Leadership

24.07.14

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 2,228

thursday

N150

NIGERIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPER

Irate Workers Shut Down Finance Headquarters

By Nse Anthony-Uko, Abuja

Business activities at the Federal Ministry of Finance was yesterday ground to a halt as staff of the ministry downed tools, demanding the

Demand perm sec’s removal

immediate removal of the permanent secretary, Mrs

Anastasia Nwaobia.

For more than four hours,

the workers protested what they described as poor welfare conditions.

They barricaded the main

Emir Sanusi Breaks Fast With Jonathan At Aso Rock > Page 6

Chibok Diary DAY 101

gate of the ministry, preventing visitors and staff from either gaining entrance to the ministry or going out.

They even prevented the ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Sharing Formula Tears Pro-govt Group Apart As Soldiers Secure BBOG Group > Page 2

I Was Target Of Kaduna Blast – Buhari 6

80 killed, scores injured in twin blasts Sheikh Bauchi escapes death Blast a ploy to divide Nigeria – Jonathan Tinubu, others condemn attack

Side and front views of the damaged bulletproof car in General Muhammadu Buhari’s convoy and a scene from the twin blasts in Kaduna, yesterday. Photos by AFP, NAN

2

chibok diary 101

Thursday, July 24, 2014

DAY

CHIBOK TWEETS @TheCandyVillain All the violence going on in the world right now... made me rethink my life...#FreePalestine #BringBackOurGirls @ritaUdominic 100 days and still no sign of our girls.. God pls take control @UNICEF 100 days on, we won't rest until they're free—and until every child can go to school without fear #BringBackOurGirls @EiENigeria #Lagos We walk around the Wall of the Missing Girls calling out the names of the girls. #BringBackOurGirls @IshaSesayCNN As world marks grim milestone of 100 days in captivity for Nigerian schoolgirls, what are your thoughts? #BringBackOurGirls @estherclimate Almost 5.5million girls are out of school in Nigeria - more than any other country #BringBackOurGirls

BY CHIKA MEFOR, EJIKE EJIKE, Abuja

Activities planned to mark the one hundred days of the abduction of over 200 girls from Government Secondary School, Chibok on April 14 this year were almost disrupted when the pro-government #ReleaseOurGirls Group engaged in a freefor-all fight over the sharing formula for the funds given to them.

The #ReleaseOurGirls Group, which resurfaced at the Unity Fountain three days ago, was graced with the presence of the FCT minister of state, Olajumoke Akinjide, but became unruly, with some of its members even taking the fight to the main road.

When information of the fight got out,

the Nigeria Army was immediately mobilised and soldiers were sent to restore order and also ensure no harm came to members of the #BringBackOurGirls Group.

Recall that the pro-government group, the members of which were dressed in white T-shirts bearing the inscription #ReleaseOurGirls, had taken over over the sitting area of the #BringBackOurGirls Group with their musical equipment and was shouting for the release of the girls by the Boko Haram sect.

The #BringBackOurGirls Group, which was not deterred by the other group’s presence, relocated to a spot near the Transcorp Hilton to hold its daily sit-out session and mark the 100 days of the Chi-

BY CHIKA MEFOR, EJIKE EJIKE, Abuja

TELECOMS INVESTMENT PER CAPITA Nigeria lags behind Brazil, South Africa THIS WORRYING DEVELOPMENT, ACCORDING TO ANALYSTS, DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR NIGERIA’S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE OF BECOMING ONE OF THE TOP 20 ECONOMIES BY THE YEAR 2020

Telecom investment per capita of Brazil, which works out to a total of about $127 per person

ER O NUMB

n o i l l i 50 m

According to World Bank, this is the estimated amount Nigeria invested in telecoms infrastructure from 2010 through 2012, which works out to a total of about $40 per person

The population of South Africa

BILE

F MO

Former minister of education and one of the leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) Group, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, addressing members of the group during a special sit-out meeting to mark 100 days of the abducted schoolgirls in captivity in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO.

one of the leaders of the group, Hadiza Usman Bala said that no one would have thought that when the group started its campaign it would get to day 100 with still no positive report about the girls, adding that the sit-out was a reminder to Nigerians and the international community that the girls were still in the hands of their abductors.

“Girls’ rights should be taken seriously and they should be at school free of intimidation and violence. We will mark the 100 days by pledging to rebuild their Chibok school and by calling for international support for safe schools across Nigeria.”

In her opening remarks during the event in Abuja at the Unity Fountain,

67

The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon has lent his support to the vigils that took place across the globe, to campaign for the immediate release and rescue of the schoolgirls abducted in Chibok 101 days ago.

Ban Ki-moon, in a press release read out during the commemoration of the 100 days of the girls’ abduction in Abuja said, “I stand in solidarity with all those taking part in vigils to demonstrate that the world has not forgotten the girls who were so cruelly abducted from their school 100 days ago in Chibok, Nigeria.

“I repeat my call for their immediate release and for an end to discrimination, intimidation and violence against girls, whose only wish is to gain an education.

Only by shielding them from harm and enabling them to realise their full potential can we usher in a better future for all.”

Also, Mr Gordon Brown, who will start his second term as education envoy this month said, “We, of course, hope that the Chibok girls will be released earlier. However, by marking the 100th day of the abduction of the girls kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists and by pledging never to abandon them, we are reminding people that we are in the midst of a global civil rights struggle.

@Melvin0duah 100 days gone and still counting. How sad! #BringBackOurGirls @Funmilola This image of weeping fathers of Chibok broke my heart and fuelled my voice. Some have died, daughters still stolen.

bok girls in captivity.

Meanwhile, the BBOG Group revealed that there was a variety of activities held around the world to mark the day, including a press conference at the BRECAN Centre, which took place at 10am in Ibadan; a remembrance service at the Wall of Missing Girls at Falomo Roundabout, which took place at 4pm in Lagos and a candlelight vigil at the Nigerian Consulate at 5.30pm in New York.

It said also that there were events held in India, Pakistan, the UK and most world capitals where there are teachers’ organisations, in partnership with the UN Special Envoy Gordon Brown’s office, campaigning for the rescue of the girls to mark the day.

100 Days: Ban Ki-moon Calls For Rescue Of Abducted Chibok Girls

$1

@obyezeks DAY100 Unwavering FOCUS on our #ChibokGirls should INSPIRE us all to RAISE OUR VOICES on this DAY & DEMAND: #BringBackOurGirls Now & Alive!!

Sharing Formula Tears Pro-govt Group Apart As Soldiers Secure BBOG Group

IBERS

BSCR

E SU PHON

Number of South African mobile phone subscribers

Number of Brazilian mobile phone subscribers

The number of active mobile subscriptions in Nigeria INFOGRAPHICS BY Matthew Akhabue

3

our stand Thursday, July 24, 2014

Another Smash At The Glass House

T

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), it appears, thrives on crises and instability.

Rather than capitalize on the recent successes recorded by the national football teams, the governing body has again plunged into the familiar management crisis that has constituted a stumbling block to football development in Nigeria.

Following the dissolution of the NFF management by a Jos high court, in a case instituted

by Ruth Ebiabare Baribote, wife of a former Nigeria Premier League (NPL) chairman, the world football governing body, FIFA, banned Nigeria from all football activities. However, FIFA rescinded its decision following the withdrawal and vacation of the court order.

It would be foolhardy to assume that Nigerian football has completely scaled this present and immediate danger. The bad blood caused by the ban of Victor Rumson Baribote, Leye Adepoju and Taiwo Ogunjobi still looms large. In fact, reports have it that part of the negotiation terms that led to the withdrawal of Mrs Baribote’s case, and which made FIFA reverse its decision, is the unconditional reinstatement of these three

football administrators. But there is a problem, because the NFF has insisted through its media committee that “due process” would be followed in reinstating the trio. By due process, the NFF meant they would have to first go through its appeals committee.

Several times, we have stated unequivocally that there always is a huge question mark on the composition of the board of the NFF. Until stakeholders take a holistic view of the state of our football and those with the zeal are allowed to properly run the affairs of the Glass House, our woes in football management may continue. The nadir current football administrators have taken our football to calls for introspection. In 2011,

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

when a similar crisis befell the NFF, President Jonathan issued a directive that withdrew the country from all international football engagements. Nigeria chickened out of that decision when FIFA threatened us with suspension. In retrospect, the earlier decision sounds more like a pathway to a lasting solution than the quick fix that has led to the present crisis.

Nigerian football administration sure needs to be overhauled, starting with the manifestly inefficient NFF board. In the wake of Nigeria’s qualification for the second round of the just-concluded FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the national team refused to train on the eve of their match against France due to issues concerning match bonuses. Before the NFF could get into the swing of things, the news had gone out, and it no doubt contributed to the Nigeria defeat and eventual crash out of the tournament.

Meanwhile, the same NFF always has millions of naira to spare when it comes to securing its members’ esta code when travelling with the national teams. Football cannot be managed like some personal estate; the sooner we realize that the better for football development in Nigeria.

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah 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

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo Sea Pirates Engage JTF In Gun Duel Suspected sea pirates yesterday engaged a detachment of the marine components of the Bayelsa State Police Command and soldiers attached to the Joint Military Task Force, code named Operation Pulo Shield, in a gun duel along the Gbarain and Ogbeinbiri communities of Southern Ijaw areas of the state.

Both the state police commissioner, Hillary Okpara, and the spokesman of the JTF, Lt.Col. Anka Abdullahi confirmed that the suspected sea pirates engaged in gun duel with the soliders in an attempt to overrun a flow station in Ogboinbiri, during which a worker at an oil servicing compny sustained bullet injuries.

The police commissioner also noted that though the number of casualties could not be confirmed, some of the sea pirates were killed.

Security sources confirmed that the sea pirates, numbering five, had attacked the policemen attached to an oil rig in Gbarain.

It was learnt that the pirates stormed the rig operated by Lone Star Drilling Company about 2am.

A security source who pleaded anonymity said immediately after approaching the area, the pirates opened fire on the facility, thinking that the policemen on duty were sleeping.

“Their main target was to remove the weapons attached to a gunboat used for protecting the rig. They wanted to steal the guns in the boat,” he said, noting, however, that the policemen were at alert and immediately replied the bandits with a volley of bullets and sustained the shooting until they repelled the attack.

“All l can tell you is that some of the pirates must have been hit by the police bullets. They were in the river and it is believed that those who were hit must have fallen into the river. It is expected that their bodies would float after two days.

“The pirates had come with the intention to remove the weapons, very sophisticated ones, on the gunboat. They came with a generator and an electric filing tool which they intended to use to remove the weapons if they had succeded in their operation. Unfortunately, they were repelled by the policemen guarding the rig.”

“In fact I was proud of the way the police were able to repel them.

I think that will send signal to others that it is no longer business as usual” But it was learnt that despite reported killing of some of the bandits, the hoodlums reinforced and came back at about 6am.

The policemen who were said to have remained vigilant engaged them in another round of gun duel and forced them out of the area.

By Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

President Goodluck Jonathan (left) welcoming the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, to the Presidential Villa when northern royal fathers came to have the breaking of fast with the president at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

Nasarawa Impeachment: Assembly Directs CJ To Set Up Panel Sits at 4am; APC lawmakers attempt to snatch mace

By Donatus Nadi, Lafia

Nasarawa State House of Assembly, at its emergency plenary session yesterday, directed the chief judge of the state, Justice Suleiman Dikko, to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate alleged gross misconduct and breach of constitution levelled against Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

The lawmakers, who stormed the assembly complex at about 4am for security concerns, took the decision during plenary

which lasted about 20 minutes.

The motion for setting up the panel in line with the provision of the 1999 constitution, as amended, was moved by the majority leader of the Assembly, Hon. Godiya Akwashiki (PDP- Nasarawa-Eggon West 1) and seconded by Mr. Mohammed Baba-Ibaku (PDP- Udege/ Loko).

Speaker of the assembly, Musa Ahmed, put the motion to vote and 20 of the 24 members voted in favour, while the remaining 4 APC lawmakers declined.

The Speaker therefore directed the clerk to communicate to the chief judge of the decision,

and giving him one week to constitute the panel.

There was mild a drama on floor of the House when some of the APC lawmakers attempted to snatch the mace but were promptly prevented by security operatives. After their failed attempt, the three APC lawmakers who were involved in the act were escorted by security men out of the chamber.

Meanwhile, at about 6:30am when news of the presence of the members at the assembly filtered into town, youths in their hundreds stormed the state Assembly to disrupting proceedings but were met with stiff resistance from the police.

After an attempt to force their way in, the Police were forced to fire several canisters of teargas at them which turned the assembly environment into a hazy stretch of smoke.

Informed sources at the Assembly who pleaded anonymity revealed that there was a standoff between the speaker and the PDP members who questioned his commitment to their quest of ousting the governor.

The sources revealed further that 19 out of the 20 members of the PDP threatened to impeach the speaker when he attempted to reschedule the sitting. He was forced to do their bidding.

Osun Guber: APC Takes Action To Ensure Free, Fair Election

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken concrete actions to ensure that all the candidates in the August 9, 2014, governorship election in Osun State are provided with a level playing field.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it had challenged in court the powers of the President to deploy troops to Osun State for the election and the power of the Inspector-General of Police to impose a curfew on any part of the state during the election.

It also said the party had written to INEC to demand a postponement of the election if the electoral commission cannot guarantee that all registered voters will be given their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before voting day, or in the alternative allow all registered members in possession of INEC temporary voter cards to cast their votes in the election.

APC said the actions are aimed at avoiding a repeat of the mas-

sive harassment, intimidation and arrest of opposition politicians witnessed during the Ekiti governorship election, and to prevent any illegal lock down of Osun State, which turned out to be a ploy to pigeon-hole opposition politicians while allowing PDP members to move around freely during the Ekiti polls.

The party said the letter to INEC followed concerns expressed by APC members in Osun that they had so far been denied their PVCs under shady circumstances, a development that could be a ploy to massively disenfranchise APC members and rig the election at source “In the first case filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos on July 15, 2014, we are seeking, among others, a declaration that by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), it is ultra vires for the president to deploy members of the armed forces to Osun State for the purpose of conducting the gubernatorial election.

In the second case, also filed at

the same court on July 17, 2014, the APC is seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration that by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Curfew Law of Osun State,2001, it is ultra vires for the Inspector General of Police to impose curfew on any part of Osun State during the conduct of the gubernatorial election or at any time whatsoever in any part of Nigeria.

The party said that these actions had reinforced its credentials as law-abiding and peaceful.

“Instead of resorting to self help, as many would have done in the face of the many underhand tactics by the PDP-led federal government to stifle the opposition and skew the conditions in favour of the ruling party, we decided to embark on a legal challenge of the unlawful actions of the government.

“We are not seeking any favours beyond that all candidates in the election be allowed to have a level playing field, for all registered voters to be able to cast their votes in an atmosphere de-

void of violence, harassment and intimidation, and for the election itself to be conducted in substantial compliance with the law,’’ it said.

APC said popular participation was at the core of democratic governance, hence a development in which registered voters, most of them from the opposition, will not be allowed to vote based on the incompetence of the electoral authorities was anti-democratic.

“That is why we have written to INEC to allow duly registered voters to exercise their franchise on August 9, whether or not they have PVCs or temporary voters cards.

“If this is not possible, INEC should consider postponing the election until such a time that not one voter will be disenfranchised due to the incompetence, collusion or shenanigans of INEC,’’ the party said.

It warned that the Osun governorship election must not just be free, fair and transparent, it must been seen to be so by all stakeholders.

news 5

Thursday, July 24, 2014

We’re Ready To Conduct Credible Guber Poll In Osun – Jega

ramadan timing Day 27 Towns

Magrib

Alfijr

Abuja

7.00

5.03

Aba

6.56

5.04

Abakaliki

6.53

5.05

Abeokuta

7.10

5.22

Akure

7.03

5.14

Ankpa

6.57

5.08

Argungu

7.12

5.12

Auchi

7.02

5.12

Awka

7.03

5.07

Azare

6.50

4.50

Bama

6.39

4.36

Bauchi

6.51

4.55

Benin

7.05

5.13

Bichi

6.58

4.58

Bida

7.05

5.08

Birnin Gwari

7.04

5.06

B/Kebbi Gwandu

7.13

5.12

Biu

6.42

4.43

Calabar

6.50

5.03

Damaturu

6.42

4.42

Daura/Kazaure

7.01

4.43

Dutse

6.52

4.55

Enugu

6.54

5.05

Funtua/Malumfashi

7.02

5.01

Gembu

6.47

4.49

Gombe

6.45

4.47

Gusau

7.01

5.04

Gwadabawa

7.12

5.05

Hadejia

6.50

4.50

Ibadan

7.14

5.17

Ife

7.09

5.14

Ilesha Baruba

7.11

5.13

Ilorin

7.07

5.15

Jalingo

6.42

4.47

Jere/Suleija

6.59

5.02

Jos

6.56

4.56

Kabba

7.04

5.08

Kafanchan

6.58

4.59

Keffi/Nasarawa

6.58

4.59

Kaiama

7.13

5.16

Kafin Maiyaki

6.58

4.56

Kaduna

6.57

5.02

Kano

6.53

4.57

Katsina

7.01

4.59

Kontagora

7.07

5.11

Lafia

6.53

4.59

Lagos

7.12

5.20

Lokoja

6.57

5.11

Maiduguri

6.35

4.40

Makurdi

6.54

4.58

Minna

7.01

5.09

Missau

6.47

4.49

Monguno

6.38

4.32

Mubi

6.37

4.39

Nguru

6.47

4.47

Ningi

6.51

4.54

Okene

7.07

5.09

Ogbomosho

7.12

5.17

Onitsha

7.00

5.12

Oyo

7.14

5.19

Port Harcourt

6.59

5.16

Potiskum

6.45

4.45

Saki

7.06

5.19

Shagamu

7.07

5.25

Sokoto

7.07

5.10

Umuahia

6.58

5.04

Warri

6.57

5.19

Wukari

5.45

4.59

Wurno

7.11

5.05

Yenagoa

6.39

4.42

Yola

6.36

4.42

Missing Engineer On NAF Ill-fated Helicopter Alive–DHQ

Zaria

6.58

5.03

Cotonnou-Benin

7.16

5.22

Ndjamena-Chad

6.27

4.29

Niamey-Niger

7.22

5.21

Zinder – Niger

6.59

4.48

By Bayo Oladeji,Abuja

Younde-Cameroun

6.40

4.48

Garoua – Cameroun

6.34

4.41

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday assured that the commission has put all measures in place to conduct free, fair and credible election ahead of the gubernatorial election in Osun State.

Jega who stated this in Abuja during an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, noted that the commission is poised to ensure that the Osun election surpasses the outcome of the Ekiti Election which was adjudged free, fair and credible.

The election holds August 9.

Jega, listed some of the measures to include a sanitised and credible voters registers and Permanent Voters Card (PVCs), the use of colour coded ballot papers and the utilisation of super racks which entail the deployment of materials ahead of the election proper.

He emphasised that by 8am, 95 per cent of the polling units were operational which was a huge departure from previous system.

He further underscored the engagement of all stakeholders and training of staff as a major contributory factor in making the election successful.For the Osun election Jega said, ”We have replicated all we have done in Ekiti state.

No Plan To Impeach Ajimobi – Lawmakers

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

There was tension in Ibadan, Oyo State capital yesterday as rumour filtered into town that 24 members of Oyo State House of Assembly had served impeachment notice on the governor of the state.

Most of the people who spoke on the impeachment plan, credited their sources to the social media and breaking news aired on a private television station based in Lagos.

It was alleged that 24 lawmakers had signed the impeachment notice to be served on the governor and that the symbol of the House, the Mace, had been taken into the custody of the ‘24 lawmakers’ believed to have been working on the project.

As soon as the news filtered into town, people started making contacts to confirm the information, especially when the House was on recess and is billed to resume on August 28, 2014.

It was gathered that both the speaker and the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi were not in the state.

The engineer crew member of the crashed Nigerian Air Force Mi-35 Helicopter earlier declared missing has been found alive.

The crew member who was declared missing when his body could not be located in the vicinity of the crash resurfaced at the military headquarters in Maiduguri today, having trekked through the bushes after the crash.

It is therefore confirmed that Flight Lieutenant NM Halilu, Co-Pilot and Warrant Offi-

However, the chairman, Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Fatai Salam while addressing newsmen at the conference hall of the Assembly Complex debunked the rumour.

Flanked by 10 members of the 7th Assembly, Hon. Salam said there had not been any allegation of misconduct levelled against the governor that could warrant notice of impeachment.

He added that the House is even on recess, expected to resume by August 28.

“The 7th Assembly since inception has been enjoying good relationship with each other and have no plan to disrupt the existing peace in the state.

“The minority leader has just left the Assembly complex few minutes ago, it is because the House has gone on recess is the main reason why the conference was not attended by every member of the House,” he said.

He therefore appealed to the people of the state to remain calm and go about their normal lawful businesses, stressing that there was no impeachment threat against the governor in whatever capacity.

cer Augustine Nwanonenyi, the aircraft technician survived the crash while Flight Lieutenant Onyeka Nwakile was the only one lost in the crash.

According to a statement signed by the director of information, Major General Chris Olukolade, yesterday, “The family of the officer has been duly informed while the two survivors are in stable condition but receiving medical attention”.

The statement also disclosed that the “Search and rescue operation on the incident has been concluded, while investigation into the crash continues”.

(Source: Timing Committee, Islamic Research and Timing Organisation Kaduna)

Ramadan Q and A

with Muhammad Usman musman@kindasa.com

Question: A person owns a piece of land and one year has passed since he acquired it. Zakaah is due because it comes under the heading of trade goods (i.e., he bought it in order to sell it). How should he pay zakaah on it? Please note that he only has a little cash, very little?

Shaheed Ahmad, Borno Answer: Q- Zakkaah is due on trade goods according to the Qur’aan and Sunnah.

In the Qur’aan this is indicated by the general meaning of the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have (legally) earned, and of that which We have produced from the earth for you” [al-Baqarah 2:267] Mujaahid said: “Spend of the good things which you have (legally) earned” means trade.

With regard to evidence form the Sunnah, Abu Dawood narrated (1562) that Samurah ibn Jundub said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to command us to give zakaah from that which we had prepared for sale.

The isnaad of this hadeeth is subject to some discussion, but some of the scholars classed it as hasan, such as Ibn ‘Abd alBarr (may Allaah have mercy on him), and it is the view that the scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas adopted.

See Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 9/331.

Zakaah is due on things that have been prepared for trade if they reach the nisaab (minimum threshold) and one year has passed (since they were acquired).

Based on this, zakaah must be paid on the land which has been in your possession for a year; you have to determine the value of the land at the end of the year, and pay one-quarter of ten percent. So if its value is one hundred thousand (100,000) dinars, for example, you have to pay zakaah of 2.5% or two and a half thousand (2,500), and so on., Question: What is the food that is permissible to give for Zakatul-Fitr?

Nura Jamilu, Hadejia Answer: It is reported in the hadith that it is to be given from five things.

They are wheat, barley, dried dates , raisins and cottage cheese.

However, some of the research scholars have mentioned that specifying these five things was done because they were used at that time. Therefore, they permit giving it from whatever is the common food of the land like rice for example, and corn in the land where it is used as food and so forth.

Question: Is there any Zakah on Diamonds that are used for beautification and wearing?

Yaseera Aminu, Darazo Answer: There is no Zakah on Diamonds that are for beautification and wearing.However, if the diamonds are for buisness(i.e., buying and selling), Az-Zakah must be paid on them.The same applies to pearls.In reference to gold and silver, Az-Zakah must be paid on them if they reach the minimum amount required,even if they are only for wearing according to the most correct opinion of the scholars.

Question: What is the ruling on the Zakah of a debt?

Salihu Mukhtar, Yola Pray an 4 Raka’ah Salaat, In every Raka’ah recite Surah Recommended DU’A for Day 27

Al-Fatiha and Surah Al-Mulk once OR Surah Al-Ikhlas 25 times each Raka’ah.

Then say: ALLAAHUMMAR-ZUQNEE FEEHI FAZ”LA LAYLATIL QADRI WA S’AYYIR UMOOREE FEEHI MINAL U’SRI ILAL YUSRI WAQ-BAL MA-A’AD’EEREE WA H’UT’T’A A’NNID’ D’ANBA WAL WIZRA YAA RA-OOFAN BI-IBAADIHIS’S’AALIH’EEN. Meaning: O Allah make available for me the blessings of the night of Qadr, render my affairs easy to deal with instead of becoming difficult and cumbersome, take into consideration my apologies, and unburden my back from the heavy load of wrongdoings, O He who is compassionate while dealing with the upright.

