.5% of the total of his/her monthly emoluments (i.e., monthly basic salary, transport allowance and housing allowance) into his RSA. Will my employer also contribute? The employer shall contribute a minimum of 7.5% of the employee’s monthly emoluments towards the retirement benefits of the employee. Can the employer make the total contributions on behalf of the employee? An employer can make all the contributions on behalf of the employee without making any deduction from the employee’s salary except that such contribution by the employer shall not be less than 15% of the monthly emoluments of the employee. Will the contributions lead to a decrease in my monthly emoluments? Your contributions are just savings out of your emoluments towards your old age and the employer’s contributions will only increase such savings. Are pension contributions paid to the pfa? Pension contributions are paid directly to the PFC to be held on the order of the PFA. What does “fully funded” pension scheme mean? A fully funded pension scheme exists where pension funds and assets match pension liabilities at any given time. What is a retirement savings account (rsa)? Every employee or contributor under the new pension scheme is expected to open RSA in his/her name with a PFA of his/her choice into which all his/her contributions and returns on investment are paid. Is the rsa operated like a bank account? The RSA is similar to a bank account except that no contributor can withdraw money from the RSA before his/her retirement. The PFA is required to invest the money and issue statements of account at least once every quarter to the contributor. How Does Movement From One Employment To Another Affect Pension? Movement from one employment to another does not affect pension under the new scheme. The reform has removed the bottleneck associated with transfer of service from one organization or sector to another, especially with regard to qualification for pension and the sharing formula for payment of pension as between employers.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

CIS boss asks FG to reduce money market instruments JOHNSON OKANLAWON

he President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Mr. Ariyo Olushekun, has called on the Federal Government to review money market instruments downward, to ensure the growth of the capital market. Olushekun who spoke during the introduction of new Registar and Chief Executive of CIS, Mr. Emmanuel Ajayi to the stockbrokers on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos yesterday, said with over 15 per cent yields on government bonds, investors would continue to digress from the capital market to the government stocks. According to him, the rates in the money market are rather too high to encourage anyone to invest in the capital market. He said, “If investors can get over 15 per cent or

thereabout from government stocks, which is tax free and which has the highest security, what that means is that the real returns is actually higher than 15 per cent. “So, there is no encouragement for people to come to the capital market. Don’t forget that the inflation rate is 12.7 per cent, in that case, if you can make above inflation rate in the money market, you wouldn’t want to come to the capital market, given what has even happened in the market in the last few years. We are asking government to look at rates in the money market.” He noted that the market recovery is top on the agenda of the institute, adding that CIS has been deliberating with the government in tax incentives for companies and investors in the capital market. The CIS boss stressed the need to reduce the tax payable by quoted companies,

saying “corporate income tax that companies pay should be reduced to maybe 25 per cent, currently they pay 30 per cent. “Investors are currently paying Value Added Tax when they buy and sell, we don’t think they should be paying, because VAT is more applicable to consumption items and these are not consumption items, so we want a situation where that is removed,” he said. He furthered that outdated fees such as the contract stamp should be scrapped, noting that “the contract stamp is long overdue for removal. The contract stamp was for the days when it took a long time for trades to settle after purchase, but now there is really no need for it. While canvassing for the reduction or outright removal of withholding tax payable on dividends, Ariyo said “we are asking government to deal with the lingering debt issue by granting forbearance to operators on the mar-

gin loans, that will enable operators to play the role that they normally play which is to lift the market up.” Meanwhile, trading in equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange closed on bullish note yesterday, halting the bearish trend recorded on Friday. Specifically, the All Share Index appreciated by 1.24 per cent to close at 23,381.05 points, in contrast to the dip by 0.01 per cent recorded on Friday to close at 23,095.31 points. Market capitalisation gained N90.9bn to close at N7.44trn, compared to the decline by N24.3bn recorded on Friday to close at N7.34trn. Transaction volume in equities rose by 59.5 per cent, as a total of 443.15 million shares worth N2.14bn were exchanged in 4,508 deals, compared to 277.87 million shares valued at N2.20bn traded in 4,032 deals on Friday.

JOHNSON OKANLAWON

he Group Managing Director of Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu, has said that the petroleum marketing company reinvested profits made in the 2011 financial year in the business. Speaking at the company’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos, he said that the company made more profit than its peers in the year under review, but has to plough back the profit in the business, particularly in the building of gas pipelines. According to him, the diversification strategy of the company has been very successful, noting that despite challenges experience in the year under con-

tions, trainings, awareness, partnerships and commercials. He said, “Continued investment in liquidpied petroleum gas expansion and dominance through introduction of 3kg cylinder, development of Oando-pay-as u- go- gas initiative to additional outlets, massive cylinder expansion through various schemes including cylinder swaps, exchanges and convenient refills. “The continued development of non-fuel revenue as a strategic growth area through fuel support ventures such as convenience stores, lube bays, car washes and branding partnerships.” In the upstream, Tinubu explained that the company would continue to position itself as the preferred part-

ner of choice to companies seeking to gain entry into the Nigerian oil industry and the Gulf of Guinea. “Our focus is to increase current daily production of crude oil, apply the optimum capital structure to development and acquisition opportunities going forward, maintain our zero percent health and safety score card and, grow our reserves accordingly to deliver increased value to our stakeholders both locally and internationally,” he said. Analysis of the company’s result for the financial year, showed N586bn turnover for 2011, from N379bn in 2010, while its profit on ordinary activities before exceptional items and taxes rose from N24.31bn in 2010, to N24.55bn in 2011.

Naira gains after three days of declines

he naira appreciated, snapping three days of declines against the dollar, on slower demand for the United States currency before the Central Bank of Nigeria auction. The currency of Africa’s largest oil producer gained 0.2 per cent to N161.32 per dollar yesterday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “The appreciation is as

a result of reduced dollar demand as many traders anticipate the currency may be well supported by central bank sales at yesterday’s auction,” Mr.Tunde Ladipo, Chief Executive Officer of Valuechain Investment Limited, which trades currencies, said. The CBN sells foreigncurrency on Mondays and Wednesdays to lenders at auctions to stabilize the

naira. The regulator sold $500m at its auctions last week, after selling $343.5m the previous week, according to data on its website. “The naira has settled below N162 to a dollar owing to sustained central bank support,” Celeste Fauconnier and Nema R a m k h e l aw a n - B h a n a , strategists at Rand Merchant Bank, said. The country’s foreigncurrency reserves have

Source: Afrinvest

Market indicators All-Share Index 23,381.05 points Market capitalisation 7,440trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS

Why Oando didn’t give dividend in 2011 –Tinubu sideration, the company is among the top two in the sector where it operates. “The giant stride taken by the company in the area of gas link has been a major leap, wherein a total of N7bn is being generated and it has been able to pay for itself. “The combination of debt and retain earnings strategy has been used to fund our investment. We are going to produce five million gas canisters in the shortest possible time,” he said. On the company’s 2012 outlook, Tinubu informed shareholders that, the company will grow its lubricants business to market dominance through different initiatives including package redesign, new product launches, promo-

Source: NSE

fallen by $1.3bn since the end of May to $36.371bn, according to July 19 data compiled by the CBN. The yield on Nigeria’s 7-year domestic bonds due June 2019 fell 19 basis points to 16.17 per cent, according to July 20 data on the Financial Markets Dealers Association website. Yields on the nation’s $500m of Eurobonds due 2021 fell one basis point to 5.429 per cent yesterday.

COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

DANGCEM

115.00

120.75

5.75

5.00

CONOIL

24.94

26.18

1.24

4.97

PORTPAIT

2.27

2.38

0.11

4.85

DANGSUGR

4.75

4.98

0.23

4.84

OANDO

14.69

15.30

0.61

4.15

ROYALEX

0.58

0.60

0.02

3.45

UBA

4.18

4.29

0.11

2.63

DIAMONDK

2.32

2.38

0.06

2.59

DANGFLOR

6.60

6.71

0.11

1.67

GLAXOSMH

25.15

25.50

0.35

1.39

CHANGE

% CHANGE -4.96

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

AVONCRN

2.42

2.30

0.12

ETRANZAT

4.04

3.84

0.20

-4.95

CCNN

4.25

4.04

0.21

-4.94

FCMB

3.30

3.14

0.16

-4.85

ACCESS

7.50

7.14

0.36

-4.80

MAYBAKER

1.71

1.63

0.08

-4.68

TRANSCOP

1.10

1.05

0.05

-4.55

FLOURMIL

55.00

52.50

2.50

-4.55

CONTINSE

0.67

0.64

0.03

-4.48

STERLNBK

1.19

1.14

0.05

-4.20

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

91-Day

30,159.21

182-Day

14,412.00

364 -Day

RATE (%) 14.00

DATE 12-Jul-12

16.99

12-Jul-12

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

42-DAY

1,831.55

13.25

2-Jul-12

41-DAY

14.29

13.24

2-Jul-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$300m

N/A

$300m

23-Jul-12

$300m

N/A

$300m

18-Jul-12

Capital Market

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at July 23, 2012 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Politics

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market collapse: Reps’ damning verdict on Oteh, others CONTINUED FROM 13 years experience in the Nigerian Capital Market as required; she has shown incompetence in the management of human and material resources at her disposal in SEC; lack of transparency in managing project 50, regulatory failure in some of the recent mergers, acquisitions and approvals of transactions by SEC and general inability to carry along her staff, board and management in decision making in SEC, and questionable staff recruitment policies.”

Contentious issues The committee also recommended that the following people be investigated by relevant security agencies for their roles in the near collapse of the capital market: Umaru Ibrahim, Managing Director/CEO of the NDIC; Mustafa Chike-Obi, Managing Director, AMCON; Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, who was also cited for contempt of the House for his failure to produce the report which the CBN based its 2009 intervention in eight banks on; Bello Mahmud, Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission; all those who were used or who offered themselves to be used in the various misrepresentations leading to the corporate registration of the nationalised banks; and all the faceless ‘lawyers,’ Directors of Mainstreet Bank Limited, Keystone Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited should be unearthed and made to face the wrath of the law. The committee also recommended that the regulators of the capital market take proactive and preventive measures in the future to forestall the collapse of the market, considering its importance to the nation’s economy, after identifying reasons for the near collapse of the past to include: “the sum of N8 billion missing from Union Bank Plc public offer of 2005; nationalisation of some banks without due process; the banking sector consolidation of 2004/2005; unbecoming activities and market infractions of some capital market operators; poor regulation of foreign portfolio investors thereby precipitating capital flight; high cost of doing business in the capital market; contradictory monetary policy of the CBN; absence of product variety and low level of new listing thereby hampering dept and liquidity of the capital market; conflict of interest and misconduct of the current leadership of SEC thereby fettering its regulatory capacity; loss of credibility of the entire SEC management team, led by the DG, Oteh; regulatory failure of SEC and CBN; incompetence and lack of statutory qualification by the current DG, SEC, Ms Oteh; unguarded utterances by key financial system’s regulators; AMCON’s activities that constitute a time bomb and potential disaster in waiting in that there is doubtful process of non-performing loans (NPLS) valuation, inadequate liquidity and capital base, AMCON’s involvement of one of its regulators, SEC’s board, contrary to Section 10, AMCON Act, non-accountability of AMCON to any authority; layers of moral hazards in SEC and diversion and issue of bonds for debt re-financing; irregular acquisition of Intercontinental Bank Plc by Access Bank Plc; irregular acquisition by AMCON of the performing loans of SEAWOLF and GEOMETRICS Company,” among others.

