Tuesday, September 4, 2012 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Nigerian economy at risk, says Okonjo-Iweala M inister of Finance Ngozi O ko n j o - I we a l a said yesterday that rising youth unemployment had put Nigeria’s economic

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growth at risk. Okonjo-Iweala made the statement in Abuja in a paper entiled: “Economic Cost of Youth Unemployment”, which she

presented at a conference organised by Nigerian Economic Society, NES, in Abuja. The minister said the CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Ex-CBN gov, Ola Vincent dies P.4

Tuesday, September June 7, 2011 4, 2012

ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

nxiety heightened yesterday over the health condition of the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience, who is currently receiving medical attention at a German hospital. As the rumour over the whereabouts and the health of Mrs. Jonathan began to spread like bushCONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

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Anxiety over Dame Jonathan’s health Presidency insists she’s on vacation abroad

Ajimobi

Ibadan auto crash: Policemen, others escape death P.8

L-R: Vice-President, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Abubakar Ali; National President, Alhaji Adegboyega Tomori; Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin and Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, during a courtesy call on the governor to pledge support for the state’s transportation policy and new traffic laws in Lagos, yesterday.

Oduah

Dana crash: Aviation expert, NGO ask court to stop coroner’s sitting

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Traffic laws’ll eliminate –Fashola touting Motorcyclists sue Lagos govt Ogoni demands state, denies seccession bid

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News

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2015: Vote out bad politicians –Jonathan ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday charged Nigerians to vote out bad politicians during elections to make political office holders accountable and committed to their electoral promises. Jonathan, who spoke yesterday in Abuja at the inauguration of the second edition of the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria, YouWin! for Women explained that his administration would ensure the sanitisation of the electoral system in the country.

•PDP’ll be affected most –ACN, CPC

The President said: “We feel that for a political dispensation to be relevant to the people, to endure, the electoral process must be sanitised. “The voters’ cards of Nigerians must make them vote out the bad politicians, that is the only way we politicians will be committed and do what is right and for that we promised to change the electoral process, we have not reached where we want to go but Nigerians and indeed, all people that have been monitoring our elections have observed

that this is a different face of Nigeria and we will continue to improve on it.” But the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, said that the president and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will be the worst hit if bad politicians are voted of the system during elections. The National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told National Mirror that his party would be the greatest beneficiary if the electorate will vote out bad

politicians into elected offices. “If that happens, the polity will be good for it. The ACN will be the greatest beneficiary, as the PDP is not performing. President Jonathan and the PDP will be worse off if that happens. If the system is sanitised of bad politicians, the fortunes of the PDP will be affected,” Mohammed told National Mirror. The Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, stated that what President Jonathan was asking Nigerians to do is to vote

him out in 2015. The spokesman of the party, Rotimi Fashakin, in an interview said: “Of course, the bad politicians are in the PDP. The president is only calling on Nigerians to vote him out. This is so because President Jonathan and his lieutenants cannot tell Nigerians a single electoral promise he has fulfilled out of the myriad he had promised, especially in job creation, education and power. “And if a politician is unable to fulfill his electoral promises, he is a

L-R: Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson; Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Amina Maina; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and awardees, at the launch of the 2nd edition of Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria PHOTO: NAN programme in Abuja, yesterday.

Anxiety over Dame Jonathan’s health CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

fire in the hammattan, Aso Rock, the seat of government, yesterday, remained close-mouthed. Mrs. Jonathan, according to findings, was flown out of the country, a few days ago, to a German hospital for treatment over what a Presidency source called “food poisoning.” She reportedly suffered “food poisoning” along with her medical doctor and had to be airlifted to Wiesbaden, Germany, for treatment. Efforts to get clarifications on the First Lady’s health status at the hospital were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati; the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Affairs to President Jona-

than, Dr. Doyin Okupe, and the Chief Press Secretary to Mrs. Jonathan, Ayo Adewuyi, did not pick their calls or respond to text messages asking for their confirmation on the issue. As at the time of filing this report, there were speculations that the Presidency might react to the food poisoning story making the rounds but none came. A Presidency source told National Mirror that the wife of the President is “on vacation in Germany and at the same time undergoing medical checkup.” Media Assistant to the First Lady, Mr. Ayo Osinlu, said on Sunday that Mrs. Jonathan’s foreign trip was just a vacation to take time off to rest and not for any medical treatment.

“If you look at her itinerary in August, you will be wondering how she was able to accomplish that.” “In the course of this week, she will be back home. But remember, it all depends on her plans,” he said. But when contacted yesterday, Osinlu refused to comment further on the matter, saying that reacting to the issue would amount to giving credence to a mischievous report. Given credence to the health condition of the First Lady is her absence from the public functions in recent times. In the past, she always attends public functions with her husband. Last week Thursday, she did not accompany her husband to Anambra State where the President performed official func-

tions and was also not with the President when he visited Ethiopia for late President Meles Zenawi’s burial at the weekend. There was no indication that the alleged illhealth of the President’s wife is affecting Jonathan in any way as the husband launched the second edition of Youth Enterprise With Innovation in Nigeria, YouWIN; a job creation scheme of the Federal Government specifically targeted at women at the Banquet Hall of Aso Rock Presidential Villa. The President was also holding a late night meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors and top hierarchy of the party in the Villa yesterday. At the event, the President cracked jokes about

women buying things they don’t need or want while urging potential beneficiaries of the scheme not to use the loans that will be granted to them under the scheme on frivolities. The critical condition that reportedly landed Mrs. Patience Jonathan in the hospital in Germany started in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 12 days ago where she had gone to see a doctor because her hands were twitching. Although there was no official confirmation, the source gave the name of the German Hospital as Horst Schmidt Klinik, the same medical centre where late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua received treatment for the ailment which eventually claimed his life. Horst Schmidt Klinik specializes in the fol-

bad politician. Electoral promises are covenants with the electorate. So, a breach of such means that the politician holding the mandate of the people is not worthy to be there. “So, President Jonathan is only asking Nigerians to vote him out.” Meanwhile, President Jonathan said his government was also tackling the issue of corruption, which had bedeviled the nation for a long time. Jonathan said: “In this country, these days, people talk about corruption, sometimes those who are corrupt even shout more about corruption but we are tackling it gradually. “If you look at the agriculture sector where procurement of fertiliser and tractors and other scandals that were going on, we have stopped that; in the oil sector, we are going to stop it, gradually this will thin down. We cannot change the society overnight but we have to take step to make a change step by step.” He noted that the second edition of the YouWin programme would be focused on women because women were better managers of funds and therefore could make better impact in entrepreneurial CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

lowing medical fields: General and Visceral Surgery; Gastroenterology; Ear, Nose and Throat Medicine, Head and Neck Surgery; Cardiology Neurosurgery; Thoracic Surgery; Trauma, Hand and Orthopaedic Surgery. The hospital has 21 specialist clinics, four institutes and 1027 beds. It offers its patients a very sophisticated and high quality range of treatments for the necessary care. HSK prides itself as a world class hospital based in Wiesbaden, Germany. On its website, the health institution stated: “Your health is your most valuable asset – that is why improving your health is the ultimate goal of all our therapeutic efforts. Our experts of all CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Good Health Men beware! Obesity kills sperm MOJEED ALABI

besity, according to scientists is like a natural contraceptive. They say not only does it make man less attractive to the opposite sex; the bulging bellies, they claim also make man to produce less sperm. A research group headed by Dr. Jorge Chavarro of the Harvard School of Public Health reveals that men with lower sperm counts will have more difficulty with conception than men with higher sperm counts. “It’s not just the numbers that matter; it’s the condition of the sperm. How well they move, what shape they are, and the quality of the DNA they carry all are taken into consideration when fertility is in question. Previous studies have shown that all of these qualities can be affected by weight.” Similarly, a recent analysis done by French researchers compiled data from 14 different research studies that compared sperm counts in samples of ejaculate, from those of normal weight and compared them to those men who were overweight or obese. They also included data from their own fertility centre with the research. The result revealed onefourth of the combined 10,000 male subjects, that is, men of different sizes and shapes, all of whom provided ejaculatory samples for comparison, and were discovered to have had a low sperm count. And in another analysis, approximately 250 out of 7,000 men had no sperm in their semen at all. Another data collected by researchers from the Ambroise Pare Hospital in

Shedding some pounds keep infertility at bay

Boulogne-Billancourt, France, compared the findings of normal weight men to the overweight ones. The chubby men classified as “overweight” were 11 percent more likely to have a low sperm count and a whopping 40 percent change of having no sperm at all in their semen. What’s more, the men classified as “obese” were 42 percent more likely to have a low sperm count and around an 80 per cent chance of having sperm-free ejaculate. To further support their claim, a number of different theories were proposed by physician researchers. First of all it was suggested that obese males’ hormone levels are altered and more estro-

YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW

Regular jogging shows dramatic increase in life expectancy

ndertaking regular jogging increases the life expectancy of men by 6.2 years and women by 5.6 years, reveals the latest data from the Copenhagen City Heart study presented at the EuroPRevent2012 meeting. Reviewing the evidence of whether jogging is healthy or hazardous, Peter Schnohr told delegates that the study’s most recent analysis (unpublished) shows that between one and two-and-a-half hours of jogging per week at a “slow or average” pace delivers optimum benefits for longevity. The EuroPRevent2012 meeting, held 3 May to 5 May

2012, in Dublin, Ireland, was organised by the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (EACPR), a registered branch of the European Society of

Cardiology (ESC). “The results of our research allow us to definitively answer the question of whether jogging is good for your health,” said Schnohr, who is chief cardiologist of the Copenhagen City Heart Study, speaking in the “Assessing prognosis: a glimpse of the future” symposium. “We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don’t actually need to do that much to reap the benefits.” The debate over jogging first kicked off in the 1970s when middle aged men took an interest in the past-time.

gen is produced from the fat tissue. This is thought to adversely affect the sperm counts of the overweight and obese individuals. Also, the scientists propose that more fat in the stomach and hip areas could make the scrotum too hot, thus killing the once viable sperm. Researchers say extra body fat has the unique ability to turn testosterone into estrogen, and once that excess estrogen starts flowing through a man’s body, he may as well start knitting, because he is not nearly as much of a man as he used to be. “Therefore, all that huffing and puffing makes sex more work than pleasure, and possibly dangerous work at that. And that’s even assuming you can get it

up in the first place, because obesity kills erections.” This discovery according to Dr. Bello Saheed of the Family Medicine Department of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo, will further reduce the usual pressure on women particularly in the African region where infertility problem is usually identified with women. The medical practitioner who encouraged increased awareness among Nigerian couples insists that advancements in researches based on improved technologies have revealed certain hitherto ‘hardto-belief ’ secrets which he said could help lower the burden of pressure unnecessarily placed on women “basically because they play more roles during child conception and birth processes.” “African women in particular have been unduly abused for infertility cases but in some cases men have been identified as the source of problems. That is why steps like hormonal analysis are advised but unfortunately many men don’t agree to surrender themselves for check basically due to what could be tagged cultural sentiments or beliefs. It is as if men are beyond mistakes, but in the face of science, error could come from both parties and one of such is obesity,” Bello said. To get this condition corrected, doctors advise that some pounds be shed and that this could be achieved through physical activities and other medical. Dr. Bello also believes that stress management can be of good value. “Stress can decrease sexual function and interfere with the hormones needed to produce sperm”.

Families that eat together may be the healthiest, new evidence confirms

cienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2012) — Aside from negative effects on the family budget, eating out has been shown to be generally associated with poor food choices and bad health. Of particular interest to public health experts is growing scientific evidence that fewer family meals may translate to increased obesity risk and poor nutritional status, especially among children. But getting this message out to busy parents in a way that will convince them to spend more time at the dining room table with their children is problematic at best. To both summarize what is known about this

timely topic and create a model that might be used to educate parents and other caregivers as to the importance of family mealtimes, researchers at Rutgers recently evaluated results from 68 previously published scientific reports considering the association between family mealtime and children’s health. They specifically looked at how frequency or atmosphere of family meals was related to consumption of both healthy foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables) and those considered less desirable (e.g., soft drinks). The researchers also evaluated if scientific evidence actually supports the idea that more frequent family meals can

lead to decreased obesity. Their review of the literature revealed numerous benefits to children associated with having frequent family meals, including increased intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber, calciumrich foods, and vitamins. In addition, the more a family ate together the less children consumed dietary components thought to be harmful to health. Although the researchers found only a weak link between family meals and obesity risk, children in families with frequent family meals tended to have lower body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) than those who enjoyed fewer family meals.

Photo News

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

L-R: Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic-IBTC Bank, Mr. Yinka Sanni; Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic-IBTC Bank, Mrs. Sola David-Borha and Head, Public Sector, Mr. Bayo Adesina, during a visit to the governor in Ibadan, recently.

General Overseer, Foursquare Gospel Church, Rev. Felix Meduoye (left) presenting a gift to Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, during a courtesy call on the governor in Makurdi.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Sheu Sule: Director, Primary Healthcare System Development, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Abdullahi Mohamed and representative of Minister of State for Health, Dr. Ibrahim Labaran, during the second National Stakeholders’ Meeting on Bringing Primary Healthcare Under One Roof in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Publisher, Aviation and Alllied Business Journal, Capt. Edward Boyo (left) and Minister of Works and Transport, Republic of Namibia, Hon. Erkki Nghimtina, during the 18th Aviation and Allied Business Leadership Conference in Windhoek, Namibia, yesterday.

National News

Former CBN Governor, Ola Vincent dies at 87 SAM OLUWALANA

ormer Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olabode Vincent, died yesterday in Lagos. He died at the age of 87, after a brief illness. Vincent, who was the Governor of Central Bank between 1977 and 1982, gave up the ghost at St Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, after complaining of a slight back ache. Dele, the last child of the former CBN governor, said his father died around 12.30 pm yesterday. Early visitors to the family residence of the Vincent’s include Chief Remi Olowude and his wife. The vice-chairman and chief executive of Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) described the late Economist as “a pillar of life”. Olowude, in his entry in the condolence register, wrote: “May the grace of the almighty God be with you as you rest in his bosom. Our great father, friend, lover of truth, epitome of integrity and role model.”

Also, the former Chairman and Chief Executive of Nigeria Breweries Plc; Mr. Felix Ohiwerei, described the late banker as the best Nigerian he ever dealt with. Speaking with National Mirror on his late friend, Ohiwerei said, “He was a wonderful man, exemplary in character and one of the best Nigerians I have ever dealt with. He was trustworthy, very meticulous and very ethical. He also fears God. His death is a great loss to the nation.” Vincent was born on May 16, 1925 at his ancestral family residence at Vincent Court, 15, Oke Arin, Dadi Alaja, Lagos Island. He attended CMS Grammar School, Lagos, between 1936 and1939, and served in the Nigerian Armed Forces between 1942 and 1946, before working in the Financial Secretary’s Office in Lagos, between 1946 and 1956. In 1951, he attended the Administrative Staff College in England, and from 1953 to 1956, studied at the University of Manchester. He was also from 1957 to 1960, a parttime lecturer in Economics

at the University of Ibadan. His banking career began when he was the Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Finance between 1959 and 1961, before moving to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as an Assistant General Manager, and later, General Manager from 1963 to 1966. Between 1964 and 1966, he was a Director at the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), after which he was appointed Vice-President of the African Development Bank (ADB) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. He returned to the CBN in 1973 as an Adviser, becoming Deputy Governor in 1975 and later Governor from 1977 to 1982. The late Vincent was honoured with the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) award in 1982 by former President Shehu Shagari. Following his retirement from the CBN in 1983, Vincent recommended the establishment of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), a financial institution that was eventually founded in June 1988, with the NDIC going on to

providing a safety net for depositors in the liberalised banking sector in Nigeria. This move was part of the economic reform measures taken by the then military government to strengthen the safety net for the banking sector following its liberalisation policy and the introduction of the 1986 Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in the country. Vincent chaired the seminar on ethics and professionalism in the Nigerian banking industry in August 1992, where he acknowledged that greed was a major factor in causing the high inci-

dence of fraud and other abuses in the industry. He was a Director of the Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) and in 2008, received a prestigious lifetime achievement award. He was also a life member of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) and the Society for International Development (SID) as well as the elite Metropolitan Club and the Lions Club. Since his retirement, he has maintained a low profile in public circles, but occasionally comments on matters of national debate. Until his death, he remained a member of the senior citizens forum,

amongst who is Chief Sony Kuku, the founder of Eko Hospital of which Vincent is a director. According to Capt. Jaiye Vincent and Mr Olajide Vincent, sons of the deceased, his remains will be buried on Thursday, September 6 at the Ikoyi Cemetery after a farewell service at the African Church Cathedral Bethel, Broad Street, Lagos. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Adenike and four children - Jaiye, a pilot; Taiye, an educationist; Kehinde, an investment banker with Chemical Bank, New York, USA and a Lagos-based business magnate, Dele.

Education Minister, heads of agencies sign performance agreement IJEOMA EZEIKE ABUJA

or optimal performance in the education sector and in a bid to meet the limited three months target given by Mr. President to all federal ministries, the 15 parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Education

yesterday signed a contract performance agreement aimed at having a proper focus in job delivery. Signing the contract agreement yesterday in Abuja, the two Ministers of Education, Prof. Raqqayatu Ahmed Rufa’i and Mr. Nyesom Wike, urged the heads of the parastatals to work in earnest to

meet up with the time. Rufa’i said every four weeks, the ministers will be getting in touch with the heads of parastatals to see how far they have gone adding that; “We need to meet the target and I commend Mr. President for putting this process across because through it we will know the area we are going to focus.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

FG approves national integrated infrastructure master plan

inister of National Planning Commission, NPC, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, yesterday said that the Federal Government had approved the development of a National Integrated Infra-

structure Master Plan. Usman disclosed this in Abuja while inaugurating the Central Working Group, CWG, on the review of the first National Implementation Plan (2010-2013). He said the proposed mas-

ter plan had been approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that work on the plan would commence soon, adding that the plan would bring the states and the Federal Government together to provide efficient

Anxiety over Dame Jonathan’s health CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

specialist areas and our highly qualified, dedicated patient care staff give their best to achieve this goal – day after day. “We combine medical expertise in the field of high-performance medicine with the highest qualifications, an unwavering commitment to quality and extraordinary service. The health and best possible recovery of

each individual patient are our foremost concern. “At HSK, we believe in giving you total care. Our symbiosis of world class medical and nursing performance, innovative therapeutic methods and a highly comfortable ambience ensure your personal treatment success.” On its personnel, the hospital stated: “The specialist surgeons at HSK are nationally and

international renowned experts whose combined expertise covers all medical disciplines. Each one of them stands ready to commit his or her experience, professionalism and personal dedication to give you the medical attention you deserve. “All HSK medical staff members are actively engaged in scientific research activities and are constantly working to ex-

infrastructure in a coordinated manner and avoid duplication of projects. Usman said the group would also assess the progress or failure recorded in the implementation of government’s policies from

pand their knowledge and expertise. The long list of certifications and awards they have earned proves it. By keeping abreast of new developments in medicine and patient care they are able to apply the most advanced treatment methods. Our experts are also active members of their respective medical specialist organizations, often in leadership positions.”

Pensioneers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation going through verification exercise in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Nigerian economy at risk –Okonjo-Iweala CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

nation’s economy was one of the fastest growing in the world, “but rising unemployment has undermined this growth, which like in many other countries has been labelled a “jobless growth.” She called on all economic agents to work together to ensure long lasting solutions “to stem the tide of rising youth unemployment and avoid the obviously huge costs to our economy”. According to her, the problem of youth unemployment will affect everyone in the country. Okonjo-Iweala said that high unemployment constituted market inefficiency, as labour resources were not efficient or productive. The minister said: “Be-

yond the cost to productivity, a recent study on OECD countries shows that underutilisation of young people in the labour market can result in a vicious circle of intergenerational poverty and income inequality. “High youth unemployment also puts a strain on public budgets, in the form of lost tax revenue in the present and in the future through increased unemployment. “Such situation causes an increase in the government’s expenditure on social benefits. “This may also result in a rise in tax rates on the employed and higher deficit financing due to spending money that cannot always be afforded.” The minister said youth unemployment could also

increase the risk of social tension as the people often became anxious about the lack of decent jobs. Okonjo-Iweala said: “There is compelling international evidence that tackling youth unemployment is one of the most effective tools of fighting crime and other social vices.” She called for diversification of the Nigerian economy from dependency on oil by investing in critical sectors that could create jobs. “These sectors include agriculture, which already employs over half of our workforce, housing and construction, solid minerals and so on,” she said. She said the country also needed to tackle the binding constraints to pri-

vate sector-led growth. The minister said: “A recent World Bank paper shows that Nigeria can fast track employment generation if it develops its physical infrastructure – like power and transportation network. “Research suggests that such investments could improve GDP by up to 2 per cent annually, while also creating thousands of jobs.” Okonjo-Iweala stressed the need to address the mismatch between the skills young people acquired in school and the needs of employers. She said: “Many of our youths are poorly trained and therefore are not employable. Some of our graduates don’t even know how to use a computer.”

2010-2013. The assessment, he noted would help the government to improve on its achievements and correct the failures. For logistics reason, the commission chose a relevant state commissioner from each geo-political zone to provide the group with the necessary data for proper assessment, the minister said. He said the commission’s Department of Monitoring

and Evaluation would also furnish the group with the relevant information on performance of sectors. Usman said the group had eight weeks to complete its job. The chairman of the group, Chief Moses Akpobasah, said the job required enormous data from the states and the Federal Government and promised that the group would present a clear assessment report.

2015: Vote out bad politicians, says President CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

endeavours. The President added that the programme was meant to empower youths from the six geopolitical zones, irrespective of political or religious affiliations. He, therefore, directed the Ministry of Women Affairs to work in concert with the Ministry of Finance and Communications Technology and Youth Development to mobilise women entrepreneurs to participate competitively in the YouWin programme for women. Speaking earlier, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, noted that since the disbursement commenced in July, about 933 of the 1,200 beneficiaries of the first batch of YouWin award winners have received the first tranche of about N1.03bn of the fund. She said that since the YouWin programme was flagged off in October last year, it has attracted ideas and innovation from Nigerian youth entrepreneurs with about 6,000 entrepreneurs trained while existing small business or new business ideas have shown considerable progress. “Since disbursement commenced in July, about 933 of the 1,200 beneficiaries of the first batch of YouWin award winners have received the first tranche of about N1.03bn of their award funds and are already implementing their approved business plans. The few yet to receive will do so by the end of next week,” Okonjo-Iweala said. The minister said with the assistance of the DFID and SMEDAN, the YouWin

awardees have developed mechanism for capturing information on jobs created under the scheme, and would be reporting the numbers to the public on regular basis. The Finance Minister stated that the second edition of the programme was built on the experiences and lessons from the first edition. The second edition, according to her, would attract women and would identify 1,200 young female entrepreneurs to join the first set of YouWin awardees. The second phase tagged YouWin Women, according to the minister, would expand the opportunities for young women to start, expand businesses and adequately contribute to job creation and nation building. Okonjo-Iweala also said that the programme would address the unique limitations in access to finance, and other challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Salamatu Maina, said the YouWin Women heralded another landmark of the administration’s quest to economically empower the Nigerian women, particularly the young women. She noted that Nigerian women were actively engaged in variety of economic areas ranging from wage labour to subsistence activities in the informal and formal sectors. Maina, however, pointed out that legal and customary barriers to ownership or access to land and natural resources, capital, credit and technology and other forms of discrimination, had impeded the economic empowerment of

National News

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Boko Haram’s attacks will continue unless... –Dasuki A ZA MSUE KADUNA

ormer Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, yesterday advised the Federal Government on how to end the activities of Boko Haram sect, even as he said the steps taken by his son, the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), had started yielding positive results. The former Sultan said for Boko Haram’s activi-

ties to be eliminated, government at all tiers must enforce justice. Dasuki, who made this known at a press conference to review his book entitled: “Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki 1993 Peaceful CoExistence Plan,” in Kaduna, said the country was in a big mess and called on leaders to urgently check the negative trend before things went out of hands. The former Sultan also blamed the northern governors for the present se-

curity challenges facing the region, saying he called their attention to the problem, but they did not show interest in his peaceful coexistence plan suggestions. Dasuki also kicked against the call for state police, saying it would be misused by the governors. He said: “Justice is very important, justice means everything. Everyone is entitled to justice and we must do justice. You asked about practical steps to end Boko Haram. Well,

first and foremost, justice must be done, because it is injustice that brought about Boko Haram. Last year, somebody asked me how do we solve the Boko Haram problem and I said let the government from local government to Aso Villa declare justice and the problem of Boko Haram will end. “But if injustice continues, I don’t think the problem will be solved. The Boko Haram leader was killed and somebody

who was responsible for it is still moving freely without any arrest and that is injustice. Only fairness, justice, transparency and honesty will solve Nigeria’s problems, including security challenges. Let the government at all levels declare justice everywhere and stand by it. Our country is in a mess. “My son was given the job and I think we have started seeing the positive results. My son is a matured person and is ca-

pable of taking decisions. Now, I go out every day to pray without being afraid of any attack.” On state police, Dasuki said: “State police will not help; governors will run state police like local government councils. The courts are corrupt; people buy justice now in this country. Only in this country we have over 700 first ladies from president, governors to local government council chairmen’s wives.”

Reps seek legislative powers to sack AGF

Fuel queues resurface in Abuja

TORDUE SALEM

TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

ABUJA

bill seeking the input of the Senate in the removal of the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, from office is before the House of Representatives. According to investigation, the bill seeks the separation of office of the Accountant General of the Federation from that of the Accountant General of the Federal Government and sixmonth tenure for every AGF. The piece of legislation is sponsored by Hon. Zakari Muhammed (Kwara/PDP) and two other legislators. The bill is entitled: “An Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Government of Nigeria 1999 in Section 162(1),” to create an office of the Accountant General of the Federal Government, different from that of the AGF. The proposal states in part that: “There shall be for the Federation an Accountant-General who shall maintain, manage and operate the Federation Account and the Excess Revenue Account of the Federation created and established by this section and any other Pool Accounts of the Federation by whatever name so-called. “The Accountant General of the Federation shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Council of State subject to confirmation by the Senate.” The bill, in 5th sub-section, says that: “A person holding the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation shall be removed from the office by the President acting on address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate.

arely eight days after a harrowing fuel scarcity ended through face-saving negotiation by government with oil marketers in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, products scarcity resurfaced yesterday with queues noticed in most petrol stations in the Territory. The queues were more pronounced at major marketing outlets, including the Nigerian National PetroL-R: Professor of Economics, Ademola Oyejide; Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama; Director-General, Budget Office, leum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Bright Okogu and former Minister of Industry, Chief Kola Jamodu, at the Consultative Forum on the Review of Common External Total, Conoil and AP fuel Tariff 2008-2012 in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN stations. Many motorists, who spoke with journalists, expressed dismay and blamed the govThe terms of reference ernment for the fuel scarcity. the work of the committee as we have actually climbed TOLA AKINMUTIMI The scarcity was yestercrucial to government’s ef- to about 39 from the 44 we of the committee chaired ABUJA forts to reposition the coun- have been. So you can see by Mr. Moses Akpabosa day extending to all the sattry’s economy as one of the we are making progress are to determine the scope ellite towns and villages. he Federal Govern- biggest globally by 2020. A commercial driver at there in terms of GDP per of the first NIP review pement yesterday said Usman therefore as- capita and we are going to riod; develop and agree on Lugbe Total fuel station, latest indices on the sured members of the make another big progress template for the review; Mr. Ibrahim Oladokun, decountry’s Gross Domestic committee of necessary when the GDP rebasing fig- determine the structure scribed the problem as “a Product’s performance lev- support that would help ures come out.” and format for the re- proof that the present govel indicated that the domes- them accomplish their asThe first NIP which view of the first NIP; and ernment is not on top of tic economy had inched up signment. commenced in 2010 is work closely with Minis- petroleum products’ situato the 39th position among He said: “What gets scheduled for completion tries, Departments and tion in the country and this the leading economies in measured is done. By set- next year and it provides Agencies, MDAs, and the shows the level of its conthe world. ting a target and measur- a strong foundation for National Planning Com- cern for the masses”. The National Planning ing the progress that we implementation of submission with a view to obIn his reaction to enquiMinister, Dr. Shamsuddeen are making we are more sequent plans in the next taining relevant inputs on ries, the Group General Usman, said this at the in- likely to achieve, not just eight years. The second the achievements of the Manager, Public Affairs auguration of the Central sitting back. Like I used NIP is slated for implemen- Key Performance Indica- Division of NNPC, Mr. FiWorking Committee on the to say during the opening tation in 2014 - 2017 fiscal tors and review the macro- del Pepple, attributed the review of the implementa- exercise, we may wake up period. economic framework and queues to usual early week tion of the first National by 2020 if we don’t do anyAccording to the min- other sectoral targets for demand by motorists. Implementation Plan, NIP, thing systematic and find ister, the key elements of Pepple added that as far as the period. for the Vision 20: 2020 in out that we are now num- the first NIP, which has as NNPC was concerned, there Abuja. was no problem of products its theme: “Accelerating ber 50 from 44. He explained that the delifting and discharging at its “But from the way we Development, Competitivevelopment showed clearly are tracking and really ness and Wealth Creation stations in the FCT. that the transformation pushing, we are already, I for All,” are overall macroHe said: “There is nothagenda of President Good- think, unfortunately the economic targets of GDP of ing unusual about the luck Jonathan’s admin- Statistician General is out $300bn by 2013; per capita queues which are always istration, particularly its of the country but is rep- growth of $2,008 up from there in the early days of the three-phased NIP compo- resented and I have not $1,075, achievement of averweek after the weekends. It nents, was achieving the cross-checked with the lat- age GDP growth of 11 per is something that is experidesired results. enced, especially on Monest GDP growth rate, but cent and a total projected The minister described the last time I checked, investment of N32trn. days like this. Dr. Usman

Nigeria now 39th largest economy globally –Minister

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News

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Our traffic law’ll eliminate touting on highways – Fashola MURITALA AYINLA

agos State Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday reassured residents that the new traffic law would, among other things, eradicate touting by individuals who pose as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) known as “Agbero” on the highway. The governor’s assurance is coming on the heel of the National body of NURTW’s appeal for the provision of more comprehensive motor parks in the state to ensure voluntary compliance of the traffic law by members and pedestrians. Speaking when the National President of NURTW, Alhaji Najeem Yasin, led other executive members of the union to his office, Fashola said the traffic law would also check the menace of arms proliferation and gun running discovered recently in some parks as well as put to an end to other nefarious activities perpetrated in motor parks. He urged the leaders to prevail on their members to comply with the law, saying the state has not banned the activities of the NURTW, but

restricted the activities to restore sanity to the highways and transportation sector. He added that what the law provides is for the union to restrict its activities, including collection of levies to offices which must not be located within the motor parks. The governor said: “You must leave here resolved to be champions of change. Our law says that we do not want union in the parks, you have offices, operate from there just like your counterparts who are lawyers and doctors, they have unions, but do not go to offices to pay their dues; they know where they settle all that. “Touts are taking advantage of the situation and we need to distinguish your members and get rid of touts who are reaping from where they did not sow. We also want to get rid of other activities going on in parks, some hide guns, dangerous arms, people sell alcohol to drivers who in turn endanger the lives of passengers.” Earlier, Yasin commended the governor for providing the enabling environment for the BRT scheme under the purview to thrive, pledging the support of its mem-

bers in Lagos to comply with the new traffic law. He said: “We want to crave your indulgence to consider the areas of provision of designated comprehensive motor parks to facilitate easy accessibility for commuters and other users in addition to improving the state revenue. “The kind and quick consideration of the state government will assist in no small measure towards ensuring orderly transportation and procedures as well as effectively alleviate cases of

traffic congestion in the affected areas slated for relocations in the provisions of the revised Lagos State Road Traffic Law.” On his part, the Lagos State Chairman of NURTW, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, reaffirmed the union’s commitment to ensure the traffic law is effective, adding that his members would comply with the law as expected by the state government. Meanwhile, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority

ABUJA

he National Universities Commission (NUC) has cautioned the governments of Kano and Osun states over sponsoring too many students to one country for higher qualifications which it noted would not promote diversity of knowledge. Speaking yesterday at a roundtable on Cross Boarder Higher Education Strategic Partnership organised by the Commission and British Council in Abuja, the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, noted that sending about 500 students to just one country for scholarship would not encourage spread of knowledge. Okojie said that the re-

cent Needs Assessment of Nigerian universities has revealed that Nigerian universities have more than 60 per cent academic staff without Phd, a development he said must be checked. He said: “There is nothing wrong in Nigerian students going for higher degrees abroad, but we can’t send all of them in one direction. If all students go to University of Ibadan now, we won’t have a spread of knowledge. Some universities have special capacities and prospects; Ibadan is known for medicine and agriculture. It is also wrong to send all the students to the United Kingdom or the United States. “Spread them so that when they are coming they will bring their wealth of experi-

the design on the reconstruction of Ketu-Ikorodu Road was ready and would cost N29bn. Speaking on the project, the Managing Director of LAMATA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said the stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for September 6, 2012 was being called on in order to carry everyone along on the project. Mobereola explained that the public needed to be aware of the project, duration and the economic impact on the populace.

Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie (left) and Vice-Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, during the NUC/British Council Strategic Partnership Roundtable on Cross-Border Higher Education held in Abuja, yesterday.

NUC raises fear over sending students abroad for higher degrees IJEOMA EZEIKE

(LAMATA) has begun construction of Mile 12-Ikorodu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) extension, even as it stressed the need for public cooperation for successful completion of the project. The agency said that it had concluded plans to meet with property owners, transport unions, community leaders as well as other stakeholders in the area to enlightening them on the project. Governor Fashola had earlier disclosed that

ence from different countries. There will be that diversity; you need that diversity in the teaching staff; you can’t stay in the same university, with the same people who graduated from the same university, you won’t learn anything from each other. Diversity is very important. When all of them, about 500 or 70 per cent of them go in the same direction, we are going to have problem when they come back.” Reiterating that those who have resources should send students to the right places for higher qualifications, Okojie specifically mentioned the Kano State Government, which, according to him, recently awarded scholarship to 500 deserving students, noting that about 70 per cent of such students are going to Ukraine,

while the rest are to go to Turkey, Jordan and other countries. He said Nigerian government is collaborating with the British Council to coordinate and regulate cross boarder higher education so that deserving students can be directed to the right places. Okojie said: “With the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund) of N3bn for research and the recent launch of professional journals, you will find out that we are going to stimulate the system for better researches and publications. We also encourage those have research fund to include postgraduate students in their research work. It makes room for multi-disciplinary approach to research endeavour”.

Police raid kidnappers’ hideout in Anambra •Arrest five suspects NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

o fewer than five suspected kidnappers were yesterday arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) attached to the Central Police Station, Onitsha, Anambra State. According to eye-witnesses, the suspects, who were yet to be identified as at the time of filing this report, were apprehended when the police team swooped on their hideout at Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of the state. The security personnel stormed the suspects’ hideout following a tip-off. Confirming the arrests yesterday in a telephone chat, the Assistant Commis-

sioner of Police in charge of the Onitsha Area Command, Mr. Benjamin Wordu, said although he did not know the actual number of those arrested so far, the police were still on constant raid of all perceived hideouts of suspected kidnappers and armed robbers. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ralph Uzoigwe, said he was yet to get the report on the incident.

IG MD Abubakar

South West

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Ibadan auto crash: Policemen, others escape death KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

ragedy was averted yesterday as some of the passengers of a bus, a car, and some policemen in their patrol car, would have lost their lives in a multiple accident on Akanran Road, Ibadan, in the Ona Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State. It was gathered that the 18-seater bus marked XA 380 LUY, plying Amuloko to Akanran Road, bumped into a pothole on the bad section of the road at Eleshin area, lost it brake and rammed into a police patrol Gulf car marked PF 5841 OY, and subsequently hit an on-coming Lancer car with registration number JB 346 EKY. The vehicles were badly damaged, while many of the occupants were injured. The victims were rushed to different hospitals for treatment.

