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05.08.14

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

TUESday

No. 2,234

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Amnesty International Indicts Shell, FG For Niger Delta Pollution

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Nigeria and multinational oil company Shell have been accused of grossly ignoring a UN report on devastation of Ogoni-land.

Both parties are said to have done almost nothing to ease oil pollution in the Ogoni-land area of the Niger

Delta, three years after a landmark UN report called for a $1 billion clean-up, Amnesty International said Monday.

Environmental devastation in Ogoni-land has, for many, come to symbolise the tragedy of Nigeria’s vast oil wealth.

Osun Guber Poll: PDP, APC In War Of Words > Page 4

Chibok Diary DAY 113

Decades of crude production filled the pockets of powerful government officials and generated huge profits for oil majors like Shell, while ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

BBOG Defies Threats, Returns To Normal Venue In Abuja > Page 2

Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, during his appearance before the impeachment investigative panel in Lafia, yesterday. PHOTO BY government house

Lagos Panics As Ebola Spreads In West Africa Death toll now 887 US airport to quarantine victims – White House 5 Doctor who treated late Liberian victim tests positive

Impeachment: Al-Makura Appears Before Panel, Lawmakers Absent

> Page 4

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chibok diary 113

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

DAY

Chibok Tweets @obyezeks • 3h WE must not be SILENT. WE must not RELENT. WE must not PERMIT them to MOVE ON without RESCUING our Girls.

WE DEMAND: #BringBackOurGirls!!! @RonanDaily #BringBackOurGirls erupted almost 4 months ago & has since died. We're bringing back the call w/ #RememberOurGirls @amnesty From Syria to Gaza to #BringBackOurGirls, what makes people care about stories and forget about them? @SeyiPetersBLOG DAY112: Even the dead is demanding Govt to #BringBackOurGirls b4 they're all converted to suicide bombers pic. twitter.com/ATolkScGDL @DozieWorldWide Everyone is comfortable remaining silent rather than fight for humans whose rights have been stolen.. #BringBackOurGirls @Kirinyaga_ Why are we not louder, why is there no sense of urgency?What will it take to bring #ChibokGirls home? What will it take? #BringBackOurGirls? @UAnenga I have a daughter and a day without her is not easy.

Please #BringBackOurGirls #BringBackOurGirls #BringBackOurGirls #BringBackOurGirls @Jon_keri A day in the wild is dehumanising. 112 days? #BringBackOurGirls #BringBackOurGirls #BringBackOurGirls NOW & ALIVE @MetropoleMag Today makes 112 days since the kidnap of the Chibok girls, and day 97 of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign Upcoming Event August 6 Washington DC Rally Compiled by Iroka Ugochukwu

Some members of #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group in a village square meeting at the Maitama Amusement Park in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO.

BBOG Group Defies Threats, Returns To Normal Venue In Abuja

BY Ejike Ejike and Chika Mefor, Abuja In defiance of security threats to its members, the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) Group has returned to its normal daily sit-out sessions in Abuja in continuation of its campaign for the rescue of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls abducted by the Boko Haram sect.

The group, which was allegedly faced with threats of attack at its Unity Fountain daily sit-out venue and held a session at a private residence on Sunday, came out yesterday for a public sit-out and pledged to continue with the safe release of the schoolgirls, despite threats.

Security operatives had openly mounted surveillance on the daily sit-out meetings of the group at the Unity Fountain in Abuja after the impromptu protest at Aso Rock three weeks ago, but had recently disappeared.

As part of the programme for the day, the group took out time to appreciate the military and other security agencies that had been fighting the insurgency and participating in the push for the rescue of the abducted girls.

The BBOG Group called on the federal government to ensure that the security personnel were adequately equipped for the task of fighting insurgency by also ensuring that the relevant government parastatal buries and honours fallen officers in the campaign accordingly.

Clarifying its stand in the face of the struggle and campaign for the rescue of the girls, the group noted that appreciating the military and other security agencies did not imply weakness, but was an act of being good citizens and respecting and appreciating hard work.

DEPRESSION THE SILENT KILLER According to World Health Organisation, depression affects about 350 million people worldwide, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has been cited as one of the leading causes of disabilities worldwide

WHO SUFFERS FROM DEPRESSION

US

7.1%

Brazil

9.8%

Brazil has the highest prevalence of adult who screen positive for MDD

5EU

6.9%

Russia

8.2%

In Japan, MDD sufferers are disproportionately female

Japan

4.58%

INFOGRAPHICS BY Matthew Akhabue

3

our stand Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Sweet-sour Outing To Commonwealth Games

T

eam Nigeria recorded its best ever Commonwealth Games success as the curtains fell on the multi-sports events in Glasgow, Scotland, this Sunday. The team ended up in the eighth position on the medals table, winning 11 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze medals. Special commendation must go to Blessing Okagbare, who was the country’s star of the championship, and other athletes for representing the country well. Okagbare clinched a sprint double in the 100m and 200m, becoming the 11th woman ever and the first Nigerian to accomplish the feat.

She was only denied a treble by the Jamaican quartet in the women’s 4 x100m final. Nonetheless, she wrote her name in gold at the games and beyond.

The outcome is, however, at variance with the technical and logistic hitches that preceded the games from our sporting authorities. Ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Games, Nigerian athletes had a hectic time grappling with the procurement of visas. There were tales about unavailability of adequate funding needed to prosecute the competition. Many athletes, particularly those track-and-

field stars, could only depart for a proposed training tour days after it was scheduled and a couple of weeks to the games proper. Athletes’ welfare was neglected and some of them were evicted from their hotels because payment for their accommodation bills was not made by their associations. Indeed, the earliest medals were won by our athletes in mufti because the kits didn’t arrive on time.

These and other challenges recommended the athletes who did well for plaudits. Our sportsmen and women’s victory demonstrates the indomitable spirit, doggedness, selflessness and determination to excel in the face of adversity and in-

Editor Sadiq Abdullateef Deputy Editor Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards Aniebo Nwamu, Director ’Lara Olugbemi, Assistant Director

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah

stitutional limitations. Nigerians have always demonstrated exceptional courage and have achieved their dreams in spite of poor governance.

The sports authorities should, by now, know that they should monitor and nurture talents and mentor those medal hopefuls so that the country would not be shamed like in the disappointing case of teenage sensation Chika Amalaha, who was stripped of her gold medal for failing a doping test. If our sporting authorities had shown interest in her conduct and activities, she would not have fallen into such temptation. At 16, Amalaha is too innocent and most likely a victim of her naivety. We must get our house rules sorted out to get to the root of the matter. The coaches and our anti-doping officials have questions to answer. If they had done their jobs well, the lass would not have laboured in vain and ended up disgracing Nigeria. We are convinced that the doping saga must be as a result of negligence or connivance of some officials. Appropriate sanctions must be meted out to complicit officials, if such is established. Chika too must be rehabilitated and counselled for her future’s sake.

Chairman Hajiya Ireti Kingibe Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser Abdulhaleem Amin Divisional Directors Abdulmumin Balogun Ademola Oladosu Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Zipporah D. Tanko Joy Adekanye

Leadership Holdings

Managing Director Abraham Nda-Isaiah Executive Director Nnamdi Samuel New York Office Mohammed Bello Shehu London Office Dr Bello Salihu Johannesburg Office Abiodun Oguntuase Business Manager Bilkisu Mohammed Rimi

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital.

We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed.

We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!

4 news extra

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo FG Has No Hand In Attack On Buhari – IGP Abba Says more policemen for Osun poll than Ekiti Newly appointed inspector- general of police, Suleiman Abba, has absolved the federal government of complicity in the attempted assassination of former head of state, Mohammadu Buhari.

Abba made the clarification yesterday during his maiden meeting with assistant inspectors-general of police (AIGs) and commissioners of police in all the commands and formations across the country.

Buhari was attacked by suspected Boko Haram insurgents during his visit to Kaduna two weeks ago.

Abba said: “Kaduna conducted a very diligent investigation; a team that was made up of not only general duty detectives but also included forensic experts visited some of the victims in the hospital, including those in the mortuary, conducted interviews with victims and witnesses, including the highly respected General Mohammed Buhari, and those that were with him and did a lot of things that, maybe, we need not mention all of them here.

“So far, they have come up with findings and these findings are that the federal government, from the findings, is not involved so far.

The findings do not indicate that the federal government is involved in either of the two incidents.

“We are aware that there has been an arrest. You know the scene of the incident is very close to a military formation. A suspect is with them but I cannot tell you conclusively now whether he has made any useful statement. But the investigators have tried to find out more about him and have discovered that a police station close to the scene, which is also close to his residence, has had cause to arrest him in about two or three occasions, but investigation still continues,” he said.

Speaking on the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, Abba disclosed that the Nigeria Police would deploy more operatives to the state than was deployed to Ekiti State. Making allusions to alleged recruitment of thugs to Osun State, he sounded a note of warning to potential trouble makers.

“It’s an open secret that there were recruitments of thugs. I assure you, we’ll deploy enough personnel, its better. Ours is the type that if you don’t have any business to be in Osun, you don’t have any reason to be there. The more onlookers we’ll have the more threat to security we’ll have. So, we’ll make our presence felt. We’ll be there enough to make sure that the integrity of the whole exercise is maintained,” he said.

By Chika Otuchikere, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan (right) shaking hands with members of Nigerians In Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) who paid solidarity visit to the President during his visit to Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, yesterday. PHOTO

BY GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Osun Guber Poll: APC, PDP In War Of Words • 500,000 unclaimed permanent voter cards cloned – APC • APC NWC relocation directive, plot to import thugs – PDP

By George Okojie, Lagos and Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has issued a red alert on the August 9 gubernatorial election in Osun State, saying about half a million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which were either unclaimed, not handed over to their authentic owners or were obtained fraudulently, have been cloned by unscrupulous persons ahead of the election, with the sole purpose of rigging.

“These cloned cards, mostly in the hands of persons from states other than Osun, are to be used along with the authentic PVCs issued to the electorate in Osun State during the August 9 Osun governorship election,’’ the party said in a statement issued in Osogbo yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

“Already, we can confirm that the hundreds of thousands of people in possession of these cloned cards all over Nigeria, especially in the states neighboring Osun, are being induced monetarily and instructed to super impose their photographs on the cloned PVCs. “The game plan is for them to arrive early at the polling booths on Election Day, where conniving electoral officials will turn a blind eye to this fraud by not checking whether or not the names of these impersonators with cloned cards are on the voter register before going ahead to accredit them, to pave the way for them to use the cloned cards to vote at the expense of the genuine holders of the cards,’’ it said.

APC said based on the dubious plan, unscrupulous security agents -both official and unofficial - will be at hand to brutalize, arrest and detain any agent or voter who may want to challenge this illegality.

The party therefore called on INEC, if it is not part of this diabolical plan, to ensure that only the voter registers used to issue out the PVCs to voters up until August 4 will be used to conduct the August 9 election.

“The votes of the people of Osun State must not only be counted, but must count on Saturday,’’ it insisted.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday described the directive by the APC to its officials across the country to relocate to and remain in Osun State until after the August 9 election as a brazen assault on democracy tailored to intimidate the electorate and prevent them from freely voting the candidate of their choice.

PDP national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement said “the directive is in furtherance of APC’s two-pronged plot to move in billions of naira to induce voters as well as smuggle in thousands of armed thugs from other APC states to cause mayhem and disrupt the process in the face of defeat.”

The PDP alleged that in seeking to import mercenaries from other states, the APC had exposed the fact that it lacked genuine followership in Osun state adding that such explains the reason it has remained distraught by the massive support being enjoyed by the PDP. The PDP called on the people of Osun state to remain calm and

vigilant while charging them to resist any attempt by the enemies of their state to subvert their collective will at the polls.

2015: PDP Poised To Claim South-West- Presidency The Presidency has declared that the ruling PDP will, by 2015 general elections, win the entire south-west states.

This was declared by the special assistant to the president on political matters, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, who also disclosed that the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan for the deployment of security agents ahead of next Saturday’s Osun governorship election was based on security reports of plans to cause mayhem during the governorship poll.

He added that it was necessary for the zone to return to the centre by 2015 in order to disassociate itself from the toga of opposition which it had long been identified with.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Alkali, said it was glaring that PDP was the most grounded party in the zone given the manner the electorate in the south-west had been rooting for the ruling party lately.

Impeachment: Al-Makura Appears Before Panel, Lawmakers Absent

By Donatus Nadi, Lafia

Efforts by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura took a comic twist yesterday as the lawmakers or any party representing them failed to show up at the inaugural public sitting of the investigative panel.

This development prompted the lead counsel to the governor, Chief U. N Udechukwu, to urge the panel to exercise their mandate as contained in the guidelines on the panel’s procedure (Section 7c) by dismissing the case if the lawmakers fail to show up to present their

allegations of breach of constitution and gross misconduct against Governor Al-Makura.

Earlier, the secretary of the panel, Mr. Mohammed Michika, informed the panel chairman, Mr. Yusuf Usman, that although notice of appearance was served on the clerk of the Assembly, the notice had not been endorsed even though collected.

Consequently, Mr. Usman directed the secretary to serve the notice on the notice board and gate of the state Assembly directing them to appear in person or through a representation before the panel which reconvenes today

at 9am in the conference hall of the state Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and that if they fail, the panel is expected to take far-reaching decisions.

Although the panel chairman conceded that the Assembly had not provided guidelines for the operations of the panel, it had used its discretion to draft one whose authority they would invoke to dismiss the case should the lawmakers fail to appear today.

“Where the House of Assembly fails or neglects to appear and lead evidence in proof of the allegations, the panel, upon proof of service, may dismiss the allega-

tions.”

Upon compliance by the Assembly, however, Mr. Usman said no member of the panel was allowed to talk to the press for the duration of the investigation, adding that the panel would sit on Sundays and public holidays if need be.

In a brief address before the panel, Governor Al-Makura maintained that although he was yet to be officially served with a notice of impeachment, his decision to appear before the panel was solely because of the notice of appearance served by the panel and out of respect for constituted authority and the rule of law.

NEWS 5

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

LIVING LIVING TOTO BE BE 100100

One health tip daily Go Fish for the Omega

If you’re not a vegetarian, you’ll want to make intelligent choices about the meat you eat. Of all animal products, fish is the healthiest, due to its high protein and low fat content. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish, along with other nutrients, protect blood vessels from plaque, reduce

inflammation, prevent high blood pressure, and help you maintain good respiratory health. Populations with a diet consisting mainly of fish, fresh fruits, and local vegetables experience virtually no cardiovascular disease and have a high percentage of healthy seniors.

Amnesty International Indicts Shell, FG For Niger Delta Pollution FROM COVER

corruption and spills left the people with nothing but land too polluted for farming or fishing.

Exactly three years ago, a United Nations Environment Programme report said the area might require the world’s biggest-ever clean-up and called on the oil industry and Nigerian government to contribute $1billion.

“Three years on and the government and Shell have done little more than set up processes that look like action but are just fig leaves for business as usual,” said Godwin Ojo of Friends of the Earth Nigeria, which partnered with Amnesty and three other groups in a new report called “Shell: No Progress”.

Shell has not pumped crude from Ogoni-land since 1993, when it was forced to pull out because of unrest.

Two years later, environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who had fiercely criticised Shell’s presence in Ogoni-land, was executed by the regime of dictator Sani Abacha, one of the most condemned episodes in the region’s history.

Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999 after Abacha’s death, but critics say the governments elected since have done little to improve pollution in the Niger Delta.

“No matter how much evidence emerges of Shell’s bad practice, Shell has so far escaped the necessity to clean

up the damage it has caused,” said Audrey Gaughran of Amnesty International.

In April of 2013, Shell staff returned to Ogoniland for the first time in two decades to study how best to decommission their decaying assets in the region.

The company described the move as “a key step” in complying with the UNEP report.

In a swift reaction to the report, Shell however insisted that it has made progress in addressing all the recommendations directed to it in that publication.

In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP, Shell said the majority of UNEP’s recommendations require multi-stakeholder efforts coordinated by the federal government. “As the UNEP report stated: ‘Treating the problem of environmental contamination within Ogoniland merely as a technical clean-up exercise would ultimately lead to failure. Ensuring long-term sustainability is a much bigger challenge – one that will require coordinated and collaborative action from all stakeholders’.

“SPDC has an activity programme in place, focused on delivering improvements in the environmental and community health situation on the ground.

We continue to work with the government, communities and a number of constructive NGOs and civil society groups in the Niger Delta to accelerate progress.”

Lagos Panics As Ebola Spreads In West Africa George Okojie, Aronke Olayiwola, Lagos; Winifred Ogbebo, Victor Okeke, Abuja; and Abiodun Oluwarotimi, New York

Lagos residents were yesterday jolted by the news that the doctor who attended to the now late Patrick Sawyer – the man credited with bringing Ebola virus disease (EVD) to Nigeria – has contracted the virus.

The Lagos State government yesterday said a medical doctor (name withheld), one of the eight people who had direct contact with the late Liberian/ American, has tested positive to EVD. This was revealed at a press briefing held at the Central Public Health Laboratory Services, Yaba, Lagos, which was addressed by the commissioner for health, Dr Jide Idris, and the director, Nigeria Centre for Decease Control, Abuja, Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi.

The state commissioner for health said the newly infected person is one of the female doctors at the health facility where Sawyer was being treated before he died.

Idris said she may have contracted the deadly decease before it was discovered that he was carrying EVD. He said: “As at today, one person out of the eight people who had direct contact with the late victim of Ebola has tested positive. The state has established isolation and treatment centre to hospitalise this patient.

“The staff at this centre have also been trained on how to treat and handle the patients under their care. The hospital is also provided with enough facilities to ensure that the officials and other patients do not contact the virus.”

Also speaking, Professor Nasidi said the state and the federal government were doing everything to curb the spread of the decease, even as he dispelled the rumour making the rounds that the infected patient was already dead.

Our correspondents observed that many Lagosians, already jittery, were seen in groups discussing the development which they affirmed spells doom for the densely populated state.

Civil servants who spoke with our correspondents expressed fear that the development could lead to rapid spread of the deadly Ebola epidemic in the state.

Dr Peter Omole, a physician working in a Lagos healthcare facility, said: “That is the risk healthcare workers face in the course of doing their job . It is part of the hazard of the occupation. By that singular

Jonathan

encounter, his household could be wiped out.”

He urged the Nigeria government to urgently establish Ebola treatment centres in place to respond to emergencies that may arise.

FG confirms incident, inaugurates committee on research, cure The minister of health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who also confirmed that the Lagos-based doctor who attended to the American/ Liberian man, has tested positive to Ebola virus disease stated yesterday in Abuja that “about eight other persons who came in contact with the Liberian that developed symptoms have been quarantined while 70 others are under surveillance”.

He refused to divulge the doctor’s name, saying that they were yet to inform the family as at the time of the press briefing.

Chukwu said that the federal government was reinforcing the technical working group on Ebola to embrace the 36 state governments and not just Lagos alone.

He also used the occasion to douse public fears about the corpses that were brought into Anambra and Imo states from abroad, saying that “medical records have proved that the Imo corpse was not carrying Ebola while a test is being carried out on the Anambra corpse”.

“We are collaborating with all the state governments to establish isolation wards for persons proven to be symptomatic to Ebola and a 24-hour emergency operation centre,” he said.

Meanwhile, the federal government has inaugurated an Ebola treatment and research group with the mandate to carry out research on Ebola, and receive and verify claims towards curing Ebola.

The committee is also to collate ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

6 NEWS

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Lagos Panics As Ebola Spreads In West Africa FROM PAGE 5

and analyse researches on Ebola while advising government as may be appropriate.

The group has the directorgeneral, Nigerian Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), and the director-general of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) as chairmen.

The Nigerian US-based researcher who had found evidence of bitter kola inhibiting the growth of the Ebola virus in a laboratory, Professor Maurice Iwu, and the director-general of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control are also members of the group, among others.

Prof. Chukwu said, “Though the research on bitter kola was not concluded, no progress can be made without research. For now, there is no scientifically proven vaccine or drug for the treatment of Ebola.”

Meanwhile, in a bid to forestall any outbreak of the dreaded disease, the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Health has opened a website where relevant information on Ebola, can be surfed. The address is www.ebolaalert.org; twitter handles @ebolaalert, @ ebolainfofmohng; and email to ebolainfo@health.gov.ng.

Similarly, it has also released toll-free lines: 0800 EBOLA HELP (08000 33652 4357).

Death toll from Ebola in West Africa hits 887 The total death toll from the disease in several West Africa, countries has shot up by more than 150 to 887, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

Most of the newly reported deaths occurred in Liberia, where on Monday night a special plane to evacuate a second American missionary who fell ill with Ebola landed in the capital.

Nancy Writebol is expected to arrive in Atlanta on Tuesday, where she will be treated at a special isolation ward.

Health authorities in Liberia ordered that all those who die from Ebola be cremated after communities resisted having the bodies buried nearby. Over the weekend, military police were called in after people tried to block health authorities in the West African nation from burying 22 bodies on the outskirts of the capital, Monrovia.

The World Health Organization announced Monday that the death toll has increased from 729 to 887 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.

Nigerian health minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said the confirmed second case in his country is a doctor who had helped treat Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American man who died July 25, days after arriving

Obama

Fashola

Chukwu

in Nigeria from Liberia.

Test samples are pending for three other people who also treated Sawyer and now have shown symptoms of Ebola, he said. Authorities are trying to trace and quarantine others.

“Hopefully, by the end of today we should have the results of their own tests,” Chukwu said.

The emergence of a second case raises serious concerns about the infection control practices in Nigeria, and also raises the spectre that more cases could emerge. It can take up to 21 days after exposure to the virus for symptoms to appear. They include fever, sore throat, muscle pains and headaches. Often nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea follow, along with severe internal and external bleeding in advanced stages of the disease.

“This fits exactly with the pattern that we’ve seen in the past. Either someone gets sick and infects their relatives, or goes to a hospital and health workers get sick,” said Gregory Hartl, World Health Organization spokesman in Geneva. “It’s extremely unfortunate but it’s not unexpected. This was a sick man getting off a plane and, unfortunately, no one knew he had Ebola.”

Doctors and other health workers on the front lines of the Ebola crisis have been among the most vulnerable to infection as they are in direct physical contact with patients.

The disease is not airborne, and only transmitted through contact with bodily fluids such as saliva, blood, vomit, sweat or faeces.

Sawyer, who was travelling to Nigeria on business, became ill while aboard a flight and Nigerian authorities immediately took him into isolation upon arrival in Lagos. They did not quarantine his fellow passengers, and have insisted that the risk of additional cases was minimal.

Nigerian authorities said a total of 70 people are under surveillance and that they hoped to have eight people in quarantine by the end of Monday in an isolation ward in Lagos. The emergence there is particularly worrisome because

Lagos is the largest city in Africa with some 21 million people.

Health officials rely on “contact tracing” — locating anyone who may have been exposed, and then anyone who may have come into contact with that person.

Ben Neuman, a virologist and Ebola expert at Britain’s University of Reading, said that could prove difficult at this stage.

“Contact tracing is essential but it’s very hard to get enough people to do that,” he said. “For the average case, you want to look back and catch the 20-30 people they had closest contact with and that takes a lot of effort and legwork ... The most important thing now is to do the contact tracing and quarantine any contacts who may be symptomatic.”

flu,” he said. “It’s also important for people to understand that this disease is not transmitted through the air, it’s not transmitted through the water, and it would not be transmitted through the food here in the United States. That’s why the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has assessed that there is no significant risk to the United States from this current Ebola outbreak.”

Earnest also said there was a rigorous screening process before and after passengers from the affected African countries enter the U.S. “It’s important to understand that there’s a screening process that individuals have to go through when they board aircraft departing countries where this outbreak has been reported.

There’s additional screening that occurs when individuals starting in that region of the world arrive in this country,” he said.

US airports to quarantine victims - White House The White House insists the U.S. government is fully prepared to deal with the current outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa — even if that means quarantining sick passengers at airports.

“We are in a position to ensure that public health is protected. If [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] officers do recognize an individual who appears to be exhibiting some of these symptoms, there are facilities at these ports of entry — at these airports — where these individuals can be quarantined and evaluated by medical personnel,” the White House’s press secretary, Josh Earnest, said during his daily media briefing.

However, Earnest also listed a number of reasons the American public should not be panicking about the Ebola virus potentially reaching U.S. shores. Notably, the virus is not especially contagious before sick individuals display the grisly symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding inside and outside the body.

“It’s important for the public to understand that the reason that it’s important to identify the symptoms is you’re not contagious unless you exhibit the symptoms of this disease.

That’s what differentiates it from the common cold or the

Ebola: US secret service didn’t screen Jonathan - Adefuye The Nigerian embassy in Washington, DC, on Monday expressed its displeasure over a media report which had said that President Goodluck Jonathan was among the African leaders that were screened by the US secret service for Ebola fever.

Reacting to the report, the Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States, Prof. Adebowale Adefuye, said that the report was fake, adding that it was also the figment of the writer’s imagination.

Adefuye, who reacted in a statement sent to our correspondent, said he wondered where the writer got “his fake” information that the president would or had been screened for Ebola virus by the US secret service.

The Nigerian envoy pressed further that President Jonathan arrived with his delegation since Sunday and neither he (Jonathan) nor any member of his entourage was screened for the virus or any reason.

Reacting to the development, US president Mr Barrack Obama made it known that some international guests were screened for Ebola fever to ensure maximum safety for

everyone attending the threeday summit. The US leader, however, didn’t mention President Jonathan or anyone from his entourage as part of those that were screened.

Obama specifically mentioned Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone as the West African countries where Ebola is ravaging populations, adding that screening would be done for guests from these countries that have even a marginal risk, or an infinitesimal risk of having been exposed in some fashion.

Meanwhile, the US government has worked with international partners to ensure that no one who may be ill or exposed to the virus will attend the summit, and, in addition to screening at ports of entry, health officials will be available to provide medical care to all attendees.

US won’t turn back flights from Africa over Ebola fears The United States on Monday said that it would not turn back any flight from West Africa over the fears of Ebola fever, stressing that precautions were in place to ensure public safety.

Speaking at a press conference in Washington, DC, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said that there were in place a lot of precautions to ensure the safety of the American public and the travelling public.

Asked if the administration would block flights from the affected countries, he said, “No, not at this point.”

The comments follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) allowing airlines to deny boarding to passengers who are exhibiting Ebola symptoms.

The CDC has also stepped up training for customs and border patrol personnel in order to identify people who should be quarantined for the illness.

Earnest noted that people leaving the affected countries must undergo screening before departure and then again upon arrival in the United States.

We are in a position to ensure the public health is protected, he said.

The Obama administration is under pressure to describe its response to Ebola, which has killed nearly 900 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since March.

Experts have described the outbreak as the worst on record and say it is still growing despite efforts to contain the virus.

Although two Americans have contracted the disease in West Africa, there is no evidence that Ebola is active and unidentified on U.S. soil, according to the CDC. The CDC has assessed that there is no significant risk to the United States from the current Ebola outbreak, Earnest said.

news extra 7

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

N80bn Allegation: Fintiri Inaugurates 2 Panels To Probe Nyako Adamawa State acting governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has approved the constitution of two judicial panels of inquiry to probe his predecessor, Murtala Nyako, who was impeached on July 15, 2014.

The acting governor gave the two panels the mandate to institute a comprehensive assessment on the past administration from June 2007 to June 2014 and also to investigate the operations of Adamawa Homes and Savings.

They have four weeks to conclude their tasks.

The development was contained in a press statement signed and issued by the secretary to the Adamawa State Government (SSG), Professor Abdullahi Liman Tukur.

The terms of reference of the investigative panels are: to investigate the financial accruals to the state from June 2007 to June, 2014; to investigate disbursement and application of funds to ministries, boards and agencies over the period; to determine the appropriateness or otherwise of disbursements and application funds over the period in reference; to identify those involved in inappropriate financial disbursement, and application; to investigate recruitment, deployment and administration of human resources including the setting up of financing and operation of extra ministerial units and to make recommendations on all issues investigated.

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

Presidency Denies Funding Pro-Jonathan Groups The presidency yesterday denied insinuations that it is behind the funding of various associations and groups canvassing support for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of 2015 election.

Reacting to a report in one of the national dailies, the special adviser to the president on political matters, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali, said the thousands of groups across the country that are supporting the transformation agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan administration are all privately funded by various sponsors.

It was gathered that pro-Jonathan groups in the country are over 3,500.

Jonathan’s political aide said: “I want to reiterate that these groups are completely independent and self-financing and the Presidency does not in any way foot the bills for the activities of these groups.

“They are voluntary non-governmental organizations and every Nigerian is aware that these NGOs source their funds independent of government.”

Alkali doubles as the national coordinator of Goodluck Support Group (GSG).

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

L-R: DirectorGeneral, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dike; minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Mohammed Musa Sada; minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen and senior special assistant to the vice president on Media and Publicity, Malam Umar Sani, during the National Council on Privatisation meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

Days Of Politicians Manipulating Elections Over – Jonathan Says Nigeria’ll soon stop Boko Haram

By Abiodun Oluwarotimi, New York and George Agba, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that the era when a handful of politicians connive with their hirelings and thugs to hijack voter cards and other electoral materials and manipulate the outcome of elections to their personal advantage was gone forever in Nigeria.

The president who stated this yesterday at a meeting with Nigerian professionals in Washington, D. C, United States, said he remained fully committed to keeping that promise and he would do everything possible to ensure that the elections in Nigeria become credible.