Hembe

Soludo, Lemo indicted The report also indicted Charles Chukwuma Soludo, former governor of the CBN; Ignatius Imala, former Director, Banking Supervision, CBN and Tunde Lemo, Deputy Governor in charge of Banking Supervision of the CBN for their role in the banking sector crisis which led to the CBN’s intervention in eight banks in 2009.

Osibodu, disappearance of N8bn The committee also recommended that having established the disappearance of N8 billion from Union Bank’s public offer, a “case of fraudulent diversion having been established, the past board and management of Union Bank Plc, the CEO of the Issuing House/Financial Adviser to the offer, the present members of the Board and Management, including the Managing Director of Union Bank Plc, Mrs. F. Osibodu, should be investigated by the EFCC with a view to establishing and recovering the missing amount. The management of AMCON and SEC, including their respective CEO’s (Chike-Obi and Ms Oteh), should be investigated by the EFCC considering their roles in attempting to conceal the fraudulent diversion and missing fund.” Other recommendations of the adhoc committee include: the rejection of the naturalisation of Afribank Plc, Bank PHB and SpringBank and their subsequent name change, because the action was a “violation of the AMCON Act, NDIC Act and Section 44 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” and therefore called for a review of the process which it said was fraught with “potential forgery, unethical practices, abuse of office, and various unacceptable bad corporate governance precedents”; that the CBN’s action in disbursing N620 billion bailout funds and other intervention funds afterwards did not follow due process and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999; that in future, any bailout plan for the capital market or the financial sector should receive appropriate authorisation and should be done after a “comprehensive and transparent determination and location of the beneficiaries, borrowers, lenders and relevant collateral provided”; that the CBN and SEC should produce clear guidelines on margin facilities and related transactions

Soludo

AS LAUDABLE AND FAR-REACHING AS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS

WERE... THE

HOUSE

WAS ON VENGEANCE

MISSION, FOLLOWING THE MANNER THE

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON THE CAPITAL MARKET ...WAS RUBBISHED without further delay and that the relevant agencies - the CBN, SEC, the Debt Management Office, Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investments – should produce guidelines and national policy that would govern the “entry, operation and exit of foreign portfolio investments in Nigeria.

Stripping off National Honours Other recommendations of the committee include that: all former banks’ executives who are recipient of national honours and who are currently being prosecuted for crimes and unethical practices which led to the collapse of their banks be stripped of such honours by the President, Commander-in-Chief, in line with Section 7 of the National Honours Act LFN and international norms while the EFCC/ICPC and the courts should hasten their prosecution to serve as deterrent and to help restore investors confidence in the market. Also that the CBN governor through his Deputy Governor, the SEC DG and NDIC MD “having lied under oath in their testimony with respect to the ownership structure of the nationalised banks should be prosecuted under Section 10 of LHPP Act CAP 12 LFN by the Attorney General of the Federation” for giving false evidence under oath to the committee. That the CBN and the Federal Ministry of Finance should ensure a harmonised monetary and fiscal policy for the country and also ensure an accountability

framework that would hold the CBN culpable for financial system instability. The committee also asked the SEC to conclude disciplinary actions on all market infractions that have remained inconclusive for more than two months and “report back to the House within 30 days” of the adoption of the recommendation. It also asked the SEC to take appropriate steps in accordance with its statutory relationship with the NSE to “increase product variety in order to boost liquidity, encourage’ listing incentives, and desist from delisting of companies without thorough scrutiny.” The report also castigated the SEC for the engagement of staff of Access Bank Plc, one of the institutions it was to regulate, saying that the action was “unethical and may erode investors’ confidence in the market and recommended their immediate disengagement. It also recommended the immediate disengagement from its intervention in the council of the NSE as well as immediate removal of its nominees to the council. Also recommended was the investigation by EFCC the Project 50, which the committee said lacked transparency and accountability, to determine whether infractions and fraud have taken place. The management and board of the SEC was also recommended to be relieved of their duties, due to what was described as total collapse of cooperation and coordination, to give the market credible regulation and further recommended that a new neutral board and top management team be appointed to regain investors’ confidence.

Revertion of transactions The Committee recommended that: the transactions involving AMCON, Seawolf and Geometric respectively should be reversed by the AMCON Board and investigated by the EFCC for possible fraud and violation of extant regulations and laws; it also called for a review of the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank Plc by Access Bank by requisite regulatory authority to ensure that extant laws were not violated. Further recommendations by the adhoc committee are that: the governor, deputy governors and directors of the CBN, the DG, SEC, commissioners, board members of both the CBN and SEC should be subjected to a code of conduct, with corresponding appropriate penalties for regulatory failures, while officials should be rewarded for outstanding performance; officials of government agencies “should be circumspect in their public statements, especially those that have capital market implications”, with particular call on the CBN governor to refrain from making utterances with far-reaching negative effects on the capital market. The AMCON’s activities are also recommended for further investigations to ascertain its bond-issuing activities in order to ensure that the agency is working in tandem with the objectives for which it was established. The committee also pegged transaction fee in the capital market at six per cent, from its current 12 per cent level so as to “reduce the cost of doing business in the Nigerian capital market to increase its competitiveness.” It also recommended that brokerage commission, currently at over 50 per cent should not be more than 35 CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

PARLIAMENT

Politics

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

When Senate bid Dantong goodbye

At a special valedictory session last Wednesday, senators took turn to pay glowing tributes to their late colleague, Senator Gyang Daliop Dantong who was killed on July 8, 2012, writes GEORGE OJI.

he only item on the order paper of the Senate last Wednesday was simply valedictory. As a mark of honour and respect for their departed colleague, the day was dedicated entirely to the late Gyang Daliop Dantong. It was a day that grief, anguish and sorrow enveloped the Senate. For about two hours the event lasted, there was palpable calm, grief and soberness inside the Senate chamber. It was also a day that the senators found it difficult to come to terms with the reality of the death of Dantong as could be discerned from their remarks. However, there were no doubts that the lawmakers had lost a very dear colleague arising from their glowing tributes to the late Dantong. The day was characterised by suffuse of outpouring of emotions as senators took turns to extol the great virtues of their departed colleague. The summary of the testimonies about the late Dantong was that he was a humble, courageous, peaceful, honest, sincere and hardworking man while he lived. Another point of convergence among the senators was that the death of Dantong must signal the end of violence and crisis in the Plateau, since he died while in pursuit of peace in the state. The day’s proceeding commenced with a motion by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba for the Senate to suspend Rule 17 of its Standing Rules to admit some members of the House of Representatives into the Senate chambers to witness the proceedings. They were the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha and other principal officers of the House of Representatives; Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State; Mrs. Hannatu Dantong, widow of the deceased; wife of the Senate President, Helen; wife of the Deputy Senate President and wives of the senators; the father of senator Dantong; former presiding officers of the Senate and two former Deputy Senate Presidents – Ibrahim Mantu and John Washpam, who hail from Plateau State; former senators, former members of the House of Representatives and the immediate members of Senator Datong family. That done, Ndoma-Egba was the first to pay tribute to the departed senator, but not before he had formerly introduced the business of the day.

Victor Ndoma-Egba Today is a very sad day, a sobering day, a humbling day in the life of the 7th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as we mourn one of our own, Senator Gyang Daliop Dantong, who died on July 8. Until his death, he was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health. He excelled in every aspect of his duty as a senator. He was a complete gentleman, with calm and unassuming disposition. I have heard it many times that we are con-

Pall bearers taking the remains of Dantong out of the National Assembly Complex

LEADERS OF RELIGIONS AND CULTURES OWE IT TO THEMSELVES AND

DANTONG TO

TERMINATE THIS EMERGING CULTURE OF HATE AND PROMOTE

tion must stop this. Senator Dantong was as bridge between religions, he was a bridge between cultures and tribes. Let his death not be in vain. Leaders of religions and cultures owe it to themselves and Senator Dantong to terminate this emerging culture of hate and promote reconciliation and peace that Plateau State was known for. For Senator Dantong, we know he is with God, he is in heaven. We plead with him to plead for Plateau State in heaven, we plead with him to plead for Nigeria in heaven.

RECONCILIATION AND

Ike Ekweremadu

PEACE THAT

I am saddened and I believe all of us here are saddened. It has been a very challenging times for us as a country. Only in December 2011, a Church was bombed, people died, in New Year, bomb exploded and people died. Churches have been attacked, families have been attacked. In Yobe Sate, a cattle market was attacked. Children have been attacked and killed in different places. Just recently, we had an air disaster that killed people of Nigeria and beyond. Few days ago we had a tanker accident that killed over 130 people. It has been one incident after another all in the negative side. It will appear to some people that those are some statistics, but today the reality is with us. As we mourn Dantong, we are mourning all these people that have died in the course of these entire incidences. So, it is time for us as a country to ask God to come and bring peace to this country; to help us, if we have sinned, to help us as a country with peace and tranquillity, so that we can make progress. In the last Senate, Dantong served with me in the ECOWAS Parliament and he distinguished himself. Dantong is not just an industrious senator, he was also a peacemaker. Shortly before his death, he arranged a meeting of the youths of his area; Fulani youths, Berom youths, Igbo youths, Yoruba youths, Hausa youths, all aimed at achieving peace in the senatorial zone he represents. The question now is: How can a man as peaceful as Senator Dantong, hardworking and industrious, die at this moment? The people in Plateau who are fanning the embers of this crisis,

PLATEAU

STATE WAS KNOWN FOR

sumed by two things; either what we love passionately or what we fear very badly and my life’s experiences have since confirmed this. This was a man of peace who loved humanity, loved peace in Plateau State passionately and worked and hoped for it. He feared rabidly, the ethnic divisiveness that has become an uncharacteristic feature in Plateau State. His love for peace and fear for tension confirms the truth I earlier mentioned. But we have our consolation because our Bible tells us that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Children of God go to heaven, so Senator Dantong is in heaven. He was fervent about his profession, he was fervent about humanity, he was fervent about Plateau State, and he was fervent about Nigeria. In lamentation, I ask, where is Jos of old? Where is Plateau State of old? Where is that haven of peace, that melting pot of culture and religions, that preferred home to all? Jos, what has happened? Plateau State, what has happened? Who has replaced laughter with tears? Who has replaced handshakes with bullets and bombs? Who has replaced tears of joy with bombs? Who replaced love with hatred? Life has become too casual in this country and cheap. A senseless killing and bloodletting, our na-

who are supplying arms to the youths, who counsel them to go on rampage and who instigate them to kill each other, are somewhere in their homes watching us, but the man who is making peace is lying outside dead. The Bible said everybody will be paid according to his deeds, but the great Zik of Africa added that history will vindicate the just and the wicked will not go unpunished. A day of reckoning will come and everybody will be paid according to their deeds.