But many of the survivors and passers-by blamed the accident on the bad road, which has for long been begging for government attention. During a visit to the scene of the accident, traces of blood were on the ground with relics of the belongings of some of the passengers littering the area. The bus and the police vehicle were later removed and taken to the Akanran police station for investigation. It was learnt that a series of accidents had occurred on the road. One of the residents of Amuloko who simply identified himself as Lasisi said: “Many accidents have occurred on this road and particularly this Oke Elesin section, which has gone bad. Many people do fall down on Okada here because the sloppy road is slippery and full of potholes. Unfortunately, workers of the Ona

Ara Local Government and the caretaker chairman pass through this road on a daily basis. “A few minutes after the accident, a convoy of local government vehicles with the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and Accord Party members passed through here, going to celebrate the incoming of another caretaker chairman. They are rejoicing while many people are being carried to the hospital. That is the kind of irresponsible government we are witnessing in this country.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

DANA crash: Aviation expert, NGO ask court to stop coroner’s sitting KAYODE KETEFE

Lagos-based NonGovernmental Organisation, NGO, Civil Aviation Round Table Initiative Limited and an aviation expert, Captain Dele Ore (rtd), have filed a suit against the Lagos Coroner making inquest into the Dana plane crash of June 3. Ore and the NGO asked the court to nullify all the coroner’s previous proceedings and to bar it from further sitting. The coroner court, pre-

sided over by Magistrate Alexander Oyetade Komolafe, has been conducting hearing into the circumstances and all the facts connected with the plane crash to indentify the immediate and remote causes of the crash and the people and or institutions responsible, if any. However, the prayer to stop the coroner is contained in an originating summons filed by the plaintiffs at the Federal High Court, Lagos, in which they are seeking an order to nullify all steps taken so far by the coroner, in-

cluding all the testimonies given by the witnesses. Apart from the coroner, those joined as codefendants in the suit are the Chief Judge of Lagos State, the Chief Coroner of Lagos State, the Attorney General of Lagos State, Attorney General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, Nigerian Air Space Management Authority and Dana Airlines Limited.

FG may extend amnesty to 3,642 others –Kuku HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

he Federal Government is planning to expand the amnesty programme to capture those who did not carry arms during the Niger Delta struggle but were working for the former militants. The Special Adviser to the president on Niger Delta Affairs and the Chairman of the Amnesty Programme, Kingsley Kuku, disclosed this in Arogbo Kingdom in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State at a rally to support the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olusola Oke. He disclosed that about 3,642 people would benefit from the new arrangement to bring the total number of beneficiaries to 30,000. Kuku said a memo had been sent to President Goodluck Jonathan for ratification, adding that the proposal might begin before the end of this month. The special assistant explained that the expansion programme was designed to accommodate the beneficiaries which followed the agitation from those

who were not considered in the first phase of the programme. He said: “There is agitation going on in the Niger Delta and I have always been at the forefront of the clamour that the amnesty programme has to close. The boys are unrelenting and the security agencies have collected their arms. The only option opened to us is to return their arms; so if we are not going to return their arms, they should be included in the programme one way or the other. “So my office and that of the National Security Adviser have met and forwarded a memo to the President and pleaded with him to consider the final inclusion of 3,642 persons to the present 26,368 to make it 30,000.”

Director, IGI Insurance, Mrs. Bunmi Olowude; wife of the deceased, Nike; former Condolence register opened in honour Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Dr. Felix Ohiwere and Mrs. Phil Hammond, of the late former Central Bank of Nigeria during a condolence visit to the family of the former CBN Governor, Ola Vincent, in (CBN) Governor, Ola Vincent in Lagos, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: OLUFEMI AJASA yesterday.

Ekiti: Seven prospective pilgrims fail test, won’t go to Saudi ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

kiti State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has disqualified seven intending pilgrims to this year’s Hajj from the state for failing to pass simple test on their understanding of the religion. The Chairman of the board, Alhaji AbdulGaniyy Olowoyo, said the seven disqualified persons could

The chairman, who said religious pilgrimage should not be turned to a jamboree or a mere trip to engage in merchandising, disclosed that the money paid by the affected people would be refunded. Expressing support for the decision of government to continue to sponsor people on religious pilgrimage, Olowoyo said the gesture should be enjoyed by only truly indigent people.

He said: “It was the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo (SAN), a Christian, that established the first pilgrims’ welfare board in the country and he did that because he saw the incapacitation of some people who were really committed to fulfilling this religious obligation but could not because of lack of fund and his action was also meant to provide an enabling atmosphere for the pilgrims from the country.”

Don’t fret over demolition, Ajimobi tells traders KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

G Kuku

not recite the Fathia, the basic part of the Holy Quran that a practicing Muslim ought to memorise for daily prayers. Olowoyo told journalists yesterday at the venue of the screening for the pilgrims in Ado-Ekiti that his board had put in place measures which would prevent people, who might want to go on pilgrimage for other reasons apart from religious, from making the trip.

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has said that his administration would resettle the traders affected by the demolition of structures currently going on within the Ibadan metropolis. Ajimobi gave the assurance yesterday while speaking with journalists shortly after inspecting the demolition of illegal struc-

tures at Iwo Road, ongoing construction of Bodija Secretariat Bridge, Mokola flyover and other projects in the state capital. He said: “We have already spoken to them. We are moving them to a new location where they will no longer constitute an eyesore.” The governor stressed the need for the state to wear a new look through regular environmental

sanitation and improvement on the aesthetics of major towns and cities across the state. “The message here is that Oyo State must change. We want a clean state. Everybody had been saying that Oyo State is one of the dirtiest states in Nigeria. We want to stop that. We, therefore, want the cooperation of our people. “Although there is noth-

ing you do that people will not criticise you, for us, we must be courageous enough to make a difference. But I want to assure you that it will have a human face. In having a human face, we decided, even though they were illegally staying there, to move them to a new location. We are happy with what we are doing regardless of what critics will say. We are very happy,” he said.

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South West

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Japan to establish automobile plant in Ogun FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

ndication emerged yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, that the Japanese government may establish an automobile assembly plant in the state. The indication was part of the fallout of the meeting held between the state government and the delegation from Japan, which

was led by the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Rt. Honourable Rywichi, to Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s office yesterday in Abeokuta. A statement by the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to Governor Amosun on Media and Communications, Funmi Wakama, quoted the Japanese Ambassador as acknowledging Ogun as a pioneer in all fields of human devel-

opment, which also paraded the best brains that could be used to achieve the desired result in the proposed plant. The Ambassador said that geographically, Ogun State remained the center of industry because of its rich land mass and closeness to Lagos and other West African countries. Stressing that the visit to the state would afford his team the opportu-

nity to share first-hand information on areas of cooperation, Rywichi expressed optimism that the cooperation between Japan and the state would bring the desired result. Welcoming the team, Governor Amosun said the state would continue to promote cooperation with Japan for the establishment of the plant and industrial park. Amosun also reiter-

ated his administration’s readiness to collaborate with Japan in the areas of human capacity development, industrialisation, energy and long-term financing. The governor, who described Japan’s technological advancements as good example of the dexterity of a nation without oil, urged the Asian country to invest in Ogun, stressing that the state was the hub

PFN advises FG on insurgency

Brazilian warship, Nigerian Navy hold joint training

n executive member of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Joseph Ojo, has urged the Presidency to find a lasting solution to the insurgency in the northern part of the country. Bishop Ojo, who addressed Christians in a two-day seminar packaged by the Institute of Accredited Christian Theology in Okokomaiko area of Lagos State, advised President Goodluck Jonathan to exploit the possibility of ending the prevailing menace through the ongoing peace dialogue with the insurgents. He said: “This is achievable if the Presidency explores all the necessary avenues to make the dialogue result-oriented. There is no amount of efforts or sacrifice that is too much to put into this project. We don’t want palliative measures.” The former PFN Secretary General also dwelt on the role of the clergy in nation-building as he told the gathering to exploit the prospects of prayers, supplications and thanksgiving to advance the cause of the nationbuilding. The cleric identified two cabals working against true the nationbuilding, saying: “There are two cabals in electricity and petroleum industries troubling our fledgling democracy and genuine nation-building interventions. The entire nation should therefore rise against these cabals.” Bishop Ojo, however, called on Christians across the country to be law-abiding and show good examples to non-believers around them.

of gas, human resources, land and other potentials for industrialisation. Recalling that Japan and the state once engaged in human capacity exchange, the governor requested the Japanese government to take advantage of the enabling environment created by his administration to further bring in more multi-national companies to invest in the state.

SEGUN ADIO

L-R: Oncologist and member, United States National Cancer Advisory Board, Prof. Funmi Olopade; Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka and Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi, during a visit to the deputy governor in AdoEkiti, at the weekend.

Motorcyclists sue Lagos over Road Traffic Laws K AYODE KETEFE

he controversy surrounding the new Lagos State Road Traffic Law took another turn yesterday as commercial motorcyclists sued the state government. In the suit brought on behalf of the motorcyclists by the Incorporated Trustees of All Nigerian Autobike Commercial Owners and Workers Association, they are asking for a declaration, among others, that the law is unconstitutional. The suit, filed yesterday by the lawyer to the association, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, was brought against Lagos State Government, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the state House of Assembly. The association’s prayers comprised eight declarations and two orders. Essentially, the association wants the court to stop the Lagos State Government from enforcing the law against its members on the grounds that

most of the roads from which they are banned are owned by the Federal Government over which Lagos lawmakers should have no control. The claimant is also contesting the law on the grounds that it is discriminatory against its members as it purports to take away their means of livelihood. The two orders being sought are: “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, agents, servants, officers, and or privies by whomsoever and howsoever from prohibiting the claimants

and members of their associations from riding, driving and or propelling of a cart, wheel barrow, motorcycle or tricycle on the major highways in Lagos listed in items 1-11 and other parts of Schedule II thereto which major highways are Federal Trunk or Highway Roads within the meaning of the Federal Highways Act, cap F13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and from molesting, harassing, arresting, seizing their motorcycles or vehicles and in any other way subjecting them to any treatment, disadvantage or disfavor not suffered by any other

road users, and; an order directing the defendants to release forthwith all motorcycles belonging to the claimant and its members seized by and in the custody of the defendants and their agents and or officers.” Some of the declarations being sought are: “A declaration that the Major Highways in Lagos listed in Items 1-11 and other part of Schedule II to the Lagos State Road Traffic Law, No 4 of 2012 are Federal Trunk or Highway Roads within the meaning of the Federal Highways Act, cap F13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

arely two weeks after a United States naval warship left the shores of Nigeria, a Brazilian Navy offshore Patrol Vessel “AMAZONS” P120 is due in the country today on port call. The company of the ship will also hold joint naval exercises with their Nigerian counterparts during her stay in the country. A US Navy Ship HSV 2 SWIFT recently had a week-long joint training exercise with their Nigerian Navy counterparts off Lagos waters. During the exercise, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) ZARIA and a SHALDAG boat of the Nigerian Navy will join her at the seas and conduct for the joint maritime exercise. In a statement made available to National Mirror by the Information Officer, Western Naval Command, Lt. Commander Jerry Omodara, the frequent visits of foreign warship into Nigeria is a normal among world navies. Omodara claimed that the Brazilian warship would also conduct anti-piracy training demonstration for selected Nigerian Navy personnel on board the ship.

David Sunmoni appointed Lagos AG MURITALA AYINLA

agos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has approved the appointment of Mr. David Olabanji Adewale Sunmoni as the new Accountant -General of the state. The appointment of Mr. Sunmoni, who hails

from Ikorodu area of the state, takes effect from August 31, 2012 when the appointment of the former Accountant-General, Mr. Akin Ambode, lapsed. Mr. Sunmoni, born on January 16, 1959, served as the State Auditor -General from 2010 till his new appointment. A Master Degree holder in Business Administra-

tion (MBA) from the Lagos State University, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA) as well as an Associate of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). Among the institutions he attended are London School of Accountancy,

United Kingdom; Methodist High School, Lagos and with different organisations such as A.G. Leventis Nigeria Plc, Pfizer Products Plc, Beta Glass Plc and Livestock Feeds Plc in different capacities. Mr. Sunmoni has attended several professional courses and training programmes both locally and internationally.

South East

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

MASSOB petitions Presidency, wants convicted members released NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

he Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday said it is waiting for a directive from the presidency towards the release of six of its members, who were jailed by an Asaba chief magistrate’s court, four months ago. The Asaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in Delta

State, presided over by Mr. S. C. Ehikwe, had on May 8, this year, found the accused persons guilty of treason and waging war against the state and consequently sentenced them to six months imprisonment each. In reaction to the jail term, the MASSOB leadership wrote a petition to the presidency, asking it to order the release of their members, because according to them, the court ruling was based on

sentiments. In the petition dated August 2, and jointly signed by MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Uchenna Madu and the Regional Administrator for Idemili South, Chief Innocent Odonwankwo, MASSOB contended that all efforts to appeal against the ruling have been frustrated by officials of the Delta State judiciary. MASSOB also contended that their decision

to write the petition was informed by the fact that the health conditions of their members, including Ifeanyi Igbozuruike, Francis Onuigbo, Chidi Okafor, Sabastine Nwoye, Emmanuel Nwafor and Sunday Okoro, have deteriorated so much that if they are not released, they could lose their lives while in prison. Besides, the petitioners said the type of torture, hard labour and psychological trauma the convicts

are subjected to is more rigorous than those serving a four-year jail term. They said they were convinced that the presidency, led by President Goodluck Jonathan, would come to their rescue by ordering the release of the convicts, based on the fact the he is a man who loves justice and the rule of law. In a press statement issued yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra State, and also jointly signed by Madu and Odonwankwo,

Court dismisses LG chairmen’s case for tenure elongation

Awka NBA crisis deepens as chairman sues 7 members CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

high court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital, yesterday struck out the prayer brought before it by the 27 local government chairmen in the state asking for tenure elongation. The elected chairmen were sacked by the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, on assumption of office but the chairmen proceeded to the Appeal Court after the lower court had ruled against them. They were subsequently reinstated by the appellant court after ruling that the governor has no constitutional right to sack an elected local government administration. However, the chairmen proceeded to court again after their tenure had expired on August 8, 2012 to seek for elongation of their tenure having lost one year to Governor Okorocha’s Transition Committee Chairmen. But the state government filed a counter claim, saying that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. Delivering judgment yesterday, Justice Ngozi Opara, ruled after assuming jurisdiction to entertain the case, that the court has no jurisdiction to extend the tenure of the local government administration in the state. He said since the local government chairmen had instituted a similar case in Abuja, the court in Owerri would be sitting at cross-purposes if it went ahead to hear the case.

MASSOB said they heard from the grape vine that their petition is currently receiving attention at the presidency, adding that there is every indication that their convicted members would soon regain their freedom.

L-R: Abia State Deputy Governor, Sir Emeka Ananaba; GovernorTheodore Orji; his wife, Mercy and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Cosmos Ndukwe, during the governor’s arrival from his annual vacation at the Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri, recently.

Rights group flays wastage of $500bn on political office holders CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

uman rights and good governance watch group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Inter Society, has deplored the alleged wastage of about $500bn on 17,500 public officers in Nigeria. The group said wastage of public funds which has become a habitual practice in Nigeria were committed mainly through stealing. Inter Society made this disclosure in a statement titled, “How Nigeria’s trillions and $44bn public debts are pocketed by her top leaders,” copy of which was made available to National Mirror. In the said statement which was signed by Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman, Board of Trustees, the group listed the public officers who took

part in wasting $500bn public funds to include, 3, 096 chairmen and 8, 692 councillors of the 774 local governments; 1,152 House of Assembly members, 469 House of Representatives and Senate members, 72 elected governors and two elected Federal Executives. The group stated that the matter is made worse by the fact that Nigeria has approximately 24,165 inferior and unconstitutional public aides who were recruited as special assistants and special advisers by the 17,500 top elected and appointed public officials whose salaries are covered by the Salaries and Allowances Amended Act. Inter Society also deplored the after-effect of the practice which it contends has made the country to accumulate huge debt profile of about $44bn arising from the implementa-

tion of deficit budgets over the years by state governments and the Federal Government. It regretted that as at July 2012, the excess crude oil balance and foreign reserve accounts

have been reduced to $6.9bn and $36.93bn respectively, adding that the last time Nigeria had a budget surplus was in 1997 when the defunct Abacha’s regime recorded a budget surplus of about N37bn.

he crisis bedevilling the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Awka branch, deepened yesterday as the embattled Chairman of the branch, Chief S.U.S. Mbanaso, sued seven branch members for plotting to remove him from office. The seven members, who were sued by Chief Mbanaso as the applicant are; J.C. Ajekwe; J.I. Igu; Uba Anene and Chuks C Onubogu. Others are Ifeanyi Obiora, Daniel U. Nwafor and Chief Emma Odum, as respondents. In the suit, which was brought pursuant to Order 11, Rule 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, Sections 36, 39 (1) and 46 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as amended and Articles 2, 3, 5 and 9 of the African Charter On Human and Peoples Rights, Chief Mbanaso is seeking for the court’s declaration that the respondents have no power under the constitution of the NBA Awka branch or the National, to summon any meeting directly for his removal as chairman for whatsoever purpose.

Orji plans LG poll for January 2013 GEORGE OPARA ABIA

bia State Governor, Theodore Orji, has announced plans by the state to conduct local government election next year. To this end, the governor is putting in place necessary logistics toward the conduct of the election in all the 17 council areas of the state come January, 2013. Governor Orji’s announcement came amidst concern by the National Assembly for states across the nation to conduct election

into the local government councils rather than running the third-tier of government by appointment of political party cronies as transition committee chairmen. Orji made this disclosure yesterday in Umuahia, the state capital, at a media briefing, a day after he came back from America on vacation. The state government under Governor Orji has been running the council areas by appointment for over four years. Explaining why election into council areas have not been held, Orji said his administra-

tion inherited a huge financial burden of N29bn from his predecessor and N2.9bn as salary arrears from some local government areas. The governor accused the council areas of financial recklessness in the past but said that his administration has been able to clear the Augean stable through prudent management of scarce resources. His words: “Currently, the state has commenced discussions with the leadership of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Retired Justice Igbozuruike Akomas on this issue.”

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South South

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Ogoni people ask for Bori State, deny secession story ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

lders of Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State yesterday stormed the Presidential Villa in Abuja demanding for the creation of Bori State while also pledging support for the unity of the country and denying any move for secession. The Ogoni delegation led by Senator Magnus Abbe (PDP Rivers South) and the paramount ruler of Ogoniland, His Royal Highness, Godwin Gininwa, during a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan also asked the Federal Government and oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) for compensation as a result of the irreversible degradation of its environment over the years. According to Abbe, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, the level of hydrocarbon pollution in the

area has tragically affected the health of the people and made every Ogoni person a potential cancer patient, stressing that the pollution has affected terrestrial and aquatic live while soil and farmlands suffered inestimable damage. He also stated that the $1bn recommended by

YENAGOA

ayelsa State chapter of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) yesterday faulted the manner in which operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) burn stolen crude, ceased vessels and illegal refineries in parts of the Niger Delta. The body observed with dismay that the process pollutes the already degraded environment and impacts negatively on human health and livelihood. The newly elected state Chairman of the CLO, Chief Nengi James, disclosed this to journalists in Yenagoa, shortly after the inauguration of the eight-man executive. He urged the JTF to emulate the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Customs, in dealing with seized goods. While expressing concern over the rate of criminality along the creeks of the region, James urged the JTF to intensify efforts at securing the waterways before the porous security situation in the area gets out hand. The rights crusader enjoined the Federal Government to review its recent pol-

ed the call for devolution of power to local entities to reflect true federalism upon which the Nigerian nationhood is anchored, we wish to assure you, Mr. President and indeed, the Nigerian people, that Ogoni remains committed to the unity of the Nigerian state and that we are with

Nigeria, which is contrary to recent media report on Ogoni.” He also said that the people are asking for the economic and social integration of the Ogoni people through special development initiatives as recommended by the United Nations Secretary General’s

L-R: Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa Jnr; President, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Giniwa and Deputy President, King Barnabas Bagia, during a meeting in the presidency in Abuja, yesterday.

CLO faults burning of stolen crude, vessels by JTF EMMA GBEMUDU

the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) for the clean-up of Ogoni be spent on the community alone and should not include any area outside the community. While pledging support for the unity of the country, Abbe said; “Even though Ogoni has always support-

icy on the proposed N5, 000 note, stressing that the new bill would cause inflation in the country. His words: “The gradual and unacceptable return of police road blocks in parts of Yenagoa and its environs as against the instruction of the Inspector-General of Police. The CLO recognises the need for special cases where such road blocks may be very needful to arrest suspected criminals. “The police authorities in the state should take steps to check the illegal activities of their officers and men. CLO is calling on the state government to effectively monitor the actions of operatives of the new security outfit, ‘Operation Doo Akpo’. “Information reaching us indicates that already some killings and human rights violation have been committed by the security outfit.” James said the fundamental human rights of the citizens of the state should be protected, just as he requested the Auditor-General of the state to publish the audited accounts of the state government to ensure transparency and accountability, a process championed by the Governor Seriake Dickson.

Leadership crises rock Edo NUJ, NMA

fact-finding mission to Nigeria in 1990. While commending the Federal Government for inviting UNEP to do a groundbreaking scientific study of the Ogoni environment, Abbe said the people of Ogoni are concerned that despite the fact that the report was submitted on August 12, 2011, it took the Federal Government a whole year to respond to the report in spite of its urgency. He, however, said that contrary to UNEP’s recommendation that Ogoni Environment Restoration Agency be set up in Ogoni community, the Federal Government has decided to establish a programme that is wider in scope to cover other areas experiencing hydrocarbon pollution. Abbe said Ogoni people are of the hope that this broad jurisdiction would not undermine the implementation of the UNEP report. of the NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, an indigene of Edo State and a former chairman of the state NMA. However, it was reliably learnt that the national leadership of the two umbrella bodies are making frantic efforts to resolve the crises that are being interpreted as embarrassment to their respective professions. In the case of the NUJ, National Mirror reliably gathered yesterday that the national leadership of the body has dissolved the state executive council, replacing it with an interim caretaker committee, which will be in place for three months until a free, fair and credible election is conducted.

do State chapters of two national unions, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) are currently enmeshed in leadership crises that are threatening to consume the two unions. The Edo State council of the NUJ has been embroiled in succession battle for weeks after a crack in the union resulted in the splitting up of the leadership and members into three different camps of two opposi-

tion groups and a neutral one. The crisis resulted from the attempt by each of the two opposing camps to push for the disqualification of the candidates from each of the two camps contesting the election. In a related development, the Edo State chapter of the NMA has been divided into two opposing camps since last month’s election that produced some state officers from one of the two groups, which was rejected by the other group. The rejection and petition that resulted from the disagreement eventually led

EMMA GBEMUDU

28-year-old graduate beaten to death

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

YENAGOA

nknown assailants in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, have beaten to death a graduate of the state College of Arts and Science, Mr. Arthur Kpe and dumped his corpse along Alaimieyeseigha Road in Opolo axis of the state capital. Until his death, Kpe lived along Punch Road at Amarata community, Yenagoa. His death has generated panic and confusion among his family members. Investigation by National Mirror revealed that Kpe’s body, a native of Otuan, Southern Ijaw Local Govern-

ment of the state, was discovered by a patrol team of the state security outfit, ‘Operation Doo Akpo’, on Sunday as they recovered his mobile phone and an unspecified amount of money in his pocket. Our correspondent was reliably informed that Kpe left home last Saturday at about 5.00 pm to purchase a pump valve, but was not seen until his corpse was discovered on Sunday morning by the police. The deceased used to be in charge of a water selling business owned by his uncle. It was learnt that a gang of criminals may have ab-

to the organisation of another election that produced a new set of state executives that all belonged to the other group. Each of the two warring groups of the state NUJ are being led respectively by the immediate past state Chairman, Mr. Friday Obanor of Observer Newspapers and his approved opponent for the election, Mr. Desmond Agbama of the Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS). On the other hand, the two warring groups of the NMA are being led by the immediate past state Chairman, Dr. Phillip Ugbodaga and the National President

ducted Kpe before his death as his family members alleged that his mobile phone call logs were deleted by his killers. Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, a brother to the deceased, Mr. Asiere Amababe, said all efforts to reach Kpe on Saturday on his cell phone failed, as he was not picking his calls. “A call put through by a neighbor known as Stephen at about 7.00 am on Sunday was picked by a male voice and we later discovered that he was a policeman,” Amabebe said.

Amabebe said he was asked to come to the Federal Medical Centre’s mortuary in Yenagoa to identify his corpse. His words: “When I got to the place, I saw the corpse of my brother with a blood soaked singlet and a fatally bruised body. His trousers were pulled down midway and cotton wool was used to block his mouth and nose.” When contacted, the state Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Mr. Fidelis Odunna, confirmed the incident and promised to get back to our correspondent later with the details.

North

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lightening kills two brothers in Benue

•Two die in Katsina flood HENRY IYORKASE AND JAMES DANJUMA

any people wept at the weekend at Tse Agberagba, the headquarters of Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, where no fewer than two persons were allegedly struck dead by thunder after a heavy rainstorm. Three of their brothers

were also injured by the thunder. A source at the local government headquarter, who did not want his name mentioned, said that the victims, who were in their early twenties were watching a local football match at LGEA Primary School, Iorkyiir, at about 5pm when the incident occurred. He gave the names of the deceased as Aondo-

hemba Torto and Aondongu Torto - all students of College of Education, Katsina-Ala. The source said the duo died immediately the thunder struck them. The injured three others - Sonter , Ortiv Torto and Joseph Yarkwan were assisted by good Samaritans and taken to a nearby hospital . In emotion-laden voice, the father of the victims, Mr. Angwe Torto, told National Mirror

in a telephone conversation that he was shocked over the incident. In a related development, flood has swept through five villages in Mani Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing two people and washing away property worth several thousand of naira. Eyewitnesses said the flood affected Randawa, Tabkin, Kunu, Maiki and Tafarki villages. Many houses, domestic ani-

mals and food crops were also destroyed by the flood. The death of the two people brings to eight the number of persons that have lost their lives to flood across the state. One of the witnesses, Musa Malik, said the flood, which followed down pour that lasted hours, washed away numerous mud houses and rendered scores of families homeless. Meanwhile, the gov-

ernment has promised to provide relief materials for the flood victims. Chairman of the state emergency response committee, Ibrahim Aminu Safana, told the victims that the government was making necessary arrangements to assist them. Safana, who is also the Commissioner of the Environment, sympathised with the families of those who lost their members to the flood.

Sharp practices mar Kano scholarship scheme harp practices have allegedly marred the Kano State scholarship scheme. No fewer than 200 names of unqualified persons were discovered to have been allegedly smuggled into the list of the 501 applicants granted scholarship to study abroad. Sharp practices have allegedly been uncovered in the scholarship award to 501 First Class and Second Class Upper students by the Kano State Government to study abroad for their Masters programmes. With this discovery, it was learnt Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was said have constituted a committee headed by the state Commissioner for Special Du-

ties, Alhaji Idris Bello Dambazau, to investigate the issue and ensure strict compliance with the stipulated conditions. The committee, it was learnt, at the end of the screening discovered that 200 of the 501 awardees did not fulfill the requirement of possessing a First Class or Second Class Upper as some of them were discovered to have made Second Class Lower. The committee has, accordingly, expunged the names of unqualified people allegedly smuggled into the list. It was further learnt from a reliable source that most of the names of those allegedly smuggled into the list were traced to influential families, particularly those with links to the traditional institution.

introduce N5, 000 note and country like Japan has N10, 000 note. We want to ensure that we have achieved on optimal currency structure that will cost effectiveness. All the good citizens of Nigeria should know that the new currency of N50, N100, N200, N500 and N100 notes will come with se-

curity features.” Barau, however, said Nigerians should understand that CBN with would restructure the country’s economy with the new currency. “There are so many reasons for changing the currency, Nigerian currencies were reviewed long time ago,” he added.

AUGUSTINE MADU WEST KANO

Bauchi State Head of Service, Mr. Abdon Gin (left) and Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Alhaji Hashimu Dori, during a news conference of joint public service negotiation council on the N18,000 minimum wage held in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

JTF raids residence of key suspected terrorist

•Recovers three AK47 riffles, others INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

he Joint Task Force has raided the residence of a wanted key member of a terrorist group in Bulunkutu- Lawanti area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. In a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Maiduguri by the JTF spokesman, Lt-Col. Sagir Musa, the operation was carried out at about 5:30am yesterday. The statement claimed that three AK 47 riffles, 62 mm special ammunition and 39 primed Improvised Explosive devices (IEDs) cans were recovered from the suspected terrorist’s

residence. Also recovered, according to the JTF statement, are empty magazines, one HP laptop containing details on preparation of IEDs and chemical weapons. Others are notebook register containing names of other suspected terrorists indicating those already dead, 54 GSM Sim card, 40 IED remote control gadgets, 20 electrical switches, 50 Qlink motorcycle battery chargers, 20 torchlight batteries and one RPG bomb fuse. Sagir, however, thanked members of the public for giving the information that contributed to the successes of the operation.

CBN insists on N5, 000 note A ZA M SUE KADUNA

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday insisted that the proposed restructuring would upgrade the design of the nation’s currency and enhance its integrity.

CBN Deputy Governor in charge of Operations, Alhaji Suleiman Barau, told journalists in Kaduna that each country in the world usually changes its currency notes after five or eight years. He said: “Nigeria is not the first country to

Borno declares holiday over death of Head of Service INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

overnment offices in Maiduguri were yesterday put under lock and key as a result of the workfree day declared by the Borno State Government. The government took

the decision following the death of the state’s Head of Service, Alhaji Abba Aghigar. Aghigar, 59, died at the early hours of yesterday at his GRA residence in Maiduguri. Though no official information on the cause of his death was made available, a source, who

did not want his name mentioned, said Aghigar died of heart attack. Hours after his death, the Office of the Chief of Staff to the Government issued a statement declaring yesterday as a work-free. Aghigar’s body was buried yesterday afternoon at the Gwange

cemetery in Maiduguri according to Islamic rite. Governor Kashim Shettima, who just arrived in Maiduguri yesterday after spending two weeks in Germany, led hundreds of public officials to perform the Jannasah prayer for the late Head of Service.

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Politics

SUPER TUESDAY

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

M Marginalisation of Yoruba could h have been avoided – Babatope

Otedola/Lawan saga: A security perspective

14&15 Last Friday marked the 14th anniversary of the formation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The party said it would only mark the day with a sober reflection in tune with the mood of the nation. Assistant Editor, OBIORA IFOH, takes a trip down the memory lane, chronicling the modest achievements of the party and where it has faltered.

TOP STORY

Ali

In the beginning In the midnight of January 20, 1998 at the Kaduna residence of Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, seven men of like minds came together to ponder on the political situation of Nigeria. This was because of the increasing grip of the political space by the military junta led by the late General Sani Abacha who was on the verge of transmuting to a civilian president through every other means. In spite of the threat by the State Security Services (SSS), this group of seven men, G7, met and resolved that dictatorship of any kind should not be given a chance in Nigeria again. These men included Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Abubakar Iro Dan Musa, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Prof. Musa Yakubu, Alhaji Ali Baba, Mr. Wilberforce Juta and Rimi. Because of security reasons, the venue for the second meeting was changed to the residence of Ciroma and about 18 people attended the meeting where it was resolved that a letter be written to General Abacha of their opposition of him metamorphosing into a civilian leader. Nobody dared to take that letter to Abacha for obvious reasons. But on February 18, 1998, the letter was delivered to the General by Chief Solomon Lar. That same day, the General ordered the arrest of some of the chieftains of the group, including Rimi and the present governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido where they spent over 100 days in detention. The third meeting saw the growth of the political class and involvement of leaders from other geographical zones to what is today known as Group of 34. The leadership fell on the shoulders of former Vice President Alex Ekwueme. Ekwueme’s emergence gave the struggle the needed bite and the military which was already coasting to victory (particularly as the five existing political parties then had adopted Abacha) found this group a major threat to its ambition. So the die was cast at that point. But by divine arrangement, Abacha suddenly passed on early in June 1998 and General Abdulsalami Abubakar stepped in and promised to restore democracy. The liberalisation of the democratic space accelerated the velocity of the return to democratic order. However, the first major step towards

Ogbulafor

Ekwueme Tukur

Lar

PDP trudges on @ 14 the crystallisation of the G.34 into a political party started on July 28, 1998 when the group met and decided to form a broadbased, all-inclusive national party. Some of the groups present at that historic meeting were the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), All Nigerians Congress, Peoples National Front and Peoples Consultative Forum. On August 13, a memorandum of understanding to form a political party was signed with Ekwueme as head. A week later, the five associations joined in setting up a steering committee and Ekwueme was retained as the chairman while Prof. Jerry Gana was named as the Secretary. Other 125 associations joined and endorsed the formation of the political party in the famous Abuja Declaration. The party was finally launched on August 31, 1998 at a colourful ceremony at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Lar became the National Chairman while Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo emerged as the National Secretary. Ekwueme was rewarded as the chairman of the Board of Trustees. Lar’s tenure came to an end at the December 1999 National Convention, where Engr. Barnabas Gemade emerged National Chairman against Chief Sunday Awoniyi in a keenly contested election. Nwodo was re-elected National Secretary. The duo did not complete their tenure as they were replaced at the mid-term Convention of November 2001 by Chief Audu Ogbeh and Prince Vincent Ogbulafor as National Chairman and Secretary respectively.

They were also replaced by Dr. Ahmadu Ali and Chief Ojo Maduekwe in 2005. Ogbulafor returned as the National Chairman on March 8, 2008 with Abubakar Kawu Baraje as National Secretary. Ogbulafor was also replaced by Nwodo as the National Chairman who himself was replaced by Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed in 2010. On his appointment as a Minister of Defence, Mohammed was replaced by Baraje who eventually bowed out in the last convention on March 8, that elected Dr. Bamanga Tukur the incumbent National Chairman.

PDP blows own trumpet Addressing a world press conference at its National Headquarters, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa

THE

PDP IS THE

ONLY TRULY NATIONAL POLITICAL PARTY IN

NIGERIA. IT IS

THE ONLY POLITICAL PARTY NOT OWNED BY ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OR ASSOCIATED WITH ANY TRIBAL OR RELIGIOUS GROUP

Metuh declared that though it has not been beds of roses, the party has made modest achievement. According to him, the visions of the founding fathers of the party, the critical elements of its manifesto which centred on re-building Nigeria into a pride in the comity of nations, its untrammelled credibility as a truly national political party that has been providing a platform for all Nigerians to realise their political aspirations irrespective of religious, ethnic or cultural affiliations differentiate the PDP from its contemporaries, in deed, any other political party in the history of Nigeria. Metuh said: “This unique character of our party has been the major reason for its preference by Nigerians who have continued to renew our mandate as seen in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. After 14 years of the formation of the PDP and 13 years in leadership of our dear nation, we are happy to express our deep satisfaction at the roles we have so far played in the course of the development of Nigeria. Nigeria has moved from a pariah nation which it once was, to an influential global player since the inception of the PDP government. Our status as a regional, continental and global power has been enhanced. “Part of the cardinal visions of our founding fathers was to form a large, all encompassing political party, with shoulders broad and strong enough to nurture and bequeath democracy to posterity; the PDP CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

Politics

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Marginalisation of Yoruba could Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a former Minister of Transport, is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this encounter with SINA FADARE, he explains that opposition political parties are paper tigers which cannot match the political sagacity of the party in the 2015 elections. Excerpts:

You have been in politics in the last four decades, how would you compare the past with the present? It may not be fair to compare the modern day politicians with their counterparts in the first and second republics of Nigeria. In the past, we had leaders that inspired not only their members but the entire country. Let me start from the First Republic, Dr. Nnamidi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and Aminu Kano, all of them inspired their supporters. They are fanatical about their leadership, because their leadership was not only found to be discipline, but extremely patriotic. That was why these leaders were able to fight for Nigeria’s independence in 1960. When you come to the Second Republic, Papa Awolowo was the leader of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and he led a disciplined life with a spartan courage and all those who were in the party were inspired by the leadership of the late sage. This is ditto to Aminu Kano of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). But this day, you don’t find such father figures in the political parties. All what we had in the past are missing in the present day party politics. Secondly, the military ran away in a hurry, they are not interested that the political parties that took over in 1979 are ideologically based. That is the bane of our parties today. Since 1999, the parties have been trying to have a political culture and kudos should be given to the military for staying in the barracks. Democracy is the best form of government known to man that can guarantee good governance.