Compiled by Al-Amin Ciroma

Answer: The payment of zakah is not obligatory on the one who is owed a debt by a person before it is in his possession, because it is not in his hands. But if the debt is owed to a wealthy person, then that person is obliged to pay the zakah of it every year. If he paid it along with the zakah on his wealth, then he has fulfilled his obligation, but if he did not pay it along with the zakah on his wealth, once he receives it , he is obliged to pay zakah on it for all the previous years. This is because the rich man could request its payment, but he left to the choice of the debtor. However, if the debt is owed to a poor person, or a rich man who is unable to demand its payment, then the one owed is not obliged to pay zakah upon it every year.

6 NEWS

Thursday, July 24, 2014

LIVING LIVING TOTO BE BE 100100

One health tip daily Greener Grass May Not Be Better

Weed killers contain chemicals that are toxic to our nervous systems and have even been confirmed to cause cancer. If you want to live a long life, stop using chemical herbicides and artificial fertilizers on your lawns. Instead, fertilize with organic compost or manure, pull weeds regularly,

and reseed areas that are overgrown. Do not cut the grass too short, as this will expose the root system and leave the grass vulnerable to disease. Also avoid lingering on the golf course too long, especially under a hot sun: extreme heat can strengthen herbicides’ noxious effects.

Irate Workers Shut Down Finance Headquarters FROM COVER

Okonjo-Iweala

coordinating minister for the economy and minister of finance, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala, and the minister of state, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, from driving their cars into the premises.

Both ministers, who arrived at different times, had to alight from their cars outside the ministry’s gate and walk into the premises on foot, amidst heavy chants of “Perm sec must go”.

The workers accused the permanent secretary of deliberately denying them some of the benefits that should accrue to them based on the civil service rules.

The workers said since the permanent secretary assumed office a few months ago, members of staff had been experiencing difficulties in getting some of their allowances such as overtime and training allowances. They also accused her of tactically stopping some

of the perks that ought to be given to them during festive periods.

Nwaobia, who was at the building during the protest, appeared restless as her movement was restricted by the workers.

Okonjo-Iweala, who might have been able to placate the workers, was said not to be in the office during the protest as she was attending the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa.

All pleas by other top directors of the ministry for the workers to stop the protest fell on deaf ears.

The protest was still ongoing at press time. They said they were waiting for the finance minister to come and address them.

When she finally came, she urged them to calm down as the matter would be resolved to the satisfaction of the workers.

She immediately convened a meeting of the workers’ union, the workers and the top management of the ministry.

Emir Sanusi Breaks Fast With Jonathan At Aso Rock As Sultan leads royal fathers to Villa

By George Agba, Abuja

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, yesterday evening made a surprise appearance at the presidential villa where he observed the break of the Ramadan fast with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The former Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN) governor joined some northern royal fathers, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III to Aso Rock for the breaking of Ramadan fast with the president.

LEADERSHIP reports that this was the very first meeting between the president and Sanusi since the latter became the emir of Kano. Jonathan ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

I Was Target Of Kaduna Blast – Buhari

By George Agba and Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Abuja; Midat Joseph and Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna, Abuja

Former head of state and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday escaped death by assassination while on his way to Daura, Katsina State.

The assassination attempt on Buhari took place 30 minutes after another explosion targeted at a prominent Islamic scholar and national leader of Darika Islamic sect, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, also in Kaduna metropolis.

The multiple explosions which killed about 80 People and injured 41 others, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), forced the state government to declare a 24-hour curfew.

Attack targeted at me - Buhari Reacting to the attack, General Buhari said, “I am personally involved in a clearly targeted bomb attack today at about 2:30pm on my way to Daura.

“The unfortunate event, clearly an assassination attempt, came from a fast-moving vehicle that made many attempts to overtake my security car but was blocked by an escort vehicle.

“We reached the market area of Kawo where he took advantage of our slowing down and attempted to ram my car and instantly detonated the bomb which destroyed all the three cars in our convoy.

“Unfortunately, when I came out of my vehicle, I saw many dead bodies littered around. They were innocent people going about their daily business who became victims of mass murder.

“Thank God for His mercy, I came out unhurt, but with three of my security staff sustaining minor injuries. They have since been treated in hospital and discharged,” he said.

Eyewitnesses told LEADERSHIP that a suicide bomber trailed Buhari’s convoy from his Kaduna residence to the popular Kawo Market and rammed his Siena car into the general’s convoy.

According to eyewitnesses, the general was forced to abandon his vehicle and hurriedly joined another vehicle, but one of his convoy’s vehicles was said to have been seriously damaged.

Some of the eyewitnesses, who would not want their names mentioned in print, alleged that Buhari might have been the target of the Kawo blast, considering the manner it occurred when his convoy reached the corner.

Eyewitness Abdullahi said: “I am very sure the bomb was targeted at Buhari because his

Buhari

vehicles were damaged. In fact, the vehicle behind his personal car, I’m not sure anybody survived in that car. But I saw Buhari come out of his car, waved at the crowd and abandoned his jeep and entered another waiting car and zoomed off the scene of the blast.”

According to the source, Buhari’s personal Prado jeep and that of his security aides were completely damaged.

On the attempted assassination of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, eyewitnesses said the attack was targeted at the revered Islamic scholar when he had just finished the concluding part of this year’s Ramadan Tafsir which held at the Murtala Muhammed Square.

An eyewitness said a security man attached to the sheik had, on noticing the restiveness and manoeuvring of a teenage suicide bomber on motorbike who was waiting for the convoy of the scholar, asked him to clear the way. “When the suspect was pushed, the bomb exploded and the main victims were passengers in a J5 bus that was in the convoy of the scholar. It was only the driver of the bus that escaped but most of the people in the car lost their lives,” he said.

It was gathered that the Sheikh was unhurt, although his clothes and his vehicle were stained with blood.

Commissioner of police, Kaduna State Command, Umar Shehu, who arrived at the scene at exactly 1:15pm, confirmed that the rescue team at the scene had so far picked 25 bodies and other injured victims at the scene of the first explosion.

He added that some of the victims were receiving treatment at Garkuwa and 44 Army Reference hospitals in the state.

The commissioner told LEADERSHIP at the scene of the blast, “For now we have recorded 25 dead bodies. People have just closed from the Ramadan Tsafir led by Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, and we provided enough security at Murtala Square, the venue of the Tafsir, but the bomb was ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Jonathan

NEWS 7

Thursday, July 24, 2014

I Was Target Of Kaduna Blast – Buhari FROM PAGE 6

planted far away from the venue, to target him through the route he was taking to go home. We are doing our best to safeguard the country, so we are appealing to the perpetrators to lay down their arms.”

Speaking also, the north-west zonal director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Musa Elalla, said that 25 people were killed: “We have moved those that were injured to various hospitals in town, but we cannot tell you we know how many people that are injured until we move round the hospitals to take the figures.

An eyewitness who preferred anonymity said, “Around 12:30 pm, we just heard a loud noise; it happened where many cars were parked, and we saw dead bodies being flung in different directions. Many spots along the road -- Alkali Road where the bomb blasted were soaked with blood stains. In fact, I saw more than 30 dead bodies littered everywhere on the road.”

Mallam Ishaika Danjuma said, “The bomb was targeted at Sheikh Dahiru who was coming back from the concluding part of his Ramadan Tafsir at Murtala Square. The suicide bomber came in a motorcycle and ran after the vehicle of the sheikh, but the sheikh escaped the blast with blood stains on his dress.

“All the occupants of the J5 containing more than 30 people died except the driver who sustained serious injury.”

Another eyewitness, Babangida Guga, whose place of work was around the scene of the blast said, “ We heard a loud sound shortly after Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi passed with his convoy, only for us to come out and see several dead bodies on the floor with several others groaning in pains from injuries sustained.

Although I did not see the bomber, I was also told he came on a motorcycle.”

A Red Cross officials who was seen evacuating the casualties put the number at above 50.

Suspect arrested in female attire LEADERSHIP gathered that a suspect who dressed in female

attire was arrested by the military and, when searched, several handsets were found in his possession.

It took the intervention of security personnel at the scene to rescue him from an angry mob as tear gas was fired to disperse the mob who were bent on attacking the suspect.

Shiekh Bauchi speaks Prominent Islamic cleric, Dahiru Bauchi has commented on the suicide bombing in which he survived. He said, “We were on our way home. We heard the blast which was targeted at us. It is only our windscreen that was shattered by the blast. I am telling my followers not to worry. I am safe, I am not injured.

“I want to tell my people that there is no need to create a scene.

Let us pray for the country.”

But followers of the renowned cleric had reacted angrily, throwing stones at the security forces and accusing them of failing to protect Nigerians.

The security forces retaliated by firing tear gas to disperse the angry crowd.

Target on Buhari’s life ploy to cause division – Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday condemned the Kaduna bombings said to have been targeted at former head of state General Muhammadu Buhari and eminent Islamic cleric Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, describing them as a deliberate ploy to cause sectional division by inflaming passion and causing panic in the land.

In a statement by presidential spokesman Dr Reuben Abati, the president who thanked God for sparing Buhari’s life ordered the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to do whatever they can to bring those behind the gory attacks to book.

Abati stated: “President Jonathan denounces the dastardly targeting of the prominent political and religious leaders by terrorists and enemies of the nation in an odious attempt to inflame passions and exacerbate disquiet, fear, insecurity and sectional divisions in the country.

“While thanking God Almighty for sparing the lives of General

Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the president extends sincere condolences to the families of those who were sadly killed by the bomb blasts.

“President Jonathan also commiserates with all those who were injured in the twin bombings in this Holy Month of Ramadan which defy the tenets of Islam, and provide further proof that the terrorists are nothing but blood-thirsty extremists bent on undermining the unity and progress of the nation.”

Abati added that Jonathan assured residents of Kaduna and Nigerians generally that his government “will continue and further intensify its ongoing efforts to effectively curb the menace of terrorism in the country”.

“He has specifically directed the police and other national security agencies to take all necessary actions to apprehend the perpetrators of today’s attacks on Kaduna and urges all residents of the city to give them the fullest possible cooperation and support as they work to bring the terrorists to justice,” the presidential spokesman noted.

Tambuwal decries attack Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has described the twin blasts which rocked the city of Kaduna Wednesday as cruel, barbaric and heinous crime.

According to him, the targeting of prominent persons as seen from the blasts is both regrettable and condemnable.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said killing of innocent persons cannot be justified under any guise, adding that whoever is behind the Kaduna incidents should be pursued and brought to justice.

While thanking God that the apparent targets of the attacks, General Muhammadu Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, have escaped unhurt, Tambuwal expressed sadness over the loss of innocent lives.

Tinubu condemns attack The explosions that rocked Kaduna yesterday have been attributed to the failure of the

Jonathan presidency to live up to the expectation of the people.

National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said this in a statement issued by his media office.

In his swift reaction to the tragedy that affected General Muhammadu Buhari’s convoy, noted that “innocent Nigerians confirm that our county is in the grip of terror. Sadly, we are in the hands of a bungling, buck-passing and blackmailing presidency”.

“I condemn in the strongest terms the attack on General Buhari and his convoy, and the innocent Nigerians that suffered untimely deaths. I thank God that Gen. Buhari’s life was spared for greater service to the fatherland. Under an increasingly incompetent and incoherent PDP government, Nigeria slips into a low-intensity war. We are all marked people under a government that prefers to label and attack the opposition rather than apply itself to providing security and good governance.

Yero declares 24-hour curfew In the meantime, Kaduna State Governor Ramalan Yero has declared a 24 hour curfew with effect from yesterday, to forestall the situation being hijacked by hoodlums to cause crisis. He condemned the blast that killed scores of people.

According to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson Ahmed Mayaki and made available to newsmen, Yero “has condemned the bomb blasts that occurred today in the metropolis, describing the acts as the height of ‘cowardice’ by those bent on creating tension in the state”.

“Following the unfortunate situation, a 24-hour curfew has been imposed on Kaduna metropolis with immediate effect, to enable security agencies restore normalcy,” he said.

The governor said the blasts were clear manifestations of the resolve by agents of darkness to soak the land with the blood of innocent people for no just cause.

He said “the enemies of peace have visited us with their ungodly venom of wanton destruction of human lives. This blast, coming in the Holy Month of Ramadan, is a clear indication that those behind

the act have no iota of fear of God as they have none for the sanctity of human life”.

JNI condemns blasts The Jamatul Nasril Islam (JNI) has condemned the blasts while sympathising with the victims and their families.

A statement signed by the secretary-general of JNI, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, said: “We are dazzled over the news of the twin blasts in Kaduna city, which claimed the lives of many innocent Muslims in a Tafseer closing session of Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, held at Murtala Muhammad Square, Kaduna, and within a short while another blast was said to have rocked Kawo in Kaduna, Kaduna State.

Sheikh Bauchi might have not been the target – DSS The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday in Abuja could not confirm if the bomb blast which occurred along Alkali Road in Kaduna about 12.45pm was targeted at the Islamic cleric, Dahiru Bauchi, as reported.

The DSS spokesperson, Maryln Ogar, while responding to questions from journalists at the National Information Centre, said “the bomb blast may not have been targeted at the Islamic cleric, though we know that he holds annual prayer at the Square but we cannot confirm if it was actually targeted at him. As soon as we get enough detail to confirm that he was the target, we will let you know.”

Kaduna explosion national calamity – ACF The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, said the twin bomb blasts that rocked Kaduna town was a national calamity, a disservice to humanity and a great shock to the nation especially in this Holy Month of Ramadan.

In a statement by its spokesman Muhammad Ibrahim, the ACF said the bomb blast coming after the Islamic cleric Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi had concluded this year’s Tafsir at Murtala Muhammad Square, Kaduna, with prayers for peace and harmony to reign in Nigeria, was worrisome and a national disaster, considering the peace Kaduna had enjoyed in the last two years.

Emir Sanusi Breaks Fast With Jonathan At Aso Rock FROM PAGE 6

had on February 20, 2014, suspended Sanusi from his position as governor of the CBN over allegations of financial recklessness.

During the break of the fast at the president’s residence, Sanusi led others in a special prayer for peace, while Jonathan later shook hands with him and all the royal fathers in attendance.

Speaking on behalf of the royal fathers, the Sultan condemned the bombings in Kaduna yesterday, saying that those behind the gory act were enemies of humanity. He maintained that the Boko Haram sect and their sponsors were persons who had no Islamic agenda.

The Sultan also appealed to the president to grant the royal fathers audience in no distant future for a parley on issues of

national importance.

On his part, Jonathan, who granted the Sultan’s request, urged the royal fathers to team up with his administration to end the ongoing insurgency. He urged the royal fathers to pray even more fervently for the country.

“It could have been worse than this if not for prayers. We will surely get over it. We are doing our

best to ensure we end this situation and with the support of Nigerians, we shall surely overcome,” Jonathan said.

Sanusi, who was still contesting his suspension as the CBN governor in court, was crowned the Emir of Kano following the death of the former Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero.

But Sanusi had on July 1, this year, dropped the suit against the federal government.

Emir Sanusi

8 News north-central

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Jonathan Appoints Former FRSC Boss, Chidoka Aviation Minister Former deputy corps marshal, Oyeyemi takes over as FRSC boss

By George Agba, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday appointed former corps marshal and chief executive officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Osita Chidoka as the new minister of aviation.

Chidoka’s appointment was announced alongside another new minister, Dr Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman from Kwara State, who was also assigned to head the Ministry of National Planning after they were sworn in by the president shortly before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The president also named the deputy corps marshal, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi as Chidoka’s successor in the FRSC. He urged the new ministers to ensure that they leave their footprints in the offices they were de-

ployed to.

On the new corps marshal of the FRSC, Jonathan said he decided to appoint him from the commission, a development which he said was a clear departure from what had been obtainable in the FRSC since its inception when its heads were appointed from outside the system, in order to ensure stability.

Born on July 18, 1971 at Obosi, Anambra State, the new aviation minister, Chidoka was appointed corps marshall and chief executive, FRSC in 2007, a position he held till his current appointment.

The new national planning minister, Dr Sulaiman who was a lecturer at the University of Abuja is also going to serve as deputy chairman of the National Planning Commission.

The Federal Executive Council presided over by President Jonathan also held a valedictory session for late former petroleum minister, Rilwanu Lukman who died on Monday.

short news

Nigeria Needs Prayers – Oyedepo

short news

$3bn Refinery To Be Built In Kogi Soon

The founder of the Living Faith Church and chancellor, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Bishop David Oyedepo, yesterday reflected on the challenges confronting the nation and concluded that Nigeria needs prayers. Oyedepo who made particular reference to the ongoing nationwide industrial action by medical doctors said that Nigerian leaders “need prayers to have wisdom”.

He spoke at a news conference heralding the maiden convocation of Landmark University.

The renowned cleric blamed the incessant strike actions in the country on corruption and mismanagement of funds.

He challenged the country’s leaders to learn from other countries of the world which had experienced such crises as the nation is experiencing on how best to manage them.

“Industrial action is caused by economic crises or mismanagement. It is sad that medical doctors would close their eyes and walk out on dying patients.

Its inhuman but we don’t know how far those who are managing the crisis have gone.”

He said that incessant strikes by various institutions particularly in the education sector is “eroding the nation’s values” and killing the system.

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

2015: TAN Begins Mass Mobilisation For Jonathan

Kogi State has been described as the lucrative destination to do business in Nigeria in view of its strategic and central location.

Capt. Idris Wada, Kogi State governor, made the remark when he received a delegation of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and Water Carbon Field Refinery, who were in the state to build a $3billion petroleum and petrochemical refinery.

The governor who was represented by his deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, described the decision to site the $3billion investment in the state as a wise and noble business decision.

By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), yesterday declared that it will begin a mass mobilisation drive across the nation’s six geo-political zones for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of 2015.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the group’s director of communications and strategy, Dr Udenta O. Udenta stated that the purpose of the mass mobilisation project is to build and strengthen its structures in all the states, local governments and wards of the nation ahead of Jonathan’s declaration of his reelection bid.

He said the exercise will kick off in the South East on 16th August, 2014.

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

L-R: Newly-appointed Minister of National Planning, Abubakar Suleman, President Goodluck Jonathan and the newly-appointed Minister of Aviation, Mr Osita Chidoka, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

Tougher Sanctions Await Reckless Drivers – New FRSC Corps Marshal

BY Ejike Ejike, Abuja

The new corps marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, has warned against reckless driving, saying tougher sanctions await reckless motorists across the country.

Oyeyemi gave the warning in an interview with State House correspondents shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him to replace Osita Chidoka who has been named minister of aviation.

He said although it was too early to unveil his agenda for

the commission, he would work hard to build on the foundation already laid by his predecessor.

He said, “The foundation has been laid. We shall continue the transformation of the FRSC. We shall not fail Nigerians. We already have a foundation that we will build on; we will improve on it. It is too early now, but we will do our best.”

Speaking further, Oyeyemi identified the attitude of the Nigerian motoring public as a factor militating against safer roads in the country and pledged that the FRSC will harness its potential to ensure strict enforcement

of traffic rules and regulations.

Addressing a parade later at the FRSC national headquarters in Abuja, the new corps marshal commended Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his confidence in the FRSC to deliver on its mandate by appointing a career officer from the commission to succeed the former corps marshal, Osita Chidoka.

He also gave kudos to the former corps marshal and the FRSC Board for making positive recommendations in that direction which facilitated the presidential approval for him as the new corps marshal.

Why We Dislodged The Islamic Sect In Bida – Niger Govt

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

Niger State governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has stated that the eviction of the Madinatu Mahhaedenu Hamdallah sect from Lapai was not an operation meant to victimise or violate the constitutional rights of the sect members.

The chief press secretary to the governor, Mr Israel Ayegba Ebije in a statement yesterday in Minna said that the decision of the state government was based on security reports on the activities of the sect, which were capable of posing security challenges.

The statement said the politicisation of the matter by a

coalition group based in Kaduna questioning the rationale behind the eviction was unfortunate, adding that the group has only acted ignorantly on the matter.

It stated that apart from the un-Islamic preachings that have constantly been challenging the authority of the Emir of Lapai, it was capable of causing trouble.

The statement said further that the condition of members of the sect in their makeshift camp was not hygienic and could lead to life threatening epidemic, adding that the sect has the tendency of becoming violent.

“It is indeed unfortunate to politicise security issues. As a

responsible government, the Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu administration has decided to place security topmost on its agenda.

The attitude of the state government in this direction is yielding results and no amount of sentiments will distract it,” the statement said.

“Early eviction of Darul Salam sect in Mokwa was very timely as some of them later joined the dreaded Boko Haram sect. Let me, therefore, emphasise that it is the community that raises concerns over behaviours of strange sectarian activities before security operatives are called to act in Niger State,” it added.

INEC Begins Process Of Niger East Senatorial By-election

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

The Niger State resident electoral commissioner (REC), Dr Emmanuel Onucheyo has said that the date of the Niger East Senatorial District By-election will soon be determined after meeting with stakeholders and security chiefs in the state.

The resident electoral commissioner told journalists in an

interview that he has received a copy of the letter written by the Senate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the existing vacancy in line with the Constitution of Nigeria.

He said that when the death of the senator occurred, his office wrote to the head office of INEC to inform them of the development, adding that the

Senate also wrote to INEC on the issue.

“The Senate wrote on the 17th of July to our head office; a copy of the letter arrived today, so that is all I can tell you.

“We will now start working on the date; we will liaise with the stakeholders including the security committee members,” he stated.

news north-East, north-west 9

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Condemnation Trails Scrapping Of Nyako’s Empowerment Programmes

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

The scrapping of the Special Projects and Programmes Unit (SPPU), which coordinated empowerment programmes of the Adamawa State government under former Governor Murtala Nyako, has generated condemnation from many citizens of the state who say the development is a setback to the empowerment and skills development drive of the state which should be given priority by any government.

The unit was scrapped last Thursday by the acting governor of the state, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who said that the unit did not enjoy the backing of the law.

A cross-section of people who spoke on the scrapping of the unit said it was done in bad faith, adding that they believed the acting governor was misadvised to scrap the unit as it was central to the empowerment of thousands of youths, women and the less privileged in the state.

The SPPU comprises the Local Apprenticeship Scheme (LAS), Farm Skills Acquisition Centres (FSAC) and Technical Training Service (TTS) which trained thousands of Adamawa youths in various entrepreneurial skills.

One of the beneficiaries, Mallama Halima Abubakar, said the scrapping of the unit came at the wrong time when unemployment

is ravaging the state which led to a rise in criminal activities in the state.

“Take the LAS for instance, which has workshops or Master Trainers in most communities in the 21 local government areas of the state, training youths in selected marketable trades for gainful employment, how can you stop such a programme and expect to be applauded by the people?” Abubakar queried.

Another beneficiary, Martha Musa, who learnt hairdressing with LAS, condemned the government’s action, describing it as a bad omen to the people of the state who have been positively affected by the SPPU.

Nyako: Adamawa APC Accuses FG Of Vindictiveness Meanwhile, Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has cautioned President Goodluck Jonathan to avoid actions capable of truncating the nation’s democracy, saying his desperation to arrest Governor Nyako by declaring him wanted is a show of open vindictiveness.

The remark of the opposition party came against the backdrop of insinuations that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will soon declare former Governor Murtala Nyako wanted as the manhunt by security operatives to arrest him proved futile.

Scene of the bomb blast along Alkali Road, Kaduna, yesterday. photo

by GBENGA ABIOLA

short news CRCN Warns Pastors Against Campaigning For Politicians The synod of the Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRCN) has warned its pastors against coordinating campaigns for politicians ahead of 2015 polls.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the 108th CRCN General Church Council jointly signed by the president, Rev Dr Osheka Caleb Solomon Ahima and vice president, Rev Dr Isaiah Jirapye Magaji, yesterday in Jalingo.

By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo

Kano Guber: Late Murtala’s Son Urged To Contest

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

About six political groups in Kano have unanimously called on the only surviving son of the late former head of state, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed to contest the Kano gubernatorial race come 2015.

In a press briefing anchored by the coordinator of the Kano Good Governance Project, Alhaji Shehu Usman Umar, mni, said after a careful study of the profiles of Kano indigenes, they were convinced that Alhaji Abba Ris-

qua Murtala Ramat Mohammed possesses the ability to recapture the state.

He stated that they have for long embarked on the task of finding out more about the son of the late General and mobilising fellow youths to join in the project.

The coordinator noted that the group is yet to meet Abba Risqua Murtala Ramat in person to inform him about their request for him to contest Kano gubernatorial race in 2015, but they dug into his past and what they dis-

covered is more than what they anticipated.

He submitted that the son of late Murtala Ramat, if given the mandate to lead Kano, would bring to bear the numerous leadership qualities bequeathed to him by his great father.

“Since this realisation, we took the pain to follow it up with lobbying, prayers and other means to reach out to Alhaji Abba Risqua with a view to persuading him to see reason to answer our call to rescue Kano as from 2015”, he said.

Sallah Package: Gen Sarki Donates N120m Food, Materials To 21 LGs Of Kebbi

By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi

Clothing materials and food items worth N120million have been donated by a renowned philanthropist, Gen. Bello Sarkin Yaki (rtd) to 225 wards of the 21 local governments of Kebbi State as welfare for Ramadan and the forthcoming Sallah celebration.