George Thompson Sekibo Datong became my friend in 2003 when we were in the House of Representatives. I served with him in one or two committees and we became close. I saw him in the 6th Senate as a very hardworking person with the experiences he got from the House of Representatives. When I heard of his death, I saw death coming to all Nigerians and I saw death coming close to all of us. Until a close person dies, you would not understand the lamentations of those who are close to them. In the past six or seven months, we cannot mention in terms of real figure how many men, women, children, innocent souls that have gone down the drains in different forms; either man-made deaths or disasters in this country. They were like stories until death directly came to this chamber. In our powers, in our strength we became powerless and right before us our colleague has been taken home. Today, death has come to Dantong. This is not natural death, if it were natural death, as we are led to understand in the Bible and the Quran, we will live and in our old age we will die. Dantong did not die in old age; he was not even expecting death. Dantong wished he could solve the ravaging problems in Plateau State. On daily basis, he whispered something to us here, he wished no further killing will be in Plateau State, he cried aloud even in this chamber. But I observed that he feared that something gruesome was going to happen in Plateau State. He mentioned it that this thing we are playing with, there will be a day it will take the leadership of Nigeria one after CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Politics CONTINUED FROM 42

per cent.

Other recommendations Other far-reaching recommendations of the committee include: that the CBN should not issue treasury bills more than 40 per cent of currency in circulation at any point in time to avoid crowding out investments in the capital market; that both the SEC and CBN should investigate their staff whose duties were to check fraudulent practices, but failed to do so; that the Ministry of Finance should as a matter of urgency embark on total holistic reorganisation of the SEC “with a view to making it more efficient in its regulatory functions”; and that the SEC should ensure that bonds are approved only for projects with realistic cash-flows and not for refinancing old indebtedness. The SEC was also asked by the committee to not only carry out its regulation of the NSE in strict compliance with the rule of law, but also in collaboration with the NSE put in place appropriate incentives to entice and attract telecommunication and oil companies to be listed on the NSE. The committee also called on the EFCC to investigate the activities of the Falcon Securities and appropriate sanctions given where there are evidence of flagrant flouting of the laws. It is important to note that the recommendation for the sack of the Oteh, which was approved by the House, was coming on the heels of the reinstatement of the CONTINUED FROM 43 another. It was like a prophecy. I am afraid even as I speak here, I do not know whose turn it is next. The man who escaped death today or yesterday is only preparing for death tomorrow, especially if it is a death that is orchestrated by human beings and not by God or by his own destiny. We are in this chamber and we have to wage war against this kind of death, we have to wage war against these criminals, we have to wage war against those who want to destroy this country. When evil men conspire, good men should congregate; congregate to find lasting peace in Plateau State and in all the states where we are having this killing problem. We have to congregate to save Nigeria, because the number of deaths we have recorded in these few months, are enough to put this country in crisis. We have to stand up as a chamber, we have to stand up as a nation and confront the enemies of progress of this country because as they have decided to take the lives of people one after the other, then our lives are all in danger.

Emeka Ihedioha I come today with a heavy heart from the House of Representatives, on behalf of the Speaker and members, where Senator Danton was a member of the 5th House of Representatives. So much has been said about this man, whose body today lies prostrate at the foyer of the National Assembly. We mourn him. But our message is simple. On Tuesday, July 10, we had to adjourn sitting in honour of this great man. He was one of us who cut a path of peace all through the time he lived. He died in active service, in the course of the pursuit of peace on the Plateau and indeed in the nation. The challenge for us is: What shall we remember Senator Dantong for? For those

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Reps’ damning verdict on Oteh, others SEC DG by the Federal Government after a month’s suspension. The government’s position, conveyed by the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, insisted that the DG did nothing wrong. The government also sacked the board that sent Oteh on a compulsory leave. In considering the report, the House insisted that the appointment of Oteh in the first instance, contravened sections 3, 38 and 31 of the Investment and Security Act, 2007 which requires that the head of the commission put in a prior 15 years experience in the Nigerian capital market. Oteh’s experience in capital market dates to 1992 with the African Development Bank, where she rose to become the Vice President for Corporate Management in 2006. She had almost nil experience in the Nigerian market prior to her SEC appointment. The legislators said the gap in experience was partly responsible for Oteh’s controversial management of the regulatory body in the past two years, estranging staff members, and enlisting the services of market actors and indulging in alleged sharp practices. And as laudable and far-reaching as these recommendations were, many analysts and stakeholders in the financial sector believe that the House was on vengeance mission, following the manner the

House Committee on the Capital Market which began the inquest into the collapse of the capital market was rubbished, leading to the prosecution of its chairman, Herman Hembe and others. Many were of the opinion that the House was extracting its own pound of flesh by returning a damning verdict on Oteh, especially. But another school of thought believes that if some of these recommendations were carried out, the capital market would not only be on the path to full recovery, but would become virile and strong. Ahead of the consideration last Thursday, the preliminary report had drawn mixed reactions from sector players with some hailing the House position while others have continued to see the recommendations as digressive from the main reasons that crashed the capital market. But one important fallout however, on the backdrop of conflicting decisions from the different arms of government, especially over the Oteh saga is that it is very clear that the various arms of government are working at cross-purposes at the detriment of the Nigerian people. Critics have also argued that the bulk of the events leading to the market troubles arose ahead of Oteh’s assumption of office in 2010. Example is the Union Bank loss which occurred in 2005. Her immediate predecessor, Musa Al Faki, who was in charge

then before resigning in April 2009 amid criticism of SEC’s role in share manipulation scandal involving African Petroleum stock, has not been mentioned anywhere in the recommendations. The House, however, withheld approval for the recommendation seeking for the investigation of Oteh and other officials including the CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, over the nationalisation of Afribank Plc, Bank PHB and Spring Bank. The committee had said it found evidences of potential forgery, unethical practices, fraud and abuse of office in the nationalisation of the banks. Also, the recommendation for full investigation of the controversial acquisition of former Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank was withheld for further documentation. The House however resolved that the allegation of financial recklessness against former DG of the NSE, Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke, was still pending in court and therefore, subjudice and was therefore a no-go area for it. With the return of Oteh, who was said to be gearing up for resumption yesterday at the SEC as well the Federal Government’s stand on her, the days ahead would definitely be stormy, as the government and the lawmakers are on the warpath yet again over the matter. How it is resolved would go a long way to determine the revival or otherwise of the capital market.

When Senate bid Dantong goodbye ALL ALONG I HAD WISHED AND THOUGHT THAT IT

WAS A DREAM, AND

I WOULD SEE SENATOR GYANG DALYOP DANTONG THAT

WALK IN HERE AND

TAKE HIS SEAT.

BUT

THE REALITY IS THAT WE SHALL SEE HIM NO MORE of us who are left behind, his death calls for soul-searching. The time for politicking is gone, there comes a time when we must begin to address the issues of the uncertainties of our lives as a people. The challenge in this country today is very disturbing and I believe there has been a lot of lip service. There must be solutions to the problems on the Plateau and indeed the problem of Nigeria. I believe that his death shall not be in vain. The death of Senator Dantong should be a wake-up call for us and should challenge us lawmakers, indeed policy makers in this country that we must find a way forward, a way to give hope to the rest of the country, a way to let peace reign. To the family and the people of Plateau and Nigeria, we say take faith because his death will not be in vain.

David Mark

For those of us who know late Senator Dantong, he was calm and easy going, just as he was so passionate about how to improve the health situation in Nigeria. This passion for the health sector was demonstrated by his tireless efforts to broker an amicable resolution to the recent Lagos State doctors’ strike. Senator Dantong urged his colleagues and the Lagos State government to do everything humanly possible to resolve the stalemate because life is sacred. He emphasised that as doctors whose solemn oath is the prevention of disease and the preservation of life, strike should be an instrument of last resort. Such was the belief and deep seated compassion of Dantong. There was nothing in his power he would not do for others. He never lost his natural compassion or the moral compass that informed his respect and love for humanity and primary calling of medicine. To us his colleagues in the Senate, and in the House of Representatives, where he started his legislative career, Dantong was a parliamentarian par excellence. He was devoted, diligent and deft in the discharge of his responsibilities. He never shied away from any assignment no matter how difficult or unsavoury. He was collegial as chairman and effective as member in other committees. He was a member of the Senate Committees on Aviation, MDGs and Co-operation and Integration in Africa and NEPAD. Nobody has borne the tragedies of Jos, particularly in the past three years, more than Dantong. As the killings continued, he became a fixed feature at burials. For each casualty of this senseless crisis, Dantong was equally a victim. He never stayed in the comfort of his Abuja home. Rather,

every week he went to console the families of the dead or to attend the burial of one of his constituents. Days before his death, he was at the funeral of his ward chairman in Sharubutu, Bachit District of Riyom Local Government Area. Dantong had been a worried man in the last few years because of the mindless crisis that engulfed his beloved state. The people he buried every week in his last years were not strangers. They were people he knew so well, in his close-knit community, where life revolved around agriculture and the Church. Having paid this supreme sacrifice, his death must not be in vain. Peace must now return to Plateau State. If peace does not return to Plateau State, then his death would have been in vain. For the sake of late Senator Dantong and all those who have lost their lives in Plateau State, I urge all warring parties to sheath their swords and return to dialogue like brothers and sisters. Most people who knew Dantong were inspired by his love for his people. In one brief moment, his mission in this finite world came to an end, and our own life without him has begun. Everything about him was centred on caring for others. He made us, his colleagues and friends, to understand that the joys and sorrows of others were also our own. He was truly his brother’s keeper. The only way we can honour this distinguished gentleman of peace is by taking up the lessons of his life. His sudden and unfortunate death has left many of us in shock. All along I had wished and thought that it was a dream, and that I would see Senator Gyang Dalyop Dantong walk in here and take his seat. But the reality is that we shall see him no more.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror “True, the problem of insecurity is not the making of President Jonathan but the thing is happening during his time.”