But in terms of security, it seems the party has lost the grip of the country? I don’t believe that. Yes, there are security challenges, but that does not mean that we have lost the grip. No, the party is on top of the situation. We are in the process of ensuring that democracy grows in a way that it would suit Nigerian people. The PDP has problems, no doubt, other parties have greater problems. The PDP is always apprehensive of crisis and always making preparation that will address the situation and make sure that the problems are solved. The PDP has not got anything to be ashamed of on all that is happening, but doing all that is humanly possible to arrest the situation and make sure that democracy survives. Nigeria is a complex country, but lucky in the sense that the people are politically volatile. That political nature will not allow a dictator to emerge. That is why I am saying that let us see what will happen to Nigeria if all the opposition merge and con-

Babatope

How would you assess PDP in this context since 1999? The PDP has done fairly well, even though there is still much more to be done. If you are accusing PDP of nonperformance, you have to accuse other political parties too. The PDP is conscious that as a party, the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct and ensures that democracy survive in the country. That is why the party has taken a giant stride in planning ahead. If all the opposition can come together to face PDP, in the next election, it will be good for democracy and the people of Nigeria will decide who they want. This will give room for robust party politics. But they cannot do so because they are paper tigers. They cannot get the type of spirit and principle that can actually form the kind of nexus that can unseat PDP. As a party, we are waiting to see how far they can go. We are going to map out strategy that will defeat them hands down.

TUESDAY INTERVIEW

I HAVE COMPLETE FAITH IN THE INTEREST OF THE

PRESIDENT IN ENSURING THAT THE YORUBA ARE GIVEN THEIR FAIR SHARE IN THE NATIONAL SCHEME OF THINGS...

THIS

SITUATION WILL BE SURELY CORRECTED front us in the political battle where Nigerians would pick the best. That is the time we will show them that we actually meant well for the country. I know they cannot find it easy to form a common front against us, that cohesion and articulation will not be there. Politics cannot be run like a race; there are one or two things which I know they cannot put in place that will make their merger survive. We in the PDP appreciate that we have problems and we are working around the clock to resolve them and I am sure we are going to succeed.

Let me give you an insight to one of the problems confronting the party as of now, that is internal democracy, while we are concerned about this, other political parties are not. In fact, they have worst the problems. We are trying to make sure that internal democracy germinate in the party, because what happened during our last convention in Abuja demonstrated that our internal democracy was faulty. The party has taken a giant step and will make sure that such will not happen again. Some prominent Nigerians have called for a round table conference to discuss the nation’s problems, but the PDP has rejected this approach. What is your take on this? The PDP has not issued a statement to say this is our position on the issue of round table conference. But don’t forget that there are mistakes being made by those clamouring for this conference. Some of them are saying sovereign national conference, this is laughable. We can have conferences upon conferences, democracy is about dialoguing and talking continues until a resolution is achieved. What the party opposes clearly is the issue of sovereign. We have a National Assembly in place, they are the representatives of the people, and therefore the word sovereign is the crux of the matter. To be frank with you, all over the world, countries that have sovereign conference are those who are at the verge of collapse, but here in Nigeria, we have been having elections since 1999, no matter the mistakes we have been making in these elections, we will continue to improve on them. The power of sovereign has been given to all the constituted authorities; therefore we cannot have any duplica-

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Politics

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

have been avoided – Babatope wherever we find ourselves, we should keep the family together. If you say a man is a fake Awoist, you have to concede to the man because he must have had some traces of Awo’s philosophy. The basic truth is that our method and approach to issues are and will continue to be different. For instance, I cannot say those who are in ACN are pretentious Awoist, but the question is why should they allow an individual within them to denigrate Mama Awolowo, the wife of your leader in the newspaper? All the same I cannot say because of this, I call them fake Awoist. At times, all of us that are the disciples of Awo cannot agree on a matter or view issues from the same angle. I am a PDP man, but a committed and loyalist to Awo’s principles and ideas. All those who are using the word fake as regards Awo’s followers are making a mistake.

tion. There is no right thinking person who will say, no, we cannot sit down and talk; PDP is not opposed to that. I can tell you authoritatively that President Goodluck Jonathan is not opposing that. I am a member of the Justice Begore Committee on the Review of the Constitution, one of the terms of what to do was that if a we have the time, we could invite some ethnic nationalities to come and talk to us. The president once said that if a conference is needed that we should call for it, but Nigerians should not commit the mistake of sovereign, it will not bring any good tiding. I was lucky to have covered the Benin Republic sovereign national conference in 1970; I covered it for Nigerian Tribune, at that time, Benin Republic was faced with imminent collapse as a nation. It was that conference that gingered them up and they moved on as a nation. Boko Haram or no Boko Haram; Nigeria is not on the verge of collapse. Whether we like it or not, a society must experience conflict. Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, once said that society must be in permanent state of conflict. So, Boko Haram is one of the conflicts we are contending with that does not mean that Nigeria as a nation has failed. Apparently, there is nobody in the PDP who will kick against the conference. But all of us are saying emphatic no to sovereign. Those clamouring for a dialogue have argued that the National Assembly cannot conduct the needed conference, what do you have to say on this? If President Jonathan put up a conference, all the ethnic nationalities will go there to make their submission. After all the deliberations, the president will forward their recommendations to the National Assembly for approval, whether we like it or not, they are going to take part. All the articulations will then be promulgated to law by the National Assembly. How far do you think Alhaji Bamanga Tukur can go in his reconciliation of all the warring factions in PDP? Definitely, he will succeed. Now in the South-West we have gone silent and embarked on reconciliation and ready to heal old wounds, so that we can emerge stronger. We are working hard to get unity among us; we know if we did not get it, we will still be disgraced in election. If the chairman tours all the states that have one crisis or the other, it will be a sort of healing balm to rub on old wound and we are going back to the drawing board to start all afresh. His visit will end all rancour. I can assure you that such a visit will savage the party. It has happened in the past. In 2005, the PDP sent many delegations to the zones to go and make peace. I went in one of the delegation headed by Bode George; we covered the North-West. We were in Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states. If the chairman wants to reactivate what happened at that time, it is going to succeed. The step will be a right decision towards preparation for 2015. How do you see the involvement of Tukur’s son in the subsidy scam? Honestly, how can you equate the activities of a child with that of his father? A 25-year-old man is an adult who is liable to any sin or crime committed by him. It has nothing to do with his parents. What do you expect the fathers of those accused to do? They are separated from their children and if they are found guilty of violating the law of the land, they will be punished within the law as an adult. Tukur has issued a statement that he cannot tell his son who is an adult where to go or not. Critics are saying that the influence of their fathers could truncate the cause of justice? Why would they reason along that line? They have been charged to court, let’s wait and see what the judiciary will make out of the case. It is clear that the sin of the son cannot be visited on the father and vice- versa. What is your take on the ideal tenure of political office holders, be it single or two terms? I have always argued in support of single term tenure, particularly a six-year single term for the president or gov-

IF YOU SAY A MAN IS A FAKE AWOIST, YOU HAVE TO CONCEDE TO THE MAN BECAUSE HE MUST HAVE HAD SOME TRACES OF

PHILOSOPHY.

AWO’S

THE BASIC

TRUTH IS THAT OUR METHOD AND APPROACH TO ISSUES ARE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE DIFFERENT ernor. It will help us to stabilise our democracy. As a politician, I am not happy about what is in operation now. Immediately a governor is sworn-in, he starts the second day on how he will be re-elected. All those who are opposed to his re-election bid within and outside his party will also start planning, therefore it really affects stability and continuity. Since he or she knows that he has only a single term, he will be concentrated and do all he can do without wasting the nation’s resources on how he will come back. This will also reduce all the rancour and political disagreement within the presidential system of government we copied from America, which is very expensive. When we were about to have this system in operation, myself and some eminent Nigerians went round the country to canvass for a parliamentary system, unfortunately it did not sail through. A single term will not drain our resources as the second term syndrome is doing. A parliamentary system of a single term will bring a lot of sanity into our political operation. There is a renewed crisis among the leaders of Afenifere, such that Chief Bisi Akande referred to some as fake Awoist? In the first instance, all the political parties which Papa Awolowo founded were progressive political parties. But when Papa died, there were a lot of problems. We suddenly found ourselves in different political parties; you have those who are Awo’s loyalists in PDP, while others are in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). I still believe that

The Yoruba have been finding it difficult to speak with one voice, for how long will this continue? May God not let the situation arise whereby the Yoruba will be forced by circumstances to talk on behalf of their people and say different things. No matter the circumstances and in respect of which party we belong to, when it comes to our common goal and aspiration, definitely we are going to talk in one voice. Yes, there are a lot of organisations, but anytime the common interest is at stake, I can assure you that we are going to talk in the same voice. Nobody dare hold a contrary opinion on such issue because Yoruba people are politically sophisticated. The Alliance for Democracy (AD) fought itself to a standstill, when they went to election in 2003, the South-West people voted them out. Though they alleged that the election was rigged, don’t mind them; you cannot rig election in SouthWest and go away with it. So, when we in the PDP started our own fight to the extent that we threw courtesy to the wind, to the extent that the polity was heated up, they voted us out of power. It is a fact now in the PDP that if we want the people to trust us again, we got to be united. If we are not united, the Yoruba people will continue to vote us out. What is happening in Afenifere does not affect what will be the consequential effect of the Yoruba people if their political existence is threatened. PDP was routed out of South-West in the last election. Will the party still make a comeback? Why not? By the special grace of God, PDP will storm the South-West again. I don’t believe that the ACN has got the grip of the zone; they can only have a grip if we in the PDP did not have unity among us. The situation in Ogun State is very pathetic. We are trying. If you look at the states which we lost, you will realise that we paid dearly for lack of unity within our party. If you add up all the votes of those that worked against the interest of our party with what we scored, you will realise that we would have won in the South-West be it in Oyo, Ekiti or Ogun state. It was a pathetic story, but we have learnt our lesson in a big way and I can assure you that the next election will not be like that. What is your view on the marginalisation of Yoruba in the Goodluck Jonathan administration? The unfortunate situation facing Yoruba people today as regards not being represented in government started with the failure of Hon. Mulikat Adeola-Akande being elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. The position of Speaker which was zoned to the South-West by the PDP was taken away through a gang up of all political parties in the House of Representatives to support the ambition of Aminu Tambuwal for the same position. The President backed the South-West claim for Speakership and did everything positive in getting the position to the Yoruba people. I have complete faith in the interest of the President in ensuring that the Yoruba are given their fair share in the national scheme of things. If the unfortunate incident of Speakership affairs had not occurred in the National Assembly, the marginalisation of the Yoruba could have been avoided. This situation will be surely corrected.

Politics

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Rotimi ASO ROCK FILE

Jonathan, governors and state police

with

Rotimi FADEYI

Minister of Power bows to power pressure

e was the Minister of Power but he bowed out of power when the power was too much for him to handle. That was the case of Prof. Barth Nnaji, one of the eggheads in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, when he threw in the towel last week and resigned his ministerial position over conflict of interest. Nnaji admitted that there were powerful forces against him. He said: “I had to voluntarily resign to retain my integrity which has in recent days come under scurrilous attacks by powerful vested interests that were hell bent on besmirching the integrity and reputation that I painstakingly built over the years. “This resignation is also to ensure that there is no spill over of these attacks to the President who is working very hard to transform the nation.” Though the resignation only caught few people unawares, the sign that it was just a matter of time before Nnaji yields to power pressure to vacate his seat was all there. His resignation, though coming at a time when the nation has still not been able to achieve total reform in the power sector, particularly its privatisation process, government has assured that the development will not affect the process. His exit was as a result of the revelation that he has interest in some of the firms bidding for controlling interest in subsidiary companies of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, slated for privatisation. Nnaji had also been involved in a running battle with power sector workers over severance benefits and gratuity, which had threatened to derail the privatisation process. The former Minister of Power had also disclosed to the Council on Privatisation that O&M Solutions of Pakistan, members of one of the consortia bidding for the 776 megawatt Afam Power plant in Delta State, had worked for Geometric Power as a contractor. Nnaji is the founder of Geometric Power, which built a 22 megawatt plant in Abuja and is also constructing another integrated power plant in Aba, Abia State.

Presidential Villa’s visitors 1. President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic 2. Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson 3. Minister of Information, Labaran Maku 4. Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochepe 5. Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala 6. Minister of Justice, Muhammed bello Adoke (SAN) 7. Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke 8. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Muhammed. 9. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology, Dr. Ibrahim Dauda 10. Senator Florence Ita Giwa

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The council was informed that Geometric Power owns a minority stake in Eastern Electric Nigeria Limited, which had submitted technical and financial bids for Enugu Distribution Company Limited. Nnaji had also maintained that he had resigned his appointment in Geometric Power, transferred his shares to a blind trust since he was appointed as the president’s Special Adviser on Power and later as Minister of Power, and does not participate in the day-to-day operations of the company.

he issue of state police has generated a heated debate. While some governors, particularly those from the South-West of the country are at the forefront of the idea that they should have control over police establishment in their states since they are the Chief Security Officers, others including some former Inspectors-General of Police in the country kicked against it - saying that it would be abused and used to oppress and suppress opponents. The issue again came to the front burners at the 52nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) which ended in Abuja last week. While the immediate past President of the association, Mr. Joseph Daudu, argued that there was need to consider the idea of state police, President Goodluck

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology, Dr. Ibrahim Daudu; Communication Technology Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati during a press briefing on the 2012 Budget performance of the ministry at the State House.

Jonathan disagreed with him, saying that it would give room for abuse, especially during election. He was of the opinion that the country was not ripe for state police and that if the power to control the police was left in the hands of sitting governors, it would become another apparatus of state going by the manner they allegedly manipulated elections in their respective states. He said: “We feel that looking at the federal level and the way the governors are handling elections in their states with the state electoral commissions, where opposition parties hardly win even councillorship elections, state police will be unwise. “So, if there is state police and the governors manipulate their state police the way they are manipulating their state electoral commissions, the instability that it will create, even what we are witnessing will be a child’s play.” While Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who was at the conference, supported the idea of state police, his counterpart from Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole opposed him and pitched his tent with Jonathan. While Oshiomhole said it would become an instrument of state powers and unless there is good governance and responsible leadership in Nigeria, the country would continue with the current cycle of lamentation, Okorocha on the other hand advocated for state police, saying, “we cannot harness effectively, the abundant natural resources in our land, until we decentralise the powers concentrating at the centre to allow for the practice of true federalism.”

Jonathan, Yayi plan repair of Badagry/Seme road

or many who have travelled on the road that linked Badagry, a border town in Lagos, Nigeria to Seme in the Republic of Benin, they always have an unpleasant story to tell about the sorry state of the road despite the fact that it helps to facilitate commercial activities between the two countries. The road, neglected for years and now in very deplorable state, has

received the attention of President Goodluck Jonathan and his counterpart in the Republic of Benin, Boni Yayi. Yayi was in the Presidential Villa to meet with Jonathan last week and one of the major discussions between the leaders was the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Seme road. The two countries are to jointly pull resources together to ensure the rehabilita-

Poor rating for GSM operations

fter over a decade of the operation of the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication in the country, the performance of the telecommunication operators so far falls short of all expectations and is not encouraging. While assessing the performance of the major mobile telephone service providers in the country, the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson rated the penetration of GSM operations at 60 per cent and regretted that it was the lowest in Africa when compared with other countries. Johnson, who came to the Presidential Villa to render account of the performance of her ministry regarding the 2012 budget, would not totally blame the mobile telephone service providers for the low penetration, she also identified lack of adequate infrastructure as the major challenge in the expansion and performance of the sector. The minister who noted that the telecoms industry recorded rapid growth in the country explained that service provid-

ers were having difficulties expanding their infrastructure because of discriminatory policies on right of way for roll out of fibre optics cables. But she had good news for the operators as she explained that the Federal Government would fashion out policies that would urgently address the challenge in order to attract additional investment to the industry. In order to also ensure rapid growth in ICT development, Johnson disclosed that the Federal government would soon launch a $15 million ICT venture capital fund which would be substantially private driven. According to her, the fund would be used to finance commercially viable projects, ideas and initiatives in the ICT sector. The minister said that the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) would anchor the fund and contribute about $3.6 million to the fund while the balance of $11.4 million would be sourced from local and international investors.

tion of the road to allow for free movement of people and boost trade between the two countries. Yayi, who said he had a fruitful meeting with Jonathan, lamented the deplorable state of the road and was of the opinion that urgent steps need to be taken to put the road in good shape in the interest of citizens of both countries. “We both agreed on the rehabilitation of the road because the free movement of persons is very essential,” Yayi told State House correspondents after the meeting which lasted over an hour. According to him, he has come as usual to pay a courtesy call on Jonathan whom he said has been leading Nigeria in a very good manner. He noted that Nigeria is the greatest and most populated country in sub-sahara Africa. The two leaders also commended the joint operation at the maritime level to fight piracy. Yayi said: “Stability, security and peace are the only conditions to move towards prosperity and development. The two countries have to work hand-in-hand to reach that prosperity because the projects are common in terms of infrastructure.” According to Yayi, they also agreed that the Cabinet from Benin Republic and the Cabinet of Nigeria should hold a Joint Cabinet meeting in Abuja where they would also take stock of the priorities of the two countries.

MORE POLITICS STORIES ON PAGES 41-43

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Views

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The wrong message from Kebbi NA-ALLAH MOHAMMED ZAGGA

s an indigene of Kebbi State, I feel thoroughly embarrassed by the current needless and ridiculous controversy over the nomination of retired Brigadier-General Bitrus Boka Ushe for a ministerial appointment. Leading this unfortunate campaign of denigration is Kebbi State chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Mansur Shehu, who should qualify among our enlightened men of reason. That expectation was not to be. Instead, he has provided the ammo for pulling down Zuru Emirate-born General Boka. The chairman’s arguments are that the General is not a PDP member and that he is not known to the people of Kebbi State because he is allegedly more frequently based in Kaduna. Does it mean, therefore, that if a man stays outside his state or maintains a house elsewhere in Nigeria or abroad, he is automatically not qualified to hold a public office? Does it also mean that if a citizen is not a PDP member, he is not qualified to be nominated a minister from his State? If that was the case, how come the former Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Abubakar Kaoje, was appointed to that position when he was Vice-Chancellor of the Kebbi State University? He was an academic and not a card-carrying member of the PDP when he was nominated for ministerial appointment. Besides, who told Alhaji Mansur Shehu that a ministerial nominee must be a card-

CAN WE ACHIEVE NORTHERN UNITY THROUGH GREED, INTOLERANCE,

SELFISHNESS, AND LIP SERVICE TO PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE?

carrying member of the ruling party to qualify for that position? Did he forget that in a presidential system of government, the President has the right to appoint ministers even outside his party? Doctors Mansur Liman and Shamsuddeen Usman were not PDP members when they were appointed ministers by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. It is unfortunate that our politicians in sensitive positions don’t know the difference between Presidential and Parliamentary systems of government when it comes to public appointments. Worse still, the seeming reluctance of the Kebbi State Governor, Saidu Dakingari, to distance himself officially from the dangerous manipulation of sentiments by the party chairman is worrisome and it suggests that he is tacitly in support of this dirty politics of ethnic and religious divide. I am from the majority Gwandu Emirate of Kebbi State, but I don’t think my rights would be better protected by treating the so-called minority, unjustly. Being

small doesn’t necessarily suggest being insignificant or non-existent. Sadly, this is the kind of arrogance being displayed by the so-called majority elements in this country. Is Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State not performing wonderfully, despite the fact that he comes from a minority ethnic group? What I find even disgusting is the suggestion by the Kebbi State PDP chairman that the nomination of General Bitrus Boka Usha, a minority Christian from Zuru, could endanger the relative harmony of the state. How? Does fairness or justice threaten stability? On the contrary, the absence of the two is the real threat to unity and peace. It is totally disappointing that a party chairman should be at the forefront of promoting this dangerous politics of division. The late Premier of the defunct Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sarduna of Sokoto, had never discriminated against anybody in public appointments on the basis of their religion and ethnicity, which was why he was respected by all. Chief Solomon Lar, Sunday Awoniyi, Michael Audu Buba and Jolly Tanko Yusuf were among the prominent Christian minority figures appointed into key positions by the late Sardauna. He appointed them into prominent public offices purely on merit. That was the only secret why the late Premier became the pillar of northern unity. At a time northern unity is mortally threatened by interminable ethnic/religious conflicts caused by the selfishness

and greed of our politicians of this generation, Kebbi State PDP chairman and Governor Dakingari are sending a wrong message to other Nigerians. What impact can the Northern States Governors Forum ever make when it harbours elements who are silently working to destroy what the late Sardauna had built? Can we achieve northern unity through greed, intolerance, selfishness, and lip service to peaceful coexistence? Our leaders should be more broadminded in their outlook to national issues. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton appointed a Republican member, Mr. William Cohen, to become his Defence Secretary. Did America tear apart because a Republican outsider was made a Defence Secretary by a Democratic President? Our elites whip up ethnic and religious sentiments once contracts, board and ministerial appointments are up for grabs. The Kebbi State PDP chairman has been talking as if patriotism is the exclusive virtue of politicians. The excuses for the rejection of General Boka’s ministerial nomination are lame, selfish and indefensible. As brilliantly argued by the late Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman, the radical ABU academic, “there is no guarantee that a member of your ethnic group or religious persuasion can treat you more fairly than those who are not.” Zagga, muhazagga@yahoo.com, a journalist and writer on national issues, wrote from Abuja.

Revolutionising healthcare delivery in Ogun SOYOMBO OPEYEMI We intend to raise the standard of health care delivery in our state and use education also as vaccine against ill health - Ibikunle Amosun (2011)

recent article in major Nigerian newspapers titled Free education in Ogun: An evaluation, was greeted with effusions of gratitude to incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun. For instance, Adeleye Yahaya, in an email commentary said: “I read the piece on the above subject and I must confess it really touched me. I was almost moved to tears as I happened to be one of the beneficiaries of the Free Education System in Ogun State.” From the United Kingdom came this one from Adedara Oduguwa: “I was very delighted to glance through your highly inspiring article in The Punch of 19th of June, 2012. This is a dream come true if well prosecuted and maintained.” Quite unknown to our friend who wrote from the UK, the second cardinal programme of the Senator IbikunleAmosun administration is Efficient Health Care Delivery, which has as a component part, free health services for pregnant women, children under the age of five and the elderly above 70. The start-off point for the allimportant programme with its component part is the renovation of all the healthcare centres and other moribund health facilities in the state. At the time of the inauguration of the

current government, the Central Drug Store at Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, was in a state of decay while the medical, surgical and children’s wards’ buildings of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) were, according to the Commissioner for Health, Dr.Olaokun Soyinka, “dangerously dilapidated”. The healthcare workers of OOUTH were also on strike. The decline was promptly arrested. So far, 47 Primary Healthcare centres through the state have been rehabilitated, equipped and provided with a generator and borehole. Another set of 50 has been targeted for the next phase. There is now industrial calm in the health sector as arrears of salaries owed by the immediate past administration have substantially been cleared; even many qualified medical personnel are being employed to ensure that all the 236 wards in the state have capable hands. The healthcare renaissance in Ogun State has been the responsibility of all, because as the maxim goes, health is wealth. The First Lady, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, has been vigorously sensitizing the people of the state to the dangers of epidemic prone diseases like cholera and Lassa fever. She’s equally been in the forefront of campaign on school-based deworming exercise, immunization of children against child-killer diseases like malaria and cancer screening/ awareness, among others. The purchase of communication gadgets for all the 236 wards in the state has made mobilisation of the rural populace for immunisation and other health-based exercises, very easy. Thirty-five HIV/AIDS counselling/ testing centres and 31 Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission

THE STATE WILL NOW BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH INITIATIVES OF THE AGENCIES OF THE

UNITED NATIONS (PMTCT) sites have been created across the state to take care of people living with HIV/AIDS, including free drugs for people living with the disease. The state is receiving a major support from local and international donor agencies while collaboration with corporate and non-governmental organisations is gathering positive momentum. For instance, the collaboration between the state government and Rotary Club International led to the donation of 500 artificial limbs and setting up of an artificial limb service centre. Also the partnership among the government, Rotary Club International and Indo Eye Care Foundation has made possible free eye surgical operation services to the people. The governor recently signed a multimillion dollar five-year deal with a Shell Oil company to revitalise primary healthcare delivery in the state, especially in the rural areas. Moreover, the state will now be able to benefit from the maternal and child health initiatives of the agencies of the United Nations.

The free health policy of Amosun, a subset of the second cardinal programme of his government’s Efficient Health Care Delivery, has three interconnected stages – i. rehabilitation of healthcare centres with provision of modern facilities and adequate medical personnel that are motivated with enviable conditions of service; ii. introduction of community based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS); and iii. free health services for pregnant women, children under the age of five and the elderly above 70. The government is doing all this without imposing any particular levy per se on the people. However, it has nonetheless enjoined all adults in the state to pay their tax enthusiastically, since they see how their money is being spent on education, health, road construction, security, employment etc. Governor Amosun urged them to also actively participate in the CBHIS, whose background work has reached advanced state, so that the success recorded during Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s premiership of the old Western Region could be surpassed in their time. Soyombo, is Special Assistant (Media) to Ogun State governor 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, September 4, 2012

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FG, governors and ex heads of state’s roundtable on security

he ongoing dialogue between President Goodluck Jonathan, former heads of state, Olusegun Obasanjo, Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babaginda and state governors on how to tackle the festering insecurity in the country seems a timely intervention to salvage the country from further slide to the state of anomie. The roundtable includes ministers, traditional rulers, serving and retired security chiefs, some senior serving and retired military and paramilitary personnel, serving and retired Inspectors-General of Police, chairmen of all the political parties, pressure groups and youth organizations. The discussion tagged “Eminent Persons, Experts Group Meeting on Complex Insurgencies in Nigeria” has Dr. Shola Adeyanju as the chairman of the Central Planning Committee. The gathering has the daunting task of not only x-raying the causes of mounting insecurity nationwide, but coming up with a workable solution. Adeyanju told newsmen recently that the discussion was aimed at arresting insurgency in the country through a holistic approach; while experts from different regions with identifiable peculiar security problems would speak on their experiences. The focus, according to him, “is to look at the insurgencies in Nigeria from all the dimensions - eco-

nomic, political and sociological and bring everybody together to know the way out…” In his contribution to the discussion, President Jonathan who was represented by the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), described terrorism as one of the most visible dangers confronting the nation. The acts of terror, according to Jonathan, are being “perpetrated by groups of persons or by persons who chose to advance their personal interests”. The president says terrorism hampers social, political and economic development and that its drawbacks reflect in the constant closure of schools, business houses and mass relocation of people, among others. He stressed that only collective efforts and firm decisions by all Nigerians would bring the menace to an end. Jonathan, in addition, voiced the readiness of his administration to provide logistic support for the nation’s security agencies to tackle the situation, as well as his resolve to keep the country united as one corporate entity. Chairman of the event, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who asked the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Joshua Dongoyaro to stand in for him, averred that no economic policy put in place by the government would survive in the absence of peace; while Governor Jonah

HOPE SEEMS HIGH THAT THE SAID GATHERING WILL PROFFER PRACTICAL AND LASTING SOLUTIONS TO THE HORRENDOUS INSECURITY SITUATION IN THE LAND Jang represented by his deputy, Longjan Ignatius Datong, said the reckless killings in the North could only be explained as the lack of true understanding of the holy books. Jang challenged all religious bodies in the country to educate their adherents on the precepts of the faith they profess, but conceded that politics, poverty, politics and unemployment contribute to the problem in the North. The Boko Haram insurgency, as posited by yet another discussant, Prof. Dapo Fafowora, could be linked to the inability of northern leaders to make the requisite investment on the education of the people. He said in a paper he presented - “Understanding insurgency in Nigeria; nature, types, dynamics and the way out” - that the process and pace of modernization in the North had

been slow, thus making it difficult for northerners to be in a position to compete with their southern counterparts. A discussion of this nature appears imperative, given the scary insecurity situation in the country presently. Apart from the Boko Haram campaign of violence, the danger posed by restiveness in the Niger Delta area has not been totally reined in. Lately, the Ogoni, like their counterparts from Bakassi, launched their agitation for self determination. Likewise, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) threatens the country’s stability in the South East in a campaign that has lasted over a decade. The nation runs the grave risk of being torn to shreds if worsening insecurity is allowed to further undermine its corporate existence. The country has tottered on the grim paths of insecurity and self destruct long enough and needs to quickly retrace its steps and regain its composure. The root causes of restiveness; insurgency, general public resentment and bitterness should be unraveled and redressed to guarantee the country’s corporate existence, peace and unity. Hope seems high that the said gathering will proffer honest, dispassionate, practical and lasting solutions to the horrendous insecurity situation in the land.

ON THIS DAY September 4, 2010 Canterbury earthquake: A 7.1 magnitude earthquake which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am caused widespread damage and several power outages. Because it occurred very close to Christchurch, New Zealand’s second largest city, it was much more destructive, with 185 people being killed. It was felt from Invercargill to Wellington. Claims from the earthquake were confirmed at being between $2.75 and $3.5 billion NZD.

September 4, 2007 Three terrorists suspected to be members of Al-Qaeda were arrested in Germany after allegedly planning attacks on both the Frankfurt International airport and United States military installations. Al-Qaeda, translation: “The Base” and alternatively spelled al-Qaida and sometimes al-Qa’ida) is a global militant Islamist organization founded by the late Osama bin Laden at some point between August 1988 and late 1989, with its origins being traced to the Soviet War in Afghanistan.

September 4, 1998 Goo g l e w as fou n de d by L ar ry Pa g e an d Se rg e y Brin , two stu de n ts at Stan ford U n ive rsity. Goo g l e In c. or simply Goo g l e is an A me rican mu l tin ation al cor poration wh ich provide s In te r n e t-re l ate d produ cts an d se rvice s, in cl u din g In te r n e t se arch , cl ou d compu tin g , softw are an d adve r tisin g te ch n ol o g ie s. A dve r tisin g reve nu e s from A dWords g e n e rate al most al l of th e company’s profits.

Unions, ministry differ on planned automation of aviation sector

Letters of admin needed for full compensation payment - NAICOM

SUPER TUESDAY

www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

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Arik Air

A shopping mall in Lagos

Cashless policy still fraught with challenges Five months after the Central Bank of Nigeria kick-started the pilot scheme of the cashless policy, feelers from banks, depositors and merchant-customers reveal major obstacles the policy might face when it becomes fully operational as from January 1, 2013. ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI reports.

hen the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi announced the plans by the financial regulator to introduce a cashless-based economy, the intentions was well mapped out and communicated to chief executives of banks, operators in the financial sector, merchant-customers as well as the banking public. With the rising cost of processing cash, moving money from place to place to ensure easy access by depositors and the need to create electronic money trails to check money laundering, the

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CBN had considered it necessary to encourage the deepening of the electronic payment system as part of a broader effort to modernise the economy and bring in sync with the global developments. In justifying the move amid scepticism about its workability given the high infrastructure deficit, the CBN had pointed out that high costs associated with a cash-based economy were some of the factors that had rendered monetary policy ineffective in recent times. According to the apex bank, “There is a high cost of cash along the value chain - from the CBN and the banks, to corporations and traders; everyone bears the high costs associated with volume cash handling. Cash encourages robberies and other cash-related crimes. It

also can lead to financial loss in the case of fire and flooding incidents. CBN analysis showed that only 10 per cent of daily banking transactions are above N150,000 but the 10 per cent account for majority of the high value transactions. “This suggests that the entire banking population subsidises the costs that the tiny minority 10 per cent incur in terms of high cash usage. High cash usage results in a lot of money outside the formal economy, thus limiting the effectiveness of monetary policy in managing inflation and encouraging economic growth.” The apex bank also highlighted that high cash usage enables corruption, leakages and money laundering, amongst other cashrelated fraudulent activities, which informed the need for

cashless system. Key provisions of the cashless rules include a daily withdrawal or deposit limit of N500,000 for individual account holders. The limit applies to the account so far as it involves cash, irrespective of channel (e.g. over the counter, ATM, third party cheques encashed over the counter, etc) in which cash is withdrawn or deposited if an individual withdraws N450,000 over the counter, and N150,000 from the ATM on the same day, the total amount withdrawn by the customer is N600,000, and the service charge will apply on N100,000 - the amount above the daily free limit). For corporate bodies the limit is N3million daily for cash transactions. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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Economic losses to disasters average $100bn annually - UN

Strikes: Labour becomes increasingly alienated

World Urban Forum: Seeking new approach to urbanisation

Business & Finance

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cashless policy still fraught with challenges CONTINUED FROM 19 The limit also applies to cash brought through CIT companies, as the CIT company only serve as a means of transportation. The pilot scheme which commenced in Lagos on April 1 has seen some level of compliance with ATM usage growing in leaps and bounds, the deployment of other channels including Point of Sale terminals and mobile money, for example have been fraught with challenges which have compelled the CBN to take another look at the cashless policy before total implementation begins. Confirming the relative success of ATM deployment and adoption of the card culture, a First Bank branch manager on Lagos Island said, “ATMs have reduced cash withdrawal and long queues at banks via massive use of debit cards and credit cards for withdrawal at ATM cash dispensers while the online banking is also receiving boost especially among the corporate bankers,”. However, many banks have found it difficult to comply with the directive of cash withdrawal and deposit limits as more of their costumers especially, the merchant-depositors and politicians are resorting to personal banking and having their own private vaults to meet their financial needs which financial experts say would increase sum of unbanked money in the system. This indication first emerged on August 7 when the CBN raised an alarm that some banks were circumventing the CBN policy on cash movement and lodgement. In a statement, signed by Director of Currency Operations Department, Mr Muhammad Nda, CBN said offenders would face penalty fees of N100 per thousand and N200 per thousand respectively for individual and corporate customers. For banks, the reasons for violating the cashless policy is not unconnected with the yearnings of depositors, especially merchant and corporate customers as well as politicians, who according to National Mirror’s investigation, often move about with huge cash to settle political issues. Bankers, who spoke with National Mirror, admitted that the CBN’s suspicion was base on reported cases of violation by banks. According to a manager at an Access Bank branch at Ikeja, banks have to go to merchant customers to collect cash from their Point of Sale especially fuel stations and supermarkets, while politicians would also call them to move huge cash to fund political campaigns. “The bank needs money in the vaults. We need cash to transact business and our customers with lots of cash are valuable”, said the bank manager. He noted that marketers and account officers often have their jobs on the line when stringent on corporate customers who request to withdraw above the maximum benchmark while they also often lose depositors to other banks. “It is difficult. One of my customers who needed around N10million to transact business had to move to another bank that needs deposit.” Another marketer with a new genera-

MD, Access Bank, Aigboje

Sanusi

THERE IS A HIGH COST OF CASH ALONG THE VALUE CHAIN - FROM THE CBN AND THE BANKS, TO CORPORATIONS AND TRADERS; EVERYONE BEARS THE HIGH COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH VOLUME CASH HANDLING. CASH ENCOURAGES ROBBERIES AND OTHER CASH-RELATED CRIMES

tion bank said banks who could not flout the CBN cash withdrawal max level often resort to multiple account opening system which makes depositors to pay more than N3m worth of transactions to a recipient daily but drawn from different cheques and different account name belonging to a company. “This is not necessary. The CBN should review the cumulative daily limits for withdrawal especially for corporate customers,” he said. Also, an Onitsha-based merchantcustomer who banks with Sterling Bank told National Mirror that the cumulative daily limits each for withdrawal has made it difficult for merchants to transact business. He said the hassle of opening more than one accounts to trade above the daily cumulative limits has become rampant among the Onitsha market traders as many of them have now decided to build their own vaults rather than saving in the banks, a situation a bank branch manager said makes it difficult for the CBN to control money in circulation. While the banks battle with coping with the challenges of trying to stay within the law in managing daily cash withdrawal limits, the mobile money transfers product as well as PoS operators are dogged by service delivery challenges made worse by low national energy output as well as technology platform that could manage the subscriber base. “These has made acceptance difficult,” said a marketer with Pockmoni, one of the PoS operators. “The service needed to ensure that effective operation remains inefficient,” he added. According to report by Nigerian In-

ter- Bank Settlements System, (NIBSS) an efficient payments system will lead to higher velocity of money, which in turn promotes economic growth. The report also shows that 10 per cent increase in the efficiency of the national payments system leads to one per cent increase in the GDP. But operators said absence of these infrastructures reduce the acceptance of both mobile money products of banks and PoS, which currently relies on NIBSS platform to operate. Currently, PoS use remains at low ebb in the financial transaction channels in Nigeria. According to NIBSS, ATM withdrawal transaction ATM withdrawals accounts for 85 per cent at 109.5 million transaction per month, Over the Counter (OTC) cash withdrawals, 14 per cent at 72 million; cheques, 29 million and POS one million while the internet banking stands 2.7 million transactions per month. PoS operators complain that low awareness on the usage, acceptance and deployment process of POS Terminals, literacy level of merchants/sales personnel and high staff turnaround of personnel. Other complaints range from low POS Terminal deployment to conventional markets/traders and noncosmopolitan cities, absence/low telecommunication networks occasioning transaction failures, delays in crediting merchant accounts with cost of goods/ services paid for using POS Terminals; discrepancies between amount paid by customers and amount credited to merchants by banks and low interface between terminal deployers and merchants.