The items were displayed to journalists yesterday in Birnin Keb-

bi, by Alhaji Malami Abdulkadir, the chairman, Technical Committee alongside close friends and associates of the donor, on behalf of the donor, who is the coordinator, Counterterrorism in the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Abuja.

The items according to Abdulkadir included 870 pieces of 10 yards guinea brocade, 500 Atampa, 5,000 bags of polished rice and about

2,000 bags of 50kg sugar which were distributed across the state. ‘’This philanthropic gesture by Gen. Sarkin Yaki will go a long way in putting smiles on the faces of people especially the less privileged in the society in view of the Ramadan Fast and Sallah. It is our hope that Gen. Sarkin Yaki will contest the governorship of Kebbi under the umbrella of PDP in 2015,’’ he said.

short news NGO Distributes Free Lunch To Students In Adamawa A non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Adamawa State, Richard/ Asabe Foundation, has commenced the distribution of free lunch at a secondary school in Garkida of Gombi local government area of the state.

While speaking to newsmen in Yola, the founder of the foundation, Mr Daniel Richard said the programme was part of the pilot project embarked upon by the foundation to improve the quality of education in the area.

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

Foundation Donates 75 Wheelchairs To Disabled Persons In Taraba A non-governmental organisation (NGO), DSK Foundation, in collaboration with Grace Foundation USA, yesterday in Jalingo flagged off the distribution of about 75 wheelchairs to persons living with disabilities in Taraba State.

Chief David Sabo Kente, founder of the DSK Foundation, said the donation was meant to provide succour for the disabled persons across the three zones of the state.

Kente, who is eyeing the number one seat in Taraba State come 2015, also used the occasion to appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to as a matter of urgency sign into law, the bill seeking protection for disabled persons passed by the Senate since March 2014.

According to him, the disability bill needs the assent of the president for it to become an Act that will give legal backing and hope to the estimated 16.5 million people living with disabilities in Nigeria.

By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo

Shema Donates Clothes To ‘Almajirai’ Succour came the way of Quranic School pupils (Almajirai) in Katsina State as the governor’s wife, Hajiya Fatima Shema distributed 5,000 sets of clothes to them to enable them celebrate Eid-el-fitr happily.

The senior special assistant (SSA) to Gov Ibrahim Shema on almajiri affairs, Mallam Lawal Gambarawa disclosed this while distributing the materials to some of the beneficiaries in Daura.

He said that the beneficiaries were selected from some of the Quranic schools across the three senatorial zones in the state.

The SSA noted that some of the pupils were orphans, while many others were less privileged in the society w h o d e served assistance from t h e general public.

Shema

By Mu’azu Elazeh, Katsina

10

stories of the Thursday, July 24, 2014

...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE

Death: Man Shoots Friend

By Tope Fayehun, Akure

Homicide detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ondo State Police Command are currently probing the circumstances surrounding the cause of the death of a middle aged man, Ikujuni Segun, who was reported to have been shot dead by a man believed to be his friend over a minor issue that is yet to be established.

LEADERSHIP reliably gathered that trouble started when the suspect visited the deceased at his residence at Gbeke street,Ayeka in Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state where he repeatedly threatened to kill him.

Report had it that the suspect while at the deceased’s house and in the presence of the deceased’s father simply identified as Most Rev.A.O.Zebulun Alli, threatened that he would surely kill the deceased for an offence which police are trying to unravel in their investigation.

According to the information, shortly after the threat, the father of the victim immediately forwarded a petition dated July 3,2014 to the office of the state commissioner of police alleging that his son’s life is in danger.

COMMUNAL CLASH: Victim Of Policeman’s Stray Bullet Dies By: Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

One of the victims, Mr Favour Ogbere allegedly shot and wounded by men of the Nigerian Police, Asaba in Ibrede, Ndokwa East Local Area of Delta State, in the early hours of last Thursday over communal crisis, is dead.

Ogbere who was believed to have been shot on the waist area when policemen from Delta State headquarters, Asaba, raided the community at about 4.30 am, was said to have been taken to a private hospital earlier in Kwale, and later rushed to another private hospital in Ughelli, when his health situation became critical following the wound sustained from the gunshots.

When Journalists visited him on his sick bed yesterday where he was being attended to by doctors on ground who were battling to save his life, the victim looked pale while gasping for breath and could hardly recognize anybody.

He was purportedly shot with three others who are also in critical health conditions, including, Ezekiel Ibere and Iwarioka Edhere by the police from Asaba, when they swooped on the town at about 4.30 am.

It was gathered that Favour Ogbere was an usher at the St Andrew’s Catholic Church, Ibrede and that he was on his way to clean up the church in preparation for the early morning mass when he ran into the police who invaded the community and was shot at.

Reports said that since the intra communal clash in April 30th, the police have frequently been paying visits to Ibrede, and arresting any person pointed to them by leaders of the other faction without investigation.

Some young men fighting over money during a threeday prayer programme organised by the National Council for Women Society (NCWS) at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

Robbery: 4 Shot In Beer Parlour

BY SOLOMON AYADO, Makurdi There was disquiet in Makurdi, Benue state yesterday when about four persons were shot by dare devil armed robbers that attacked a beer Parlour.

LEADERSHIP learnt that there was panic in the area immediately after the incident The police public relations officer, DSP Daniel Ezeala, confirmed the incident to newsmen yesterday and said that investigation into the matter has commenced. He called for cooperation from residents to assist the police reduce crime rate.

It was gathered that some unidentified robbers had on Tuesday night attacked the beer parlor located on the popular Iorkyaa Ako street, High Level in Makurdi and shot four persons that came to the place to unwind. The incident happened at about 10 pm.

It was further gathered that the robbers who had shot sporadically to scare the fun seekers thereafter carted away money and other valuable items.

The owner of the beer Parlour, who is one of the victims, simply called Chinedu (surname withheld) and others including Lance, Terver and a female attendant were shot while others were b rutally matcheted and immediately rushed to Bishop Murray Medical Centre, Makurdi where they are receiving treatment.

One of the victims, who narrated the incident to newsmen said. “the robbers came and asked us to lie face down. They collected all we had and asked for the owner of a jeep that was parked. It was when no answer came from us that they began shooting at us”.

When LEADERSHIP visited the hospital yesterday, family members of the victims thronged the place to sympathize.

THEFT: School Teacher In Police Net Over Stolen Toiletries

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

The police at the ‘B’ Division Police Station, Asaba, Delta State, have arrested an assistant headmistress of a Primary School in Asaba (Name withheld), for allegedly stolen toiletries and bathing soaps.

One of the police investigating officers, who did not want her name in print, said the school headmistress (names withheld) had been indulging in shady deals of collecting toiletries and bathing soap from her unsuspecting students especially during examination periods before nemesis caught up with her.

She was said to have been arrested upon a petition written by a parent of one of the students who deliberately refused to provide toiletries and soap during the on-going examination; an act the suspect allegedly flogged the disobeying student and inflicted several injuries on him.

Sources said that the suspect had been indulging in alleged extortion and illegal collection of money from the students since she was promoted to the position of assistant headmistress in the last few months and in most cases, override the decisions of the headmistress to implement her own.

Apart from her alleged itching palms, insiders said that she was in 2003, arrested for a similar offence by the police at the state CID but for high powered authorities that came to her rescue.

Confirming the arrest of the school teacher, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, said the suspect was arrested on Tuesday in the school after the police had received the petition adding that upon interrogation, she confessed to the crime saying that she would be charged to court on completion of investigation.

Child theft: Housewife Disappears With New Born Baby

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

The police detectives at the Delta State Police Command, are seriously looking for a 44- year- old housewife whose name was given as Patience Nnaemka in Ugbolu community, near Asaba, for allegedly, disappearing into thin air with a new born baby at a private hospital ward in the area.

While the police have intensified their search for the woman, they have arrested a ward orderly attached to the private hospital and the husband of the suspect.

Reports said that the woman had been married close to 10 years with no child after all her efforts to seek help from traditional doctors failed.

DSP Celestina Kalu, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, who confirmed the arrest of the ward orderly and the husband of the suspect, disclosed that the woman was admitted into the private hospital for malaria sickness, adding that while she was on admission, the mother of the baby had just put to bed and after two days, pleaded with her to look after the baby while she went across to buy some of the baby things; a situation she allegedly took advantage of and disappeared with the baby.

When the mother returned, DSP Kalu, said that she raised the alarm on the whereabouts of the woman and the baby, but it didn’t yield any fruit and she immediately reported the matter to the police who in turn beamed their searchlight on her whereabouts.

Speaking to our correspondent, the chief medical director of the hospital who did not want his name in print, explained that the mother of the baby delivered safely and was put on bed rest before the theft, adding that while he was away to pick some documents in the house, he was told that the woman who came for malaria treatment, had disappeared with the new born baby.

day

STORIES OF THE DAY 11

Thursday, July 24, 2014

photo news

KIDNAP: Abia Demolishes Kidnapper’s Bungalow

By M ATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia

Abia State Government has demolished a building belonging to one Obuonye Ogbonna Daniel, due to his involvement in kidnapping activities in the state.

Security Adviser to Abia State Governor/State Task Force Chairman, Capt. Awa Udonsi Agwu (rtd), who spoke to newsmen after the demolition of the bungalow at Umuariaga Oboro in Ikwuano Local Government Area, said the measure is to serve as a deterrent to other kidnappers and those nursing the idea to enter the illicit business.

He said that the state government has zero tolerance to kidnapping and would stop at nothing to stamp the menace out of the state.

According to him, other kidnappers who have property in the state would have them pulled down once the government identifies such property and assured that the process was on-going.

Meanwhile, residents of Umuariaga, who spoke on condition of anonymity have applauded the state government for embark-

ing on the demolition exercise, pointing out that they have been living in fear due to the activities of some suspected kidnappers operating in the area.

Others interviewed said the government should have introduced the measure when kidnapping was endemic in the state as it would have deterred others from joining the inhuman trade as well as seize other property they owned in the state.

The government, not too long ago, demolished a hotel belonging to another kidnapper at Afaraukwu in Umuahia North LGA of the state in its bid to flush out kidnappers from the state.

It could be recalled that combined team of security agents last Sunday, rounded up a kidnap gang, killing three members and freeing their victim unhurt.

The gang, which had, last Thursday, abducted the state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Sunny Nwakodo, and was allegedly responsible for the shooting of the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Kenneth Nwosu, who later died of the gunshot wounds.

Robbery: Police Arrest 30 Suspects

By BY DONATUS NADI, Lafia

Nasarawa State Police Command yesterday paraded 30 armed robbery suspects arrested within the past three weeks by its Special Anti-Robbery Squard (SARS).

Commissioner of Police Nasarawa state Command, CP Ibrahim Idris, who addressed newsmen on the development said the proactive steps taken by the command in checking crime in state has seen a drastic reduction in crime rate in the recent past.

Between the 25th of June to 15th of July, 2014, the command also recorvered 13 firearms and 7 rustled cows. Three suspected rapists specialized in raping college students were also arrested in addition to the recovery of a cache of live ammunition and cartridges.

CP Idris also revealed that within the period under review, 9 stolen vehicles

were recorvered by officers and men of the command. He noted that most of the recovered vehicles were snatched at gunpoint by armed robbers in neighbouring states, especially Kaduna, Benue and Taraba states.

The Police boss also noted that Makurdi, the Benue state capital, has become notorious for marketing stolen cars as most cases of stolen vehicles are traceable to it.

Four suspected armed robbers that operated along Lafia-Doma road on the 17th July, 2014 where the principal of Federal Science and Technical College, Mr. Ajibola Lawal and one Musa (surname withheld) were killed have also been arrested.

CP Idris also told the press that the success recorded by the command was made possible by the support of traditional rulers and members of the public who have willingly divulged information on criminal activities to the police.

President Goodluck Jonathan (right), congratulating newly-appointed Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyeyemi Boboye in Abuja, yesterday PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

L-R: Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Deji Elumoye; chairman of the occasion, Aremu Olusegun Osoba; speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji; former Lagos State Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; his wife, Abimbola, and Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Lateef Ibirogba, at the presentation of a book to mark Jakande’s 85th birthday in Lagos, yesterday. Photo By Nan

L-R: Chairman of the occasion, Dr Oyeduni Arulogun; branch chairman, South-West Zone, West African College of Nursing, Mrs Funmi Osobu-Popoola, and special guest, Dr Olukayode Oyetunde, at a symposium to mark the college week in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo by nan

CHILD THEFT: Man In Police Net In Ondo

by Tope Fayehun, Akure

Nemesis has caught up with a middle aged man, Adewole Rotimi, who was arrested by the anti-crime detectives attached to Yaba Divisional Headquarters in Ondo, for attempting to steal a two-month old baby boy.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the suspect committed the offence at about 12:00 midnight last weekend when he unlawfully entered into private apartment of one Mrs Oladele Blessing of GRA, Ondo town.

The child was said to be sleeping beside her mother when he entered the house.

The police sources disclosed that while the suspect was attempting to escape with the child, the mother of the baby raised an alarm which attracted concerned members of the public who mobilized and arrested him.

The suspect escaped being lynched by the angry mob due to prompt intervention of policemen,who arrived the scene of the crime and subsequently took the suspect to their station for interrogation.

Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),ASP Wole Ogodo, said the matter was presently being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department(CID) section.

Ogodo said the suspect unlawfully entered into the bedroom of the victim at night and attempted to take away the baby but luck ran out on him as he was later arrested by combined efforts of the members of the public.

The PPRO, however, said the suspect would soon be charged to court for prosecution after the police must have concluded their investigation.

L-R: Executive secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Prof. Godswill Obioma, and the executive secretary, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba during the signing of the MoU on mainstreaming trafficking in persons into curricula of primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo By Nan

12

Thursday, July 24, 2014

RC 161070

NOTICE OF 23RD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 23rd Annual General Meeting of members of the Company will hold at Agip Hall, The MUSON Center, 8/9 Marina, Onikan, Lagos on Thursday, August 14, 2014 at 11:00 am prompt to transact the following:

AUDITED RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER, 2013 AUDITED RESULTS FOR

THE YEAR ENDED 31areDECEMBER, The Directors of C & I Leasing Plc pleased to publish 2013 the Group’s audited results for The Directors of C December & I Leasing2013.

Plc are pleased to publish the Group's audited the year ended 31st results for the year ended December 31, 2013.

GROUP

Ordinary Business 1. To receive the audited financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2013 together with the Reports of the Directors, Auditors and Audit Committee thereon.

12 Months to Dec 31, 2013

11 Months to Dec 31, 2012

N'000

N'000

12,490,643

11,760,468

Operating Profit

2,018,296

Net Finance Cost

(1,713,773)

2. To declare a dividend.

3. To elect/ re-elect retiring directors.

Revenue

4. To approve the remuneration of the directors.

5. To authorize the directors to fix the remuneration of the auditors.

6. To elect members of the Audit Committee for the ensuing year accordingly.

Special Business

7. That the amendment of the subscription agreement between the company and Aureos Africa Fund (AAF) to facilitate the conversion of loan stock to be converted at the current market price on the date of the conversion, currently 50k per share, rather than the rate provided in the agreement which would give an effective conversion of N1.05 per share be and is hereby approved; 8. That the 1,617,010,000 shares of 50k each in the capital of the company be and is hereby consolidated into 202,126,250 ordinary shares of 50k each by the cancellation of 1,414,883,750 ordinary shares of 50k each; 9. That the allotment of restructured shares to shareholders whose names appear in the register of members as fully paid in ratio of 1 (One) NEW Ordinary share for 8 (Eight) OLD Ordinary shares held be and is hereby approved; 10. That the sum of N707,441,875 representing the surplus nominal value arising from the share reconstruction exercise be and is hereby transferred to the Capital Reserve Account and form part of the shareholders’ funds of the company; 11. That the restructured 202,126,250 ordinary shares of 50k each be and is hereby re-valued to ensure that there is no loss of value to shareholders as a result of share reconstruction, subject to appropriate regulatory consents, and be listed on the Floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE);

COMPANY

% Change

12 Months to Dec 31, 2013

11 Months to Dec 31, 2012

N'000

N'000

6%

10,239,814

10,092,696

1%

1,732,182

17%

1,775,367

1,535,885

16%

(1,551,559)

-10%

(1,417,063)

(1,299,906)

-9%

304,523

180,623

69%

358,304

235,979

52%

(142,926)

72,277

-298%

(72,990)

74,749

-198%

Profit After Taxation

161,597

252,900

-36%

285,314

310,728

-8%

Proposed Dividend*

(83,544)

(37,328)

(83,544)

(37,328)

Profit Before Taxation

To consider and if thought fit, pass with or without modification (s) the following as special resolutions:

% Change

Taxation

dividend above represents proposed but yet to proposed be declared bybut the Shareholders **Proposed Proposed dividend abovedividend represents dividend yet to be declared by the shareholders.

Dated the 9th day of July, 2014

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD Dated the 9th day of July 2014

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

Mbanugo Udenze MBANUGO UDENZE & CO COMPANY SECRETARY Company Secretary

12. That the company be and is hereby authorized to raise additional equity capital through a Public Offer / Rights Issue upon such terms and conditions as the Directors may deem fit in the interest of the company for the purpose of strengthening the company’s capital base; 13. That the company be and is hereby authorized to dispose of the company’s 76% equity investment in its subsidiary, Citrans Global Limited, by selling it to the management of the entity at par value of the investment ; and 14. That the Directors be and are hereby authorized, subject to the approval of the appropriate regulatory authorities, to take all such incidental, consequential and supplemental actions and to execute all requisite documents as may be necessary to give effect to the above resolutions.

Notes 1. Proxies A member of the Company entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy in his stead. Proxies need not be member of the Company. Executed proxy forms should be deposited with the Company Secretary at the Registered Office of the Company not later than 48 hours before the time fixed for the meeting.

2. Closure of Register of Members In compliance with section 89 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004 and post-listing rules of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the register will be closed from Monday, 11th August, 2014 to Friday, 15th August, 2014 both days inclusive.

3. Re-election of Director over 70 years Special Notice is hereby given that AVM A. D. Bello (Rtd) GCON CFR who is 70 years of age will be proposed for re-election as Director pursuant to Section 256 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

4. Audit Committee In accordance with Section 359(5) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990, any shareholder may nominate another shareholder as a member of the Audit Committee by giving notice in writing of such nomination to the Company Secretary of the Company at least 21 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.

5. Dividend If the dividend of 4 kobo per share recommended by directors is approved by members at the Annual General Meeting, warrant will be posted on the 18th day of August, 2014 to members whose name appear in the Register of Members at the close of business on 8th August, 2014.

Dated the 9th day of July, 2014

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

MBANUGO UDENZE & CO COMPANY SECRETARY

www.c-ileasing.com

Thursday, July 24, 2014

13

14 news NATIONAL

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Enugu Assembly Serves Deputy Gov Impeachment Notice

Era Of Imposition Of Candidates Over In Adamawa – Marwa

By Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

The clerk of the Enugu State House of Assembly has served the deputy governor of the state, Sunday Onyebuchi his impeachment notice.

Until he was served, Onyebuchi’s whereabouts were unknown.

While some citizens of the state speculated that he might have gone

to Imo State to see the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, others believed that he went to Abuja or his village to avoid being served the impeachment notice.

Onyebuchi was last seen by our correspondent last Monday at Udi where he represented Governor Sullivan Chime at the commissioning cer-

emony of the Road Safety Academy.

Many residents of Enugu who spoke to LEADERSHIP blamed Onyebuchi for romancing with Ekeremadu and other opponents of Governor Chime.

The Enugu Assembly commenced the process of impeachment of the deputy governor last Monday over alleged acts of gross misconduct.

Security Personnel Storm Lagos Airport, Seal Shops, Arrest Operators, others

By NKEM OSUAGWU, Lagos

For several hours, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos was under siege as heavily armed officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) attached to the airport confiscated the wares of some con-

cessionaires and harassed travellers.

Business activities came to a halt at the arrival and departure halls of the international wing of the airport as the men of the Nigerian Air Force led by the airport commandant, Group Capt. Victor Ajiboye arrested and sealed up businesses in the

terminal.

The arrival and departure halls of the terminal were also taken over by them, making it practically impossible for people to transact their businesses, just as departing and arriving passengers were visibly shaken, following the takeover of the place.

Former military administrator of Lagos State and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa has told his supporters that the leadership of the party has assured him of a level playing ground in the coming primaries.

Marwa, a leading aspirant in the party’s governorship race, has been receiving encouragement and support from all over the state, but some are expressing fears that he may

be dropped by the party when the time comes.

But Marwa said he would secure the ticket of the party in the next governorship election in the state, saying the party has assured him that there will be no imposition unlike what happened with former Governor Murtala Nyako.

Marwa made the disclosure even as the 335 delegates assured him of the ticket of the party in the next governorship election in the state by voting en masse for him from the Central Senatorial District.

We’ve Not Been Notified Of Nyako’s Removal – Jega Chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, yesterday said the commission has not been officially notified of the removal of former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako.

Jega, during an interactive session with media managers in Abuja, said “The law is clear on that but as at Wednesday morning, INEC has not been formally notified of the impeachment.

“The law provides for three months to hold election while the speaker of the House of Assembly takes over within the period in cases where the deputy governor cannot act.

“We are law abiding and we will operate within the law if officially notified,” Prof Jega said.

He, however, explained that if election was conducted in the state, the winner would only complete Nyako’s tenure while another election would be held during the 2015 general elections.

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

FG Declares Monday, Tuesday Public Holidays

The federal government has declared Monday, 28th and Tuesday, 29th July as public holidays to commemorate this year’s Eid-el Fitri Sallah celebration.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Interior, Fatima Bamidele, on behalf of the minister, Comrade Abba Moro.

The minister, in the statement, enjoined all Muslim faithful and all Nigerians to extend the spiritual benefits of Ramadan to the development of the country.

By Christiana Nwaogu, Abuja

NEWS/BUSINESS 15

Thursday, July 24, 2014

business news

Customs Impounds Bags Of Rice Worth N35m

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded 2,466 valued over N35 million while two people were arrested.

The area commander for Oyo/Osun, deputy comptroller Oteri Richard, told newsmen in Ibadan yesterday that 23 vehicles

were also impounded.

He said in the last two weeks, the Command’s intelligence network led to the seizure of a DAF Truck with registration number XA 997 FKYN loaded with 610 bags of rice, Volvo Truck with registration number KSF 731 XE with 298 bags of imported

rice and 21 assorted fairly used vehicles loaded with 1,538 bags of imported rice.

He disclosed that the seizures were at different locations within Ilero-Otu road off Saki-Iseyin road and Alaraba Village in Kajola and Atiba Local Government Areas of the state.

GOtv Embarks On Awareness Creation For Digital Switch-over

By Chima Akwaja, Lagos

GOtv has embarked on massive consumer awareness on the imminent switch-over from analogue to digital broadcasting in Nigeria.

Speaking at the fourth GOcustomer Forum held at the Transcorp Hotels in Calabar,Cross River State commissioner for information, Chief Akin Rickett, said, “Awareness of the ongoing digitisation of Nigeria’s broadcast industry is very low.

I thank GOtv for creating a forum subscribers can learn about its services and a topical

issue as the digital switch-over.”

Also pouring encomiums on GOtv, a subscriber , Chief Patrick Effah, said he was experiencing the crisp digital quality pictures which GOtv promised . “The picture quality is incomparable, I urge GOtv to sustain the quality of the service,” he said.

Another subscriber, Eyo Bassey, said he appreciates GOtv for its pocketfriendliness. For Godswill Samson, GOtv stands out in three areas - economy, quality pictures and uninterrupted signals during rainy or cloudy weather.

AGF’s Office Drafts New AntiEnergy Theft Law

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

The federal government is taking fresh steps to safeguard electricity infrastructures across the country through a law currently being finetuned by the office of the attorneygeneral of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice.

Energy theft and vandalisation of electricity facilities have created serious operational challenges for new owners of the privatised power outfits.

The director-general of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr Benjamin Dikki, who disclosed this move by government therefore warned that those engaging in sharp practices considered to be detrimental to the growth of the recently privatised electricity industry in the country would now face tougher times as the proposed law stipulates stiffer sanctions for perpetrators of energy theft, perpetual bill default and vandalism of electricity equipment.

Dikki, who was at the Eko Electricity Distribution Company in Lagos on a post- privatisation visit stated that it was the responsibility of government to provide an enabling environment for the new electricity companies to carry out their business activities without any disturbance or distraction.

The BPE DG said, the bill, currently undergoing scrutiny in the office of the attorneygeneral of the federation aims at providing a legal framework for

the new companies to operate and collect their due revenue without hindrance.

Speaking further, Dikki said developments in the new companies since the takeover by private investors pointed to a bright future for the industry stressing that the amount being proposed to be injected into the system within the next one year

by Eko Electricity Distribution Company alone was more than the annual budget of the federal ministry of power.