FORMER OYO STATE GOVERNOR, ALHAJI LAM ADESINA

Injured worker files N5bn suit against Total SAM OLUWALANA

n ex-staff of a Lagos-based company, Total E P, Mr. Aralu Steve, who is now in critical condition as a result of the severe injury he received in the course of work at the company, has filed a N5billion suit against the company. In the suit filed at the National Industrial Court, Lagos, Aralu who claimed to have been callously sacked by the company in the aftermath of the injury he sustained on December 10, 2008 accused the company of neglecting him despite that he sustained the injury during the course of work. Aralu said, he sustained the injury while attempting to carry out chemical injection monitoring and pump adjustment which was one of his official duties. According to him, he received a splash on his face from one of the chemicals and sustained severe injuries in his eyes. He alleged that he has since then gone to different medical institutions for treatment, even as the eye has defied all medical treatments. The institutions he claimed to have patronized in search of cure included the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and a hospital in India where he said he incurred staggering costs for therapy. He accused the company of sacking him when he complained of its insensitivity to his case. In an interview with Community Mirror, the victim said the French oil giant are wont to ill-treat its staff, especially in cases of work-related accidents and he cited an instance when he was shot by some militants who attacked the company’s facility. According to him, the expatriates in the company were flown abroad for what he termed-traumatic stress disorder treatment and convalescence while he and the other local staffers, regarded by the company management as contract staffers, were left to fend for themselves, adding that even the dead contract staff families were left unattended to. “That terrible experience at the young age of 29 ushered in what the doctors called anxiety-related high blood pressure into my life,” Aralu told Community Mirror. In one of the letters Aralu wrote to the company, he stated that he was employed by the company as a contract staff and was being managed by Maple Leaf Services, a contractor-firm for the oil company and that he suffered a terminal ailment which occurred as a result of an accident he suffered while at work in the company

Aralu before the accident

premises of Oml 58, Obagi Rivers State. He told the company’s management in the letter that a diagnosis of tumor in his right eye has been made and it has to do with a complication that could become cancerous as a result of the chemical bath accident. He added that the accident was the second time he had gone through grueling experiences while on official duty and each time the company has refused to assist in his treatment because they claimed that he was a contract staff. Aralu also said he visited a private eye hospital (opti vue) at his own expense and when the situation continued to deteriorate, he felt that the expertise of the private medical hospital was becoming inadequate; he resorted to the services of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) in Rivers State for specialist consultation and treatment. After going through some medications at the teaching hospital, he started experiencing some other organ failures alongside high blood pressure disorder and he was advised that the drugs that he was being administered with over time had led to his developing a complication medically known as renal and hepatic complications. However, Aralu said despite acknowledging their culpability and appreciating the life-threatening nature of

Aralu after the accident

my predicament, the company management declined to assist in treating him. He alleged frustration at this point and that with his health failing rapidly by the day, he sought for supports from friends and well wishers, which enabled him to travel to the Specialist Research Institute in Mumbai, India, for further consultations, diagnosis, and treatment. Despite making personal efforts and soliciting for the company’s assistance on account of his deteriorating health, his employer has refused to lend a helping hand. When contacted on the matter, the spokesman for the oil company, Charles Ebereonwu, told Community Mirror that he was aware of Engr. Aralu’s case, but would not make any comment on it since it is in the law court already. He added that no member of the company management will respond to enquiries on the case for the same reason. “I am aware of his case; he was the one who had an accident. He had a chemical bath and the management is also aware of it, but nobody will talk about his case because it is in court. I cannot comment for that simple reason. However, the management decided to go to court with him because it was not happy with the way he went about his case”, Ebereonwu said.

Children’s park named after Amaechi’s wife CHINEDUM EMEANA PORT HARCOURT

Recreational Children Park, built by the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association, NAOWA Amphibious Brigade, Bori Camp, has been named after Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of the Rivers State governor. Inaugurating the park at the weekend, Amaechi noted that such recreational park would help to identify children’s potentials in sports, adding that private sector cooperation was needed to drive the cardinal objective of her husband’s administration. Dame Amaechi said the recreational park would

help in unifying families and diverse interests, even as she appealed that the park be opened to the public, especially to children from rural communities. “This gesture, no doubt, will help to cement relationship among families and bring about the desired unity among different ethnic groups and religion in Nigeria”. Mrs. Amaechi commended NAOWA for the project, describing it as a ‘worthy project’ and urged the association to cater for welfare and plight of indigent children in the society. “I want to commend you for this bold initiative and urge you to extend your love to indigent children, especially children with poor background by giving them

access to the park. This will enable them socialise with their peers and give them a sense of belonging”, she said. The governor’s wife also pledged to provide recreational facilities that will drive the objectives of the association, saying “this effort is commendable; I will donate sporting facility to this park while my husband, the governor, will complement your effort too”. She appealed to other well-meaning individuals and associations to emulate NAOWA’s initiative as such will serve the interest of children. The governor’s wife also inaugurated the vocational skill acquisition centre named after the wife of the Chief of Army Staff, Mrs. Nneoma Ihiejirika.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

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World News

111 killed in Iraq’s deadliest attack in two years

“I am a strong candidate and I am very confident that I will win” - Somali President, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed

‘Drug-resistant HIV on increase in Africa’

WORLD BULLETIN

Madagascar’s leader to meet exiled rival after mutiny

onitoring of patients helps in detecting drug resistance Drug-resistant HIV has been increasing in parts of sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade, according to experts writing in the Lancet. Studies on 26,000 untreated HIV-positive people in developing countries were reviewed by the team. They said resistance could build up if people fail to stick to drug regimes, and because monitoring could be poor. A UK HIV organisation said resistance was a serious problem in Africa where alternative treatments were lacking. The researchers, from the World Health Organization (WHO) and University College London (UCL) found the most rapid increase in drug resistance occurred in East Africa, at 29% per year. In Southern Africa, it was 14% per year. There was no change in resistance over time in Latin America and in West and Central Africa. Writing in the Lancet, authors Dr Silvia Bertagnolio from the WHO and Dr Ravindra Gupta at UCL said: “Without continued and increased national and international efforts, rising HIV drug resistance could jeopardise a decade-long trend of decreasing HIV/Aids-related illness and death in low- and middle-income countries.” Dr Gupta told the BBC: “Drug resistance is a consequence of people not taking their medication properly. “We do expect to see drug resistance, and it’s at around 10% in the UK and US. But here, we monitor people regularly and switch people to different drugs if they develop resistance.”

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (r) greeting her Zimbabwe’s counterpart, Morgan Tsvangirai during a meeting at the Parliament House yesterday in Canberra, Australia. Photo: Getty Images

EU lifts aid restriction to Zimbabwe PAUL A RHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

he European Union lifted curbs on aid to Zimbabwe yesterday and held out the prospect of removing sanctions from Zimbabwean officials to encourage political reform - though not from President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle, Reuter has reported. EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels lifted the aid restrictions with immediate effect but said a broader relaxation of sanctions would depend on a referendum on constitutional changes due this year in Zimbabwe being “peaceful and credible”. The step is part of the West’s strategy of rewarding Zimbabwe’s uneasy coalition government for prog-

ress made since a disputed 2008 vote, while keeping up pressure on veteran leader Mugabe to carry out more political, economic and social reforms. A spokesman for Mugabe’s ZANU-PF movement said the EU’s decision proved his party’s long-held view that Zimbabwe was under economic sanctions, and that a case the southern African country filed last month with the General Court of the EU challenging the sanctions was valid. “We are happy on one hand that our case is being validated, but we are unhappy on the other hand that they are retaining some of the illegal, immoral and unjustified sanctions which are based on falsehoods,” spokesman Rugare Gumbo said. Asked whether ZANU-PF

would implement more political reforms to get the remaining restrictions removed, Gumbo said: “We want all these sanctions removed because they are illegal, but we will never allow anyone to interfere in our domestic affairs. If there are processses here, we do them for the good of Zimbabwe, not to please foreigners.” Citing moves by Zimbabwe’s government of national unity to “improve the freedom and prosperity of the Zimbabwean people”, the EU ministers said on Monday the union would end its ban on sending development aid directly to the Harare government. The bloc currently provides about 100 million euros a year in aid to Zimbabwe through non-governmental organisations.

South Sudan offers Sudan $3bn compensation

outh Sudan has offered its neighbour Sudan more than $3bn (£2bn) in compensation for economic losses caused by the South’s independence. They are holding talks in Ethiopia in a bid to resolve bitter disputes ahead of a UN deadline on 2 August. Juba also proposes an increased transit fee to move its oil through Sudan and says it

will waive its claim to nearly $5bn it says it is owed by Khartoum. Khartoum has not yet responded to the proposals. South Sudan’s chief negotiator, Pagan Amum, said Juba had tabled its “last offer”. “We are left with nine days [before the UN deadline]. It’s time for the parties to conclude an agreement,” he said. South Sudan became inde-

pendent from Sudan just over a year ago, but many disputes between them remain unresolved. They include border squabbles and disagreements over oilfields, transport payments and divisions of the national debt. The latest proposal includes compensation of $3.2bn - up from a previous offer of $2.6bn. Sudan lost three-quarters of its oil production when South Sudan seceded.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir attending the leaders’ meeting at the AU in Addis Ababa recently. Photo: Reuters

Madagascar’s interim leader Andry Rajoelina said he was flying out yesterday to meet his exiled rival to try and ease political turmoil in the Indian Ocean island a day after the army crushed a mutiny, Reuters has reported. Rajoelina, who came to power in 2009 following a coup against then president Marc Ravalomanana, said the pair would hold frank talks in the Seychelles later this week. He announced the meeting hours after the Madagascan army killed the leader of a mutiny in a barracks near the capital’s airport and arrested the renegade soldiers. It was not immediately clear if the mutiny was linked to the wider political instability that has plagued the island since Ravalomanana was forced to flee to South Africa in 2009. {ID:nLDE7511IO] The army said it was questioning the soldiers, but did not give any details of their grievances or demands. “There has already been three coup attempts in this country. But what happened yesterday (Sunday) is really unfortunate because this time around, lives were lost,” Rajoelina told reporters in the capital Antananarivo.