According to him, while the pledge he made in 2011 of credible polls had been fulfilled in recent elections in Edo, Ondo and Ekiti states, the federal government will take necessary steps to ensure that no individual, group or political party succeeds in thwarting the legitimate choice of voters in Saturday’s governorship poll in Osun State.

Jonathan said, “The issue of credible elections must be institutionalised in Nigeria. Our

electoral processes were not very good or credible when we came into office, but as I promised, we have been working very hard to change things and ensure that our elections are more credible, that every legitimate vote counts and that results are acceptable to the electorate.

“I promise you that the Osun governorship elections will be very free, fair and credible”, he added in response to questions and comments on topical issues in Nigeria from the gathering.

The president told the Nigerian professionals that the federal government would continue to give the highest possible priority to policies and programmes that would lead to the creation of jobs for Nigerian youths.

“Job creation is a challenge to every government in the world.

We are doing all that we can to tackle the problem in Nigeria because we know that we have a very youthful population and if we do not create enough jobs to meet their needs, the country will be in trouble,” he stated.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan has also declared that his administration would soon put an end to the operations of Boko Haram in Nigeria.

Giving this assurance while addressing Nigerians at the

Nigerian embassy in Washington, DC, President Jonathan said his administration would further equip Nigeria’s security agencies in order to boost their capability to win the ongoing battle against terrorism in the country.

He pressed further that the required financial assistance would also be given to all the agencies by his administration, noting that the supports and encouragement of Nigerians was also required in the battle.

On the forthcoming 2015 general elections, the president who didn’t directly declare his intention to run for a second term in office said that all logistics were already in place to ensure that the elections turn out as the best in the history of Nigeria.

Jonathan added that with the successful conduct of the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti state, he was sure that the same Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the leadership of Professor Attahiru Jega would conduct credible elections in Nigeria next year.

Saying that the allegation from the opposition that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) plans to rig the elections was laughable, the presi-

dent said that his government would not encourage rigging.

He maintained that conducting the most credible and peaceful elections in 2015 was his major priority.

He, however, commended the United States government and the entire international community for their support for Nigeria since the abduction of the Chibok students, stressing that every effort was being made to ensure that they were returned to their families safely.

In his address, the Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US, Professor Ade Adefuye, said that Nigerians should see reasons to throw their weight behind the administration of President Jonathan as a result of his Transformation Agenda.

Adefuye further noted that the Nigerian embassy had erased all the negative impressions in the minds of the Americans, by being able to make them understand all the efforts that the Nigerian government was making back home to make the country secure and as well ensure a safe return of the kidnapped Chibok students.

However, there was no protest against the visit of the president and his entourage as reported in some newspapers last week.

Corrupt Judicial Officers Under EFCC’s Radar – Lamorde

By Muazu Elazeh, Katsina

The Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) is currently investigating cases of alleged corruption involving judicial officers, executive chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Lamorde has said.

Speaking at a workshop on reporting economic crimes, Lamorde said alleged corruption in the

judiciary was another area receiving attention considering the importance of the judiciary in justice delivery system.

Lamorde, who spoke through Osita Nwajah, said the commission was committed to bringing the culprits of corruption to justice.

“The Commission has decided to help sanitise the system by investigating some of the alleged cases

of corruption involving high level judicial officers,” he said.

The EFCC boss said although one of the judicial officers had dragged the Commission to court to forestall further action, EFCC would not be distracted.

“Policing of major entry and exit points in our country in the last two years recorded seizure of huge sums of money,” he said, adding that some of the suspects had

been prosecuted and convicted.

“The EFCC is unwavering in its determined efforts to bring to logical conclusion many of the cases that it investigated in other sectors, including pension and oil subsidy cases.”

He insisted that for the war against corruption to succeed, the people must be willing to embrace the fight even as he appealed for support of the media.

8 News north-central

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Northern Govs Does Not Discriminate Against Southerners – Gov Aliyu

BY Abu Nmodu, Minna

The governor of Niger State and chairman of Northern States Governors Forum (NGSF), Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu has said that northern governors does not discriminate against southerners in the region.

Aliyu also maintained that the safety of all Nigerians from the south in the northern part of the country will continue to be guaranteed as a matter of obligation and believe in Nigeria as one entity.

He gave the assurance yesterday in Minna saying that “Nobody has asked southerners in the north to leave, we accommodate everybody.”

Aliyu noted that all Nigerians should be free to do their legitimate business in any part of the north hence their operation

short news Impeachment: Lawyers Divided Over Ilorin NBA Chairman’s Status Lawyers in Ilorin, Kwara State were yesterday sharply divided over the status of Mr. Mobolaji Ojibara, as chairman, Ilorin branch of the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA).

While a group which two weeks ago filed a notice of impeachment against Ojibara claimed to have successfully impeached him at a congress held yesterday, Ojibara and those loyal to him addressed newsmen in the state capital to denounce the claim.

Ojibara told newsmen that the masterminds of his purported impeachment have been suspended from the association indefinitely for acts inimical to the wellbeing of the association.

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

is within the dictates of the law of the country.

The governor said all his colleagues in the region albeit the insurgency were always ready to protect the lives and property of everyone and would not do anything that was capable of scaring away people from the north.

Consequently he added that no governor in the north will discriminate against anyone on account of their tribe or religion adding that they had resolved to give “equal treatment to everyone.”

He said as part of his policy of ensuring just and egalitarian society, he had supported the building of churches and mosques while non-indigenes in the state were granted their rights without any strings attached.

Appeal C’ttee Declares Gombi Authentic Chair Of APC In Plateau The Plateau State Congress Appeal Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared Hon. Amos Gombi as the authentic chairman of the party in the state.

According to a statement titled “Decision of the State Congress Appeal Committee for Plateau State” signed by Tijani Musa Tumsah and addressed to the chairman APC Merging Interim Chairman Plateau State, Senator John Shagaya, the appeal committee stated that it has annulled the election of Hon. Latep Dabang as the state chairman of APC while the election into other state offices were however upheld.

The statement said, “The committee has declared the first runner up Hon. Amos Gombi as the Plateau State chairman of APC”.

The new APC chairman, Hon. Amos Gombi in his remarks said the national leadership of the party took into cognisance the peculiarities of the state and retained and returned all other officers of APC as duly elected.

According to him, the present exco intends to set up two committees on mobilisation and reconciliation whose objectives will be to support officials in the 17 local government areas.

By Achor Abimaje, Jos

short news

Galadiman Bauchi and District Head of Liman Katagum, Alhaji Ibrahim Jahun acknowledging cheers during his official visit to the district in Bauchi on Saturday. PHOTO BY NAN.

No Plan To Impeach Gov Ahmed – Kwara Assembly

BY Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

The Kwara State House of Assembly yesterday said there were no plans by the legislators to impeach the state governor, Alh. AbdulFatah Ahmed.

The majority leader of the House, Alhaji AbdulKareem AbdulGaniyu made the clarification while addressing newsmen at the assembly complex in Ilorin, the

By Abu Nmodu Minna

Abdulkareem declared that the House is united and formidable, adding that most members of the House are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

He described the alleged division among the state lawmakers as a mere speculation which according to him was a figment of imaginations of the enemies of the House.

I’ve Not Anointed Successor – Gov Aliyu

Niger Realises N450m From by Abu Nmodu, Minna Issuance Of Niger State governor, Dr Muazu New Land Babangida Aliyu has given reasons why he has not anointed his sucTitles The Niger State has realised N450 million through issuance of 1,000 land titles in the ongoing renewal and computerisation of all land dealings in the state.

The commissioner of lands and housing, Dr Peter Sale Sarki who disclosed this yesterday in Minna said that the realisation of the funds was as a result of the computerisation and establishment of Niger State Geographic Information System (NIGIS).

He said that since the centre was established over 50,000 lands’ titles were computerised from the usual paper work saying that all lands’ titles in the state could easily be traced through the NIGIS computer base.

state capital.

He said the clarification became necessary in view of the rumour making the rounds that the legislators had concluded plans to remove the governor from office.

He added that contrary to insinuations and unfounded rumours, the legislators were not divided over the rumoured second term ambition of Governor Ahmed.

cessor.

The governor who stated this yesterday at the inauguration of the issuance of new certificate of occupancy (C of O) in Niger State, noted that he refused to anoint his successor because he has not consulted with the stakeholders.

According to the governor, “ I did not say anybody should come out for governorship, as other people are praying for a good successor for

me, so also I am praying that God should direct me on who should be my successor.”

He stated that people should not misconstrue the closeness of some of his commissioners to him to mean that he has anointed them to take over from him saying that he has committed the whole thing into the hands of God. “I’m praying to God to show me who to support , so any body that said , I told him to come out for the governorship contest is telling lies; before I support anybody I must consult with stakeholders,” he declared.

Similarly he said that he did not draft Dr Shem Nuhu Zagbayi to contest for the Niger east senate byelection as a stop-gap adding that Zagbayi was earlier endorsed as consensus candidate by stakeholders in the party based on his experience as deputy governor for eight years.

Aliyu said that anybody that wishes to contest the Niger east by-election can come out because it will be a source of generating revenue for his party, the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) saying that the endorsement could not stand again and the party will organise primaries for the aspirants.

Kwara APC Seeks Police Intervention On Destruction Of Billboards From Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State yesterday called on the state police command to bring to book those behind the destruction of its billboards erected at some strategic locations in Ilorin, the state capital.

Addressing a news conference at the party’s secretariat in Ilorin, the APC chairman, Alh. Ishola Balogun-Fulani blamed the destruction of his party’s billboards on some thugs allegedly sponsored by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

The chairman disclosed that his

party has lodged a formal complaint about the development with the office of the State Security Service (SSS) in the state and will soon officially write the state police command on the issue.

He listed the areas where the APC’s billboards were destroyed to include General Hospital area, the Queens School area, GarinAlimi roundabout and Offa garage area; all in Ilorin metropolis.

Balogun-Fulani alleged that after the failed attempt to instigate the impeachment of the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed “as the PDP did in Adamawa State, events in Kwara State in the past few days point

to a desperate attempt by the PDP and its sponsored political thugs to make Kwara State ungovernable through PDP-instigated political unrest and crises”.

He said, “Daunted and frightened by the rising popularity and acceptability of the APC and the APC-led performing government in Kwara State as shown

by Kwarans during recent town hall meetings, and the failure of its frivolous and inflammatory press statements to incite Kwarans against the government and the APC, the PDP which is renowned for thuggery and gangsterism has embarked on criminal activities.

news north-East, north-west 9 Media Aide Varsities Must Focus On Critical Problem Solving – Shinkafi Yero’s Loses Mother ByMillie Ibe, Abuja Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Former director general of Nigerian Security Organisation(NS0) and Marafan Sokoto, Alhaji Umaru Ali-Shinkafi, has emphasised that a university should not just be an ivory tower but a conscientious participant in the affairs of its environment and a bastion for the search for solutions to the problems of the area in which it is located.

Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi who is

pro-chancellor and chairman of the Governing Council of the Sokoto State University stated this at the maiden matriculation ceremony of the pioneer students of the university at the weekend in Sokoto.

Towards this end, the Marafan Sokoto charged the university to ensure that its endeavours focus on the critical problems of the entire Sahel region, which he described as the “extended locus of the university” with special prior-

ity on the major challenges facing the people of the region such as aridity, desertification and hunger.

He stressed that such challenges have a direct bearing on the lives of the people by way of food production and security, agriculture, commerce and general economic activities, social cohesion and political stability adding that “Research, study and expertise concerning these issues are clearly relevant to the daily activ-

ities and survival of the people.

The university should endeavour to provide academic, scientific and intellectual leadership in this matter for the benefit of the people.”

He also called on the university to make a bold and innovative strategic study on the more recent contemporary problems of national security as well as developing fresh focus on the prevalent problem of genuine democracy and transparent governance.

The death has occurred of Hajiya Rabi Maiyaki, mother of the director general, media and publicity to Kaduna State governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki.

Hajiya Maiyaki died yesterday after a brief illness at the age of 78. She died at a private hospital in Kaduna where she was receiving treatment.

She left behind seven children and several grand children. During her lifetime, Hajiya Rabi was a devout Muslim who rendered motherly support to numerous people in her community and beyond.

By Isaiah Benjamin Kaduna

Sure-P Boss Tasks Private Firms Over Unemployment Some victims of flood disaster in Ringim, Jigawa, camped in a primary/junior secondary school in the area, yesterday.

PHOTO BY NAN

short news Spare Parts Dealers Kick Against Sale Of KTL Properties The National Association of Scrap, Spare Parts Sellers and Craftsmen, Kaduna State chapter has raised the alarm over the alleged selling of properties belonging to the comatose Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL).

State chairman of the association, Alh. Yahaya Ibrahim, while expressing their grievances yesterday to the district head of Makera, Alh. Ibrahim Yusuf at his palace in Kaduna, appealed to the emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris and the Kaduna State government to intervene in the alleged shoddy arrangement.

By Midat Joseph, Kaduna

Nyako’s Impeachment: ’We’re Yet To Notify INEC’

BY MOHAMMED ISMAIL,Yola

Adamawa State House of Assembly is yet to officially notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako close to three weeks after the governor was impeached, the chairman, House Committee on Information, Adamu Kamale hasrevealed.

The failure of the Assembly to officially notify the electoral body over the removal of the governor is the stumbling block to the commencement of another round of election as provided by the constitution.

While fielding questions from newsmen yesterday at the Assem-

bly Complex in Yola, the chairman Information Committee of the State House of Assembly, Mr Adamu Kamale said that the delay in transmitting the letter to the INEC was due to the recess embarked upon by the lawmakers shortly after the impeachment.

“After our sitting of 16th July, we went on recess, so I don’t know exactly the position of the letter but I will tell you that definitely before the close of the day,” he said.

Kamale noted that another reason for the delay can be attributed to the fact that during the recess, the acting speaker had travelled to Tanzania to attend commonwealth parliamentary conference adding that the House will waste

no more time in transmitting the information to the electoral body.

He further denied allegations that there were moves by the lawmakers to extend the tenure of the acting governor beyond the stipulated three months adding that the delay in communication was not deliberate or to extend the tenure of “one of our own, the acting governor.’’

While commenting on the N350 million allegedly given to the lawmakers by Nyako’s administration for constituency projects, Kamale denied collecting any such money adding that those that are making the allegation are only ignorant about the procedures of allocating money for constituency projects.

2015 Presidency: Lamido In Secret Meeting With Senate Majority Leader

BY MUH’D ZANGINA KURA, Dutse

As more pressure groups are calling on Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State to join the presidential race in 2015, the governor has yesterday held a closed door meeting with the Senate majority leader, Senator Abdul Ningi at Government House, in Dutse.

LEADERSHIP source at Dutse Government House observed that, the meeting between the PDP stalwarts lasted for over three hours and it may not be unconnected with 2015 gener-

al elections which that is getting closer.

It was also gathered that the governor may have been anticipating the senator’s visit as he was notsubjected to the usual protocol and security scrutiny on entrance to the Government House as he was quickly ushered in to see the governor.

When contacted by journalists about the meeting, Senator Ningi declined to comment, but insisted that the visit to Dutse Government House, was not political.

“I am here to personally visit

my elder brother, and to tell him that I am doing fine as well as to see how he is fairing”, he said.

He also declined to comment further on Lamido’s presidential ambition and his purported aspiration for Bauchi State governorship position in 2015.

The duo, need each others supports in pursuing their speculated ambition for PDP tickets in 2015.

LEADERSHIP also authoritatively gathered that, the Bauchi born senator will pay his second visit to Dutse Government House, next week

short news Nigerians Are Only Enticed With Bad News– Danyaro Objectivity which should have been the core value of reportage has been thrown to the bin hence Nigerians are easily enticed with bad news, Alhaji Mohammed Danyaro, has lamented.

Danyaro who delivered a lecture at a one day workshop on Economic Crime Reporting organised for selected journalists, observed that rather than promoting unity in diversity, the Nigerian media noticeably prefers the opposite.

Insisting that the media practice as is been done lately was largely used in entrenching political relevance rather than informing, educating or entertaining.

Nby Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto

The chairman Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Gen. M.L Agwai (rtd) has tasked private firms in the country to key into graduate internship scheme to provide critical infrastructure and social safety nets to the Nigerian graduates.

Gen Agwai, who stated this yesterday in Jalingo, Taraba State during an orientation training for interns and firms said that the primary mandate of GIS was development of the capacity of unemployed graduates in the country within 12months.

“Apart from the structured mentorship the interns receive from their employers, GIS conducts orientation training to provide interns with the skills they need to function properly in the workplace and prepare them to better appreciate some life requirements essential towards fulfilling their destiny,” he said.

Agwai, who was represented by the chief project officer, GIS SURE-P headquarter, Abuja, Mr. Istifanus Daniel Bargo said that over 171,000 unemployed graduated in the country have so far registered on GIS in the country.

“As I am speaking to you, only 7,000 graduates across nation have so far benefited.

And the aim is to reduce unemployment in the country,” he stressed.

According to him, they have deliberately included partnering firms and organisation into interns orientation training as part of government’s commitment in contributing towards enhancement of their capacity in service effectiveness.

By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo

10

stories of the Tuesday, August 5, 2014

...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE

Death: Ex-Imo LG boss Slumps, Dies

By Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

The current Transition Committee Chairperson of Ehime Mbano, Mrs, Chioma Ogoke has slumped and died after battling with a heart attack in her residence.

Ogoke, who was formerly the state commissioner for commerce and industry was said to hve been battling with the aiment before she finally slumped and died in her residence.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of the state described her death as unbelievable and shocking.

The governor stressed that her death came as a surprise adding that she died when her services to both God and the people of the state was needed most.

“The government also prays that God will give the entire family all they need to bear the great loss” Okorocha said.

Ogoke was said to be a strong force during the campaign of Okorocha.

AUTO CRASH: Bus Conductor Burnt To Death

by Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

A commercial bus conductor identified as Tayo was on Monday burnt to death while three others were injured in an auto crash in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The accident, it was gathered, occurred in the early hours of the day at Idi-Arere area of Ibadan.

The vehicle, with Lagos registration number, XA 401 LRG was said to have hit a street light pole while trying to avoid a child, who was running towards the moving vehicle.

One of the four passengers was said to have burnt to death while three others were badly injured.

An eye witness, Mr Wole Adeniji, told our correspondent that the bus caught fire, two minutes after three victims out of the four in the bus were rescued.

Adeniji said that there were four people in the bus before it hit the pole and caught fire, while trying to avoid hitting a child, who unexpectedly crossed the road.

He said that the three people who survived the incident were badly injured and were quickly rushed to the hospital.

“The bus conductor identified as Tayo, who was trapped in the bus, could not be rescued when the fire started. “The driver was trying to avoid hitting a kid who unexpectedly crossed the road when he hit the pole, thereafter the bus somersaulted and caught fire.

“Among the three others in the bus were an elderly woman, a child and a driver. The bus was loaded with household equipment,” Adeniji said.

Groundnut sellers at open field of Government Day Secondary School, Gwagwalada, Abuja, yesterday .

PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH

EBOLA: Customers Flee From Bushmeat Dealers In Benin

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City Sellers of assorted bust meat in the Benin City, Edo State, have expressed shock at the drop in the number of patronage from customers of bush meat since the discovery of Ebola virus in Nigeria following the death of Dr Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian by the disease in a Lagos hospital.

However, in spite of the growing awareness and enlightenment campaign against the causes and spread of the deadly disease, there is rising apprehension among Benin residents who usually takes delight in eating all kinds of meat, including, bush meat as part of their delicacy.

LEADERSHIP check at the popular Ekiosa, Uselu, Santana and Ikpoba Hill markets where dried bush meats ranging from grass cutters, squirrels, monkey, antelopes, and alligator’s etcetera are sold, recorded low patronage from

buyers.

Mrs Rose Osawanta, who has been selling bush meat for over 15 years said since the outbreak of the virus was announced in Nigeria, some of her big time customers who own restaurant have since abandoned her stand.

“This is not the best of times for us, even when we try to explain to them, they refused to buy fearing that bust meat is the cause of the disease. You can see yourself that only those selling fish and chickens are having sales.

We really want government to do something urgent because we have never seen this kind of thing before.

Another respondent who declined to disclose his name, simply added, “you people should first of all find out if the late Dr Sawyer that died in Nigeria ate bush meat? For me, nothing will discourage me from eating any kind of bush meat. In the past, it was HIV/AIDS and today, it is Ebola” he stated.

CRIME: Bullet-riddled Corpse Found In Benin

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

There was pandemonium among residents of Ugor, at the Government Reservation Area of Benin City, the Edo state Capital following the discovery of the lifeless body of middle aged man, whose identity remained unknown at the time of filing in this report.

Both hands and legs of the lifeless body were tied with rope and was said to have been dumped at night by his assailants with some white substances oozing out of his mouth.

A resident who craved anonymity said

that the incident may not be unconnected with renewed war among rival cult gangs in the state.

It would be recalled that in the last few months, no fewer than 20 persons were reportedly killed within and outside the state a cult- related war which created panic in the state.

Edo state Police image maker, DSP Noble Owoh, who confirmed the incident, said investigation into the matter had commenced.

The body of the unidentified man had been taken to an undisclosed mortuary by men of the state police command.

ARMED ROBBERY: Bandits Kill 3 In Delta

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Armed bandits terrorizing Warri metropolis and its environs in Delta State ,have killed a middle aged man identified as Emmanuel Jokwo, at the weekend, leaving two others dead with stray bullets.

It was gathered that the man was killed in the presence of his wife while they were on their way home after a church programme; a situation the wife was said to have raised the alarm that attracted neigbours to the scene.

Sources said that the victim ran into troubled waters when some youths around a beer parlour close to his wife’s store along the ever busy Ighogbadu street, Okumagba street after he and the wife had left the church.

However, there was a verbal cross fire among the suspected armed bandit, who unleashed their guns on each other, killing him on the spot while the stray bullets hit and killed two others.

The police public relations officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, said that unknown to the victim that the boys were bandits, one of them confronted him to “sought” them; a demand he bluntly refused in the presence of his wife as they were left with no option than to pull their guns.

DSP Kalu said that two persons have been arrested in connection with the murder while the remains of the victim have been deposited in a private hospital in Warri.

day

STORIES OF THE DAY 11

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Photo News

TERROR ALERT:Police, Others Scamper For Safety As Tyre Explodes

BY MATTHEW DIKE, Lagos

There was pandemonium in Ikeja, capital of Lagos State, yesterday when a vehicle tyre that exploded causes police and civilians to scamper for safety.

An eyewitness, a police sergeant attached to the state police command headquarters, said even people in the office had to rush out to know, if Boko Haram sect had come to attack the police at the command.

The sergeant said they thought it was a bomb that went off in the area.

He said they all breathed a sigh of relief

when they discovered that the tyre of a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) was what exploded and not a bomb.

A woman, who identified herself as Mama Kudi , said she was at the POWA Mammy market when the accident occurred.

She said immediately she heard the sound, she screamed the name of her daughter to know where she was.

She said people at the POWA Mammy market and police barracks at the back of the headquarters also ran out to know what happened. She thanked God that it was explosion of a tyre.

KIDNAP: Bayelsa Assembly Speaker’s Brother Abducted

BY Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

Again, armed men struck in Bayelsa State and abductedf Mr. Iniokpoemi Benson, the younger brother to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Kombowei Benson.

The abduction of Iniokpoemi makes it three high profile kidnap in the state within the last two weeks.

Iniokpoemi, who was the immediate past Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC) of the Korokorosei Community in the Southern Ijaw Local Council Area was kidnapped at about 3am yesterday.

According to community sources, he was taken away from his residence, opposite the community waterfront by the armed men, who came in a speedboat.

The source confirmed that the community was woken up by the sound of gunfire and added that everyone stayed indoor for fear of being killed.

“It was easy for the gunmen to whisk

away their victim because his house is situated in an isolated area opposite the community waterfront”, the source said.

Though, our correspomdent could not reach the Speaker of the State House of Assembly for comments but a family member confirmed the abduction saying, “yes he was kidnapped this morning and we are yet to establish contact with his kidnappers.”

The Media aide to the Speaker, Mr. Priye Kiyaramo, also confirmed the incident but declined further comment.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Hilary Okpara, confirmed to newsmen that the Police Command have been alerted of the incident.

According him, “We have got information on the kidnap of the youngman. The DPO in the area and Assistant Commissioner of Police have briefed me and the good thing is that we have known the direction the hoodlums are heading to, so, we shall round them up,” Okpara said the Bayelsa Command had promptly deployed its anti kidnap squad to go after the kidnappers and free the victim.

L-R: Spokesman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Gender Coalition Initiative (GCI), a pro-Jonathan group, Mr. Opara Chibuzo Martins; Chief of Staff to President Jonathan, Brig-Gen. Jones Arogbofa (rtd) and Vice President, Namadi Sambo, during a condolence visit to the Opara’s family over the death of their father in Abuja.

L-R: AIG, Force Headquarters, Mr Azumi Doma; Inspector-General of Police, Sulaiman Abba and AIG, Intelligence, Bureau, Mr Solomon Arase, during the IGP’s maiden meeting with NPF High Command in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OKEKE JANE

L-R: LCDA Chairman, Sangotedo, Alhaji Wasiu Adewale; secretary, Baale in Council, Sangotedo community, Alhaji Tasir Okeowo; executive director, Protection Plus Services Ltd, Ivy King, CEO, Protection Plus Services Ltd, Ubong King; chief of staff to Eti-Osa Local Government chairman, Mr Gbenga Arowolo, and Atara King (at the front), at the inauguration of a bore-hole water project for Sangotedo community in Eti-Osa LGA by Protection Plus Services Ltd in Lagos. PHOTO BY GBENGA OLAJOBI

KILLING: Pirates Kill 4 in Ilaje

by Tope Fayehun, Akure

Hoodlums believed to be sea pirates yesterday attacked and killed four officials of the Gallery Security Service in Ilaje/Ese Odo, Ese Odo local government area of Ondo state.

The dare devil bandit struck after a successful operation at Akpata area of the community.

Trouble started when the hoodlums launched an attack upon sighting officials of the private guard service, injuring and killing four at a speed.

Head of the Gallery Security, Osaghale Aklugbemen, who confirmed the incident to Journalists at Ilaje said the robbers made their way through Oroto-Aja-

pa road..

Also, the Executive Officer of Gallery Security Services, Chief Bibopere Ajube, revealed that the robbers have been terrorizing the coastal area for the past two years.

Ajuba added that his men arrested some hoodlums last year and handed them over to Police Officers in Ese-Odo. He solicited government urgent approval in having access to ammunitions at fighting crime in the coastal area.

Two guns, 260 live Ammunitions, 10 000 Korea Currency, 80 Euro, $24, N4,000, one Nokia mobile phone with SIM cards, and one Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of the UBA were recovered from them.

L-R: Director, Environmental Quality Control, Omar Maiwad, representatives of Deputy Inspector-General of Police(training), Assistant Commissioner of Police Warebi Owotorufa and Director General\CEO, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Dr Ngeri Benebo, during a meeting between NESREA and the Nigeria Police in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH.

12 NEWS/BUSINESS

business news

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Africa’s Time Has Come – Peterside

By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

With consistent improvement in political governance, an expanding middle class, huge consumer market and economic growth rates averaging five percent in the last decade, Africa provides enormous business opportunities that can no longer be overlooked by any discerning investor.

This was stated by the chairman of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, a member

of Standard Bank Group, Mr Atedo Peterside, at the on-going Africa Leaders Summit in Washington.

Noting that the current global spotlight on the continent was well deserved, Peterside said Africa has steadily moved away from an era of wars, famines and violence to a continent of huge economic potential and definite rapid growth.

A statement issued by the bank quoted Peterside saying, “People are

coming to Africa generally to invest and to share in this last frontier where they expect rapid growth. If the British and the French were the first to come, as Africa has become more important and looks like a new favoured destination, other western powers obviously want to accelerate their entrance into the game and get to the forefront. That is why you see the Chinese have made their presence felt.”

CIS Targets 150,000 Finance Professionals In West Africa

By Friday Atufe, Lagos

In a bid to enhance the financial inclusion policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the new executive of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) headed by Mr Albert Okumagba, as president is targeting to mobilise about 150,000 students for its CIS Professional Diploma programme before the end of this year and about one million next year.

Okumagba disclosed this yesterday in Lagos while unveiling its agenda and vision for the institute at an interactive session with journalists.

He said: “The institute will use its platform to create and support capacity building and development of finance professionals that will deepen the financial inclusion plan for Nigeria. We have a target of mobilising at least 150,000 CIS Professional Diploma students before the end of 2014 in furtherance of this objective.”

He said the institute has opened discussions with some higher institutions in a bid to ensure that

they were able to mobilise enough students for admission for the programme.

He said the lectures would be organised in bilingual that is in English and French languages in a bid to enable the certified CIS Professional Diploma Holders to operate in any country in the West African sub-region.

The president said the development would bring value to young Nigerians and make them to be part of the Nigerian financial system and operate at agency or at personal level in the system.

The development he said would enable the diploma graduates of the institute to sell treasury bills, bonds and other financial instruments across the nooks and crannies of the country.

Okumagba also said the development would enable them to operate in the four major markets in the capital market: The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Over-the-counter market, NASD; The Nigerian Commodities Exchange(NCE) and the collective investment schemes.

NSE Market Capitalisation OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

Transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Monday closed on a downward note as major stocks recorded huge losses.

Market capitalisation at the end of the day’s trading dipped by N44 billion or 0.32 per cent from N13.847 trillion recorded on Friday to N13.803 trillion. Similarly, the All-Share Index which opened at 41,934.40 points, dropped by 132.89 points to close at 41,801.51 points.