He also said other initiatives such as technical partnership with a global brand like the TATA group of India and KPMG, exploring alternative source of power supply through embedded generation and novel metering plans among other innovations by Eko Electricity Distribution Company could not have been achieved under the old monolithic structure of PHCN within a time frame of less than a year.

On the request by the new owners for a cost-reflective tariff structure in the industry, the BPE chief said this may not be possible until a significant improvement in power supply has been attained.

Dikki said as much as the BPE and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC) would be willing to look into the possibility of having a costreflective tariff in the industry, the present power supply situation in the country would not make this possible for now.

Minister of agriculture and rural development, Mr Akinwumi Adesina, undergoing the “Tap” registration at the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) office in Abuja, last week.

Zenith Bank Posts N47.45bn Half Year Profit OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

Zenith Bank Plc has declared a profit- after - tax of N47.45 billion for the half year ended June 30, 2014.

In the results made available to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), yesterday, Zenith Bank’s profit- after-tax rose by 8.26 per cent from N43.83 billion in 2013 to N47.45 billion.

Gross earnings were N184.43 billion, up by 7.84 per cent above the N171.02 billion recorded in the same period in 2013.

Interest Income grew by 8.73 per cent from N128.32 billion to N139.32 billion, while operating expenses stood at N75.17 billion from N70.43 billion in 2013.

Earnings per share went up to N3.16 from N3.04 in 2013, while customers’ deposits grew by 15.19 per cent from N2 trillion to N2.30 trillion, indicating customers’ confidence in the bank.

Market operators who spoke with LEADERSHIP said the performance showed the positive trend the bank has been

recording over the years, saying that the bank should cut down its expenses which went up in the quarterly result reviewed.

It would be recalled that the former managing director of Zenith Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, had told shareholders during the annual general meeting for the 2013 financial year in Lagos that the management would continue to work harder to ensure they put expenses under control for the general interest of the shareholders and the bank.

Profit Taking: NSE Indices Dip By 0.28% OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

The equities segment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) witnessed weak bargain for the third day this week, as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) indices further dipped by 0.28 per cent.

This is as a result of investors taking profit from capitalised stocks following recent gains.

The market capitalisation depreciated by N40 billion or 0.28 per cent to close at N14.048 trillion, from the N14.088 trillion

recorded on Tuesday. Similarly, the All-Share Index which opened at 42,664.95 dropped by 120.62 points to close at 42,544.33.

Total led the losers’ chart by N9.77, to close at N185.73 per share. Mobil trailed with a loss of N8.94 to close at N169.90, while Skye Shelter and Nestle depreciated by N5 each, to close at N95 and N1,120 per share respectively. Wapco dipped by N2.73 to close at N117.27 per share.

On the other hand, CAP led the gainers’ table by 90 kobo, to close

at N41 per share. CCNN followed with a gain of 63 kobo to close at N13.27 per share, while Guinness gained 50 kobo to close at N198.

UACN grew by 40 kobo to close at N62.40, while Stanbic IBTC chalked up by 37 kobo, to close at N27.50 per share.

Transcorp emerged as the mosttraded stock, accounting for 72.47 million shares worth N390.71 million. Oando exchanged 28.84 million shares valued at N741.8 million, while Access Bank sold 27.76 million shares worth N276.44 million.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/business

16 NEWS/BUSINESS Winners Of NNPC Quiz Competition Bags Scholarship

BY JULIET ALOHAN, Abuja

Imo State representing the south -east zone of the country has won the 2014 NNPC Annual National Quiz Competition.

The quiz was won by three students from different secondary schools in Owerri who have all bagged scholarship to any university of their choice to be sponsored by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Speaking during the grand finale of the event at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, the group managing director of the corporation, Mr Andrew Yakubu, felicitated with the winners, assuring of the readiness of the

NNPC to sustain the programme in order to mentor the leaders of tomorrow to succeed in their academic pursuits.

He said the competition which was in its 13th edition has lived up to the objectives for which it was instituted, adding that most of the winners of the competition in the past have graduated with flying colours from various universities across the world.

Yakubu explained that since the quiz competition debut 13 years ago, it has helped in developing the interest of younger Nigerians in studying science and technology courses in tertiary institutions across the country and beyond.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

First Bank Rolls Out E- payment Platform

BY GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

First Bank Nigeria Limited in partnership with PayPal, a global digital payment firm on Tuesday launched an e-commerce payment platform to ease international shopping for Nigerian consumers and business communities.

Speaking at the lunch held at the Eko Hotel in Lagos, the group managing director of First Bank Limited, Mr Bisi Onasanya, said First Bank and PayPal partnership was a gateway to seamless e-commerce payment option to the bank’s customers and the entire Nigerian market.

He said: “Over the years, payment cards issued by banks in emerging economies have had the challenge of acceptance for e-commerce transactions, especially by international merchants and online content providers.

“In recent times, particularly the payment needs of Nigerians have continued to evolve with more consumers desiring to purchase goods and services online and from far flung markets across the globe.”

This need Onasanya affirmed, increasingly underscored the imperatives for an internationally and easily acceptable e-commerce payment platform.

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Stakeholders Task Chidoka On 2nd Runway For Abuja Airport

BY NKEM OSUAGWU, Lagos

Following the swearingin of Mr Osita Chidoka, as aviation minister

by President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, industry stakeholders have urged the new minister to initiate new programmes for the industry especially the actualisation of a national airline for Nigeria, the construction of a second runway for the Abuja airport and the building of an aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul hangar, as well as the completion of the on-going projects in the industry.

The former national president, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE),Mr Kyari Ayuba Sheri, said it would be nice if the minister could initiate some programmes of his own in the industry despite the fact that he has a short time of about seven months to be in office.

His words: “We welcome him into the industry. We will wait for him to unveil some of his programmes, but it would benefit the industry more if he can initiate programmes that will result in the building of a second runway for the Abuja Airport, the actualisation of a national carrier and the building of an aircraft maintenance hangar in Nigeria.”

Also, aviation journalists under the aegis of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) urged the new minister to ensure the completion of all ongoing projects in the industry.

In a statement signed by the chairman of LAAC, Chukwuemeke Iwelumo, the League said, “Completing all ongoing airport projects will be in the interest of the sector which its road map and master plan should be implemented irrespective of who is appointed the minister of aviation.”

Thursday, July 24, 2014

17

18 BUSINESS/AGRICULTURE

Thursday, July 24, 2014

‘Nigeria Will Produce Additional 22m Tonnes Of Food By 2015’

The struggle to eliminate poverty and hunger through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) is positively gaining ground as farmers on various platforms continue to applaud the efforts of President Jonathan who has assured Nigerians that Nigeria will surpass its food production demand for the year 2014.

Agriculture in Nigeria used to be the mainstay of the economy until oil was discovered and the sector became neglected to the detriment of the whole nation. Sadly , this state of affairs led to increased poverty, unemployment and famine as the farming population dwindled.

The implementation of the agriculture transformation agenda marked a turning point as it promised to not only restore the glory of Nigeria through farming but ensure food on the tables of all Nigerians with enough left over for export.

This was confirmed by the minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, who said Nigeria would surpass its target to produce 22 million tonnes of additional food by 2015.

Adesina made this known on Friday during a media chat on `Self-sufficiency in Rice,’ in Abuja.

According to Akinwumi: “When we started in 2011, our aim was to produce additional 20 million tonnes of food to the existing production, but as at the end of 2013, 17 million tonnes of additional food had been produced since 2011 and by 2015, 22 million tones of additional food would be produced,’’ he said.

Adesina said Nigeria was now the reference point for agriculture on the continent as the country was rapidly closing food importation

agric focus

By Ruth Tene Natsa

gap. He observed that the impact of the agriculture transformation agenda was noticeable as food import had dropped by N2.5 billion in the last three years.

According to him, when ATA started in 2011, the land area for rice production was increased by 1.9 million hectares saying rice varieties known as faro 44 and 52 which was as good as the imported rice had been introduced to about six million local farmers.

Adesina said these varieties could give farmers five to six tonnes per hectare as to one to two tonnes per hectares hitherto produced by the local grain.

He said the intervention of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had seen the production of paddy rice grow from four to nine million tonnes Adesina in the last three years.

Within the same period, “integrated rice mills had longer also grown from one to 18 in seek cheap temporal jobs the country with lots of small- during dry season. scale millers also processing Adesina described rice the commodity.” importation as `prodigal He said the ongoing economy’ saying that Nigeria revolution in the rice subhad no business importing sector was adding a lot to rice when rice could be grown the domestic economy of in all parts of the country. rice producing states which He blamed the situation had increased from10 at the on oil discovery, but start of the programme, to 22 acknowledged that the states today. situation was changing as rice The minister noted that a produced in Kebbi was being total of N750 billion had been processed in Lagos, boosting added to the economy of the economic relations between states, and thousands of jobs the states and creating wealth had been created as youths no and jobs locally.

According to him, Nigerian rice was all over the markets and that Nigerians were consuming it without knowing as they expect the grains to be short, have stones and smell burnt. He alleged that “some companies package Nigerian rice in foreign bags to make them look imported.”

Adesina said the ministry was working in collaboration with the federal ministry of finance to set up paddy rice bulky collection centres where there would be guaranteed

price for the commodity.

He said that rice importers must produce or process rice locally before they would be allowed to import to meet the total demand of the country.

On the menace of rice smuggling in to the country, Adesina stressed the need to protect local farmers by effectively manning the boarders, adding that government was determined to cub the activities of saboteurs.

He attributed the successes recorded in the sub-sector to the support of President Goodluck Jonathan, and the collaborative efforts of state governments especially their contributions to the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme.

He adviced unemployed youths to go into agriculture as people do not eat gas or drink oil but eat food to stay alive, urging them to form clusters as that would enable them have access to funds set aside by government to support youths in agriculture.

The minister expressed concern on the effects of climate change to agriculture produce saying that government was interested in proper insurance for farmers.

He said the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Cooperation (NAIC) had been repositioned to meet the demands of farmers saying, “Government was also putting an insurance programme in place called ``Farming with Peace’’ which targets about 10 million farmers.”

Adesina described agriculture practiced with hoe and cutlass as `punishment,’ saying that government was setting up 250 agricultural equipment hiring centres across the country to enable farmers practice mechanised farming.

Uganda Seeks Nigeria’s Help On E-wallet System

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

As the success of the E-wallet method of distributing seeds and farm inputs to farmers using the GSM phones gains more popularity, the government of Uganda has sought the help of Nigeria in implementing the E-Wallet system in their country.

This was revealed when a delegation of the Uganda ministry of agriculture, animal

industry and fisheries led by its minister of State, fisheries and a member of the Uganda Parliament, Ruth Nankabirwa, paid a courtesy call on the minister of agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, in Abuja yesterday.

According to Nankabirwa: “We have been grappling with the problems of distribution of agriculture inputs and implements and we thought that the E-wallet system will

help us to reduce procurement hassles and reduce time and help control the quality of seeds, because the little we have learnt before we came here is that when using the E-wallet system, you are able to reach the beneficiaries and in that, government can control and regulate and solve the problems of standards.”

She revealed that while seed production was controlled by government to ensure quality

through research, distribution was done by registered private companies who sold the seeds and other agriculture equipment to the farmers.

Revealing that agriculture was practiced at about 68 per cent subsistence level in Uganda, she said, “we have a very aggressive policy on mechanisation and commercialiation of agriculture and by coming to learn the E-wallet system, we are on the right path of commercialising

adding that in terms of commercialisation Uganda was a hub in the region in East Africa, while expressing hope that the collaboration between both countries would help in restructuring and developing agriculture in Uganda.

The minister revealed that Uganda was yet to achieve the 10 per cent implementation of the Maputo declaration assuring that they were working towards it .

commerce/BUSINESS 19

Thursday, July 24, 2014

commerce REPORTS

FG Restates Commitment To Boosting Domestic Trade

L-R: Director , Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Jonathan Juma; Trainee mechanic, Bright Timothy; Director –General, National Automotive Council, Engr Aminu Jala; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, Founder, Lady Mechanic Initiative, Sandra Aguebor Ekperuoh , during the visit of the association to the ministry’s headquarters, Abuja.

‘Fast Food Industry Recorded N230bn Turnover In 2013’ Stories By Kingsley Alu, Abuja

The Nigerian fast food industry witnesses spontaneous growth in 2013, grossing a total of N230 billion in turnovers up from the N200 billion it did in 2012. A PanAfrican rating agency, Agusto & Co. stated this in a report obtained this week by LEADERSHIP. The report entitled: “2014 Industry Reports,” which exposed several challenges facing the food, telecommunication, agriculture and other important sectors of the Nigerian economy disclosed that based on the rebased GDP figures, the accommodation & food services sub-sector contributed about 0.47 per cent of the nation’s total value of goods and services compared to 0.55 per cent in 2012.

While explaining that the lower contribution was as a result of the GDP rebasing exercise, which resulted in a significant increase in the size of the national economy, the report however projected a

15 per cent growth for the fast food industry in 2014, revealing that the fast food target market accounts for about 30.5 per cent of the country’s population, approximately 51.8 million persons.

“Nevertheless, we expect the fast food industry’s revenue to grow by about 15 per cent to a N265 billion in 2014 as new restaurants are opening (both local and indigenous) to meet the demand of the growing population of the fast food target market which include individuals within the 25-45 years bracket,” said the report.

The report said one of the problems facing the fast food industry was over reliance on imported goods.

“Most fast food raw materials with the exception of perishables such as vegetables are imported.

However, the supply of these food items in Nigeria is restricted due to the ban on importation on some of these items as well as high

tariffs/duties on others in a bid to develop local markets,” it stated , adding that : “In 2012, the federal government announced a ban on rice imports effective 2015, in addition a levy on rice (brown, semi and wholly milled rice) was set at 100 per cent effective 31 December 2012, whilst others have import bans such as pork, beef, fruit juice in retail packs, live or dead birds including frozen poultry.”

This, the report noted, has led to high prices for the Industry’s raw materials.

“We estimate that raw materials (food & beverage) made up about 45 per cent of the Industry’s costs, followed by property (rent, maintenance & depreciation) at 18 per cent and energy at 15 per cent.

“In terms of revenue generation, proteins (meat, chicken, and fish) and traditional cuisine contributed about 30 per cent and 20 per cent respectively of total sales, ”it added.

The federal government has re-affirmed its commitment towards facilitating the growth and development of domestic trade across the country.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, gave the assurance during a Town Hall Meeting with Traders in the South West geo-political region, in Lagos, on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by traders and representatives of market associations from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States, as well representatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Immigration and the Police.

The minister explained that the Town Hall meeting was necessitated by the federal government’s recognition of the importance of domestic trade in achieving its inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development in line with President Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

The minister said: “This is the first ever town hall meeting and also the first in the series that the ministry of industry, trade and investment will be organising frequently as part of our deliberate strategy to develop and grow domestic trade across the country. As part of our domestic trade strategy, the federal government wants to bring policy formulation and implementation down to the grassroots and ensure that traders are carried along.

Association To Create 10,000 Businesses Olushola Bello, Lagos

The fast food target market accounts for about 30.5 per cent of the country’s population, approximately 51.8 million persons

With the growing need for evolution of more small businesses to drive job creation and inclusive growth in the country, the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) has finalised plans to empower aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in a training and empowerment workshop ahead of its forthcoming National Small Business Week.

The president of ABSON, Dr Olufemi Egbesola, who stated this while addressing pressmen in Lagos, said the association was organising a one-month training and capacity-building programme designed to assist aspiring entrepreneurs to kick- start a new business and for existing entrepreneurs to expand their businesses.

Speaking on the upcoming National Small Business Week, Egbesola described it as the first of its kind in Africa, saying the association, in collaboration with its newspaper, Weekly Small Business News, was organising the week-long programme to bring together all Nigerians in small businesses nationwide and other allied bodies and associations. It is also aimed at fostering unity, growth, advancement and unprecedented awareness of small businesses in Nigeria and is scheduled to hold from November 17 to 22, 2014, and would feature exhibition of products and services.

BRICS Set Up Bank To Rev Up Global Financing This week witnessed a global media frenzy as the 6th BRICS summit successfully established a $100billion development bank. The bank has been in the making for over two years out of frustration with the developed world in giving emerging economies a bigger say in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which was conceived at a UN conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, in 1944.

The bank will be called the New Development Bank, not the BRICS bank, which leaves the

door open for other emerging nations such as Turkey, Mexico, Indonesia and Nigeria to join as partners at a later date and would be used to fund infrastructure projects in developing nations.

The New Development Bank would be based in Shanghai with India getting its stewardship for the first five years followed by Brazil and then Russia.

China will get the presidency only after two decades, a decision taken to address concerns over the country acquiring an unusually large say in the bank.

The bank will have $50 billion in equity capital, contributed equally by the five members and is scheduled to start lending in 2016 and be open to membership by other countries, but the capital share of the BRICS cannot drop below 55 per cent.

The bank is the first major achievement of the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - since they got together in 2009 to press for a bigger say in the global financial order.

The leaders of BRICS were

prompted to seek coordinated action following an exodus of capital from emerging markets last year, triggered by the scaling back of U.S. monetary stimulus.

“This initiative gathered momentum after the reverse in the flows of cheap dollars that fueled a boom in emerging markets for a decade. It will help contain the volatility faced by diverse economies as a result of the tapering of the United States’ policy of monetary expansion,” Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said.

“It is a sign of the times, which demand reform of the IMF,” Rousseff told newsmen at the close of the summit.

China, holder of the world’s largest foreign exchange reserves, would contribute the bulk of the contingency currency pool, or $41 billion. Brazil, India and Russia would chip in $18 billion each and South Africa $5 billion. If a need arises, China would be eligible to ask for half of its contribution, South Africa for double and the remaining countries the amount they put in.

20 BUSINESS/ENERGY

Thursday, July 24, 2014

ENERGY REPORT

TUGAR Report Unveils Indiscipline In Oil Revenue Spend STORIES By juliet alohan, Abuja

An oil worker at work

Oil Sector: Securing Operations With Voluntary Human Rights Principles

Instead of spending huge amounts yearly on security personnel guarding operational assets in the oil and gas sector, JULIET ALOHAN writes that adopting the voluntary principles on security and human rights may offer a better alternative

Some International Oil Companies (IOCs) have already keyed into the initiative but do not apply it in their operations in Nigeria since the country is not a signatory to the initiative

Operators in the Nigerian oil and gas industry have continuously raised the alarm over the hostile environment in which they operate, resulting in their having to spend huge amounts of money to engage security personnel.

The security situation in the Niger Delta region have been observed to have deteriorated sharply since the region was put under military occupation in 1998, therefore, calling for a new approach in dealing with lingering challenges of security and human rights breaches in the extractive sector.

It is estimated that between 2007 and 2011, oil companies operating in Nigeria spent the sum of $53 billion on security of their operational facilities, critical infrastructure and personnel.

Despite this huge spending, a non-governmental organisation, Global Rights Nigeria, in a workshop held in Abuja recently, disclosed that within the first seven months of 2013, about $3 billion was lost to illegal oil bunkering in the industry, while about 1,000 people were killed. The organisation also stated that another 300 personnel were also taken hostage within the period even as it noted that about $10 billion have been divested so far by operators as a result of unfavourable operating environment.

Participants at the workshop opined that the situation was unsustainable given the

dwindling situation despite the expenditure and supported a change of initiative.

Speaking at the workshop, the country director of Global Rights Nigeria, Dr Abiodun Baiyewu, informed that Nigeria’s crude oil is extracted from about 5,284 wells in about 250 existing oil fields. She said Nigeria also has about 7,000 kilometres of pipeline network, 10 export terminals, 275 flow stations, 10 gas plants, four refineries which perform at poor capacity and a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant. She further noted that securing these facilities by simply militarising the assets may produce little results and added that adopting the voluntary principles for security and human rights in Nigeria’s extractive sector may make a difference.

She explained that “the principles are basically a voluntary set of principles that guide the extractive companies and their activities.”

While stating that Nigeria is not yet a signatory to this principle, she, however, informed that some International Oil Companies (IOCs) have already keyed into the initiative but do not apply it in their operations in Nigeria since the country is not a signatory to the initiative. She explained that the global Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) is simply a framework that seeks to get extractive industry operators

to proactively secure their operational facilities with considerable observance of human rights component in their operational environments.

With such security measures adopted across board in the sector seemingly yielding very little success, Global Rights Nigeria has advocated domestication of the VPs in the operations of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The VPs, according to her, is a multi-stakeholder initiative that involves governments, companies and non-governmental organisations and which promotes implementation of a set of principles that guide companies in the extractive industry on providing security for their operations in a manner that respects human rights.

Specifically, the VPs guide companies in conducting a comprehensive human rights risk assessment in their engagement of public and private security providers to ensure that the human rights of host communities are respected while the security operatives protect operational facilities and premises of extractive companies.

Given that what the VPs aim to achieve with its countryby-country adoption and domestication is simply safety of extractive operations, perhaps its adoption, if considered, may redefine security operations in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

A report released on Tuesday by the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR) in Abuja has revealed how states breach the Public Procurement Act in spending oil revenue allocated to them.

The report of the mapping and scoping survey of anti-corruption and governance measures in public finance management which was presented by the head, TUGAR, Lilian Ekeanyanwu, is the third phase of the project to establish a comprehensive anti-corruption database for Nigeria.

The report which covers 10 states, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kastina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ogun, Taraba and Yobe, observed that most states funnel revenue allocated to them into excess overhead expenditure over budget estimates. Findings from the study showed that while the states benefited from huge increases in statutory oil allocations during the period, “available evidence indicates that states spend these unexpected resources as they are received, including in some cases, spending above initial budget figures.”

The report showed that while only five of the 10 states, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Jigawa, Cross River and Taraba, have enacted the public procurement and fiscal responsibility Act, the laws have been twisted to suit the desires of the states in some cases. For example, the report noted that “in Jigawa State law, some clauses exclude application of due process rules to procurement processes below N100 million which constitute the largest group of procurement activities in the state.

“In Ebonyi State, the definition of open competitive bidding robs its processes of prior and simultaneous distribution of information on procurement activity while requirements of political approval for procurement expenditure are notable in Ekiti and Jigawa states’ laws,” the report revealed. It also noted that the procurement laws exclude application of provisions to special goods, works and services involving security in some states.

“This appears intended to statutorily protect from public scrutiny the controversial state security votes,” the report added.

Ministry Clarifies Position On Power Generation Target The Ministry of Power has clarified its position on power generation target, saying 6,000 megawatts (mws) is projected to be achieved by the end of 2014 and not 10,000mws.

The ministry recently issued a statement saying that 10,000mws of electricity is projected to be achieved by the end of 2014.

But making the clarification in a statement, the deputy director, Press, of the ministry, Timothy Oyedeji, said the earlier “report was unfortunate, as it was not meant to quote any figure at variance with sector’s agreed generation capacities within time lines.”

Regretting the error, Oyedeji said, “I wish to state clearly that the Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, said the 10,000mws projection is for 2015 and not 2014.”

He stressed that the service-wide projection for 2014 still remains 6,000mws, while the 10,000mws is for 2015. “It is a realistic figure and would be attained with the minister of power as sector leader working assiduously with other stakeholders,” Oyedeji added.

BUSINESS/mines & steel 21

Thursday, July 24, 2014

mines & steel REPORT

Fg To Discourage Use Of Mercury, Cyanide For Mining

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

A mining site

How Prepared is Nigeria for Foreign Investment?

The mining sector continues to be described as a viable sector for economic development, job creation and poverty alleviation even though it remains neglected. Ruth Tene Natsa writes on the possibility of reviving the sector through foreign interests and investment.

A major prospect towards the development of the mining sector is receiving and embracing foreign investment.

This was particularly discussed at the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA) where the need to embrace and open the sector to foreign investment was seen as the solution to the huge financial cost of mining.

The veracity of this lies in the fact that not many citizens are willing to invest in the sector which is capital intensive, time consuming and sometimes takes a long time to produce results.

But there is no doubt that huge international companies have the capacity to handle the financial implications of mining in Nigeria.

The revelation that the once passive and almost forgotten sector could contribute N26.9 billion from solid minerals in 2011 has opened the eyes of many stakeholders to the reality that the sector has the potential to not only restructure but increase the development of the nation’s economy.

According to the executive secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mrs Zainab Ahmed, who spoke at the presentation of the Solid Minerals Audit Report, “Despite the fact that gold and barites were mined across the nation, there were no records of any royalty or similar payments and yet the report showed a huge improvement of the sectors contribution to the federal government’s account.

Reacting to why foreign investors are reluctant to invest in the rich sector, considering the huge composition of minerals and other mining products, a United Kingdom (UK)-based businessman

Mr Andy Nwegbu, speaking in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP, was of the opinion that security remained the biggest challenge against getting investors in the country.