Somalia’s al Shabaab executes three for treason

Somalia’s Islamist al Shabaab militants said on Sunday they had executed three of their own members for treason, two of them for guiding U.S. missiles to kill fellow militants. It was the first time al Shabaab, under pressure from African Union, Kenyan and Ethiopian troops as well as U.S. drone strikes, had admitted to killing its own fighters for betrayals. Al Shabaab, which is affiliated with al Qaeda, said last January that a missile launched from a drone had killed Bilal el Berjawi, a Lebanese al Shabaab fighter with a British passport. Another missile killed four foreign militants south of the Somali capital Mogadishu in February, according to an intelligence officer. “We have executed two CIA spies who were behind the killing of our great brothers,” Sheikh Mohamed Abu Abdallah, al Shabaab’s governor for the Lower Shabelle region, told Reuters on Sunday. “We also executed a third fighter who was proved to be a spy for the UK.”

World News

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Deadly China floods prompt infrastructure questions

Briefs

Palestinian prisoner ends lengthy hunger strike

Palestinian prisoner Akram al-Rikhawi ended a hunger strike of more than 100 days yesterday after authorities agreed to bring forward his release, Palestinian sources said. “Rikhawi reached an agreement with a committee from the Israel Prisons Service to release him on January 25, 2013 instead of June 6, 2013, which was his release date,” the Ramallahbased Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said in a statement. IPS spokeswoman Sivan Weizman confirmed Rikhawi had ended his strike but did not comment on the circumstances. She could not says precisely how long he had gone without food, as he had at various times stopped fasting and then resumed. Rikhawi, who has served two thirds of a nine-year sentence, had been agitating for early release on medical grounds. Along with footballer Mahmud Sarsak, he continued to fast after more than 1,500 other Palestinian prisoners ended a mass hunger strike in support of demands for better conditions in a deal with prison authorities in mid-May.

UK hacking scandal spreads, over 100 new claims British police are investigating new tabloids in the country’s growing phone hacking scandal, including the Trinity Mirror PLC newspaper group as well as the U.K.’s Express Newspapers, a senior Scotland Yard official said yesterday. More than 100 new allegations of “data intrusion” also are being probed. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers’ comments indicated that the scandal, which erupted last year at Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World and has involved hundreds of victims, could end up burning the now-defunct tabloid’s U.K. competitors as well. Akers gave as an example payments of tens of thousands of pounds (dollars) allegedly made to the same prison officer by all three newspaper groups.

US Aurora shooting suspect appears in court The US man accused of killing 12 people in a shooting at a Batman film screening in Aurora, Colorado has appeared in court for the first time. James Holmes, 24, sat in court in a red jail suit with dyed orange hair, and appeared sleepy during the proceedings. Nine of 58 people wounded by the gunman remain in critical condition. On Sunday, President Barack Obama met survivors and families of the dead as hundreds of people took part in a service of remembrance. Holmes is to be held without bail at a jail in Centennial, Colorado, the judge said.

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Iraqis surveying the scene of a series of bomb attacks in the town of Taji, north of Baghdad yesterday. Photo: Getty Images

111 killed in Iraq’s deadliest attack in two years

wave of attacks across Iraq yesterday killed 111 people in the country’s deadliest day in two and a half years after Al-Qaeda warned it would mount new attacks and sought to retake territory. Officials said at least 235 people were wounded in 28 different attacks launched in 19 cities, shattering a relative calm which had held in the lead-up to the start on Saturday of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The violence drew condemnation from the United Nations special envoy to Iraq, the country’s parliament speaker, and neighbouring Iran. In yesterday’s deadliest attack -- a string of roadside bombs and a car bomb followed by a suicide attack targeting emergency responders in the town of Taji -- at least 42 people were killed and 40 wounded, according to two medical officials. “I heard explosions in the distance so I left my house and I saw a car outside,” said 40-year-old Taji resident Abu Mohammed, who added that police inspectors concluded the vehicle was a car bomb. “We asked the neighbours to leave their houses, but when they were leaving, the bomb went off.” Abu Mohammed said he witnessed the deaths of an elderly woman carrying a newborn baby and of the policeman who had first concluded the car was packed with explosives. An AFP reporter at the scene said a row of houses were completely destroyed, and residents were rummaging through the rubble in

search of victims and their belongings. In Baghdad, meanwhile, a car bomb outside a government office responsible for producing identity papers in the Shiite bastion of Sadr City killed at least 12 people and wounded 33 others, security and medical officials said. “This attack is a terrible crime against humanity, because they did it during Ramadan, while people are fasting,” said one elderly witness who declined to be identified. An AFP journalist said eight nearby cars were badly burned and many of the victims of the 9:30 am (0630 GMT)

attack could not be identified because their papers were inside the targeted offices. Two explosions in the Baghdad neighbourhoods of Husseiniyah and Yarmuk killed at least four people and wounded 27 others, while a car bomb in the town of Tarmiyah, just north of the capital, killed one and hurt nine, officials said. Checkpoint shootings and bomb blasts in restive ethnically-mixed Diyala province killed 14 people and left 47 others wounded, security officials and doctor Ahmed Ibrahim from the main hospital in provincial capital Baquba said.

hinese media and internet users have raised questions after the heaviest rainfall to hit Beijing in 60 years left 37 people dead, BBC has reported. Newspapers and netizens asked why drains in the capital could not cope and why more warnings were not given. The storm struck Beijing on Saturday night, with torrential rain continuing for several hours. Roads were flooded and thousands stranded at transport hubs by the bad weather. Yesterday many parts of the capital had returned to normal, with clear skies and the airport operating as usual, after hundreds of flights were cancelled at the weekend. Hilly areas on the edge of the city were hardest hit. Several Chinese newspapers criticised the capital’s drainage system for failing to cope with the onslaught, in contrast to the centuries-old ditches around the Forbidden City that kept the national monument relatively dry. Several million comments were left on weibo platforms - China’s equivalent of Twitter - with photos of submerged cars and property being shared online. A Tencent Weibo user from Shandong asked how, as an Olympic city, Beijing’s drainage system could be so vulnerable. On Sina Weibo, a user from Shaanxi urged people to learn how to swim, calling the government “unreliable”. “Wishing you happy-ever-after in the afterlife, let’s hope at least it has better drainage,” sad a Sina Weibo user from Jiangsu. Other users blamed “sub-standard” weather forecasting and warning services. “If we could have received a reminder from the government saying ‘there will be a rain storm, please do not go out’, could we have avoided some of the tragedies?” a Sina Weibo user in Jilin asked. Even state-run newspaper Global Times was critical of how officials dealt with the crisis.

Syria threatens to use chemical arms if attacked

yria admitted yesterday it has chemical weapons and warned of using them if attacked, though not against its own civilians, as regime troops reclaimed most of Damascus after a week of heavy clashes. Fighting was still raging in Syria’s secondbiggest city of Aleppo, however, as rights activists reported that violence across the country killed at least 52 people, including 24 civilians. And President Vladimir Putin of Russia, the Syrian regime’s main international ally, warned of a protracted civil war should rebels be allowed to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power. At a Damascus news conference, foreign min-

istry spokesman Jihad Makdissi warned Syria would use chemical weapons if attacked by outsiders, although he backtracked later to say that, if Damascus has them, they would be secured. His remarks come amid growing international concern that Damascus is preparing to deploy its chemical arsenal in the repression of a 16-month uprising against the Assad regime. “Syria will not use any chemical or other unconventional weapons against its civilians, and will only use them in case of external aggression,” Makdissi told a news conference. “Any stocks of chemical weapons that may exist, will never, ever be

A Syrian woman sitting with her children outside the Lebanese immigration office at the Masnaa border post shortly after crossing from Syria to Majdal Anjar, Lebanon yesterday. Photo: AP

used against the Syrian people,” he said, adding that in the event of foreign attack, “the generals will be deciding when and how we use them.” Makdissi stressed later in an email that Syria would “never use chemical and biological weapons during the crisis... and that such weapons, if they exist, it is natural for them to be stored

and secured.” Kassem Saadeddine, spokesman for the joint command of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA), said Makdissi’s remarks gave cause for concern. “The regime admits having chemical weapons, and as it has not signed any treaties, that proves that it will not hesitate to use them,” Saadeddine told AFP.

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Oddities

‘Goat man’ spotted in US mountains

man spotted dressed in a goat suit among a herd of wild goats in the mountains of northern Utah has wildlife officials worried he could be in danger as hunting season approaches. Phil Douglass of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said Friday the person is doing nothing illegal, but he worries the so-called “goat man” is unaware of the dangers. “My very first concern

is the person doesn’t understand the risks,” Douglass said. “Who’s to say what could happen.” Douglass said a man hiking Sunday along Ben Lomond peak in the mountains above Ogden, about 40 miles north of Salt Lake City, spotted the person dressed like a goat among a herd of real goats. The person provided some blurry photographs to Douglass, who said they did not appear to have been altered.

600-year-old linen bras found in Austrian castle

revolutionary discovery is rewriting the history of underwear: Some 600 years ago, women wore bras. The University of Innsbruck said that archaeologists found four linen bras dating from the Middle Ages in an Austrian castle. Fashion experts describe the find as surprising because the bra had commonly been

Cocktail

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

thought to be only little more than 100 years old as women abandoned the tight corset. Instead, it appears the bra came first, followed by the corset, followed by the reinvented bra. One specimen in particular “looks exactly like a (modern) brassiere,” says Hilary Davidson, fashion curator for the London Museum. “These are amazing finds.”

Experimental musician uses body as instrument

eter Kirn makes music with an unusual instrument his own body. The Kentucky native pinches two electrically charged pennies connected to a laptop via two short green wires. The rudimentary contraption is held together by bits of solder and hot glue which allow him to measure the electrical currents of his body and synthesize them into melodic sound. Kirn, 34, a writer of creative technology, is one of several artists performing in Berlin who are exploring new ways of composing music with the human body. “As your mood changes, the skin responds because it is part of the same system as your brain, which controls the pores of your skin,” Kirn told Reuters. Fluctuating sweat levels

Peter Kirn holding two coins between his fingers to create sounds with a synthesizer in Berlin.

affect the skin’s ability to transmit electricity, a characteristic Kirn calls “galvanic skin response”. But Kirn’s technique is just one way to tap into the human body’s musical potential. Marco Donnarumma, a 27-year-old teacher from Italy with a passion for

live music, tunes into the sounds muscles make when they move. Listeners can literally hear the friction of tissue as it expands and contracts. Using a sensitive microphone to amplify the low frequency sound waves a muscle emits when it is flexed, Donnarumma has

PHOTO: REUTERS

learned how to produce actual rhythms by simply moving his body. “In the beginning, for instance, I was just standing with my legs still and waving my arms,” Donnarumma said. “Now I completely involve the whole body in the performance.”