Dangote Cement lost N3.65 to lead the losers’ chart and closed its shares’ value at N226.35 per share. Guinness’ stock depreciated by N2.70 to close at N191.30, while PZ fell by N1.63 to close at N37.37 per share.

Stanbic IBTC and Nestle dipped by N1 each to close at N30 and N1,105 per share respectively.

On the gainers’ chart, Seplat’s shares were boosted by N15.62 to close at N675 per share. Seven up gained N8 to close at N115, while Mobil grew by N1.55 to close at N161.55 per share.

Okomu Oil appreciated by N1.22 to close at N34.44 and Forte Oil rose by N1.10 to close at N230 per share.

Access Bank was the most traded stock at the day’s trading, accounting for 36.95 million shares worth N357.97 million. FCMB exchanged 33.78 million shares valued at N141.85 million, while Transcorp sold 26.09 million shares worth N145.79 million.

In all, 287.650 million shares worth N4.94 billion were traded in 5,480 deals in yesterday’s trading. The Monday trading record showed 4.03 per cent drop from Friday’s record of 276.50 million shares valued at N5.94 billion traded in 4,997 deals.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/business

L-R: Deployment and Technical Support Manager, Systemspecs Ltd , Mr David Amov; First Bank staff , Adeola Olutola; Head Collections, Lagos office, Systemspecs Ltd, Jack Akpan; Director, Education, Registration and Regulation, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Alh Mosunmade Azeez, Registrar of the Council , Prof. Anthony Emeribe; Business Development Manager , Abuja and Northern Region,Systemspecs Ltd, Iliya Musa, and Ag. Head, Dept of Planning, Research and Statistics,MLSCN, Mrs Udo Stella,during the formal handover of Remita, a single muilti-bank platform to the Council in Abuja. PHOTO BY OKEKE JANE

FG’s Import Policies Responsible For NPA’s Poor 2013 Performance--NPA Boss

By Samson Echenim, Lagos

The managing director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdullahi, has blamed federal government’s fiscal measures that restricted some imports into the country and other sundry factors for the authority’s poor performance in 2013.

In the 2013 ports’ performance report released by the authority and signed by the NPA assistant general manager, Public Affairs, Mr Musa Iliya, the NPA boss blamed 2013 poor operations on government’s policies at discouraging importation of some goods to enable their local production and market viability.

In the 2013 scorecard released by the blue-chip parastatal, the Abdullahi also remarked that market forces were part of factors that limited the activities of the NPA in the year under review.

He said: “Recent research revealed that, generally, each port is being shaped by the market forces dictated by the commodity demand and by the particular port user.

“The decline experienced in some products can be linked to general economic factor. In dry

bulk, for instance, there is ban on the importation of cement.

Also, the increase in rice tariff has reduced the importation of the commodity to the country through Nigerian ports, but through smuggling by another route.”

The NPA boss also said the European debt crises gave birth to the decrease in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), noting that many of their industries had closed down which has led to a low demand for Nigeria’s LNG. “They have also discovered an alternative means of production in the Middle East. The petroleum product liberalisation, growth in gross domestic product (GDP) and the transformation agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration resulting in increase in construction works have had an unprecedented economic impact on the port industry,” he stated.

The performance report however, stated that, a cargo throughput, excluding crude oil terminals of 76,886,997 million metric tons (mt) was handled at all Nigerian ports in 2013, reflecting a marginal increase of 0.042.6 per cent over the 2012 figure of 76,855,754 mt.

A breakdown of the figure

showed that container traffic amounted to 1,010,836 twentyfoot equivalent units (TEUs), reflecting a growth of 15.2 per cent over the 877,737 TEUs posted in 2012.

Also, a total of 291,824 units of vehicles were handled in the period under review, showing an increase of 8.9 per cent over the 268,026 units recorded in 2012.

LNG shipment handled in the period amounted to 19,341,663 metric tons, a drop of 12.7 per cent from the 22,146,908 mt posted in 2012.

On the other hand, refined petroleum shipment handled was in 2013 was 19,416,043 mt, showing an increase of 9.5 per cent over the 17,730,727 mt recorded in the previous year.

Dry bulk cargo handled at the ports in the reviewed period totalled to 9,537,447 mt, a decline of 6.5 per cent from the 10,205,339 mt posted the previous year, even as general cargo handled was 11,964,978 mt, indicating a 5.8 per cent drop from the 12,702,826 mt recorded in 2012.

“In year 2013, the total of 5,185 oceans-going vessels with a total gross registered tonnage (GRT) of 131,674,337 gross tons called at Nigerian ports,” the statement indicated.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

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Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter

55 Happy

th

Birthday

Life is worth living and honor sits well on the deserving.

As you mark another milestone in your life and in the service of this great nation, I wish to express the warm wishes of the good people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils on your 55th birthday.

We wish you long life and grace of God for continuous meaningful contributions to our father land.

May Almighty God guide, bless and protect you.

Happy Birthday!

Signed:

Hon. Micah Y. Jiba Chairman, AMAC / FCT ALGON For: FCT Area Councils Chairmen

Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide Honourable Minister of State, F.C.T.

16 NEWS/BUSINESS

Emirates Begins Abuja - Dubai Daily direct Flights

By NKEM OSUAGWU, Lagos

Emirate Airline has now connected Abuja, the Nigerian capital, to its worldwide network.

Abuja is Emirates 26th destination in Africa and its 144th worldwide.

Emirates flight EK785 landed at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on August 1, marking the start of the airline’s daily service to its second destination in Nigeria. Services to Lagos were launched just over 10 years ago.

“This new daily flight provides a convenient point to point service for our customers between Abuja and Dubai, and it will meet and further stimulate a vibrant market demand between the two cities. It will also serve our customers in

Nigeria and around the network with additional connectivity and daily frequency. Our leisure and business passengers from Nigeria can now better connect to the Middle East, Europe, the United States and Asia via our hub in Dubai. Customers in Abuja can experience our A380 flagship aircraft to 29 destinations around the world, including popular ones like Beijing, Hong Kong, Mumbai, New York, Jeddah and London,” said Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates vice president, Commercial Operations, Northern and Western Africa.

He described Nigeria as a fast growing economy and a key market for Emirates.

“We started operations to Nigeria on January 2, 2004, with four flights a week from Dubai to Lagos,” he added.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Nigeria, UK Target Diaspora Group In New Investment Drive

By Kingsley Alu, Abuja

Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK) Government are seeking ways to exploit the potential of Nigerians living in the UK to promote cultural, trade and economic ties between the two countries.

This was the thrust of a discussion between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortum , and the UK prime minister’s trade envoy, Mr David Heath, yesterday in Abuja.

In an interview with newsmen after the meeting, the UK trade envoy said: “We have a pool of successful Nigerians living in the UK with good business skill and the resources that can be redirected at good business initiative that would benefit both

countries just like the Indians have done with their Diasporas.

“We have specialist skills and technology that can add value to Nigeria. Skills training is one area where we are very strong and if it is appropriate to your needs, we have organisations who will be willing to offer their expertise.”

Both countries also agreed on the need to step up arrangement for a regular business forum that would enable private sector players to interact and develop business ideas in a conducive environment.

Heath explained that the mutual desire to improve bilateral relations and increase trade and investments between the two countries had been demonstrated by the frequent

exchange of visits and high-level consultations by their officials at all levels.

At the moment, the volume of trade between Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK) is about £7.2 billion (N1.8trillion) and is projected to hit eight billion pounds this year with the balance of trade still in favour of Britain In his response, Ortum said Nigeria would need training assistance from the UK in the area of processing and packaging as well as metrology for the country’s small and medium enterprises, “largely because our products have had difficulties accessing foreign market due to poor packaging and processing.”

The UK is home to about three million Nigerians.

Sovereign Trust To Raise N1bn From Rights Issue OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

The management of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc has announced its intention of raising additional capital of about N1.1 billion from existing shareholders through rights issue.

The head of corporate communications and brand management department, Segun Bankole, explained that the rights issue was a necessary step towards accomplishing its fiveyear strategic blue-print, which among others, would reinforce its competitiveness in the Nigerian market and improve its market share.

The company is placing on offer by way of rights, 2.29 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at 50 kobo per share on the basis of one new

ordinary share for every three ordinary shares of 50 kobo each subject to approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

According to him, the offer was expected to commence in the third quarter. The principal activity of the company continues to be the provision of all classes of non-life insurance and special risk insurance and the fundamentals of its business remain solid.

Managing director/chief executive officer, Mr Wale Onaolapo, also encouraged existing shareholders in the company to see this as a vista of opportunity to take up L-R: Managing Director, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited , Mr Ben Langat ; Chief Executive Officer, their rights during the offer Coca-Cola, Hellenic Bottling Company,(CCHBC), Mr Dimitris Lois, founder, Dangote Group of Industries, Alh. and buy into the growth Aliko Dangote, at CCHBC’S award presentation to Dangote Sugar Refineries as the Group’s Most Improved objectives of the company.

Supplier of the Year in Athens, Greece

Ministry Wants Financial Inclusion Of Rural Farmers

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

The director, Federal Department of Cooperatives in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Dickson Okolo has stressed the need to begin the inclusion of rural communities in the ministry’s financial planning.

This he said, “Is because of the difficulty of many rural people in agriculture and other micro-businesses to access credits from formal

sources and which as a result,has led to the low level of investments and general poor performances in their business engagements.”

Okolo stated this at a stakeholders’ workshop to discuss the report on Capacity Needs Assessment of the Curricula of Federal Colleges of Cooperatives towards achieving financial inclusion of the rural people who need to grow their small and medium-scale businesses, held at the Oasis Hotel, Nassarawa State.

Lions Club Plans N120m Fundraising

By Friday Atufe, Lagos

The Lions Club International District 404 B2 Nigeria is to raise N120 million from public spirited Nigerians in a bid to donate four dialysis machines for the screening and treatment of kidney patients to four major health centres in the country.

The beneficiary institutions are Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Federal Medical Centre, Ado Ekiti, Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Oshogbo and University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

District governor, District 404 B2 Nigeria, Alhaji Abiodun Adediji, stated this in Lagos while fielding questions from journalists after the club’s

thanksgiving service at the Catholic Church of the Presentation, in Ikeja GRA, Lagos yesterday.

He said the fundraising would be done at a public presentation to the Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, and other invited guests in Lagos on August 17, 2014 at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The new officers of the club will also be installed on that day.

The thanksgiving was to dedicate the activities of the new executives of the club that will run from July this year to June next year .

Besides kidney, the Lions Clubs will also screen people for diabetes as well as eye sight problems with a view to providing solutions to them.

Aviation/BUSINESS 17

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

NCAA Urged To Drive Technology Applications By Indigenous Airlines Stories by Nkem osuagwu, Lagos

The president, Sabre Communication, West Africa, Mr Gbenga Olowu, has urged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to create a technology department to assist in helping Nigerian airlines to fast-track their usage of technology as is done by global airlines.

Olowo, who made this call during the

recent memorial lecture organised in honour of the first directorgeneral of the NCAA, late Haruna Zakari, also urged the NCAA to direct all domestic airlines to cooperate by merging their operations in order to make impact in the industry.

According to him, the NCAA can issue what he called “a riot act” to all the airlines to merge and while those who refuse

to do so could have their air operators certificate (AOC) withdrawn.

Olowo emphasised that Nigerian airlines are far behind in the global aviation industry because they lacked the application of technology in their operations, stressing that all over the world bookings, check-in and the purchase of airline tickets were done in the comfort of the passengers’ homes through the aid of

technology.

He said NCAA could drive this development if it established a technology department that could actually assist the airlines in their efforts to grow their businesses.

Olowo said that technology was the way to go by airlines in Nigeria and West Africa to survive, stressing that if technology was properly used by the Nigerian airlines, there would be

growth and development in the aviation industry stressing that technology helps airline to succeed.

He further said that the only way to go and the only thing that can drive aviation today and tomorrow is technology, noting that the way things are being done presently would not support growth in the aviation sector. “We need to deploy technology if we must grow our aviation sector.

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How Minister Should Move Aviation Forward Following the appointment of the former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr Osita Chidoka, by President Goodluck Jonathan as the new minister of aviation, there are indications that the lull in the industry would now give way to a more eventful environment as the new minister works toward fulfilling some of the expectations of industry stakeholders.

There is no doubt that the former minister of aviation, Stella Oduah, made quite an impression in the sector with some of her programmes despite their controversial nature and means deployed in achieving the objectives.

That notwithstanding, Oduah left behind an aviation roadmap which, if implemented, would bring growth to the aviation industry.

It is in this regard that Chidoka is expected to complete the remodelling of airports’ terminals projects across the country, implement the aerotroplis project which will bring clusters of businesses around the airport as well as the completion of the perishable cargo terminals in the country.

That is not to say that the new minister should not embark on some projects of his own like actualising the dream of a national carrier for Nigerians, the establishment of a national hangar that will enable indigenous airlines maintain their aircraft locally while saving the huge resources they spend abroad in the maintenance of their aircraft every year.

Also required is the building of the second runway for the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, a project which its actualization should not be taken lightly especially in view of the financial and safety implication involved.

Therefore there is need for the minister to expedite action in that regard, in view of the short period of time he would stay in the industry as minister of aviation.

18 BUSINESS/FEATURE

top story

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

5.1

Percentage by which business index dropped between second and second quarters of 2014

As Boko Haram Hits Business Confidence, Nairobi An international symposium on maximizing the impact of women, peace and security policies in Africa ended in Nairobi, Kenya, 25th July 2014. The event attracted 12 Nigerian participants including foremost women rights activist Ms Ene Ede, founder of Equity Advocates, Abuja. She spoke to WENESO OROGUN who in this report dwells on the significance of the Nairobi conference in the light of sagging business confidence in Nigeria.

Falling Business Confidence The third quarter 2014 aggregate business confidence index (BCI) dropped from 19.4 percent in Q22014 to 14.3 percent, a decline of 5.1 percent in the confidence level among business operators over the last three months, LEADERSHIP learned at the weekend. The index which is computed quarterly by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), fluctuated over the last two quarters (10.5 percent in Q1 and 19.4 percent in Q2, 2014). The drop of the BCI scores at this time suggests that business leaders are largely pessimistic about expanding their investment over the next few months citing security concerns driven largely by Boko Haram insurgency.

According to LCCI, Nigeria’s BCI scores over the years have continue to trail below the 50 percent global business confidence threshold below which investors and business leaders become wary about the state of the economy and the challenging business environment. “The key factors that mostly depressed

Okonjo-Iweala

Source: Third Quarter 2014 Business Confidence Report by Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)

the confidence level of business leaders at this time are security challenges across the country, political transition/electioneering activities and associated risks…”, the report authors pointed out.

Interpretation The foregoing evidence of the negative impact of insecurity on business confidence in the country is bad news for Nigerians and their friends because BCI is a leading economic indicator designed to measure the degree of optimism on the state of the economy that business leaders express through their investment and spending decisions. Decreasing business confidence is often a pointer to slowing economic activities because business owners are likely

to decrease their investment. The more confident entrepreneurs and managers feel about the business environment, the more likely they are to make new investments, create jobs and positively impact the economy.

UN Resolution 1325 What is the level of women participation in Nigeria’s counterinsurgency strategy today?

Can the energies currently devoted to the sit-ins by the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners be better channeled for maximum results? How are women perspectives reflected in peace building measure in Nigeria today?

These and similar posers find ready answers in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 of 2000 which Nigeria’s women affairs and social development minister, Zainab Maina, described as “the first international legal and political framework recognising the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women as well as the pivotal role of women in peace building”.

Resolution 1325 requires each country to prepare a National Action Plan (NAP) for ending exclusion of women in formal peace and governance processes.

For example, research has demonstrated that globally in the last 25 years, only one in 40 signatories to peace agreements has been a woman with the result that women’s security concerns

are rarely fully captured.

Within the context of Resolution 1325, gender inequality is seen as a cause of conflict, a consequence of conflict and a form of conflict.

Thus, looking at women’s rights, peace and security is not only important on its merit but also essential for preventing violence and ensuring meaningful and sustainable peace for all.

The Nairobi Conference The Institute for Inclusive Security, Washington DC, Cord aid, Netherlands and University of Nairobi, Kenya brought together last month, representatives of 16 African countries that have developed National Action Plans for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 and related resolutions to take stock of the journey so far.

Other participants at the weeklong event in Kenya included civil society organisations, armed forces, police, UN agencies, regional organisations, community based organisations, academia, private sector and fashion entrepreneurs. The theme of the Nairobi meeting was “ maximizing impact of women, peace and security policies in Africa”. Participants came from Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Jordan, Kenya, Liberia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, and United States.

Looking at women’s rights, peace and security is not only important on its merit but also essential for preventing violence and ensuring meaningful and sustainable peace for all

FEATURE /BUSINESS 19

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

16

Number of African countries that have developed National Action Plans for implementation of UN security council resolution 1325

11

130

The size of Nigeria’s delegations to the Nairobi confab

Total number of participants that attended the Nairobi conference

Confab Seeks Gender Inclusiveness in Peace Building

Jonathan

Nigeria was represented by a team of 11 participants including foremost women rights activist Ms Ene Ede, founder of Equity Advocates, who spoke to LEADERSSHIP at the weekend. She also collated the impressions of some of the Nigerians at the event.

According to Ede, the symposium was also meant to celebrate African leadership of the NAP. The continent has 16 NAPs and needed to share expertise and experience for sustainable and inclusive peace and security. It turned out that many of the 16 NAP countries have not made much progress with implementation of their plans. Hence, participants resolved, among others: • That more knowledgeable, motivated and passionate champions are needed to help drive the implementation process.

• That increased transparency requires data and that information that is not classified should be made easily accessible to stakeholders.

• Localisation of the NAPs is necessary to meet local needs • That Monitoring and Evaluation activities are key components required to drive the process of efficient implementation • That accountability mechanisms should be put in place including initiatives such as “situation room” and a credible think-tank capable of holding even women themselves to account..

• That government at all levels should create enabling environment for multi stakeholders, private, public, CSOs, traditional institutions, faith

groups, to build synergy to achieve NAP implementation.

Nigerian Participants Speak Out Ene Ede My first natural reaction is the media gap. Media is required to drive the beautiful documents that Nigeria has produced. No country has a sustained media engagement so far.

Media participation in Nairobi was poor. Media coverage of the historic conference was bzero. CCTV was not there. The other issue is localization.

Few countries have moved beyond elitist and urban-based programmes.

We need more women to engage with the NAP implementation process.

Police, paramilitary officers should be more involved.

Women are not in the mainstream of peace and security work. They are confined to humanitarian and caregiving work most of which is unpaid.

Though their contribution is low in terms of generating crisis, women are made to sacrifice a lot when crisis erupts. With regard to financing, budgetary allocations are low. A major concern is locating the NAP in the ministry of women affair which has traditionally received low budgetary allocations. Review of funding has to be effected. Boys and girl should be brought in early to enable them grow with good values about peace and security.

Florence Iheme, Ag Director, Early Warning Directorate, Dept of Political Affairs, Peace &

Security, ECOWAS. For me, the Nairobi Symposium was a call to action; an eye-opener. It was my first contact with Resolution 1325 to be honest (yes, believe it or not). It’s amazing how such a resolution and action plans developed will impact on the achievement of the MDGs in terms of poverty, access to health care, water, sanitation and school enrolment/completion/retention amongst others. Iit is only when there’s peace and security and women having a say in the peace process that we can actually achieve the MDGs A lot of work and mobilisation have been done since the internationalisation of the Gender Agenda by the UN in the early seventies. Although there has been progress, this has been measured and varies from one country/region to another.

So for me, the just concluded Nairobi symposium was significant in trying to familiarise practitioners with some accountability tools. Gathering evidence is one of the easiest ways we can measure what has been done against the good intentions of the various NAPs. Mrs. Nkechi Florence Onwukwe, Deputy Director, Ministry of Women Affairs and, Abuja.

There is need for all to buy-in in any area of focus to implement the Nigeria NAP. Any area (s) anyone thinks we can work together, let us share the possibilities of doing so. The ministry will invite all that participated at Nairobi Symposium to a stakeholders meeting at the earliest opportunity.

Bartholomew Ochonye, Programme Officer, Heartland Alliance Nigeria, Health and Human Rights I am really happy that the Nairobi Symposium offered an opportunity to meet great women from home and abroad who are purposeful in highlighting the immense role women

play in peace and development across the world. I am proud to be part of a global movement to revolutionalise gender interventions through use of data to track investment and outcome.

I am most excited at the simplification of indicators and how M&E could be tailored to local context relevant to each country priorities.

Another high point for me is in embracing human diversity and recognition of partnership in the realisation of our collective dream for a peaceful, secure and prosperous nation where women have equal opportunity to bring on board their immense skills and competency in addressing our numerous challenges.

Ayisha Osori, CEO, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Nigeria It means the opportunity to take ownership (part) of the NAP and improve on it and understand it the better to advocate for it and ensure that enough people are aware and involved. It also means the chance to share stories and successes with others around the continent and take comfort in the fact that many of the stories are similar and confirm that we are all human regardless of ethnicity, race and/or religion.

Joy Anyaso, Preident WILPF, Nigeria There are huge opportunities for us to continue discussions post Nairobi. The urgent need is the localisation of the NAP in Nigeria.

Anthony Abah, Research and Communications Coordinator, NWTF The Symposium made me more proud of being a Nigerian. And the fact that the Nigerian NAP was praised by many. I also discovered we have similar challenges across the region and Nigeria is not alone in this struggle.

Most importantly, we have some gaps in the NAP that we can still fill.

Sector BCI Scores Q3-2014 Q2-2014 Q1-2014 21% 19% 14% Hotel & Restaurant Telecoms / Postal 21% 16% NIL Oil & Gas 9% 14% 4% 32% 26% 23% Finance & Insurance Professional Services 13% 15% 10% Others 14% 18% 22% Distributive Trade 20% 12% 17% Agriculture 8% 24% 13% Building & Construction 8% 15% 5% Manufacturing 4% 4% -10% Source: Third Quarter 2014 Business Confidence Report by Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)

20 BUSINESS/CUSTOMS

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Boosting Customs Capacity With WCO Single Window Following its commitment to contributing positively towards the betterment of member countries by boosting the capacity of customs administrations, a workshop under the third component (Coordinated Border Management) was organised by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) recently.

The workshop organised for the WCO East and Southern Africa region (ESA) with the theme “Building Trade Capacity through Customs Modernisation in the East and Southern Africa Region,” was held between March 26 and 28, 2014, in Kigali, Rwanda.

The well attended workshop was in response to the need of government officials regarding the single window and data model matters in the ESA region.

Rwanda was chosen to host the workshop as it is one of the few countries in Africa with an operational single window system and only the second in the region to have implemented it. Participants at the workshop included officers from diverse backgrounds and consisted of officials from customs as well as immigration officials, Ministry of Trade officials, private sector development and reform programme representatives, standards and an official from agriculture and livestock from 11 countries.

According to a statement on the WCO website, the workshop is aimed to further strengthen the on-going implementation of the organisation’s capacity building strategy, especially in the ESA region.

Declaring the workshop open, the project manager in charge of the Rwandan single window programme, Mr Christian Nizeyimana, shared Rwanda’s experience in the journey towards the single window implementation and risk management. He noted the country’s initial frustrations before an idea to implement the single window system was hatched in 2005. He explained that despite the many hurdles the country faced, and which

are continually faced by many governments in Africa, the idea of implementing the single window system in Rwanda turned to fruition in 2012.

Meanwhile, the implementation of the Single Window system in Nigeria, a process led by single window expert, Valentina Mintah, is already at an advanced stage.

The single window concept is now the modern way of doing all import and export business world over, a concept that has been endorsed by both by the United Nations and the WCO. The system is described by the WCO as a cross border intelligent facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardised information with a single point to fulfil all import, export and transit-related regulatory requirement. While commending the WCO and Finnish government for their support in organising the workshop, Nizeyimana lauded the WCO for the help extended through the implementation period as well as the tools and instruments availed members. He specifically singled out the WCO Data Model for its important role in harmonisation of documents and procedures.

Giving a run-down of the workshop, the project manager Ms Riitta Passi, gave details of the components of the project and how it will contribute to the modernisation efforts of the customs administrations in the region.

The three-day workshop was topically divided with Coordinated Border Management on Day one; Single Window and Data Model on Day two and three.

Participants received hands on training on the WCO data model at the workshop even as the programme was interspersed with coordinated border management experiences from Rwanda, Mauritius and Finland.

In his remarks, the commissioner-general of the Rwanda Revenue Authority, Mr Richard Tusabe, gave a special

customs focus

By JULIET ALOHAN

insight into the implementation of the single window systems in Africa, and emphasised the importance of the private sector buy-in and involvement of other stakeholders.

Tusabe stressed that the customs alone cannot make the single window system a success without the private sector.

He underscored the need for extensive communication between customs administrations and all Dikko private and public sector stakeholders.

Similarly, a WCO national seminar on the Harmonised System was held in the Headquarters of the Asociación de Despachantes de Aduana de Uruguay (ADAU) in Montevideo, Uruguay, between March 19 and 21, 2014. The seminar which was a joint initiative of the WCO, the Uruguay Customs and ADAU was attended by 120 participants from both Uruguay Customs and the ADAU. The forum highlighted the ongoing support of the WCO to meet the demands of Uruguay in its capacity building initiatives while thanking the representative from the WCO Secretariat’s Directorate of Tariff and Trade Affairs for facilitating the high level discussions on tariff classification issues.

During the seminar, the group discussed the use and future prospects of the Harmonised System (HS) and some practical cases of tariff

classification in relevant areas. The importance of the HS as the most widely used instrument of the WCO responsible for the correct and uniform classification of goods – a key issue for customs administrations and other relevant international trade stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, was stressed.

The president of theADAU, Pedro Castro, who thanked the WCO for its continuous support, stressed the relevance of the seminar and its contribution to the effectiveness of the work carried out by the ADAU. Meanwhile, the WCO, during the 9th global meeting of the Heads of Regional Offices for Capacity Building (ROCBs), the Regional Training Centres (RTCs) and Vice Chairs’ offices, has reaffirmed its commitment on capacity building to regional structures to support members.

About 60 representatives

from the ROCBs, RTCs and the Vice Chairs’ offices met on March 27 and 28, 2014, in Brussels for the meeting to discuss how the regional structures can effectively cooperate with the WCO to deliver support to members.

A key focus of this year’s meeting was to reaffirm the commitment of the ROCBs and RTCs to capacity building delivery as well as their roles in fulfilling their responsibilities in the areas of the WCO annual capacity building needs assessment, donor engagement and identification and maintenance of expertise in the region.

The comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko, is currently the Vice Chair of the WCO West and Central African region. In order to form a sound basis of discussion, the WCO secretariat provided food for thought concerning a to-be-developed WCO training diagnostic tool to, among others, support the RTCs in assisting national training centres in their region, and concerning the WCO experts’ situation.

Furthermore, an invitation to contribute to the development of activities related to further the WCO instruments and tools such as the People Development Interactive Map on CLiCK!, the Virtual Customs Orientation Academy and a regional training evaluation mechanism was extended to the ROCBs, RTCs and Vice Chairs’ Offices, which was cordially accepted.

An analysis done on good practices and challenges of the ROCBs and RTCs based on a survey conducted in 2013, was welcomed by the meeting as a tool to enable regional entities to mutually benefit from each other’s practices with a view to enhancing the role of respective entities. The meeting also paid attention to the latest development of the WCO tools and initiatives from all WCO directorates and units that have influence on capacity building delivery by regional structures.

Coordinated Programme Delivers Successes Against Global Trafficking The executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mr Yury Fedotov, and the secretary-general of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Mr Kunio Mikuriya, met in Vienna recently to discuss the significant achievements of the UNODC/WCO co-

managed Global Container Control Programme, which is in operation in 20 countries.

In 2013, the Container Control Programme scored a series of notable successes against the criminal networks seizing over 23 tons of cocaine, around six tonnes of cannabis, 1.2 tonnes of heroin,

60 tonnes of tramadol and 725 kilogrammes of ivory.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Fedotov said, “By fusing the knowledge and experience of the WCO and UNODC, the Global Container Control Programme has produced success after success against the criminal networks

responsible for trafficking in drugs, wildlife and other illicit goods.

“I look forward to working with the WCO in the future to continue to grow this highly successful global network and to potentially expand its reach into airfreight,” he added.

Remarking, Mikuriya noted

that with its emphasis on a global network of ports dedicated to the detection of trafficking in illicit goods.

The Global Container Programme is helping to deliver on one of the World Customs Organisation’s most important goals which is the protection of society.

E-Business/BUSINESS 21

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

E-business REPORTS

GOtv Digital Signals Go Live In Abeokuta

Mobile phones

Operators Jostle As ITU, NCC Plan New Spectrum Bands

Stories by Chima Akwaja, Lagos

Nigerian mobile operators are in a jubilant mood following the announcement at the weekend by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that a new phase of new spectrum bands would be released to support mobile broadband across the globe through national regulators like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Nigerian mobile operators also welcomed the announcement by the executive vice chairman of the NCC, Mr Eugene Juwah, that the regulator would release additional spectrum bands to increase mobile broadband access and connect the unserved and underserved areas through timely availability of spectrum in the 700/800MHz (Digital Dividend) and 2.5/2.6GHz to enable delivery of 4G services in the country.

Rising from the ITU joint task group meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, governments across the globe agreed to put forward for detailed discussion a number of new spectrum bands for use by mobile broadband services.