National Mirror had reported that out of 94,123 PoS terminal acquired, only 62,095 had been deployed and connected. The report, however, said that only 13,303 of the registered PoS devices are said to be active on the Payment Terminal Service Aggregator of NIBSS, leaving 80,820 PoS devices connected but not used by the merchants. Following a guideline by CBN in August 2011, issued on Point of Sale Card Acceptance Service, NIBSS was subsequently assigned the role of Payments Terminal Service Aggregator (PTSA) in the approved guidelines. To carry out the role, NIBSS established a PoS Transaction Aggregation infrastructure to provide reliable, secure and dedicated data channel for PoS transactions; provide interoperability; ensure PoS terminal availability and aggregate all PoS transactions, and provide operational support for the CBN payments oversight function. But the system is far from being enjoyed by few customers who had subscribed. According to survey of five supermarkets in Lagos by National Mirror, most merchant’s customers complain that they often encounter hitches especially with customers who use Visa card to transact. CBN’s Head of Shared Services, Mr. Chidi Umeano, said though registered PoS on the NIBSS platform had reached an all-time high at 62,095, the “gap between registered vs. deployed, is mostly due to lack of capacity on the part of the Payment Terminal Service Providers, such as include ValuCard, now called Unified Payment System Limited, ETOP, ITEX, PayMaster, CitiServce and EasyFuel, to meet the demand.” But the NIBSS Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adebisi Shonubi, had also agreed with general consensus that challenges such as power and telecommunications have been the major factors hindering deployment of PoS in Lagos. He specifically identified incessant General Packet Radio Service, GPRS network downtime as a major huddle to be crossed in PoS deployment, saying “every voice network downtime translates to GPRS downtime.” The CBN, through the NIBSS, has opted for Wireless Fidelity, Wi-Fi connectivity to ensure efficient operations of over 60,000 Point of Sales terminals already deployed by businesses, especially in areas where there are clusters of PoS users and commercials activities. National Mirror learnt that the adoption of Wi-Fi connectivity for PoS devices, in addition to the existing connectivity on GPRS, being used by the merchants would enhance connectivity of PoS terminals in the state to drive the Cashless Lagos scheme. It was also learnt that the poor connectivity available of GPRS networks from telcos and the seeming high cost of running internet connection on such devices have partly been responsible for most merchants not using the PoS, a development that might hinder the cashless policy of the apex bank.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business & Finance

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Economic losses to disasters average $100bn annually –UN DAYO AYEYEMI

new study by the United Nations has revealed that economic losses to disasters amounted to about $100 billion annually over the last 20 years. The study, which borders on major urban safety campaign launched at the ongoing World Urban Forum in Naples, Italy has found that political leadership is more important than a city’s wealth when it comes to protecting the lives and economic assets of cities and towns from disasters. The “Making Cities Resilient Report 2012”, provides a global snapshot of how local governments reduce disaster risk and was undertaken by a team from the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development. The UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, Margareta Wahlström, launching the report at the World Urban Forum in Naples, said: “Economic losses to disasters have averaged at least $100 billion annually over the last 20 years. According to the UN envoy, most of the damage can be avoided through better risk

L-R: Human Resource and Training Manager, Eat n Go, Mr. Olusola Adeeko, Managing Director, Mr. Eric Andre and Marketing Coordinator, Mr. Abdul Richard, at the press briefing to announce the entrance of Domino’s Pizza and Cold Stone Creamery into Nigerian market, in Lagos at the weekend.

management and investment in social and structural infrastructure. Leader of the team and a Senior Fellow of IIED, Dr. David Satterthwaite, explained that the Making Cities Resilient campaign has provided that despite a rise in extreme weather and the threats posed by climate change, urbanisation does not have to lead to an increase in risk. He noted that where city

Shell shuts oil pipeline UDEME AKPAN

oyal Dutch Shell has shut a major pipeline in the Niger Delta. The oil pipeline, leading to a flow station was shut after a leak was discovered. The firms stated that, “A leak was observed on a line from Well-39s flowing to Nembe Creek-2 flow station on 29th August.” Shell who confirmed the development in a statement said, “The line was shut in, and booms were quickly deployed to stop spread of any spilled oil.” Bonny Light is one of the nation’s larger crude streams and is scheduled to ship around 140,000 barrels per day (bpd) in September. It maintained that, “The spilled oil is contained within the flowline right-of-way and there is no impact on the environment.” Shell said a joint investigation team was due to visit to determine the case of the leak. The company did not give any information as to whether production was affected. Investigations showed that importers were worried about the shutdown of the facility; particularly coming at the time demand for Bonny Light is scheduled to peak this month. For instance, Indian Oil Corporation has issued a tender to buy light sweet crude for September loading from Nigeria and Angola. A reliable market source said

“IOC, India’s largest oil refiner, is looking to buy West African crude from such countries as Nigeria and Angola. Sellers can also offer cargoes to be loading in the second half of August. IOC issues tenders several times every month to buy light crude.” He said, “Even though the company is looking to buy September loading cargoes, the loading schedules for Nigerian and Angolan crude the month have not been released and many July and Au-gust cargoes of Nigerian crude have remained unsold due to slack demand from U.S. and European buyers.” About sixth - eight cargoes of Qua Iboe crude July loading cargoes have not been sold. Indian Oil Corporation has issued a tender to buy light sweet crude for September loading, traders said on Friday. Grade and price offers should be submitted on Tuesday and Thursday. Offers will remain valid until Thursday. Sellers can also offer cargoes to be loaded in the second half of August. A trader said IOC is issuing tenders less often and taking less volume. He said “In the previous two tenders, IOC bought Nigerian Agbami and Angolan Hungo and Dalia for lateJuly and early August loading. India’s Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd surprised the market buy-ing Gabonese Rabi Light for the first time.”

and local governments demonstrate leadership and competence in working with lowincome populations living in informal settlements, flood impacts could be reduced while threats from other natural hazards minimised. He said, “Cities which understand how to prevent recurring losses will thrive and the campaign is motivating over 1,000 cities and towns to get a better handle on how to reduce

their risk and avoid loss of life and damages.” The Making Cities Resilient campaign was launched by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) after it was announced that for the first time in human history, over 50 per cent of the world’s population now live in cities and urban areas. The majority of the 200 million people affected by floods, earthquakes and other natural hazards each year are

urban dwellers. The campaign now has 1,050 members ranging from major metropolises such as San Francisco, Copenhagen, Cape Town and Mumbai to small towns in countries such as Austria and Pakistan. The campaign asks members to sign up to 10 essentials for urban disaster risk reduction. The new study includes interviews with mayors and city managers from around the world and finds that for the majority the most important “essential” is putting in place the organisation and coordination to understand and reduce risk. The 40-plus cities profiled in this report were able to leverage whatever resources they had including the creativity of their citizens to reduce the impact of disaster events on their communities. Six months after joining the campaign the local government of Siquirres in Costa Rica took action on flood protection and in February 2012 the usual annual flooding was avoided. There are many cities like Siquirres which are proving that if you manage your risks, you build your resilience to disasters and avoid unnecessary disruption in the home and the workplace.

ARM announces strategy, management changes at LCC MESHACK IDEHEN

sset and Resource Management Company Limited (ARM), said it is announcing some strategic and management changes within the group. A statement made available to National Mirror by the company on Monday, said the current Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC), Mr. Opuiyo Oforiokuma, will take on the role of Managing Director of ARM Infrastructure Fund (ARM Infrastructure), with effect from 1st October 2012. Speaking on Oforiokuma’s move and the importance of the

step to ARM’s infrastructure strategy, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ARM, Mr. Deji Alli, said developing and managing infrastructure in West Africa, and in Nigeria in particular, have long been an integral part of ARM’s vision and long term strategic plan. Aliu said ARM Infrastructure is set up to manage the new $250million specialist infrastructure equity fund being established by ARM, with a focus on developing and managing a broader portfolio of infrastructure assets throughout Nigeria and West Africa, including power, transport, and water. According to the statement, Oforiokuma has over 25 years

of international experience and a proven track record in infrastructure development and management, to take on the responsibility for leading the next stage of implementation of our vision and strategy in this space. The statement added that while the recruitment of LCC’s next substantive Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer is ongoing, current Head of Asset Management at African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), and a Board Director of LCC, Mr Mike Edington, will take on responsibility for the day to day running of all aspects of LCC in the capacity of acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

CFN wants National Cooperative Development Fund CHINEDUM EMEANA PORT HARCOURT

he Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN) has urged federal and state governments to institute a fund to boost the growth of cooperative business models in the country to be termed the National Cooperative Development Fund (NCDF) which is part of the provision of the 2002 Cooperative Development Policy that is still to be implemented. This call was contained in a communiqué the CFN released after its Annual General Meeting and a three-day event to mark the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives that culminated

over the weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The communiqué signed by the CFN President, Mr. Bala Jibrin,an engineer and Mr. Tom Tar, its National Secretary also called for the implementation of other provisions of the 2002 Policy such as the establishment of a National Cooperative Financing Agency, introduction of the study of cooperatives into secondary school curriculum, and the proper incorporation of cooperative matters and interests in the nation’s socio-economic development programmes. They also requested that the FG should devise mechanisms to reduce interest rates on production

loans, while at the same time extending the period for such loans repayments to at least 24 months to ease pressure on producers. They urged government to recognise the special role of cooperatives in accelerated sustainable socio-economic development and accordingly grant them adequate fiscal and financial support; create an enabling environment for cooperative development by granting cooperative movement autonomy and independence thus abating undue interference, and to deeply involve the cooperative movement in Nigeria in preparing any new Cooperative Development Policy and Cooperative Societies Act.

Business & Finance

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

GEF/FG commence implementation of N2.9bn PCB project OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

he Federal Government has commenced the implementation of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) management project valued at $18.5million, (about N1.94bn). The project which is being financed by Global Environmental Fund (GEF) and the Federal Government, with World Bank providing technical assistant, is aimed at helping Nigeria deal effectively with the menace of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) from the PCB. It is also designed to improve public health and environmental quality by preventing the environmental release of PCBs from active and decommissioned electrical equipment that emanate from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria(PHCN) facilities and other private sectors such as oil refineries, airports and textile mills so as to ensure their sound manage-

ment and ultimate safe disposal. While the Nigerian government is expected to provide counterpart funding of $12.2million, GEF, an independent financial organisation that unites 182 member governments in partnership with the international institutions, would commit $6.3million (about N1.02bn) to the project. Speaking during the launch, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Ms. Marie Francoise Marrie-Nelly, who was represented by Mr. Badrul Haque, said that the implementation of the four-year based PCB project would help in safe disposal of estimated 3,000tons of PCB oil and 5,000 tons of PB contaminated equipment. Apart from this, she also added that prompt implementation of the programme would not only safeguard the health of the people, but also ensure environmental sustainability. “Through timely implementation of the PCB, environmen-

tal and health risks in Nigeria could be reduced substantially by safe disposal of the existing stockpiles and development of a management system for safe disposal of future toxic wastes,” she said. Marrie-Nelly however underscored the focus of the bank, stressing that its target, “is to address development of programs to phase out the production and use of toxic chemicals, identification of alternative technologies, and encourage the safe disposal of existing toxic stockpiles.” On the imperative of the PCB project, Environment Minister, Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia, said it would facilitate awareness among key stakeholders and general public, improved regulations, enhanced physical facilities for the management of PCBs and PCB-containing equipment and improved national capacity to manage PCBs in an efficient and environmentally sound manner.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CPC faults MTN’s aircraft recharge and win promo OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

he Consumer Protection Council (CPC), has accused MTN Nigeria Communications Limited of withholding vital information that would guard consumers in its recharge and win aircraft promotion, tagged, MTNUltimate Wonder Campaign Promotion. Some of the information left out, according to the council, include the market value of the aircraft to be won, the size of the plane, the delivery period of the aircraft to an eventual winner or cash equivalence in local currency for a winner, who may prefer a cash reward for the grand prize. A statement signed by the Deputy Director, Public Relations of CPC, Mr. Abiodun Obimuyiwa, said that the council expressed its

‘We spent N4.7bn on Onitsha River Port rehabilitation’ FRANCIS EZEM

L-R: Head, Ecosystem Developer Experience, Nokia West Africa, Mr. Teemu Kiijarvi; Microsoft/Nokia Developer Imagine Cup awardee, Mr. Oludayo Alli; Marketing Business Operations Director, Microsoft Nigeria, Mrs. Awawu Olumide-Sojinrin and another awardee, Mr. Timi Okoya, at a press conference in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Sacked ExxonMobil workers threaten to disrupt company’s operations MESHACK IDEHEN

acked workers of ExxonMobil have said they are prepared to disrupt the company’s operations in Akwa Ibom and Lagos states, should the company fail to pay them their terminal benefits which have been pending for over six years. The ex-workers further said they are going to continue their protests against ExxonMobil’s activities, while urging the company to respect the collective bargaining agreements it had with the workers. The Chairman of the Mobil

Producing Nigeria (MPN) Service Workers forum, Mr. Joseph Okon, told National Mirror in an interview on Monday that the workers are calling on the Federal Government and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene in the matter before the situation gets out of hand. According to Okon, ExxonMobil had in 2006 entered into an agreement with them that any worker whose employment is to be terminated, or service dispensed with by the oil company would be settled based on the MPN labour contract system, since the worker was not yet full staff of the company.

He said the problem with ExxonMobil started when majority of the workers who are mainly contract staff made move to unionise; a move the company rejected and which has led to the sack of over 3000 workers by ExxonMobil without any terminal benefits. According to him, the workers are demanding that all service contract workers sacked from work from 2006 till date be paid their terminal benefits using the existing MPN Labour Contract of the collective bargaining agreement, (CBA). On his part, the Secretary of the worker’s forum Mr. Godwin Idim said ExxonMobil’s refusal to pay them their entitlement is a great form of punishment that is capable of pushing the workers into violence.

reservations at a meeting with the representatives of the telecommunications company in Abuja yesterday. Apart from that, the council frowned at the fact that consumers, in all the existing communications on the promotion, are not properly directed to the site where the terms and conditions applicable to the promotion are published and the fact that the reference to those terms was in small print. In order to bring credibility to the campaign, the council directed the communication outfit to reflect and correct all these lapses in its subsequent media interactions and communication, which MTN assured would be done within the next two or three weeks because of the intricacies involved, particularly in the change of its advertisement.

he Minister of Transport, Mallam Idris Umar, has said that the Federal Government spent a whooping N4.7billion on the rehabilitation of the Onitsha River Port, located in Anambra State. The minister spoke at the official commissioning of the port, rehabilitated by Inter Bau Construction Limited, an indigenous company at the weekend as part of the events to mark President Goodluck Jonathan’s official visit to the state. The minister observed that the decision of the president to commission the port personally despite his tight schedules was most reassuring and also underscores his commitment to development of the nation’s transport sector.

According to him, the involved a comprehensive rehabilitation of transit shed/warehouse of 110 x 55 metres with a storage capacity of 10,000 Twenty feet Equivalent Units, construction of new port operations building, nine units of senior staff quarters, 11 units of junior staff quarters, fuel tank farm and other roads works. Other components of the port that gulped the money include road works, erosion control works with gabions and reno mattresses, new slipway, 150mm diameter borehole with elevated water tank and water treatment unit and reticulation and other plumbing works. Also rehabilitated include quay wall and apron with a length of 150m with a wharf that has a width of 50m with adjoining hardstand width of 100m, five existing staff quarters, port security and Police buildings, Fire Brigade building, drainage works and gang ways.

Dangote, the most certified company in Nigeria, says SON

tandard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has declared Dangote Group as the most certified company in Nigeria through the array of products from its subsidiaries. SON made the declaration during the visit of its management to Ibese plant of Dangote Cement Plc in Ogun State. It also announced an impending clampdown on sub-standard cement when it commences an enforcement action within the industry. Director-General of SON, Dr Joseph Odumodu, said the organisation was proud of the exploits of Dangote Group, describing the company as an example of “can do spirit of Nigerian entrepre-

neur.” After the tour of the factory by the top officials of the organisation, Odumodu explained that SON of recent has been focusing on construction industry because of the affordable housing policy of the Federal Government. According to him, the organisation is monitoring events in the industry to ascertain what needs to be done for the government policy to succeed. The SON boss commended the management of Dangote Cement for its giant strides in the cement industry, noting that what he saw at Ibese plant was a success story that should be replicated in other economic sector to create jobs in the country.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Strikes: Labour becomes increasingly alienated The last strike action by NUPENG, and threats to renew it; the protracted disagreement between electricity sector workers and the Federal Government that led to the forced resignation of Professor Barth Nnaji as Minister of Power and the impending implosion within the NLC is beginning to make labour unions hesitate before taking action, writes MESHACK IDEHEN.

s the implosion within the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in particular and organised labour in general takes a crucial turn, following speculations that the National Assembly is set to pass the new labour bill into law, analysts said the impending split within labour may happen faster than predicted by stakeholders. This notion is coming, following the series of endless criticisms and allegations that labour has receive and respond to, especially since the last strike action by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, (NUPENG), was called off last week. Moreso, it can be recalled that for the first time that those within and outside organised labour circle can remember, NUPENG, a major labour union and an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), came out to refute allegations and criticisms from Nigerians, that the union was insensitive and unfeeling to the plight of poor Nigerians through the incessant strikes embarked upon by the union. Labour Activist, Mr. Emmanuel Ezueme, told National Mirror at the weekend that many Nigerians are fed up with the “antics, shenanigans and horse trading” of national labour unions, and that the NLC and TUC may split even before the passage of the new labour bill by the National Assembly. Particularly berating NUPENG for what he described as its ‘short sightedness’, Ezeume explained that the leadership can simply wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and go ahead to declare a national strike action, adding “NUPENG should not in their own wisdom, think Nigerians are not aware of how they do what they do.” He added that labour unions’ action has not helped the country’s economy in recent either and that it was the action of labour through the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Corporations (SSAEAC), that led to the resignation of Professor Barth Nnaji as the minister of power. However, NUPENG has on its part said that it cannot and will not work or take actions against the interest of Nigerians, adding that the union is aware of the criticisms that are trailing actions taken by the oil and gas workers. General Secretary of NU-

Omar

Esele

Okonjo-Iweala

WE ARE DISTURBED BY THE CRITICISMS THAT THE LABOUR UNIONS ARE FACING AND CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO PASS THE NEW LABOUR BILL, AND GIVE NIGERIANS A BREATH OF LIFE AS FAR AS UNION ACTIVITIES ARE CONCERNED PENG, Mr Isaac Aberare told our correspondent that NUPENG is not anti-Nigerians over its last strike due to unpaid subsidy claims alongside other issues. Taking particular exception to the criticisms by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo Iweala,the union said the comments by the minister is selfish, deceitful and not in good faith and only succeeded in heating the polity. “The minister’s reaction was done in haste and did not really take time to look at the demands of the union, NUPENG, will be the last organisation to collaborate with the wrong people, as we have often stated that those involved in the subsidy scam should be prosecuted. We have never held the nation to ransom on behalf of siding the wrong people; as our past speak for itself”, the NUPENG scribe explained. Be that as it may, the Managing Director of Purple Consult, Mr. Tope Awosegba said the NLC,the TUC and their affiliates may have already started to “feel the heat

of the people”, and that it was obvious something has to give way in the present manner by which organise labour conduct their activities in the country. According to Awosegba, the recent alarm raised by the President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar last week, that the Federal Government has concluded arrangements to finally break the back of organised labour may be a pointer to that direction that the congress may be thinking twice before calling out its members for strike. Indeed, the NLC president, it would be recalled, had claimed that the Federal Government has concluded its plot to destabilise and split the NLC, with Omar adding several clandestine meetings has been called by government in that regards. Admitting that the numerous strike actions by labour, particularly that of January this year may be responsible for the Federal Government’s plans, the NLC president said, “it is no longer news that the government is

not happy with what happened in January over the issue of fuel subsidy. So, they intend to weaken NLC.The first move visibly made was when a senator tried to sponsor a bill called ‘Democratisation of Labour Union,” Omar added. Nevertheless, while and citing the challenges that many bank workers in the country are grappling with, the Managing Partner of Prot International, Mr. Sunny Agboju said, “labour’s unsteadfastness” has created more problems than solutions for workers in the banking sector. Agboju said the Association of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSIBIFI), to which many retrenched workers in the banking sector belongs to have not lived up to expectations, or performed its responsibilities for workers in the sector, adding that many of the problems in the sector can be traced to the doorsteps of unions operating within the industry. However, ASSIBIFI President, Mr. Olusoji Salako, told National Mirror on telephone that the as-

sociation is more of solutions provides for members and the economy, than the allegations against it. He said the association which is also affiliated to the TUC has no internal wrangling, adding whatever split is envisioned in organised labour in the country will not affect ASSIBIFI. Nevertheless, National Mirror gathered that with the criticisms that organised labour as present constituted is facing, the affiliates already set to pull out from the NLC are simply intensifying their effort. A source within the “Integrity Group”, told our correspondent that Nigerians will witness true and long sighted labour unionism that is in the interests of the generality of Nigerians, when the new labour body comes into being. “We are disturbed by the criticism that the labour unions are facing and cannot wait for the National Assembly to pass the new labour bill, and give Nigerians a breath of life as far as union activities are concerned”.

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

LASAA reorganises along product groups MESHACK IDEHEN

he Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), said in an effort to evolve a more efficient way of discharging its regulatory function, that it has restructured its operations along product management lines similar to best practices by multinational corporations and fast moving consumer product marketing companies. The agency further said the initiative is to apply staff to their areas of strength and that the move is geared towards evolving a more efficient way of conducting the agency’s regulatory function.. In a statement that was made available to National Mirror over the weekend, the Managing Director of the agency, Mr. George Noah noted that the product group teams are spread across

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola

Noah

four main categories of outdoor media, including billboards, street furniture, transit and alternative. Based on that, the LASSA managing director explained that mobile advertisements,

which includes corporate vehicles including Lagbus, LAMATA, trucks and taxis, will now be taken charge of by Mr. Gbolahan Dixon, while billboards and LASAA’s specification over them will now be overseen by

Things not to say during a job interview

hough you may feel comfortable chatting and making small talk with your interviewer during a job interview, it is best to leave some things unsaid. Here are a few tips on what not to say during an interview. Don’t compliment the interviewer’s appearances in any way-Compliments on appearance are just too familiar. You are there for a purpose, and most interviewers want to keep that boundary. If you don’t maintain a little distance, they might take it the wrong way. Don’t cry-Crying the first time you meet might lead the interviewer to think you’re unstable. Employers look for people who can handle high-pressure situations, and crying is a sign that you can’t handle the stress of being put on the spot in front of another person. Showing a prospective employer you can manage your emotions is almost as important as showing you can

manage people. Don’t talk about illnesses unless they are relevant-If there is a gap in your resume, it may be because you were in the hospital or had a serious illness, and then it is relevant. But if you’re just talking about how sick you are, then it’s not relevant. Don’t talk about problems at a previous company unless it’s to show how you persevered-Don’t say: “I had so many problems with my former boss; he was a constant headache. If you don’t specify that you found a solution to your problems, then any prospective employer will think that all you did was have problems at your last job. If an interviewer asks about a problem you faced at your previous employer, she is more interested in your ability to solve the problem than the actual problem. Don’t force rapport-Don’t try and force commonalities with your interviewer. Items in the

interviewer’s office might reflect his or her hobbies and interests, but it doesn’t mean you have to like the same things. Have no questions -Not having questions communicates you don’t have any interest in the company and are just looking for a pay check. If nothing else, candidates should ask something like, “What would be the three major things you need me to accomplish,” or what are the qualities of people who are very successful at your company? Don’t say you were firedEven if you were fired you just don’t want to use that word. Saying you were fired could shift the tone of the interview, and a prospective employer might start focusing on your bad attributes and wondering why you were dismissed instead of looking at your positives and focusing on your qualifications.

Mrs.Tessy Adeboye. Explaining the reorganisation further, the Manager in charge of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations of LASSA, Temitope Akande, said, ‘Small formats’ will be managed by

Omorinola Lawal, while street furniture which comprises of Bus stop shelters, Lamp poles will be handled by Anthony Babaniji. According to Akande, another category which though temporary and seen as alternative advertisement including night projections, aerial signs, sky signs, water tanks, boat branding and fast track applications will be headed by Bolade Ojaide. He said fines and penalties are separate issues at the agency, adding that the segment is to be managed by Adewale Aganano; Market branding will be headed by Bayo Aluko, while building branding be handled by Yinka Adegboyega. LASSA said it is expecting that this new direction “which is the first of its kind in a government agency”, will accelerate its growth and position it for better service delivery.

NIM organises competition for youths

Courtesy: yahoojobs.com

he Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) has said its drive to enhance managerial competence among youths in the country is responsible for organising its 2012 Young Managers’ Competition. NIM further said that the YMC is part of the institute’s contributions to youth development and human capacity enhancement in the country. The Lagos State Chairman of YMC, Mr. Lugard Aimiuwu, who represented the President and Chairman of Council, NIM, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole at the event at the weekend, said the annual competition was established in 1974 during the tenure of

a former Managing Director of Nestle Foods Nigeria Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye. He said the competition which is open to young managers between the ages of 25 and 40, was instituted for the primary purpose of encouraging the participants who are endowed with creative and research abilities to hone their skills through conducting independent in-depth research into management related problems with a view to proposing solutions. “The competition was established to create a corps of young men and women who can distinguish themselves in conducting studies in different areas of human endeavour with the hope that such propositions would help development in all ramifications.”

coming to have the objective of building, nurturing, and developing a unique and efficient establishment, professional, reputable and reliable in whichever area of service, capacity and competence. These areas include manpower supply and support services, oilfield services, water supply schemes or projects, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering consultancy and construction services, equipment leasing, haulage and transportation services as well as supply of construction materials and equipment such as pumps, valves, meters, pipes and fittings, fire

fighting and personal protective equipment and product. Some other requirements are minimum of 10 years experience in Mechanical areas like gas turbine, gas compressor, pumps fans engines and generators. Also on job vacancy, is the full time position for a Sports Presenter/Reporter/Writer (wwwjobs.vanguardngr.com) to be based in Lagos. While the position requires experience of between 3 - 5 years, a minimum qualification of an HND with an ability to broadcast in Pidgin English

would come in handy for the applicants. Other role and responsibilities of the expected candidate will include occasional setting up and conducting of live or telephone interviews with sports personalities or stakeholders (in English/Pidgin English) for local sports news content. The role of the position will also include online researching for sports information and electronic sports news gathering and editing, which entails the Candidate to have excellent knowledge and experience with audio editing applications.

MESHACK IDEHEN

Job vacancies

harmaceutical Sales Representatives offered by www.jobber man.com leads the job vacancies available for the week. Located in Delta State and specialising in industry healthcare, some of the responsibilities include ability to drive promotional activities of the company’s products through detailing to healthcare professionals, and monitor and collating information on competition’s activities and achieve sales targets in the assigned territory. Requiring experience of between 1 - 3 years, the qualification

for the position are a BSC in Biochemistry, or Pharmacology, or Microbiology, or any other Biological sciences, or HND in marketing or any other related discipline, Not more than 30 years of age and possession of a valid driver’s license. Also being offered b for the week is the vacant posts of a FullTime on job trainer-mechanical engineering operations (www. jobberman.com) in an engineering and human resource company in Rivers state. Requiring a minimum qualification an OND,though with 10 - 15 years experience, the job come demanding the ability of the in-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Real Estate & Environment dayoayeyemi@yahoo.com 08033312578

World Urban Forum: Seeking a new approach to urbanisation

Aerial view of a section of Naples, Italy.

How to eradicate poverty, achieve environmentally-friendly, sustainable urban growth and development will be at the centre of discussions as leaders and environment stakeholders all over the world gather this week in Naples, Italy for the sixth edition of the World Urban Forum(WUF) , an event of UN-Habitat. DAYO AYEYEMI, writes

hen cabinet ministers, government delegates and representatives of organisations, women group, media and civil society all over the world that are gathering in the city of Naples, Italy for the sixth edition of World Urban Forum (WUF), issues on how to re-think urban agenda and adopt a new approach to urbanisation will top the focus of their meeting. Besides, the forum will not end without dissecting the divergent views of experts regarding the urbanising world and ways to plan the cities better, ensure sound urban legislation and governance by improving basic service delivery and housing will top the agenda. Issues that will be the high profile of the event throughout the week’s gatherings are centred on productive cities, urban job creation; livable cities and quality of life; urban planning, institutions and regulations; equity and prosperity of cities; culture and prosperity of cities; and environment, urban mobility and energy. It is no longer news that half the world’s population lives in urban areas and by middle of this century, report from the United Nations Human Settlements Programme ( UN-Habitat), entitled, “State of the World’s Cities 2010/2011: Bridging the Urban Divide”, showed that virtually the whole of world’s population growth over the next 30 years will be concentrated in urban areas, while millions of people will continue to live in in-

adequate housing, lacking access to clean water, sanitation and other essential services in slums and informal settlements around the world. It is estimated that one billion people are living in slums and other sub-standard housing around the world. For this reason, thousands of people all over the world have already assembled at Naples, Italy to discuss the future of the world’s cities. The theme of the sixth edition of World Urban Forum holding in Naples is “The Urban Future”. UN Habitat set up the World Urban Forum in 2002 to discuss the impact of rapid urbanisation on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies. Justifying the choice of the theme of 2012 edition, UN-Habitat while joining the Government of Italy to welcome delegates to the forum, said it was chosen to remind everybody how fast the world is urbanising. It pointed out that already, more than half of the global population lives in towns and cities, and that projection now is that cities will be home to two-thirds of humanity in little over a generation from now. It said, “This means we have to plan our cities better, ensure sound urban legislation and governance, improve basic service delivery and housing. At the same time, we have to save energy harder than ever before, conserve our environment, reduce pollution and tackle the urban dimension of climate change very seriously.” It explained that nations need to coordinate these

actions and resources for smarter, more liveable, less wasteful cities of the future, adding that the people owe it to future generations and to the estimated 1 billion people living in slums and other sub-standard housing around the world. In the concept paper and outline of various issues for the dialogue, sixth session of the World Urban Forum is expected to provide avenue to address some of the issues that will be raised.. The forum is expected to build on discussions of the previous fora and encourage a critical reflection of the existing reality with a view to building a shared vision of the future. The concept paper read, “A significant part of the forum discussion will generate an informed exchange on the implications of the fusion of urban with society and what policy, strategic and operational preparations are involved. “The forum will examine the continuity and discontinuities as well as the implications of the unfolding demographic magnitudes. It will also provide an opportunity to grapple with the challenge of fostering prosperity and connecting it with the challenge of broadening the improvements in the quality of urban life. As was the case in previous fora, the principles of sustainable urban development will inform the discussions and an attempt will be made to further enrich our understanding of its implications in the context of prevailing dynamics. The forum is expected to also examine the old and newly emerging factors creating prosperity, which actors trigger positive change, what kinds of strategies they use, what prevents cities from becoming more prosperous and how they can engage in interdisciplinary analysis to develop policies and plans to meet their goals CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Real Estate & Environment

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Lagos’ new Multi-Agency complex to accommodate MDAs, 600 vehicles - Hamzat DAYO AYEYEMI

n its drive to enhance service delivery, Lagos State Government has embarked on the construction of a multi-agency complex that will accommodate all Ministries, Departmentals and Agencies in the state. The project, located at the old public car park, Alausa in Ikeja, sits on 24,700 metres square of land and encompasses 8-floor block and two adjoining blocks of 5 floors with pedestrian inter-links and two level parking area that can accommodate 600 vehicles. Justifying the essence of the project, Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said the proposed 3-block complex would end the era of government agencies renting office spaces all over the state. According to him, the new complex will promote adequate networking among the agencies. He stated that the complex on completion would enhance inter MDA’s networking, improve service delivery as well as reduce the huge resources expended on rented spaces for agencies. He explained that the project is a three-in-one assemblage with components including two floors parking area, parking space for 600 vehicles, elevators, stairways, utilities, gym, restaurants, conference areas, reception and waiting area. Baring the completion of the ultra modern Iso-Ipakodo Market in Oshodi, the government also revealed plans to put in place necessary steps that will allow would-be subscribers to access mortgage facility to own their shop. Disclosing this, the commissioner

Isopakodo Market, Oshodi, Lagos

said that with the completion of IsoIpakodo Market, the facility will soon be offered to the targeted beneficiaries with adequate mortgage facility to enable them repay the cost of purchasing their shop for over a period of 15 – 20 years. Before now, Iso-Ipakodo market used to be wood market but redevelop into an ultra modern market comprising 540 shops on three floors to accommodate more traders who are fond of displaying their wares on road setbacks. Hamzat stated that adequate provision is being made to ensure that wouldbe owners be provided title documents that will ensure that the property is bankable and can be used as collaterals for transactions. He added that the essence is to attract

business to the area and change the face of Oshodi to mega city standard. He emphasised that the modern market was fully funded by the state government and will be managed and maintained by a facility manager in order to sustain it. However, the failing pedestrian bridge located at Ilasamaja, along Apapa-Osodi Expressway is to be replaced, with contract for its replacement already awarded to Messrs PW Nigeria Ltd. The bridge, which has been the subject of many public complaints, will, according to the commissioner, will be pulled down on September 8, 2012 to make way for a new one. While stating that the process of replacement had commenced with the completion of the sub soil investiga-

tion, he noted that the bridge had earlier been blocked to avert any mishap and protect public from any possible danger. He said it was important to state that though the road belongs to Federal Government, but that the state had sought and obtained the consent of Federal authority so as to quickly replace the bridge that had at an earlier time been rehabilitated. Hamzat also noted that the public may not see much of work at the site due to changes in the method of construction, but assured that the construction work will be completed within the stipulated period of four months. Explaining some challenges relating to constructing with bridge components especially at Adisa Ajibulu Street and the Isheri Osun –Jakande projects, he said the need to put several piles in place and the nature of the terrain are huge, saying the projects were phased to ensure delivery. Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the governor on Works, Mr. Ganiyu Johnson, has described massive construction works being undertaken by the Lagos State Government as an opportunity to develop local engineering capacity and expertise. Johnson expressed this view while receiving a commemorative plague presented by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Lagos branch to Governor Babatunde Fashola for his support ofthe engineering profession. Describing the state as a construction city, the special adviser noted that the off-site construction method adopted for projects is a result of the administration’s desire to minimise the discomfort experienced by citizens due to such constructions.