Ramadan Special

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Empower the masses to reduce tension’ L ATEEFAH IBRAHIMANIMASHAUN

cleric has expressed worry over the state of poverty in the country and its impending danger

on the lives and property of the citizens if the menace is not corrected in earnest. Ustaz Mustapha Ade-

L-R: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Hon. Demola Seriki and Justice Olohunnimbe at the 4th Annual Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu Ramadan lecture

L-R: President, Fatimat Charity Foundation, Hajia Fatimat Bintu Tinubu, Prof. Fatimah AbdulKareem, Alhaja Sidikat Alafia and Alhaja Muinat Shopeyin-Akande during the Ramadan Public Lecture organised by the Lagos State Muslim Council (LSMC) at the NTA 10 premises, Tejuosho, Lagos..

Bello said this at the 4th Annual Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu annual Ramadan lecture while speaking on the topic; “Islam and peaceful co-existence” organised by Radio Lagos and Lagos Television. “With this, the government will be rest assured that it has done its part in safeguarding the people from becoming unnecessarily aggressive.” He urged government to come to the rescue of innocent Nigerians whose blood are shed on a daily basis and called on the Federal Government to dialogue with the head of the Almajiri schools on ways of improving their lives economically and reiterated that those shedding innocent blood are not Muslims. “Prophet Muhammad whom they claim to model after, is a man of peace. It is widely known and accepted that Islam is a religion of peace while Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) fought defensive war throughout his life.” He said it is unfair that Christians can no longer close their eyes for prayers in churches due to the fear of being bombed and that Muslims can no longer concentrate on their prayers in the mosques too, due to fear of external aggression. He advised people of different religions to learn to tolerate one another as he stressed the fact that God has a reason for creating us with different religions and backgrounds.

Day 5

NUJ prays for Gawat’s recovery MURITALA AYINLA

he Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) yesterday organised an InterReligious prayer session for the missing NTA Presenter, Alhaji Rasak Gawat. The prayer was led by Imam Kazeem Oyekola and Reverend David Asaaju at the NUJ Secretariat in Ikeja, Lagos. Imam Oyekola said the situation calls for sober reflection. According to him, this is a period for religious harmony, adding that there was no reason for religion

to divide the country along ethnic line. Reverend Asaaju, on his part, prayed God to touch the hearts of his abductors, saying that it was only God that can deliver the nation from the evil doers. On his part, the Special Assistant to Governor Fashola on Islamic Religion Matters, Abdul Hakeem Kosoko, said they were yet to come to terms with the missing of the broadcaster. Alhaj Gawat was declared missing thirteen days ago after his car was found on Eko Bridge on his way to his Adeniji Adele residence on Lagos Island.

Bauchi earmarks over N68m for Ramadan EZEKIE TITUS Bauchi

he Ministry of Women Affairs, Bauchi State has earmarked over N68m as the Ramadan fasting entered its fifth day to alleviate the suffering of women in the state. This was made known to newsmen in Bauchi by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajia Talatu Barwa. She said that the gesture is in conformity with the commitment of Yuguda’s administration towards the plight of women. He added that Yuguda has

placed women’s development top among its agenda in tandem with its campaign promises that women would be carried along. Barwa stressed that government had also placed serious attention to religious, social and cultural development among women as demonstration’s move to ensure cohesion, peace and unity in the state. According to the him, about 1, 500 bags of rice, 100 bags of sugar and 500 bags of millet, including 500 cartons of milk will be made available to all the Tafsir centres.

First lady heads committee on Ramadan Iftar INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI L-R: Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Islamic matters, Alhaji Abdulakeem Kosoko; Lagos State Missionary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Maulana Qasim Oyekola, Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Lagos State, Mr. Deji Elumoye and Rev. D. Asaaju (JP), during a special prayer for the missing Alhaji Aremu Gawat in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Chief Missioner, Al-Fathi Quareeb Society of Nigeria, Ustaz AbdulRahmon Adangba and the Chief Missioner of Nasrullahi Fathi Society (NASFAT), Ustaz Abdullahi Akinbode at a special prayer organized by the Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO) for the safe return of the missing ace TV presenter, Alhaji AbdulRazak Gawat.

ife of the Borno State Governor, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima has said that one of her cardinal objectives is to empower the less-privileged and improve on the welfare of the people, irrespective of tribe or ethnic consideration, especially during this month of Ramadan. She stated this yesterday soon after the formal inauguration of the 28 member committee on Ramadan Iftar (Free food for breaking Fast) which took place at the Government House, Maiduguri. Nana who is the Chairman of the Com-

mittee, said as Muslims, one of the most rewarding deeds a Muslim can do during the Holy month of Ramadan is to feed the poor and the less-privileged in the society. She, therefore, noted that the setting up of the committee became necessary and timely, even as she promised that members of the committee, under her leadership, will ensure that all people are served with the best quality food during the period. She, therefore, commended Governor Shettima for approving this kind gesture, adding that the Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Special Education, Alhaji Usman Durkwa is doing well in

the plight of the Muslims and Christians which are the two dominant religions in the state. She, however, commended the ministry for carefully selecting the members of the committee based on their proven integrity, hard work and honesty as according to her, she is confident that all of them have concern for the welfare and well being of the people of the state. Other members of the committee are Alhaji Usman Durkwa as ViceChairman, Alhaji Tijjani Lawan, Secretary among other House of Assembly members and serving commissioners.

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Impeachment threat against Jonathan a joke – CNPP chair HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

he Benue State Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) Mr. Baba Agan, has described as a huge joke the impeachment threat against President Goodluck Jonathan by the members of the House of Representatives. Speaking to National Mirror yesterday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, the CNPP chairman faulted the impeachable offences said to have been committed by President Jonathan, saying the move was not in good faith and that it will fail to achieve the desired result. Agan recalled that during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the same scenario played itself out which, he said, was similar to what was going on now. He added that immediately ‘there is exchange of hand

under the carpet,’ the matter will die a natural death. The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said the lawmakers should begin to check their conscience before embarking on any such move, alleging that they are more corrupt than even the Presidency. The CNPP chairman said; “What is good for the goose is also good for gander, cautioning that as both parties are being fed fat at the detriment of Nigerians, let them not do anything that would trigger a crisis that will consume all and beyond,” he warned. He said Nigerians are groaning under the yoke of poverty and hunger, stressing that he would not wish to see people who are living in opulence torment the citizens, further cautioning them to desist in their own interest or else the consequences of their action would be unimaginable.

Kaduna to present 2000 Christians for 2012 pilgrimage AZA MSUE KADUNA

he Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Christians Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Joseph Jatua Yari, yesterday said no fewer than 2000 Christians in the state are expected to perform this year’s Holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Rev. Yari said the sale of forms for the exercise has already commenced while the deadline for submission of completed forms would be on September 15, 2012. He said completed application forms must be accompanied with photocopies of the candidates’ e-passports for it to be valid or such applications would

North

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

be treated as invalid. The executive secretary said this yesterday while briefing reporters on the level of preparedness for a hitch free 2012 Holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Yari while assuring of a better exercise this year, said the lapses identified in the previous exercises would be corrected even as he solicited for public-spirited individuals, corporate organisations and capable churches to sponsor people. He said those who want to sponsor aged persons above 70 years old should also endeavor to sponsor younger persons that would give adequate attention and assistance to such person while in the Holy land.

Jonathan urges monarchs to emulate late Attah Igala ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan has called on traditional rulers and the opinion molders in the country to continue to emulate the unique attributes of the late Attah of Igala, Alhaji Aliyu Obaje, who died last week. The President, who was represented by the Minister of Solid Minerals, Sada Muhammed, at the eighth day Fidau prayer for the late monarch yesterday in Idah, Kogi State, said the country will greatly miss his wise counsel which is presently needed at a trying period like this. President Jonathan used the occasion to call on Muslim faithful to use the period of Ramadan to pray for peace in the country as well as for the repose of souls of the departed ones. Also, speaking at the occasion, Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada, said the late monarch ushered in an era of peace and unity during his reign, describing him as a great man and father of modern Igala nation, whose impec-

cable records should be emulated. Various dignitaries that graced the occasion include senators, the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ahmadu Ali and a host of others. The late Attah Igala died last week at the age of 102. Meanwhile, the Kogi State government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of China in the area of solid minerals, power, agriculture and infrastructural development of the state in line with the transformation agenda of the government. Governor Idris Wada stated this yesterday, while speaking with journalists in Lokoja, the state capital. The governor, who had cut short his trip from China to honour the late paramount ruler of Igala Kingdom, Alhaji Aliyu Obaje, who died a week ago at the age of 102 years, described the death of the late traditional ruler as a personal loss to him, being a titled chief of the kingdom. According to the governor, “My journey to China was part of my resolve to

Jonathan

take the state to the much needed next level as I promised during my campaign period that if given the mandate, I would focus on agricultural and industrialisation of the state. “I plan to introduce the much needed technology that would improve small and medium scale industries that will soon be established across the 21 local government areas of the state. “And I find China to be the right place for us to start from based on the fact that both countries have a lot in common, having been in the state of development with Nigeria about 30 years ago. Today, China is the number one developed country in the world

through their technological breakthrough which I believed Kogi State can learn from.” Wada said his mission in government is to attract direct foreign investors to the state, adding that he also used the visit to follow up an agricultural deal entered into by the former governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, where the state government paid some money for agriculture equipment which would assist farmers to embrace modern farming methods. He explained that the equipment will soon arrive in the country in 30 containers and would be distributed to farmers across the state in order for them to catch up with modern methods of farming. On corruption, the governor said his administration has a zero-tolerance for corruption and that anybody caught in the act, no matter how highly placed in his administration, will be dealt with according to the law, urging the people to report any case of corruption to the appropriate authority for necessary action.

Secretary to the Sokoto State Government, Alhaji Sahabi Gada (left) and Chairman of the state Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Abdallah Elkurebe, during an NUJ workshop for information officers in Sokoto, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Govt House theft: Al-Makura’s media aides arrested IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

edia aides to Nasarawa State governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, have been arrested and detained at the state Criminal Inves-

tigation Department (CID) following a directive from the governor. National Mirror gathered that the media aides now in the police custody include all members of the Government House press crew and staff of the Government

House ultra-modern press centre. Al-Makura is alleged to have given police the order following last week’s burglary incident at the state government house by suspected thieves where items estimated at about N70 mil-

lion were carted away. The incident occurred at the Lafia Government House ultra modern press complex where it was alleged that the thieves broke into the digital studio of the complex by dismantling one of the windows of the edi-

fice and consequently carting away sensitive equipment installed in the studio. Governor Al-Makura, on his assumption of office as the state governor, was allegedly to have converted half of the ultra modern press complex into a restau-

rant and bar. Director of Press to the governor, Iliyasu Yakubu, could not be reached to confirm the arrest and detention of his colleagues as he was reported to have left the shores of Nigeria for India on a medical checkup.