“Now you tell me, who wants to come to a country where you cannot be sure of where the next bomb is bound to go off? Who wants to visit a country where foreigners can be kidnapped for ransom or killed? Or who wants to invests in a country that lacks the basic infrastructures? Even if there are intending investors, are there roads? How regular is power supply? These are realities we must face,” said.

The days when illegal mining boomed at the expense of government and community development is on its way to being history as the sector seeks to block all loopholes and tackle incidences of illegal mining activities through opening the sector to foreign investors and investments.

Some of the challenges posed by illegal mining activities range from loss of revenue to government, environmental degradation and destruction, loss of lives, insecurity of indigenes to devaluation of mineral products by the miners.

These challenges have caused huge losses and have been detrimental to serious miners while undermining the quality of the number of miners in the country.

Aside the huge financial losses to the government, indigenes within the direct community are made to suffer as improper mining methods can be harmful to people living within the vicinity of illegal mining operations.

These challenges are presently being overcome by the present government’s transformation agenda which places importance

on creating a safer environment as well as viable mining environment for both local and foreign investors.

The Nigerian Mining Cadastre system is a modern mineral title administration adopted by many mining nations, including Nigeria, because of its modern, transparent, objective and efficient mechanism for mineral title management which operates on a first come first served basis.

This system is considered the cornerstone of a secure mineral rights system, which is seen as a prerequisite for a private sectordriven mining industry and this is one preparation that showcases Nigeria as a nation ready to open its doors to international and foreign investors. Today, the mining cadastre office is empowered by the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 to receive, consider and dispose applications for mineral titles, permits and grants, issue, suspend, and with the approval of the minister revoke mineral titles, maintain a chronological record of all applications for mineral titles in a priority register and general register and maintain a database of all mineral titles and applications.

The director-general of the Nigerian Mining Cadastre, Mr Mohammed Amate, in an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP revealed that though applications for mining titles are not extremely on the increase, it had improved as applications were acquired following due processes. He recalled that in earlier times miners dealt with historical hear says (where people hear that there are minerals in certain areas and they acquire titles to such places) but now applications are acquired after carrying out extensive explorations and confirming the existence of such existing minerals.

Some of the challenges posed by illegal mining activities range from loss of revenue to government, environmental degradation and destruction, loss of lives, insecurity of indigenes to devaluation of mineral products by the miners

The federal government, on Monday, said it would, henceforth, encourage the use of borax for mining operations instead of the popular mercury and cyanide.

This was stated by the acting director of mines inspectorate, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Dauda Awojobi, during a recent interaction with journalists.

Awojobi said the reason was becaus borax was a more environmentally and human friendly chemical than mercury and cyanide. “Mercury and cyanide are extremely toxic. Latest research and development have revealed that the use of borax is internationally acceptable and friendly,” he said.

He recalled that the ministry had collaborated with civil society organisations, global agencies, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Environment to remediate polluted environment after the lead poison incident in Zamfara.

“We made the people to realise that their mineral extraction methods are harmful. They were using mortar and pestle to grind the schist called pegmatite,” Awojobi said.

He explained that in the process of grinding the minerals, the dust and other elements from the minerals infiltrated the body systems of the people and made them to develop health problems.

Awojobi said that the federal government had developed a new concept called “safer mining method” which involved the use of wet mini machines for mining activities, carried out regular public awareness campaign for artisanal and small-scale miners to enhance control and proper management of mining sites and also established an integrated research platform to address specific health and safety issues, adding that efforts were being made to ensure safety during mining operations.

According to him, the measures were introduced to forestall the recurrence of the Zamfara lead poison incident in any part of the country.

He further disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan had constituted a Mines Surveillance Task Force to curb the rising menace of illegal miners across the country.

“The president has also constituted a committee that would work on a seven-year development plan for the solid minerals sector. It was recommended that a department should be established to regulate the activities of illegal miners, and the Department of Artisanal and Small Scale Mining have started organising illegal miners into cooperatives.

“Organising the miners into cooperatives will help to expose them to salient mining issues such as the right approach to mineral extraction, the issue of mineral title approval and extension services training.This is the way we are approaching it and it is the best approach worldwide; it is not about arresting, prosecuting and sending illegal miners to prison. We realise that mining should be encouraged to generate employment,” Awojobi said.

22 INTERVIEW /BUSINESS Your Council has the mandate to promote Jigawa State as a viable investment destination. How far have you gone in realising this vision?

The advisory council’s mission is to identify, promote and facilitate the exploitation of opportunities for private sector investments. The council also provides post-establishment support to firms. In both regards we have done a lot. Today, we have a portfolio of about 30 investments in the pipeline. The top five of these investments when realised, will amount to a minimum of $500 million and will create a minimum of 50,000 jobs. In addition, there are up to 10 ‘legacy investments’ for which we provide ‘aftercare’ services.

These investments include the six privatised companies which are currently undergoing rehabilitation by their owners and which Sagagi we hope will be fully operational by end of 2014. revitalization You seem to be focusing investment on Agriculture.

Can you tell us why?

It is easy to understand why!

Agriculture is the main stay of our economy as it contributes nearly 80% of Gross State Product and engages directly and indirectly 70-80% of the people of the State. Our vast agricultural potentials are unparalleled in the North: Jigawa has about 1.9 million hectares of arable land and about 400, 000 hectares of flood plains which stretch for over 150 kilometers across the State from our border with Kano to Yobe State. The stretch of the FADAMA through several towns and villages in Jigawa looks much like the meandering Nile across many countries!

We are Nigeria’s 7th largest crop producers, largest producers of Dates, second largest producers of Sesame and among the top five producers of rice. We are a major livestock production region. So it isn’t by accident that we have investment proposals focusing on agriculture and certainly one of our key policy objectives is to support private sector investments in the production, processing and export of key agricultural products.

Are there principles that will guide allocation of lands to ensure responsible agricultural investments?

We are aware that every big agricultural investment will have its advantages especially in terms of its contribution to productive employment, output and growth. However, large scale agricultural projects could also pose certain risks such as

Thursday, July 24, 2014

interview

Privatisation Is The Way To Go – Sagagi Dr. Muhammad Sagagi is the director-general, Jigawa State Advisory Council on Economic Management and Investment Promotion.

In this interview with MICHAEL OCHE, Sagagi speaks on how privatisation has helped to promote and attract more investments into the State and ensure that government resources are not wasted in funding ailing enterprises

The Council is not embarking on indiscriminate sale of government enterprises!

What we have done so far is to take a hard look at each of the State owned enterprises and determine if they are actually been run efficiently

displacement of communities and the consequent loss of livelihood, environmental degradation etc.

For these and several other reasons Jigawa is committed to the wellknown Principles of Responsible Agricultural Investments which seek to minimize any divergence between the benefits and costs of investments.

First, all agricultural investments must be in synch with our policy objective to grow the economy and ensure food security. Second, the investment must contribute to value chain development in the sector. For example an investor will get a parcel of land to cultivate rice or sugar cane or sesame etc. only and only if he/she is also investing to set up a processing facility. Thus you can’t cultivate on our land and process elsewhere! Third, Jigawa firmly believes in the promotion of out-grower schemes. This is one way to ensure the participation of farmers whose land may have been acquired for large scale investments. Fourth, investors must undertake environmental and social impact assessment and must convince the State that other resources within the project area will be responsibly and judiciously utilized.

How do you plan to make lands available for investors without depriving citizens’ ownership of their lands?

I have partially answered this question above. For the avoidance of doubt any land that is acquired for large scale investment will be paid for. The people on that land will be adequately compensated.

Also we make it clear that for large scale acquisition of land, the investor must ensure the participation of the local farmers

in the new project through the out-grower scheme. This means that the people will be given the opportunity to remain on their land and to plant their crops as well as participate in whatever activity the investor is going to engage in.

One of the policies that the council is undertaking is the privatization of state assets. What progress are you making on this?

Yes that is true. However, let me first clarify a few things.

Privatization is not always about selling just any State asset or enterprise. ‘Privatization’ encompasses such other policies as ‘commercialization’, ‘concession’, ‘management lease’ etc. and is usually undertaken to attract additional investments into or to shore up the performance of ailing enterprises. In other words the Council is not embarking on indiscriminate sale of government enterprises! What we have done so far is to take a hard look at each of the State owned enterprises and determine if they are actually been run efficiently. If they are not, we seek to find more viable solutions to their problems: should they be re-structured and allowed to run as State-owned enterprises?

Should we allow other people from the private sector, with better management capability, to run them on behalf of the State?

Are they beyond redemption and should they be sold off?

Thus the motivations are very clear: to ensure that government resources are not wasted in funding ailing enterprises; to make these enterprises more efficient so that they create more jobs and more wealth for the people and to attract more investments into the State and thus promote growth and prosperity.

But there are insinuations that by privatization, you are destroying the legacies of past leaders. How will you address this?

The world has moved on and those who still insist on state ownership of enterprises -at all cost- must be living in the past!

We can only justify the retention of these enterprises by the State if they serve the people by creating jobs, generating wealth and promoting growth. However we also know that many State– owned enterprises whether at the Federal or State levels have failed to deliver on these objectives and instead have become a drain on the resources of the governments.

Today the telecommunications sector is perhaps the fastest growing sector in Nigeria, thanks largely to the privatization policy which broke the monopoly of NITEL. Recall the days of Nigeria Airways!

All the State-owned enterprises that were privatized in Jigawa State two years ago were moribund and therefore in no position to create jobs and generate income for the people.

The Hadejia Sugar which ought to have been a premier investment in Jigawa had its multi-million dollar equipment callously abandoned outside the factory for more than seven years! The current administration saved the day by privatizing the company which will hopefully be up and running by the end of this year. There is also the story of Atafi Rice Mills in Hadejia that has‘re-invented’ itself since its privatization by the State Government in 2012.

It has installed new milling equipment with an expanded capacity to process 250 metric tons of paddies per day. The Birnin Kudu dairy firm [now owned by Majestic Dairy] is now an integrated processing facility providing jobs to hundreds of our youths and hence taking them off the street and lifting them out of poverty. The new owners have not only expanded the capacity of the dairy plant but have diversified the product base to include juice and table water production.

We think that the privatization exercise is in the best interest of the people of Jigawa state because those enterprises now employ our people, create wealth and prosperity and promote growth.

The resources hitherto expended on running these enterprises inefficiently will now be channeled into more productive uses in education, healthcare services, roads etc. Today these are the areas which governments focus on. Governments should not be selling pure water, bread or sugar!

What challenges is the agency having and what strategies are you using to address them?

Our key challenge as an Investment Promotion Agency is Nigeria’s image abroad! It is extremely difficult to ‘sell’ Nigeria or its constituent units as viable investment destination.

23

job search Thursday, July 24, 2014

INTERVIEWS NETWORKING PERSONAL BRANDING JOB SEEKER PROFILES You know the dance—you walk in to a networking event and the room is filled with people that you’ve never met, but it seems like they already know one another.

They’re chatting, shaking hands, and laughing. It looks so easy for them. But you want to turn around and leave. Sound familiar?

Networking is about building long term connections with good people. These are the connections that will matter to you years later.

Here are some mistakes: 1. Mingling with people you already know A lot of people, especially the ones who do not feel as social, tend to stick to the groups they know.

Networking is about branching out. People are attracted to authenticity, so just be yourself, even if that means admitting that it’s all foreign to you. Be honest.

Try something like “I haven’t been to a lot of these events, but it seems like a really great crowd of people. How did you hear about this event?”

Quick tip If you do go somewhere there are people you already know, make it a goal to find someone that would be a good introduction for them.

2. Lacking confidence Standing somewhere calmly, taking in the sights and people around, makes you seem more approachable. Find someone else who seems as uncomfortable as you feel. They will be grateful for your easy approach.

Quick tip Walk in like you own the building. That much feigned confidence makes you feel good, and turns into real confidence in minutes.

both feel a mutual connection and genuinely want to learn more about them. People ask for card right after introducing themselves. They never end up following up. It’s all because we didn’t bother establishing a connection.

Quick tip Only bring a few cards to share with people that you build a rapport with— that way you make sure to give them away carefully. (But bring a couple more just in case someone another “card collector” asks for yours)

5 Networking Mistakes And How To Easily Avoid Them 3. Not reciprocating the favour People also want to meet you because of your connections.

We’re all hooked up in some way or another. Steve Dubin, cofounder of My Pinnacle Network, cautions against becoming this kind of connection.“You know the guy. Very outgoing, loud, lots of back-slapping. The problem?

He is the ‘black hole’ of your network. He is the ‘one way’ street who gladly accepts personal introductions but very, very rarely reciprocates.” People are there for the connections just as much as you are. Be sure you’re giving back.

Quick tip When you connect with someone you like, keep them in mind after the event.

What connections or referrals could you pass onto them later that would help? Keep a mental bookmark for them, share, and they will most likely do just the same for you.

4. Making business card collecting a priority Business cards are the easiest way to get in touch with another individual. But it’s only a small piece of (high quality) paper.

Business card exchanges should ideally happened after you

5. Not following up after the event At the event, chatting with new people and getting to know the crowd is half the battle. Following up creates connections and lets the other person know that you want to establish a relationship.

You can do this a few ways.

Depending on how you’re feeling about the bond, give the person a phone call or send a quick email telling them how great it was to meet them.

Quick tip Think of any other connections or resources that might be useful to them, like an event they might like to go to, or a helpful referral that might be of value to them.

Networking is all about building long-term connections with others. It’s a reciprocal relationship that helps you through referrals, relationships, events, and resources you may have never heard of otherwise.

Here’s the BIG secret: It’s really about being open to meeting new people and having a vested interest in their professional wellbeing. A giving relationship gives back.

HOW TO AVOID NETWORKING 1. Mingling with people you already know Just be yourself, even if that means admitting that it’s all foreign to you.

2. Lacking confidence Find someone else who seems as uncomfortable as you feel.

3.Making business card collecting a priority Business card exchanges should ideally happened after you both feel a mutual connection and genuinely want to learn more about them.

INTERVIEWS What Your Interview Body Language Reveals About You Poor body language can derail an interview regardless of how confident and well-spoken you are. Body language is as much a part of your communication style as what you say verbally – it’s really about how you say it. Impressions are made within seconds of reviewing body language.

In an interview, body language is present from head-to-toe. Consider the following: Posture Whether you are sitting or standing, your posture projects a level of confidence and engagement in the conversation. When one slumps, it implies to the interviewer a lack of confidence and interest. Sitting stiff

as a rock implies nervousness and it creates an uncomfortable situation for building rapport. Sitting at the tip of the chair implies you don’t want to be there.

Eye Contact Eye contact allows you and the interviewer to connect beyond words alone. However, there is a fine balance between good eye contact and when eye contact becomes a weird gaze or stare that can make the other person feel uncomfortable. When you stare without having breaks in between, a casual conversation can come across as a lecture.

Voice

Speed, tone, and pitch combined presents an impression. Talking too fast can be hard to understand and appear as nervousness. When your tone projects apology or defence, you can come across as unconfident and insecure. When you don’t make changes between your tone and pitch, you can sound monotone, making it more difficult for the other person to stay engaged.

Bobble Head Some people have a tendency to bobble their head as a gesture of agreement, but when you nod in excess during a conversation, it becomes a distraction and can be interpreted as though you are agreeing on everything

for the sake of wanting to please. You can lose credibility in such instances.

Extremities Be aware of your own body language and also read your interviewer’s body language to give you hints about how she is responding to you. The interview may start off very formal, but as you both become acquainted with one another, the mood may relax and you may adapt your body language to reflect what you sense from the interviewer.

There is no absolute rule around body language, but it would be wise to avoid any chance of being misinterpreted.

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

24 JOB SEARCH

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Work-Life Balance 7 Strategies For Dealing With Stress More Effectively

We are learning more and more every day about the health consequences of stress on human beings, both physically and psychologically, and research is constantly revealing new information about the effects of stress on the overall quality of our lives. New books are coming out almost daily pointing to the problems inherent in not getting our stress levels under control.

Most of us think of stress as bad—something we would like just to eliminate once and for all. A lot of the stressors that we experience are not the result of negative events, however. Getting married, having a baby, buying or selling a house… these are all stress creators, but they are the result of positive events.

Stress isn’t necessarily good or bad. It’s created by change.

Furthermore, the stress we feel is more often the result of our perception of the change as opposed to the fact of the change.

One person might not be stressed by the same event that would send another person completely over the edge. So, stress doesn’t have to be “bad.” In fact, new research points to the fact that stress by itself isn’t as troublesome as our attitude about stress.

We do need to pay attention to how we respond to stress, however. A report from the American Institute of Stress indicates that (1) 40 per cent of American adults experience negative health effects that are the result of stress, and (2) between 70 per cent-95 per cent of the visits made to our family doctors are the result of stress-related complaints.

As bad has this information may sound, there are practices that you can adopt as part of your daily lifestyle that will help you

deal with stress more proactively and responsibly. There are, in fact, seven (7) practical habits that you could start incorporating into your daily lifestyle that would help you become stronger and more resilient. They don’t cost anything, and they are simple, if not necessarily easy, practices that you could begin right away if you were to decide to practice them as part of your own routine.

The seven (7) habits or practices, not necessarily in any order of importance because they are all important both individually and collectively, are as follows 1. Pay attention to your breathing through the day. Developing a habit of breathing properly for optimum health and wellbeing.

2. Eat well by consuming whole, unprocessed foods that contain the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that your body needs for optimum health.

3. Sleep for 6 ½-8 hours each night.

4. Stay hydrated by drinking at least 64 ounces of water every day.

5. Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes each day at least five (5) days a week including both cardio and weight training into your routine.

6. Have fun and pursue a hobby that makes you feel good.

(Even if it is just going to lunch with a friend or buying flowers for yourself. Do SOMETHING that makes you feel happy!)

7. Practice meditation or spend time in grateful prayer every morning for 10-20 minutes.

Send your profiles to olusola.olujide@leadership.ng and all profiles should not exceed 200 words

Top 50 FRANCHISE IN 2014 (3)

11. Hardee’s Hardee’s restaurants, which serve biscuits, burgers and chicken, have since spread throughout the Midwestern and South-eastern U.S. 12. Jan-Pro Franchising Int’l. Inc. Jan-Pro franchisees offer commercial cleaning services to businesses such as car dealerships, gyms, banks, churches, schools and offices.

13. Days Inn Days Inn Worldwide is part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of hotels which also includes Baymont Inns & Suites, Hawthorn Suites, Howard Johnson Int’l.,among others.

14. KFC Corp Harland Sanders was named an honorary Kentucky Colonel in 1936 for his contributions to local cuisine.

Colonel Sanders began franchising in 1952 and awarded the first franchise to Pete Harman in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Their handshake agreement stipulated that the corporation would receive a royalty of one nickel for each chicken Harman sold.

15. H&R Block Since brothers Henry and Richard Bloch founded H & R Block in 1955, the company has prepared more than 600 million tax returns.

Franchising began in 1956, and the company went public in 1962. In addition to providing tax return preparation services in-person, the company offers online and desktop software products and an array of other financial services.

4 Tips For Giving Your Entry-Level Resume Veteran Appeal Are you feeling a tad bit intimidated because you’re currently crafting your entry-level resume and worry you don’t have enough experience to make your resume look impressive? Don’t worry!

The key to resume success is to boost your current qualifications—even if you’re on a low rung of the corporate ladder.

Giving yourself veteran appeal is easier than you think. Here are some tips: 1. Reel Them In With a Great Job Target Just like writing a great title for a research paper, a great job target (or headline) can induce a hiring manager to read the rest of your resume. At the entry level, you may feel you don’t have enough experience to create a good job target, but with a little creativity you can convince an employer to schedule an interview with an “Ivy League Honours Graduate Looking to Bring Fresh, Captivating Ideas to the XYZ Corporate Public Relations Specialist Position.”

2. Include Industry-Specific Keywords It’s easy to underestimate the value of keywords because they seem to be just words. But these words can make or break your chances of being called for an interview. This is because the first stage of your application process is likely to include the company’s use of screening software that scans for specific keywords throughout resumes.

If yours doesn’t include words that very specifically describe the

field you’re in and the contributions you can make to the position you’re seeking (e.g. public speaking, press releases, international and external communications, trade shows, etc.), you may be denied the position before you’ve even had the opportunity to interview.

3. Add Testimonials Another great way to give your resume veteran appeal is to include testimonials. This is still a relatively new concept and is something hiring managers may be pleasantly surprised to see. So take this opportunity to add about two or three very short quotes from an old boss, former professors, or other influential people in your field.

This approach not only works as a great resume filler but helps make you that much more desirable as a candidate.

4. Incorporate Awards and Recognitions If you’ve received awards or recognition in your short career span, don’t be shy about listing them.

It’s great to be recognized for your accomplishments—and even better when an employer looks upon them favourably and even considers hiring you as a result. Just because you’re getting your foot in the door at the entry-level doesn’t mean you’re not highly qualified for the job you want.

So take time to really think about your accomplishments to date and how they make you an amazingly appealing candidate.

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

25

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Direct Sales Representative (DSR) In Resource Intermediaries Limited, Zamfara B.Sc/HND: 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/359371 Resource Intermediaries Limited - A company registered in Nigeria to engage in outsourcing services. The conceptual definition of the company is “easing your business burdens”, which is the fundamental reason for our existence. In living this definition, we focus on three key areas; Human Resource Recruitment & Management, Janitorial Services and Business Support Services (Legal and Company Secretarial Services, Information Technology and Finance & Accounting).

Our Client - A Banking Institution with Head Office at Victoria Island is recruiting for the position of Direct Sales Representative (DSR) Job Description • This position is opened to both Polytechnic and University graduates and in addition, you must: • Be energetic.

• Possess good communication skills.

• Have passion for sale.

Qualifications and Requirements: • Minimum of B.Sc/HND in a relevant field • Minimum of 1 year experience.

• Previous experience is sales of financial services will be an added advantage.

Business Development Officer In Azmu Pharmaceuticals Limited, Kano HND: 1 - 3 years Email: 335ff@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360431 Azmu Pharmaceuticals Limited seeks qualified candidates to fill this position: Responsibilities • Detailing of our range products, promoting product awareness, working strategically to increase product awareness, answering queries, • Providing advice and introducing our new products and the use of our company’s pharmaceutical products and also closing sales by agreeing to the terms and conditions while ensuring that the marketing & sales team supply raised sales orders from prospective customers.

Qualifications and Requirements: • Minimum of HND in life sciences, pharmacy, medicine, nursing or dentistry.

• 1-3 years’ experience

Workshop Engineer (SIL/IE) In The Simba Group, Kano HND/OND: 3 - 5 years Email: 3357f@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360303 The Simba Group is a leading provider of inverter and alternate energy power back up solutions in Nigeria. Our nationwide success is testament to our relentless focus on customer satisfaction and after sales service.

As part of our rapidly growing portfolio of power back up solutions, we are in need of smart, technically-savvy individuals to join our team.

Requirements • Applicants should have a minimum of 4 years’ experience in a similar role.

• Applicants need to have an HND/OND in Electrical Engineering/Electronics or other related technical/engineering discipline.

• Applicants must have experience in PCB repairs and Troubleshooting.

• Ability to read and interpret blueprints of Circuit diagrams.

• Ability to work on Single & Three Phase inverters.

• Strong communication and excellent customer service skills.

• Proficiency in Microsoft office and electronic workbench operations.

Method of Application Prospective candidates should email their CV mentioning the vacancy reference and location clearly.

Assistant Extension Service Supervisor In Doreo Partners, Kaduna B.Sc/M.Sc: 1 - 3 years Email: 33252@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/359490 Doreo Partners a consulting firm seeks qualified candidates to fill this role Responsibilities: • Managing a team of field officers • Assist in generating planting plans and budget inputs.

• Design and implement systems to efficiently manage labour and equipment • Propose creative solutions to farming problems.

• Work closely with other farm staff to produce the highest quality products.

• Conduct and manage all preparations.

• Follow and document planting plan.

• Generate accurate crop survey and crop forecast.

• Produce spray forecast according to the crop survey • Help supervise crop harvesting.

• Help in quality control.

• Comply with all safety requirements.

• Design spray programs and spray crops with pesticides.

• Maintain farm data for analysis • Train and supervise the assistant growers.

• Maintains proper records for spraying and fertilizing • Calibrates and documents planting and spray equipment.

Qualifications and Requirements • The ideal candidate should have a B.Sc or M.Sc in Agronomy, Plant Science or Horticulture.

• 2-3 years commercial farm management experience is desirable • Fluency in both English and Hausa • Mechanical knowledge and agricultural tools expertise.

• Strong Operations experience and ability to roll up sleeves with can-do attitude.

• Ability to prepare daily written reports.

• Ability to manage assets equipment, labour.

• Ability to budget, program, manage, schedule.

• Results oriented manager.

• Ability to plan ahead and to look at the whole picture.