Seeking a new approach to urbanisation CONTINUED FROM 25 for urbanbased social and economic development that is environmentally safe, equitable and sustainable. The organisation urged participants to learn much from the host city, Naples with its many centuries of accumulated culture and wisdom by combining that with the expertise of thousands of delegates and partners, assuring that Naples Forum promises to be a “landmark global gathering on our planet’s journey into The Urban Future.” In his pre-event statement, UnderSecretary-General of the United Nations, Executive Director UN-HABITAT, Joan Clos, said, “In an age when population will reach the seven billion mark and more than half of it will be living in urban areas, it is time to discuss the future of our cities and to share our vision of better, more liveable, inclusive and equitable cities. “I cannot imagine a better place to host the most relevant international meeting

xxxxx

on cities and urban issues than Naples. “I expect that a big number of experts, organisations, civil society, media, governments, national, local and community leaders will be joining us at the World Urban Forum in September to re-think the urban agenda and to adopt a new approach to the huge urbanisation challenge. Naples is waiting for creativity, innovation, hope and opportunities to design our future. ”

Also, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, said, “Humanity’s pursuit of dream cities of the future which are beautiful, green, sustainable and humane places, is deserving of all our attention. Imagining the cities of the future, is imagining the very future of humanity, and the cities in which we will be living as our world becomes more and more urbanised.” Ahead of the forum, Amnesty Interna-

tional has urged that ending forced evictions and respecting the right to housing should be high on the agenda for authorities from more than 100 countries who are gathering at the event. According to Amnesty International’s Policy Coordinator on Slums, Malavika Vartak, discussions on “The Urban Future” during the week-long conference from 1-7 September must include plans to address the problems faced by millions of people who live in inadequate conditions in slums and informal settlements in cities worldwide.” Giving credence to the agitation, Vartak stated, “Millions of people continue to live in inadequate housing, lacking access to clean water, sanitation and other essential services in slums and informal settlements around the world. “They also remain at risk of forced evictions where they could be illegally thrown out, losing in the process their possessions, connections with families, access to work, education and health services.”

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Ronaldo drops Madrid exit hint

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

I have said it and I’m saying it once again: A team as ours needs blending and we are arriving there - Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger

Hayatou entrenches self in office

he Confederation of African Football (CAF) congress in Seychelles has voted to adopt controversial new rules that will bar anyone outside the executive committee from contesting the organisation’s presidency. The new rules have put paid to Jacques Anouma’s ambitions of dethroning long-serving CAF president, Issa Hayatou, next year. Under the new rules brought in yesterday, South Africa’s 2010 World Cup chief Danny Jordan is also ineligible to run for the continent’s top football job. The controversial amendment states that anyone seeking the presidency must be a voting member of the executive committee.

Falconets jubilating after their victory against Mexico in the quarter-finals match.

Falconets practice penalty shoot-out against USA AFOLABI GAMBARI

igeria’s female national U-20 team, Falconets, will today square up against their counterparts from the United States of America (USA) in the semi-finals of the ongoing FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup in Japan. Report from the Nigerian camp yesterday in Tokyo revealed that the Falconets Coach, Edwin Okon, took the players through penalty shoot-out practice as the only remaining African representative in the competition strategised for today’s clash with USA. Spokesperson for the team, Ejiro Femi Babafemi, told National Mirror that the spirit in camp was high but the technical crew was not prepared to leave anything to chance. “The coach remembers that the hostility between Nigeria and USA was settled by penalties two years ago and just thinks it’s proper to shape up accordingly,” Babafemi said. “Anything can happen at this stage of the competition and it is pertinent to step up the tempo because of the possibility of this match going into extra time,” she added.

Semi-finals Japan

Germany

Nigeria

USA

Meanwhile, the coach said at a press conference yesterday that he had worked on flaws observed in the quarter-finals match with Mexico where Nigeria scraped a 1-0 win. “We had four days to work on the players’ obvious strengths and weaknesses and I can say that they have responded well and are ready to battle the Americans to victory. Two-time champion, USA, has played in the semi-finals five out of the six editions of the U-20 World Cup while Nigeria is making its second consecutive appearance in the last four. In contrast to the other two semi-finalists, Nigeria and USA go face-to-face with both having come close to the exit door along the way. For the Falconets, they had to endure a nervy period in their 1-0 quarterfinal win against Mexico, when the El Tri it was that created the better chances in the second half and extra time. The Americans, for their part, also needed extra time to oust North Korea in the last eight – this after only edg-

ing into the quarters ahead of China on goal difference. Yesterday, Falconets coach, Edwin Okon, said,”My team’s getting better every day. If you want to be better tomorrow, you have to put in the hard work today – that’s our philosophy. After having lost in the final in 2010, we want to reach that stage again in 2012. So, that’s what we’ve been working towards day after day.”

Hayatou’s critics say the express intention of this amendment was to bar Anouma from challenging him. Anouma is one of Africa’s representatives on the FIFA executive committee by virtue of which he sits on CAF’s Executive Committee as an ex-officio member. Such ex-officio members are not directly elected by CAF’s General Assembly to sit on the Executive Committee and as such they do not have voting rights, although they are free to participate in all the deliberations. Forty-four nations voted for the amendment, which was proposed by Algeria, with six nations voting against and one abstention.

Hayatou

CCL: Sunshine laments own goal loss

unshine Stars goalkeeper, Moses Ocheje, has maintained that his club did not deserve to lose to Esperance in a CAF Champions League in Tunis on Sunday.. The Nigerian representatives lost 1-0 on Sunday courtesy of a 52nd minute own goal by James Ebitogwa, but Ocheje told MTNFootball.com that Sunshine did enough in Tunis to at least get a draw. “It was a painful way to lose a game, we played well and did not deserve to lose the game, a draw would have

been the worst result for us there in Tunisia, but it was not to be. We created chances too but we failed to convert them,” he lamented. “The game has been lost and won. Now our attention is on how to scale through the semi-final. We know the higher we go the tougher it becomes and we are ready for that.” The Akure club, who also reached the last four of last year’s Confederation Cup, will now await the winners of Group B between TP Mazembe of DR Congo and Al Ahly from Egypt in the

semi-finals. Defending champions Esperance have won Group A as they have recorded an unassailable nine points with only a game to be played in this group following the disqualification of local rivals Etoile du Sahel. Esperance, who beat Sunshine Stars 2-0 in the reverse fixture in Nigeria in July, will play the final game of the group in a fortnight at bottom team ASO Chlef of Algeria, who are still to gain a point at this stage of the tournament.

Sport

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Euro briefs…

Maicon eyes trophies

ew Manchester City defender, Douglas Maicon, is looking forward to working alongside great players at the Eastlands club and hopes to help win many trophies. The Brazilian star, who was one of five new players to join the Premier League champion on transfer deadline day as he agreed a move from Inter Milan, had played under Roberto Mancini, with the Italian manager having spent two years at the Inter helm prior to taking charge of City. The 31-year-old is now relishing the challenge of trying to keep City pushing forward and winning more silverware. “I want to make great history at Manchester City as I have done over here at Inter Milan,” Maicon said yesterday “I want to make history over there and that is why I have made this decision and I am sure everything will be all right, because I am going to work alongside great players.”

Kaka wants Madrid stay

eal Madrid midfielder, Kaka, is willing to rebuild his relationship with the club. The market shut with Kaka still a Madrid player, despite reports linking him with AC Milan and PSG. “I do not want to burden the club,” Kaka said yesterday. “The problem was I had no serious offers. I am not demanding to be a starter, only to be allowed to return to the squad. “I want to start again from scratch.” Asked about his relationship with coach Jose Mourinho, Kaka said: “It is a professional relationship. There is mutual respect. I never questioned him.” “Would it not be better to go and play elsewhere or even in another league which is less competitive? My answer is yes. But for now, I still want to do this,” he pleaded.

Kaka

Modric

Ronaldo drops Madrid exit hint

Real Madrid assistant coach, Aitor Karanka, says the club is delighted with Luka Modric’s arrival. The former Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder made his debut in Real’s Supercopa win over Barcelona. “Luka is super and in the future we expect him to earn a first team place and be an important player for us,” Karanka said.

eports in Spain yesterday claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo has told Real Madrid President Florentino Perez that he wants to quit the club. The reports said that the Portugal international had met with Perez on Saturday in Madrid where Director General Jose Angel Sanchez and the player’s agent Jorge Mendes was also present. According to the reports, Ronaldo has made it clear to the club he is not happy, citing falling out with some players and being “valued less” as reasons. Sources however claimed that Ronaldo was also piqued that despite having three years left on his current contract, he was yet to be offered a new deal. The news broke after Ronaldo visibly failed to celebrate either of his two goals in Real’s 3-0 win over Granada on Sunday. Although he confirmed his unhappy status, he refused to divulge details. Ronaldo is due to link-up with Portugal this week for the country’s World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Azerbaijan.

Owen

Sunderland Manager, Martin O’Neill, is considering a move for free agent Michael Owen according to reports yesterday. The 32-year old striker is available on a free after being released by Manchester United at the end of last season and it is believed that the Black Cats are toying with a possible offer. Owen has been linked with a few clubs this summer including Stoke City and even Everton but the latest interest comes from the Stadium of Light.

Walcott Former Tottenham Hotspurs Manager, Harry Redknapp, hopes Theo Walcott agrees to stay at Arsenal. “Agreeing to stay put at Arsenal for the time being could turn out to be the best decision he will make for a long time. “I gave Theo his debut as a kid at Southampton and nowhere will he get a better chance to fulfill that potential than where he is right now,” Redknapp said.

Kagawa

Ronaldo

Reds’ boss targets Drogba

Drogba in front.

Zambia’s Emmanuel

iverpool Manager, Brendan Rodgers, is ready to make a sensational move for Chelsea legendary striker, Didier Drogba. Reports over the weekend said Drogba’s management company had rubbished reports he has left Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua, even as his future there seems uncertain amid reports of a power struggle and the club’s inability to pay his wages. If he were released the 34-year-old would become a free agent, enabling Rodgers to make his move. “I will have to ask the question over Didier’s availability,”Rodgers admitted. “Any player I believe can improve the squad, I will look at. There is absolutely no question about that.”

Manchester United Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is excited about what new signing Shinji Kagawa offers his team. Kagawa has impressed in both of United’s opening two games, which is reward for the work the club has put in identifying Kagawa as a key man in United’s bid to win the title back. Ferguson admitted it was his tremendous performance in winning the German Cup Final for Borussia Dortmund over Bayern Munich that convinced him to make his move.

Del Piero Alessandro Del Piero’s proposed move to ALeague club Sydney FC is under a slight cloud following comments from his agent. The former Juventus star is being heavily linked with the Sky Blues to become their new marquee man with suggestions that a deal had been finalized late last week.

AFOLABI GAMBARI

ations Cup it is targeti win at the L Ndola in the country it takes on the Cran ber 8 in the final rou Afcon 2013 qualifier. The Chipopolo h Ghana at the new 2014 qualifier in Jun

Principal’ coach tra FOLASAYO OGU

ollowing successful pletion of year’s GTBank / State Principal and GTBank He Cup respectivel ganizers of the petitions have i Mark Ellis of A FC in England to about 26 players ing a one-week ing programme commenced y day at the Instit Tropical Agric (IITA), Ibadan. National M gathered yest that the outsta players were se from the male a male categories competitions. Ellis, who co Arsenal and Fu youth teams, be joined by f Green Eagles def Yisa Sofoluwe an Super Falcons keeper and coach

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Sport

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Mayuka (l) and Nathan Sinkala will hope to celebrate with Chris Katongo (m) this weekend

champion, Zambia, says ing a second consecutive evi Mwanawasa Stadium, ry’s northern region when nes of Uganda on Septemund first leg match of the r. . had hosted Black Stars of stadium in a World Cup ne, winning 1-0 and bounc-

ing back to reckoning in the group that also comprises Sudan and Lesotho. Media Officer of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), Erick O. Mwanza, who spoke to National Mirror from Lusaka yesterday, said the national team had commenced full training ahead of the match with the cranes. “The domestic league players had continued training after the international friendly with Korea on August 15,” Mwanza said. “The foreign players have all arrived in camp yesterday and we have now a full camp and the spirit is high already,” he added while

cooling reports of tension in camp in view of the crucial nature of the impending encounter where the host must win. “After the defeat of Ghana at the Ndola stadium, the players are looking to consolidate success on the pitch against the Ugandans,” the media officer further said. Zambia’s chances at scooping the vital points on Saturday have been further boosted by news from Kampala yesterday that the Cranes’ key strikers Geoffrey Massa and Brian Ubony were ruled out of the match after suffering injuries.

’s Cup: Arsenal’s Chess: Team Nigeria falls to Colombia ins GT Bank

NDEJI

the comf this /Lagos Cup eritage ly, ore comnvited rsenal coach s durcampwhich yesterute of ulture

Mirror terday anding elected and feof the

oaches ulham will former fender nd exgoalh, Ann

Hockey: Flickers, Rollers, Queens hit Africa AFOLABI GAMBARI

AFCON qualifier: Zambia ambushes Uganda at Ndola

Chiejine. “The players development programme camping is designed to sharpen and cultivate the football skills of identified outstanding talents drawing on the experience of top football coaches,” Executive Director of GTBank, Ohis Ohiwerei, disclosed. “We have decided to help these young footballers develop their talents by bringing in these experienced coaches who will not only teach them the techniques and rudiments of the game, but also ensure they get the chances of playing professional football either here or abroad,” he added. Ellis, who addressed the players at the camp, stressed that emphasis would be on training formation, tactics and conditioning through seminars and practical field demonstration and application.

igerian male team to the World Chess Olympiad suffered its worst defeat at the ongoing chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey yesterday with 0.5-3 score line to highly favoured Columbia team led by veteran Alonso Zapata in the fifth round of the tournament. A draw against the South American would have enhanced Nigeria placement in both category and individual ratings but International Master Dapo Adu lost to Grand Master Zapata on board one. The Nigerian playing in the white side of his favorite Sicilian Defense, Nardjorf variation was totally in control of the game till the 30th move when he blundered to a Rook move to c4 as against f1 and this gave the Zapata, a veteran of several World Chess Olympiad and escape route to escape to victory after 44moves. However on board two, Bomo Kigigha, who has had an impressive outing in the tournament, erased the perfect score most pundits have being anticipating against the Columbia with a hard earn draw against Alder Escobar on board two. The game was transposed from Sicilian defense Grivas variation into the hedge-hog defense on move 11 and both players maintained their position without any one hav-

ing upper hand till both agreed to a draw situation on move 62. The duo of Nonso Orawgwu and Femi Balogun failed to cope with the mastery prowess of Esneider Barrientos (2500) and Camilo Crishian (2398) on board three and four respectively to hand Nigeria its heaviest defeat so far in the tournament. In the female section, the trio of Nsisong Asanga, Funmi Akinola and Vivian Dzaayem crashed to the superior prowess of toddlers of Julia Lebel-Arias, Mathilde Chung and Noela-Joyce Lomandond from Monaco while Tobi Olatunji on board one had earlier in the day secured a massive win over Beatrice Choing on board one. Interestingly, the average age of all the players from Monaco is 12 years.

our finalists in the male and female categories of the 2012 IEI Hockey League which ended in Abuja last Sunday will represent Nigeria at continental club championships later this year. National Mirror learnt yesterday from spokesman of the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF), Taiwo Alimi, that male winners Niger Flickers and runners-up Yobe Desert Rollers will play in the African Male Club Championship in Accra, Ghana while Bayelsa Queens and Yobe Desert Queens will play in the championship’s female version in Zimbabwe. Niger Flickers had dethroned defending champions Yobe Desert Rollers of Damaturu to win the 2012 IEI National Premier Hockey League’s male championship. A sudden death goal in the sixth minute of the extra time from Yohanna Farouk gave the Minna side a 3-2 win after regulation time had ended 2-2. Flickers’ Head Coach, Mohammed Isah, said his side’s feat was remarkable as the game proved hectic. “The opposition was tough but I am glad my team really played well,” Isha said. “We really worked for this victory because the players and officials sacrificed a lot for it,” her added. Desert Rollers’ Coach, Fate Jibrin, however conceded victory to the Flickers, saying the

outcome was natural in sports. “You either lose or win and we have been winning this title for about five years now,” he added. Union Bank of Lagos won the third-place match after beating Kano State Flickers 1-0. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF) at the weekend in Abuja invited 41 players to camp in preparation for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) World League qualifiers. The players are to jostle for selection to represent the country at the qualifier billed for Accra in Ghana from September 7 to September 9. Male players include Kichimen Gomerep, Femi Afonja, Dare Adeleke, Simon Awasa, Tinat Jonathan, Adamu Kolo, Peter Sunday, Clinton Nwagbara and Idris Dakumi. Others are Oghenevo Omokoro, Philip Ardo, Michael Agbaegbu, Aliyu Jauro, Muiz Bello, Hussaini Bala, Musa Abdullahi, Collins Ifeanyi, Mohammed Inusa, Monday Emmanuel, Emmanuel Ochai and Shaibu Agada. Female players include Jessica Pam, Patricia Uzuegbu, Bomeigha Ikirika, Sarah Izang, Ifeimi Tulanga, Juliet Ogbakpah, Owundinjo Adaugo and Ebitimi Sampou. Others are Justina Onyedum, Susan Bulus, Edigue Oshaghae, Stella Nnanna, Ajuma Ejegwa, Alfa John, Ruth Anthony, Inatimi Nelson, Mary Anboyi, Yiman Akusu, Osato Odduoh and Dorcas Daniel.

Union Bank of Lagos won bronze in the IEI League in Abuja on Sunday

Eko 2012: Edo, Niger step up preparations AFOLABI GAMBARI

do State female gymnastic coach, Beauty Mohammed, has assured that the state will clinch virtually all medals available in the sport when the National Sports Festival (NSF) gets underway in Lagos in November. According to her, the state will win 12 out of the 14 medals in gymnastics. “We are training very hard. The athletes have the right motivation in terms of training equipment,” she said yesterday, saying he team had commenced

camping last week. “I don’t see anybody stopping us this year,” she assured. Director of Sports in Niger State, Baba Sheshi, has also said that the state’s athletes are in high spirit to excel. According the administrator, Niger will focus on Handball and Hockey where it hopes to clinch available medals. “As a state we have tried to provide all the necessary equipment needed by the athletes to prepare well and we hope all these will yield the desired outcome,” he said.

Sport

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Paralympic crumbs…

Chinese domination

Folashade Oluwafemiayo celebrating her silver medal in the women’s-75kg yesterday

Oluwafemiayo, Ejike clinch more medals

wo powerlifters, Folashade Oluwafemiayo and Victoria Nneji, yesterday added silver and bronze to Nigeria’s medal kitty at the Excel Centre as the Paralympic Games entered its fifth day in London. Four-time Paralympian Nneji competed in the women’s -67.50 kg category and captured her third medal ever at the Paralympics. Nneji, who has a body weight of 64.70kg started with 121kg which was adjudged a “no lift” by the referees, lifted the same weight the second time without much fuss while she thereafter increased the weight to 125kg for her last and final attempt which was cleared by two of the three referees. The lifter was ecstatic about her third place finish behind World No.1, Souhad Ghazouani of France, who holds the world record of 147kg. She won gold with a Paralympic Record of 146kg but failed in the attempt to better her world record to148kg. China’s Yujiao Tan won silver with 139kg. Nneji won gold in the same category in Sydney 2000 and silver in Beijing four years ago. Oluwafemiayo, who competes in women’s -75kg, finished second behind China’s

Courteous officials

Bronze medalist Victoria Nneji preparing to take her lift yesterday

Taoying Fu. Both lifters had a tie of 146kg each but gold was awarded to the Chinese as her body weight of 72.53kg was less than Oluwafemiayo’s 74.17kg. Taipei’s Tzu-Hui Lin placed third with 137kg. Nigeria still tops the powerlifting medals table with four gold, five silver and a bronze medal while China (three gold, three silver and four bronze) and Egypt (two gold and

Adisa blames weather for loss

It’s not difficult to notice China’s domination at the on-going games and the reason is not far- fetched. The Asians are taking part in almost all categories of events here. Talk about a country that knows how to use its large population to its advantage. They are currently topping the medals table with a staggering 40 gold, 26 silver and 29 bronze medals on the fifth day of the games with seven more days to go. Even host Great Britain cannot but trail. It is clear that China is not only extending its world domination in the area of technology and economy but sports as well. If only Nigeria can learn from this. Our athletes are taking part only in four sports and have already been knocked out of two, leaving Nigeria with just two events to compete in.

China’s Yujiao Tan won silver with 139kg. Nneji won gold in the same category in Sydney 2000 and silver in Beijing four years ago. Oluwafemiayo, who competes in women’s -75kg, finished second behind China’s Taoying Fu. Both lifters had a tie of 146kg each but gold was awarded to the Chinese as her body weight of 72.53kg was less than Oluwafemiayo’s 74.17kg. Taipei’s Tzu-Hui Lin placed third with 137kg. Nigeria still tops the powerlifting medals table with four gold, five silver and a bronze medal while China (three gold, three silver and four bronze) and Egypt (two gold and three bronze) are second and third respectively. Overall Nigeria is placed tenth on the medals table with China maintaining the first position with 40 gold, 26 silver and 29 bronze medals. Hosts Great Britain are second with 17 gold, 24 silver and 16 bronze medals while Russia is in third position with 14 gold, 17 silver and 11 bronze medals.

three bronze) are second and third respectively. Overall Nigeria is placed tenth on the medals table with China maintaining the first position with 40 gold, 26 silver and 29 bronze medals. Hosts Great Britain are second with 17 gold, 24 silver and 16 bronze medals while Russia is in third position with 14 gold, 17 silver and 11 bronze medals.

One consistent development at the games is the courtesy of the officials and volunteers who give the impression that they are enjoying their jobs and having the time of their lives by simply being of help in one way or the other. They are polite to a fault, always smiling and ready to give directions which has been often, bearing in mind that the Olympic Park in Stratford covers 2.5 square kilometres which is roughly the size of 350 football pitches. I have lost count of the number of times I have missed my way but then I don’t mind, knowing that the good natured officials are ever ready to re-direct me. Even the train station attendants have not been left out of this show of courtesy and not once have I witnessed a rude official.

Mammoth fan base The London 2012 Paralympic Games have witnessed a huge turnout of fans, which was quite unexpected, considering that the Olympics, regarded as the bigger competition, has since ended.

Pistorius makes outburst amends

outh Africa’s Oscar Pistorius apologised for the timing of his outburst after losing his T44 200m title, but insists there was an issue with large prosthetics lengthening an amputee’s stride. Pistorius, the star of the London 2012 Paralympics, was sensationally beaten into the silver medal position by Brazil’s Alan Oliveira yesterday, in a result that stunned the Olympic Stadium. The 25-year-old then hit out at the International Paralympic Committee, claiming it was not a fair race and he was at a disadvantage caused by artificial leg length, as the regulations allowed athletes to make themselves “unbelievably high”. Pistorius is set to meet with the IPC to raise his concerns. The South African, who had both legs amputated below the knee as an infant, runs on carbon fibre blades, as does Oliveira.

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Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

‘Our pattern of land use don’t give room for understanding of ecosystem’ Dr. Alade Adeleke, is the acting Executive Director, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). In this interview with DAYO AYEYEMI, the renowned conservationist gives insight into the ocean surge that rocked Kuramo Beach recently and the need for government to develop a land use plan that recognises the importance of coastal zone management. Can we attribute the recent surge at Kuramo Beach to Climate Change? Climate change is no more news to us, it is a global phenomenon, and it is a process whereby different parts of the environment are going to be affected because of the change in temperature of the earth which happens because of the past activities either industrially or agriculturally or socially or in our quest for economic development. We do burn more carbons and involved ourselves in technology that increases the depletion of the ozone layer, which lead to climate change’s effects on the earth. Now, talking about the implications for the country, we have seen different kinds of things happening in the world and little impact of this is happening in Nigeria. Recent happening is the reflection of the fact that we are all as human beings confronted with the effects of climate change, and that is why the Lagos State Government has started climate change’s conferences in the past four years. The opportunities provided by these conferences are to enable Lagosians or Nigerians to be aware of the implications of climate change. It is to let people know that climate change is a reality, it is no more stories and once in a while, we are going to be having implications of climate change. It is not going to happen only in the coast cities. Lagos is a coastal city and this is happening in all the coasts of cities in world. Lagos is a city that has large number of people and because of small land size and large number of people, people want to live anywhere they find themselves including living very close to the coast. From the global climate change efforts, advice has been led by the United Nations through the climate change convention suggesting that there are two ways of handling the issue of climate change. Can we know the ways? One is to know more about adaptation. Adaptation is to let you know that you are affected; you are prone or vulnerable to climate change effects. And when you know, you will continue to do things that take note of the fact. The other thing that can be done is mitigation. Mitigation is a total global action against climate change - that is to reduce the effects, we must prepare to do certain things that we help us to reduce the effects of climate change by reducing burning of gasses and carbon by increasing opportunity offers us to have carbon zinc and by involving ourselves in technology that will help to stem our consumption as human being. So, the two measures are been approached by the people and government

IT IS DIFFICULT TO BLAME THE OCEAN SURGE ON CLIMATE

CHANGE ALONE, OUR PATTERN OF LAND USE PLANNING, IN MOST

CASES, DO NOT GIVE TOO MUCH ROOM FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF COASTAL ZONE ECOSYSTEM VERY WELL.

of Nigeria, but the fact that we have ocean surge today, in a way, is something we have to contend with because we have talked about sea level rise. When you have high temperature, there will be melting of the glacier ice and you have more water in the ocean, and with storm, there is bound to be an increase in water level and waves will carry it to different parts of the world. So, occasionally, we will storm of such nature; and the fact that Lagos State Government and Federal Government are advising people to move away from the coast is to create space for coastal area. Don’t you think it is necessary to resettle people that were displaced by ocean surge because many of them blamed development of Eko Atlantic City for their predicament? It is difficult to blame the ocean surge on climate change alone, our pattern of land use planning in most cases do not give too much room for the understanding of coastal zone ecosystem very well. Locations have been developed and areas are still being developed, so the claims of other people can be right, but there is no study that really suggests that the surge occurred because of the development of Eko Atlantic City. I think there is an Environment Impact Assessments of Eko Atlantic City before it was engaged on. I am not saying it is not been base on the fact the Eko Atlantic City is being developed but there could be an additional factor. Everywhere in the coast when you want to develop, you should be aware that there is a kind of threat on the wetland system of the coastal ecosystem and I believe the developer of the Eko Atlantic City would have taken it into consideration the situation. But when you are in the coastal area and there is a surge, what I think government and people should do is to have a long term view of living in the

Adeleke

coastal area and also design maybe adaptation and mitigation measures. For instance, when Lekki area is being developed and other coastal areas are being developed, there should have been a minimum green belt like wetland where people, in case something happens that can take the ocean surge. It will serve as a distance between the people and the ocean. It can be a form of a green belt, it can also be used to promote eco-tourism and people can use it occasionally instead of having concrete everywhere. What do you think is the solution to Okun Alfa waterfront community in Lekki, Lagos that is at the verge of extinction due to devastated ocean surge that hit the coast last year? Those who are coastal people know the tidal movement of the coast. Everybody may say there has not been any effect but those who studied coastal areas know that tidal movement do affect coastal communities over years. Those who are living in that area, if they listen to history of how the place used to be before, they would have been told that distance to the ocean was where they were living before now. It is a natural inter-tidal movement which has to do with mobility of coastal water and those who live in the coast know how it affects them. How can the shoreline already depleted be restored? Government has to find a way and pos-

sibly, in collaboration with the people. As the population grows, people normally move to places where they don’t normally go, so I think it is going to be a decisive action by government to develop a kind of Land Use Plan that recognises the opportunity that the coast should be restricted in term of habitation, building and construction by creating opportunity for mitigation to reduce the threat from the ocean. What is your advice for the people affected? People there are used to coastal area and if government decides that they should move away, I think government should consider its support and advise where they will move to. There should be a gap between coastal area and where people live. What can you say about Lekki Conservation Centre? As small as it is, it is a flood recharge zone; as small as it is, as a natural system, it enables a control of wetland water movement. It is going to be assisting in a very small way but we would have got a very big opportunity when Lekki axis is being developed to create ecology of the peninsula. Then, it would have been an easy thing to do, there would have been a restriction, but now Lekki is fully built, so whenever we have an opportunity of living green and living save, we will try to do that..

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ways to clean your bathroom E

verybody knows that a nice bath is a good remedy for a tiring hard working day, a day which exhausted you physically and emotionally. It is a relaxing method which will always give the wanted effect. However, for you to enjoy your time in the bathroom, it must be sparkling clean. Below tips suggest when and ways to clean your bathroom: A minute a day Learn simple techniques for keeping your bathroom sparkling. Start by tossing harsh scouring powder for the tub. It is too abrasive to use regularly. After showering, take a minute to wipe down the tub and faucets with a terry-cloth towel to help remove soap scum and prevent mineral deposits Squeegee the shower Pull the shower curtain closed when not in use, so water canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sit in the folds. Spread towels over two hooks to dry, or hang them on rods instead. Wipe shower walls with a squeegee after every use. Circulate air To discourage mildew growth in the bathroom, increase the amount of air circulation and light to decrease moisture. Use fans during the shower and for roughly 30 minutes after, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and open windows. Prevent bathtub rings Bathtub rings are usually the result of using oily bath products. Clean with warm water and a mildly abrasive cleanser after using such products. Stop mildew Grout is porous and absorbs oils from shampoos, conditioners, and soaps, which can lead to mildew growth that can spread to the tiles it surrounds. Clean mildew with a mix of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach and a soft-bristled brush. Follow up with a pHneutral cleaner to remove the bleach solution.

Courtesy:www.doityourself.com

EVERY MONTH OR TWO, GIVE THE PIPES A GOOD PREVENTATIVE CLEANING TO KEEP THEM CLEAR OF GREASE, OIL, AND HAIR CLOGS

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Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Housing Estate in Abuja

FG wants update from developers on houses delivered OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

n furtherance of the performance assessment pact that the Federal Government had with ministers, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Amal Pepple, has asked estate developers to submit update on the number of houses so far built. She also said that in line with the President’s directives, the ministry has mapped out strategies to monitor the activities of estate developers who col-

lected loans from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), with a view to finding out if they match input with output. Pepple, who spoke in Abuja recently while signing performance contract agreement with the chief executive officers of parastatals under her ministry, admonished that efforts must be geared toward delivering all projects in line with money budgeted. It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had on Wednesday, signed performance agreement pact

Niger NSE urges engineers to give attention to training, capacity building PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

or Nigeria to take its proper position in the comity of nations, adequate attention must be given to training and capacity building of engineering personnel by both government and other employers of labour. The admonition came from the Chairman of Niger State chapter of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr. Hassan Chado, during the inauguration of its standing committees in Minna. Chado noted that other nations of the world that have made giant strides in human development gave top priority to engineering. He lamented the poor salary paid engineers in the nation, particularly those working in the public service, noting that it is among the worst when put side by side with other professionals. He said, “Professionals such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists as well as lawyers are paid more than 100 per cent

far ahead than qualified engineers, in spite of the dangers they also faced in the course of discharging their duties. “We must give special consideration to the critical issue of training and capacity building of engineers if the nation is serious about developing its huge potentials and taking its proper place in the comity of nations.” He revealed that at a United Nations water supply summit in Washington, recently, the nation was graded among the last 19 out of 153 countries of the world in water supply. The chairman further stated that aside being ranked low in water supply, the summit also revealed that Nigeria is also moving off-track in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. “It is regrettable to note that Nigeria is ranked very low among nations of the world in many critical development indices such as power supply, water supply, housing, transportation system despite its huge human and other natural resources,” Chado noted.

with his ministers. The pact is to enable the Presidency determine to what extent ministers are delivering on the mandatesin their respective ministries. In specific term, she told the Managing Director of FMBM, Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, to prune down the number of estate developers that get loans, stressing that it is better to have a few who would deliver than having a pack of underperforming ones. She said, “We have the FMBN that gives loan to estate developers and now, we can monitor them and see how they

are delivering. We have decided that those we are giving loan who are not performing, that we should determine their worth so that we can give it to those who are serious. “If we have 10 people who are serious taking the loan and delivering on their mandate, it is better than having 50 that will not deliver. This also applies to the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). We have asked developers in all the 36 states and the FCT to submit to us within two weeks, the parts of the houses they have built.”

Ogun road works open up rural areas

he rural infrastructural development drive of the Governor Ibikunle Amosun led government in Ogun State has resulted in unprecedented road construction in all the local government Areas in the state. The good road networks in the nooks and crannies of state has elicited joy among indigenes, particularly those at the grassroots as socio-economic activities have been boasted. This is the story in Ogun East and West Senatorial districts of the state. The Ogbere road in Ijebu-East Local Government area, which had been in a state of disrepair for many years, has been reconstructed with the appreciative residents and motorists in the area giving kudos to the government. Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Kayode Ademolake, said the government decided to address infrastructural decay in these areas because they are considered to be the remote parts of the state. He said roads like Orita J4, Abigi, Efire, Ibiade and Makun-Omi in Ogun Waterside area have been rehabilitated to provide succor to motorists and residents, particularly farmers who hitherto found

Amosun

it difficult to transport their farm produce. In the same vein, the permanent secretary disclosed that a section of the dual carriage way along Imowo Road in IjebuOde had been reconstructed to reduce the effect of the annual flooding of the area. He said two culverts are being rehabilitated along Ondo Road in Ijebu-Ode to allow free flow of water which was the major reason a section of the road had been in bad state for many years.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Govt launches national plan on REDD+ ...Eight more states enlist into programme

O LUFEMI A DEOSUN ABUJA

n a bid to check the spate of deforestation which has engulfed the nation, the Federal Government has launched the National Programme Document (NPD) on Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, known as REDD+. This is even as eight states, such as Taraba, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Lagos, Enugu, Katsina, Yobe and Oyo have expressed readiness to key in into the programme. Already, Cross River is being used as pilot project, based on its status as the state with over 50 per cent of the country’s remaining high tropical forest. The REDD+ initiative which is being coordinated by three UN agencies, namely United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Food and Agricultural Organisation(FAO), forms part of Nigeria’s contributions to the global efforts at reducing carbon emission from the atmosphere. It would be recalled that the country’s desire to be REDD+ compliant began in November 2009 when it formerly requested to participate in the UNREDD programme as part of its efforts to contribute to climate change mitigation globally, promoting forest conservation and enhancing community development locally. Under the programme, both the Federal Government and state governments have obligations to ensure seam-

Deforestation

less operation of the REDD+ initiative at all the tiers of government. Speaking during the launch of the NPD on REDD+ at the weekend, the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Haruna Taiye, underscored the importance of the programme to the present administration’s transformation agenda. She said, “The government considers REDD+ as a national development priority which forms an essential component of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda. This is against the backdrop of massive deforestation

Jonathan

being experienced recently across the country. The Federal Government is strongly committed to reversing this

trend through the implementation of various programmes, including the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation and the Great Green Wall (GGW) Sahara Programme.” She, however, said that cofunding would be needed to replicate the programme in all the states of the federation, explaining that the money released by the UN for it is inadequate. “The UNREDD approved funds will not be sufficient for full REDD+ activities in all states of the federation. Co-funding will be required in order to expand the scope of REDD+ to other states,” she said. Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, restated the

commitment of the state to the REDD+ initiative, stressing that his government would do everything possible to remain a credible model for the programme. He said, “As we sign this document today, let me assure the UNREDD partners and secretariat and other stakeholders of my government’s continued support and commitment for the REDD programme. We will do all that it takes to ensure that Cross River State remains a credible model for REDD+ not only in the country but also across the region. This commitment is a demonstration of our appreciation for the choice of Cross River as the pilot state for REDD in Nigeria.”