Emergency Update

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NEMA launches search and rescue over flood in Jos SAM OLUWALANA

he National Emergency Management Agency today launched a search and rescue operations in Gan-

gare and Rikkos areas of Jos which was submerged by a devastating flood which resulted in the deaths of 21 and 35 others missing so far. The flood reportedly occurred after a heavy

down pour which lasted throughout Sunday night as the river that runs through Rikkos overflowed its banks and flowed into the nearby homes. Responding to the incident, NEMA’s Director of

Relief and Rehabilitation Mr Edward Maigida who represented the Director General led the search and rescue officers to the areas as they were immediately deployed to assist in the recovery of those affected.

He also coordinated the efforts of the stakeholders that have promptly responded and are presently attending to the plights of the communities. Already two camps have been opened to pro-

vide temporary shelter for the affected persons in Gangare Primary School and Islamiyya Secondary where the Agency has also moved relief materials to provide them with some succour.

... Trains S’East stakeholders on disaster risk management DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

he National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has called on stakeholders in the South East to reduce and mitigate disaster occurrences in the zone through adequate citizenry education. The call was made during a one-day stakeholders’ training/meeting at Abagana, Anambra State, as a follow up to the series of sensitisation campaigns conducted by NEMA in the first half of 2012. The Director General of the Agency, Alhaji Muhammed Sani-Sidi said the meeting and training falls under Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) priority 3 which emphasizes the use of knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels. ‘’The Nation is threatened by increasing vulnerabilities related to changing demographics, technological and socioeconomic conditions, unplanned-urbanization and environmental degradation’’, said Sidi who was represented by the South East Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Onimode Abdullahi Bandele He further said other vulnerabilities include development within high risk zone, climate change, geological hazards, competition for scarce resources and the impact of epidemics such as HIV/ AIDS. The South East Zonal Coordinator also stated that the inauguration of Disaster Risk Reduction Clubs in secondary schools in all the federation, the interactive session with traditional rulers in all the geo-political zones of the federation on the implications of annual rainfall prediction for 2012, the recently concluded emergency evacu-

ation drill exercise for public servants in public building conducted in the 36 states of the Federation and FCT were parts of the Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies being adopted by the Agency to achieve the objectives of Hyogo Framework of Action 2005-2015. He reminded the participants that the increasing complexity of emergency confronting the Nation at all levels calls for sustained collaboration between stake holders to strengthen humanitarian operation to cater for the most vulnerable group. He also reiterated that recent security and climate change phenomena are exacerbating such emergency challenges, which serve as wakeup calls to strengthen contingency plan and emergency response capacity.

Ibadan Distribution Center of the Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, Ring road, after being gutted by fire yesterday.

Council gets Local Emergency Committee MURITALA AYINLA

n a bid to quickly respond to disaster and sustain intervention through prevention and preparedness for any emergency situation, the Ojodu Local Council Development Area has inaugurated a Local Emergency Management Committee in the council. The inauguration which is the first of its kind, coincided with the celebration of the 250 days in office of the council chairman, Hon Olumiyiwa Oloro. Speaking during the inauguration of the committee, the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said disaster is what nobody ever prays for, but it behoves every society to prepare for the unknown and ensure everything is

in place to respond to disaster when it occurs in order to cushion its effect on the loss of lives and properties. He said Lagos state has demonstrated pro-active measures to manage any form of disaster, saying the state is the first to establish an agency whose duty is to respond to disaster incidence in the state. He added that the need to make emergency response more effective gave birth to the inauguration of local emergency committees at the grass roots level. On his part the council chairman, Oloro said the establishment of the committee is in tandem with the United Nation resolutions (Hygo Frame Work For Action 20052015) which is aimed at building the resilience of nations and communities towards disaster as a way of ensuring safer community. Oloro added that the

mission of his administration is to positively touch lives of people in the council, adding that in the last 250 days, more roads have been constructed while about 17 roads have been repaired in the council. He added that primary health centres in the council have been equipped with drugs and facilities that will enhance smooth delivery of health services while three 500 KVA transformer were given to the communities with incessant power outage due to inadequate transformers. “It also gives me pride to say that 150 people would be graduating in various vocational skills from our Oluremi Tinubu Vocational Centre in Ogba. With this feat, I believe that our youths have been empowered to be self reliant and independent as they can now be self-employed”, he said.

TIPS AGAINST DISASTERS

CAUSES OF TOXIC WASTES DISCHARGE 1. Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

2. Chemical reactions in the environment as a result of unfavorable weather condition. 3. Emission of sulfur dioxide from industrial processes, oil drilling, transport, and mining activities 4. Industrial and sewage treatment plants discharge wastes which contain toxic substances directly into waterways 5. Air emissions from manufacturing, fuel combustion, cars and other motors, homes and buildings. 6. Radioactive contaminations from plutonium processing plants, nuclear power plants, and nuclear waste dumps. 7. Toxic pesticides dispersed through the environment by rain running off chemical-treated land and flowing into lake and rivers. 8. Material from numerous human-made surfaces-roads and parking lots, city streets, buildings, cars and houses. 9. Household cleaning and disinfecting products flushed into sewage systems and out through treatment plant discharge. 10. Leakages from storage tanks and pipelines, and seepage from waste dumps. PREVENTIONS AGAINST TOXIC WASTES DISCHARGE 1. Encourage strict compliance with environmental laws 2. Full implementation of Environmental Protection Laws and other Environmental Regulations 3. Prevent hazardous waste from entering the environment by following recommended disposal methods for any industrial or household hazardous wastes. 4. Return engine oil and other automotive items to your automotive or hardware store. 5. NEMA recommends reduction of waste discharge when it has a potential for causing pollution, rather than regulating it only after it has caused pollution 6. Always package hazardous materials such as broken compact fluorescent lightbulbs before disposal. 7. Never pour household hazardous wastes such as cleaning products, paints and solvents down your sink or into any water body 8. Always return to the appropriate authority unwanted medication that can pose serious environmental risks. 9. Understand manufacturing processes and the clean techniques to products. 10. Obtain proper precautions to prevent accidents or spills when using any hazardous substance. Abubakar Jimoh is Cordinator Youths Against Disasters Initiatives Abuja

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Features

Since the January 16 explosion that rocked Koluama, Southern Ijaw Local Government in Bayelsa State, the inhabitants of Foropa, a neighbouring community, are gripped with fresh panic over another looming danger. They also lament that the empowerment scheme promised them by government has become a mirage, as our correspondent, EMMMANUEL GBEMUDU reports

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Foropa groans under

he last has not been heard of the Chevron Nigeria Limited gas explosion at offshore Koluama, Southern Ijaw local government of Bayelsa State on January 16. There is fresh panic and worry among inhabitants of Foropa, a neighbouring community to Koluama. The indigenes are gripped with fear that gas is still bubbling from the oil giant’s KS Endeavour rig in the river, thereby causing health hazards to the people. They alleged that eight persons so far had died as a result of the explosion occasioned by lack of health facilities in the rustic community. The empowerment scheme promised the people has turned into a waiting game even as they affirmed that the 50 slots allocated to them was not enough. Regrettably, there is no state or federal government presence to develop the coastal community. The area cannot be accessed by road. Boat drive from Yenagoa to Foropa is three hours. Incidentally, Foropa Kingdom consists of 11 autonomous communities and 66 satellite communities, but there is nothing to show for the crude and gas extracted from the area. These communities were affected by the explosion. To their dismay, Chevron distributed relief materials that was gross inadequate for 27,600 persons in the locality. However, the indigenes said they would not lose hope in the face of these challenges. The indigenes lamented that they can no longer embark on fishing expedition which is their major occupation, as their river has been polluted with gas and oil. They lamented that they can no longer drink from the river as they used to do over the years due to pollution. The community is sad that the Health Centre built in the area by Chevron has been overtaken by forest and reptiles. The only dispensary sited lack health personnel and drugs. Even the borehole sited in the community is now obsolete. The people are now living in darkness as the 200KVA generator provided for the community by Chevron was grounded since December, 2011.They said the generator is weak and expensive to maintain. The people are appealing to the oil company to provide them a new generator or gas turbine to enable them enjoy electricity as one of the host communities to the firm. Their secondary school built in 1981 by the Melford Okilo’s administration in the old Rivers State is in a sorry state as its roofs are leaking. Staff quartres of the school is out of use. Most students sit on bare floor to learn. The people said they would not be forced to react violent even as they are shabbily treated by Chevron and alleged neglect by the state and federal government. They are appealing to the oil company to properly shut the gas leakage from its rig and provide the demands of the community. In an interview with our correspondent, Secretary, Foropa Community Development Committee (CDC), Ebitimi Sese, noted that since the explosion occurred the people have been experiencing hard times because of their large population. He said: “Nobody goes to fishing as the aquatic lives in the river have been destroyed. There is no way for survival for our people, because fishing is our major occupation. We are now stranded because our people no longer embark on fishing expedition. Some people died as a result of the gas explosion effect .We have recorded eight deaths in the communities since the explosion occurred in the area. There is no medical assistance to the community. No drugs for patients, there is no doctor or nurse to take care of patients. Some managed to convey their relations to Yenagoa for medical treatment as a result of lack of quick response leading to the death of these eight persons.”