• Experience working in the rural setting is an added bonus

Office Manager In Ifex Express Limited, Gombe OND: Entry Level Email: 33610@jbng.me

Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360448 A leading courier company in Nigeria requires the services of a candidate to fill this position in their Gombe office.

Responsibilities: • Will be responsible for the smooth operation of the day-to-day business of the company.

• Will make it possible for other people to function efficiently.

• Will work closely with the manager to meet their company’s staffing, equipment, and organizational needs.

• Will exercise sound judgment day in and day out in making decisions.

Requirements and Qualifications: • Should be a young and vibrant male graduate.

• Should possess a minimum of OND. • Should have knowledge of the Courier services industry.

• Should have good communication and managerial skills.

• Applicants must be Gombe residents.

N.B: Duties may include pricing products from vendors, interviewing job applicants, managing payroll, and reimbursing members of the firm for out-of-pocket business expenses e.t.c.

Medical Sales Representatives (MSP01) In Crest Health Pharmacy, Benue Degree: Entry Level Email: 334dc@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360140 Crest Health Pharmacy seeks qualified candidates to fill this position Job summary The appointed candidate would detail and market our quality brands of pharmaceuticals.

Qualifications and Requirements: • Minimum of a degree in a related discipline • Entry level • Candidates applying for this job must have biomedical background.

Sales Personnel In Abuja Degree: 1 - 3 years Email: 33675@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360549 We are a Nigerian organization unique in her divine foundation with a world class culture.

In our Organisation, we do not believe in just providing the best of services and products, we believe in building a workforce that is highly professional and of international standard.

We require the services of a qualified candidate for this position Job functions: • To ensure that all processes and standard of operations in the store are duly followed.

• To attend to all customers’ needs • To reconcile daily sales and cash • To generate orders and out of stock list • To ensure that the environment in and outside the shop is always well kept • To ensure customers are fully satisfied before leaving the stores • To ensure that the products are arranged properly and well merchandised at all times • To organize the merchandising rotation

of the store • To ensure the target for the store is met • To locate potential customers and follow up on the customers • To change the mannequins as required • To participate in the stock taking process Job Specialization: Must be a graduate and must have a minimum of 2years experience in customer service and sales.

Social Media/SEO Manager In FCPL, Abuja Degree: 1 - 3 years Email: 33624@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360468 Social Media/SEO Manager needed in a world class real estate company in Abuja.

Responsibilities: • Implement the social media strategy, coordinating with stakeholders across the Company to ensure its effectiveness and encouraging adoption of relevant social media techniques into the corporate culture and into all of the approved company’s products and services.

• Optimize new and existing website content for keywords and conversions.

• Manage SEO campaigns for outbound and incoming traffic including generating reports and conducting website audits • Collaborate with sales and marketing team to develop and implement effective SEO strategies.

• Keep up with constantly changing SEO standards.

• Review posted copy with on-staff Editor and copywriter.

• Strong project management and organizational skills.

• Use in-depth knowledge and understanding of social media platforms and their respective participants (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) and how they can be deployed in different scenarios to further department and client goals.

• Effectively communicate information and ideas in written and verbal format.

• Monitor trends in social media tools and applications.

• Regularly feedback insights gained from social media monitoring to the Sales, Marketing and Editorial teams, to help them evolve their strategies in a timely fashion.

• Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring the impact of social media programs, and analyze, review, and report on effectiveness of campaigns in an effort to maximize results.

• Manage Influencer outreach programs and build an active brand ambassador network to spread department content.

• Become an advocate of the department in social media spaces.

• Posting on relevant blogs, and seeding content into social applications if required.

• Manage presence in social networking sites as campaign requires.

• Work with the Product development team to ensure social media tools (sharing buttons) are kept up to date.

• Manage social media campaigns and dayto-day activities.

• Keep up with industry-wide SEO best practices.

Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in marketing, writing, information science, communications, or related field, or equivalent experience • 2+ years recent and relevant experience managing social media and SEO.

26 • Previous experience in the development and implementation of media planning and buying strategies within the advertising industry; and a strong familiarity with online marketing best practices. Knowledge of programmatic ad buying, audience targeting and analysis.

• Experience with content management systems (CMS) • Strong proficiency with MS Office, web and social analytics tools.

• Good knowledge of Adobe CS6, Flash, Digital Asset Management and other web & mobile based technologies.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Some or all of the following: • Experience with Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, Twitter Sponsor Posts including AB optimization testing. Strong knowledge of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn user interfaces.

• Experience in keyword research and development, use of analytics tools, copy optimization, and with HTML/CSS/ Javascript desired.

• Experience with Google AdWords, including keyword research and budgeting.

• Experience with platform analytic dashboards.

• Must be computer literate.

Business Manager In Abuja B.Sc/HND: 5 - 7 years Email: 3359d@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360333 Our client is a security outfit established in 2008 in Nigeria to provide professional security service with a fusion of traditional security experiences, due to business expansion and increase in work-load, The firm is seeking to recruit qualified and experienced professional in the following area.

Job Summary: • The responsibility holder will partner with the MD/CEO to execute the strategic plan developed by the firm.

• He will facilitate collaboration with various departments to ensure seamless working relationship and maximize ongoing operations.

• The role require 24/7 approach. The Business Manager will develop strategic and professional relationships with all clients, staff, government, partners and suppliers.

• He will also develop and execute needed management at all levels to grow the company.

• He will actively be involved in all projects being ultimately responsible for all aspects of business operations includes overseeing day-to-day operations to ensure success of the firm by maintaining financial budgets, ensuring adherence to policies and procedures, mentoring staff, and working with client to ensure high quality service delivery, identifying and exploiting all potential business development opportunities to improve the firm profitability.

Responsibilities Strategy, Vision and Leadership • Advise the MD/CEO and other key members of senior management on financial planning, budgeting, cash flow, investment priorities, and policy matters.

• Serve as the management liaison to the MD/CEO and; effectively communicate and present critical financial matters at selected management meetings.

• Contribute to the development of the firm strategic goals and objectives as well as the overall management of the organization.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

• Maintain continuous lines of communication, keeping the MD/CEO informed of all critical issues.

• Represent the organization externally, as necessary Marketing Oversight • In collaboration with the leadership of the marketing department, grow the company’s market opportunities through the development of robust and implementable marketing plan.

• Aggressively work to improve the company revenue through networking with strategic business drivers and potential clients.

• Financial Oversight Working with the Finance & Account, manage and oversee all financial and business planning, activities includes: • Direct and administer all financial plans • Direct and administer all procurement plan • Oversee business policies and accounting practices • Review and analyze financial reports • Support and advise the MD/CEO in decision making • Lead and support organizational budgeting process • Oversee reporting and monitoring of organizational performance metrics.

• Provide overall financial oversight and monitoring.

• Ensure that relevant financial data is presented to the senior management team.

• Human Resources Working with the HR/ Admin, manage and oversee the human resource and administrative function in the areas of: • Staff and Guards recruitment and compensation • Benefits administration and oversight • Professional training and development, including new employee and guards orientation • Retention strategies • Regulatory oversight and legal compliance • Ensuring that the HR/Admin function is properly resourced and represented within the management team.

Operations • Oversee risk management and legal activities: letters of agreement, contracts, leases, and other legal documents and agreements • Business insurance: procurement, monitoring and management • Organizational reporting and monitoring: provide guidance and leadership through management metrics and measurement reporting process • Office management: oversee administrative functions for all firm’s site/ Beat nationwide, ensuring smooth daily operations of the office • Working with the MD/CEO to provide staff support and guidance.

• Maintain good working relationship with other security agencies • Any reasonable task requested by the firm.

Qualifications: • Must be educated to a Degree or Higher National Diploma level in Social Sciences or Humanities.

• A second Degree in Management will be an added advantage Experience Must have a minimum of 6-7 years of strong operational experience: ideally has worked in a senior management role for 2-3 years.

Skills: • Demonstrated experience in financial planning and analysis with previous experience overseeing human resources and general administration.

• Skills should include organizational

• • • • •

development, personnel management, budget and resource development, and strategic planning.

Excellent written and Communication Skills Ability to use Ms Word package and Web based application Excellent people skills, with an ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team.

Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to the vision and mission of the firm.

Flexible and able to multi-task; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and process.

RF/Microwave Engineer In GistTrac Technologies, Abuja 1 - 3 years Email: 33561@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360273 Gist-Trac Technology limited a duly registered Company licensed to provide professional and cost effective Information Technology services in Nigeria requires a Junior RF/Microwave Engineer to join our world class team.

This is a superb opportunity for graduates with an interest and experience in RF/ Microwave electronics to advance within the IT industry. The role is to test next generation communications technologies at a system level including discrete design and component selection.

Job Description The ideal candidate would be able to: • Use electronic lab bench equipment Digital Communication Analysers, Bit Error Rate Testers, Network Analysers, Spectrum analysers.

• Once given instruction be able to work with minimum supervision.

• Show good attention to detail, especially when following test procedure/ instructions.

• Methodically document and record all test procedures, item numbers and test results • Identify outlying results and pro-actively investigate test bench root causes and/or draw attention to the verification leader • Computer literate, particularly excel for spreadsheet & graph generation • Work under time pressure, extended hours if possible • Reliable and trustworthy Desired Skills and Experience • Relevant engineering discipline qualifications.

• Previous experience in RF testing is a requirement.

• Good Knowledge of RF technologies such as BLE, Wi-Fi, ZigBee or equivalent systems.

• Good understanding of RF performance testing.

• Good general electronics knowledge.

• Experience using RF equipment’s such as spectrum analyser and network analyser • Basic Lab view knowledge • Experience in product validation The Right Candidate: • Attention to detail and timescales • Organized with good people skills • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Drive and enthusiasm to get things done • Creative problem solver

Sales Executive In Wrothams Windsor, Abuja

Degree: 1 - 3 years Email: 33529@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360217 A Company into real estate and property is in need of Sales Executives.

Responsibilities: • Responsible for meeting the sales targets of the organization through effective planning and budgeting • Plan, organize, and execute marketing and sales programs • Implement the company’s sales strategic plans from time to time • Generate leads and drive sales • Track market and company sales performance • Devise strategies and techniques necessary for achieving the sales targets Qualifications and Requirements: • Minimum of Degree in a relevant field • Great Sales Skills • Good command of English Language • Good communication and Interpersonal skills • Familiar with Microsoft Office Suites

Food & Beverage Cost Controller In Abuja OND: 1 - 3 years Email: 33514@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360196 Our Client is a members-only, exclusive golf club located in the heart of Abuja, specifically in the Central Business District.

The world-class facilities boast 2 restaurants (a continental and an Asian-fusion) and 3 themed lounges (which includes a Moroccan lounge that would have a Moroccan-inspired menu). This club is the premier one-stop hub for the exclusive luxury dining, gourmet cuisines, golfing, health and spa treatments, high-profile networking and business activities in Nigeria. Our members and guests are wealthy, well-traveled individuals who expect the very best service. On that note, we need a very talented Food and Beverage cost controller Responsibilities • Formulate accounting and reporting policy related to the F & B Operations, coordinate systems and procedures and prepare operating data and special reports as required comparing performance with operating plans and standards.

• Report and interpret the results of operations to all levels of management and ownership (where applicable) to ensure timely information is provided in order to maximize profits.

• Resolve problems and ensure maintenance of the F & B accounting systems and equipment to ensure smooth operations.

• Assist in the compilation and preparation of the annual budget, forecasts, taxes and other financial reports to provide support thus ensuring accurate, timely information is available for management and owners.

• Inform the Financial Controller and the F & B Director of any discrepancies/ variances indicated by verification procedures or otherwise and instigate the necessary action with Management in order to correct and ensure no reoccurrence of procedure errors • Control the Food and Beverage outlets in terms of wastage, pilferage and efficiency.

• Maintain a presence in the establishment, ensuring procedures are being adhered to • Maintain all paperwork and archiving both accurately and efficiently.

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• Maintain the security of the information held within the department.

Qualifications and Requirements: • A minimum of OND in a relevant field • 1-3 years’ experience

Bank Cash Loader In Stresert Services Limited, Abuja OND: 1 - 3 years Email: 334db@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360139 Stresert Services Limited - Our client is one of the leading banks in the country. As a result of expansion, the role of Cash Loader has become open at their various branches pan-Nigeria.

Location: Abuja (Maitama and Garki) Job Description • Counting of cash • Arranging of cash • Sorting of cash • Sealing of cash bags • Ensuring completeness of cash • Movement of cash Qualification OND or its equivalent Experience • Previous experience as cashier will be of advantage • Previous experience as a bulk-teller will be of advantage • Previous experience dealing with cash How to Apply • Applications with CVs should be sent using ‘C-Loader’ and the location you are applying for as subject. e.g. “C-Loader Garki, C-Loader Eket” • Submissions not properly addressed will not be opened.

Mobile App / Software Developer In PGL Group, Abuja Degree: 1 - 3 years Email: 3347d@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/360045 PGL Group, a leading ICT/ Telecommunications Firm in Abuja requires for immediate employment a highly skilled Mobile App/Software Developer with handson experience.

General Requirements: • Creativity, imagination, drive and initiative • Good teamwork, numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills • Ability to work to another’s design • Good communication skills • Should have a thorough approach Specific Requirements: • Degree in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, or related courses with a minimum of Second Class Upper (or equivalent in HND) • Sound knowledge and expertise in Mobile Apps development; with several projects to show • Sound knowledge and expertise in web development using such programming languages as PHP, C#, JAVA, or Visual Basic; with several projects to show • Minimum of 2 years of programming experience. However, if the candidate does not have this number of years but is able to prove their worth and ability, they shall be considered suitable for the role • Sound knowledge of programming in the .NET platform • Sound knowledge of CSS, JAVASCRIPT,

HTML • Sound knowledge and expertise in database applications such as SQL Server and MySQL • Ability to articulate excellent technical documentations such as user manuals for the software they develop • Relevant certification • Candidates should be resident in Abuja; or have the capacity to fund their relocation if needed

Program/ Marketing Officer In Frandek International Consulting, Abuja Degree: 3 - 5 years Email: 333db@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/359883 Frandek International Consulting seeks qualified candidates to fill this position Responsibilities • The Program / Marketing Officer reports to the Project Performance Manager and is responsible for implementing and managing (in conjunction with the Project performance Manager) all aspects of the Company’s consulting activities.

The Program / Marketing Officer is also responsible for all the Company’s Marketing activities.

• Writing, submission and follow up of proposals • Marketing of Company / NGO Initiatives and “products” • Imminent Company activity schedule creation e.g Training preparation schedules • Developing, planning and Implementing NGO Initiatives • Preparation of brochures, Expression of Interest (EOIs) bid documents and other documents • Identifying training opportunities and preparing and submitting proposals accordingly • Developing other initiatives that result in achieving the Company’s mission and vision.

• Document and file management • Petty cash handling • Any other assigned task Qualifications and Requirements: • Minimum requirement of a Bachelor’s degree in the Arts or Social Sciences specifically Public Administration or Political Science. M.Sc or MA preferred.

• Extensive communication skills, both orally and written.

• Very good writing and critical thinking skills.

• Significant skills in organizing, analyzing, presenting data, reaching conclusions and developing recommendations.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with a wide range of individuals.

• Ability to comprehend instructions and work accordingly • Fast learner • Motivated and results oriented.

Technician In A3&O LTD, Abuja OND/HND: 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/359845 A3&O LTD, an engineering firm requires the services of a qualified candidate for this position.

Core Prerequisites: Installation, maintenance, servicing systems and products. Investigating complaints, conducting tests and resolving technical problems.

Job Description

• Establish service by studying system requirements, ordering and gathering component parts, completing installation and performing acceptance test.

• Identify source of technical problem • Install parts on site • Troubleshooting and supply management • Document service and installation actions by completing forms, reports, logs and records Qualifications and Requirements: • O.N.D/H.N.D in Engineering or related field • 1-3 years’ experience • Telecoms and power management knowledge • I.T skill • Client relationship and reporting skill

Business Manager In Leap Consulting And Global Services, Abuja B.Sc/HND: 3 - 5 years Email: 33369@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/359769 A creativity-driven pan African nongovernmental organization with overall objective to stimulate in-flow of investment into Africa, facilitate private sector access to finance, champion technology transfer, and build management expertise that ensures the success of businesses in Africa. We are actively involved in translating government policies and programmes to people-focused action.

Responsibilities: • The Business Manager functions as the Head of the Organisation’s operations within assigned territory. He/she is responsible for translating the strategic goals of the organization to operations, and for organizing resources (man and material, etc.) to achieve the set goals.

• The Business Manager reports to the Executive Director or the Managing Director as the case may be.

• S/He shall be responsible for effectively planning, directing, and overseeing the operations of the organisation’s within assigned territory.

• Shall be responsible for business development and expansion within the territory; • Shall be responsible for managing the performance of staff in order to achieve set targets; • Shall be the Chief accounting officer for the assigned territory.

Qualifications and Requirements: • A degree or HND (where applicable) in any of Marketing, Business Administration, Economics, Public Administration, Accounting, Sociology • A Master’s Degree, preferably an MBA is desirable; • Not less than 3 years’ experience in similar position • Strong interpersonal relationship skills • Strong report writing and presentation skills • A restless networker, with a strong business sense • An excellent people manager; • Should have very good planning and budgeting skills • Strong IT skills • Should have very good understanding of target setting and performance management • Result orientation, able to see the big picture and Readiness to play at the international stage • A strong sense of team work, and ability to manage and execute programmes • Creative, innovative, thinking through, and thinking outside the box

• Very good knowledge of corporate Nigeria.

Promoter Delegate In Fundacin Universitaria Iberoamericana, Abuja Degree: 3 - 5 years Email: 33200@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/359408 Spanish Foundation of a University Education, soon to be established in the country, begins its selection for a Promoter Delegate for its headquarters in all African English speaking countries.

Professionals that possess the following conditions are requested: • Able to offer the services of a Masters and its Courses within the countries which official, common or wide spread languages are French and/ or English.

• Should be able to manage and take responsibility of the Foundations Headquarters in those countries where it is established.

• A part-time Delegate is requested to manage this Headquarter, someone who promotes activities and leads the organization (human and the media) that acts in the country.

• Should be developing an activity that allows you to perform in the area of education (private and state), as well as within the educational offerings to the business sector.

• Will be responsible for the proposal of actions that will lead to the development of the services offered by the Foundation.

• The Delegates remuneration will be carried out based on success fees (always satisfactory) and the Headquarters expenses or authorized by the Foundation.

• All of the requested and required information for the candidates’ initial assessment will be provided when contacted, which will include a C.V. in your reply, especially detailing your professional activities.

• All those interested, please send your application for information to the following email and in case of their being mutual interest, all information and references requested by both parties, shall be submitted.

Business Advisor In ARM LIFE, Abuja NCE/OND/HND/BSc: Entry Level Email: 3317c@jbng.me Or Visit: http://jbng.me/359276 A leading financial, wealth protection company in Nigeria. Our principal objective is to render qualitative insurance &risk management service. We seek to recruit suitably qualified personnel to fill this position.

Responsibilities: • Manage and control the relationship between products and your target audience.

• Promote whatever products or services are on offer.

• Develop new marketing strategies.

• Generate and follow up on leads and prospect.

• Manage customer relationship.

Qualifications and Requirements: • NCE, OND, HND/BSc in any field.

• Entry level

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education

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$116b

Is about 20% of the annual national budget for education in Singapore

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

Education: Beyond The Classroom’s Four Walls

By Vanessa Akuboh, Abuja

The turnover of graduates in Nigeria is impressive and has been for many years, but the success story for Nigeria is to be questioned in terms of addressing the “Nigerian Situation”

“Education is giving intellectual and moral training to persons, bringing up the young, helping the young to develop, to lead out the best in them, and to evolve an integral personality” – Obafemi Awolowo.

The educational system in Nigeria is such that one goes through kindergarten, Nursery, Primary, secondary schools and then may choose to further in a tertiary institution.

It’s a matter of concern however, that the Nigerian Youth spends between 15-20 years (top that if you include the infamous ASUU strike) and still leave school either looking for a job, or working in a bank as a teller even if he studied engineering.

The turnover of graduates in Nigeria is impressive and has been for many years but the success story for Nigeria is to be questioned in terms

of addressing the “Nigerian Situation”. In other words, regardless of the fact that many Nigerians are graduates, Nigeria is not halfway where it’s supposed to be.

Is the Nigerian Youth learning the right thing? Available courses of study in Nigerian institutions include Engineering, Mass Communication, Computer Engineering, Biochemisrty, Architecture, Medicine, Sociology, Law… to mention but a few but is the Nigerian Youth learning the right thing?

Flip through the text books used in many schools… you will discover that Nigerian teachers spend years teaching children western theories and western ways of solving problems. This is in no way a bad thing until the question of application comes up. Can we apply the western methods in the Nigerian Situation? If yes, why is Nigeria still where it is. And it is acceptable to have a Professor in Nigeria author books where

he uses western examples and methods to explain theories and practices to the Nigerian student? Does the student learn this way?

Singapore is a very good example for national transformation. Social unrest and disputes led to Singapore’s transformation from Malaysia and became an independent republic on 9 August 1965 (five years after Nigeria).

Severe unemployment and housing crisis pushed Singapore to develop manufacturing industries, develop large public housing estates and invest heavily in Education.

How does Singapore invest in education? Education in Singapore is managed by the Ministry of Education.

As at 2013, the budget for education was $11.6 billion, which is about 20 per cent of the annual national budget.

Primary and secondary educations are compulsory and free – allowances are made for

those who are home-schooled, attending religious institutions full-time, or those with special needs.

Civic education and morals along with other courses are an integral part of the Singaporean education because they believe that everyone must know the laws and ethics set by the constitution and society.

Due to the number of years Singaporeans learn morals and civic education they develop habits that truly make them civil and their country, desirable.

Children between 4-14 years are taught to be law abiding, loyal and economically useful to their nation. Education in Singapore carries the progress stamp of total public advancement in Singapore.

Back to Nigeria, you cannot not work on the mind set of Nigerians, not teach them how to be civic, not imbibe in us the laws and ethics of society and expect us to automatically know what to do.

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32 EDUCATION/NEWS

Thursday, July 24, 2014

19 Nigerian Students Get Australian Govt Scholarship Award

short news

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jonathan Richardson has disclosed that 19 Nigerian candidates have been selected for scholarship award to do their Masters in his country in 2015.

The envoy who disclosed this at the launch of the North West and North East zones of the Australian Institutions Alumni Association in Kaduna, said between 2010 and 2014, more than 200 scholarhip awards had been granted Nigerian students, including 86 for postgraduate studies by the Australian government.

He described the Australian scholarship awards as offering both long and short term study and professional development opportunities to citizens from developing countries around the world, which he said was aimed at providing enhanced leadership, knowledge and technical skills to partner governments, tertiary institutions and strategic organizations driving sustainable development.

Speaking on the award programme, Richardson who was represented by the third secretary of the commission in Nigeria Mr. Matthew Mechan further disclosed that a total of 923 Nigerian students were enrolled in Australian universities and vocational education programmes by the end of May 2014, nearly doubling the number in 2013.

“We want to encourage Nigerians interested in studying abroad to consider Australia as an option, given the strong record and high quality of our universities and tertiary institutions,” he stated, , adding that a new round of Australia Awards would open for applications in September, 2014.

Kwara Promotes 1, 647 Teachers

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

An empty classroom in a primary school in Benue State, due to the protracted teachers strike. photo by patrick ebi amanama

Irish Ambassador To Join AUN Kuni Tyessi, Abuja

The Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland to Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Fay, will be joining the American University of Nigeria as a faculty member at the end of his diplomatic service in August, 2014.

An official statement from the University’s President’s office, said Ambassador Fay will use Fall 2014 to prepare for classes and will be in residence starting from the Spring of 2015.

In her announcement of this important appointment, AUN’s President Margee Ensign said, “All of us at AUN are very excited that Ambassador Fay will be joining us during the next academic year. His experience as a diplomat, peacemaker, and scholar complements our mission and activities at AUN.”

As a member of the AUN faculty, Ambassador Fay will be teaching political science, philosophy, public administration in the undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as courses in law which are currently being developed by AUN. On his new appointment, a delighted Ambassador Fay commented: “I am very happy to be joining AUN to teach and to assist with its mission as a development university.”

Ambassador Fay has a rich educational background that includes a BA/B.Ph. from St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth in ethics and political philosophy (1970), an MA in EU Law from the University of Leicester (2001), MSc in economics and /policy studies the University of Dublin (1996), Master of Public Administration from the University College, Dublin (1981), and a PhD in governance

Education: Beyond The Classroom’s Four Walls

31

According to Dr. Nnamdi Ekeanyanwu, an ex-head of department of the department of Mass Communication, Covenant University, Ota, “Education is what you remember best, when you are no longer in the classroom”.

Over 93 per cent of the Singaporean Population is educated, which means, over 93 per cent know the laws and ethics that guide their society which is why they were able to transform into a first world nation from a third world nation.