A final decision on the new spectrum band will be taken at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) in November 2015.

The chief regulatory officer, Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA), Tom

Phillips, said the GSMA welcomed the news that the full range of new spectrum bands supported by the mobile industry remained potential solutions to meet the growing demand of consumers globally for mobile data. He said extensive technical analysis had been carried out by governments, industry and international organisations to support the allocation of new spectrum for mobile broadband services.

He said, “The decisions made at the WRC in 2015 will have a direct impact on the ability of all the world’s citizens to benefit from access to the internet.

As mobile will be the way that the internet is accessed for the majority of those currently unconnected, the allocation of new spectrum for the mobile internet is therefore critical.”

Phillips said that the new, harmonised spectrum is vital to ensure that mobile networks could cope with the exponential growth in data traffic that we are witnessing presently and for the future delivery of affordable and ubiquitous mobile broadband coverage, noting that the rapid expansion of mobile technology is transforming economic opportunity around the world.

The CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, said operators have only 15MHz assignment in 1800MHz band (which is paired with 5MHz on the 900MHz).

Though the telecom sector has attracted over $32 billion investment in the past 13 years of the launch of the GSM in Nigeria, the market still operates below potential.

“Without a doubt, the release of more spectrums can potentially impact positively on Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) and may lead to the creation of more jobs,” Ogunsanya said.

He noted that the 700MHz spectrum allocation could lead to duplex arrangement of 45MHz uplink (going leg) and 45MHz downlink (return leg) with a minimal duplex spacing of 10MHz. The 45MHz can provide 15MHz assignments into three times. Presently, the mobile industry generates, directly and indirectly, 3.6 per cent of global GDP (equivalent to $2.4 trillion) and 10.5 million jobs and this contribution will rise to 5.1 per cent of the GDP and 15.4 million jobs by 2020.

According to Cisco, global mobile traffic will increase nearly 11 fold between 2014 and 2018. The amount of spectrum that mobile operators are permitted to use by the national government is being rapidly exhausted by growing demand for bandwidth-hungry services.

Unless more spectrum bands are made available, mobile services will struggle to cope.

Though the telecom sector has attracted over $32 billion investment in the past 13 years of the launch of the GSM in Nigeria, the market still operates below potential. While strong, Nigeria’s mobile penetration is still lower than in a number of other African markets.

GOtv has extended its services to Abeokuta, Ogun State, urging television (TV) lovers in the city to step-up to the digital age with GOtv. Addressing the media at the launch held at the weekend, the general manager, GOtv Nigeria, Mrs Elizabeth Amkpa, said that TV viewers in Abeokuta could now go digital with GOtv. She described GOtv as the best option to join in the digital television revolution, noting that GOtv is affordable and was launched in October 2011, with the latest approved DVB-T2 decoders.

She explained that GOtv subscribers in Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Enugu, Benin, Aba, Owerri, Kano, Kaduna, Onitsha, Asaba, Uyo, Abuja, Calabar, Osogbo, Ife, Ogbomoso, Akure, Oyo and Jos are already digitised and would have nothing to worry about when the analogue broadcasting signals were switched-off in Nigeria.

Amkpa concluded by saying that GOtv will be embarking on an extensive roll-out to more cities in the coming weeks to enable the Nigerian government achieve a speedy migration from analogue to digital broadcasting by 2015.

“In the coming weeks, GOtv signals will go live in Makurdi, Umuahia, Warri, Sapele, Ede, Ilesha, Ado-ekiti, Owo and Ilorin, while we are setting up transmitters in many more cities,” she said.

GOtv made a debut in Abeokuta at a retail price of N6,900 for a decoder, outdoor GOtenna and one month subscription to GOtv Plus. Offering two bouquets – GOtv Plus and GOtv at a monthly subscription of N1,500 and N1,000 respectively, subscribers will have access to an exciting selection of local and international channels which cater to a variety of tastes for different members of the family.

GOtv Plus offers 41 channels while there are 28 channels on GOtv. Categorised into news and current affairs, movies and general entertainment, sport, music, religion, children and documentaries, GOtv’s channel lineup includes AfricaMagic, AfricaMagic Yoruba, AfricaMagic Movies, Al Jazeera, Blackbelt TV, CNN, Disney Junior, Discovery World, ED Channel, E! Entertainment, Hip TV, Islam Channel, Jim Jam, Mnet Movies Zone, Channel O, MTV Base, Soundcity and TBN, among others.

Airtel Rewards Trade Partners With SUVs, Computers Airtel Nigeria has rewarded its top performing trade partners with the latest editions of select luxury cars, Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), utility vans, computers, generators and motor bikes, among others for their contributions and increased market performance in the past year at an event held in Lagos, last week.

The chief executive officer of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, who commended the company’s trade partners for their commitment, loyalty, focus and hardwork, said Airtel has emerged as the country’s second largest operator because of the strong support it received from all its channel partners.

“We thank all our channel partners for moving our company forward and especially for the important role they played in the realisation of one of our key objectives of reclaiming market leadership. Due to their hardwork and commitment, the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), recently, adjudged us the second largest telecoms operator in the country,” Ogunsanya said.

He described Airtel’s partnership with its trade partners as an alliance rooted in shared interest to become the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians, shared values that reinforce people empowerment and innovativeness, and most importantly, a shared passion to win.

22 feature/BUSINESS

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Lafarge WAPCO: Setting New Standards In Corporate Governance

by PETER EKELE, Abuja

Barely two weeks ago, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria (Lafarge WAPCO) Plc held its 55th annual general meeting where landmark resolutions where taken to place the company on a higher radar.

With over a thousand shareholders in attendance, the meeting was special as with its combination of ordinary and special businesses it threw its weight behind achieving the Lafarge Africa’s deal and steps to making its stocks available at the stock market.

The ordinary course of the meeting included the presentation of the audited report and accounts for the year ended December 31, 2013, declaration of a dividend, election and re-election of directors, authorisation of the directors to fix the remuneration of the auditors and election of audit committee members.

The unusual turnout at

the meeting, including the presence of retail and institutional shareholders, was more about the special business than the ordinary business of the meeting.The meeting, no doubt, was expected to be turning point and the last to be held as Lafarge WAPCO Plc. One after the other, shareholders spoke extensively on the performance of the company driven by its chairman, Olusegun Osunkeye, who is unarguably one of Nigeria’s iconic boardroom gurus. The chairman, Ibadan Zone Shareholders Association (IBZA), Sola Abodunrin, noted the historic performance of Lafarge WAPCO and commended the impressive year-onyear growth. The national coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sunny Nwosu, lauded the performance of the company and assured that shareholders would continue to support the

management.

The president, Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), Timothy Adesiyan, expressed satisfaction with the company’s performance and the increase in dividend.

Goodluck Akporie of Onitsha Zone Shareholders Association pointed out that Lafarge WAPCO has continued to demonstrate that it values its shareholders.

A shareholder activist, Nonah Awoh, further enlivened the meeting with his usual scrutiny.

The president, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Boniface Okezie, also commended the board and management of the company “for a job well done.”

All the shareholders agreed that the fundamental performance of the company was satisfactory. Accordingly, everyone was interested in the decision-making.

With 11 resolutions of the special business,

IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA IN THE AWKA JUDICIAL DIVISION HOLDEN AT AWKA PETITION NO: FHC/AWK/PET/11/14 IN THE MATTER OF UMU-OMA MICROFINANCE BANK LIMITED IN THE MATTER OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, CAP C20 LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, 2004 BETWEEN: NIGERIA DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION --- PETITIONER (Suing as provisional liquidator pursuant to section 40 of the NDIC Act 2006) AND: UMU-OMA MICROFINANCE BANK LIMITED --- RESPONDENT

ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION

Lafarge WAPCO Plc sought to consolidate its impressive corporate and brand heritage into a new era of pan-African presence. The special business was the proposal

by Lafarge to consolidate its cement businesses in Nigeria and combine them with its South African operations to create a leading sub-Saharan building materials giant to be known as Lafarge Africa Plc (Lafarge Africa).

The consolidation would be done by transferring Lafarge’s assets in South Africa and Nigeria to Lafarge WAPCO Plc. Under the transaction, the Lafarge Group will transfer its direct and indirect shareholdings in Lafarge South Africa Holding Limited of 72.4 per cent and its equity stakes in three other cement companies in Nigeria – United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited (35 per cent), Ashaka Cement plc, (58.61 per cent) and Atlas Cement Company Limited (100 per cent) to

Lafarge Wapco for a cash consideration of $200 million and the issuance of some 1.4 billion Lafarge Africa shares to the Lafarge Group.

Lafarge Africa, which would retain Lafarge WAPCO’s subsisting listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), is estimated to have an initial market capitalisation of over $3 billion (about 468 billion), making it the sixth largest company on the NSE by market capitalisation.

Contrary to known antics of majority shareholders to seek to influence such historic decisions, Lafarge demonstrated uncommon restrain and commitment to ensure minority shareholders decide the necessity, shape and course of the consolidation.

While the Osunkeye-led board of directors could have lumped the special business into a single, loosely worded resolution to give the majority shareholder, Lafarge,

the opportunity to play around their whims on the consolidation, the company listed out each resolution separately for shareholders to decide on. Many analysts believe this showed transparency and equity around the important decision.

The first four resolutions related to the acquisition of the shares of the different entities and the shares and payments made in exchange. Resolution five sought approval for a new capital issue of 100 billion, while resolution six dealt with listing of additional shares on the NSE. The seventh resolution was on the increase in authorised share capital of the company from 2.287 billion to five billion, and the reflection of this new capital in the memorandum of association (MoU).

Resolution eight sought to increase the number of directors from 13 to 17 in order to reflect the enlarged nature of the business.

science Tuesday, August 5, 2014

23

N250m

Northern youths have lamented the non take-off of the Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPADEC) in the north despite the budgetary allocation of N250 million to it in the 2014 budget.

F E AT U R E S N E W S R E P O R T S I N T E R V I E W

A cross-section of African delegates at the Senior Expert Dialogue (SED) held in Abuja.

‘Technology, Key To African Transformation’

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

A team of experts from different African countries has described technological growth as holding the key to the transformation of Africa.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting tagged Senior Expert Dialogue (SED) in Abuja with the theme “Science, technology and innovation (STI) and the Africa transformation agenda: making new technologies work for Africa’s transformation”, the group contended that Africa would not witness relative economic growth without the strong deployment of STI. While acknowledging the on-going effort to realise the African leaders’ commitment as expressed in Science, Technology and Innovation

Strategy for Africa (STISA) 2024 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, a long-term perspective plan to optimise the use of Africa’s resources for the benefit of all Africans, the experts said that Africa must grow and sustain its growth using STI. “African leaders have at various fora and through several actions committed themselves to effect the long-term development and technological transformation of the economies and of the continent. However, failure to embrace STI has been a major challenge to achieving these objectives,” the group said.

The experts expressed fear that Africa might be the third most populated continent with attendant challenges in food security, water and other

life support components by 2050, saying Africa might be faced with the problem of urbanisation which might adversely affect agriculture.

They insisted STI must be applied for the production of very high yielding crops varieties to that end.

Highlighting the role of STI in the achievement of the MDG goals, they observed that STI had not been explicitly taken into account

by African countries in the implementation of the MDGs and the post 2015 development agenda as being coordinated by UN. They posited that the MDGs’ timeline would soon end in 2015 and lamented that no African country had effectively achieved its goals.

They contended that STI was

vital for the success of MDGs and the post development agenda and urged African countries to embark on problem solving research and development (R&D) experiments.

They identified Intellectual Property Right (IPR) as playing a key role in the effective deployment of STI as a driver for development, noting that Africa was not featuring prominently in the Innovation Index. They reckoned that the World Intellectual Property Right (WIPO) encourages countries to put in place right policies that would enable them use IPs for their development.

They called on African countries to produce a critical mass of young scientists and build their capacity to fit into the post MDG agenda through

24

24 SCIENCE/news

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

‘Technology, Key To African Transformation’ 23

science and technology.

According to them, “this can be achieved when Africans put mechanism in place for effective partnership and knowledge sharing of STI and also when they develop a framework that encourages industry/ research and development sponsorship in institutions, while contributing a certain percentage of GDP to research.”

HYPADEC: Northern Youths Appeal For Take-off

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

Some concerned youths in the north-central geo- political zone have urged President Goodluck Jonathan to expedite action on the immediate take off of Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPADEC).

The youths under the aegis of North Central Youth Forum lamented that despite the president’s assent to the bill establishing HYPADEC it is yet to commence operation.

The youths in a statement signed by Alh. Hamzat Idris, (Kwara), Mr. Ishola Olawole (Kogi) and Hajia Hawa Saliu (Kebbi) lamented the non take-off of the commission despite the budgetary allocation of N250 million to it in the 2014 budget.

The concerned youths who said that the bill had been passed to the Ministry of Power for implementation after the president’s assent, enjoined the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo to play his part on the bill and return it to the presidency for final approval.

They stated that they have it on good authority that the presidency has approved the composition of the management of the commission and that “it is only expecting the ministry of Power to return the bill to it for final ratification”.

They recalled that they had made similar appeal to the President in a letter sent to him in December, 2013, saying that copies of the letter were also sent to the Chief of Staff (Presidency), the National Security Adviser, Special Adviser on Political Matters and the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The youths added that, “we recognized your (President Jonathan) good intention which culminated in appending your signature to the bill that established the commission after it was passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly, but, we are however constraint to author this letter in view of the importance of the commission to the wellbeing of the people of the North Central zone.

Top 3 HeadlineS ➊ STI Critical For

They highlighted the major impediments in STI development in Afica to include low political will, lack of skills and low financial allocation to S&T. “Presently, African countries have very low funding level of STI, ranging from 0.2 - 0.8 per cent,” they added.

They encouraged African countries and governments to

provide appropriate funding level of STI up to two per cent of their national GDP, improve STEM education, periodically review STI curricula in schools and also encourage women in STI. Other panel discussion sessions held during the meeting included the ICT and sustainable development; enabling national environment

STI Critical For National Development - Bulama

National Development - Bulama

➋ HYPADEC: Northern Youths Appeal For Take-off

➌ ‘Nigeria Should

Imbibe Energy Efficiency Best Practices Now ‘

L-R: director-general of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, Engr. Umar Bindir and the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdu Bulama during a ministerial briefing in Abuja.

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

Kwara Residents Raise Alarm Over High Electricity Tariff

Residents of Ilorin, Kwara State capital have decried high electricity tariff, even as power supply to parts of the town worsens.

Some residents who spoke to LEADERSHIP lamented the epileptic power supply in recent times and bemoaned the outrageous bills issued

by Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to household.

A resident of Asa Dam, Alhaja Olanrewaju AbdulRahman, expressed frustration over the power situation in the town, saying it was outrageous.

He said, “the electricity situation in Kwara over the last six months has worsened. We enjoy electricity for only two to three hours daily. I think the solution to the crazy bill is for IBEDC to give consumers prepaid meters.”

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

for STI policies; technology, innovations and governance: open government, open government data, and open data; better measurement: R&D data for decision making; urbanization- enhancing the efficiency of African cities as centres of innovation; and youth and innovation - realizing the African transformation agenda.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdu Bulama, has said Nigeria requires Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for national development.

The newly appointed minister stated this during a ministerial

‘Nigeria Should Imbibe Energy Efficiency Practices Now ‘

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

The national programme coordinator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Mr. Etiosa Uyigue, has said imbibing energy effciency best practices will reduce green house emissions in Nigeria.

Speaking in an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP at the 2014 technical committee meeting on household refrigerating appliances sponsored by UNDP GEF

briefing by the director-general of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Engr. Umar Bindir, and his management staff at the ministry in Abuja, describing STI as necessary ingredients for development.

He contended that science and technology had been lip-serviced in the past and should be adequately funded to strengthen the research capabilities of the country, adding no nation could be technologically self-sufficient if researchers did not carry out industrial need-based research that would metamorphose into goods and services.

The minister identified the mandate of NOTAP as very key to the development of the country and promised to work closely with the parastatal to ensure that

in collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Lagos, Uyigue said imbibing the practices would equally have a rippling effect on the Nigerian energy sector.

The coordinator who said Nigeria was not generating enough energy considering its population, advised that imbibing energy saving behaviour would have a positive impact on the environment because there might be need to build less power stations.

He further said that the UNDP GEF had procured energy performance testing laboratory equipment for the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to help them improve the energy effi-

160

million what we’re generating at the moment is very small compared to the population of over 160 million people

the mandate was actualised.

He stressed that with the enthusiasm and professionalism exhibited by NOTAP, Nigerians would soon witness the kind of technology revolution that took place in China, Korea and some other developed countries.

In his remarks, Bindir said that NOTAP was collaborating with Nigerian universities and multinational companies to implement some schemes like NOTAP Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF) and the Technology Story Board initiative. He described the NITTF as a public private partnership (PPP) programme designed to create indigenous critical technological competencies of elite applied knowledge through special Ph.D programmes tenable in Nigerian universities. ciency of appliances in Nigeria.

“In terms of electricity, what we’re generating at the moment is very small compared to the population of over 160 million people, but with the little we’re generating, more people can have access to electricity if we imbibe this energy saving behaviour. That is, when we promote energy efficiency best practices.

So, providing SON with the testing equipment is to help them to improve the energy efficiency of appliances we use in Nigeria,” he maintained.

According to him, “if the appliances are efficient, then it will take less power from the grid and more people will have access to electricity.”

We’re Set To Transform Raw Material Resources Sector- RMRDC Boss

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

The director-general of the Raw Materials Research and Development Agency (RMRDC), Dr. Ibrahim Hussaini has declared the agency’s readiness to transform the raw material resources sector in Nigeria.

Dr. Hussaini who stated this in an interview said the agency had adopted strategies to achieve its mandate and urged the workers to be hardworking and focused to ensure the realisation of the objective.

Hussaini

“Yes, my expectations are numerous and achievable. In the next few years, I want to see RMRDC fully awake to its responsibilities in respect to massive backward integration of the raw materials resources available across the country. I want to see a very hardworking workforce. I want to see a very happy workforce and, above all, I want to see us as a pace-setter in the community of iesearch Institutions in Nigeria,” he said.

On the council’s percentage of achievement in the area of solid

minerals, the RMRDC boss said the agency’s intention to increase the local content was the reason for his meeting with the supervising minister, Arc. Musa Sada “At the end of the meeting, we agreed to create a joint committee on promoting investment in the solid minerals sector. The committee has just met to draft their terms of reference and I want to say that the RMRDC will be ready to partner with the committee to achieve their mandate,” he said.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

science

titbits

Compiled by Nkechi Isaac

➏ ➐

➋ ➌➊ ➎

❹ Information Processing Demonstrated Using A Light-based Chip In a recent paper in Nature Communications, researchers from Ghent University report on a novel paradigm to do optical information processing on a chip, using techniques inspired by the way our brain works.

Neural networks have been employed in the past to solve pattern recognition problems like speech recognition or image recognition, but so far, these bioinspired techniques have been implemented mostly in software on a traditional computer.

—(Sciencedaily)

➋

Top 3 Headlines ➊ Pet Cats Infect

Two People With TB

➋ RainbowCatching Waveguide Could Revolutionize Energy Technologies ➌ Comet Lander Checks In With Earth

➍

NEWS /SCIENCE 25 ➊ Rainbow-catching Waveguide Could Revolutionize Energy Technologies By slowing and absorbing certain wavelengths of light, engineers open new possibilities in solar power, thermal energy recycling and stealth technology More efficient photovoltaic cells. Improved radar and stealth technology. A new way to recycle waste heat generated by machines into energy.

All may be possible due to breakthrough photonics research at the University at Buffalo.

—(Sciencedaily)

➋ Computing With Silicon

➌ Pet Cats Infect Two

Neurons: Scientists Use Artificial Nerve Cells To Classify Data

Scientists from Berlin and Heidelberg are using artificial nerve cells to classify different types of data. These silicon ‘neurons’ could recognize handwritten numbers, or distinguish plant species based on their flowers.

A bakery assistant who takes the bread from the shelf just to give it to his boss who then hands it over to the customer?

Not the most efficient way of doing things. Instead, both work at the same time to sell the baked goods. Similarly, computer programs are more efficient if they process data in parallel rather than to calculate them one after the other. However, most pro-

People With TB

grams that are applied still work in a serial manner.

Scientists from Freie Universität Berlin, the Bernstein Center Berlin, and Heidelberg University have now refined a new technology that is based on parallel data processing. In the socalled neuromophic computing, neurons made of silicon take over the computational work on special computer chips. The neurons are linked together in a similar fashion to the nerve cells in our brain. If the assembly is fed with data, all silicon neurons work in parallel to solve the problem.

—(Sciencedaily)

Two people in England have developed tuberculosis after contact with a domestic cat, Public Health England has announced.

The two human cases are linked to nine cases of Mycobacterium bovis infection in cats in Berkshire and Hampshire last year.

Both people were responding to treatment, PHE said.

It said the risk of cat-to-human transmission of M. bovis remained “very low”.

M. bovis is the bacterium that causes tuberculosis in cattle, known as bovine TB, and other species.

Transmission of M. bovis from infected animals to humans can occur by breathing in or ingesting bacteria shed by the animal .

—(BBC)

Wind turbine factory

➎ £310m

Invested In Uk Wind Turbines

Manufacturing giant Siemens and the UK’s Associated British Ports are to invest a total of £310m in UK wind turbine factories, creating 1,000 jobs.

Siemens will put up £160m doubling its previous plans to invest £80m in wind turbine production in the UK. The investment is being made

across two locations - the Green Port project in Hull, and a second manufacturing facility in Paull in East Yorkshire.

Siemens said the UK “recognises the potential of offshore wind energy”.

“We invest in markets with reliable conditions that can ensure that factories can work to

capacity,” said Michael Suess, head of Siemens’s energy sector.

“The British energy policy creates a favourable framework for the expansion of offshore wind energy. In particular, it recognises the potential of offshore wind energy within the overall portfolio of energy production.”

—(BBC)

➏ Comet Lander Checks In With Earth The Philae lander, which Europe hopes to put on the surface of a comet later this year, has been re-activated after three years in deep-space hibernation.

The small probe is currently riding piggy-back on the Rosetta satellite. This was despatched 10 years ago to rendezvous with the Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, and was itself awoken in January.

“Mothership” and lander should arrive at the huge ice object in August.

After a period of mapping, Rosetta will then release Philae on its challenging bid to attach itself to 67P in November.

Being only 4km across, the comet’s gravitational field will be very weak, and the 100kg box of instruments will use harpoons and ice screws to try to hold it down.

—(BBC)

26 SCIENCE/feature

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

What is this online shopping platform, Awoofdey all about?

short BIO OF Mr. Peter Elofusim

Elofusim is the chief executive officer of an online shopping platform, Awoofdey Marketing. He is a graduate of Electrical Enginering from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and has over 13 years experience in the telecommunication sector.

It’s a technology platform that we’re pushing to offer services, offer entertainment and security services and create capacity, in terms of knowledge transfer to the people in Nigeria. We want people to live the good life, have the best in life without necessarily breaking the banks.

Our name speaks for itself, Awoofdey, you don’t have to break the banks or go beyond your budget to be able to enjoy life in Nigeria because what stands us out is that we already know where to get the required services and products at the barest minimum price and because we want to live up to what our name is saying, we are not being mercantilist about our charges, neither do we charge what so many people will describe as ‘armed robber interest’.

For instance, in the case of promoting products or services through our platform and we make maybe five or 10 per cent as the case may be from the general sales, we’re fine with that.

We’re basically trying to drive volume. For example, the last products that had very good sales on our website was computer accessories, you’ll get these accessories between N8,000 and N10,000 in the open market but because we know where to buy them from and have very good relationship with the manufacturers, a N10,000 product in the open market goes for about N2,000 on our website.

Apart from these ridiculously low price rates we offer, our brand name is currently making waves in Nigeria because when people hear the name, Awoofdey, they get curious and want to know what you’re offering. Like I always tell people, our primary purpose is to use internet as a platform to offer quality services and great products, entertainment and create capacity in the society and we do that at the barest minimum cost. We achieve this by sharing our dreams, goals and vision with the manufacturers and get them to buy into it because unless they buy into the vision they’ll not be able to give us the goods and services at the prices we’re requesting for because most

MTN May Sell Off Nigerian Mobile Tower Speculations pertaining to South African telecoms company, MTN’s sale of its mobile tower networks in Africa, which is in line with the company’s asset optimisation plan, have again emerged with its Nigerian towers being next in line.

The telecoms company which has presence in a number of high growth markets in Africa, has been selling off its towers within the region in line with a strategy to reduce infrastructural costs.

—(Ventures Africa)

Trending Science Stories ➊ Comet lander

checks in with Earth

➋ Scientists hail

synthetic chromosome advance

➌ Europe begins

Mars site selection

➍ US-Russia space

station crew delayed in orbit after glitch

—(BBC)

times we get 15 or 20 per cent of the asking price.

What specific products do you promote on this platform?

We just don’t promote only products, but also services.

In terms of the products, we have electronics, computers, fashion, cosmetics, household and entertainment equipments and anything that has to do with entertainment. What we do is to seek out genuine manufacturers and ensure that what we bring in is what the buying public is asking for.

On the service level, we offer spaces even for dry cleaners to promote their services, there are spaces for people involved in capacity building, there are also spaces for the educational.

How can the platform be accessed?

Just go to the platform and type Awoofdey and it’ll take you to a brand new world. We’re a very dynamic platform because we build confidence by collecting cash on delivery and also give opportunity to customers to pay with any card in Nigeria.

In what way has government provided security for this kind of market?

The e-commerce sector is still at the nascent stage in Nigeria and I would say that the government has not really done much in terms of regulating the business. Basically the role of the government in promoting the sector would be to put structures, programmes and policies in place to regulate the online business in Nigeria because when confidence is eroded by unwholesome practices it will not augur well for the promotion of the business.

Is there an association of online operators in Nigeria?

We have been meeting and having talks which we hope will crystlise to a full fledged association. So, we’re still working on that for now, it’s still at a discussion stage.

So, this means that e-commerce operators are currently operating in silos. Is this a way to grow the sector?

Actually unity of purpose is crucial when you want to grow any sector,

Elofusim

‘Regulation Of e-Commerce Will Create Credibility In The Industry’ While other developed economies are enjoying the huge benefits of e-commerce, the sector no doubt is still in its nascent stage in Nigeria. In this interview with NKECHI ISAAC, the chief executive officer of an online shopping platform, Awoofdey Marketing, Mr. Peter Elofusim, urges the federal government to provide structures, programmes and policies to promote the sector. The excerpts. but I believe that if an association is formed with certain laid down criteria that must be met before you can actually come on board in this business, that will be good. I believe that if we’re able to achieve that in Nigeria,then we can expect a relative growth in the sector and the tendency for bad eggs to infiltrate the sector will be

drastically reduced.

I believe that if we have an association or a body where there is constant accreditation of online businesses in Nigeria with a view to ensuring regulation of activities of operators, such that there is a body to report to when a customer is shortchanged, it will create credibility in the industry.

Non-oil Sector To Drive Growth In Nigeria This Year

Nigeria’s Innoson To Export Cars To West Africa After making a huge impression in the Nigerian auto-market with its locally manufactured trucks and buses, Nigeria’s leading indigenous automobile manufacturer Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing Company Limited has disclosed that it is set to take its brand to Nigeria’s neighbours in West Africa.

Key markets on Innoson’s radar are the Republic of Benin and Ghana.

The Auto Company, which had its production lines officially commissioned by Nigeria’s President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2010, plans to export its soon-to-be-completed passenger cars.

The vehicles are been produced at the company’s manufacturing plant in Nnewi, Anambra State of Southeastern Nigeria.

—Ventures Africa

Top THREE construction companies IN NIGERIA

➊ ➋

Julius Berger Nigeria

DANTATA & SAWOE Construction Company ( Nigeria ) Ltd

➌

Setraco Nigeria Limited

7.3

per cent Nigeria’s GDP growth rate will rise to 7.3 per cent this year, up from 6.4 percent in 2013

A new report from the IMF says growth in Nigeria will accelerate this year, but the economy still has a range of structural weaknesses, including rigid labour markets and insufficient power supply.

Nigeria’s GDP growth rate will rise to 7.3 per cent this year, up from 6.4 percent in 2013, the IMF said in a statement from its executive board at the end of an Article IV consultation, issued on March 7. The comparatively robust rates are in line with previous years, which have ranged between 6.4 percent and 7.8 percent since 2009.

“Economic growth is expected to improve further in 2014, driven by agriculture, trade and services,” the IMF said.

—(Oxford Group)

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

27

28

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Hurray Our Chairman Is 81

As our Board Chairman,

Chief (Dr) Anthony Akhakon Anenih (CFR) Iyasele of Esanland turns 81.

We at the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA join other Nigerians in wishing him many happy returns.

We pray that God would continue to give him wisdom and strength to serve the nation.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIR!

CHIEF (DR) ANTHONY AKHAKON ANENIH CFR

NPA – A National Brand Asset Anchored on Service Excellence! www.nigerianports.org

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

29

30 feature

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Apprehension, As Ebola ‘Fear’ Grips Nigerians While there is a growing concern as to whether Ebola virus could be airborne or not, many Nigerians are cashing in on the situation to make quick returns, write WINIFRED OGBEBO and VICTOR OKEKE.

S

You can’t contract Ebola by handling money or swimming in a pool

ince the reported death of a Liberian, Patrick Sawyerr, from Ebola virus in Lagos over three weeks ago, the fear of the disease has gripped the whole country.