Progress on finance and adaptation should not be lost to compromise, group warns DAYO AYEYEMI

WITH AGENCY NEWS

s the next round of climate negotiations begin in Bangkok, the Chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) group warned that there is a risk that key issues could be lost that are vital to protect poor countries from the ravages of climate change, which they are already experiencing. LDCs group’s chair, Pa Ousman Jarju, from Gambia, urged that there is need to increasedfinance for adaptation and action

to reduce emissions, appealing for the need to set up a proper international coordination process to deliver resources for adaptation to those in most need. He said, “We cannot live with these issues being deferred until a new agreement is negotiated in 2015 and would not even come into effect in 2020. “We are experiencing global warming induced drought, water and food shortages now,” said Jarju. “The drought in the USA is costing insurance companies money, but the droughts

in the LDCs are causing loss of life and livelihoods, malnutrition in our children and huge dislocation which is very serious for our survival.” He said the Durban meeting in December 2011 agreed on four major tasks for countries to complete by the December 2012 conference in Doha: •adopt a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol •start a new treaty negotiation •raise the level of ambition • and to conclude our long ne-

gotiations under the 2007 Bali Action Plan, which must deliver on finance and adaption. “The Bali Action Pl an is fundamental in protecting the interest of LDCs – right here and right now, and not in ten years’ time,” said Jarju. “Our attitude towards it reflects our attitude towards any future agreement. Two years of dialogue followed by five years of negotiations with interim key decisions in Cancun and Durban cannot just be ignored as if they never happened.”

“It is extremely important that governments agree to respect the commitments they have already made to provide finance, technology and capacity building to developing countries and to enhance cooperation to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change and not to use the focus on a new processes to avoid past promises. We cannot indefinitely delay action, especially with regard to climate change, which is already upon us.”

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Aviation

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Unions, ministry differ on planned automation of aviation sector

he planned automation of all revenue points in the Nigerian aviation agencies by the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah is already causing some ripples in all the affected agencies and beyond. With the calculated automation of the revenues points, workers in the agencies like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are apprehensive that the planned automation of the agencies will lead to loss of jobs. Some are already giving figures to the numbers of staff that be affected if the exercise comes into fruition. Also, stakeholders and professionals in the sector, especially the union leaders perceive the automation process of the revenue points with suspicion, saying that the handing over of the points to “a particular and unknown company” by Oduah is a reminiscence of Maevis Nigeria Limited, a dislodged concessionaire of FAAN on aeronautic and non-aeronautic revenues. The unions claim that like the previous agreements in the sector without their inputs, the planned handing over of revenue points in the agency to Avitech Software by the ministry is not different from others. Although, they agree that automation of the points will further bring about efficiency in the agencies, but say that should not lead to lay-off of workers. Speaking on the issue, the Senior Organising Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Odinaka Igbokwe, said that while the unions are not against the automation of the revenue points, they are however jittery that majority of the workers may lose their jobs due to the way and manner the exercise is being carried out by the ministry. Igbokwe declared that rather than giving out the revenue points to a private firm, the government should train the staff of the agencies involved to operate and manage the new equipment. For instance, he explained that the International Air Transport Agency (IATA), is already in charge of revenues for NAMA at 1.5 per cent commission, alleging that the new contractor wants to deduct five per cent commission on revenue collected on behalf of the agency. He said: “The staff of the agencies should rather be trained and take over. Because the contractor will be coming with a new technology, but that is not what is conceived here. What they are doing is to give it to a private person; they are not calling it concession, which has been used in the past. For instance, in NCAA and FAAN, they are giving out the manning of the equipment to Avitech Software. “The issue in the automation is to capture revenues from Information and Communication Technology (ICT) point of view in the agencies, but the staff are not trained to capture it, rather, contractors are used for that purpose and collection. “In a place like NAMA for instance where they have IATA doing the collec-

With the planned automation of all revenue points in the Nigerian aviation industry expected to kick-start any moment from now, the industry unions and the Ministry of Aviation, are at loggerheads over the exercise. OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

Oduah

Okewu

AUTOMATION OF THE REVENUE POINTS HAS BEEN ON FOR A LONG TIME. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO AUTOMATE ALL REVENUE POINTS ACCRUED TO

OTHER AGENCIES.

FAAN AND

OF COURSE, WE ARE AWARE OF SOME LEAKAGES IN THE SYSTEM, WHICH

HAVE BEEN NOTED BETWEEN THE MINISTRY AND THE AGENCIES tion for them and charges like 1.5 per cent of the revenue that it collects and give the rest to the agency, they are now bringing Avitech Software through First Bank to collect the money while the bank supplies the software. In the arrangement, First Bank is to take five per cent. This is unwarranted because it simply means that somebody is colleting more revenues from the agency. “When you now ask the new values they will be adding to the agency from the union point of view, we don’t see it to justify additional percentage. Is it that NAMA is not able to collect its revenue as and when due? The answer is no. same thing applies to other agencies like FAAN and NCAA.” He disagreed with Oduah that there are loopholes in the system, but rather says there is a need to electronically capture the revenues so as to checkmate the possibility of corrupt practices in the sub-sector. On his own part, the President, Air Transport Senior Staff Services of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Comrade Benjamin Okewu noted that the planned automation of the revenue points has brought to the workers. He decried that the signing of contract with a private firm for the automation of by the agencies did not have

the inputs of the unions, but assured that the industry unions will resist any form of manipulation of the workers by the government. “We decided to brief the workers because there were information that came to us that another ‘Maevis’ was about to be signed in all the parastatals and as a responsible unions, what we did was to quickly get across to various organs of governments and we started with the various chief executive officers of the agencies involved. “We had a discussion with the minister at the level of interaction and we suggested that there was a need for an official meeting for us to bring all arsenals on board to discuss these issues, they agreed, but as at now, no such meeting. At our own level, we insisted that before any agreement is signed, there is a need for the unions to have a look at any concessions and agreement so that we know if the agreement is detrimental to the workers or not and the Nigerian people at large. “The unions are not in anyway against automation, but we will only support automation that will be done by our people knowing well that we have capable hands in the system that can handle it. All we need to do is to bring the Point of Sales equipment to

the points and we are not against that, but it must be done by workers and trained accordingly.” He confirmed the planned reduction of the workforce by the ministry, but informs that President Goodluck Joanthan stopped such plans due to the high security challenge in the country most especially the Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the country. Besides, a unionist who does not want his name mentioned predicted that the planned automation of the revenue points without human resources by the ministry will fail like its predecessors. He insisted that concession by government is a disaster anywhere in the world, saying that it is morally wrong for the government to use public funds to develop a business and later hand over such to a private firm of their choice. But Oduah that the planned automation of the revenue points in the agencies is to block all the seemingly loopholes in the sector, maintaining that those who are kicking against the new process are those who are benefitting from the rots in the system. Oduah speaking through her Special Assistant, Media, Mr. Joe Obi said that no amount of blackmail will discourage the government from going ahead with its transformation agenda of the sector. She explained that the automation of revenue points by the government has been on since she came onboard as minister in the sector, saying that the essence of the exercise is to ensure accuracy in the accrued revenues to the agencies. She insisted that there are various leakages in the system, which the ministry is determined to block, adding that automation of the sector in the country is was not novel in the entire global aviation industry. She, however, assured that the automation exercise will not lead to retrenchment of workers stressing that the equipment will still be managed by humans. She said: “Automation of the revenue points has been on for a long time. We want to ensure that we are able to automate all revenue points accrued to FAAN and other agencies. Of course, we are aware of some leakages in the system, which have been noted between the ministry and the agencies. “That process has been on, but implementation has not really started. We are working towards that. That is the way to go even globally, this manual system is too primitive and no longer tolerated anywhere in the world. “However, that does not mean people will be retrenched. Those equipment that would be put to use, it is human beings that will man them. You cannot link that with any retrenchment. The machines would be mounted by human beings, they are not robots.”

Aviation

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Jonathan awards Overland Airways with NPOM

verland Airways has been awarded the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) Award by President Goodluck Jonathan. The award for excellence was bestowed on the airline during the 12th National Productivity Day Celebration at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, recently. The Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Capt. Edward Boyo, received the award on behalf of the airline. President Jonathan, who was represented at the ceremony by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said government places a high premium on the award, adding that much is expected from whom much is given, as he urged the airline and other award recipients to sustain productivity in Nigeria’s economy. He said, “Our hallmark at all times shall be excellence. Nigeria desires nothing but the best. We can make it, and we shall make it,” he stated. According to Jonathan, the thrust of his administration is to ensure that every Nigerian is gainfully employed and the economy is sustained on a growth path under the nation-

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Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

Air Force and the Customs agents

T Boyo

al economic transformation agenda, even as he congratulated and extolled Overland Airways for diligently promoting employment and productivity to further strengthen the Nigerian economy. Commenting on the award, Boyo said, “We thank the Federal Government for this recognition. We are indeed humbled by the award. It is a clear attestation that our efforts at opening up the hinterland and the Nigerian economy through air transport are appreciated by government and Nigerians. And we will not relent in our efforts to continue to provide that useful link between Nigeria’s hinterland and major cities.

“We wish to express our profound appreciation to our customers for their support and patronage; they are, of course, part of the reason for this award. Overland Airways will continue to offer high standards of service to our teeming customers and contribute to the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s economy.” The Director-General of the National Productivity Centre, Dr. Paul Bdliya, said the airline was selected following a rigorous selection process. Overland Airways presently operates to Abuja, Bauchi, Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin and Asaba, and said it would be opening more routes in the near future.

Magazine names Delta best flight experience to Africa

he current co-operation between the Customs agents and men of the Nigerian Air Force and Customs attached to the Hajj and Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos is second to none. The stern looking officers were posted to the point to maintain sanity in the wake of the ejection crisis between the agents and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, which lingered for two weeks.

Although, the officers are still stern looking as ever, but they have seized the opportunity to parley the agents. Rather than maintaining sanity, they now use the point to extort money from the agents. Airside was at the terminal last week and discovered the agents who regularly grease the palms of the officers gain access to the cargo area. Airside has a picture of one of these officers and might release it to the public soon if the officers don’t perform their duties as expected.

NMIA toilets: Urgent attention needed

he Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah has performed creditably well so far in the industry most especially on the ongoing remodeling of 11 airports in the first phase. The exercise, which has reached 80 per cent completion in all the airports, started in late 2011. The remodeling exercise of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos has gone a long way with the changing of tiles, extension of the terminal building, upgrading of the facilities, beautifying of the complex and changing of the toilet facilities most especially the arrival and departure toilets. But, despite the massive works done on the toilets, the

second to the sixth floor toilets remain untouched by the contractors handling the project. Airside was at one of the floors recently and was pressed to use the toilet facilities, but was disappointed at the dilapidating state of the facilities. One of the toilets was full of human waste, which could not be flushed due to the damaged water system; others were either abandoned because of complete collapse or lack of toilet tissues in them. Airside wishes to draw the attention of the Honourable Minister to this oversight and wants her to order the contractors to effect changes before the completion of the remodeling exercise. Hope we will see the expected changes soon.

British Airways launches Fly with Confidence in summer

Delta 747

elta Air Lines has been nominated ‘Best Flight Experience to Africa’ by Executive Travel Magazine’s readers. Delta won gold status, the highest level award, ahead of South African Airways and British Airways in the magazine’s Leading Edge Awards 2012. The annual awards recognise travel providers that offer innovative, high-quality products and services to business travellers. An online statement signed by the media consultant to the airline in Nigeria said that this year marked the 10th anniversary of Executive Travel Magazine’s annual Leading Edge Awards. “Delta has flown almost three

million customers between Africa and the United States since we launched our first flights to Africa in 2006 and this award shows our customers value the service we offer,” said Delta’s senior vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Perry Cantarutti,. “We’ll continue to invest in our customers’ experience by introducing more flat-bed seats and international Wi-Fi on Africa routes over the coming months.” Delta is the leading airline between Africa and the United States, with flights to five African cities. Delta launched its first services to Africa in December 2006 and today operates daily nonstop service between Johannesburg and Atlanta, five

weekly services between Accra and New York-JFK, daily nonstop service between Lagos and Atlanta, three weekly services between Monrovia and New York-JFK via Accra and three weekly nonstop services between Dakar and New YorkJFK. Passengers flying to the United States benefit from connections to 160 onward destinations from Atlanta and 55 from New York-JFK. Besides, Delta is introducing its new, custom-designed flatbed seats on services between Lagos and Atlanta, effective 5 September. The seats offer a 180-degree, fully horizontal bed and direct aisle access, as well as Delta on Demand in-seat entertainment.

ritish Airways has announced the launch of a new instructional video for nervous flyers on its in-flight entertainment system from September 1. The film, presented by British Airways pilot and course leader, Captain Steve Allright, takes information from the British Airways Flying with Confidence course – the airline’s one-day fear of flying programme. In the video, Captain Allright explains the technical side of flying, how an aircraft operates and other areas that can give some customers cause for concern, such as turbulence. According to an e-mail sent by the airline’s media consultant in Lagos, Nigeria, the video also gives advice from clinical psychologists on the course including relaxation techniques, and how best to deal with anxiety and feelings of panic. The statement added that the

airline has also put a preview clip from the video on its YouTube site for customers who would like to know more about the course ahead of their flight. Customers will be able to watch the complete video on the British Airways Well Being channel, one of the hundreds of options on the airline’s extensive in-flight entertainment system. British Airways Allright, who flies Boeing 747s, said: “The British Airways Flying with Confidence course has helped more than 45,000 people over the past 25 years. “I really hope that we can reach, and help even more people with this video - whether they’re flying for business or for their holidays.” Customers who go on the British Airways Flying with Confidence course will, in addition to tackling their fear of flying, also qualify for a 10 per cent discount on any British Airways flight, for up to nine people - in any cabin class.

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Insurance

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

DANA CRASH

Letters of admin needed for full compensation payment –NAICOM OMOBOLA TOLU-KUSIMO

he Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel has said Prestige Insurance for the the delay in payment of 30 per cent claims which ought to be paid to the Dana air crash victims but said full compensation to families can only be paid if they present death certificates and certificates of administration of the crashed victim. Daniel, who briefed journalists at the weekend in Calabar on the developments said that whether or not the co-insurers fully paid premiums before the accident was irrelevant to the commission. What was important he said was that Prestige will fully pay families the 30 per cent claim insured locally. He assured that the victim’s families would be paid the $70,000 balance of the standard $100,000 claims as soon as the death certificates and letter of administration are presented. It would be recalled that the families had earlier received $30,000. The commission, according to Daniel, will not play politics with the issue, adding that a lot of people lost their lives to the plane crash. He said for that reason, prompt payment of compensation must be taken seriously. The ill-fated Dana aircraft crashed at Iju-Ishaga on June 3, 2012, killing all the 153 passengers on board and 10 people on ground. The Deputy Director, Administration and Policy, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Mr. Leo Akah also reiter-

Commissioner for Insurance Nigeria, Mr. Fola Daniel and Ghana Commissioner for Insurance, Nyamikeh Kyiamaa at the signing of an MoU recently

ated that said the final payment valued at $70,000 per victim can only be paid on provision of death certificate and letters of administration. He said, “Only 58 families have been paid the initial 30 per cent amounting to $30,000 which was supposed to be paid 30 days after the airline crash according to NCA law, and that right now the rest pay-

ment has been frustrated as a result multiple claimants coming for claims.” He added that, “As at today, no family has submitted these documents, and that’s why no family had been paid the balance.” The lead under writer in Nigeria is Prestige Assurance, while six other insurance companies were co-insurers. But Akah said details will be made avail-

able next week when both the foreign and local insurers will address a world press conference on the state of insurance on the Dana air crash. His word: “As far as we are concerned ,30 per cent of this insurance was taken by Nigerian insurer led by Prestige while the foreign aspect was handled by Lloyds and Lloyds Associates.”

What you should know about flood insurance If you don’t think your home is at risk for flooding, think again. People outside of high-risk flood areas receive one-third of disaster assistance for flooding and file more than 20 percent of flood insurance claims. “Maybe if you lived on top of a mountain along the Continental Divide, maybe then you wouldn’t need flood insurance, but that’s about the only place you don’t need it,” says J. Fletcher Willey Jr., president of The Willey Agency in Nags Head, N.C. Yet flood insurance is one of the most misunderstood types of insurance coverage. Here are eight facts to clear up some of the most common misconceptions about coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program: Coverage limited in basements The distinctions can be tricky, so read the policy for details. Some structural elements in the basement are covered, such as central air conditioners, foundation walls, electrical outlets, furnaces and hot water heaters. However, carpeting and floor tile are

not covered. Some appliances in the basement are covered, such as washers and dryers, portable air conditioners and freezers. But refrigerators are not covered. Most personal belongings-including furniture, clothing and electronic equipment--are not covered when they’re in the basement. Building and contents insurance required A standard home insurance policy automatically covers personal belongings up to a certain percentage of the home’s insured value. With flood insurance, you must purchase contents coverage as well as building coverage to get both. No additional living expenses provided If your home is destroyed by fire, homeowner insurance pays for the cost to rent comparable living quarters until the house is rebuilt. But flood insurance does not include coverage for additional living expenses. You typically foot the bill to rent a

place to live while your home is being repaired after a flood. No replacement cost coverage for personal belongings Unlike standard home insurance, which lets you purchase replacement cost coverage for personal belongings, flood insurance features only actual cash value coverage for possessions. Replacement cost coverage reimburses you for the cost to buy a new item to replace a destroyed belonging. Actual cash value coverage takes depreciation into account and reimburses you for the value of the item at the time it was destroyed. So if a flood destroys your 3-year-old television, flood insurance reimburses you for the value of a used TV--not for the cost to buy a new one. To qualify for replacement cost coverage to rebuild part of a destroyed building, the home must be your principal residence, and you must have insured it for at least 80 percent of the cost to rebuild or up to the $250,000 cap. Otherwise, reimbursement for rebuilding is based on the actual cash value.

Limited coverage on valuables The coverage for valuables, such as furs and fine art, is limited to $2,500. Currency, precious metals and valuable papers, such as stock certificates, are not covered at all. No flood coverage for hot tubs and swimming pools Flood insurance doesn’t cover property and belongings outside the home. That includes hot tubs, swimming pools, decks, patios, fences, landscaping, walks, wells and septic systems. Likewise, flood insurance pays for removal of debris in or on the home’s structure, but not in the yard. Finally, don’t wait until water is lapping at the front door to purchase a policy. Flood insurance has a 30-day waiting period from the date of purchase until the time it goes into effect. The only exceptions are if you’re buying additional insurance when renewing a policy or as a result of a map revision, or if a lender requires flood insurance for a home loan. Tips by insure.com

Insurance

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

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Standard Life to quadruple operations in Asia and emerging markets

nsurance giant Standard Life has unveiled plans to quadruple the size of its Asia and emerging markets division as it seeks to diversify its core UK and Canadian life and pensions business. The five-year plan is to be spearheaded by Nathan Parnaby, who took on the newly-created role of chief executive of Asia in a recent shake up of senior personnel at the Edinburgh-based firm by chief executive David Nish. Standard Life has an established, wholly-owned operation in Hong Kong, and two significant joint ventures in mainland China and India. Parnaby expects to establish a “fourth pillar” to the firm’s global emerging market ambitions by entering another new market “or two”, although he declined to be drawn on where this would be as the firm is awaiting regulatory approval. And while Standard Life intends to continue growing its far-flung operations organically, Parnaby said he “would not rule out” acquisitions, particularly in India where competitors, such as Aviva and Prudential, have been making acquisitions ahead of expectations the market will be liberalised to allow foreign-owned entrants a larger share of the growing do-

Nathan Parnaby

mestic insurance and savings market. Currently, Standard Life’s Asia business is small in comparison to the UK, and Parnaby insists he is chasing sustainable growth. Last year, profits from some, but not all, of the firm’s emerging market ventures reached £8 million compared to £302m for the group as a whole. Long term savings new business amounted to £409m from China, India and Hong Kong

compared to £10.1 billion. Indian operations comprise an asset management business and a life business, both of which are a joint ventures with the publicly listed Housing Development Finance Corporation. Since it was established in 2000, £100m has been has invested in the Indian businesses. Parnaby said it is “worth an awful lot more than that”. He confirmed the business first broke into profitability in the second half of 2011. While Parnaby admits Standard Life experienced a set-back in China when a proposed joint-venture with Bank of China fell through in 2010, the company has since focused on growing Heng An Standard Life Insurance Company, its joint venture with government-owned Tianjin TEDA Investment Holding Co. He said the firm has “ambitious plans” there, having recently recruited a new Chinese chief executive. The business has 1,300 employees in 22 cities although he admits growth has to date been a “bit slow”. The thrust of Standard Life’s growth in Asia will target increasingly wealthy expats. Parnaby said: “Trying to access internationally mobile business in south-east

United Fire claims adjusters ready for Isaac’s impact

laims adjusters have been moved into position by United Fire Group and Allied Insurance to respond to damage from Tropical Storm Isaac in states along the Gulf of Mexico. David Conner, United Fire Group vice president and chief claims officer said the Cedar Rapids-based property and Casualty Company began preparing for Isaac over the weekend. “Our office in New Orleans is fully staffed and we’re staying in touch with those folks,” Conner said. “We also have our storm team enroute to the area. Some of them are on call to be sure they will have the hotel rooms we have set up for them.” Des Moines-based Allied Insurance also is prepared to set up storm cen-

ters in hardest hit areas to receive and handle claims from customers. Claims representatives will be dispatched from these locations to assess property damage. Conner said the damage is not expected to be anywhere near as severe as the $367 million impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. “There will be shingles off, trees down and power will be lost for a time in certain areas,” he said. “We aren’t looking at this as an extremely significant severe-type event like Katrina was seven years ago. “We are going to have claims, as are other insurance carriers that are more prominently represented in that area.” Conner said United Fire took steps

after Katrina to reduce its exposure in the hurricane-prone region within limits imposed by state regulators. “The exposure that we had accumulated in that portion of the Gulf Mexico was sizable enough to be worrisome for a company our size,” he said. “After Katrina, we made plans over the years so that it was as minimally invasive to the policyholders and our agents as possible. “We moved away from as much of the personal lines business and the commercial lines as we thought we should. We wanted to bring our exposure to a category 1, category 2 or category 3 hurricanes in that concentrated area to better match the size of company that we are.”

Negotiation on new hospital fees on-going with insurance firms

ommonwealth Healthcare Corporation, chief executive Officer, Mr. Juan N. Babauta had disclosed on Friday that top health insurance industry officials have aired concerns about the proposed emergency regulation that creates a new schedule of fees for hospital services. Babauta said the meeting took place Thursday afternoon where insurance industry officials expressed surprise over the corporation’s decision to significantly raise hospital fees and charges, including supplies. “We talked about the increase in the fees for CHC and I told them about the rationale, the reason behind the increase. It’s been a long time coming and it should not come as a big surprise to them,” Babauta told Saipan Tribune. Babauta said he initiated the meeting with insurance officials, represented by Frank Campillo of Calvo’s

Select Care, Jerry Crisostomo of Moylan’s NetCare, Staywell’s Francis Santos, and Tim Ogata for TakeCare to discuss the new regulation. The four officials reportedly described the rate increases as “excessive and unaffordable” and, unless the corporation reconsiders, may also result in drastic increases in their member’s premiums and reductions in policy. Babauta said the insurance company officers told him there’s no way they can handle the new fees at the hospital if they’re not going to pass the increase to their members. “A lot of fees that we have included in the new fee schedule were never there before. One being the hospital supplies, which we never charged for many years. It’s time to start charging at least for the actual cost [we incur]. And we’re starting at the base, charging at least the minimum cost. So when you go from zero to a $1, that’s already 100 percent increase,” he said.

Although he shares the concerns of the health insurance companies, he said the corporation must do something to recover at least its cost of providing services. Babauta described the initial meeting with insurance companies as “good” and looks forward to more meetings. He disclosed that the health insurance industry will come up with a formal letter enumerating their concerns and recommendations. He said the idea of “incremental” increases was brought to the table to give the companies and their plan members’ ample time to prepare. “They were happy that we met and they will submit to the corporation a letter. From there, we hope to meet again to see if we can address some of their concerns, perhaps by either reducing some of the fees we’ve published or some kind of incremental implementation of rate increases. Surely, we will talk about the pros and cons,” said Babauta.

Asia is something we are seriously looking at. There are other emerging markets we would like to tap into. It is a rapidly growing market. “Wealth in Asia has been growing although the recession will have slowed things down.” Insurers call end to accord over flood cover Insurers are refusing to extend a crucial agreement with the government which enables them to continue to cover homeowners who live in more than two million properties at risk of flooding. The industry’s Statement of Principles, which began in 2000, comes to an end next June, when insurers will be free to refuse cover to those properties they deem to be a flood risk. “As it stands this deal is not being renewed nor will the June deadline be extended,” said a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers. Insiders say the industry thought it had a deal with Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman which would have seen a new Statement of Principles put in place if flood defence work was stepped up. However, the Treasury is believed to be blocking the plans due to the cost

Pensioner tells police ‘Well done lads, you got me’

pensioner who chose to drive to see friends even though he had no lixxx cence or insurance, congratulated officers when he was caught swerving across the road on his way home, a court was told. When officers approached Malcolm Stewart, 73, of Cowley Road, Donington, following their pursuit of him he said: “Well done lads, you have done a good job, I have had a few drinks I’m not going to lie.” Stewart pleaded guilty to charges of failing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving a motor vehicle without a licence and using a motor vehicle without third party insurance when he appeared at Boston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. Prosecutor Edward Johnson said police first saw Stewart at 4.10pm on Tuesday, August 8, pulling out of the Hammer and Pincers car park in Wyberton Fen. They wrote that he was: “cutting us up and causing us to slow down.” The court was told they followed him and noted he was cutting across the road and couldn’t take corners without swerving. When he reached the Black Swan in Donington officers approached him where he accepted guilt, Johnson said. When asked for his licence and insurance he also said he didn’t have them. However, when taken to the station he was unable to provide a specimen for analysis. Defence solicitor Liz Harte said Stewart had made it clear to her that he had no quarrel with the police or the way he was stopped, in fact, she said he was complementary about the way he was dealt with at all stages. Stewart, who is retired, receives a state pension and carers allowance for his partner, who he looks after seven days a week. She said he usually went out once a week and, unfortunately, this time ‘succumbed to the temptation to take a car with him, to drive’.

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Capital Market

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

NSE requires legislation, incentives for companies’ listing – Experts JOHNSON OKANLAWON

takeholders in the Nigerian capital market have said that the Nigerian stock market requires a combination of legislation and incentives for listing. They noted that legislation for compulstry listing of companies on the Exchange may not only yield desired result on market growth if the incentives are not provided. The former President of the Capital Market Solicitors Association of Nigeria, Mr. Anthony Idigbe, a commercial lawyer, said that there should be legislation to ensure that a certain percentage of the shares

of any public enterprise earmarked for privatisation should be listed on the Stock Exchange within a limited numberof years afterthey are soldto theinvestors. According to him, certain government owned bodies like the national oil company in Nigeria should be listed on the Exchange and the Sovereign Wealth Fund should be invested in the market. He said, “Pension Fund Administrators should invest more in the equities market as institutional investors. There should be legislation to make listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange one of the conditions for the renewal of telecommunication licenses and oil and gas li-

censes, to encourage companies operating in those sectors to list. “There should be more incentives to encourage small and medium sized companies to list their shares as part of their contribution to the development and growth of theNigerian economy.” He urged the government to pass into law quickly and retain current definition of indigenous petroleum company for an attractive and competitive capital market that will create a balance between the country’s national interest and the interest of the listed companies. “This would in turn make Nigeria an attractive market for both local and foreign companies

looking to raise capital,” he added. Also, the President of Nigeria Shareholders’ Solidarity Assciation, Mr. Timothy Adesiyan, advised government to ensure compustry listing of companies seeking licences for power supply in the country. He urged the regulatory authorities to to act as arbiter, soliciting lower taxes for listed companies and give tax holidays for those in formative years. Adesiyan added that the government should ensure that only laws passed through parliament can have impact on investments and not arbitrary regulations borne out of personal decision of any individual.

Index rises by 0.5% as NSE holds AGM on September 28 JOHNSON OKANLAWON

rading in equities continued on bullish note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as investors’ appetite on stocks rose further. Specifically, the All Share index appreciated by 0.48 per cent to close at 23,864.05 points, compared to the increase by 0.19 per cent recorded on Friday to close at 23,750.82 points. Market capitalisation

increased by N36bn to close at N7.60trn, higher than the appreciation by N15bn recorded on Friday to close at N7.56trn. Nigerian Police Microfinance Bank Plc led the gainers’ table with five kobo or five per cent to close at N1.05 per share, followed by Cadbury Nigeria Plc with 89 kobo or 4.99 per cent to close at N18.74 per share. DN Meyer Plc increased by four kobo or 4.94 per cent to close at 85 kobo per share, while Union Bank of Nigeria

Plc gained 25 kobo or 4.90 per cent to close at N5.35 per share. Julius Berger Plc rose by N1.28 or 4.79 per cent to close at N28.00 per share. On the flip side, ARBICO Plc dropped 63 kobo or 4.95 per cent to close at N12.10 per share, while Cutix Plc dipped by seven kobo or 4.86 per cent to close at N1.37 per share. UTC Plc lost three kobo or four per cent to close at 72 kobo per share, while Fidelity Bank Plc shed five kobo

or 3.57 per cent to close at N1.35 per share. Goldlink Insurance Plc fell one kobo or 1.92 per cent to close at 51 kobo per share. A total of 133.6 million shares valued at N1.24bn were exchanged by investors in 3,561 deals. Meanwhile, the Exchange has announced that its 51st Annual General Meeting will hold in September 28, 2012 to present 2011 financial accounts to its members among others.

Commodities beat stocks, bonds for second month

ommodities beat equities, bonds and the dollar for a second consecutive month, the longest streak in more than a year, on mounting speculation policy makers will seek to rescue their economies. The Standard and Poor’s GSCI Total Return Index of 24 commodities rose 6.4 per cent in August, led by silver, cocoa and heating oil. The MSCI All-Country World Index of equities gained 1.9 per cent for a third straight advance, as the US Dollar Index, a measure against six currencies, dropped 1.7 per cent. Bonds of all types returned 0.2 per cent on average, led by Europe’s most indebt-

ed nations, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Global Broad Market Index. Gains in riskier assets show investors expect policy makers will succeed in bolstering growth. The Federal Reserve and European Central Bank are already holding borrowing costs at a record low, and more than two-dozen nations cut market interest rates this year. China has slowed for six quarters, the 17- nation euro area is contracting, and consumer confidence in the U.S. fell the most in 10 months in August. “The market has clearly already taken a very sanguine view,” said Bill O’Neill, the London-based

chief investment officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, which oversees more than $1.8trn of assets. “The dollar has been weaker, and that’s one of the reasons why commodities are propelled higher. Part of it has been the easing expectations, and the conviction that the Fed would do something aggressive in early September.” Raw materials entered a bull market last month after rising more than 20 per cent since mid-June, erasing this year’s losses. They last beat every other asset for two months in March and April 2011. Commodities rose more than 80 per-

cent from December 2008 to June 2011 as the Fed bought $2.3trn of debt in two rounds of quantitative easing. Silver futures added 13 per cent last month, the most since January, as holdings through exchange-traded products advanced for a fourth month, data compiled by Bloomberg showed. Investors buy silver both as a hedge against inflation and as a bet on a stronger economy because 53 percent is used in industrial applications from televisions to batteries. Futures for delivery in December rose 1.3 percent today to $31.85 an ounce.

Source: NSE NIBOR QUOTES 31 AUGUST & 3 SEPTEMBER 2012 25.00 24.00 23.00 22.00 21.00 20.00 19.00 18.00 17.00 16.00 15.00 14.00 13.00 12.00 11.00 10.00

31-Aug-12

3-Sep-12

Source: FMDA

Market indicators All-Share Index 20,583.61 points Market capitalisation 6.487, trillion

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

NPFMCRFBK

1.00

1.05

0.05

5.00

CADBURY

17.85

18.74

0.89

4.99

DNMEYER

0.81

0.85

0.04

4.94

UBN

5.10

5.35

0.25

4.90

JBERGER

26.72

28.00

1.28

4.79

INTBREW

8.42

8.80

0.38

4.51

MAYBAKER

1.33

1.39

0.06

4.51

REDSTAREX

2.57

2.68

0.11

4.28

AGLEVENT

1.18

1.23

0.05

4.24

ROYALEX

0.51

0.53

0.02

3.92

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

ARBICO

12.73

12.10

0.63

-4.95

CUTIX

1.44

1.37

0.07

-4.86

UTC

0.75

0.72

0.03

-4.00

FIDELITYBK

1.40

1.35

0.05

-3.57

GOLDINSURE

0.52

0.51

0.01

-1.92

PRESCO

15.00

14.80

0.20

-1.33

UBA

4.52

4.47

0.05

-1.11

CUSTODYINS

1.20

1.19

0.01

-0.83

FIRSTBANK

13.54

13.46

0.08

-0.59

CONOIL

19.73

19.71

0.02

-0.10

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Day

32,970.71

14.10

6-Sep-12

182-Day

50,000.00

15.49

5-Sep-12

364 -Day

60,000.00

9.05

6-Sep-12

Open Market Operations TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

118-Day

34,470.71

7.42

30-Aug-12

189-Day

40,960.00

8.18

9-Aug-12

36-Day

11,919.76

15.49

9-Aug-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$200,0m

N/A

$$200,0m

3-Sep-12

$180,0m

29-Aug-12

The Capitol, seat of US N/A government $180,0m

Capital Market

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at September 3, 2012 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

CONTINUED FROM 13 has largely met this. Our founding fathers also intended that the PDP would serve as a bulwark against military adventurism and rebuild the fabric of the civil society. This has also been achieved. It suffices that the democratic credentials of our great party have engendered a new orientation in the nation’s armed forces, enabling Nigeria to enjoy for the first time in her history, over a decade of uninterrupted democracy. “Laying a new, solid foundation for socio-economic prosperity was also part of our objectives and this, we have also largely achieved. Even though there is still room for improvement, we can safely state with verifiable facts that the PDP has achieved quite a lot in its 14 years of existence. “Today, the PDP is the major catalyst for the unity of Nigeria through its strong leadership and all embracing membership whose centripetal pull has succeeded in relegating the barriers of race, religion and ideological persuasions. We all know that these are at the core of issues that have kept Nigeria down since independence. There is no gainsaying that the PDP is the only truly national political party in Nigeria. It is the only political party not owned by any individual or group or associated with any tribal or religious group. It is a melting pot that has given adequate expression to the aspirations of all Nigerians irrespective of class, tribe or religion. “The strengthening of the institutions of democracy is also another area that the PDP has achieved quite a lot in the last 14 years. The separation of powers among the executive, legislature and the judiciary has grown over the years under the PDP leadership. The three arms of government especially at the centre currently operate with least interference, having mastered the institutional checks and balances among them. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has through reforms and amendments of relevant portions of the Electoral Act by the National Assembly been strengthened to properly play its role as an unbiased electoral umpire. “In the same vein, rule of law which became a cardinal article of governance under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua has remained same under President Goodluck Jonathan while there is also the Freedom of Information Act which bolsters in no small measure, transparency and accountability without which good governance cannot be. “Economically, the PDP leadership has fast-tracked Nigeria into the digital world of information and communication technology. The mobile telecom market in Nigeria which started in 2001 is rated as the fastest growing in the world. The PDP government indeed provided the enabling environment and gave the push for investments in this sector to thrive. “Our party has also steadied the ship of the Nigerian economy which was hitherto threatened by activities of militants in the Niger Delta. Through a well-articulated amnesty programme, aggrieved insurgents have been re-integrated into the Nigerian society and now productively engaged in fruitful activities. “Besides, our government recognises that no meaningful development can be achieved without strong financial institutions in place. The bank reforms instituted across the years by the PDP-led Federal Government did not only strengthen the

PDP trudges on @ 14

Nwodo

Metuh

THE INABILITY OF THE PDP-LED GOVERNMENT TO FIX THE POWER SECTOR WHICH IS SEEN WORLD OVER AS THE DRIVING FORCE FOR INDUSTRIALISATION HAS REMAINED A NEGATIVE POINT IN THE ANNALS OF THE PARTY banks but ensured they withstood the economic meltdown that pulled down financial institutions across the globe. “Further more, accountability and probity in public life is a vexed issue but the PDP-led government over the years has taken the bull by the horn and created two anti-corruption institutions in EFCC and ICPC. The effectiveness of these agencies is evident in the various trials and convictions where even high ranking members of the PDP who were found wanting were not spared.” Metuh said that the party has indeed covered a long stretch of mileage in translating its vision into material benefits for the people, even though it is not unmindful of the fact that a lot still needs to be done to re-occupy its deserved place in the global community. “The National Working Committee (NWC) has decided that our members throughout the federation and in the Diaspora should use the occasion of this year’s anniversary to soberly reflect on the values of justice, unity and progress which is the motto of our great party. We wish to add that the significance of our motto has remained a critical essential in navigating through the current challenging trajectory of our national history. “Our anniversary should be an occasion for us to celebrate really but we have cho-

Rimi

sen to mark it this year without pomp. This is in line with our determination to devote more attention to accelerating an all front delivery of our electoral promises to Nigerians and in deference to the mood of the nation. On behalf of the National Executive Committee of our great party, our National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur wishes to commend Nigerians for their support over the years. We wish to promise once again that the PDP will continue to make the welfare of the people a priority. We shall do more than we have done in the last 14 years and urge that we all keep hope alive. We wish to also commend the President, Dr. Jonathan for epitomising the party’s new spirit and for his determination to transform Nigeria. We pay our tribute also to the PDP led National Assembly, our state governors and elected and appointed members of our party at different levels and urge them to continue to lift the banner of the PDP higher,” he stated.