Maybe it is time the Ministry of Education in Nigeria made some changes in the educational system of Nigeria because according to Ayo, a bus Conductor “change cannot be given

to you all the time; you must bring your change next time”. The quality of education, the quality of instructors, the relevance to the economic and social systems of the society have to be deeply considered especially for the “Transformation Agenda” of the Federal Government.

Education shouldn’t just stop in the classroom, we should recognize it when people interact in public places, in how people keep laws, in the respect and consideration for others, in how people dress, and how they dispose of waste, to mention a few.

Singapore’s education system is often described as “world leading”, we as a country can pick a thing or two.

from Queen’s University, Belfast (2008). He is completing a graduate diploma in diplomatic studies (Leicester University) and intends to undertake an LLM in human rights law (London University).

He is currently working on a post-doctoral degree in critical thinking, an essential component of education at AUN. Dr. Ensign described Ambassador Fay as an intellectually astute diplomat, meticulous scholar, and lifelong learner. Before coming to Nigeria, he served in many posts in Dublin in the Home Office before being posted to the European Union in Brussels, and was an active participant in the historic Good Friday Peace Agreement, which brought an end to the long and violent sectarian conflict which plagued Northern Ireland.

The Kwara state government has promoted 1, 647 teachers .

This development followed the interview exercise conducted for the teachers by the state Teaching Service Commission.

The Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Education, Alh. Lamidi Alabi made this public during an interview with newsmen in Ilorin.

He disclosed that no fewer than 108 nonteaching staff were also promoted, adding that the state government has approved the release of their letters of promotion.

Alibi restated the government,s commitment towards transforming the education sector with the welfare of teachers given priority.

FEATURE/EDUCATION 33

Thursday, July 24, 2014

SCHOOLS REPORTS Halt Negative Influence Of Technology On Education Now - Students

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

Students of Great Grace Private School, Ayobo, Lagos who recently completed their senior secondary education have decried the impact of modern technology on the education of young Nigerians and asked that it be checkmated in the overall interest of students and the country.

At a ceremony to mark their graduation from the school, many of them cried out over what they said was the gradual eroding of the reading culture in the country as a result of the negative effect of mobile phones and computers on students.

One of the graduands, Precious Ajayi said most students now spend their time watching pornography on computers and also pinging on black berry and i-phones.

The proprietress of Tophil Nursery and Primary School Mrs. Kate Nohwange (middle) and some graduating students, during the 20th anniversary and graduation ceremony of the school in Abuja . photo by oyedele omokagbo

Nigerians Urged To Imbibe Reading Culture

By Kuni Tyessi, Abuja

A clergy man, Rev. Father Christopher Inegbenoghu has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the culture of reading.

Speaking at the public presentation of his book entitled ‘Lord Grant Me Faith’ at the National Universities Commission in Abuja, Inegbenoghu lamented that Nigerians were doing enough to make printed works to thrive.

“We have a culture today that what is in print, we really do not bend down to look at and so the first call I have for Nigerians who pick this book is, make use

of the book. Nigerians should imbibe the culture of reading and let’s apply what we have read in our lives,” he pleaded.

Commenting on the book, he said he was inspired by the zeal and faith he observed in some African and Latin American countries as well as the peaceful coexistence in many Western countries to write the book.

The author made a clarion call on all Christians to look back and see what faith truly means in the lives of people.

He lamented that the world was replete with different beliefs and systems which he said were trying to crash the Christian faith and at the same

being unable to provide an answer for human curiosity and answer the question for the pursuit of happiness.

Earlier, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onayekan said the security situation in the country required a lot of action on different angles, one of which he said was for people to purify the kind of faith they claimed to have towards God. “Everybody claims to believe in God, but we can see that when this faith is not pure, when it is not deep, it may not have any positive impact on the way we live our lives,” he said.

Tackle Problems In Education Sector, Agbeyo Tells FG

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

An expert in digital technology and managing director, Learning Systems International Limited, Lagos, Mr. Dele Agbeyo has appealed to the Federal Government to tackle the problems confronting the education sector.

He made the appeal in an interview with LEADERSHIP while reacting to the state of education in the country, saying goernment should look at the education system in the country holistically to see what had gone wrong in the system.

“Teacher training must improve, parents should be involved and we should allow foreign tutors to come into the country so that we can blend with the trend of things in the world,”

he stated.

Agbeyo maintained that for Nigeria to have socio-technical development, there was urgent need for universities to embrace the modern way of teaching.

He described this as necessary, saying the world is moving into a single global economy and Nigeria must not be left out.

“It is also important for institutions of learning to invest significantly in the teaching and mastery of foreign languages thus preparing their students for survival in a world that is radically transformed by rapid advancements in science and technology,” he further pointed out.

According to Agbeyo, whose company is into language laboratory installation, the

reasons why we need to learn other languages is to increase global understanding, improve employment potentials, and expand study abroad options among others.

On why it is important for institutions to have language laboratories, he reminded that National Universities Commission (NUC) had made it mandatory that institutions should own standard language laboratories before courses related to Languages and Communication Arts including Mass Communications could be accredited.

He expressed regret that many institutions are not following this directive which he said was to enhance the future of Nigerian undergraduates especially in the field of Communication Arts.

USAID Presents Nigeria Education Data Survey Report

By Kuni Tyessi, Abuja

The United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID) has presented the Nigeria education data survey report for the thirty six states of the federation.

The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, who launched the report in Abuja said it provided state-based data that would allow the states to critically assess their specific perspectives.

Explaining that the household report provides broader picture of access issues and allows evaluation of success in meeting of Education For All goals (EFA), he said the presentation of the report would ensure that policy making was driven by data.

“The report will ensure improved format of the presentation of findings, of course this will stimulate greater engagement of stakeholders and policy makers,” he further stated.

The minister stressed the need to translate the Nigeria education data survey into policies at the state and national levels.

Lasu Governing Council Denies Agreement With Asuu/Lasu

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

The Lagos State University Governing Council has refuted claims of its involvement in the implementation of the Miscellaneous Acts [2012] which stipulates that academic members of staff in the institution on professorial cadre should retire from service at the age of 70 years.

In a statement signed by the public relations officer of the institution, Kayode Sutton, it said “the council, in clear terms, wishes to place on records that it was not a signatory to any agreement between ASUU-LASU and the government.

“In addition, the agreement referred to did not mandate the council to carry out any implementation. It is therefore noteworthy that what was expressed by the leadership of ASUULASU at the meeting of LASU Management, Appointments and Promotions (Academics) Committee and ASUU-LASU executives on the industrial action held on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, was simply an opinion of the Academic Staff Union.

34 BOOK REVIEW Title: Footprints of a Statesman: The Life and Times of Chief Daniel Okumagba Author: Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba Reviewer: Uzor Maxim Uzoatu Date: July, 2014 Publisher: Creektown Books, Ikeja, Lagos Pages: 128 pp.

Leadership in Nigeria needs largeminded statesmen whose scope of thinking is as large as the nation. This needful nationalistic prism shaped the life and times of Chief Daniel Okumagba, the remarkable Mathematics teacher-turned-politician who contested for the governorship of then Bendel State in the Second Republic. It is very rare seeing books written by sons on their fathers in the general scheme of Nigerian life. This makes Footprints of a Statesman: The Life and Times of Chief Daniel Okumagba a trailblazer in the realm of “a son’s appreciation of his father, and the lessons therefrom.” In documenting his father’s life for posterity it is noteworthy that Bernard Okumagba dedicates the book “to the many people across the world who believe in truth, justice, fairness, mutual respect and inter-ethnic harmony, which were values my father stood for in his journey through life.”

Chief Daniel Okumagba served as a pioneer teacher at Urhobo College Effurun from 1949 until his retirement from teaching in 1976. Back in 1960, he won the election to represent Warri East Constituency at the Western Region House of Assembly in Ibadan on the platform of the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC). At the advent of the Second Republic, Chief Okumagba became a foundation member and a pioneer national committee member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) before becoming the party’s candidate for the gubernatorial election in the then Bendel State, now Edo and Delta States. He was the pioneer Board Chairman of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.

The great man passed away on June 27, 2000, leaving behind a cherished legacy as a teacher, legislator, politician, businessman and frontline Niger Delta leader.

It is a well-documented oddity of history that very many famous fathers almost always ended up siring very infamous, if not disreputable, children. As the scion of Chief Okumagba, the author Bernard breaks the mold by being a stellar graduate of Accountancy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; a Chartered Accountant; a banker of immense influence; Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning, and later Commissioner for Finance. He is currently Chairman of Regents Consults Limited and Noly Insurance Brokers Limited; a Director of Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc., and holds the traditional chieftaincy title of Eruvwu R’Ovie of Agbarha Kingdom, Warri, Delta State.

The father-son bond is at the very core of the rekindling of family values in the body politic. Nigerians are used to instances where prominent politicians cannot in truth vouch for their roots. It takes a properly rooted son to trace his ancestry through his celebrated paterfamilias, to wit Chief Daniel Okumagba, who was born on

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Okumagba

Chief Daniel Okumagba: Footprints Of A Statesman January 1, 1922 as the 12th child of Chief Okumagba Eboh, a paramount chief (born in 1853 and died in 1963) of Okere-Urhobo in Warri of presentday Delta State. According to Bernard Okumagba in Footprints of a Statesman, “So spread out in ages were the children of my grandfather, that his first grandchild and my cousin, the late Mr Forcados Wilkie, was older than my father, who was born when his father, my grandfather, was already in his 60s.”

Grandfather Okumagba Eboh was one of the early converts to Christianity when the Catholic Church made an inroad into the coastal communities of the Niger Delta as exemplified

by Warri. The very influential grandfather embraced the faith, getting his children, including Daniel, baptized as Christians into the Catholic fraternity whilst sending them to the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) School in Warri. This way, the young Daniel obtained his Teacher’s Certificate from the prestigious St. Thomas College, Ibusa. Even though he passed his matriculation examinations he had to start his teaching career in primary schools in Adagbrassa and Warri from 1947 before transferring to the secondary school at the inception, in 1949, of Urhobo College Effurum.

Leadership was thrust on the young teacher quite early in life as in 1950 he became the Secretary to the Kindred Families of Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu of Okere-Urhobo, taking over from the veteran Pa Gbamijolo Eburu, who was until then the Acting Secretary. In the tradition of the celebrated African leaders of the anti-colonial movement who started out in life as teachers such as Nnamdi Azikiwe and Kwame Nkrumah, the zestful young Daniel carved his early niche as a teacher and added the dimension of serving as a gamesmaster. He was an astute teacher of Mathematics as attested to by one of his students of the Class of 1954, David Okpako, who retired as a Pro-

fessor of Pharmacology at the University of Ibadan. Professor Okpako wrote in the Urhobo Historical Society’s waado.org thus: “Okumagba was a great teacher of Arithmetic. His specialty in my memory was relative motion represented by those ‘Lacombe’ problems where train A and train B of different lengths are travelling on adjacent tracks at different speeds, either in the same or in opposite directions.”

Okumagba’s foray into politics was kindled by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, popularly called Zik of Africa, an inspiring speaker who “commanded values that connected with my father – he was selfless, visionary and determined.” There is on Page 76 of this book a 1960 Campaign Poster of the pictures of Chief Daniel Okumagba and the National Leader of the NCNC, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, bearing the legend “Vote For NCNC And Midwest” at the top and “Azikiwe 1960 Okumagba” at the bottom. Of course Okumagba went on to defeat the incumbent Chief Reece Edukugho of the Action Group for the Warri East Constituency seat in the Western Region House of Assembly on the ticket of the NCNC. He was a member of the Western Region House of Assembly up till 1963 when the Midwest Region was created.

As a 38-year-old legislator in the Western House at Ibadan, Okumagba “was as hard on the central government as he was on the Western Region government, whenever he saw injustice.” His well-judged submissions were duly reported in The Hansard, such as the debates on November 23, 1960 wherein Okumagba asked pointedly: “Why can’t the Western Region government (AGcontrolled) leave the Warri Urban District Council (NCNC-controlled) on its’ own?” As a formidable leader, Okumagba was irresistible in fighting the causes of Okere-Urhobo, Warri, the Urhobo nation, the then Western Region, Midwest/Bendel State and the Nigerian nation at large.

Chief Okumagba stayed out of political limelight in the years of military rule but stood up to be counted when the ban on political activities was lifted on September 28, 1978.

He became a founding member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) as “he saw it as the most national of all the 52 political associations that came up in the wake of the resumption of party politics.” He aligned himself with the views of another NPN chieftain, Dr Chuba Okadigbo, who stressed that the NPN did not believe in a godfather-like emperor “but in a communal sense of leadership and followership.” Amid immense intrigues, Chief Okumagba emerged as the NPN gubernatorial candidate for the then Bendel State, but eventually lost the elections to the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) candidate Professor Ambrose Alli largely due to infighting within his party. It was largely believed that Chief Anthony Enahoro did not pull his weight as State Party Chairman such that he was replaced by Chief Tayo Akpata. The NPN eventually won the governorship elections in 1983 when General Samuel Ogbemudia served as the party’s candidate with Chief Tony Anenih as the State Chairman.

After the election of Alhaji Shehu Shagari as Nigerian President in 1979, he appointed Chief Okumagba as Chairman of the Board of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited. Chief Okumagba had all along been campaigning for the diversification of the oil mono-economy of Nigeria through industrialization, as he was reported by the Nigerian Observer of May 26, 1979 as saying while campaigning for Governor: “The economy of Nigeria is in danger and may collapse unless steps are taken to diversify the economy through rapid industrialization.” Okumagba’s zeal to reenact the feat of steel serving as the basis of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and America had to contend with the Western powers being reluctant to assist with the technology to set up the plant, in which case Nigeria had to depend on the old USSR until the military takeover of December 31, 1983 all but killed off the dream.

Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba has in Footprints of a Statesman: The Life and Times of Daniel Okumagba blazed a trail of political example in Nigeria. In the son’s appreciation of the father there is a huge vista for other political families to explore in Nigeria’s march to true nationhood. There is the need to hold the fathers to account, and Chief Daniel Okumagba trumps because his opinions on all issues, no matter how controversial, are never hidden. For instance, he dismisses the Land Use Decree thusly: “I have never considered the Land Use Decree a wise legislation. For one thing, it is not practicable.”

This is a book to treasure indeed.

Unlike many books published in Nigeria, it is well-indexed. The 16 pages of epochal photos put history before our very eyes. The print quality is so eye-friendly that one cannot but read on and on until the very end.

Footprints of a Statesman by Bernard Okumagba deserves a place in the shelf of the library of every Nigerian home and institution.

It was largely believed that Chief Anthony Enahoro did not pull his weight as State Party Chairman such that he was replaced

by Chief Tayo Akpata

35

Thursday, July 24, 2014

NIGERIAN BUILDING & ROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE (Federal Ministry of Science & Technology) Plot 449 Samuel Ogedengbe Street; Jabi, P.M.B. 5065, GPO Wuse, Abuja

2014 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WITH THE THEME “ACHIEVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN NIGERIA” COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE ‘INTENATIONAL HOUSING SUMMIT 2014’ ORGANIZED BY THE NIGERIAN BUILDING AND ROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NBRRI) AND HELD FROM 2ND TO 4TH JUNE, 2014 AT ABUJA-NIGERIA A. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), in collaboration with key Stakeholders in the construction industry namely FMHLUD, FMBN, COREN, CORBON, ARCON, TOPREC, NSE, NIOB, NIA, REDAN, NITP, SON held an International Conference tagged ‘HOUSING SUMMIT 2014’ with the Theme “Achieving Affordable Housing in Nigeria”, on the 2nd to 4th June, 2014 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Nigeria.

1.2 Participants at the Conference included a broad cross-section of professionals, researchers, professional regulatory bodies and associations, the academia, practitioners, NGOs, key players and captains of the industry in the Built environment. Others included are the Federal and State Ministries of responsible for Housing and Science & Technology, Estate Developers, construction companies, consultants, contractors, the Media; as well as the Building and Road Research Institute (CSIR-BRRI) Ghana. The event attracted more than 300 participants.

1.3 The opening ceremony was chaired by the Supervising Minister of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Mrs. Omobola Johnson, ably represented by the Permanent Secretary Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita. The Welcome Address was delivered by the Chairman of NBRRI Governing Board, Chief Dele Okeya, while the Opening remarks were made by the Permanent Secretary FMST, represented by the Director Technology Acquisition and Assessment FMST, Dr. A. A. Talabi. Goodwill messages were given by eminent personalities from the Built environment including the Dangote Foundation; Dr. Eugene Atiemo, Director/CEO of CSIR-BRRI Ghana; COREN; CORBON; FMBN; and Banini Richards, Minister representing the Ghanaian High Commission.

1.4 The Conference was declared open by the Special Guest of Honour, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, the Honourable Minster of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, (FMLHUD), ably represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ezekiel Oyebola Oyemomi, after delivering the Keynote address tagged “Nigerian Housing Delivery Challenges and Solutions”. A high point of the Opening session was the presentation of the maiden edition of an International Journal titled “West African Journal of Building and Road Research (WAJBRR) which is a veritable platform for researchers in Africa to share knowledge; and is a result of collaboration between NBBRI-Nigeria and its Ghanaian counterparts, CSIR-BRRI, Ghana.

B. CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES The objectives of the Housing Summit, amongst others, were to a. Provide a credible platform for relevant professionals and stakeholders in the Built environment to review, discuss and fashion out way forward for the provision of quality, functional and affordable Housing Delivery in Nigeria. b. Harmonize existing requisite data to enable the right computation of housing shortages in Nigeria and proffer appropriate and affordable solutions to effectively cancel the deficit within reasonable time frame. c. Review Research and Development innovations/products and alternative technologies to enhance cost-effective and affordable Housing delivery in Nigeria Apart from the Lead paper titled “Quality of Housing in Nigeria: The Strength of Building Materials” which was delivered by the Director-General of NBRRI, Prof.Danladi Slim Matawal, twenty-three technical Papers were presented at five Plenary and two Parallel sessions under the following sub-Themes: Housing Finance & Affordability; Housing Availability & Affordability; Housing Delivery Models & Framework; Building Materials & Technology; Technical Capacity, Research & Development.

C. DELIBERATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS After extensive deliberations on all presentations and on critical issues affecting the Built environment, the following general observations were made: 3.1 Housing Availability and Affordability a) Though Nigeria has an elaborate National Housing Policy and Urban and Regional Planning Policy, among others, affordable housing for Nigerian citizens in both urban and rural areas remains a considerable challenge. b) Urbanization rate is high with rapid urban expansion without commensurate provision of infrastructure and services, leading to growth of slums. c) Many Nigerians are still living in sub-standard houses with little or no infrastructure and services d) Nigeria has laudable policies, resources and technical capacity to provide affordable housing but the lack of political will is a major impediment. e) Affordable housing needs to be treated with utmost urgency as the population of Nigeria has been projected to reach 440 million by 2050, which will make it the 3rd most populous country in the world just behind India and China.The available data and information on housing needs and housing requirement in Nigeria are presently varied and not reliable. The figure of housing shortage/deficit for Nigeria from different sources varies between 17-21 million; which calls for a more reliable and more realistic estimate to guide in effective planning. f) There is a dearth of adequate data required, such as update on housing census in Nigeria, for the accurate computation and prediction of the housing deficit in the country g) The failure to achieve effective synergy among the tripod stand of Policy, Strategy and Resources in Nigeria has been the bane of successful housing provision for the people. h) There is lack of synergy among the critical players in the Built environment. Indeed, the lack of or limited collaboration and synergy between NBBRI and many key stakeholders such as the FMLHUD, the Mortgage Institutions and Real Estate Developers and other stakeholders in collectively tackling the challenge of affordable Housing delivery for Nigerians was noted. i) Some sections of the Nigerian Land Use Act have been found to constitute hindrances to the provision of affordable housing, housing finance and effective property transaction.

3.2 Building Materials and Technology (Research and Development) a) There are several innovative technologies by NBRRI and other institutions for providing affordable housing in Nigeria that are yet to be adopted by both public and private sectors b) Nigeria possesses various waste materials and natural deposits (e.g. Sawdust, Volcanic Ash, Bagasse, Rice Husk, iron ore tailings, etc.) which can be harnessed for conversion into Pozzolana and used for various construction works. c) There is a general reluctance by professionals and developers in the built environment to specify and use proven local, alternative building technologies in affordable housing delivery; at the expense of imported conventional materials and this has significantly contributed to high cost of conventional building materials that has remained a major challenge in the provision of affordable housing d) The Housing sector has the greatest potential for Eco-Friendly and Energy-Efficient applications, compared to other sectors, which can be harnessed for affordable housing delivery. e) Some of the more important deleterious effects on building strength and durability are poor concreting & construction techniques as well as inadequate production management, which underscore the need for quality control in cement production and its use in construction.

3.3 Housing Finance and Affordability a) The cost of housing development in Nigeria is very high, mainly due to high cost of funds; high cost of land and building materials; high cost of obtaining Title deeds; and unnecessary delays in obtaining title deeds and approvals; which in turn make housing affordability a major challenge, especially to low income earners. b) Inadequate Government intervention in the provision of subsidy and development of social housing is a challenge for the vulnerable groups (i.e. the no-income, low and middle income earners). c) Sourcing mortgage facilities for housing development and delivery at low interest rates from mortgage institutions is the primary avenue of housing fund pursued by developers. There are however other sustainable frameworks for housing funds such as the Cooperative Housing Schemes which Nigerians have not effectively taken advantage of. d) The high interest on housing funds which is rarely at single-digit rate, the reluctance of commercial Banks to grant long-term loans for housing development, the limitations in the financial base of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria were identified as some of the challenges of sourcing housing funds for massive housing delivery by Developers. e) There are no existing instruments such as insurance schemes and similar platforms which can underwrite risks of lenders in the event of foreclosures. Even the primary target of the recently established Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company (NMRC) appears not to adequately address risk taking in the provision of social and affordable housing for the no-income, low and middle income groups. f) Since the promulgation of the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act in 1992, its provisions especially with respect to investment of loan portfolio in housing development has been minimally complied with. Indeed, some financial institutions (insurance companies and banks) and States have not complied with National Housing Fund (NHF) Act. g) The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, as currently capitalised, cannot respond to the housing finance needs; efforts by the organisation to undertake capital raising from offshore sources are barely visible.

3.4 Technical Capacity There is inadequate competency level of Artisans in the use of conventional and a general lack of competence in the use of alternative building materials, to ensure the provision of affordable quality houses 3.5 Housing Delivery Models and Framework a) There is inadequate and/or lack of appropriate mechanism and framework for implementing effective urban renewal and slum upgrading schemes. b) Most towns lack proper land use planning schemes to accommodate the surge in population, leading to excess population settling on marginal suburban lands which results in the development of slums and derelict settlements. c) The National Building Code, needed to foster robust affordable housing delivery has remained largely unimplemented because the enabling Act for its implementation is yet to be passed by the National Assembly 4. RECOMMENDATIONS After exhaustive deliberations and considerations of the observations noted above, it was resolved as follows: that 4.1 Housing Availability and Affordability i) Nigeria’s elaborate National Housing Policy should be implemented by the relevant Agencies to achieve affordable housing for Nigerian citizens in both urban and rural areas. ii) A National Committee should be set up to conduct an assessment of all relevant data and information to provide an accurate and reliable estimate of

housing deficits in the country.