The panic, according to experts, is to be expected given the huge population of the country, and the multiplier effect it could have on the populace, if the disease spreads.

Though the Lagos State and the federal governments, have both reassured that there is no fresh case of the dreaded Ebola virus disease in the state or any part of the country, it has not in any way diminished the panic and many are yet to be calmed.

Many Nigerians, too, are now actively involved in discourse on Ebola virus through social media, via twitter, facebook, bbm, Whatsapp and others.

Also, a statement credited to Maurice Iwu, that bitter kola is useful in treatment of flu, has gone viral and still trending on the social media.

This too, has caused an upsurge in the price of bitter cola, in Abuja over claim by doctors that it could cure Ebola Virus Disease.

Trust Nigerians to cash in on the situation, as Ebola cleansing hand gel is now trending on the social media. But how true this is, has not been confirmed.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), in a statement, said that the current Ebola virus in West Africa is not airborne. The agency said it was not advising any country to close its borders.

It observed that the risk of Ebola virus for travellers is very low since person-to-person transmission results from direct contact with body fluids of infected person.

The statement says that “a sneeze is usually aerosolised and relates to airborne disease, so it cannot cause Ebola, though a sneeze may propel fluid.”

But the Nigerian Health Minister Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu shares a contrary view, saying that it is not true that Ebola is not airborne.

According to him, “Once you have droplets, it is in the air and if you inhale these droplets or come in contact with them and they get into your system, you stand a chance of having this disease or any other disease that is transmitted by droplets.

Canadian scientists have

shown that the deadliest form of the Ebola virus could be transmitted by air between species.

In experiments, they demonstrated that the virus was transmitted from pigs to monkeys without any direct contact between them. The researchers say they believe that limited airborne transmission might be contributing to the spread of the disease in some parts of Africa.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the infection gets into humans through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs and other bodily fluids from a number of species including chimpanzees, gorillas and forest antelope.

The fruit bat has long been considered the natural reservoir of the infection. But a growing body of experimental evidence suggests that pigs, both wild and domestic, could be a hidden source of Ebola Zaire – the most deadly form of the virus.

Now, researchers from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the country’s Public Health Agency have shown that pigs infected with this form of Ebola can pass the disease on to macaques without any direct contact between the species.

In their experiments, the pigs carrying the virus were housed in pens with the monkeys in close proximity but separated by a wire barrier. After eight days, some of the macaques were showing clinical signs typical of Ebola and were euthanised.

One possibility, according to BBC’s Matt McGrath, is that the monkeys became infected by inhaling large aerosol droplets produced from the respiratory tracts of the pigs. Pigs could act as a host and amplify the Ebola virus.

One of the scientists involved in the study Dr Gary Kobinger told the BBC that this was the most likely route of the infection.

“What we suspect is happening is large droplets – they can stay in the air, but not long, they don’t go far,” he explained.

“But they can be absorbed in the airway and this is how the infection starts, and this is what we think, because we saw a lot of evidence in the lungs of the nonhuman primates that the virus got in that way.”

Dr Kobinger stresses that the

transmission in the air is not similar to influenza or other infections. “The reality is that they are contained and they remain local; if it was really an airborne virus like influenza, it would spread all over the place, but that’s not happening,” he added.

Last week, the US State Department issued an Ebola alert.

It read, “The suspected reservoirs for Ebola are fruit bats. Transmission to humans is thought to originate from infected bats or primates that have become infected by bats.

Undercooked infected bat and primate (bush) meat transmits the virus to humans. Human to human transmission is only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill from Ebola virus or their body fluids. Transmission among humans is almost exclusively among caregiver family members or health care workers tending to the very ill.

“The virus is easily killed by contact with soap, bleach, sunlight, or drying. A washing machine will kill the virus in clothing saturated with infected body fluids. A person can incubate the virus without symptoms for 2-21 days, the average being 5-8 days before becoming ill. THEY ARE NOT

CONTAGIOUS until they are acutely ill. Only when ill does the viral load express itself first in the blood and other bodily fluids (e.g vomit, feaces, urine, breast milk, semen and sweat). If you are walking around you are not infectious to others.

“There are documented cases from Kikwit, DRC of an Ebola outbreak in a village that had the custom of children never touching an ill adult. Children living for days in one-room huts with parents who died from Ebola did not become infected. You can’t contract Ebola by handling money or swimming in a pool. There’s no medical reason to stop flights, close borders, restrict travel or close embassies, businesses or schools. Always practice good hand washing techniques, you will not contract Ebola if you do not touch any dying person.”

fct watch

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Tuesday, August 5, 2014

50

Centre for Childcare and Youth Development, yesterday, commenced a one-month free computer training of over 50 youths of Sabon-Lugbe, Abuja.

ABAJI AMAC BWARI GWAGWALADA KUJE KWALI

Abaji Monarch Appeals For Employment Of Youths The Ona of Abaji, Adamu Yunusa, has appealed to the council’s chairman, Hon Yahaya Garba, to provide more jobs for the council’s young people, in order to keep them from vices and get them meaningful empowerment.

Yunusa made the appeal during the first anniversary of the council’s current administration.

—By Igho Oyoyo

AMAC Jiba Reaffirms Commitment To Youth Empowerment The chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Micah Jiba, has promised to improve the living standards of youths in the council by setting up skill acquisition programmes for them to acquire technical skills and become useful to themselves and the society.

—By Igho Oyoyo

The Minister of Youth Development, Mr Boni Haruna (middle) flanked by a cross-section of participants at the Nigeria Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme organised by the ministry. photo By Chika Mefor

Empowering FCT Youths Through Skills Acquisition

By Chika Mefor

The importance of skills acquisition in third world countries especially Nigeria cannot be overemphasised.

Schools of thought have stressed that for a nation to be economically self-reliant, it must necessarily diversify its economy and as well encourage the youth to embrace self-employment through appropriate favourable policy and an environment that would facilitate skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and self-reliance.

The Encarta Dictionary described a skill as the ability to do something well, usually gained through training or experience. Skill acquisition on the other hand involves the development of a new skill, practice or a way of doing things, usually gained through training or experience. The types of skills that can be acquired by the youth include Vocational carpentry, hair dressing, fashion designing, tailoring etc; mechanic, electrical, repairs of GSM handset, wrist watches, air- conditioner etc; and entrepreneurial (small scale business such as operation of kiosk, buying and selling of spare parts, restaurants etc).

Knowing the intricate benefits of equipping youths with appropriate skills to be self reliant, the federal government established various programmes like the National Directorate of Employment (NDE); the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) entrepreneurial Programmes; the National Poverty Alleviation Programme; Industrial

Training Fund; Ministry of Youth Development to mention but few, with the aim of training youths to acquire marketable and applied skills as well as basic scientific knowledge.

Living true to its mandate, the youth ministry recently trained over 57 youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the pilot phase of the Nigeria Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (NYEDP) scheme.

The youth-friendly and inclined programme carried out in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Commonwealth for youths was aimed at reducing the rising rate of unemployment and facilitate entrepreneurship and self-reliance in the FCT. Sharing his experience during the training exercise, a participant, Nathaniel Jezhi, who opted for training in agriculture, said that the training has given him hope of a better tomorrow.

Jezhi like 57 others in the FCT were given the opportunity to learn skills which will empower them to become self reliant and build self confidence.

Speaking in an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP, Jezhi said he had learnt the production of body cream, lotion and balm and hair cream; including product labelling, a skill which he knew will give him a better future and make him selfreliant.

He said, “the training programme was a life transforming experience because it presented me with a good

opportunity to equip myself to be self reliant, which will invariably help me earn more and cater for my growing family. I also intend to be an employer of labour; I plan to employ other people to help me in the trade. It was a good opportunity and I hope other youths in the FCT will also benefit from it.”

Participants of the NYEDP were also trained on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills like web development; programming with HTML and PHP; Microsoft office; Adobe dream weaver; networking and customer service.

Other skills development includes event management such as photography; catering services (in and outdoor); make-up artistry; decoration and public relations.

Speaking during the closing ceremony, the Minister of Youth Development, Mr Boni Haruna, said that the youth are a viable resource for nation building, adding that they were partners in the development process and are capable of contributing positively to the economic transformation of the country.

The minister said, “with an enabling environment for youth empowerment, national development efforts are not only accelerated but sustainable as well. This underscores the need for national concerted efforts to support youth development through the creation of opportunities for youth participation in all spheres of our national life.”

He underscored the importance

Bwari LG Boss Pledges Support To Orphanage Homes The chairman of Bwari area council, Hon Peter Yohanna has pledged to support orphanage homes in catering for the needs of orphans in the homes.

Yohanna disclosed this while receiving the management of Ark of Refuge Home, Kubwa. He noted that children are leaders of tomorrow and should be catered for even when their parents are no more.

—By Chika Mefor

Gwagwalada Chair Sues For Peace Between Christians, Muslims The chairman of Gwagwalada area council, JIbrin Abubakar-Giri, has called on Christians and Muslims in the council to continue to live together in peace.

Giri who was speaking in an interview stated that living in peace will not only create a good atmosphere for the residents but will also bring about the much needed development in the council.

—By Chika Mefor

Kuje Tete Urges Traditional Leaders To Ensure Peaceful Co-existence The chairman of Kuje Area Council, Hon Shaban Tete, has called on all district heads and traditional rulers help the government address the security situation in the country by fashioning out modalities which will ensure peaceful co-existence among the people, as well as ensure the safety of lives and property in their various communities.

—By Igho Oyoyo

Kwali Residents Seek For Road Rehabilitation

32

The residents of Kwali area council have called on the council’s administration headed by Ibrahim Daniel to see to the rehabilitation the road network in the council as priority, noting that the roads were in terrible condition.

—By Chika Mefor

32 FCT watch/NEWS

Hepatitis Day: FCT, NYSC, NGO Offer Free Medical Services To Corp Members

By Uche Uduma

As part of its activities to mark the world hepatitis day, a nongovernmental organisation, Elohim Foundation in partnership with the FCT NYSC and the FCT public health department yesterday offered free test and immunisation against viral hepatitis to youth corp members in the city.

Speaking at the event which held at the NYSC orientation camp in Kubwa, the executive director of the foundation, Mr Julius Ibechiole, revealed that approximately 500 million people worldwide are living with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C. He said that awareness of this disease remains low despite this number, adding that the awareness campaign organised by the foundation was targeted at Nigerian youths born about 25 years ago when there was no hepatitis vaccines for the new born at birth.

Ibechiole said, “Hepatitis is the world’s 8th biggest killer and it kills 1.5 million people every year, same the mortality rate of HIV/ AIDS, yet unlike other communicable diseases such as HIV AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, viral hepatitis does not have the same level of awareness or political momentum. The management of the foundation was particularly targeting the unassuming Nigerian youths, who are the strength of the Nigerian state.

“This is largely because there is currently a national prevention programme targeting the new born at birth with vaccine dose, which most of the youths above 25 years did not have the privilege, hence the need to focus on the Nigerian youths as a strategic measure to eradicating the menace of hepatitis in Nigeria.”

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Council Cautions Residents Over Indiscriminate Waste Disposal

By Chika Mefor

The head of environment, Gwagwalada area council, Tijani Ado, has decried the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on flood plains by residents.

Ado who made this call while speaking to journalists at the council’s headquarters yesterday, noted that residents have developed the habit of dumping refuse into the drainages during rainy season. He described the act as dangerous to residents and the environment, urging residents to desist from such acts.

He stated that people depend on the rivers for their domestic use like bathing, drinking and fishing, adding that dumping refuse will cause havoc to the health of people using the river.

Ado stated that the council will start the construction of toilets across the council in a bid to reduce the level of open defecation in the area, adding that the council has mapped out six sites for the proposed toilets and will soon advertise for interested persons to submit their proposal for the project.

He explained that the project will be under a Public Pri-

vate Partnership (PPP) arrangement and called on the people to avoid open defecation as it was not safe for the environment. ‘’We will soon advertise. Any interested person can submit his proposal and we can now give the person approval on a PPP arrangement. Until then, we are pleading with the people to avoid open defecation.

We are calling on them to avoid such bad habits,’’ he said.

He also urged residents of the council to dispose their refuse at the designated refuse collection points to help the council

in easy evacuation, adding that defaulters will be prosecuted by the mobile court. ‘’We have sanitary guards that stand on guard. This has reduced the rate of indiscriminate dumping of refuse. We are also having the mobile court that would prosecute offenders. We also embark on enlightenment campaign to enlighten people to stop the indiscrimination. We use our bus which had public address system to do the enlightenment. We tell them to avoid dumping of refuse in drainages as it might cause flooding,’’ he said.

Fun seekers at the Cookout summer carnival, Abuja.

Photo by Patrick Ebi Amanama

NGO Trains Over 50 Youths In Sabon-Lugbe

BY PAUL CHIAMA

As part of its corporate social responsibility, an Abuja-based nongovernmental organisation (NGO), Centre for Childcare and Youth Development (CCYD), yesterday, commenced a one-month free computer training of over 50 youths of Sabon-Lugbe in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Speaking at the kick-off of the

training exercise, chairman of the CCYD, Dr John Abhuere, said the free training of youths of the area in computer appreciation and application was necessitated by the need to empower them to become better people in society.

The CCYD founder encouraged the participants to utilise the opportunity and equip themselves with new skills. He also challenged them to come out of the

training as better people with the ability to impact others who are technologically handicapped, using the knowledge and skill they would acquire from the training.

Speaking further, Abhuere cautioned the participants against living irresponsible and unpatriotic lifestyles such as violence, election thuggery, ballot snatching, etc.

Calling for more efforts towards

improving the lives of youths and entrenchment of a better society, he said, “we believe that the proper development of the child and empowerment of the youth constitute a solid foundation for a safe and healthy society and we call on everyone, government, non-governmental, individual and institutions to invest their resources in the development of our children and youths.”

Empowering FCT Youths Through Skills Acquisition 31

of the training exercise, saying that national development efforts was assured in an atmosphere of peace when youths are given an opportunity to train themselves and pursue their dreams, adding that the effort to promote the participation of youths in decision making was essential in moving youth participation from the level of manipulation and tokenism which has contributed in keeping youth locked in vicious circle of poverty.

The minister added that the training was the pilot phase and that the first batch of trainees will be assessed by facilitators

of the various skills, adding that the result of the assessment will serve as a guide for the selection of beneficiaries for the next stage of the programme. He noted that successful beneficiaries of the apprenticeship support are eligible for participation in the microcredit revolving loan scheme after submission of a viable business plan.

Haruna urged the participants to approach the opportunity given to them with responsibility and good conduct, saying that their progress after graduation will be monitored by officials of the ministry and the UNDP.

We are seriously in great need of water in this community

According to him, “the role of youth in their own development cannot be overemphasised. I urged the youth here to take an active part in their affairs and make responsible use of opportunities created for youth empowerment.”

He highlighted the need for youth to pursue self-help options, in terms of networks for both economic and social well being, such as, youth cooperatives and clubs would be a beneficial example of positive engagement and therefore urged youth to seek opportunities that will advance their economic and social well being, urging them to shun violence, delinquency and

other negative vices.

In his remarks, the director of the enterprise development and promotion department, Mr Luka Mangset, stated that the objective of the training was to ensure that youths are presented with different opportunities to ensure they become self-reliant, in terms of job creation and creation of job opportunities.

BASIRA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS BASIRA DAHIRU now wish to be known and addressed as MRS BASIRA MAGAJI UMAR. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and the general public to please take note.

FCT watch/feature 33

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

A bulldozer evacuating waste in Gwagwalada Market. Photo By Chika Mefor

Tackling Poor Sanitation Culture In The FCT

BY NKECHI ISAAC

Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the symbol of unity was created in 1976 by the federal military government of the Late General Murtala Mohammed in a bid to move away from Lagos, the former Capital City of Nigeria, which was over populated.

The relocation of the capital city from Lagos to Abuja resulted in the influx of people from rural areas and other states of the federation into the metropolis in search of greener pastures. This influx resulted to the accumulation of both human and waste disposal, forcing the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to create an agency, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to minimise the impact of population explosion and promote an environment adequate for the health and well being of residents.

However, the poor sanitation culture in the FCT has made the achievement of AEPB’s mandate an uphill task.

Commenting on the poor sanitation culture in the FCT, a member of the Nigeria Environmental Society (NES), Mr Uche Agbanusi, opined that contributors of poor sanitation culture in metropolis can be attributed to the high influx of people.

Agbanusi said, “Abuja is a melting pot of various cultures. The city has people of different background and various cultures and as you know some cultures encourage cleanliness naturally while other cultures may not know the difference between cleanliness and dirtiness.

Agbanusi also attributed the lackadaisical attitude of residents towards sanitizing their immediate environment as another major reason for the poor sanitation

culture in the Capital city.

According to him, “people are not concerned about their own immediate environment in the FCT and this practice is creating problems. So many things have been put in place to ensure that a level of sanitation is maintained in the city. You find that various residential houses have containers to containerize their waste, but you’ll still see people dumping their waste on the ground leaving the containers empty.

“This happens because they send their children to go and dispose the waste. So, they don’t know what happens to the waste; you will discover that when a child is sent to dispose waste and his/ her hand does not get to the waste bucket they will just throw it on the floor and take off. That is why you see that waste management is becoming very difficult because people do not want to manage

their own local environment.”

On ways to improve the poor sanitation culture, Dr Agbanusi recommended educating and enlightening the residents on the importance and necessity of a clean and healthy environment.

“I recommend that Govt. should intensify enlightenment and education of the residents; we’ll continue to encourage the government to enlighten people by highlghting the dangers of poor sanitation in the media so that when people hear about the dangers of poor sanitation over a long period of time it will build up in their spirit,” he said.

In her remarks, the acting director of AEPB, Mrs Aishat Adebayo, said the poor sanitation culture within the FCT can be attributed to the irresponsibility of residents to their immediate environment.

Adebayo said, “we have a serious challenge especially at the high rise

buildings located around the FCT. Residents do not want to claim responsibility of their immediate environment. The situation has become so serious that even when the board deploys sanitary health inspectors to the high risings to encourage residents to sanitise their immediate environment but they are still adamant to comply.”

Adebayo also harped on public enlightenment and education on the need for collaboration between the public and the government on environmental sanitation.

“We hope to go on more enlightenment programmes because the issue of city cleaning cannot be achieved by government alone.

We need residents to collaborate with us. We need to have more enlightenment programmes on the responsibility of keeping the environment clean, stopping indiscriminate littering and selling on designated areas” she added.”

Mai Ruwa Is A Ladder To Other Business Ventures – Ashiru

By Nkechi Isaac

Top 5 eatries in fct ➊ KFC ➋ Drum Sticks ➌ Mama Cass ➍ Tantalizer ➎ Mr Biggs

Ashiru Musa is a Mai Ruwa (water vendor) operator within the Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe, along Airport Road.

Contrary to general belief that water vendors are visionless people who are mostly concerned with living life in the present, Ashiru says that water vending is a stepping stone for Hausa boys who want to venture into a more capital intensive business.

Speaking in an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP, he said, “most people assume that water vendors generally are visionless and goal-

Ashiru

less individuals, but this is where most people who come into Abuja city without money resort to in order to save up money and go into other business ventures.”

According to him, “you won’t be rich from vending water but is a business that can help you into other viable ones; all that is required to achieve this goal is discipline and determination. I came into Abuja in 2011 and have been vending water since then. I got married recently from the proceeds of this business and I have been able to save some money which I plan to use and open up a small provision shop soon. ” He disclosed that starting the

Mai Ruwa business needs a seed capital of between N12, 000 to N15, 000 to buy the truck and 10 gallons, “but in situations where intending vendors do not have enough money then they can hire the truck and gallons from people that lease it out for N500 per week,” he stated.

Ashiru said that they buy a full truck of water for N50.00 from the borehole and sell it to customers at N20.00 per gallon, which amounts to N200.00. “a dedicated vendor can make over N1,500 in a day apart from feeding and other little expenses,” he added.

34 OPINION

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Senate, Inec Conspiracy Against Fresh Party

By Ngozika Igwe

July 29, 2014 makes it exactly a year that the FRESH Democratic Party secured a judgment against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its deregistration as a political party.

One year after, INEC and other defendants – National Assembly, the federal government most notably, have failed to honour this judgment. This much was highlighted in Rev. Chris Okotie’s interesting article in The Guardian edition of Monday July 21 2014 titled “Is Jonathan Obstructing The Rule Of Law?” Let us recall that in December 2012, INEC, invoking the controversial Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) delisted 28 political parties for alleged failure to win at least, one seat at the state, or National Assembly; as well as the governorship or presidential election.

Based on this, FRESH, Rev. Chris Okotie and other stakeholders, contested the deregistration at the Federal High court 5, Abuja Division; with INEC, the Attorney General of the Federation, the National Assembly and the Inspector General of Police, IG, as defendants. In a landmark judgment handed down by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, deregistration was not only voided, the entire Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) was ruled illegal, unconstitutional, null and void, in so far as it pertains to deregistration of political parties.

Basking in the euphoria of that victory, FRESH had expected to continue functioning as a political party. But INEC would have none of that. Instead of obeying a valid court judgment, INEC through the National Assembly, tried to legitimise its lawlessness through

Jega

a bill, “An Act to Further Amend the Electoral Act, No. 6, 2010 and matters connected therewith, Electoral Act (Amended bill 2014)”.

It is very curious how this bill was passed by the Senate in a matter in which it is a defendant in the same case. However, it is gladdening to note that the Senate President, David Mark, has waded into this matter and has referred the petition by FRESH to the chairman, Senate Committee on Constitutional Review for further necessary action. But given INEC’s proclivity for contempt and disrespect for the law, there are fears that the commission may get away with this. This is a bad omen for democracy and the rule of law.

The attempt to deregister political parties in the first instance infringes on the people’s right to freedom of association, as enshrined in Section 40 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999: “Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons,

It is a sad commentary in our political history that the FRESH Party that fielded candidate in the 2011 presidential election would be one of the parties deregistered by INEC

and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of interests: provided that the provisions of this section shall not derogate from the powers conferred by this Constitution on the Independent National Electoral Commission with respect to political parties to which that Commission does not accord recognition.”

It is a sad commentary in our political history that the FRESH Party that fielded candidate in the 2011 presidential election would be one of the parties deregistered

by INEC. In these days of electoral fraud, rigging, manipulations and machinations, it is morally reprehensible to deregister political parties based on the excuse that they did not win any election. Our electoral system is still flawed and gives room for rigging. It is reasonable to assume that even if a political party; those not considered as heavy weights presents candidates for election, there is the tendency that its candidates could be out-rigged as has been witnessed in recent times.

INEC and the National Assembly should be working to have parties engage in constructive collaboration.

No doubt, interparty collaboration provides the mediating and moderating purpose necessary for democratic stability and progress.

In an age of growing disenchantment and apathy by the citizens, it behooves on INEC and the National Assembly to ensure that the rights of citizens are promoted and protected. These rights should become integral to the functioning of political parties.

– Igwe wrote from Lagos

Small Arms, Light Weapons And Security Implications By ike willie-nwobu

Over the years, it has become a trend and almost a mantra to see the African system of governance replete with some kind of characteristics that leave so much to be desired, and even fuels the burning question as to whether the concept of rulership is understood and appreciated.

It does not matter whether the system of government is monarchical, democracy or even the unpopular military dictatorship: they all bear a common semblance that always seeks to grossly undermine and make a summary mockery of the whole idea of serving the people by the use of the privilege of public office and power.

It is really an issue that is in dire need of both public and private scrutiny and auditing,

because a great need exists to clearly and holistically define the subject of governance in its most professional, pristine developmental and targetoriented definitions.

The phenomenon of duplication of government and official functions as well as creation of unofficial and grandiose makeshift offices is one that has stubbornly stuck to our style of ministerial delivery like a leech, and even though it keeps repeating itself on and on, constituting a suction pipe through which first of all our lean resources are craftily depleted, in addition to its attendant ambiguities and counterproductive characteristics. It is a trend that has hardly spared any ministry or parastatal in democratic Nigeria as we know of it today.

It was with some measure of disappointment that I

happened on an interview granted by Ambassador Emmanuel Imohe, the chairman, presidential committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, in which he tried to convince us on the indispensability of his committee as well as the deliverables so far credited to the same, and to say the least, I was less than impressed, for the same reasons as the foregoing.

To begin with, it is true that the matter and logistics surrounding the use of small arms and light weapons in the country is a serious security issue. It is also true that sensitive as it is, it needs to be handled in the most intelligent, professional and informed manner. As a matter of fact, that is the crux of the entire security question in the country, other wise it is clear

how futile and ineffective a criminal, insurgency or terrorist operation is without the weapon component of the equation.

But my bone of contention is that we have a lot of, as a matter of fact enough security paraphernalia on the ground already, which is best suited to handle upcomes as this, to warrant the creation of a committee that is not just complementary in nature, but has little or no legal bite to it.

The only weapon in the arsenal of this committee is the privileged proximity it enjoys with the office of Mr President.

It is still baffling as I write, though this is Nigeria where that is just about enough to perform any magic, as needed, and as when due.

– Willie-Nwobu can be reached at Ikewillienwobu@ yahoo.com

Every Tuesday Ahmad B Kaita (MHR) 07081888802 (SMS only) email: babbaahmed@yahoo.com

Nigeria: A ‘One Chance’ Government

A

common sight in major cities across Nigeria is a new breed of high class corporate beggars going from one office to another meticulously dressed in well tailored suits. Sometimes they come complete with laptops/iPads or, at least bags intended to show they are such things.

Their lines are always scripted to suit location and their intended target but, mostly it’s about coming for an important seminar/meeting/event only to lose money to robbers, fraudsters etc. One excellent attribute of the “one chance” soloist actor is his exceptional ability to feign the correct grim facial mood and verbal sophism to convey a message of a tragic misfortune to stimulate and activate the required “donation” mode to save a fellow Nigerian from what, by now, is seen as a fate that could befall anybody including the “gullible” you, the intended donor.

Dishonorable as this may sound, this is not so out of character and not in conformity with Nigeria’s moral settings. Recent events in Nigeria proved an even bigger moral numbness and barefaced shamelessness in our behaviour as individuals and as a nation. Just like the permanently stranded fellow above, these recent events proved Nigeria’s willingness to go the lowest it could as a nation, of course guided by few, to satisfy a seemingly unsatisfiable appetite for easy wealth. It doesn’t matter to the managers if in the process Nigeria is reduced to less than a laughing stock.

Most of us will see fault in the dishonorable beggarly behaviour of the corporate destitutes roaming our streets but we remain blinded to even bigger and more dishonorable corporate destitution Nigeria is being forced into by some accidental and utterly rudderless leaders. Nigeria could be said to be a perfectly dressed gentleman kitted with everything needed to succeed but the most important ingredient of success, the will to succeed.

To grasp this, you may need to assess Nigeria’s capacity/potentials against its effect on its over 150m people in direct relation to its vast seemingly inexhaustible resources. Just like the morally paralysed corporate beggar above, Nigeria seem openly overwhelmed by its God-given resources so much that such divine benevolence could now be said to be a liability to it.

Though the two drawn analogies may be distinctively dissimilar still, they share one common trait that, by the way happened to be the most defining aspect of this theoretical appraisal of both individual and corporate tendencies and inclinations. For instance, who but a cheat will spend N1tr in the name of security in a country of less than 200m in one fiscal year and yet have to rely on local vigilantes for security? And, not only that, even go further and see the pathetic end result of this serious mismanagement as a reason for going round the globe, cap in hand seeking for loan of $1bn to upgrade security.

Logically we should ask, if the Nigerian government could not secure the country with N1trn, how could it do so with N160bn? Is it not an insult to our collective sensibility that somebody could peg our intelligence meter level this low? Only recently the FG claimed to have ordered for 40 helicopters to help fight the ongoing insurgency in the country and the nation erupted in cheers. For God sake the government supposedly spent over N3trn in the last three years on security – or in the name of security.

What has it been buying all these years with the money? Personal private jets? Of course. With reports of this new passion for exotic private jets one need to ask.

ISSUES 35

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Victims Support Fund And The Imperative For United Action

By Zakari Liman

President Goodluck Jonathan arrived Washington Sunday for the US/ African Leaders’ Summit on the back of a successful fundraising dinner for victims of terrorism organised by the Victims Support Fund which is chaired by General T. Y. Danjuma (rtd).

President Jonathan and his colleagues join President Barak Obama for discussions that will hopefully lead to greater progress in expanding trade and investment ties, and more cooperation on peace and security. In the light of this, the 80 billion naira raised over the weekend in a collaborative effort between the government and the private sector would have served notice to the Forum that Nigeria is determined to win the war against terrorism.

President Jonathan will especially use the two special sessions on “Investing in Africa’s Future”and “Peace and Regional Stability” to drive home his key objectives of economic and security reforms.

In the former, he will no doubt emphasise the recent success of his administration’s economic policies which place Nigeria at pole position as the biggest economy in Africa. In the latter, the president will be sure to expouse the ideals of the Victim Support Fund, his new model of private/public sector cooperation in fighting terrorism, in the hope of raising more money for the cause.

It was therefore appropriate that the major event the president superintended before his crucial US trip was the fundraising dinner for victims of terrorism which took

place in the Villa last Thursday. The Victims Support Fund Committee under the chair of General Danjuma (rtd) had worked assiduously to mobilise support for the families of those who suffered horribly from the terror unleashed by Boko Haram and such extreme groups. Their effort has helped in rehabilitating the victims and changing the narrative of how Nigerians react to this phenomenal evil.