PDP and its shortcomings Metuh was very emphatic about the imperfect nature of man or organisation and averred that the PDP is not an exception to that reality. Indeed, just as the party reeled out its achievements in the last 14 years, most Nigerians particularly the opposition parties are of the opinion that PDP has not

done enough and should not be allowed to return to power in the 2015 general election. One of the reasons is the security situation in Nigeria. The emergence of the Boko Haram insurgence that coincided with the reign of PDP is not a good testimony. The government has been grappling with this issue but like it was successful in the era of the Niger Delta, the belief in some quarters is that the issue will certainly cease someday. Metuh also echoed President Jonathan when he said that the security challenge is only a phase which Nigerians are passing through, citing that it is a global phenomenon which even the very developed democracies have witnessed and some are still witnessing. On corruption, the PDP is of the opinion that it inherited the vice and that it is doing so much to win the war against the cankerworm, maintaining that the government’s exposure of corrupt involvement of top party officials should be seen as one of the biggest achievements of the party The party’s spokesman explained that why people even know of these deals is because the PDP is not prepared to hide anything from the public, stressing that “for the party to allow any of its officials or supporters to be exposed for corrupt practices shows that we are with the people and we have no room for corrupt tendencies.” “PDP is insisting that nothing can be hidden from the people. With the entrance of EFCC, ICPC and other anti-graft efforts, we have proved that nothing can be swept under the carpet. When people are probed for what they did several years back, detained and prosecuted, it is up to the courts to do what they should do. While you call it scandal, we call it achievement,” he noted. The party has also been accused of not doing much in the area of fighting poverty, inflation and unemployment. In fact, the monetary policies of the government has remained a big issue with most Nigerians believing that most of the gains made from the era of former Central Bank governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo have completely vanished under the watchful eyes of the present leadership. The storm generated by the intention of the CBN to restructure the national currency is being opposed stoutly by most Nigerians. The inability of the PDP-led government to fix the power sector which is seen world over as the driving force for industrialisation has remained a negative point in the annals of the party. Billions have been sunk and only last week, the Minister of Power, Barth Nnaji resigned his appointment just barely a year in that post. Early in the year, Nigeria witnessed one of the worst industrial actions in the history of this nation over the government’s attempt to tamper with the petroleum pump price. Presently, the energy workers are in dispute with the government over the unbundling of the energy sector, scrapping of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and looming mass sack of workers which the government says is geared toward privatising the sector. Finally, the opposition parties think that elections in Nigeria are far from being credible and that the ruling party has a template of manipulating the outcome of elections. President Jonathan and his predecessor, the late Yar’Adua promised Nigerians holistic change. Both leaders CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

Politics THE

PARLIAMENT

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bayelsa Assembly passes 16 bills

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA.

THE

n the past one year, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly has been grappling with impeachment saga leading to cold war among members. In spite of this challenge, the legislature under the leadership of the current Speaker, Konbowei Benson, has been able to pass 16 bills within a space of 170 days. Benson was elected unopposed as the helmsman of the fourth Assembly on February 20. The House members may have jettisoned their difference in the interest of the state to achieve this feat. During a state reception in honour of the Speaker on May 13 at the Gloryland Cultural Centre, Yenagoa, Governor Seriake Dickson described the new leadership of the Assembly as the best in the country. However, the Speaker asserted that the best is yet to come out of the Assembly. On assumption of office, the Speaker set an agenda to improve parliamentary duties, which comprise effective legislation, executive oversight and true representation. He also developed the capacity of the Assembly’s staff for effective service delivery. Among the bills passed into law, within the period under review are; Bayelsa State Thanksgiving Day Bill, 2012; State Fiscal Responsibility (Amendment) Bill, 2012; State Income and Expenditure Transparency Bill, 2012; State Secret Cults/Societies and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Bill, 2012; State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (Establishment) Bill 2012; State Government and Local Government Compulsory Savings Bill, 2012 and the State College of Arts and Science (Re-Establishment) Bill, 2012. Other bills passed by the House were the Bayelsa State Appropriation Bill, 2011; State Salary Fraud and Related Offences (Prohibition) Bill, 2012; State Universal Basic Education Board (Amendment) Bill 2011; State College of Education (Amendment) Bill, 2012; State Motorcycle Operation (Prohibition) Bill, 2012; State Security (Electronic Surveillance ) Bill, 2012; State Security Trust Fund Bill, 2012; State Development and Investment Corporation Bill 2012 and the State Flag, Coat of Arms and Anthem Bill, 2012. Analysts are of the opinion that these laws will in no small measure impact meaningfully on the socio-political and economic development of the fast growing state, through the institutions that

IS COMMITTED TO PURSUING THOSE VALUES AND IDEALS THAT WOULD

ENGENDER PEACE, NATIONAL UNITY,

GOOD GOVERNANCE, PROBITY AND ENLIGHTENED SOCIETY Dickson

Benson

they will bring into existence coupled with the attendant procedures that would be expressly put in place. National Mirror learnt that the first Assembly, which was inaugurated on June 2, 1999, passed 33 bills in four years. The second Assembly, constituted on June 2, 2003, passed 39 bills, while the third Assembly inaugurated on June 4, 2007, passed 29 bills. Interestingly, the fourth Assembly commenced legislative business on June 4, 2011, with Nestor Binabo as its Speaker. However, Binabo’s tenure was cut short on January 27, 2012, after he was sworn in as Acting Governor of the state, follow-

ing the termination of the Chief Timipre Sylva’s administration in the state as governor by the Supreme Court judgement. It was gathered that between June 4, 2011 and January 27, (eight months), Binabo was Speaker of the fourth Assembly, the House passed only two bills; namely, Bayelsa State Administration of Estates (Small Estates Payments Exception) Bill, 2011 and the State Local Government (Amendment No. 5) Law 2011. Speaking in an interview, a political analyst in the state, Edward Ebi, said the fourth Speaker has performed creditably within his brief period in office which he attributed to pragmatic efforts aimed at improving parliamentary transparency. “Punctuality of legislators, which is vital to assembly sittings, has greatly improved under the new leadership. Time spent by members in session has drastically increased within the last six months under review,” Ebi explained. “Members of the House have participated in different forms of parliamentary interventions within the period, leading to the passage of several resolutions, including the invitation of the chairmen of the original eight local government councils of the state, which culminated in the eventual sack of five of them indicted at the end of the Assembly’s probe,” he added. Ebi also noted that major resolutions of the fourth Assembly under the current Speaker, include the Chevron Gas Explosion at North Apoi Platform in the state, withdrawal of the 2012 budget estimate; invitation of state representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); extra-judicial killing and destruction of properties in communities

PDP trudges on @ 14 CONTINUED FROM 41 have kept to their words as was shown in the last election, but the opposition parties think that the electoral agency is still a parastatal of the government and therefore the last election was anything but independent. They have called for a revisit of the electoral laws to strengthen the laws guiding the elections, a position the government is yet to heed. Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State declared that the country has fared well under the party in spite of criti-

ASSEMBLY

cisms and hurtful remarks from civil society and opposition parties. Aliyu said since PDP came into power against the background of a turbulent period of military rule which reached its heights in 1998, the party has made significant progress in returning the country to the path of sustainable development and steady economic growth. He said in the last 13 years, PDP officials (both elected and appointed) at all levels of government have worked tirelessly to inject fresh ideas into all sectors of the econ-

omy so as to grow the nation’s capacity in local production and improve the quality of service delivery. This, he said, has yielded positive results. He said that under the PDP, “although we are not there yet, the journey is no longer as far as it used to be.” Aliyu thanked the founding fathers of the party and all party supporters across the country for their continued belief in the PDP and its leadership, urging them to continue to keep faith with the party.

in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, restructuring of the state Rural Development Authorities; curbing of the indiscriminate dumping of sands and chippings on roads in the Yenagoa Metropolis and other matters; calling of Gitto Construction Company to order and the resolution on the deplorable state of the Sampou/Kaiama axis of the East-West Road. In the same vein, a top government functionary in the state, who pleaded anonymity, said a vibrant and assertive legislature remains an essential ingredient in achieving the restoration agenda of Governor Dickson. The government official argued that genuine reforms should be implemented in accordance with the rules of procedures in the conduct of business that governs the legislature at all times, stressing that this would enhance the role of parliamentary standing committees to encourage transparency, participation and attendance of legislators. “To achieve this objective, the Speaker proposed capacity building training on fundamental responsibilities of parliamentarians and staff in a bid to enhance service delivery, including workshops, seminars and conferences. This is informed by the need for parliamentarians to be trained on basic parliamentary procedures, particularly those that are commonly misused, such as points of order, among others items,” he said. In his words, Special Assistant to the Speaker on Media and Public Affairs, Piriye Kiyaramo, said Benson is concerned over late submission of budgetary proposals from the executive arm of government. The media aide noted that the Speaker was poised to enhance the standing committees for optimal performance, with a view to effectively scrutinise ministries’ and extra-ministerial budgets. He said: “In keeping with the idea of increased transparency, the Speaker intends to reposition the fourth Assembly to maintain a public record of high capacity delivery of parliamentary business. This would enable the various constituents being represented to stay informed on the performance of their representatives, through live media coverage of major events of the House. The recent probe into the original eight local government councils is a case in point. “The House under the leadership of Benson is favourably disposed to guiding the present administration in pursuing the path of good governance that would lead to the attainment of the governor’s restoration agenda. The restoration plan of Governor Dickson envisages achieving better quality of life for all Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation at large,” Kiyaramo posited. From all indications, the Speaker and his colleagues in the House share the vision of the state governor in transforming the 15-year-old state. No doubt, the Assembly is committed to pursuing those values and ideals that would engender peace, national unity, good governance, probity and enlightened society, imbued with an ambition to develop and build an economy which would be competitive with sustainable growth for the benefit of all Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation at large.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

PARLIAMENT

Politics

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Otedola/Lawan saga: A security perspective

MIKE EJIOFOR, a lawyer and former Director in the State Security Service (SSS), writes on why the erstwhile Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on the Management of Fuel Subsidy Regime, Hon. Farouk Lawan must face trial, having fallen a victim of a sting operation initiated by the SSS.

here is a saying that when a king is dancing naked in the public, someone should muster the guts to tell the king he is naked and advise him to gird a loin over his groin. This position is reflected in the dilemma the national discourse is beset with in the unfolding Otedola/Lawan saga. With it comes the phrase ‘STING’, a terminology that is over 300 years old in the war against crime but which certain quarters would have us believe is a recent invention created in Nigeria for the production of this nauseous blockbuster movie we all have been held captive. In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting operation will have security agents or any member of the public acting either as a criminal partner or potential victim. It may provide inducement for the target such as offering bribe to an official suspected of corruption, or an opportunity may present itself. Sting operations have been part of the modern investigative response to crime for over 40 years although artful deceptions and undercover operations have been part of police techniques for as long as policing existed. Modern sting operations became more prominent as from the early 18th century in places like Britain and in the 1970s in the United States. Some scholars admit that a sting operation most likely owes its etymological origin to the bee. Once the target takes the bait (in terms of an alluring offer, often known as a honey trap) the trappers “sting” them by way of arrest or publication; the way a bee would sting someone who tries to take honey from a beehive. There are various types of sting operations. The design and applications of any variant is based on what it is intended to achieve. The variant which has generated controversy is aimed at a target which hitherto, had remained ‘neutral’ but was induced by the operators through manipulations to do their intentions. This variant is fraught with ethical concerns as it constitutes entrapment. The case of General Oladipo Diya, the then Chief of General Staff in the phantom coup of December 1997, aptly illustrates this. The video reportedly showed General Diya being deceived and induced by some Generals. It was clear from the video and evidence made available later, that General Diya, until the sting operation, had no such motive. However, there is no concern, be it ethical, moral or whatever, when an established blackmailer or criminal is caught in the act on tape for a crime he initiated. Sting

Otdeola

Lawan

THE CRITICISM THAT HAS TRAILED THE OTEDOLA/LAWAN CASE CALLS TO QUESTION OUR COLLECTIVE SINCERITY AND SERIOUSNESS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION... THOSE ENTRUSTED TO LEAD THE NATION AND MANAGE OUR

COMMONWEALTH, WHETHER ELECTED OR APPOINTED, DO SO WITH EVERY SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCY operations are indeed not the exclusive preserve of security institutions. In 2005, Amiruddha Bahai, an Indian journalist, led a sting operation where members of the Indian Parliament were caught on video accepting bribes. In February 2012, the FBI arrested a man who thought he was carrying out a suicide bombing at Capitol Hill for al-Qaeda but who, in fact was dealing with undercover operatives. The criticism that has trailed the Otedola/Lawan case calls to question our collective sincerity and seriousness to fight corruption and ensure that those entrusted to lead the nation and manage our commonwealth, whether elected or appointed, do so with every sense of responsibility and transparency. For avoidance of doubt, let us revisit the facts in the public domain. Femi Otedola, Chairman Zenon Oil Plc., a company fingered in the fuel subsidy scam, publicly accused the Chairman of the House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on Petroleum Subsidy, Farouk Lawan, of blackmail and extortion. He stated that even though Lawan had been briefed that Zenon Oil Plc. deals only in diesel for which there is no subsidy and could not have benefited in any manner from the subsidy regime, he (Lawan) insisted on the payment of $3 million bribe. Lawan threatened to publish Zenon Oil Plc. as one of the dubious companies bleeding the nation dry and went ahead and did just that. Alarmed! Otedola reported the matter to state security operatives who advised him to play along. As a result, $620, 000 out of the $3 million exchanged hands with

Otedola promising to make good the outstanding. Consequently, Lawan, the face of the ‘Integrity Group’ of the House, during the plenary and in full public glare, moved a motion that got the name of Zenon Oil Plc. expunged from the list of subsidy thieves. Lawan’s feeble attempt at denial is a ready script for any imaginative Nollywood producer or song writer. Lawan’s response to the allegation in a radio phonein programme went thus: Question: “Did you take bribe from Mr. Otedola”? Answer: “No! I don’t take bribe” Question: “Did you receive any money from Otedola”? Answer: “No! I said I don’t take bribe” Then few hours later, Lawan recanted saying: “Oh! Yes, I remember I received $620, 000 from Otedola but I intended to use it as exhibit”. Exhibit in which case? The purpose for which the money was given has already been acted upon accordingly, since April 23, 2012 by this same Farouk Lawan in the village square. His puerile attempts at justification and others who fault the operation are insulting our intelligence. The question of entrapment has been raised regarding the modus operandi of the security operatives but the proper question ought to be: did the State Security Service act within the Law? Did they break any law? Any other question is simply semantics. The legality of ‘sting’ operations had long been established in the United States where the FBI used it successfully to fight and cripple the dreaded Italian mafia

that held sway in America up to the eighties. In the Aniruddha Bahai v State cited earlier, the court ruled their actions legal and declared that for the survival of the country, every citizen had the right to be vigilant and act to expose corrupt practices even at the highest level. In US v RUSSELL, the United States Supreme Court held that even though entrapment operates outside due process, the infraction must be strong enough to invalidate the result or set aside a conviction. Timing of the exposure and arrest of Lawan had to be carefully considered against the backdrop of the very sensitive national assignment entrusted upon his obviously very slim shoulders. Immediate arrest would have elicited a national outcry against the executive arm or the SSS of attempts to derail the enquiry. Even in the delayed actions, where the security operatives should draw commendations for exhibition of a high degree of professionalism, some vocal few have left the substance to chase shadows. This vocal and highly connected few must not be allowed, as usual, to drown the national applause earned by our security agents. It should be pointed out here that contrary to public knowledge or perception, a vast majority of sting operations do not come to light. In the United States, for example, the targets may end up as state witnesses or informants, other penalties thereto agreed notwithstanding. At every stage, the interest of the state must remain paramount. Where a target in a sting operation co-operates and leads the security operatives to a much bigger target, the first operation may never filter to the rumour mill. The leadership of our security institutions are well-trained and equipped to know what decision to take on the outcome of any operation undertaken. As stated earlier and for record purposes, there is no hard and fast rule in the design of a sting operation nor is there any straight jacket module for presenting results therefrom. I must confess, it is only in this country, that everyone is a security expert. People who have not made any mark in their chosen careers have metamorphosed as security analysts and commentators. These are the very ones that assume the role of lecturers and insist the Inspector General of Police, Director General of State Security Service, the National Security Adviser and heads of other security outfits should not allow themselves the luxury to suffer any form of distraction within their period of lecture. The public should take cognisance of the fact that security and police operations are thankless jobs. It does not matter whether an operation is a success, the operatives would always be left with the wrong end of “well done”. In other climes, they would be given a pat on the back and thumbs up but here all the talk is about a loophole in the procedure of an otherwise successful operation. As a nation, we must make deliberate efforts focused on attitudinal change towards our security operatives who put their lives on the line for the rest of us and on whose watch the integrity of our hard-earned democracy is preserved. Finally, the accused should be charged to court and judicial pronouncement made to enrich the country’s evolving jurisprudence.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror Man sues motherin-law over wife

“I think no sane person in this country will support state police; I mean we are not ripe for it.” KANO STATE POLICE COMMISSIONER; IBRAHIM IDRIS

Mixed feelings greet proposed N5,000 in Lagos FRANCIS SUBERU

rrespective of what opinion leaders, experts and economists are saying on the planned introduction of new N5, 000 notes, many Lagos residents, especially in the lower economic rung, have expressed disappointments in the proposed policy, describing it as a ploy to further impoverish Nigerians. Those who spoke on the proposed CBN policy told Community Mirror, that the policy will lead to runaway inflation and negatively affect their purchasing power. A petty trader at Ikorodu, Bolanle Adamu, said: “I don’t think any good can come out of the exercise. Even now, the prices of many dairy foods are high. Its introduction would lead to further price increase on food items. “For instance, no biscuit costs N5. The least you will get is for N10 and by the time coins and N5,000 notes are introduced, prices of every commodity will increase and make life more difficult for the common people. Another casualty would be the price of pure water sachet. You know it was recently increased from N5 to N10. By the time they change N10 and other lower denominations to coins, people will start complaining of holding coins and the cost of products in those ranges will increase. Kamorudeen Fadairo, a driver at Mushin area told Community

Mirror, that introduction of the note will discourage savings and trigger inflation. He said: “I feel that people like us will not be saving money in the banks again. For now, if I have N10, 000 or N20, 000, I will have a feeling of having a lot of money and that I should go and save it in a bank; but with introduction of N5000 note, N10, 000 will be come in only two notes and it will look ridiculous going to the bank to save them. The introduction of the new money is a bad idea and should be shelved.”

ABIA

he fight against crime in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State seems not to be yielding the desired result following the increasing number of robberies, abductions and cyber fraud, especially on businessmen from Cameroun, Benin Republic and Ghana, thereby slowing commercial activities and holding the city to ransom. Current investigations reveal that on August 13, 2012, a corpse of an unidentified man with several machete cuts was discovered on a road at Allen Market close to Bakassi Area of Osisioma. The deceased car, a Mercedes Benz 200, with registration number CE926 GCE was found beside the

If they want us to carry large amounts easily, they should forget about the cashless policy and print the money; but if they want it to work, they should stick to it.” Another lawyer, Mr Fred Agbaje, said what the CBN would be doing by introducing the note will be contrary to the Constitution and the relevant laws that set it up. He said if corruption was being fought in the country, the citizens did not need such high denominations.

Vehicles trying to meander through muddy road at Hercules bus stop, Agbado, Lagos State.

Fraudsters dupe businessmen in Aba GEORGE OPARA

A lawyer, Mr Tunde Braimoh, who also spoke on the proposed N5,000 note, said it contradicts the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN. According to him; “This means you can easily hold large amounts of money. If the intention was to reduce the amount in circulation, why make it easy to carry cash? When the cashless policy was introduced in Lagos, we had to adjust to it. Now, they are coming out with a move that will encourage carrying large sums around.

remains. However, the body was later deposited at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital mortuary in the city. Also, on August 12, a three week old child, Master Chinonso Azuzu of Amaogwu Uratta village in Isiala Ngwa North Council Area of the state was abducted. Police report said the suspected 5-man gang had stalked the family home and allegedly used native charm on the mother and grandmother and kidnapped the child. Following the security situation, business men and women from neighbouring countries who usually come to Aba are now recounting their woes in the hands of cyber fraudsters. The criminals are said to be based in Umuakalika village in Obingwa Council Area.

He added that since the country wants to go cashless, there was need to encourage Nigerians to carry less money and also be security conscious. “With the security situation in the country and need to go cashless, the new notes will not serve the purpose of the policy,” Agbaje said. He pointed out that when the coins were introduced less than seven years ago, the move was not welcomed, saying the introduction of N5,000 notes would be a waste of the country’s resources.

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

FG trains youths on skills acquisition EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

he Federal government has trained 1,659 youths and women in new skills for higher productivity with attention on school leavers to prepare them for self employment. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and productivity Dr. Tunji Olaopa, who stated this in Bauchi through the state controller, Mr. Olawuno said the effort is to reduce the over independence on government’s jobs. According to him, the skills are in bricklaying and masonry, carpentry and joinery, catering and event decoration, computer

maintenance and operations, electrical installations including motor vehicle mechanic, satellite dish installations, tailoring and dressmaking among others. Olaopa added that the giant strides are in consonant with the Federal Government’s objective in reducing poverty and unemployment among the youths in the country. The Permanent Secretary, who regretted the inadequate hostel accommodation, funds, reticulated water, workshop, including transport and electricity reiterated the progress of the institution, even as he promised government’s assistance.

Speaking at the occasion, the state controller, Mr. Oluwuni and principal of the institute, Mr. Gbokiss attributed the achievements to the ministry’s vision to promote and create employment opportunities and empowering youths throughout the country. They added that 400 students are graduating from 11 different vocational trades in line with the Federal Government’s economic empowerment of youths for self reliance. They also sought assistance of stakeholders to enable more youths and women acquire skills, even as they charged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the institution.

Community Mirror

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Man sues mother-in-law over wife FRANCIS SUBERU WITH AGENCY REPORT

man, Malam Mohammed Abdullahi, has sued his mother-in-law, Habiba Mohammed; at a Kaduna Sharia Court for refusing to allow his wife return home after the delivery of a baby. Abdullahi prayed the court to order his mother -in-law to allow his wife, Sa’ade Abdullahi, to return

to him. Sa’ade had refused going back to Lokoja, where Abdullahi resides after visiting her mother. Abdullahi told the court that he had been living in peace with his wife since they married and he allowed her to visit the mother for proper care after delivery. “A week after the naming ceremony, we lost the child, so I allowed her to stay for some time. I also gave them

N50, 000 to arrange for her return to Lokoja,” he said. Abdullahi said Sa’ade failed to return to him, but was told that her parents had spent the money. He said he sent extra money, but she failed to come back and only remained with the mother. But Sa’ade told the court,

she refused to return because her husband had not been teaching her Islamic practices, including how to observe daily prayers. She further told the court that her husband denied her marriage mates their turns in the observance of their marital obligations against Islamic

injunctions. In her testimony, Habiba told the court she had no hand in her daughter’s refusal to return to her husband. “I am not the one who gave Sa’ade’s hand in marriage to Adullahi, it was her father’s relations. I left her late father since she was

young,” Habiba said. The Presiding judge, Malam Ibrahim Inuwa, directed the husband to enroll his wife into an Islamic school to learn basic religious teachings, even as he directed the mother-in-law to make arrangements for Sa’ade’s return to her husband immediately.

Correspondents threaten to boycott NUJ activities IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

he Nasarawa State correspondents’ chapel has resolved to boycott all activities initiated by the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, in the state. The chapel also dissociated itself from all decisions at the ill-fated congress convened by the council, describing them as unconstitutional. This was part of resolutions reached at an emergency meeting of the chapel held in Lafia, the state capital and presided over by its chairman, Chuwang Dungs. The statement read in part: “The process which led to the removal of the council’s secretary and treasurer, Ahmed Tukur and Abdullahi Ogoshi respectively, was masterminded and without due regard to

the constitutional provisions of the union as the matter was not subjected to the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee as provided by the union’s constitution for proper deliberations. Also the process leading to the congress meeting on August 29, 2012 was fraught with constitutional flaws. Accordingly, the chapel will not be part of any faulty activity of the state council that is not in consonant with the constitutional provisions of the union.” However, it was alleged that the sacking of the secretary and treasurer may not be unconnected with the accusation of the chairman, Dogo Shaman, for mismanaging more than N700,000 donated to the state NUJ, by the Planned Parenthood, PP, Global, a non-governmental organization, for the implementation of its activities in Nasarawa State.

Shop keepers cheat death in Owerri CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

wo store owners narrowly escaped death as a car rammed into their shops at No. 19, School Road, off Tetlow Road, Owerri, Imo State. According to eyewitness, the driver of the red Toyota saloon car, rammed into a tricycle before smashing into the stores. The car, whose owner is still on the run as at time of filing this report, hit the tricycle operator, seriously injuring him, even as the latter was rushed to

the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owerri for treatment. An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said the driver of the car was trying to cross the road junction when the accident happened. “The driver, who we learnt is a house servant, was going towards School Road when he ran into the tricycle operator coming in the opposite direction”. He said one of the shop owners left the business premises only three minutes before the accident, while the other was about to resume for the day’s activity.

Shoppers buying meat at Mile 12 market in Lagos.

PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Amosun donates transformers to communities FEM OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

fforts by the Ogun State Government to ensure constant electricity by the residents through the procurement of 500 transformers have continued to attract praises from beneficiaries. Many communities that will benefit from the gesture are extolling the administration, just as they have been assured that the transformers will be immediately energized for electricity supply. The government’s action is in furtherance of its rural renewal and transfor-

mation, which is part of the five cardinal programmes of Governor Amosun. The governor had, in May 2012, inaugurated the distribution of the transformers to the communities. The Kajola Community Development Association in Odeda Local Government Area, while conveying their appreciation for getting a 500KVA transformer, described Governor Amosun as a modern day rebuilder, with unprecedented record of achievements in the first 365 days in office.” Secretary of the association, Mr. O. A. Ajayi, stated that Amosun has begun

well by ensuring that dividends of democracy get to the grassroots, describing it as an accomplishment in the political epoch of the country. Chairman of Isale- Oja Kuto Community Development Association, Alhaji Bakenne and his counterpart in the Olorunsogo Community Development Association, Alhaji S. Odesanya, were also full of appreciation to the government for giving them 300KVA and 500KVA transformers respectively, noting that it would go a long way in addressing the epileptic power supply in their areas. Also, Mr. Okumuyide of

Ope Idunnu Community Development Association, in the Ado Odo Local Government Area, lauded the government’s gesture of donating a 500KVA transformer, an action described as unprecedented, and capable of having a positive effect on the socio-economic development of the area. In a letter by Labaiwa Oke- Odo residents in Abeokuta South Local Government Area, through the Community Development Association, and signed by the secretary, Mr. Daniel Ajayi, commended Governor Amosun for fulfilling his campaign promises.

Correctional home children bag scholarships MURITALA AYINLA

total of 29 children in the various correctional homes in Lagos State have been offered scholarships for educational and vocational training programmes. Ten of the children got scholarships, while sixteen others are to enroll in vocational training programmes as the other three received materials to enable them set up businesses

such as shoe making, tailoring and photography. Community Mirror gathered that the beneficiaries were selected by the donors, ‘Bake for Change and AIPA’ after a screening process that indicated their specified area of interest. Presenting the scholarship at the premises of the Correctional Homes for girls in Idi-Araba, the donor urged them to see the development as prerequisite to transform their lives and situation.

Miss Nkem Uwaje, who represented the ‘Bake for Change’, reiterated the importance of knowledge, as she congratulated the children, urging them continue to be worthy ambassadors of their homes regardless of any circumstance. She said: “I challenge you to have courage because life is about courage if you want to succeed. Make sure you grab this opportunity to re-write your story to become that

person who you dream to be.” She said. The Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Youths and Social Development Dr Dolapo Badru, commended the donors for their contributions and programmes which he said will impact positively on the children. He said: “I want to thank you for giving life to these children because without the programmes, some of them would not have been made.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Emergency Update

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Agency advocates measures Over 4000 households affected by Yobe flood to curb flooding in Lagos

he Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has advocated the construction of tertiary canals to prevent flooding in residential areas. Dr. Olufemi OkeOsanyitolu, the General Manager of the agency, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday. Oke-Osanyitolu said that such tertiary canals would complement the primary and secondary canals, constructed in conjunction with the State Ministry of Environment, to ensure free flow of water and prevent flooding. ``In conjunction with the Ministry of Environment, we intend to improve on our infrastructure, by constructing more of primary and secondary canals and advising people to construct their tertiary canals, advising the local governments to also construct tertiary canals. ``We’ve already advised all the local government chairmen to inaugurate their local emergency management committee and we are being empirical. ``We have already conducted what we call vulnerability analyses and there are certain areas

that are prone to flood and these areas, we’ve already put assembling points in that area’’. He advised local council chairmen in the state to inaugurate their respective local emergency committee and identify floodprone areas, by providing assembling points for safety in the event of flooding. The General Manager said that the agency had earmarked 36 assembling points on high grounds for evacuation of residents across the state. Oke-Osayintolu said that all primary stakeholders had been put on alert to fine tune the emergency response plans, especially at the grassroots level. ``All the primary stakeholders have been put on red alert.We fine tune our emergency response plan from the grassroots, and that is why our emergency response lays more emphasis on the grassroots response.’’ According to him, the agency has identified causes of flooding in some parts of the state and put in place emergency response plans. He said such factors included poor physical planning and development; blockage of drains; and road subsidence.

limate Change is real as it continues to change the held notion about ecological environments as towns that are mainly dry savanna belt and close to Sahel are now experiencing unprecedented torrent rainfalls. A team of experts from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the weekend were in Nguru and Gashua Local Governments in Yobe State to assess damages caused by heavy rainfall that rendered residents homeless and destroyed farmlands. While inspecting the areas, the Director General of NEMA, Muhammad SaniSidi told the traditional rulers of the community leaders to brace up to climatic challenges and mo-

bilize their people to take proactive measures against future recurrence of the calamity. Sani-Sidi said: “we are now living witnesses to the reality of climate change and global warming where areas considered as dry savannah are daily witnessing excessive torrential rainfall. What this portends is that we have to face the challenges by educating our people on the best approach to manage and mitigate negative incidence from the natural phenomena.” “Here is a state that is in the dry savanna belt, dry and hot for most the year and bordering Sahelian region yet experiencing heavy down fall more than some states in the southern parts of the country” He said that climate

change remains a serious environmental issue this year in Nigeria from the North to the West and South to East where heavy rainfall is causing havoc everywhere. “The inevitability of changes occurring due to the climate change is now a well-established reality. Scientific evidence has shown that as a result of climate change, extreme weather events like floods, windstorms, droughts and epidemics have become more frequent and severe. They occur in areas where they were previously either unknown or extremely rare. For us in developing world, climate change portends greater danger.” “Virtually all states in Nigeria are grappling with flood. This is a clear

reminder that we can no longer ignore disaster risks. Disasters constitute the greatest threat to development and socio-economic wellbeing of the people. We must all be prepared for it.” The Emir of Nguru, Mai Mustafha Ibn Jari and Emir of Gashua Alhaji Abubakar Umar Suleman, while welcoming the delegation to their respective palaces stated that the torrential rain in the areas was unprecedented adding that collectively over 4000 households were affected in two towns as they recorded a number of death. The Zonal Coordinator of NEMA North-East, Mohammed Kanar confirmed that nine truckloads of building materials, clothing, food and bedding have arrived Yobe State for distribution to victims.

TIPS ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT ABUBAKAR JIMOH CAUSES OF OIL SPILLS 1. Corrosion of pipelines and tankers associating with the rupturing 2. Equipment outdate, irregular inspection, and poor maintenance 3. Theft and sabotage attempt primarily through bunkering 4. Oil production operations process 5. Loading and offloading offshore platforms 6. Spill from improper disposed oil refuse or waste oil 7. Equipment failures 8. Industrial/Human error, carelessness and fatigue 9. Fires and explosions at the ports or terminals 10. Loading and discharging at ports or terminals

PREVENTIONS AGAINST OIL SPILLS 1. Poverty eradication through creation of massive employment opportunities 2. Full implementation of the 2006 National Oil Spill Contingency Plan 3. Issuance of environmental regulatory guidelines and standards in the petroleum sector 4. Effective inspection and maintenance of all machinery and piping systems 5. Institute appropriate community enlightenment sensitization programme 6. Double-hulling into vessels to reduce the risk and severity of a spill in case of a collision or grounding 7. Effective oil Spill Prevention Containment and Countermeasures (SPCC) program 8. Adequate training and supervision for oil workers 9. Establish necessary measures against fire and accidents at deports and terminals 10. Sufficient oil production facilities Abubakar Jimoh is the National Coordinator, Youths Against Disasters Initiative (YADI), Abuja.

DG NEMA, Muhammed presents a list of relief materials to Yobe state Commissioner of Environment

Weekend multiple road accidents claim 3 in Abuja

ithin 24 hours, over the weekend, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) mobilized response agencies to multiple road accidents involving long vehicles that have so far claimed three lives. The first incident occurred on Saturday evening along Nyanya Express road where a Trailer ran over a Hilux van and immediately afterward another truck driver lost control of his vehicle and rammed into 12 vehicles. The Saturday incident recorded one

person dead, while 12 serious injured persons were admitted to the hospital for treatment. Meanwhile on Sunday morning, a petrol tanker at Maje town, outskirt of Abuja, fell and exploded. Ishaya Chonoko, the Head of NEMA Abuja operations Office confirmed that two dead bodies were recovered and six people who were injured were taking to hospital for proper medical attention. He added that two houses were completely razed while 27 shops were burnt after the inferno.