Abandoned NNPC Chevron joint venture cottage hospital, Apie Idimu, Foropa

Continuing he said: “The government has not been responsive to the plight of the people. It was because of the pressure mounted by Chevron host communities that made President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Madueke and other authorities to visit Koluama for a meeting with the stakeholders and victims of the explosion. We are yet to hear or see Chevron since that meeting. Several peaceful protests have been organised against Chevron at Warri, Delta State and Yenagoa in respect of the gas explosion. The company only brought some food items and beverages as relief which is not enough for 11 recognised autonomous and 66 satellite communities under Foropa kingdom. “What was distributed cannot be enough to feed a family for three days. How can Chevron give 20 bags of garri, 17 bags of beans, 50 bags of rice, four cartons of sugar, five cartons of tin tomato, three cartons of bournvita, among other items to these communities? We are 26,700 in population.” In the same vein, Secretary, Foropa Youths Association, Ekeme Sese, collaborated that the gas leakage was still causing some environmental damage in the communities. Sese recalled that similar gas explosions had been occurring there over the years without any positive response by the company or government agency. “Before the explosion occurred, there were natural radioactive elements emitting from the Chevron rig .When it occurs, its affects our atmosphere adversely. Certain requirement of oxygen that is supposed to be in the atmosphere has been destroyed. The state government, Chevron, federal government and KEFFES communities embarked on a Joint Environmental Assessment of the area. The report of the JIV has not been made public. The JIV was conducted in March 2012 after the extinguishing of the rig fire,” he explained. The Youth Secretary said no representative of the community accompanied the JIV assessment team to explosion site. His words: “They just informed us that they were coming to conduct a JIV assessment. Chevron just brought their contractors and conducted the JIV. The gas bubble

Another abandoned Bassan Koluama local government secertariat complex in Apie , Idimu Foropa

is still emitting into the atmosphere. It is adversely affecting us. Cause of the explosion in January was basically equipment failure on the part of the oil firm due to their own greed. The company had drilled to the reservoir in the rig. We learnt one rig has just left the area and another one is about to arrive the location. The hole is still open in the location. Our ecosystem is destroyed, we can no longer eat fish from the river because they taste gaseous odour. “If the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) can remember the communities because of the gas explosion, the state government is feeding fat from the oil companies and has done nothing to alleviate the plight of the communities. The state government has not sent any relief material to the affected communities. We have alerted the Senate Committee Chairman on Energy, Mrs. Joy Emordi on the update on the gas explosion.” Commenting on the empowerment scheme programme promised the host communities of Chevron by the federal government, the youth leader said the Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta, Kingsley Kuku, told the

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Features

explosion effect and neglect

Community Nursery School, Binibeleu, Foropa

AT TIMES, WE DUG LOCAL WELLS TO FETCH WATER THAT WE DRINK, BUT SINCE THIS

GAS EXPLOSION OCCURRED WE CANNOT DRINK THE WATER AGAIN communities that the President mandated him to exploit the KEFFES communities by training women and youths into various skills and floating a scholarship scheme for undergraduate students from the area. “When the President visited us, we demanded that the communities should be empowered humanly and capitally to enable us have a stake in the oil industry. To our surprise, the federal government allocated only 50 slots for the empowerment programme in our community. They said 19 of them are for women, while 31 are for undergraduate scholarship. How can they allocate 50 slots to 26,700 people? The federal government has not implemented the empowerment programme for the people, even as we are demanding for an increase in the number of slots allocated to our community. Is this another Amnesty programme that the federal government wants to play politics with? These 50 slots are inadequate for the community,” Sese posited. Speaking in an interview with National Mirror, President, Foropa Youth Association, Uriah Idon, appealed to the federal government to sponsor their indigenes on skills acquisition abroad. Such trades could be welding, electrical, furniture making, tailoring and other oil related field operations. “We can recall that former Texaco and the federal government had wanted to establish a technical college in Foropa because we donated eight acres of land to them, but the project was suspended. Chevron awarded scholarship to 10 university students and 10 secondary students from the area. They are paid N75, 000 and N20, 000 annually by Chevron which is inadequate.” He maintained: “After the gas explosion, we can no longer drink from the river. The water is very toxic, the gas polluted the river. If you dare to drink that water you will contact cancer disease. We used to drink the river water because there is no drinking water in the community. At

Okotuyeri, a basic source of drinking water in Binibeleu, Foropa

times, we dug local wells to fetch water that we drink, but since this gas explosion occurred we cannot drink the water again. Drinking from the well water has led to death of some persons in the community. We want pipe borne water in the area. Chevron built a cottage hospital in Foropa, but there is no doctor to take care of patients. The council administration under Tiwei Orunimighe has not built any project in Foropa. He has sited some projects in Koluama. The hospital was built five years ago. The military personnel in the area had used the structure and vandalized it. Reptiles and weeds have taken over the building.” Idon reminded that revenue accruing from oil and gas from Foropa to the nation’s economy is huge, but there is nothing to show for it in our community. Adding his voice, former militant leader from the area, Kaithy Sese , fondly called Gen. Numokeme urged Chevron co-operate with the people by understanding their feelings . He said: “If they want peace in Foropa they should do the right thing to allow peace reign in the community. Government should wade into the brewing cold war over the contention of Middleton River (Beinghetoru) where Conoil operates its rig. The area rightly belongs to Foropa and not Koluama. According to Sese, there are historical facts and documents to back up their claims on the ownership of Middleton River. But, Koluama folks insisted that Middleton River belonged to them.

In online statement issued by Chevron Nigeria Limited, the firm confirmed the receipt of letters of claims from lawyers and representatives of communities on the explosion at KS Endeavour rig. The firm said it was keen on addressing each on its own merit. “An integrated independent body, comprising Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Bayelsa State Government, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Regional Development Committees (RDCs), National Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), with an NGO representative as the Chairman, is being set up to engage with stakeholders who have made claims in connection with the incident, including those who may have been affected by the restriction and inconveniences from the public-safety exclusion zone enforced around the KSE incident site”, the firm explained. Chevron further said an independent Health Impact Assessment discovered that the incident had no impact with regard to infectious diseases, non-infectious diseases and environmental health. It noted that results of fish tissue analyses by FUGRO indicated no contamination associated with the KSE incident”. The firm disclosed that it has since completed drilling of a relief well at Funiwa 1 to plug the gas leak. The company has sealed and abandoned the shallow water Funiwa 1A natural gas well after completing the drilling of a relief well. It noted that production at the North Apoi field, which had been shut in as a precaution, has also been restored and the field was now producing approximately 2,000 barrels of oil per day. Efforts to reach the State Commissioners for Environment and Information Dr. Sylvanus Abila and Markson Fefegha was not successful as they failed to respond to the claims of the community in respect of the effect of the gas explosion and neglect of the community by the state government. Mobile phone calls and text messages by our correspondent to the commissioners were not responded to. There are indications that Foropa community may drag Chevron to court over the adverse effect of the gas explosion to seek redress if the path of dialogue with the oil firm fails. The people argued that they cannot be treated so shabbily by government and the oil company.

WORLD RECORD

Most steel cans collected in one month Vol. 02 No. 410

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

N150

The most steel cans collected in one month is 2,656,284, weighing 82,929 kg (182,827 lb 2 oz) and was achieved by Collect-a-Can (South Africa) in South Africa, between 1-31 October 2010.

The burden of Arunma Oteh

t is not over yet for the embattled Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms. Arunma Oteh who was reinstated last Wednesday by the Federal Government after she was given a clean bill of health over allegations of wrongdoings. She was asked to proceed on a compulsory leave to allow for thorough investigation of issues against her.. Prior to that development which confirmed the battle she had been having with the powers that be within the commission and those who wanted to see her exit, Oteh had stirred the hornet’s nest when she confronted the ex-Chairman of the House Committee on the Capital Market probe, Hon. Herman Hembe whom she accused of collecting estacode which was diverted and in addition asking for financial gratifications to curry

TALKINGPOINT Seyi Fasugba

seyifasugba@yahoo.com 08053069514 (sms only)

the favour of the committee in the investigations of her tenure as the head of the commission. She needed to fight the battle to regain her battered image by the House Committee who had earlier accused her of wasteful spending in her position as the DG. The information released during the probe was not only embarrassing to Oteh but equally damaging to her reputation as a career woman. Except for those who knew that the DG had a successful time at the African Development Bank, ADB, from where she was employed, it would have been difficult to divorce her from the series of scandals linked to her tenure in office. But if she thought the storm was over, the event of last week when her recall from suspension sparked protests must have informed her that it is not over until it is over. If before now it was not clear to her that her foes are not on the Board alone but that they are also within working with her, the protest by the staff of SEC was indeed an indication that the war has gone beyond Oteh and that there were powerful blocs within the commission who definitely want to see to her exit. But for what reason? This is also not too clear particularly in the light of the recent clearance from the Federal Government. Except there are other issues hidden from the letter the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim released to the effect that apart from

IF SHE THOUGHT THE STORM WAS OVER, THE EVENT OF LAST WEEK WHEN HER RECALL FROM SUSPENSION SPARKED PROTESTS MUST HAVE INFORMED HER THAT IT IS NOT OVER administrative lapses, Oteh was cleared of fraudulent allegations. At the time the internal forces were working against her recall, the erstwhile Chairman of the House panel and another member were battling to secure their bail from a court of competent jurisdiction over the allegation of money collected from SEC. In case there were doubts about those behind the anti-Oteh campaign since the imbroglio started, the event of last week was a clear indication that the plot against her was purely that of conflicting interest. However, there is a big burden for the embattled DG going by the reaction of the workers who openly showed resentment to her recall and at least for about two days made her resumption a mission impossible. It took the intervention of the

Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a mission to the SEC office to placate the placard-carrying workers to allow peace to reign. The same minister restored her confidence shortly after her suspension when she was also allowed to attend the meeting of the economic team on personal recognition at the State House. From all the scenes in her favour since her ordeal started, Oteh appeared to have been highly pampered by unseen hands in government against the forces fighting her both internally and otherwise. This has thus created the impression that the call for her head was not based on her performance but perception and that she does not belong and definitely must be taught a lesson the hard way. If, this happened to be true, it is quite unfortunate. But imagine that she also had skeleton in her cupboard at SEC, then the justifications for defending her by members of President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet must be examined again and again. It is only in this country that public officials are always reluctant to quit in order to prove a point unlike in the western world where the stress often associated with such a development involving the SEC DG would have been resolved by her decision to quit and fight the war to a logical conclusion, if only to clear her name and prove her critics wrong. But again it does not work that way here which may have informed Oteh that this is the time to show that she is a fighter also and one that is prepared to confront the battle headlong. And she appears to be winning given the endorsement from the Federal Government that no amount of protest will change official position about her. In spite of this, she still has a serious battle ahead for her to win the confidence of the workforce if only to show that she is not what her adversaries want the world to believe. This, indeed, is her burden that must be confronted frontally.

Sport Extra

ormer world number one, Tiger Woods, virtually crawled his way up to the second place in world rankings yesterday but the American, fresh from his joint third finish at the Open Championship, is unlikely to celebrate yet. The beleaguered Woods, who

Golf: Woods inches towards 15th major has spent 623 weeks at the summit, has a herculean task to add to his already impressive list of 14 majors. Woods kept his composure after the setback at the sixth hole on Sunday and still came tied third after a three-over-par 73 to end four shots

behind winner Ernie Els and now sits just one place behind world number one Luke Donald after a failed attempt to land a fourth Claret Jug. “It’s part of golf and we all go through these phases. For some

people it lasts entire careers and for others a little bit shorter,” he said when asked how it felt not to have won a major since the 2008 US Open. “I’ve got back in my swing,” Woods added.

Tiger Woods

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