The president, in humbling himself to become the master of ceremony for the evening of that Dinner, ennobled the proceedings and showed how dear the event was to his heart. Everyone who saw that ceremony was touched by the efficient manner in which the president set the ball rolling and the deft way he handled the fundraising.

It was therefore no surprise that this maiden collaboration between the public sector and the private sector got up to such a roaring start. The quality of people in the Danjuma committee, their manifest integrity and enterprise stood them in good stead in the mind of the wider society and gave the group the cache it needed to garner the kind of moral and financial capital needed for this enterprise. Titans of the oil, banking and communication industry were practically falling over themselves to make very generous donations. The fundraising dinner also provided the president with another opportunity to showcase his political dexterity and natural charisma. In little time he was able to spur the gathering to reach deep into their conscience and plumb the depth of empathy. His donation of N10bn on behalf of the Federal

Jonathan

It was a pleasant surprise for Nigerians to see how the president was able to mobilise the business community to join the government in fighting this particular aspect of the war Government immediately set the bar on the seriousness of the issue at hand and the kind of response the president craved.

The remarkable Minister of Petroleum Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke led top executives and entrepreneurs in her sector to make the largest donation of the night, raising the biggest part of the bulk and cementing the reputation of players in the indigenous oil and gas sector as foremost allies in the

fight against terrorism.

The total evening haul was 80 billion in cash and pledges. As the president noted, the fight against terror is a many pronged war, requiring that efforts be deployed on many fronts. He warned that, “The fact that we are setting up a victims’ support fund does not mean we have accepted that terrorism is here to stay. No! Never!! Rather, this is just one of the short-term

measures in our overall strategy against the enemies of peace and progress.”

It was a pleasant surprise for Nigerians to see how the president was able to mobilise the business community to join the government in fighting this particular aspect of the war. It also served to give hope to Nigerians that the war against terror might yet be won if we come together to deploy our collective resources.

The president has demonstrated with his recent actions that he is willing to deploy everything in the fight against terrorism and that his administration will keep seeking innovative ways to tackle this menace. It is left to us as a people to give him all the support he needs by lining up behind him in this difficult war, providing relevant information to security agencies and lending a helping hand to victims of this horror.

As the president mentioned in his speech, the N5,000 sent in by one Uchenna Nnanna-Kalu to the Victims Support Fund was proof that Nigerians care about one another whatever the differences in ethnicity or religion, and the spirit of good neighbourliness is alive and thriving.

“The best we can do in this circumstance is to offer them a shoulder to lean on and to stretch out our hands of fellowship to them and tell them we feel their pains and share in their sorrow.” With one single gesture, the president and titans of the public and private sector, especially the indigenous oil sector, achieved more than words can say in the fight against terrorism.

– Liman contributed this piece from Abuja

Ribadu: The Beautiful Bride Courted By All

By Ibrahim Umar

For the APC, the ultimate choice, if they were to provide a credible person that can give the dominant PDP a run for its money, it would have to be Ribadu

An African proverb says that when a woman is exceptionally beautiful, she attracts the eyes of several suitors, and it is that suitor who possesses the most panache and material disposition that might win her heart. There comes a time in the life of a man when his ability and pedigree present scintillating attributes too good to resist by all and sundry.

This appears to be presently true of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who is currently being eyed by the two dominant political parties in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC), both trying to draft him to their sides as the race to occupy the seat of the Government House in Yola, Adamawa State, becomes more intense.

Ribadu, the former presidential candidate on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN), would certainly be the man to beat if he enters into the race under whatever platform to clinch the Adamawa governor’s seat vacated by the sacked governor Murtala Nyako for obvious reasons.

Among the deluge of attributes that make Ribadu thick, as the most sought after politician in the state at the moment, are his courage and drive. It is also the misfortune of Adamawa of not being lucky with good administration that makes the yearning for Ribadu even more deepening. To most people, he represents the needed new lease of life the state needs at this time.

He gained prominence during his heydays as the anti- corruption czar during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The fear of Ribadu was palpable as he bestrode the length and breadth of the nation catching corrupt politicians, businessmen, internet scammers, advance fee fraudsters and a wide range of financial fraudsters and sending them to face prosecution.

During Ribadu’s time at the EFCC, the haven of fraudsters was methodically dismantled, the politicians who stuck their filthy fingers on the treasury, were hammered into submission. He was effective as he was consistent.

Despite the calculated attempt to slant his war against corruption as a witch-hunt by some disgraced elements in the country, the distinguished lawyer proved to all who cared that the war was logical and anchored on transparency,

with enormous empirical validity.

His ability helped to launder the image of Nigeria then heavily trapped in the opprobrium of corruption among the comity of nations. The international community recognised his unprecedented efforts in fighting corruption in Nigeria such that he became a household name. He also bagged several domestic and international awards.

Even though his efforts were fraught with risks as most of the thieves in the country are known to be very dangerous elements, who could easily connive to take him out, he yet continued the dogged fight. The amount of money he saved for the country ran into billions of naira and Ribadu, despite having an opportunity to enrich himself, chose transparency and left office without any trail of corruption till this day.

It is not surprising that Ribadu had to enjoy these impressive credentials because if he had enriched himself with illicit funds, those who he brought down during his reign as the anti-corruption chief, would have mobilised their strength and financial power to hunt him. But he left no one in doubts with his honesty, integrity and a shining example of excellence.

It is these startling qualities of the

man that are now his greatest assets as he joins the bid for Adamawa governorship. For a state that suffered corruption hemorrhage for a very long time, the people are no longer trapped in the blind following of political parties, but rather their concern now is on individuals who can clean the malfeasance of yester-years and redirect the country unto a fresh path of progress. This is what the people see in Nuhu Ribadu.

For the APC, the ultimate choice, if they were to provide a credible person that can give the dominant PDP a run for its money, it would have to be Ribadu. The APC is on the verge of being silenced in the state and they recognise the strategic political asset Ribadu would be for the APC in their quest to bounce back from the brink.

The ousted governor, Nyako, tried to transpose the political fortunes of the state to the lap of the APC, yet lacked the tact and prudence to pursue such initiatives. His shortsightedness and some proportion of arrogance cost the party what may have been an opportunity. Now they are desperate to snatch power back from the PDP hawks, who have taken over.

– Umar wrote from Karewa GRA, Jimeta, Yola

36

labour matters Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Onyemenam

TOP LABOUR UNIONS IN NIGERIA

1. Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Umbrella body of local government workers in the country 2. National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Registered as the umbrella body of road transport workers in the country 3. Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) Registered as association of Non-academic staff of Nigerian university

Mdas: Eliminating Ghost Workers Through Identity Management Ghost employees, the idea of having people who do not work in organisations, being recorded on the payroll system became a syndrome in ministries, departments and parastaters, until recently when the federal government introduced the biometric identification registration. In this piece, Patience Ivie Ihejirika analyses the role of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and how it intends to enhance the effectiveness of existing identification data through the National Identity Number (NIN)

O

ver the years, ministries, departments and agencies in Nigeria have been characterised by ghost workers, which occur through illegal manipulation of the payroll system to defraud the government.

The ugly situation led the federal government into setting up a biometric identification registration at some payroll distribution centers throughout the country to accurately identify federal civil service employees and remove all Ghost workers from its payroll system.

Through this development, the federal government, in 2013 revealed that it had so far identified a worrisom number of ghost workers in its ministries, departments and agencies where it had introduced the system.

Inspite of this development, there are still indications that payroll fraud still exist in MDAs, especially among the MDAs where the system has not yet been introduced.

This challenge further brought the role of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to play, giving its mandate which is to provide an assured identity system in Nigeria through the concept of enrol once and be identified for life.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) was established by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 with the mandate to establish, own, operate, maintain and manage the National Identity Database in Nigeria, register persons covered by the Act, assign a Unique National Identification Number (NIN) and issue General Multi-Purpose Cards (GMPC) to those registered individuals, and to harmonize and integrate existing identification databases in Nigeria.

The commission is harmonising with other agencies collecting data in the country to ensure compliance to the approved biometric and demographic standard for data capture and collection The Director General of NIMC, Barr. Chris Onyemenam, has affirmed that the National Identity Management System (NIMS) will help check the issue around ghost workers, duplicate identity, counterfeiting and fraud related to identity theft.

Onyemenam stated this at a stakeholders’ workshop on the implementation of the Presidential directives on the alignment of data capture, identity verification and authentication activities in MDA’s under the harmonisation and integration implementation committee of the NIMS According to him, the National Identity Card is just one of the components of the NIMS, saying that the National Identity Number

(NIN) is the main component “The card is not your identity, it is only part of your identity data.

Your identity is the NIN because with the number, you can gain access to every thing that has been stored in the data about you, if harmonized,” he said.

NIN is a non-intelligent set of numbers assigned to an individual upon successful enrolment.

The commission had said that enrolment consist of the recording of an individual demography data and caption of the ten (10) fingerprint, head-to-shoulder facial picture and digital signature, which are all used to cross check existing data in the National Identity Database to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data, adding that once the process is completed, the data is then stored with a unique NIN that was assigned to it, and that the NIN, once issued to a person cannot be issued again Also speaking at the stakeholders workshop, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, had said that the NIN exercise carried out by NIMC will enhance the country’s socio-economic development and crime control if all the MDAs key into the project.

Senator Anyim who was represented by Dr. Fedinard Agu, S.A to the president, office of the SGF, said “the integration of diverse data capture process and seemingly ubiquitous data base in MDA’s is an idea whose time is overdue.

“Deploying a seamless system of identity data capture and its management in a unique manner has become a national challenge.

Therefore, it must be addressed properly”.

According to him, with sophisticated modern technology and a competitive global environment, Nigeria as a global player has no choice but to use identity management as a reliable too of accelerating socio-economic development.

Anyim urged all MDAs and the commission to ensure compliance so as to meet up with the December deadline giving to the commission.

FEDUP Empower Rural Women Through WBG Initiative

By Michael oche, Abuja

The FEDUP association has said one of the most effective ways to fight poverty in the country is through the empowerment of rural women.

Speaking in Abuja, during the lunch of women Wholesale Buying Group (WBG), an initiative by the organisation to create direct contact for women going into business with the manufacturer of products, the

FEDUP association president, James Ogah said the association hopes to empower more women to be self-reliant.

He explained that the initiative is in partnership with Gems4, a DFID (Department for International Development) and World Bank project aimed towards empowering women in the country.

The group is targeting over 500 women in the FCT and is

collaborating with Fortis bank as well as other financial institution to provide soft loans for the women.

He explained that through the initiative, women will be able to have access to products at cheaper rates so as to enhance their profit margin and make them selfsustained in life Also speaking, Emeka Eluemunor, the Gems4 monitoring and evaluation lead described the

Nigeria have been characterised by ghost workers, which occur through illegal manipulation of the payroll system to defraud the government

initiative as laudable, stressing that it will reduce the stress the women undergo in the hands of middlemen.

He said, “Through research, we were able to identify some of the challenges these women go though in the hands of middlemen. But with this initiative, they are able to get direct access to manufacturing, giving them more chances of making more profit”

politics today Tuesday, August 5, 2014

37

REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS

Gombe N20bn Bond A Step In The Right Direction – Hon Kalba

Hon Adamu Gora Kalba is the special adviser to the Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, on inter government and multilateral partnership. In this interview with DANIEL UDECHUKWU, the two-term House of Representatives member shares his thought on the milestone achievements of the state government.

formations in the state and treats every information accordingly.

Also, security has to do more with the people in the community. He created vigilante groups in every community that monitors the entrant and exit of persons in these communities. As a result, they monitor the movement of any stranger in the community to ensure that his or her mission is genuine.

He got the traditional rulers and every resident of each community involved because as we all know, security is everybody’s business, not leaving it to the security forces alone.

People in a community can identify their neighbours and therefore report any suspicious movement.

In addition, he has invested a lot to achieve this feat.

One of the identified causes of insurgency in the region includes low level of education.

What is the government doing to address the situation?

Kalba How is life outside the chambers of the National Assembly?

Life has been normal. It’s like I’m on a break. I have enough time for myself to do some personal businesses and I do politicking at a very relaxed mood without any form of pressure.

Given another opportunity, would you want serve your people in the same capacity you served before?

Well with politics, once you are there, you are there. You may want to remain there. However, you cannot say what happens next and it can be tempting. But for now I’m watching and waiting.

As the special adviser to the governor of Gombe State on inter government and multilateral partnership, what are your landmark achievements so far?

As the SA to the governor on inter government and multi-

lateral partnership, I have been able to embark on a project with other international donors for empowerment programme for communities in the state.

Although I’m still new in office, I have a blueprint on major projects I intend embarking on to move our dear state to greater heights.

Gombe State, as one of the states geographically located in the North East region of Nigeria, is relatively peaceful compared to other states in that region. What measures have the governor put in place to achieve this feat?

As you rightly stated, Gombe State is one of the peaceful states looking at the level of insurgency in the region. We thank Allah for giving us peace in the state.

Secondly, the governor of the state, His Excellency Dr Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, has been very proactive on issues of insecurity in the state. He liaises with security

Truly, it is part of the problem and poverty especially but my governor has been doing tremendously well in that direction. Gombe is one of the new states in the country but as at today, when you go to all the schools in the state you will be marvelled at the level of facilities in these schools. He has doubled the number of secondary institutions in the state. We have a state university and a federal university.

He created a school of basic studies that would prepare our students for their degree programme after their O Level exams.

He has revived the scholarship scheme that has been less effective before now. Our students both at home and abroad are being paid their scholarships promptly.

He has employed over 20,000 teachers who are NCE holders for the basic primary education in the state. He has established several boarding secondary schools modelled with befitting facilities across the state. Each of these schools has a maximum of 40 students in each classroom in accordance to UNICEF standard.

Coming to poverty alleviation, the first lady of the state has been awesome. She has a foundation that trains and empowers the women folk in the state.

Also, the governor has a project that provides soft loans for medium and small scale entrepreneurs.

In the transportation sector, he bought a lot of commercial vehicles that are given to the youths of the state through the Gombe State Leasing Company.

Gombe State used to be a state with large number of school dropouts who are called the Kalari

boys. But today, over 10,000 of them have been trained through a school he created. They are fully engaged in community-based activities like sanitary work, traffic control and so on. These have reduced the rate of crime in the state.

The government of your state of which you are part of sometimes ago entered into a bond worth 20 billion naira with a foreign financial institution and that has raised a lot of eyebrow especially from the opposition. How would you defend such action?

Well in every government, be it local, state or federal, governance is not run in isolation. You need to source funds to run your programme at a returnable low interest rate. To me it’s a good step in the right direction.

The bond has started yielding revenue for the government because the governor embarked on projects that would yield revenue for the state now, and in the future.

Like the international conference centre is almost complete and would soon be commissioned; a five-star hotel that is fully in operation; an international airport and a motor park of international standard because Gombe is the commercial centre of the region.

The motor park has a market, hospital and a police station within its premises.

The governor used part of the money to open up every part of the state with good road network system. His first project was to create access roads that link the rural communities with the urban centres. There is no local government area in the state that is not linked with tarred roads.

As I’ve earlier, stated the loan was well thought out and it will pay itself within the stipulated period as contained in the MoU. How is your party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party, faring in the state?

Gombe State is a PDP state and is the stronghold of the party in the country. The party is waxing stronger in the state because the opposition have been submerged by the PDP. Come 2015, Gombe State will be delivered to the PDP government.

I can assure you that the governor has delivered on all of the promises he made to the electorate during his campaign. The people of the state will have no reason not to vote PDP because the governor had delivered on his promises and will continue to consolidate on his achievements.

Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor

We have a state university and a federal university.

He created a school of basic studies that would prepare our students for their degree programme after their O Level exams

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senate diary

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Niger East Senatorial Elections: The Contenders JONATHAN NDA - ISAIAH writes about the upcoming bye-election for Niger East senatorial seat scheduled to hold on August 16, with emphasis on the contenders and their chances of clinching victory.

Umaru

Zagbayi

All the gladiators are set to slug it out; David Umaru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Shem Zagbayi Nuhu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the front runners until last week when Hon Abdullahi Musa threw his hat into the ring to join the contest under the same platform, thus ending PDP’s plan to field a consensus candidate.

Musa

A

ll eyes will be on Niger State on August 16 for the Niger East senatorial byeelection which is to fill the vacant seat left by the demise of Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta who passed away on June 12, this year after a protracted illness. All the gladiators are set to slug it out; David Umaru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Shem Zagbayi Nuhu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the front runners. Zabagyi was the consensus candidate of the PDP

David Umaru ( APC) David Umaru is considered by many as the favourite to win the seat due to his overwhelming popularity in the senatorial zone.

He is known as a grassroots politician who enjoys the support of the people in the rural areas. He has contested the governorship elections twice, in 2007 and 2011, under the All Nigeria Peoples Party and lost amidst allegations by many in the state that he won the last elections but was rigged out by the PDP. Since then, he has been the leading light and the face of opposition in the state. The Niger East senatorial zone is dominated by the Gwaris and he is seen as the

one to champion the cause of the Gwari people in the Senate.

After consulting far and wide with the stakeholders in the state, David Umaru decided to shelve his ambition to run the state and settle for the Senate.

As if to answer the questions posed by his change of heart, he said while declaring his intention to contest, “I am listening to the people and you know the call is above party line, so people’s decision matters a lot. This call for me to contest is coming from people, not about party, but about people and whatever they say is okay by me.”

According to him, there has been pressure on him since the death of Senator Dahiru Aweisu Kuta to contest for the bye-election, hence his decision to run for the Senate, only for the service to the people.

“Wherever late Senator Dahiru is today, he will be happy that I accepted the call of the people because based on our discussions when he was alive, I know he would have supported the decision to go after the desire of the people”.

However, Umar has a fierce battle ahead of him, especially due to the fact that Niger State has always been in the hands of the ruling party PDP since 1999 and the party may be leaving no stone unturned in its bid to retain the seat. While that may be adjudged to be a weakness, his popularity with the electorate may be his biggest strength which may swing in his favour.

Shem Nuhu Zagbayi( PDP) Shem Zagbayi is a former deputy governor under Engr Kure’s administration in Niger State. A popular pharmacist in the state,he has also made his intention known and was the sole candidate of the PDP before Hon Musa declared his intention to contest under the PDP. He has been commissioner in the state several times and is regarded as a versatile politician.

He was favoured to succeed Kure as governor in 2007 but was schemed out by the zoning arrangement that was operational then. It was alleged by many that he was schemed out by virtue of being a Christian in a state that has never been ruled by a christian in a democratic regime.

Out in the cold due to the political calculations in Niger State, he has made his intention known to contest for the Niger East senatorial seat. However his weakness going to the elections is that he is not seen as one who can champion the cause of the Gwaris.

He was accused of not impacting on the lives of his people when he

was the deputy governor. It’s no secret that the governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu is nursing the ambition of being a senator and Zabagyi is seen in some quarters as a stooge seeking to hold forte for the governor till next year. This may be his Achilles heel going to this elections.

Hon Abdullahi Musa( PDP) Former member of the Federal House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, Hon Abdullahi Musa, is a late entrant to the race.

The former lawmaker last week officially presented a letter to the officials of the PDP in Minna, challenging the adoption of Dr Zagbayi as a consensus candidate and declaring his interest for the Senate seat as the most qualified candidate. He touted his experience as been above all of the interested members in all the parties as a former House of Representatives member.

He urged the party to allowed a fair playing ground for every candidate who is interested in contesting for the exalted position in the zone even as he charged the party to revisit the procedures been followed in order to allow democracy to reign in the party and produce a candidate by the will of majority of the people.

There are fears that he was sponsored by General Ibrahim Babangida to scuttle the consensus arrangement, an allegation he debunked, saying, “I am not sponsored by anybody. I am an independent person for those who know me, though I am close to IBB, he is a father to me and I used to consult him on my issues. Even though I consulted him and he told me not to run because people will abuse him for my emergence, I told him to bless me on my mission and that was all.”

The party’s acting chairman in the state, Barrister Tanko Beji welcomed his declaration, saying, “you are welcome home. With the emergence of Hon. Abdullahi Musa the issue of consensus candidate by the party has been dislodged because he is from this zone, a PDP member and has the right to contest for the exalted position from the zone.”

He also assured him that the party will do right to ensure that the most acceptable and marketable candidate will emerge at the primary election which he said must hold within this week.

Beji stated that the party has no option other than to go for primaries, reiterating that it will be conducted in a free and fair manner.

39

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

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Tuesday, August 5, 2014

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Tuesday, August 5, 2014

To a poliTical

legend @

81 ChIef TonY

AnenIh

Chairman PdP Board of Trustees (The Iyasele of Esanland) The management and staff of Sharon Petroluem nigeria ltd heartily felicitate with the Iyasele of esanland, Chief Tony Anenih as he turns 81.

Signed:

Your selfless attributes, exemplary leadership, treasured counsel and outstanding qualities has distinguished you from you peers.

You have contributed in no small measure to the growth and development of our fatherland, nigeria.

SOLOMON EHIZOGIE (group Managing director)

SHARON PETROLEUM NIG. LTD

We pray god Almighty to keep you in good health and sound mind to continue to contribute to our democracy.

congraTulaTions!

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Tuesday, August 5, 2014

43

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, NIGERIA SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES http://spgs.unilag.edu.ng

ADMISSIONS TO POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES 2014/2015 SESSION The School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos – University of First Choice and the Nation’s Pride, a leading, reputable first generation institution for postgraduate education and research in Africa, situated in the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, hereby invites applications from suitably qualified candidates from recognized institutions for admission into Postgraduate programmes of the University in the 2014/2015 Session, namely: • Postgraduate Diploma Programmes (PGD) • Masters Degree Programmes (i.e. M.Sc., M.Ed., M.A., LL.M, etc) • Professional Masters Degree Programmes (i.e. MBA, MILD, MILR, MPH, MDSS, MPIA, MPA, MGIS, etc) • Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programmes There is flexibility in the mode of study with Full-Time, Part-Time, Executive and Sandwich options as applicable.

GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION 1.

Visit the School of Postgraduate Studies website (http://spgs.unilag.edu.ng), click on the “2014/2015 Application” for full information on the Application.

2.

Sale of Application Forms commences on Tuesday, 5th August, 2014 and ends on Tuesday, 30th September, 2014.

3.

Completed Application Forms are to be submitted online not later than Friday, 3rd October, 2014.

4.

Application Form fee: N22,500 (Twenty-Two Thousand, Five Hundred Naira only) .

5.

Payment can be made through any branch of the designated banks below: • ACCESS BANK Plc • ECOBANK Plc • FIRST BANK Plc • GUARANTY TRUST BANK Plc • UNION BANK Plc • UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA Plc • WEMA BANK Plc • ZENITH BANK Plc 6.

7.

8.

Kindly note the following: • Candidates are advised to read carefully the requirements for their desired programmes to confirm eligibility.

• Applicants are advised to check the available programmes online before applying.

• Candidates awaiting Bachelor’s degree results, Nigerian citizens who have not completed the National Youth Service Corps assignments or are currently undergoing Postgraduate programmes are not eligible • Holders of Degrees obtained from Outreach/Satellite campuses are not eligible.

• Every applicant is required to upload all certificates listed in the application form, such as: • Degree Certificates (Not Statement of Results) • NYSC Certificate • Professional Certificates • All Academic Transcripts must reach the Secretary, School of Postgraduate Studies on or before the beginning of registration.

• All M.Phil/Ph.D. candidates are required to contact the relevant department for availability of Supervisors/vacancies before applying.

• Please check for the dates of Qualifying Examinations/Interviews at the University of Lagos, School of Postgraduate Studies Website http://spgs.unilag.edu.ng Applicants will be required to print the completed Application Form and Photo Card. These will be required for submission at the examination/interview venue.

Candidates are required to LAMINATE their Photo Card after printing.

For further information, please contact: Deputy Registrar/Administrative Secretary, School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos, Yaba, Lagos.

E-mail: ict@unilagspgs.edu.ng DR. (MRS.) TAIWO F. IPAYE MNIM Registrar and Secretary to Council

Tuesday, August 5, 2014 44 PHOTO news Scenes from the 8th day Fidau prayer for the late Alhaji Rasheed Olatidoye Durodoye at Government Technical College, Osogbo, Osun State PHOTOS: BENEDICT UWALAKA.

L-R: Grandson, Master Ibrahim Durodoye; daughter, Little Fareedah; Group Executive Director, LEADERSHIP Group/deceased son, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye; his wife, Safiya; Master Kazeem Durodoye Jr. and Fuad Durodoye.

Male children of the late Durotoye with Imam and alfas.

The Imam praying for the children of the deceased.

L-R: Mrs Janet Kannike and Asipa Balogun of Ologuneru of Ibadan Land, Chief Olufemi Kannika.

L-R: Alhaja Wola Shittu and Chief Executive Director, Ibrish Petroleum, Alhaji Isiaka Shittu.

L-R: Mrs Adenike Adesola Adeduntan and Executive Director, FirstBank of Nigeria Plc, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan.

L-R: Group Executive Director, LEADERSHIP Group, Mr. Michael Okpere; Group Executive Director, LEADERSHIP Group/deceased son, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye; his wife, Safiya; and Director, Southern Operations, LEADERSHIP Group Mr. Ademola Oladosu.

L-R: Executive Director, LEADERSHIP Group/deceased son, Dr. Kazeem Durodoye and Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

45

46 news

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

2014 Guber Poll:

Osundecides

Saturday, August 9

Osun Students Endorse Aregbesola For Omisore Promises Gainful Employment Second Term For Osun Youths

The re-election bid of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State got a boost yesterday with the support of students of all the tertiary institutions in Osun State under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), Osun axis.

The students at a rally held in Osogbo yesterday passed a vote of confidence on Aregbesola and endorsed him for a second term in office.

The students noted that the decision to support Governor Aregbesola, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Saturday’s election, was based on the numerous achievements of Aregbesola since his assumption of office.

NANS chairman, in the state, Samuel Awowole who

addressed the students at the rally, maintained that no student group in the state had endorsed any other candidate, saying Aregbesola is the choice of the students of Osun State.

He cited the achievements of the Aregbesolaled administration in the education sector, which he said placed him above other contestants in the state.

The student leader said Aregbesola scored above every other contestant in the rating of the students, and that he deserved a second term.

He urged all the students and their parents to support Aregbesola in his desire to rule the state for the second term.

Awowole who cautioned the students against “stomach infrastructure” hinted that the state gov-

Aregbesola

ernment has committed more resources into the education sector than any previous administration in the state.

The students, who converged on the popular Olaiya junction, trekked en masse to Okefia, sensitizing the people on the need to vote right, during and after the August 8 governorship election in the state.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the August 9 gubernatorial election in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has again pledged his commitment to provide gainful employment for youths if elected governor of the state.

According to him, the employment that would be provided by his administration will be backed by employment letters that would guarantee required benefit for civil servants.

Addressing party supporters at Ibokun in Obokun local government in continuation of his community-to-community campaign tour of the state, Omisore said his administration would focus on the welfare of the people of Osun.

“I will ensure that gainful employment and wealth

creation are given a pride of place in my administration, ” he said. “Job creation will be my focus and made attractive to job seekers in terms of remuneration and allowances.

“No sane parent will be happy to have a child he has invested so much on his education become dependent on him.

“I have consulted widely before coming up with my 8 point agenda that would alleviate poverty and bring democracy dividends to the door step of the people.”

He further said that the artisans, market men and women and other categories of people would benefit from the empowerment scheme that had already started with the Omisore Youth Support Forum.

The governorship candi-

Omisore

date also assured the people of Ibokun that he would give the ancient town a face-lift that will make it attractive for investment by industrialists.

The campaign moved from Ibokun to Ikinyinwa-Ijesa, Ilase, Iponda, Olorunda, Ilowa, Idominasi, Ibala all in Obokun local government area of the state.

Stories by Joshua Dada, Osogbo

south-west Osun: MURIC Warns Against Arrest, Detention Of Opposition Leaders Ahead of the Saturday governorship election in Osun State, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) yesterday warned against the arrest and detention of perceived leaders of opposition political parties.

MURIC’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, in a statement, called on the federal government to resist the temptation to use all powers at its disposal to secure victory at all costs in the Osun gubernatorial election.

It also advised the security agencies to manifest the height of professionalism in the discharge of their duties, particularly during this coming election, just as he charged the electorate in Osun to be peaceful, orderly and law-abiding.

It urged the civil society to stand up and be counted in the conduct of Osun 2014 polls before, during and after the election.

Osun State will hold its gubernatorial election on Saturday, but there are claims of massive deployment of security agents to the state.

About 900 agents of the Department of State Security (SSS) were allegedly moved to the state last week alone.

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

short news

Oyinlola Joins APC Today

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Former national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, will today at the Osun State township stadium, Osogbo, formally declare for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Confirming his intention to our correspondent during a telephone chat yesterday, the former governor of the state who governed under the umbrella of PDP simply stated that: “you will get the action tomorrow (today).”

When probed further on the development, he repeated: “You will get the action tomorrow, I

can confirm to you that it is true”.

It was gathered that several efforts made by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yielded dividend when Oyinlola finally succumbed to efforts made to woo him into the party.

The former governor, who had earlier discussed with all his political supporters across the length and breadth of the state on his decision to quit the PDP for APC, was given a go-ahead and promised support at the rally.

LEADERSHIP can authoritatively report that the former national secretary and some of his political associates took the de-

cision to dump PDP for APC last Saturday where marathon meetings were reportedly held at Okuku, the country home of Oyinlola.