Red Cross registers 96,810 internally displaced persons

he Nigeria Red Cross Society (NRCS) has so far registered 96,810 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Adamawa, the state Secretary of the society, Malam Abubakar Ahmed, has said. Ahmed told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Monday that those registered were victims of the flood that was caused by the recent release of excess water from Lagdo Dam in neighboring Cameroon. He said that the Red Cross had mobilised its members across

the state to join hands with staff of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other organisations in managing situations in the IDPs camps. ``We assist in areas of healthcare, food preparations and sanitation,’’ Ahmed said. NAN reports that 23 camps were set up by SEMA in seven local government areas of the state affected by the flood. The local government areas affected are Demsa, Yola North, Yola South, Fufore, Lamurde, Girei and Numan.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Yuguda sacks caretaker committee chairmen EZEKIEL TITUS

BAUCHI

overnor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has approved the dissolution of the caretaker committees of the 20 local government areas in the state. The dissolution is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija. The statement reads in part: “The dissolution of the caretaker committees was informed by the need for effective service delivery and political neutrality in local government administration. “Consequently, sole ad-

North

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

ministrators, who consist largely of civil servants, have been appointed to run the affairs of the local governments pending the conduct of local government council elections.” It said that the appointments took immediate effect, while directing the sacked caretaker committee chairmen to hand over to the sole administrators on or before September 10. The Sole Administrators include: Yohanna Usman Yashi for Alkaleri Local Government Area, Lawal Baba Ma’aji (Bauchi), Simon Bukata Taimako (Bogoro), Kabiru Adamu Sade (Darazo) and Ahmed Aliyu Jalam (Dambam), and Danlami Baraza (Dass).

Bauchi slashes workers’ salaries to prevent mass sack EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

auchi State Government has decided to slash 10 per cent off workers’ salaries from September to December as part of measures to overcome the present financial predicament facing the state. The Chairman of the state chapter of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Mohammed Usman, disclosed this at a media briefing organised by the office of the Head of Service, HOS, to debunk media reports that the ad-

ministration of Governor Isa Yuguda planned to reduce the state workforce by 50 per cent. Usman described the news of the planned mass sack as tragic. He advised the government to improve on its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, as a solution to the financial challenge facing the administration. The chairman implored the government to drop the planned mass sack. TUC, he said, was against the plan of the Yuguda administration to sack 15,000 workers. Usman said the union had no option than to ap-

peal to workers to sacrifice 10 per cent of their salaries to save their jobs. He, however, said the union would continue to engage the government on concrete negotiation which would be for the benefit of all the workers. Speaking at the briefing, the HOS, Mr. Abdon Dallah Gin, said nothing could stop the government from undertaking any legitimate exercise to review the size and performance of its workers for effective service delivery. Government, he added, had employed many management tools to achieve

this through staff auditing, among others, in line with Yuguda’s democratic approach. Gin said collective bargaining with workers’ unions was employed before the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage. He admitted that Yuguda’s administration is faced with huge financial challenges and the need to maximise the scarce resources. The HOS said the workers through the organised labour agreed to sacrifice 10 per cent of their monthly salaries.

Dankwambo seeks North-East govs’ meeting with Tukur DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

orried by the underdevelopment and other challenges facing the NorthEast, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State has proposed a meeting between governors of the zone and the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who is also from the zone. Dankwambo proposed the meeting when Tukur called on him at the weekend to condole with him on the death of a prominent Islamic leader in the state, Sheikh Magaji Mohammed. The governor said issues to be discussed would include developmental problems in the zone. He, however, expressed confidence that the problems could be overcome in good time if the meeting was convened early enough.

According to him, top in the list of the problems is the poor level of education of the area while others are extreme poverty, poor economic empowerment which requires urgent and decisive action. Dankwambo explained that education was the greatest need in every society as it was the core factor to drive political and economic advancement. He added that there was need for leaders in the zone to tackle the problems if the zone must develop. The governor also told the PDP national chairman that he would continue to urge the leaders and governors in the zone to take the meeting very seriously. Dankwambo described the late Mohammed as a respected Islamic scholar who enjoyed tremendous confidence of his followers and all Muslims. In his speech, Tukur said he received news of Mohammed’s death with shock.

L-R: Yobe State Deputy Governor, Abubakar Ali; Governor Ibrahim Gaidam and others, during the governor’s condolence visit to the family of the late Secretary to the State Pilgrims Commission, Buba Abba Kyari, who died in Saudi Arabia at the weekend, in Damaturu, yesterday.

Igbo leaders commend Nasarawa people’s peaceful disposition IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

gbo Delegate Assembly of the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has commended the peaceful disposition of the people of Nasarawa State which led to the cordial relationship between the people of and the Igbo community in the state.

Its President General, Damian Inyamah, gave the commendation while addressing journalists at the assembly’s periodic meeting in Lafia, the state capital. He reiterated Igbo’s support for the unity of Nigeria because “that is why the Igbo did not retaliate against all the provocations meted out to them in different parts of the coun-

try”. Inyamah, however, threw his weight behind the clamour for a sovereign national conference in the country, arguing that it would address all the injustices unleashed on some segments of the country. Bemoaning the inability of an Igbo man to become Nigeria’s president, the president general attributed it to some of the injus-

tices meted out to the Igbo people. He said only a national conference would address the political marginalisation of the Igbo in Nigeria. Host of the Igbo Delegate Assembly meeting and President of Igbo Cultural Association, Sunday Damian Nwakwo, described Nasarawa State as the safest place in the North.

Kaduna has abundant opportunities, Yakowa tells investors AZA MSUE KADUNA

overnor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa has appealed to investors to come to Kaduna State to take advantage of abundant investment opportunities in the state. Yakowa said his administration would commence

construction of 24 roads worth billions of naira in all parts of the state to ensure development as well as create conducive environment for investors. The governor said this at the meeting of Commerce of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Niger and Committee of Experts on Trade and Investment

held in Kaduna yesterday. He said his administration’s three-pronged approach of Security, Unity and Development would further improve commercial activities in the state. Yakowa noted that government has acquired a large piece of land earmarked for Inland Containers Nigeria Limited at

Birnin Yero for the establishment of an Inland Dry Port to serve the northern parts of the country. According to him, the state recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with a German company for the building of 30 megawatts solar power plant under the Nigerian, German En-

ergy Partnership to boost power supply. He said: “Only recently, the Federal Government approved N37bn for the completion of the work in the dam and the provision of the transmission lines that will evacuate the power to the Kaduna industrial area for the revival of our ailing industries.”

Gov. Yakowa

Cocktail

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

Dog survives alone for a month after owner dies inside house Man calls police over prostitute’s raising price A

Michigan man called police when a prostitute raised her prices after he already paid her for her services, police said. Police were called to the man’s Ann Arbor residence at 10:30 p.m. last week for a report of a robbery, AnnArbor.com reported. Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush said the man and woman, a 19-year-old from Ohio whom he contacted online, agreed on a price

for the woman’s services, but when the man handed over the cash, the woman suddenly raised her price. The man then called police. “So, she was arrested,” Bush said. Bush said the man and the woman’s stories of the situation differed and that the man was not arrested, but it will ultimately be up to Washtenaw County prosecutors to determine charges in the case.

Woman arrested four times in 26 hours

New Hampshire woman was arrested fours times within 26 hours for refusing to turn down her radio and assaulting her nephew, officials said. Joyce Coffey, 53, is facing several charges for her three arrests over her blaring rock music and another arrest for allegedly throwing a frying pan at her nephew, Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader reported. Police were first

called to Coffey’s home in Epping around 3 p.m. Tuesday after neighbors complained about her loud rock music. When officers arrived, they gave Coffey a warning and left, but were called back about an hour later for another noise complaint. The second time police came to her door, Coffey was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct when she refused to turn her music down.

dog named Basil survived for as long as a month locked inside a house when his owner died. The plucky blue heeler’s instinct for survival kicked in and he resorted to the only option he had - drinking water from the toilet. Neighbour Colin Peterson says police found Basil yesterday trapped in the bathroom. “I think he had the run of the house for a while,” Mr Peterson says. “He would have had food for a while because there was a big bag inside and he eventually found out that the toilet was the best place to go for water. “But he’s a biggish dog and he’s tried to turn around in the toilet and what he’s done is pushed the door shut and that’s where they found him. “I think it’s just marvellous that he’s survived.” Mr Peterson heard the dog’s cries for help - but didn’t think Basil was trapped. “We thought we heard Basil barking ... but it was muffled and we thought it

was coming from the other neighbour’s place,” he said. Mr Peterson believed his neighbour was away with work for the past month or so - something he did regularly. But noticing letters piling up he eventually realised something wasn’t right and contacted the real estate agent who contacted the police. When Basil was released, Mr Peterson says food and drink was his top priority. “It looked like he lost about 3kg,” he said. “He drank two five-litre water containers in no time

flat. And he was very, very hungry.” But even after surviving Basil may now have to deal with another battle. Mr Peterson and his wife already own three poodles and don’t know if they can cope with another dog. “I’d like to keep him ... he’s a nice dog ... but its hard,” he said. Police say there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Basil’s 37-year-old owner. “It’s very sad really,” Mr Peterson said. Police were called to

Colin Peterson, of Port Lincoln, with Basil the blue heeler.

the Tonto Place home after relatives discovered the body, about 5.45pm yesterday. A cause of death is unknown and police will prepare a report for the Coroner. Neighbour Colin Peterson told The Advertiser he had not seen the man - a surveyor - since the pair mowed their lawns about five weeks ago. Police have since said that though the body had yet to be formally identified, they believed it was a 37-year-old Port Lincoln man, originally from WA.

PHOTOS: NEWS.COM

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

Two U.S. consulate employees wounded in Pakistan bomb attack

“To say that the fact that Saddam massacred hundreds of thousands of his citizens is irrelevant to the morality of removing him is bizarre” - Tony Blair

100 killed in Madagascar cattle rustling unrest

WORLD BULLETIN

Rebel leader surrenders in CAR

illagers in Madagascar have killed nearly 100 cattle thieves in a wave of weekend attacks in southern areas of the Indian Ocean island plagued by rustling, officials said Monday. Lieutenant Colonel Tahina Rakotomalala of Madagascar’s gendarmerie, or paramilitary police, told AFP 23 cattle rustlers were killed overnight in an ambush by villagers armed with rocks, spears and firearms. He had earlier said another 67 rustlers were killed on Friday night. The authorities had also said that nine people -- two gendarmes, one policeman and six other thieves -- were killed Sunday in the southern Ihaborano region of the island. The violence took place around a cluster of villages in the same region. Authorities have stepped up security in the area to prevent any reprisal attacks by the thieves, who are known as dahalos. “Security forces have been dispatched to deal with a possible revenge (attack) by the dahalos,” Rakotomalala, head of operations of the country’s gendarmerie, told AFP. Twelve villagers were also injured in the attacks and 98 out of 100 stolen zebus, the local breed of cattle, were recovered, Rakotomalala said. Theft of the humped cattle -- a prized breed in parts of southern Madagascar -- has surged and grown more violent in recent years. In June, security forces were deployed in the forests of southwestern Madagascar to crack down on hundreds of armed cattle rustlers. Several deaths of policemen and thieves were reported and around 100 thieves were arrested. On June 9, the government suspended zebu exports to put a squeeze on rustlers, who are believed to enjoy support from corrupt officials to sell their livestock in the capital.

Some Kenyan Muslim youths protesting Ahmed’s arrest and court charge yesterday in Mombasa, Kenya. PHOTOS: AP.

Kenya cleric, Abubaker Ahmed charged over Mombasa riots TOBORE OVUORIE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

radical Kenyan Muslim cleric has been charged with inciting last week’s violent protests in the second city, Mombasa. Abubaker Ahmed denied the charge after handing himself to a court in the city. The riots were triggered by the killing of another Muslim cleric, Aboud Rogo Mohammed, by unknown gunmen. The US had accused both clerics of supporting militant Islamists in neighbouring Somalia. Kenyan police issued an arrest warrant for Mr Ahmed following the riots that killed

five people. Mr Ahmed told Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper that he handed himself over because he feared for his life. “We are certain that there is a hit squad targeting Muslim clerics and other Muslims perceived to be extremists,” he is quoted as saying. In court, Mr Ahmed pleaded not guilty to charges of inciting the protests. His lawyer, Mbugua Mureithi, denied prosecution claims that he had been trying to evade arrest. “My client was not hiding as no police came for him. There was no attempt by police to arrest my client,” the AFP news agency quotes Mr

Mureithi as telling the court. Muslim youth were involved in two days of running battles with police after Mr Rogo’s killing. Three policemen and two civilians were killed in the riots and shops were burnt and churches looted. The protesters accused the Kenyan security forces of killing Mr Rogo, claiming he had been the victim of a “targeted assassination”. This was denied by the police. Mr Ahmed and Mr Rogo were fierce critics of Kenya’s decision to send troops to Somalia last year to fight the militant Islamist group, alShabab.

S/African mine strike: Court frees some arrested miners

bout 50 South African miners held over the Marikana killings have been freed in court after murder charges against them were dropped. This comes a day after prosecutors provisionally dropped charges against 270 of the striking mineworkers following a public outcry. About 100 miners are expected to be freed on Monday. Earlier, security guards

wounded four people with rubber bullets at a mine near Johannesburg, police said. The incident follows the killing of 34 striking miners by police at the Marikana platinum mine near Johannesburg two weeks ago. The charges, levelled under an apartheid-era law, were suspended following a national outcry. Although police fired the shots, some 270 strik-

ing miners were arrested and charged with murdering the 34. In Monday’s shooting, police spokesman Johannes Ramphora said security guards used rubber bullets to break up a scuffle between striking and non-striking workers at the Gold One mine. The chief executive of Gold One, Neal Froneman, says the four who were injured have now been dis- Some of the freed mine workers rejoicing yesterday in charged from hospital. PHOTOS: REUTERS. South Africa.

Officials say that a rebel leader from Chad, known by his nickname “The Father of the Bush,” has turned himself in to authorities in the capital of the neighboring Central African Republic. Firmino Fererra, the chief-ofstaff of the Central African Republic’s official mediator, confirmed to The Associated Press that Gen. Baba Ladde, who heads the rebel Popular Front for Recovery, or FPR, had arrived in Bangui and was at a hospital receiving treatment. Ladde had announced on his Facebook page last Thursday that he was in the CAR for the purpose of relaunching negotiations with the government. Fererra said that a meeting was being held Monday to discuss the guarantees that the rebel leader would like to have from Chad before agreeing to return to Chad.

Ivory Coast: Universities reopen for first time post conflict Ivory Coast’s universities reopened on Monday for the first time since post-election violence rocked the West African nation last year, a milestone officials described as a testament to the country’s recovery. In remarks at a newly refurbished university in Abidjan, President Alassane Ouattara expressed hope that the universities - once hotbeds of violence - would become engines of development. Addressing the students, he said, “Tomorrow you will be the ones holding up the flag of this country. Make the country be respected.” Ouattara defeated ex-President Laurent Gbagbo in the 2010 election, but Gbagbo refused to cede office, nearly dragging the country into civil war.

Angola’s ruling party wins election Angola’s electoral commission says the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola has won an overwhelming majority of 72 percent of votes with nearly all ballots counted. That guarantees President Eduardo dos Santos, in power for 33 years, another five years’ power in the country rich in oil and diamonds. The biggest opposition party UNITA stands at 18.6 percent of votes, nearly double its win in 2008. A new coalition that unites old enemies from UNITA and figures who defected from the ruling MPLA scored 6 percent of votes from mainly young people.

World News

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Russia vows to retaliate if Britain blacklists officials

Briefs

Dutch teenager convicted of Facebook murder A 15-year-old Dutch boy has been sentenced to a year in juvenile detention after he confessed to killing a schoolgirl over a row that appears to have begun on Facebook. Jinhua K was 14 when he fatally stabbed Joyce “Winsie” Hau at her home. A teenage couple will appear in court next month charged with ordering the killing. Jinhua was also convicted by the court in the eastern city of Arnhem of attempting to kill his victim’s father. As well as a year in youth detention, he faces up to three years’ detention in a psychiatric institution. The court heard that the row started when school friends Polly W and Joyce “Winsie” Hau fell out over comments Joyce had posted on Polly’s Facebook wall. According to reports in Dutch media, Polly W and her boyfriend gave Jinhua a note with the victim’s address and let him know when she would be home. Jinhua, whose surname is not given under Dutch law, apologised to the court for his actions. He had argued that he had been put under pressure by the girl and was unable to disobey her. Experts said he was suffering from a severe behavioural disorder with psychopathic tendencies. The judge told the court that the consequences of the murder had caused “an enormous shock in the neighbourhood, the city and the country”.

North Korea says Typhoon Bolaven left 48 dead Typhoon Bolaven has killed 48 people in North Korea and left more than 50 others injured or missing, state-run KCNA news agency reports. The typhoon “brought big damage” to North Korea and displaced more than 20,000 people, it said. Hundreds of trees were felled and power cut. The North was still reeling from floods in June and July that killed 169 people. It is difficult to independently verify the casualty figures from North Korea. Typhoon Bolaven travelled up the western side of the Korean peninsula after causing transport chaos but limited damage on the Japanese island of Okinawa. In North Korea, the typhoon damaged thousands of homes and buildings and at least 50,000 hectares of farmland, KCNA said. The previous floods left 400 missing and also made more than 212,000 people homeless, in addition to those killed. The country asked the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) for emergency food aid after the floods. The communist country cannot feed its population and relies on food aid, making any storm damage to crops a severe blow.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wreckage of the car after the bomb attack.

PHOTOS: AP.

Two US consulate employees wounded in Pakistan bomb attack

wo Americans working for the United States consulate were wounded yesterday in a bomb attack while in their vehicle in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, the American embassy has disclosed. The blast also wounded two Pakistani employees of the consulate, the embassy in Islamabad said in a statement. Earlier, regional Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told reporters at least four people, including two Americans, were killed in an attack by a suicide bomber in a vehicle. “We can confirm that a vehicle belonging to the U.S. consulate in Peshawar was hit in an apparent terrorist attack,” the U.S. embassy said in its statement. “Two U.S. personnel and two Pakistani staff of the Consulate were injured and are receiving medical treatment.” There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which left a crater in a busy street. Firemen could be seen

putting out a vehicle that was mangled and blackened from the explosion. Television stations repeatedly broadcast an image of a U.S. passport at the scene, its corners scorched by fire. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the attack. “Once again we deplore the cowardly act of suicide bombing and terrorism that has affected so many people around the world and which we all must stand against,” she told reporters on a visit to Indonesia. Pakistan’s Taliban, who are close to al Qaeda, are blamed for many of the suicide bombings across Pakistan, a strategic U.S. ally. Those attacks had eased in recent months but it was not clear if the lull was due to pressure from military offensives or a shift in tactics. Peshawar is an old trading city on the main route into nearby Afghanistan. It has been plagued by militant attacks for years.

ussia said yesterday it would retaliate if Britain confirmed a media report that it could ban dozens of Russian officials from entering the country for their alleged roles in the 2009 prison death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it had asked Britain whether it had blacklisted 60 people including judges, intelligence officers and prosecutors, as a newspaper reported. The ministry did not say what a Russian diplomatic response could entail. Magnitsky, a 37-year-old lawyer for an equity fund, died about a year after he was jailed on charges of tax evasion and fraud. Former colleagues say the charges were fabricated by police investigators he had accused of stealing $230 million from the Russian state through fraudulent tax returns. The Kremlin’s own human rights council has said Magnitsky was probably beaten to death. Britain’s Sunday

Times reported that Home Secretary Theresa May had sent a list of 60 Russians to the British embassy in Moscow and that they could be banned from entering Britain. “We have ... asked the official British authorities for confirmation or denial of this information,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement. “We will determine our reaction depending on the answer,” he said. “Obviously, if London has introduced some sanctions against Russian citizens, the Russian side will react, as is accepted in diplomatic practice.” A diplomatic dispute over the Magnitsky case would further strain relations between Britain and Russia. The countries have been at odds over security, diplomatic and human rights issues for years, particularly since the 2006 murder in London of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy who died from poisoning with radioactive polonium-210.

Rebels hit army headquarters in Damascus

yrian rebels said they planted bombs inside the Syrian army’s General Staff headquarters in central Damascus on Sunday as President Bashar al-Assad’s forces bulldozed buildings to the ground in parts of the capital that have backed the uprising. Syrian state television said four people were wounded in what it called a terrorist attack on the General Staff compound in the highly guarded Abu Rummaneh district, where another bomb attack killed four of Assad’s top lieutenants two months ago. “The operation targeted officers in the Assad army who have been planning and giving the go ahead for the massacres against the Syrian people,” said a video statement by the Grandsons of the Prophet brigade, a division of the Free Syrian Army. “Bombs were planted inside the army headquarters,” said the video statement, which was broadcast on Arab satellite

channels. But as the rebels demonstrated they could strike at the heart of the security apparatus, residents said army bulldozers moved on al-Zayat and Farouk neighborhoods to the west, and destroyed at least 20 buildings in the Sunni Muslim areas that have sheltered the insurgents. In the eastern Damascus neighborhood of Hazza, footage taken by activists on Sunday showed several buildings on fire. Opposition sources said the army had earlier stormed the area and executed 27 young men. “Any youth of fighting age seems to have been captured and killed,” said activist Obadah alHaj, who had fled the area. Activist video footage from the area showed a young man lying dead beside a yellow taxi, shot in the face. Another dead youth was in the driver seat, blood covering his head and chest. Assad belongs to the minor-

ity Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam that has dominated power since members of the sect led a military coup in 1963. Assad’s father took power in 1970. Loyalist forces killed at least 25 men on Sunday when they shelled and stormed al-Fan, a Sunni village in the province of Hama, opposition campaigners said. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said most of the

men appear to have been killed by shelling, but an unspecified number were executed when troops stormed the village later. The official state news agency said a military operation on Fan targeted “terrorists who were scaring citizens”. Video footage from Fan taken by activists showed women and family members crying over bodies wrapped in white sheets and placed in a row on the floor of a mosque.

Wreckage after a car bomb exploded in the Jaramana district of southeast Damascus , yesterday. PHOTOS: REUTERS.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Features

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Brewery: How lack of concern is causing problem in the host community

Nigeria Breweries factory at Ama, 9th mile, Enugu.

The Nigerian Breweries Plc at Ama,Ngwo in Enugu State is the largest employer in the host community. But the relationship between it and the natives has soured of late due to continued hazards posed by effluents from its operations. Moreover, the brewery has become enmeshed in the community’s politics with its concomitant corrosive effect. SAM OLUWALANA writes on the company’s tactics and its impact on the community.

part from recommending the sack of some staff of the Nigeria Breweries Plc,NBL, at the Ama, 9th mile-Ngwo plant, the host community of Umuezeani Amaeke Ngwo in Udi LocalGovernment Area of Enugu State is in turmoil over alleged allocation and segregation in award of contracts to select few members of the area. Since August 2011, some members of the community had alleged that they are being deprived of the company’s corporate social responsibility benefits. Chairman of the community, Mr. Solomon Eze, alleged there is divide-and-rule tactics in the execution of empowerment of persons fom Umuezeani community, pointing at what he called the use of stooges to run preferred empowerment packages in order to disorganise, factionalise and cause confusion in the community. One Mr. Cosmas Alor, also said NBL is causing the confusion as a clever way of diverting the community from demand-

Solomon

ing for the economic advantages due to them such as employment opportunities, community development projects, contracts and sub-contracts and annuity. Established eight years ago, the Amaeke community is now at war with the brewery, in a bid to grab more from the proceeds of contracts that are continually being awarded. One of these is the cullet evacuation contract, which factionalized the community into beneficiaries and non beneficiaries. Both groups are now at daggers drawn. The quest for who gets what in the cullet evacuation contract, is now taking devastating toll on the community, given rise to fear of persons being attacked by paid hoodlums if they stand up to the truth. Those bold enough to stand up and speak the truth, have either been brutalized and admitted into hospitals, or arrested by the police or prosecuted on trumped-up charges. In the cullet evacuation contract, the community was requested to appoint six

THOSE BOLD ENOUGH TO STAND UP AND SPEAK THE

TRUTH, HAVE EITHER BEEN BRUTALIZED AND ADMITTED

INTO HOSPITALS, OR ARRESTED BY THE POLICE OR PROSECUTED ON

TRUMPED-UP CHARGES people who will register private companies for evacuation of broken bottles at NB’s yard in Ama, for recycling at the Glassfox Company in Aba, Abia State. Six indigenes were nominated and each registered a company in his name

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

with agreement to remit 20 percent of the proceeds to the community for development purposes. But they have allegedly refused to do so, claiming that it is not a community contract but an individual one, thereby throwing the community into in turmoil and fracas. The Chairman of Umuezeani community, Chief Solomon Eze, was on September 1, 2011, arrested by the zonal police command in Umuahia, Abia State, that had invited him to their office to respond to a petition written by one of the registered contractors. On arrival at the command, the police accused him of armed robbery and subsequently detained him. His incarceration sparked protest by the youths, who alleged that some staff of the breweries spearheaded the arrest over his stance in calling for a stop to sharing of money among the NBL staff from the 20 percent every cullet evacuation. The traditional ruler of Amaeke Autonomous Community, HRH Igwe Jerome Okolo, is said to have written series of petitions to the managing director of the brewery, complaining of inability of the company to attract any meaningful development to the community since coming to the area. A copy of one of his petitions on January 15, 2009, and obtained through a source at the company’s office in Iganmu, Lagos, was entitled “Relationship between Ama Breweries and the host community of Umuezeani- Amaeke, Ngwo,Enugu State”. Okolo wrote, “I wish to state clearly, and without mincing words that the enabling environment for operations at Ama Breweries has not changed since the inception of its operational activities. What really has changed was the conducive environment for plants and human habitations within the host community, caused by the pollution and effluents emanating from the brewery. I really appreciate the effort of the company to contain the problem of the hazardous environments, but that more and very serious effects should be put towards protecting the host community.” Three indigenes of the community, Michael Okolo, Anayo Amanoh and Okechukwu Aguwere, sometime ago, were arrested but freed after investigations by the Ninth Mile Police Station showed that the armed robbery accusation leveled against them was unfounded. According to the Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Mr.Ebere Amaraizu, investigations into the case has since revealed that the filling station,on Ngwo-Nsukka road, that was allegedly robbed had not even commenced operations as at then. In the case, which is now at the magistrate court in Udi Magisterial district, Enugu State, Ozoedeh is asking the court to stop the Nigerian Breweries Plc, from receiving the supply of palate wood from Ama, because the sued parties are the current executive committee members of UnmuenwoUmuezeani Community. The Public Affairs Manager of Ama Breweries, Mr. Patrick Ejidoh, said he will follow the right procedures. “I do not want to be entangled in this community problem.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Features

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Kuramo: A tragedy steeped in politics and controversy FINGERS ARE POINTING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT FOR BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAGEDY

Kuramo Beach after the tragedy.

The Kuramo Beach tragedy has left a trail of deaths and destruction, while controversies continue to reverberate as to what went wrong. ONUKWUBE OFOLUE writes that opinions are divided on whether the Atlantic City project played a role in the havoc.

here are different kinds of tragedy, but the worst that those which happens in the home. That was the type of tragedy that struck three weeks ago at Kuramo Beach, Lagos. While residents of Makoko were still recovering from the forced displacement by the Lagos State Government, nature struck this time at Kuramo Beach, wiping away homes and their occupants. In total, about 16 people were reported dead and missing. The victims included 11 traders in a boat, four picnickers and a diver. The traders had met their waterloo while returning from their trading post, while four persons who had gone for recreation and sightseeing never came back. Major hotels at and around the beach were also reportedly flooded by the wild waves. Although such surges have been reported at Kuramo Beach in the past, none was as destructive and devastating as this. It was as a result of seven days of high waves accompanied by a strong ocean surge which hit the country’s coastline with Lagos being among the worst hit given its location. But what was more painful was the unannounced demolition of the houses by the state authorities that rendered more than 5,000 persons homeless. Before the

Sand fill project for proposed Atlantic city.

incident, the Lagos State Government had warned residents but the demolition exercise was quickened following the Kuramo Beach tragedy. Today, the once bubbling beach is now a ghost land. Families that had grown and struck bonds, and even built their future and prospects in the area, suddenly discovered they were homeless, and the resultant tragedy putting paid to their dreams. When National Mirror visited the area, the entire vicinity was quiet with debris littering the beachline., Aside the presence of itinerant loafers, there were Stern-looking security agents patrolling the beach. One of the displaced persons, Mrs. Chiamaka Obi, said she plans to return to Ijora where she and her family formerly before moving to Kuramo Beach: “It is clear that we cannot stay here anymore. The ocean has driven us out, and government has also

made it clear that we are no more wanted”. Another victim, Seun Adegbola, populary called ‘’Nescafe’’ an indigene og Ogun State, like the others, was not only somnolent but from the expression on his face, looked vacant. He was a local diver, and porter, a job that earns a miserly N300.00 per day. Aside losing his home, he has become jobless. In the effort to recover some of their losses, traders in the area, under the aegis of Kuramo Tourism Investors Association, have appealed to the state government to compensate former residents and businesses to enable them to relocate elsewhere, as the present situation has placed burden on them and their families. Secretary of the association, Mr. Micheal Onuwaje, explained that they hope the request, which has been forwarded to the government through chairman of Iru-Vic-

toria Island LCDA, would be considered. Even at that, fingers are pointing in the direction of the state government for being responsible for the tragedy. According to an environmental expert, Deacon Bode Oluwamakinde, the surge occurred as a result of the failure of the contractors handling the sand filling activities of the proposed Atlantic Ocean City, to put in place measures that would reduce effects of the surge on the environment. Oluwamakinde, who admitted that sand filling of large body of water could be carried out without any adverse effect on the environment, noted that if formidable surge breakers had been in place, the impact of ocean waves would have been minimal. “Though I am yet to visit Kuramo Beach since the tragedy took place, what I can infer from what happened and also from the statement of a top government official on the possibility of evacuating residents from the water front, showed that something is wrong with the sand filling project going on in the area. “In many countries where such projects are executed, there is never large scale evacuation of people, especially when a proper feasibility is carried out and adequate technical preparations put in place. “What they should have done was to put sufficient wave breakers along the shores. The moment they are in place, it would arrest the waves, no matter how powerful it may be. “Look at the way they did the earlier sand filling at the Bar Beach. They placed a lot of big stones along the shoreline which were intended to serve as surge breakers. It is unfortunate that the present sand filling was not done along this tested line. The effect of this negligence caused the disaster because as the waves built up, it moved into the water way already created and because the current generated was more powerful than the barriers; the it just dislodged them with minimum ease, resulting in the devastating surge that killed people,” He however, blamed the residents for not heeding the call to move away from the area, as that contributed in no small measure to the loss of lives and properties. Corroborating this finding, the Lagos Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, accused the Lagos State Government of engaging in anti-people project like the Atlantic City, which is responsible for massive destruction of lives and livelihood. Speaking through its Chairman Tunji Shelle, the party said when it condemned the project as anti-people the ACN accused it of crying wolf, but now they have been vindicated, especially given the recent development.

WORLD RECORD

Longest-running Man vs Horse race

Vol. 02 No. 440

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

N150

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

Power reforms and exit of the minister

ot many would have been surprised with the exit of the erstwhile Power Minister, Prof. Barth Nnaji, just suddenly and without any known major scandal except for the fierce battle he had been having with workers’ union over the fate of their members after the privatisation process. To keen observers of the industry and, particularly those capable of discerning past developments in the industry, what happened suddenly was a script written and which was deliberately plotted by the cabal that will not let go what they had seen over the years as their right to hold the nation to ransom. The minister will neither be the first nor the last if the Federal Government is still bent on going ahead with the reforms as scheduled. The assurance to

ed Bull Racing driver, Sebastian Vettel, has admired Michael Schumacher of Mercedes for his passion for racing after the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday. Vettel set off from the 10th grid position and secured an incredible second podium finish behind Jenson Button who won the race after claim-

TALKINGPOINT Seyi Fasugba

seyifasugba@yahoo.com 08053069514 (sms only)

forge ahead was reiterated by government shortly after the incident by the Information Minister, Labaran Maku and President Goodluck Jonathan re-echoed a similar thing during his official visit to Anambra State last week, in what can be easily described as the diplomatic way to calm Nigerians and say exactly what is expected, given the mood of the moment. Without being told, the story could not have been as smooth as revealed so far. In this country and in this part of the world, resignation does not come easy neither, will a decision to quit can come suddenly even from the minister without giving a deep thought to such. Just like the popular saying that there can’t be smoke without fire. Moreso, this government has not been noted for encouraging people to resign even when it becomes so glaring that the individual has compromised the essence of holding the office or that a case of conflict of interest has been established. There are many instances of officials who have never bothered to consider such option because it makes no meaning to them in the first place. Meanwhile, the potency of the forces working against the minister must not be underestimated and Nnaji himself would not have pretended that he was unaware of the antagonists who, while others are awaiting the gains of the reforms, see the minister as one deliberately out to

SEE THE MINISTER AS ONE DELIBERATELY OUT TO DISPOSSESS THEM OF THEIR OWN SHARE OF THE NATIONAL CAKE dispossess them of their own share of the national cake. There are saboteurs within the power sector that will not be comfortable if the reforms had gone on smoothly without creating obstacles that will derail the realisation of uninterrupted power supply in this country after 52 years of nationhood. If Prof. Nnaji made a full disclosure of his interest in the sector, a fact well known that he is a promoter of a power generating firm even before his emergence as the minister, why must that be the basis for him to quit, if not that there were certain unseen hands not comfortable that they are already losing out in the emerging post-reforms structure? The workers have not, for one day, hidden their desire to get rid of the minister given the campaign against his policies. But before then, one of the toughest obstacles to reforming the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, is the workforce who, out of fear, is yet to see the reason why the sector should embrace the kind

of refreshing reforms that swept through the telecommunications and which, at long last, liberated Nigerians from the clutches of reactionaries in government employment. About this time last year, a Chinese engineer had exposed the rot in the system when he openly criticised the deliberate efforts of some people within who are bent on frustrating the reforms. Mr. Li Xianlai was the project manager of a Chinese firm, SEPCO III, which handled the construction of the Olorunsogo-Papalanto Independent Power Plant in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State. Incidentally, his observation was made when the former minister visited the site for inspection of projects under his ministry. It was not a surprise, therefore, to see the workers jubilate over the exit of the minister. It must, however, be emphasised that the reforms should not be about an individual either in or out of office. But the opposition confronting the deregulation of the power sector must be envisaged given the relevance of electricity to everyone; both the elites and the commoners, unlike the case of NITEL. This explains the reason why President Jonathan cannot afford to toy with, but grab this opportunity and ensure a logical conclusion of the agenda. Ghana, with a struggling economy many years back, recently celebrated a year of uninterrupted power supply. This indicates that it is possible for Nigerians to experience that as a dividend of democracy. For instance, there is no doubting the fact that there is also a cabal working against the effective introduction of the prepaid metre simply because they know that the success of that method of revenue collection renders them useless and of no effect again. So, their resistance is not unexpected due to selfish interests. But government must be resolute in dealing with the situation rather than sacrificing a minister to appease some groups.

Sport Extra

Vettel hails Schumacher’s racing prowess ing the pole position but Schumacher could only secure 13th grid slot, although the seven-time world champion performed impressively well and came 7th in the race. The defending champion said that he didn’t understand why the record

championship holder moved to the pits during their tussle in the race. “With Michael, there was a bit of confusion, I think,” Vittel said yesterday. “He probably wasn’t that keen to defend his position because he went into

the pits anyway, but I thought he would block the inside and then it was very close under braking.” The two-time champion praised the courage of his compatriot saying, “Schumacher always fights till the end.”

Sebastian Vettel

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