Informed sources hinted that the meetings which were held in sessions lasted several hours before they finally concluded to move en masse from PDP to APC. LEADERSHIP recalls that the national leaders of APC, including the national chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun, Atiku Abubakar, Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu, Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola, River State governor, Rotimi Amachi and other political big wigs within the party visited Oyinlola at his country home during Easter period.

2015: PDP Chieftain Warns Guber Aspirants Against Ethnic Sentiment

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Commissioner for Commerce in Oyo State, Dr Kola Balogun, yesterday warned party’s governorship aspirants for the 2015 election against parochial, ethnic and zonal sentiment.

Speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, he said that the call made by some aspirants that the party’s

flag bearer in the election should come from the Ibadan zone was undemocratic.

He said that the state comprises five zones, namely Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun, Oyo and Ibarapa, and argued that the governor could be picked from any of the zones.

“I am an original Ibadan man and I believe in collectivity, likewise equity. A particular zone cannot lay claim to the state as long as the governor is not going to be that

of a zone.

“A democratic primary must be held to produce a popular and generally accepted candidate irrespective of the zone the person hails from. The party won in Ekiti because a popular candidate that emerged from a primary election was presented,” he said.

Balogun said that the party was not opposed to everyone expressing their constitutional rights but it must not be on zonal sentiment.

Osun Election: APC Mandates Members To Report In Osun The All Progressives Congress (APC) has mandated all its elected members at state and national levels to converge on Osun from today and remain in the state until Saturday’s gubernatorial election, as a way of showing the party’s unalloyed support for incumbent governor Rauf Aregbesola.

In a statement issued in Osogbo yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the directive also covered all political appointees in states under the control of the APC, especially aides and commissioners.

By George Okojie, Lagos

news Lagos 47

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Lawmaker Tasks CPA On Using Legislative Duties To Promote Democracy A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Muyiwa Jimoh has urged the members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to use legislative duties to promote Africa’s democracy.

Jimoh told newsmen at the 45th Africa Region Conference Arusha, in Tanzania that “it should be a platform for African reform, a platform in which great leaders of Africa such as Julius Nyerere had demonstrated.

“We should go back to the basis and legislative fundamentals of Africa to see how we can use our legislative duties to promote Africa. The continent has slept for too long, we are behind.

“This should be a platform to champion our course collectively for us to succeed collectively,” he said.

Brg. Moeng Pheto, a Botswana lawmaker, also said that Africa should redefine its position and tackle the challenges facing them.

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani,

Lagos NHRC Protests Impeachment Plan Against Al-Makura

By George Okojie, Lagos

Members of the Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC) on Monday took to the streets of Lagos State in large numbers to protest the Nasarawa State House of Assembly’s plot to impeach Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

The right groups, who expressed displeasure over the state of the nation, added that they were

particularly disturbed by the development.

The protest, which also had members of the Northern Youth Coalition (NOYCO) and the United Middle-belt Youth Congress (UMBYC) in attendance, saw the protesters singing solidarity songs along the streets before getting to the office of the Lagos State governor.

The protesters were told by security officers attached at

the gate that the governor and members of the state executive council were holding their weekly council meeting.

Speaking on behalf of the group ,president of the Coalition of Nigeria Civil Rights Group, Kehinde Adegbuyi, said they were in Alausa to present a letter to Governor Fashola for onward transmission to President Goodluck Jonathan.

The letter titled: “The State of

the Nation: We Must Prevent a Slide from the Cliff”, was signed by Dr. Akinbola Ojo, Adewale Adeoye, Kehinde Adegbuyi, Samuel Olorunwa and Mohammed Kudu Abubakar.

In the letter, read by Adegbuyi, the group called on President Jonathan to prevail on Nasarawa lawmakers to resist attempts by some persons to lure them into acting against the wish of the people of the state.

short news TELL, Dennis Aleroh To Launch “100 World Class Nigerians”

CIAPS Announces Wole Soyinka Arts Exhibition Panel The Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS) has nominated Nigerian journalist and arts critic, Steve Ayorinde to chair this year’s CIAPS Arts Festival.

The CIAPS 2014 Arts Festival is an arts exhibition dedicated to the life and works of the writer and playwright, Wole Soyinka.

The event dubbed “WS in Arts”, slated for the last week of September 2014, will take place at CIAPS and will feature artists and students of Arts from Nigeria and other African and European countries.

Mr Steve Ayorinde will be chairing an international panel made up of arts critics, academics, artists, art dealers and art lovers that will evaluate and award prizes to the works of exhibiting artists. Interested artists have till 30 August to submit their works. The event will show case paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography etc. on themes from books, poems, plays and essays of Wole Soyinka.

Other members of the panel are Prof. Roberto Francavilla (Italy), Prof. Inocência Mata (Portugal), Dr Katarina Kort (Germany), Dr Sandra Rowe (USA), Clarence Peters (Nigeria) and Frances Trought (UK). The exhibition is managed by scholars and students of CIAPS as part of their professional training.

By Samson Echenim, Lagos

Commuters in the rain at Oshodi, Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO BY GBENGA OLAJOBI

Flooding: Lagos Intensifies Clearing Of Drains

By GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

As Lagos State experiences heavy rainfall, the state government on Monday said it has intensified its programme to avert flooding in the state.

The commissioner for Environment in the state, Tunji Bello, disclosed this to journalists, adding that other strategies consisting of pre-rain, mid-rain and post-rain clearing mechanism have continued to provide relief to Lagosians despite severe rains recorded around the state within the last one month.

He said, “The state government has been able to achieve this feat through intensification of its mid-

rain cleaning and maintenance programme which has reduced the incidence of flooding, unlike the incessant flooding being experienced in other states of the federation.

Bello explained that the state government had kept faith with its de-flooding programme which had been sustained by the Babatunde Raji Fashola-led administration and has continued to yield positive results across the state.”

The commissioner noted that despite the fact it had rained persistently in the last one month, the state haw not recorded massive flooding and destruction of property that used to accompany past rainy seasons in the state.

Bello explained that maintenance of primary channels, secondary and tertiary drains was carried out on 108 drains totalling 107,350.00m across the state.

“In Agege LGA 7 number drains of 4,438.00m were routinely maintained; 3 channels of 4,034m were maintained in Ajeromi Ifelodun, while a total of 8,671m channels were maintained in Alimosho LGA, among others,” he said.

Bello emphasised that as the peak of the rainy season begins, Lagosians should cooperate with the state government by participating actively in cleaning of drainage channels in their immediate environment in order to allow for easy passage of storm water.

In an effort to entrench the unique Nigerian culture of rising above challenges of life and further the most of daunting circumstances, Tell Communications Limited, publishers of Tell Magazinen in partnership with Dennis Aleroh Company Limited, have concluded arrangement to publish a landmark book titled “100 World Class Nigerians”.

According to the publishers, the book will showcase Nigerians who through dedication to their calling and a dint of hard work, have made their mark in their various fields of endeavour, as well as the value that drives them.

By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

Lagos Begins Vacation Courses For Students

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

The Lagos state government has put together a 5-week intensive science vacation course for secondary school students in the state during the long vacation period.

The state commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladun-

joye, who disclosed this explained that the course which will be held in 217 centres across the six education districts of the state from Monday, 4th August through Friday, 5th September, 2014 is aimed at channelling the energies of students into productive ventures during the long vacation period.

“The training is also meant to improve their skills and perfor-

mances in sciences as well as sustain their interests in science subjects”, she said.

The commissioner pointed out that senior secondary school students will be tutored in Agricultural Science, Chemistry, Computer Studies/ICT, Biology, English Language, Further Mathematics, Mathematics and Physics while junior secondary school

students will be taught in Agricultural Science, Basic Science, Basic Technology, Computer Studies/ICT, English language and Mathematics.

She then enjoined parents and guardians to take advantage of the opportunity and enrol their children/wards at all of the designated centres in the six education districts in the state.

48 news south-South south-East INEC Warns Against Double Registration, Sensitises Deltans On Electoral Act Ahead of 2015 general elections, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday took a swipe at electoral offenders, warning that double registration attracts punishment under the Electoral Act of 2010.

The resident electoral commissioner in Delta State, Dame Gesila Khan, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Asaba explained that the commission is not unaware that between the last voters’ registration in 2011 and 2014, a lot of people have changed residences from one state to another.

Stressing that those who have relocated for one registration area (electoral ward) within the same local government area to another in the same state should apply for either interstate, inter-ward, intra-ward, inter-LGA or intraLGA transfer of their voters’ card to other places of domicile.

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Insecurity: A/Ibom Govt Dispels Threat Of Boko Haram Attack

By Bernard Tolani Dada,Uyo

Akwa Ibom State government has dispelled rumours making the rounds in the state of possible attack on the people by Boko Haram.

A statement issued by the state commissioner for information and communication, Mr. Aniekan Umana and made available to newsmen yesterday in Uyo said that the rumour was unfounded but urged the people to be more security conscious.

Dispelling the rumours, the commissioner said the need for vigilance by all and sundry became necessary against the backdrop of unconfirmed text messages allegedly sent by members of the terror group to individuals, news organisations and security agencies in the state.

According to him, the text messages have become subjects of investigations by security agencies who were already working to authenticate their true source(s) and motives, with

a view to dealing with the perpetrators in the best possible ways.

He maintained that the police and other agencies charged with the responsibility of ensuring security in the state would not lower safety measures and surveillance activities, which have always been kept on red alert to forestall any breach of the prevailing peace in public and private places.

Mr Umanah who called on residents to promptly report individuals and groups whose

activities they suspect could be inimical to the peace of the state, emphasised that, “Providing useful information to security agents is a basic responsibility of every patriotic citizen.”

He assured everyone in the state of continuous safety, as “the government of Governor Godswill Akpabio is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of all law-abiding citizens, notwithstanding their race or creed, and remains unwavering in the protection of lives and properties.

short news Jonathan Promoting Environmental Terrorism In Ogoniland – Mosop

Okorocha Expreseses Commitment To Tackle Erosion

The governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has restated his resolve to rid the state of erosion menace.

Okorocha stated this while inspecting the ongoing construction of drainage within the Works Layout and Amakohia areas of the capital city, Owerri.

The governor, who recalled that erosion had remained a major challenge in those areas, pointed out that a number of houses are daily threatened as a result of several years of neglect and lack of attention by previous administrations.

He stated that the his government has embarked on construction of drainages within the Works Layout and through Imo State University to Amakohia which he assured will be channeled to the Nworie River.

By Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Farmers Ask FG To Complete Silos Project In Bayelsa Farmers in Bayelsa State yesterday called on the state and federal government to return to site and complete the ongoing silos centre for farmers in the state.

The farmers,under the aegis of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN),said though the project sited in the Bayelsa State capital was commendable, the refusal of the federal government to compel the contractors to finish the work is disappointing and sad.

The office manager of AFAN, Mr Chris Itonyo, said the importance of silos to farm products cannot be over-emphasised and disclosed that the centre was yet to be established in Bayelsa State.

By Osa Okhomina,Yenagoa

Participants at the Eastern Delat Women’s Convention in Port Harcourt, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN.

PDP Led Assembly Declares APC Lawmaker’s Seat Vacant ByPatrick Ochoga, Benin City

Edo State House of Assembly yesterday declared the Esan central seat occupied by Hon Victor Edoror, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member who decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in February this year, vacant as it asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to begin the process of conducting a fresh election to fill the vacant seat.

This is coming barely one week after the APC controlled faction of the assembly declared vacant the seat of Hon Razak Momoh who defected to the PDP saying his defection never followed due process.

The Hon Festus Ebea, led PDP assembly at plenary sitting said the declaration and the advice to INEC was informed by Edoror’s violation of the relevant sections of the1999 Constitution.

He referred to the explanation by Hon Emma Okoduwa, the House leader who said Edoror’s defection was a negation of the constitution which says the party must be in crisis and factionalised adding that the PDP in Esan central and Edo State as well as the national level was not in crisis and not factionalised.

It therefore concluded that the lawmaker desired to be axed from the House.

The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has accused the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of promoting environmental terrorism in Ogoniland in Rivers State by refusing to implement the report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Ogoni environment.

This is as the panOgoni socio-cultural organisation, has declared August 4 every year as Ogoni Environment Day. , to create awareness of the environment degradation in Ogoniland as highlighted in the report of a global body like UNEP.

By Anayo Onukwugha, Port

Uduaghan Frowns At Delta Steel Coy’s Sacking Of Heads Of Hospital, School

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has frowned at the action of the new management of Delta Steel Company (DSC), Ovwian-Aladja, over its alleged arbitrary sacking of the heads of DSC Hospital and DSC Technical High School.

Governor Uduaghan who described the action as “wicked, insensitive and inhuman” has threatened to petition the man-

agement to President Goodluck Jonathan, the National Assembly and the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

Dr. Uduaghan receiving the Senate Committee on Privitisation said that staff of the two institutions was doing good jobs despite several months of unpaid salaries.

According to him, the state government felt concerned about the plight of the workers and decided to assist them with

stipends equivalent of their salaries for which the new management of DSC suspended the heads.

“Before Aladja was sold the workers there were not being paid especially in the area of education and in the area of health. We had workers who were working in the hospital for years they were not being paid. Teachers who were teaching in the school were not being paid. But the school was still do-

ing very well; it was one of the best schools.

“When I visited I found out that these workers were not being paid but they were doing very well. I said as a state since most of the people they teach and treat are our children we felt that we could assist them with some stipends which is equivalent to their salaries until a new management takes over and they start to pay them salary.

news NATIONAL 49

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Nigerian Youths seek 30% Affirmative Action

Abia Assembly Recommends Sack Of CJ Over Release Of Suspects

As the 2015 elections draw closer, Nigerian youths have called on the federal government and various political parties to avail the youth of 30 per cent affirmative action in both elective and appointive positions.

National Coordinator, Youth Alliance on Constitution and Electoral Reform (YACORE) Abdurrahman Hamisu, made the call at the launch of the South East Popularization of the Nigerian Youth Agenda on Political participation which started in Enugu yesterday.

The two-day workshop supported by the Democratic Governance for Democracy is a joint fund with contributions from the European Union (EU), UK Development for International Development (DFiD), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the United Nations Development, (UNDP).

Giving an overview of the Nigerian Youth Agenda on Political Participation, Hamisu said, “Towards ensuring youth participation in the nations electoral processes, there was the need to ensure that Nigerian youths are availed 30% affirmative action in both elective and appointive positions while ensuring that political party structures and administrative processes reserve 30% youth positions in the 2015 and other subsequent elections.”

By Matthias Nwogu, Umuahia

The Abia State House of Assembly has recommended the removal of the state’s Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Nnenna Otti, for releasing some suspects during a recent amnesty for certain suspects at the Umuahia prisons. Otti was just sworn in as CJ barely four months ago.

The Assembly passed the resolution for Otti’s removal, following a petition by Mr. Gideon Nwamuo that some of the sus-

pects released by Otti allegedly took part in the recent assassination of the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Kenneth Nwosu. The resolution was supported by 18 members, while one member was absent. Nwosu was assassinated shortly after the suspects were released from detention.

The petition captioned ‘Act of the Abia State Chief Judge likely to compound the security situation in Abia state of Nigeria, was read at the floor of the State

before it or sent representatives, the state Chief Judge ignored the invitation.

In its findings, the committee observed that the administration of the Justice Committee in the state was not functional, which has led to the gradual resurgence of crime in the state.

It, therefore, recommended that since the Chief Judge of the state failed to appear before the committee, “she is deemed to have admitted the fact contained in the petition.”

House of Assembly , which then set up an ad hoc committee, headed by the Leader of the House, Hon. Chidiebere Nwoke, to investigate. The committee, which was given one week to report back to the House, invited the Chief Judge, the Commissioner of Police, the Attorney General of the State and Chairman of the state branch the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to appear before it.

Presenting its report to the House, the Committee said that while all those invited appeared

short news ‘SURE-P Provides 50,000 Graduates Job Under GIS’

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Enugu

FRSC Considers Partnership With Rwanda On Road Safety Management The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is considering a partnership with the Rwandan government in its desire to build capacity further entrench safer road use in the continent.

This was disclosed by the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, during an advocacy visit by the outgoing Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Joseph Habineza, on Monday.

Oyeyemi said that the commission has taken giant strides in road safety management and traffic administration through massive investment on people, processes and technologies, which have positively inspired and motivated other countries in West Africa and resulted in a declaration of the FRSC as the best lead agency on road safety in Africa by the World Bank in 2012.

According to the Corps Marshal, the FRSC has benefited immensely from the World Bank’s support on road rehabilitation and enhanced capacity for enforcement of road traffic rules and regulations under the Safe Corridor Project in Nigeria .”

By Ejike Ejike, Abuja

L–R: Hon Ezekiel Adaji and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal discussing at the National Assembly in Abuja

Ijaws Fume As Jonathan Appoints Abba As IGP

By SOLA ADEBAYO, Warri

There are strong indications that the appointment of Suleiman Abba as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has brewed bad blood between President Goodluck Jonathan and some of his Ijaw kinsmen, who had clamoured for a former Deputy IGP in charge of Operations, Mr. Mike Zuokumor. Zuokumor is an Ijaw from Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the Ijaw leaders considered the appointment of Abba as a move

to appease northern interests ahead of the 2015 elections.

Ijaw leaders were said to have made futile efforts to get Zuokumor to succeed immediate past IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, who retired after serving the mandatory 35 years in office.

Specifically, LEADERSHIP gathered that a lobby group headed by a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, met with Jonathan on few occasions to press for the appointment of the former DIG.

The lobby group was said to have succeeded in pushing Zuokumor through the Police Service Commission headed by a former IGP, Mr. Mike Okiro, as Zuokomor was eventually recommended to Jonathan for appointment.

However, it was gathered that Jonathan ignored the Ijaw leaders and the Okiro-led commission in settling for Abba, an Assistant Inspector General of police (AIG), from Jigawa state and a former AIG in charge of Zone 7, comprising Abuja, Kaduna and Niger states.

The Head of Operations of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE-P), Mr. Akubo Adegbe, on Monday disclosed that the program has provided job opportunities to a total of 50,000 youths across the country under its Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS).

He said the graduate interns are placed in reputable private and public organizations to work and learn skills relevant to their aspirations for 12 months after which they can be self-reliant or get employed.

Speaking at the Orientation Training for Employers and Interns organized by Federal Ministry of Finance in collaboration with GIS held in the Kaduna State, Mr. Adegbe said the Federal Government is paying each of the interns N30,000 monthly.

By Isaiah Benjamin,Kaduna

We Must Review Our National Security Policy – Agwai

By BAYO OLADEJI, Abuja

A former Chief of Defence Staff Gen Martin Lurther Agwai (retd) has called for a review of National Security Policy (NSP) in order to address the structural ambiguities that currently work against the collective security machinery.

Agwai, who is also the Chairman of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (Sure-P), made this call while de-

livering a Graduation Lecture for Course 22 Participants of the National Defence College (NDC) titled ‘Collective Approach to National Security’.

He said that NSP would provide the composite structure or mechanism for the management or governance of security in a state. There has been worsening rivalry between the many security agencies in the country as many

of them perform at cross purposes and fail to share intelligence reports.

According to Agwai, among the many utilities of an NSP is its delineation of a linear pattern of reporting among the several security institutions.

“A NSP in Nigeria is expected to consolidate the constitution’s management structure, and go further to clarify all grey areas in

terms of reporting. As it is now, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not clearly provide a reporting chain amongst security agencies.

“Although each security agency ultimately reports to the President, perhaps there is need for a clearing house for all these security agencies. It is, therefore, expected that a NSP would sufficiently provide this framework.

50 news NATIONAL Bode George Warns Politicians On Dangers In 4 Gs Former deputy national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, South- West), Chief Olabode George, has advised politicians in the zone to tread cautiously by refraining from running foul against the law during electioneering period.

He specifically advised members of the opposition group in Nigeria to not do anything to contravene the law especially during the governorship election scheduled to hold in Osun State next Saturday.

He also urged them to shun desperate inclinations while calling that attention of the electorate to what he described as the principle of 4 Gs which are in place in Nigeria at the moment.

According to him, the four Gs stand for God, who is all-capable, the government and its full powers, Goodluck Jonathan, the president of Nigeria with full presidential powers and the influence of gun.

By Laulu Oladipo,Lagos

Oshiomhole Advocates Overhaul Of Medical Sector

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has stressed the need to overhaul the nation’s healthcare system to ensure it delivers services effectively to the people.

The governor, who decried the incessant strikes by medical personnel in the country said “even blue collar workers don’t resort to strikes as frequently as our medical doctors do.”

Speaking at the inauguration of the Hospitals Management Board; Land Use and Allocation Committee; Traditional Medicine Board and Edo Arts Council yesterday (Monday), Oshiomhole said “to get the best from the health sector, I am convinced that we need to completely overhaul the system. We need a healthcare system that operates on the best world practices.

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

Forgery Allegation: Protesters Storm PDP National Secretariat, Claim Injustice Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Oshimili South local government area of Delta State yesterday besieged the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja to protest alleged forgery, impersonation and unlawful exchange of executive list of Oshimili South by the Delta State PDP chairman, Peter Nwaoboshi and PDP Oshimili South local government chairman, Ebielim Nmaduemezie.

The protesters, under the umbrella of PDP Oshimili South party stakeholders, who carried placards and banners inscripted with “we say no to injustice”, arrived the party secretariat around 9 am, claiming that the party’s national leadership had failed to heed to series of petitions they had filed on the matter, hence their decision to visit the national secretariat.

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Confab: Decisions Taken’ll Make Nigeria Better – Falae

By Tope Fayehun, Akure

A former presidential candidate and ex-secretary to the government of the federation(SGF),Chief Olu Falae has disclosed that decisions taken by members of the National Conference will translate into a better Nigeria if they are implemented by the federal government.

The Afenifere chieftain and former minister of Finance,who was one of the delegates from South West region at the conference, stated that delegates took hundreds of

decisions aimed at proffering solutions to the myriads of problems confronting Nigeria.

He described the conference as the most profound gathering in the history of the country going by the fundamental issues raised,discussed and likely solutions suggested to tackle the challenges facing the nation.

Falae, who spoke with LEADERSHIP shortly after a feedback meeting with Governor Olusegun Mimiko at the Government House in Akure, opined that the confer-

ence was a huge success.

According to him, the delegates from the South West achieved their aims in respect of their agenda such as state police,state control of local governments, immunity clause among others.

Also commenting,the publicity secretary of Afenifere and a delegate to the conference, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said the delegates had taken decisions that have not be taken since 1880.

He said the hues and cries in some quarters are indications that

the conference has achieved some feats aimed at reshaping the country.

According to Odumakin, the battle is not yet over because some people who may not want change may try to prevent the implementation of the conference’s resolutions.

He expressed optimistism that Nigerians will appreciate the delegates more when the reports are being implemented while expressing hope that the federal government will not sweep the reports under the carpet.

short news

Malaria Kills 1 Million Nigerians Yearly –Don A university don has said malaria fever kills one million Nigerians yearly.

Dr. Olufunmilayo Idowu of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (FUNAAB) made this known while delivering the 14th Leadership Seminar Series of the College of Natural Sciences (COLNAS) entitled,” The Thief and its Accomplice: Man’s Unending Struggle Against the Malaria ParaMarket women queing up to register for mammy market at National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp as Batch B corps site” in Abeokuta. members prepare to resume their orientation in Abuja yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO. The university teacher likened malaria to a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy, noting

By Alo Abiola, Ado-Ekiti chief press secretary, Mr Yinka Ilejemeje local government, Hon that malaria was Oyebode, the new chairmen are Tope Ogunleye; Ajoni LCDA, Mr a life-threatening The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr to be sworn in on Tuesday, August Aribasoye Adeoye; Ero LCDA, parasitic disease Kayode Fayemi, has approved the 5th, 2014 at Jibowu Hall, Govern- Hon. Akinwale Alebiosu; Ifedara caused by plasmoappointment of caretaker chair- ment House, Ado-Ekiti.

LCDA, Hon Sina Ogunleye; Ekiti dium parasites and men for the existing 16 and 19 The chairmen include: Oye local West local government, Kareem are transmitted newly created councils in the state. government, Hon Tope Longe; If- Agunbiade; Ise/Orun LCDA, through the bite of Governor Fayemi, it would be eloju LCDA, Hon Olumide Adey- Ayodeji Ajayi; Emure local govfemale anopheles recalled, had last week signed the anju; Ifesowapo LCDA, Hon Ad- ernment, Hon.S.F Adewale; Isomosquitoes. new councils into law as passed by eyeye Bolaji Johnson; Efon local kan LCDA Olumide George Fadithe State House of Assembly. government, Mr Dipo Ogunleye; pe, among others.

By Gbenga According to a statement by his Adeboye, Abeokuta

Fayemi Appoints Chairmen For 35 Ekiti Councils

BEC: NERDC Laments Approval Of N30m By National Assembly ByBy Kuni Tyessi,Abuja

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council(NERDC) has lamented the National Assembly’s approval of only N30 million out of the N270 million requested by the ministry of Education in the 2014 budget.

Executive secretary of NERDC, Prof Godswill Obioma, expressed concern over the budget at the public presentation of the revised 9-year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) and kick-off of the training school

for teachers on the use of the Teachers Guide for the implementation of the curriculum.

Obioma revealed that “of the N270million proposed in the 2014 budget and admitted by our parent ministry and office of the senior special assistant to Mr President on MDGs to complete the printing of distribution of the outstanding primary 4-6, only N30million was approved by the National Assembly.”

He further posited that if the development was left uncorrected, “it will certainly derail

the implementation of the revised BEC as approved by the NCE and thus affect the attainment of the transformation agenda in this context”, especially as NERDC has reported the matter to relevant authorities.

On how the subject matter should be taught, Obioma stated that the Teachers Guides are intended to enhance the effective delivery as well as eliminate ambiguities in teaching of the curriculum.

In his remarks, the Senate committee chairman on Edu-

cation, Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, stated that the new curriculum has come at the right time when the country is experiencing a huge decline in the education sector due to poor foundation which he said is an issue that must be tackled.

He called for the consistency of implementation as according to him, “Nigeria is very good at making policies but lack of consistency in the implementation of the curriculum is a major challenge. Besides that, lack of funds and above all, corruption are the bane of sustainability”.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

zonal watch

51

ANAMBRA IMO ABIA EBONYI ENUGU

Imo Lags Behind In Education - Ihedioha

BY STANLEY UZOARU, Owerri

The deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has raised the alarm that Imo State cannot currently be ranked among the 10 states in the country that are doing well in the education sector.

He stated this at the weekend

while presenting scientific equipment to 141 schools across the 27 local government areas of the state at the Holy Ghost Secondary School, Owerri, in collaboration with the Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI), Enugu.

He said that he was spurred to embark on the philanthropic

gesture after observing that the performance of pupils and students from the state in public examinations has been on the decline.

He explained that the performance of the students of Imo State origin performed below average in the 2013 West African School Certificate

Examination (WASCE), and praised the governments of Abia Anambra states whose students scored 67 per cent and 65 per cent respectively in the same examination.

Ihedioha specifically rated students of Imo State origin low in science subjects, expressing worry that the schools in the

state had dwelt more on theories than practice at the detriment of the students.

The deputy speaker also berated the system of education in the state, especially the state -owned tertiary institutions who are offering some courses that were not accredited by the relevant agencies of government.

Ebonyi Nursing Mothers To Enjoy 6 Months Maternity Leave If…

BY OBINNAOGBONNAYA, Abakaliki

Heads FROM the ZONE

➔ The national chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, said in Umuahia last week, that his party would support the presidential ticket of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections, thereby negating the reason for the founding of the APGA. ➔ A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), from Abia State, Prince Benjamin Apugo, has called on Ndigbo to embrace the major opposition party in the country, APC, arguing that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has no development agenda in Igboland.

Some science equipment on display during the distribution exercise

Pastor Kumuyi Storms Enugu For Healing Crusade

BY NNAMDI MBAWIKE, Enugu

The general superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church DLBC, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi, is expected to storm Enugu State for a three-day powerpacked evangelical and healing crusade, scheduled to begin on August 15 and end on August 17, 2014.

Speaking on the forthcoming crusade, with the theme: “Greater Encounter with the God of Wonders”, the Enugu

State overseer of the church, Pastor Godson Ezenwajiofor, said that the crusade would take place at the Deeper Life Bible Church camp ground, near Naira triangle, off Enugu Abakaliki Expressway, Enugu.

He explained that during the event, Pastor Kumuyi would restore the hope of the hopeless and uplift the spiritual life of the people.

“He will wipe away tears from the eyes of multitudes that are perpetually harassed,

Man Kills Fiance Over Mobile Phone

BY MATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia

Tragedy struck in Akpa Amaugba in Osisioma local government area of Abia State, when a 40-yearold man, Nwokeoma Ohuoba, allegedly killed his fiancé, Charity Onwutuebe, following a quarrel over the ownership of a mobile phone, the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), said at the weekend.

The command said while parading the suspect in Umuahia before journalists that Ohuoba hit his fiancé, a widow with three children, on the head with a piece of iron resulting to her death.

According to the command’s, public relations officer (PRO), Victor Ogbonnaya, who spoke on behalf of the commandant, Andy Dateer, the deceased first hit Ohuoba with the iron at the peak of the quarrel, but when he

tormented and de-humanised in various spheres of their lives due to issues they hardly ever understand”, said the state overseer of the church.

Pastor Ezenwajiofor, further assured that the crusade would address “the numerous spiritual, physical, psychological and mental agonies that have defied all known human remedy.”

He said, “I have the pleasure to inform all and sundry that God has remembered us.

retaliated, Charity slumped and died.

The command’s spokesman said the suspect would be handed over to the police for further investigation, adding that his arrest is in line with the determination of the command to rid the state of criminals.

He said that trouble started when the suspect described as a widower, visited the deceased in her house.

The Ebonyi State permanent secretary, Ministry of Health, Mr. Hycient Oteh at the weekend said the state government would monitor the success and the implementation of the six months maternity leave recently introduced by the Lagos State government with a view to implementing same in the state if the gesture was not abused by the nursing mothers.

Mr. Oteh who stated this at the Conference Hall of the ministry during a press conference to mark the flag-off of the 2014 World Breast -Feeding week in the state organised in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), expressed fear that the programme might be abused by the beneficiaries.

“The introduction of six months maternity leave is an encouraging development, but we need to monitor it so that it won’t be abused by nursing mothers. It is expected that the period should used for what it is meant for. It is a good development that the state would consider in due course”.

Mr. Oteh also noted that the Ministry of Health would sensitise other ministries and parastatals to put up a bay where nursing mothers could go and breast feed their babies, while in office pointing out that such initiative would help the nursing mothers not to break the chain of exclusive breast feeding for six months.

“We in the Ministry of Health would have to kick start it. Most young women after the three months maternity leave, start work and while in the office, most often, it is not convenient to sit in the office and breast feed so by creating such a place, the atmosphere would be conducive for them to breast feed their babies”.

Mr. Oteh warned nursing mothers not to put extracted breast milk in feeding bottles, adding that there is associated danger in giving baby extracted milk in a feeding bottle.

“It is not hygienic to put extracted breast milk in a feeding bottle. We discourage it because the feeding bottle by its nature has places where debris of milk hide and get fermented and becomes a breeding site for micro organisms. If milk is extracted and put in a bowel and the child is feed using spoon, that milk is very hygienic. This is what is encouraged worldwide”, he said.

In an interview with LEADERSHIP, the UNICEF representative at the programme, Mrs. Mary Orji, said that the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF has trained 65 peer councilors to move into the hinterlands and counsel breast feeding mothers on how to breast feed them and how to give appropriate complementary food.

She said that on the day of the grand finale of the week-long programme, there would be baby shows, and selection of the best exclusive breast fed baby.

52 WORLD NEWS

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

world

news During Israel’s Limited Truce

The Gaza Health Ministry said a child was killed and 30 people, mostly women and children, were wounded in the strike on Monday on a house in Shati refugee camp.

➏ Clashes Displace Residents Of Lebanon’s Arsal

Clashes between Syrian fighters and the Lebanese army continued for a third day in the northeast Lebanese town of Arsal, as many residents fled and others were caught in the violence and forced

to stay behind.

At least 11 Lebanese soldiers were killed and 30 others wounded since clashes with gunmen in and around Arsal, near the border with Syria, first erupted on Saturday.

As many as 27,000 Russian tourists are stranded abroad after a Russian tour firm, Labirint, suspended operations.

A company statement (in Russian) blamed the move on deterioration in the rouble

exchange rate and the “negative political and economic situation”.

There are signs that EU-US sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis are hurting the wider economy, including Western investment in Russia.

➎ Gaza Shelled

➏

➋

➌

A Gaza City house has been shelled and other areas in Gaza have been fired upon since an Israeli-declared seven-hour humanitarian truce has come into effect.

➐ ➊ ➎ ➍

➊ New Libyan

➋ Iraq Offers

called for national unity at its first formal session yesterday, as rival armed factions battled for dominance of a country struggling to hold itself together three years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

Even as the new House of Representatives met, heavy artillery and rocket fire hit parts of southern and western Tripoli, where Misrata brigades are fighting to oust rival Zintani fighters from the international airport.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has ordered the air force to provide support to Kurdish forces fighting Sunni militants in the north.

It comes after the Islamic State (formerly known as Isis) seized two towns and two nearby oilfields from Kurdish troops over the weekend.

Kurdish forces, known as the Peshmerga, say they are planning a counter-attack.

Parliament Urges Unity Air Support To Libya’s newly elected parliament Kurdish Fighters

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INFOGRAPHICS BY Matthew Akhabue

➌ Liberia Orders

➍ Hundreds Of Ukraine

Liberia’s government has ordered that all bodies of people killed by the Ebola virus must be cremated.

The decision follows the refusal of some communities to allow the burial of Ebola victims on their land.

This year’s outbreak, the worst ever, has centred on Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, killing 887 people.

More than 400 Ukrainian soldiers have crossed the border into Russia and deserted the Kiev government, according to an Interfax news agency report quoting a border security official.

Ukraine confirmed the crossing, which happened yesterday, but said the soldiers were forced into Russian territory by rebel fire.

Cremation Of Ebola Victims Troops Cross Into Russia

➐ Russians Stranded As Tour Firm Fails

53

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

NFF Hails Danagogo For Successful C/wealth Games Outing

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated the Minister/ Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo on the tremendous success achieved

by Nigeria’s athletes at the just –concluded Commonwealth

Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

NFF’s Acting President, Chief Mike Umeh said yesterday that the glorious outing deserved praise from all lovers of excellence, and said the success was a reflection of the hard work and total dedication that had been encouraged by the Commission’s

engine room. “The Honourable Minister, Dr. Tammy Danagogo is the head of the unit that has brought us this global glory, and we must praise him accordingly.

It is on record that our athletes to Glasgow did a little better than what the contingent to New Delhi, India four years ago did.”

How Ahmedu Emerged FIBA Africa Zone-3 President

By ISHAKU KIGBU, Abuja The emergence of former head of the FIBA Africa marketing committee and president Dodan Warriors Basketball Programme, Col Samuel Ahmedu (retd) as the new president of FIBA Africa Zone-3 at the 16th Congress of FIBA Africa held in Antananarivo, Madagascar, was not without the involvement of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, LEADERSHIP Sports have gathered.

Ahmedu, who was formerly

a member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation emerged president of Zone3 after an initial 4-votes tie between him and the former Zone 3 president, Muktah Khaleh also a Nigerian who then stepped down to pave way for Ahmedu to be elected unopposed.

A federation source privy to what happened in Madagascar informed that Ahmedu who took the present board headed

by Tijjani Umar to court had to be succumb to dropping his case in court against the board before winning the

election, a development that he said was good for the development of Nigerian basketball. “We had to play high power diplomacy there before Ahmedu could win.

He was told clearly that he cannot win the election with the case against the board and if he wants to emerge victorious, he has to withdraw the case in court against the present board which he did immediately.

He had to write there and then to withdraw the case to win the election.

This was all done in the

interest of the nation called Nigeria because Nigerian basketball is bigger than any individual.”

Moreso, Fiba also warned him that had he won the case in court prior to the election, he would have been banned from all related basketball activities from the basketball governing body for taking issues concerning the game to civil court. That also necessitated his writing an undertaking before winning the election.” The source revealed.

Ahmedu

NFF Elections: Abba Yola Cries Fowl

By ISHAKU KIGBU, Abuja

Please I want to ask you in the name of God as to whether we were late in coming in to contest. Believe me, if your answer is in the affirmative, I will not go further Abba Yola, NFF presidential

aspirant

With elections into the executive board of the Nigeria Football Federation fixed for Tuesday, August 26, a former club chairman, Abba Yola seeking to contest for the post of president of the federation has raised the alarm over the mode of secrecy that the forms have been sold. To this end, he has written the sports minister, Tammy Danagogo, distinguished senators, DG, National Sports Commission, Amos Adamu, Secretary General NFF and other stakeholders.

Yola, was briefly the Chairman of Kano Pillars and sees himself qualified to vie for the NFF

presidency until the electoral guidelines at the point of screening says otherwise but is crying that he has been disenfranchised from the process. According to the guidelines released last week by the NFF which earlier promised to give all qualified Nigerians opportunity to contest, endorsement and submission of forms ends today at 6pm while screening of candidates takes place today and tomorrow.

But the former National Sports Commission top gun says the NFF have skillfully shrouded the process in secrecy and kept the forms away from some of them in a bid to stop them from contesting.

Dissatisfied with the process

Brazil Should Use Neymar Like Pele – Dunga

Neymar

New Brazil coach Dunga believes that Neymar should be utilised as a false No.9 if he is to be at his best for the national team.

The Barcelona forward was utilised on the left during his country’s World Cup campaign this summer, with Fred disappointing as an orthodox striker.

However, Dunga believes that the 22-year-old would shine more in the middle citing the example of the legendary Pele.

“We have to find a solution.

Football is very versatile today and you need a lot of movement,” he is quoted as saying

by Sport.

“Having a fixed No.9 can do well in some tournaments, but not in others. You have to be mobile and create space. We have difficulties with some players because they leave when they are 17 or 18 and don’t play for their teams.

“Then they have no experiences or self-esteem and the national team suffers.

“If we all believe that Neymar is our best player, he should play in that position and others should adapt to him.

“If we didn’t play Pele in that position, Pele wouldn’t have played well. Pele has to play in Pele’s position and the others should adapt.”

leading to the August 26 elections, Yola registered his protest and concern in a message obtained by LEADERSHIP Sports. “Morning my brother, hope all is well with you in God’s name. My name is Abba A Yola and one of the many Nigerians who want to buy the NFF Election Form. Fortunately or unfortunately your staff are not selling the forms again. My PA has been in Abuja since Thursday trying to pick the form but could not do so as your staff/NFF staff are not selling.”

“Please I want to ask you in the name of God as to whether we were late in coming in to contest.

Believe me, if your answer is in the affirmative, I will not go further.”

Yola

Umeh Tasks Falconets To Crush Mexico

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja Acting President of Nigeria Football Federation, Chief Mike Umeh has called on the U-20 Women National Team to start their campaign in this year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada with an emphatic win over Mexico, whom they also overpowered in Japan two years ago.

In one of the best matches of the 6th FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Desire Oparanozie’s bullet header in the second half of extra time separated Nigeria and Mexico in the quarter finals in Tokyo, sending the Falconets into the semi finals and the Mexicans back home.

“The Mexicans are no strangers to our girls in this competition. I re-

member also that our girls played a 1-1 draw with the Mexicans at the 2010 finals in Germany, where we reached the final. It is going to be tough, but our girls are as tough as they come and they will surely deliver the goals that will give them the three points ahead of the clash with Korea Republic and England,” Umeh assured.

The Falconets take on Mexico on tomorrow at the Moncton Stadium in Moncton, where they also play Korea Republic on August 9 before flying to Edmonton to play England four days later. In their opening match of the tournament in Japan two years ago, the Falconets turned back the Koreans 2-0, with goals from Ngozi Okobi and Oparanozie.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

54 sports

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Those That Made Nigeria Proud At Glasgow 2014 By onjewu dickson, Abuja

Mcilroy receives trophy won from winning the Bridgestone Invitational

Nestle Milo Basketball Schools Aim For France

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

Ahead of this year finals of the 16th Nestle Milo secondary schools Basketball championship which is slated for the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos, the finalists have intensified their training to ensure the best is achieved. All the teams now know their opponents with the draws which were held at the Nestle PLC head office in Lagos, Friday afternoon.

The National School Sports Federation President Mallam Ibrahim Muhammed confirmed that the winner at this year championship will fly the nations flag at World Schools Basketball Championship in Linigoes, France from 17th to 25th April 2015.

In view of the motivational packages already put in

place by the sponsors, Nestle PLC, the finalists have spoken about their determination to fight for the top position at the championship for the top position. The captain of Ilupeju Grammar School, representing Lagos state, while declaring his team’s readiness for the battle in the Boys’ Category, says “we have our eyes set on the trophy and the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the World Schools Basketball Championship in France. Our journey to becoming world beaters starts here and we are taking the opportunity provided by Milo with both hands”. This stage, therefore, seems set for keen competition in the finals.

The qualifiers for these finals had emerged from keenly contested qualifiers held in 4 different zones across the country over a period of three

months. Some of the qualifying schools are Dutse Model Int’l School and Government Girls Secondary School, Gwawaran, both from Jigawa state, St Augustine Seminary, Ezzamgbo of Ebonyi state; Osadennis High School Asaba and West End Mixed Secondary School, Bayelsa State.

Others are St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Jesus College, Otukpo, Government Girls Secondary School Gboko and CAC Grammar School, Akure.

Henson Demonstration Group of Schools Benin, Ilupeju Grammar School, Lagos and Yejide Girls Secondary School, Ibadan complete the list of finalists.

And for the first time the NSSF will be working with the Nigeria Academical Sports Commission (NASCOM) for a hitch free Championship.

Though the 2014 Commonwealth Games has come and gone, Team Nigeria athletes made the country proud by winning 11 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze medals.

Nigeria got its highest number of gold medals from powerlifting as it provided four gold medals. Athletics produced three gold, weightlifting produced two and wrestling produced two.

Blessing Okagbare blessed Nigeria with two gold medals from 100m and 200m.

Another athletic gold came from Okagbare long jump, courtesy of Ese Brume, won weightlifting 58kg silver, in the while Heavyweight powerlifting 69kg male category, Ayenuwa Yingold was won by Abdul Azeez Ibra- ka picked silver, while Okoli Obiohim. ma and Ebireguesele Itohan also Powerlifiting Lightweight gold picked silver in the 63kg and 69 kg came courtesy of Kehinde Paul, Obi- respectively. ji Loveline won female powerlifting Male Wrestling 86kg where Nigegold, and Powerlifiting Lightweight ria was represented by Dick Abibo came from Oyema Esther. and the 57 kg by Welson EbikewnIn weightlifting, 63KG gold was mimo also produced two golden silwon by Adesanmi Oluwatoyin and ver medals.

Usman Maryam claimed 75kg feThe bulk of Nigeria’s 14 bronze male gold. medals came from wrestling where Nigeria’s two wrestling gold med- nine wrestlers settled for third poals came from the 53kg courtesy sition in their various categories. of Adekuoroye Odunayo and 58kg Women 48KG Opara Nkechi, won by Adeniyi Aminat. male125kg Boltic Sinivie, womThe 11 silver medals came courte- en 55kg Nwoye Ifeoma, male 61kg sy female athletics 4x100m powered Daniel Amas, female 63kg Oboroby Gloria Asumnu, Blessing Okag- dudu Blessing, male 65kg Clackson bare, Dominique Duncan, Lawre- Sampson, female 69kg Reuben Hanta Ozoh, Justina Sule, Udo Christy nah, male 74kg Bibo Melvin and feand female athletics 4x400m with male 75kg Onyebuchi Blessing.

Patience George, Regina George, Other bronze medals came from Ada Benjamin, Folashade Abugan, male +91kg boxing courtesy of Efe Funke Oladoye, Omolara Omoto- Ajagba, female 69kg-75kg Edith sho In the athletics Triple Jump, Ogoke and male 91kg Efe Apochi, Tosin Oke won silver in the male M 1 Okigbazi Richard also gave Nievent, Omolayo Bose produced a ger a bronze in male para athletis silver medal in the female Powerli- and table tennis team event feafiting Heavyweight, her male coun- turing Segun Toriola, Bode Abioterpart Ezeruik Roland won silver dun, Jide Ogidiolu, Ojo Onalapo in the lightweight, Winifred Ndidi and Qadri Aruna.

Malala And The Tragedy Of Chibok Girls FROM BACK PAGE

What is the true worth of a Nigerian and, in this case, the Chibok girls?

By my calculation, the lives of the escapee girls and those still in captivity may be just worth $1,250, that is, if you convert the N200,000 said to have been handed over to each of them by a special assistant to the president on special duties during the visit. Yet this was the first time the president set his eyes on these heroines of this macabre Boko Haram insurgency. But they went home with a tale of being short-changed along the line. The president has not told Nigerians how much meant for the transportation of the 176 visitors. Who delivered the money and how much was delivered? Why were some parents given money and others did not get anything?

It is unfortunate that the escapee Chibok girls are not being cele-

brated like Malala. The girls would not be allowed to tell their story like Malala who is free to tell hers at any time. Was the president afraid that the girls would divulge what he told them? Why were journalists not allowed to interview some of them?

Why were security agents detailed to guide them to their hotel. Why did a presidential aide spring up at night to divide a united community with his heavily edited presidential largesse?

What was the sharing formula? Some got N200, 000. Some got N100, 000.

Others got nothing! Money “don finish!” they were told. Haba! Why did the Presidency earlier deny making any monetary gifts to the traumatized parents? Were they afraid that the money did not compare with the $200,000 donated by Malala? Our Nigerian heroines cannot compare with the Pakistani heroine! Yet, heroines they are.

For over 100 days, these parents had not seen their children. The parents came for news about possible rescue of their children in captivity.

But what they got were paltry sums.

Even in parts of Nigeria where illegal trade in babies (“baby factory”) has become the order of the day, children are not priced that cheap. A N100million from the Presidency (now vehemently denied) would have meant N560, 000 to each of the 176 visitors hosted by the president on that fateful day. Even though N10billion cannot equal the loss of an abducted girl, N560, 000 could have at least qualified as “transport money”. But what do we have? The Presidency again failed to act presidential.

What is N100, 000 to a parent who has not seen her daughter for over 100 days? If the president lacks capacity to manage the insurgency, does he also lack capacity to manage 176

people he invited to Aso Rock?

The lives of the Chibok girls could not have been as valuable to our government the way Pakistanis placed premium on the life of Malala. This is so because Nigeria is not Pakistan.

The United States government exchanged five dreaded Taliban leaders for one US citizen kidnapped by the Taliban because they value their citizens. Israeli and Palestinian soldiers are currently at war because of alleged killing of four teenagers -- three Israelis and one Palestinian, according to reports. Nigeria would neither swap 213 Chibok girls with some Boko Haram leaders in detention nor fight to liberate our angels whose only crime, like that of Malala, was that they were in school to get Western education.

We must not forget that Nigeria is not US, Israel or Pakistan because none of these countries would gloss over the loss of $20billion from its

revenue in any sector. I don’t think they will perpetually protect an oil minister under whose watchful eye $20billion vanished. Nor would they defy their citizens’ call for the sack and prosecution of a minister who squandered N10billion to fly private jets in two years. Ghana recently set a refreshing example. The government sacked a female minister for contemplating a $1million bribe. But in Nigeria a minister who purchased two BMW bulletproof cars with N255 million from taxpayers’ money has not been prosecuted. She is in fact on her way to the Senate.

This is why the BringBackOurGirls campaigners’ must not cease to keep the issue of the girls in captivity in the consciousness of our government and people. Nigerians must rise up and find ways to rescue the girls if the government continues to footdrag. It is better late than never.

sports 55 Watch Out For Okagbare In 100, 200m’

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

Commonwealth and Africa’s fastest woman Blessing Okagbare has been tipped to dominate 100 m and 200 m in the world. After her sterling performance at the Commonwealth Games where she dusted Jamaicans to win the 100

m in 10.85 and claimed victory in the 200 m in 22.25 seconds, her coach John Smith said that there is still more to come from the 25-year-old. ‘’I’ve watched her grow up. She is going to dominate the 100 and 200 m in the World for a long time’’, Smith said after the Games in Glasgow.

Telecom Games: Wins For Airtel, Etisalat Sets Up A Two-horse Race

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

Maryam Usman won gold for Nigeria

Team Nigeria Ready For Rio 2016 Olympics – Elegbeleye

By SALIFU USMAN, Abuja

Following Team Nigeria’s successful outing at the just concluded 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye has expressed confidence that Nigeria would do well in the 2016 Rio Olympics

Games in Brazil.

Team Nigeria won a total of 36 medals comprising 11 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze to finish 8th on the overall medals table against the 11th position the country finished at the Delhi Games in India four years ago. The team won 11 gold, 10 silver and 14 bronze medals in Delhi 2010, thereby making the Glasgow 2014 Team

Nigeria’s best performance in Commonwealth Games history.

As the team is expected to arrive the country today after heroic outing in Glasgow, Elegbeleye said plans have been concluded to help the athletes that performed creditably well to not only maintain their form but to improve on their performance.

“With the heartwarming performance of our athletes in the just concluded Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, I would say we are good to go as regards the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

“We have mapped out solid programmes that would help the athletes that have performed creditably well.”

NFF Election: Borno Stakeholders Root For Abiso

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

Football stakeholders in Borno State have put thrown their weight behind the candidature of former chairman of El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri, Alhaji Bashir Abiso in the forthcoming Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) election as board member.

The Former Director

of Sports, Borno State Sports Council, Alhaji Kachalla Gana, dropped this hint while briefing newsmen shortly after the stakeholders meeting held in the state over the weekend.

Alhaji Gana said that Alhaji Bashir Abiso who headed the affairs of the El-Kanemi Warriors from 1999 to 2003, has all the credibility and experience to be an NFF

board member.

The former director of sports expressed the need for the state to be considered in the north-east and be allowed to produce a board member from the zone in the forthcoming NFF election scheduled for August 26, this year.

He said that the state’s stakeholders have already started making contacts

within the zone aimed at rallying round Alhaji Abiso’s candidature, adding that since the establishment of NFA in 1945, the state is yet to produce a board member.

Alhaji Gana said that Abiso who served as board member in the state Football Association will definitely promote the image not only for the state but the entire zone.

Match Day 2 of the 2014 Nigeria Telecoms Games lived up to the pre-fixture hype of an entertaining keen contest with each of the two fixtures producing a hat trick, a brace and an extraction of pound of flesh. Airtel and Etisalat were the winners on the day in the two fixtures that pitched Airtel against Alcatel Lucent and Etisalat against their greatest rival, MTN. Airtel Nigeria began the season boasting of a mission to conquer all and they seem to be matching those words with performance as they won their straight two games on Saturday in style that spoke of ruthless efficiency.

Wale Bakare turned out the man of the day with a hat trick that was the first by any player this season and which has placed him atop the goal scorers chart. In the clash with Alcatel, Olugbenga Yinka opened scoring for Airtel on 11 minutes and Bakare completed

his hat trick within a space of 18 minutes starting from the 18th minute when he netted the first of the three and scoring the rest on 25th and 36th minutes of the game. This game was effectively sealed within the first 45 minutes and Airtel bagged their six points and plus five goals difference. For Airtel, It was a huge revenge of last season’s 1-0 loss in the third place match.

In the Telecoms El-Classico, former champions, MTN Nigeria fought hard but failed to peg a rampaging defending champion, Etisalat Nigeria whose star player Andrew Enebeli sustained his games record of being the first player to have scored against MTN by also becoming the first player to hit a brace against the Yhello Boys. Enebeli’s second goal was a masterpiece executed with an overhead kick that drew applause from the crowd and condemned MTN to their second straight loss of the tournament.

EL-Kanemi Makes Fresh Appeal For Return To Maiduguri

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

El Kanemi players

Officials of El-Kanemi football club of Maiduguri have pleaded afresh to the League Management Company to return them to their base in Maiduguri. The director media of the club, Tahiru Bala who made this fresh plea said he is once again appealing to the League Management Company to reconsider returning El-Kanemi matches to Maiduguri, having played the first stanza in Kano.

He said the appeal is coming following realization that Maiduguri and environs have recently tasted football actions without troubles.

“While we appreciate the hospitality and support given to us by football administrators and supporters in Kano we are constrained by some factors to appeal to the LMC to reconsider its position and allow us to play our remaining matches in Maiduguri. Some nationwide league matches were this year played in Biu, Borno and Damaturu, Yobe States to confirm our point that Maiduguri is safe for matches.”

He said last year El-Kanemi played its matches in Maiduguri without any hitch at a time when Boko Haram was at its peak. “Now that the local vigilante had pushed them out of Maiduguri to the southern part of the state, Maiduguri is safe and matches can be played there without any problem. Maiduguri the state capital is no go area to Boko Haram for that reason we are appealing to the League Management Company to re-assess the “unfolding situation” they mentioned in their letter that suspended matches in Maiduguri. We therefore wish draw the attention of the LMC to consider the plight of our teeming supporters and fans that were denied the opportunity of watching their darling team.

The league administrators should in the interest of the game put aside any pressure group and consider test running a match or two to confirm what we are saying on the safety of Maiduguri as a premier league venue”.

He said some teams are only mounting pressure using Boko Haram as excuse to cut their travelling expenses and earn three cheap points in Kano.

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AMUSEMENT PARK I am the only man in the world with a marriage licence made out ‘to whom it may concern’ — Mickey Rooney

05.08.14 www.leadership.ng

Comrade Timi Frank

Tuesday Column:

I

Others who have lost their lives in this mindless war are today nameless.

f Malala Yousafzai were a Nigerian, would she have survived a shot on the head by Taliban gunmen on October 9, 2012? Her only crime was that she spoke up for the right of girls to be educated. But through a combination of miracle, proactive response and cutting-edge medical ingenuity, she is alive today to tell her story. Her life was changed forever at age 15 by the Taliban’s madness.

I doubt if Malala would have survived the ordeal if the attack had taken place in Nigeria.

I doubt if she would have got the necessary moral and financial assistance needed to fly her abroad to get the needed medical attention. I doubt if we would have known her name, where she lived or the names of her parents. I doubt if the government - whether local, state or federal would have taken it upon itself to ensure that the girl’s life was saved. I doubt if our medical personnel would have agreed to defy their strike to save her soul.

Today marks 113 days since over 276 girls were abducted.

Like Malala, 57 miraculously escaped. But their miracle was not like that of Malala. They would rather wish to have been born in Pakistan. But 113 days after our hapless girls were abducted, the identities of the escapees and those still in captivity are shrouded in secrecy. Is it that they don’t matter because they are not Pakistanis or Americans?

At least they are human beings.

Malala’s name went round the world within hours of her attack.

But it took our leaders over three weeks to acknowledge the fact that something untoward actually happened.

It has been one flip-flop or the other since the girls were abducted on April 14. The president and his wife did not believe that such quantum of human cargo could possibly be snatched in one fell swoop. The security agencies, which are enforcing the state of emergency in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno states, either did not

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 2,234

TUESDAY

N150

Malala And The Tragedy Of Chibok Girls

believe the abomination or were awaiting necessary orders to advance in pursuit of the kidnappers from those who took the news of the abduction as mere political propaganda. The military did not listen to lawmakers from the area who said they gave them the locations of the girls and their fleeing abductors. The president has not visited Chibok. He is waiting to celebrate the miraculous escape of the remaining 219 Chibok girls from captivity, he reportedly said. Following Malala’s plea, he reluctantly hosted about 51 girls who escaped from their abductors during the midnight raid on their school, including their principal, their parents, opinion and community leaders from Chibok as well as officials of the Borno State government at the Presidential Villa.

The traumatized guests however left the Presidential Villa more disoriented than comforted. They were thoroughly mesmerized with deceptive lighting, lavish decoration of the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, enough music from members of the Brigade of Guards and the records of some popular musical artistes. There was food too.

Mind you, there was money too! The contrived visit has since been mired in financial scandal. The Presidency said they did not give the august visitors a N100million gift. The parents who visited said they received N22.4million from a presidential aide who came to their hotel by night. The senior special assistant to the president on public affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, was quick to dismiss the claim as “wholesomely untrue and acts of blackmail against the federal government”. For emphasis, Okupe added: “The only thing government did to the parents of the Chibok girls was the provision of food and accommodation. The peddlers of this allegation are just mischievous and out to blackmail the federal government. Government did not offer

08070888888 (text only)

any monetary gratification whatsoever. Why would the president offer monetary gratification to the parents? Government only provided food and accommodation to the parents and nothing more.”

Contrary to denials that no monetary inducements were offered the parents, the leadership of the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA), the group representing the Chibok community in Abuja, has admitted that the parents received N22.4 million from the Presidency during the visit. The spokesman of KADA, Dauda Iliya, was emphatic that, after the visit, a senior special assistant to the president on special duties checked on the guests at their hotel by night to inform them of a “token” each from the Presidency. He said 122 parents made the visit and 61 of them got N200, 000 each, while 51 were given N100,000 each and the remaining 10 parents were told that the money had finished. He said: “On the night of the 22nd July, 2014, at about midnight, the senior special assistant to the president on special duties who had been coordinating the visit on the side of the Presidency visited the hotel and told the 51 escaped girls who came that the president sent them a token of N100,000 each and accordingly gave them the said sum without prior discussion with any KADA official or any other person in the community.

“He equally gave the sum of N200, 000 each to 61 parents out of the 122 parents that came on the visit; 51 parents were given N100, 000 each on the basis that the money given to him was not enough to go round at N200,000. The remaining 10 parents were not given any amount of money.” Curiously, the Presidency has not reacted to this “blackmail” by KADA. Who is correct? Who is lying?

Up until today we don’t know the names of the 59 students murdered by Boko Haram in

timifrank@leadership.ng

Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Gujba LGA of Yobe State. The president did not visit the school or the bereaved parents. Are they mere statistics?

Others who have lost their lives in this mindless war are today nameless. Most of them were buried in unmarked graves. No official of government has visited their traumatized parents who are living with their pains in silence. The Chibok girls should not dream of being Pakistan’s Malala because we are not so endowed with sympathetic leaders.

Malala came to Nigeria to plead with our president to show humanity by seeing the parents of the abducted girls even though he failed to show courage by visiting Chibok. Malala announced a donation of $200,000 towards the education of the abducted Chibok girls. The first scheduled meeting with the parents of the girls at the instance of Malala ended in confusion. No sooner had she left than the Presidency shut its doors on the hapless parents. It quickly blamed the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners and the opposition for the refusal by a handful of parents from Chibok to honour the earlier presidential invitation, but a new date was announced when they realized that Nigerians could not be fooled. ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

GHANA MUST GO Terror sponsors can’t hide for too long — FG

They’ll hide for as long as Jonathan is in power!

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