A comprehensive study/inventory should be undertaken by FMLHUD in active collaboration with NBBRI and relevant stakeholders, to obtain adequate data and information on housing needs in Nigeria. iv) An update of the housing census should be conducted in order to have the appropriate data that will assist government in addressing the issue of housing shortage in Nigeria. v) In keeping pace with the high rate of urbanization in Nigeria and to curb the growth of slums and upgrade existing city slums, all tiers of Government should through the relevant Agencies, implement and intensify enforcement of extant rules and regulations while providing/upgrading infrastructure and services on a continuous basis. vi) Government should intensify its current political will and commitment to affordable housing delivery and demonstrate this by the effective implementation of existing Policies in the Built environment; passage of laws on outstanding bills in respect of the built environment that are in the National Assembly; provision of adequate resources and enabling environment; and ensuring effective mobilization of the Private sector in affordable housing delivery. vii) To entrench effective synergy amongst key players in the Built environment industry for better output and performance in collectively tackling the challenge of affordable Housing delivery for Nigerians; as well as avoiding duplication of efforts, NBRRI should establish and/or strengthen collaboration and interactions with other key stakeholders such as FMLHUD; Ministries of Housing in each State of the Federation; FMBN and the Mortgage Institutions; REDAN, etc viii) To make the existing Nigerian Land Use Act effective and relevant to the Built environment, Government should not only facilitate its removal from the Nigerian Constitution but should subject it to comprehensive review in order to remove hindrances to the provision of affordable housing, housing finance and effective property transaction. iii)

4.2 Building Materials and Technology (Research and Development) a) The Government and people of Nigeria would need to develop the strong ‘WILL’ to adopt and leverage on the massive use of innovative, durable and costeffective technologies (including NBRRI innovations), in order to surmount the challenge of housing shortages b) Synergy between NBRRI and the Built environment Professional Bodies, relevant associations e.g. CORBON, COREN, REDAN, ARCON, TOPREC, etc. should be sustained to work out modality for the use of alternative building materials in construction c) The Government should put in place mechanisms to protect innovations, and provide enough funding for the setting up of fabrication outfits in the country for the production of Machines that will produce affordable building materials; while also making them available to communities in the country. d) Government should evolve and support policies that will encourage the use of NBRRI Pozzolana cement in Nigeria for affordable housing delivery in complementation of Ordinary Portland Cement e) Incentives should be provided for manufacturers of indigenous construction materials to promote their widespread use 4.3 Housing Finance and Affordability a) In order to encourage robust long-term housing loans from commercial and mortgage institutions in Nigeria, Government should initiate and implement Policies that would empower the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NMRC) to set up instruments that will underwrite risks on housing loans in the event of foreclosures. b) Furthermore, the newly established NMRC should diversify and extend its operations to favour re-financing housing loans for social housing and mass housing which affects a larger percentage (85%) of Nigerian home seekers c) Government should develop strategies to address bottlenecks associated with land processing and acquisition (i.e. cost of land; cost of Title deeds; Delays in Obtaining Approvals, etc.) d) Nigerians should be encouraged to take advantage of other sources of Housing Finance such as the Cooperative Housing scheme, etc. in acquiring homes. e) An effective mechanism for risk sharing should be developed which would encourage banks and other financial institutions to extend mortgage loans to people at the lower income level, with insurance companies as key players; which would allow underwriting of such loans in the event of foreclosures. f) The provisions of the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act of 1992, especially those in respect to investment of loan portfolio in housing development should be complied with. Also, Government should compel Banks, Insurance companies & defaulting State Governments to comply with the Fund contributory provisions in the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act. g) FMBN should be adequately recapitalised to equip it to respond to its mandate. To achieve this, streams of funds should be provided and institutional investors encouraged to buy into the bank.

4.4 Housing Delivery Models and Framework a) Government intervention through subsidy and development of social housing is highly recommended; as this would open a window of opportunity for low and middle income earners. b) The Social Rental Housing Delivery Model should be adopted as the most appropriate for Nigerian cities because it provides for Sustainable access to decent Affordable and Acceptable (qualitative) housing to the low and medium income groups. c) Nigerian cities should be planned to accommodate the low, Medium and high income groups in the appropriate proportion to create the required balance.

d) There should be a Review of the Legal & Regulatory Framework for housing in Nigeria; especially the Land Use Act: while integrating respective registries into a nationally-accessible network e) A proper institutional framework for implementing effective urban renewal and slum upgrading programs should be established.

4.5 Technical Capacity a) Structured Training, Retraining and Train-the-Trainers programmes should be organised for Artisans in the use of conventional and alternative Building materials for effective output. b) Structured and robust Curriculum for artisan training in different Trades in the Built environment such as Masonry, Iron Bending, Carpentry, etc. should be developed by NBRRI in collaboration with NIOB to improve the technical capacity and competences of construction workforce. c) Competence in R&D into affordable building technologies should be developed. Also, training of artisans in the use of local building materials is recommended to promote its widespread use. d) In order to bridge the technical skills gap in the construction sector, NBRRI should in collaboration with relevant stakeholders such as NIOB, be empowered to establish training centres in the six geo-political zones for the training of artisans in the construction industry. e) Government should adequately fund NBRRI and other Research Institutes to facilitate bespoke Research and Development into critical areas in the housing sector that would facilitate the attainment of affordable housing in Nigeria f) NBRRI should develop and sustain a National Data Bank on Housing to service all key players in the Built environment and the construction industry.

5 CONCLUSION The cooperation, efforts, contributions and the commitment of all key stakeholders to the success of the HOUSING SUMMIT is highly appreciated

by NBRRI. It is hoped that all Stakeholders including Government and indeed all Nigerians will show similar synergy in the implementation of this Communiqué.

Signed: PROF. DANLADI SLIM MATAWAL DG/CEO NBRRI

36 OPINION

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Federal Lawmakers’ Disdain For The Judiciary

By Rev. Chris Okotie

This is another essay on the ongoing concerns being expressed by well-meaning Nigerians over the surprising twist that the Electoral Act 2010 has taken after a High court had ruled it unconstitutional, null and void. The Sun Newspaper published my first commentary on the issue on Friday, July 4, 2014.

More articles are expected, as we are poised to fight the battle for the rule of law to its logical conclusion; that is, until victory is achieved.

Let me say from the outset that the judiciary enjoys the special privilege of being the only organ of government that has survived different dispensations and systems of government in Nigeria; be it colonial rule, military dictatorships or our peculiar cast of epileptic civilian administrations.

The power of the judiciary derives from its time-tested role as the custodian of the Rule of Law. But it is the civil society groups that have, over the years, taken on the battle for social justice and the deepening of democracy.

Yet, in every land and clime, people recognise the judiciary as the last bastion of hope for the people against tyranny of all shades; be it monarchial, military dictatorship, colonial rule or other forms of repressive governance like fascism, communism and nazism. Deliberate refusal to respect the rule of law and order has always triggered violent change of the political order, all through the dark ages, to the present age. The evolution of modern nation-states is, therefore, predicated on the establishment of systemic jurisprudence upon which civilized, functional and progressive society is based.

Every single attempt to circumvent the rule of law led to the collapse of our previous three Republics, and the coups that toppled the military dictatorships in-between. Given the

Mark

predilection of our governing elites to exercise power without recourse to the rule of law, it is clear that they have not learnt the lessons of history.

Unless reason prevails, they are condemned to repeat it, and the tell tale signs are there already, that the principal players of the 4th Republic are following the doomed road of their predecessors.

Top functionaries of the present administration are competing with each other to ridicule judicial decisions and trample on the people’s rights.

It is a well known fact that Jonathan administration officials routinely reject invitations to appear before investigative panels of the National Assembly. They sometimes seek injunctive reliefs that are antithetical to democratic ethos and due process, when they are on the wrong side of the law.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which in December 2012, deregistered 28 political parties based on its invocation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended), has ignored a court ruling secured by one of the deregistered parties, our beloved Fresh Democratic Party, FRESH, which on July 29, 2013,

Deliberate refusal to respect the rule of law and order has always triggered violent change of the political order

voided the purported deregistration.

Efforts by our party to get INEC to comply included a protest letter written by one of our lawyers, Dr. Fred Agbaje and sent to the Senate president, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Human Rights Commission, INEC and the media.

The only response we got was a terse reply by the Senate president, Hon. David Mark, that our case has been referred to the committee on Constitutional Review. I commend Dr. Mark for his kind reply.

Few days after this response, the Senate passed into law, a bill pending before it, to re-amend the Electoral Law 2010, by giving INEC additional powers to deregister parties that fail to win at least one seat in any of the elective offices. This is in spite the subsisting court order given by Justice Kolawole, of High court 5, Abuja Division on July 29, 2014 aforesaid. The media, meanwhile, had kicked against this illegal action of the law makers.

We cannot, by any means allow this illegality to stand. Evil prevails when good men do nothing. Had the world not reacted loudly, the Chibok Girls’ crisis would have been forgotten completely.

They may still be languishing in the Sambisa forest in the hands of the wicked Boko Haram insurgents, but at least, their plight is in the focus of the world. “The Bring Back Our Girls” hashtag has kept the Girls in the front burner of public discourse around the world.

People of conscience in this country must not allow the reign of impunity as demonstrated by INEC in this FRESH case to go on unchallenged because it could set a very dangerous precedent. To say one is highly disappointed with the lawmakers’ connivance or abetting of an act of illegality is to put it mildly.

– Rev. Okotie, a presidential aspirant, wrote from Lagos

Pension: Human Rights And The Nigerian Situation (2)

By Ugochi Izuagba

Letters & Opinions Letters to The Editor, P. O. Box 9514, Garki II, Abuja.

Text: 08116759791.

E-mail: Opinions@ leadership. ng (no attachments please).

Fax: 09-2345360

Perhaps, the most enduring panacea aimed at addressing the various challenges confronting the administration of pension schemes in the country was the recent passage by the National Assembly and the signing into law

by President Goodluck Jonathan of the Pension Reform Bill into an Act of the federal Republic of Nigeria of 2014.

Observers are keen to point out that this reform of the corrupt ridden pension sector as recently done by the current federal administration is another remarkable achievement in the human rights annals of Nigeria.

Some human rights scholars have even equated this achievement of the Pension Reform Act of 2014 with the signing of the National Human Rights Commission amendment Act which was done by the current President Jonathan’s government

which has given financial and operational independence to the Human Rights Commission of Nigeria. For a long time to come, the legacy set by this government in the area of cleaning up the stench ridden pension sector will remain enduring. But there is the urgent need to demand accountability on the part of the oversight agency so that the good provisions of the new Act would see the light of the day and for would – be pension thieves to be made to face the full weight of the law.

The Pension Reform Act of 2014 is a remarkable human rights milestone because it is meant to clearly promote section 34(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which spells out thus; “Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of person, and accordingly (a) no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment”.

With the coming into being of

this Act, it is expected that the dignity of every pensioner would become sacrosanct and the chances of corruption be significantly eliminated. But the onus lies on the enforcers of the law to ensure effective use of the law.

Already, President Jonathan has also sent to the Senate for confirmation as director-general, the name of Mrs. Chinelo AnohuAmazu who was acting directorgeneral of Pension Commission (PENCOM). She spearheaded the advocacy for the passage of the Pension Reform Bill into the Pension Reform Act of 2014.

It is widely believed that the reform is a product of the joint effort of the Goodluck Jonathan administration and the National Assembly to put an end to the era of impunity and in some instances of widespread corruption in the various pension departments.

– Izuagba is research assistant with the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria

Inside Out

KUNLE SOMORIN Feed back: kunlesomorin@yahoo.co.uk 08023339626 (SMS only)

Streamlining Public Holiday

R

ecently, Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State took the battle to retain his job to an unenviable height by declaring a two-day public holiday. Before this, the federal government had declared a similarly bizarre three-day holiday from May 7-9 for workers in the federal capital territory during when Abuja hosted the World Economic Forum for Africa. Section 2 (subsections 1 & 2) of the Public Holidays Act grants the president and state governors the power to declare public holidays. However, since democracy was restored in 1999, frivolous work-free days inspired by political sentiments and calculations have been the hallmark of successive administrations both at federal and state levels.

During the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, one of such holidays was declared with his then estranged deputy, Atiku Abubakar, being the target. While some of these free days are one-off, some have found their way into our national calendar of annual holidays. May 29 is celebrated nationwide as Democracy Day, simply because it was the day the military administration of Gen Abdusalami Abubakar handed over power to the democratically elected Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999. To further demean the significance of a “democracy day”, governors in the “opposition” held South West disagreed with the choice of May 29 as Democracy Day. The more ideal date, they argued, was June 12, in commemoration of Nigeria’s freest and fairest presidential election. Thus, June 12 became a public holiday in the South West and other states controlled by any opposition party sympathetic to the region.

In fact, the notion of public holiday has so been abused that aspects of the Public Holidays Act are violated with reckless abandon. Section 5, being the most affected, states the following: “(a) if two days appointed as public holidays fall successively on a Friday and a Saturday, only the Friday concerned and no additional day in lieu of that Saturday shall be kept as a public holiday. (b) if any day appointed to be a public holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, only the Saturday or Sunday concerned and no other day in lieu of either of such days shall be kept as a public holiday. (c) if two days appointed as public holidays fall successively on a Saturday and Sunday, only the Saturday and Sunday concerned and no additional day or days in lieu of the Saturday and Sunday shall be kept as public holidays; and (d) if two days appointed as public holidays fall successively on a Sunday and a Monday, only the Monday concerned and no additional day in lieu of that Sunday shall be kept as a public holiday.”

Apart from violating the law, these phony days off paralyse socio-economic activities, in addition to the billions of naira worth of man-hours lost to observing them. Nigeria’s problems have never been a lack of enabling laws. The problem is our inability to play by the rules.

politics today Thursday, July 24, 2014

REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS

2015: We Won’t Condone Imposition In Katsina PDP – Aliyu Sani Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad is the chairman of Katsina State Concerned PDP Members Forum. In an interview with select journalists, Sani, speaking on behalf of the forum, declared that no amount of pressure will compel it to accept the imposition of candidates ahead of 2015 polls. MUAZU ELAZEH was there for LEADERSHIP. Your forum just held its meeting. Could you please tell us some of the decisions reached at the meeting?

We met and decided that we should come together and scout around for a credible person that will succeed Governor Shema as a governor. That is one and the most important decision taken and secondly we have resolved to meet the governor to please allow some sanity to prevail. Whenever there is anything like election or nomination or whatever it is, people should be involved, stakeholders should be consulted.

We don’t consider a situation where three people sit and decide the fate of over six million people, as democratic. We have resolved to advise the governor to consult and consult widely so that there wouldn’t be some grumblings here and there. We don’t want to see PDP losing any election therefore we have to come in where we see thing s going wrong and advise both the government and the party to consider wider consultation whenever they are taking decision especially where it involves election. People should be allowed to choose credible politicians that will fly their flag especially in 2015.

They were selected at the government house by very few people, people that cannot actually deliver the state. People that cannot sit, think and advise the governor on what to do

You didn’t single out any body to endorse but what ate the criteria you will use to endorse somebody?

We look forward to having someone that will have capacity to rule, some one that will be acceptable, someone that will deliver the state, someone that will at least continue from where Barr shema will stop. At least we are aware of what is happening now, so many people want to be governor but to our forum, we feel whoever wants to become a governor must have some qualities which include honesty, capacity to operate. He must be a politician not brief case politicians that will just come from anywhere with

some money and say he want to govern the state. We will not allow that this time. We will have to be democratic enough, allow people to decide and choose from all the aspirants, someone who can lead and who can deliver.

Are you likely to extend your search beyond the PDP?

For now we are limiting it to PDP because we are PDP members and you know we have a lot of people in PDP that can actually deliver.

We have competent people and among them, we will choose one.

We are not ready to take any imposition. If any of the people that have capacity does not show interest, we will approach him and invite him to come and contest. So this time around, we have to get somebody competent. We won’t allow somebody that will come and destroy the foundations governor Shema has laid. We want continuity and we cannot allow a surrogate to come and assume power. We are not ready to allow money bags to hijack the politics.

We are looking for somebody who can deliver. Katsina state is blessed with a lot of people.

What role did your forum played in the emergence of the PDP flag bearers in the forth coming council polls?

As a matter of fact, we were not eve consulted. In fact that is one of the reasons why we decided to call for this meeting. Governor Shema promised to be approaching us for advises, he promised to be consulting us whenever key decisions will be taken but this time around, we overheard that some 34 candidates were to be given flags. They were selected at the government house by very few people, people that cannot actually deliver the state. People that cannot sit, think and advise the governor on what to do. I mean it is painful when you have people who have been working for you, a forum that has dedicated

Sani

its time and members to work for the emergence of the governor but unfortunately, we are not being carried along. The governor should revisit the exercise of the so called nomination of local government candidates of people that are appointed to fly the PDP flags.

Where there are problems, please let the governor allow for free and fair primary election. This will help greatly against 2015 elections because people who are aggrieved will come and fight us from within and this is very dangerous for the party You just said your forum was sidelined in the emergence of PDP flag bearers for the LG Polls. What happens if similar scenario plays out in the guber primaries, what will the forum do?

The forum has a lot of role to play. We have members all over the state. We are over 5000 and each member has so many people under his control. We know what it takes to win an election. We are the foot soldiers; we always go out to canvass for votes. So if we are sidelined, we look for someone very competent and challenge the decision of the government. We

are under democratic setting mind you, we cannot allow imposition.

We cannot allow money bags any longer to come and take responsibilities which they have no hand informing.

What then is your advice to the governor?

I am advising also that the governor should please be accessible enough.

There are many people with bright ideas that will like to come and advise him on certain issues but seeing him sometime becomes a problem so he should relax the measures at the government house particularly for people and politicians who mean well and who are dedicated to the progress of the government. It is absolutely necessary for the governor to know this. He is always prevented from people and this is not good for the politics. Let him try as much as possible to open and reach out.

There are people who are dedicated, who love his success and who have been with him but cannot see him to talk to him. People who fought him silly are more accessible to him. This is not fair in democracy.

Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor

37

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Thursday, July 24, 2014

the law

39

Thursday, July 24, 2014

FEATURES

Terrorism Charge: Who Is Stalling Prosecution Of Over 500 Suspects?

How committed is the federal government to prosecuting those alleged to have had links with Boko Haram, who are presently being tried in court? In this report, KUNLE OLASANMI looks at the slow process of their trials.

N

o doubt, the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram has wreaked a lot of havoc in the country in the last five years. Many have been killed and many have been arrested among the sect members by security operatives in the country.

But Nigerians are now worried that despite the arrest being made by security agencies, only about 10 of them have been tried and sentenced. The slow process of the courts may have affected the conclusion of the cases of those still standing trials.

Last week, the Defence Headquarters blamed the Federal Ministry of Justice for the non-prosecution of the arrested sect members. The State Security Service also said that their detention facilities are filled up.

According to the Defence Headquarters, the Justice Ministry is doing little or nothing to initiate criminal proccedings against about 500 Boko Haram suspects, who have been arrested and have had their investigations completed. If the allegation by the military is true, then one should begin to ask if the government is serious about ending the activities of the insurgents in the country.

A senior official of the ministry, Mr Ambrose Momoh, told LEADERSHIP that he was not aware that the ministry has failed to initiate criminal proceedings against the arrested members of the sect. “I am not aware that the ministry has failed to carry out its responsibilty of initiating criminal proccedings against the arrested Boko Haram members”, Momoh said.

Even those undergoing trials have had their cases dragged for too long. Their trials have had to be adjourned several times at the instance of counsel to the government.

Among those being accused of involvement in Boko Haram activities is a serving senator, Senator Mohammed Aliyu

Attorney-general of the federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke (SAN)

Ndume. For about three years now, Senator Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District has been standing trial for alleged link with Boko Haram before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. By now, one would have thought that his case and those of others would have been decided one way or the other. The case, presently at the High Court had gone to the Court of Appeal, which Ndume approached to challenge the admissibility of certain exhibits against him. Luckily for him, the exhibits were set aside by the appellate court.

During one of the proceedings of the case, a shocking revelation was made in court, when Ndume said his mobile telephone, which had been in the custody of the court as ex-

hibit, is being used to call his new mobile telephone number.

Ndume, through his counsel told the court about the development.

The trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole said, “I don’t know much about technology, but how can a phone that is switched off make and receive calls? I think you should go to MTN for clarification and also confer with the prosecution witness to know what to do.

Really, it’s strange to me that a phone line that is not active can be used to make calls.”

In a letter to MTN, Ndume said he complained that he had been receiving strange calls from his previous number 08035998045, which is in the custody of the Federal High Court where he is standing tri-

al for his alleged sponsorship of Boko Haram activities.

The lawmaker said the first call to his new number, using his previous number, was at 9:56am on June 13, which disconnected after few seconds.

He said he got the second call from his former number 08035998045 at 9:58am, which also went off after a few seconds. At the third call, Ndume was lucky to speak with the caller who he said identified himself as George. According to Ndume, George who called at 10:07am “asked whether I got his text message and I said no.”

Ndume said the line went off after he told the caller that he did not get his text message.

The letter to MTN which was dated June 13, 2014 reads inter alia, “When I tried to call back, I got the voice message that, ‘the number you are trying to call is not available at the moment; please, try again later.’

Ndume said he immediately called MTN Customer Care Centre using 180 and was connected to one Juwaira Muktar.

After lodging his complaint, the lawmaker said Muktar asked him to hold on so that she could talk to her team leader, Sybil Uwake.

“She subsequently got back to me and advised that I report the case to the nearest police station.

“I accordingly reported the case at Apo Police Station, where I was made to write a formal complaint.

Part of the four-count charge slammed on Ndume reads: “That you Mohammed Ali Ndume (m) on or about the 4th day of October, 2011, somewhere between Maiduguri and Abuja being in possession of the mobile phone number of Ali Sanda Umar Konduga (alias Usma Al-Zawahiri), a terrorist spokesman of the Boko Haram sect, which you know to be of material assistance in securing the apprehension of the said Ali Umar Konduga, did not fail to disclose same information to a law officer as soon as reasonably practicable and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7(1) (b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 and punishable under Section 7(1) of the same Act.

Even those undergoing trials have had their cases dragged for too long.

Their trials have had to be adjourned several times at the instance of counsel to the government

40 DEFENCE FOCUS

A

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Chibok Girls: 100 Days In Captivity

pril 14, 2014 will be for a long time remains evergreen as the day when the Boko Haram terrorists invaded the Government Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State and abducted some 276 girls who were writing the final year West African Examination Council (WAEC) without any hind or hindrance as the school principal claimed, she did not raise any alarm because the terrorists were disguised in the army uniform.

However, she changed the tune when she was exposed to her follies.

Unfortunately, the soldiers were not around despite the fact that the State was under their watch as a result of the emergency rule. The Federal Ministry of Education watched its hands off the mess claiming they had earlier warned the State government against conducting the examination in such an insecure environment but caved in with the assurance given by the State government that adequate security would be provided.

Although the Police were asked to provide the security but the State Police Commissioner claimed they were asked to provide the security for the girls during the daytime and not at night, when like the biblical thieves, the terrorists struck!

Some members of the Chibok community claimed they raised the alarm but the military did not respond until it was too late. In its defence, the military claimed they did not respond on time because there had been several false distress calls and when the troops did, they were ambushed on the way and this stopped them from rescuing the girls.

Another controversy was the actual number of the abducted girls. At first, the school authorities said the missing girls were 120 but the number kept climbing with more discover-

ies until it hit 276. About 57 of the captives have been able to escape from their captors who have been spreading blood and tears across the land and even beyond.

When some of them returned, the school management thought it was all and the principal disclosed that they had been freed and the military did not verify the information and broke the news to the populace only to retract it when it became obvious they were misled.

The Federal government that first doubted the abduction story was forced to face the reality when on May 5, about three weeks after the abduction, a spokesman for Boko Haram, claiming to be its leader, Abubakar Shekau, said the sect was responsible for the kidnapping in a video that was broadcast online.

Shekau said he was acting under a divine instruction to sell the kidnapped girls into slavery. He had said, “Allah instructed me to sell them…I will carry out his instructions. Slavery is allowed in my religion, and I shall capture people and make them slaves.”

In addition to widespread condemnation of the abduction by millions of Nigerians across different walks of life, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations International Children Education Fund and the United Nations Security Council also condemned it.

Since that time the remaining 200 schoolgirls kidnapped 100 days ago are still being held in the captivity of the terrorists inside an evil forest named Sambisa while the military has been trying all it knows to bring them back alive. The foreign assistance from the UK, the UK, France and Israel among others is yet to yield the desired result.

When the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh broke the news that the

defence focus

By BAYO OLADEJI

Jonathan

Badeh

military knew there where about, the intelligence world was divided over the news; while some hailed him, other jeered at him.

Both the military and the security agencies are insisting that they know where the girls are held but only being careful against storming the place in order to avoid exposing them to more danger. But all this have not impressed their cynics as long as the girls remain in the captivity.

“While we are careful not to disclose our mode of operations, some elements are trying to politicise the operation and we are trying as much as possible to avoid that. The best way to get them (the abducted girls) alive is what we are trying to do. To the best of our knowledge, they are still accessible. If we tried to force our way in, they may be killed. If we force our way there, they will kill them. This is what we want to avoid at all cost,” Major General

Chris Olukolade, the Director of Information Defence Headquarters said.

He disclosed that the rescuing operation of that nature should not be done in a hurry cited the involvement of the foreign military and intelligence personnel in the operation in the last one month when many thought such involvement would translate into their release within two or three days.

“The issue is about getting these girls out, you know initially when some Nigerians were shouting, if you people could not do it, give way and let the Americans come and do it for us. In fact, some were saying, ‘within two or three days they would bring the girls back’. Some were even given the impression that the foreigners were already succeeding. Well, the foreign experts have been here for over a month now, if you think this military is not good enough, you bring the

foreigners you think could do it, but they too are beginning to see the reality on ground. That this thing is not as simple and easy as they thought.

“The Chief of defence Staff (CDS) came out to tell the world that we had an idea of where these girls are. We don’t think it would impress anyone to go and bring their dead bodies back to their parents. Sambisa (forest) is not impenetrable.

“It takes a wise man to know when to move and when not to move. It is not about braggadocio that is needed, you go there, you blow these girls up and saying we have done it, what is the result? The essence is to be as tactful as possible. The Nigerian military is globally recognized for its tact. When the CDS said that we know where they are kept, the whole world criticised him, because some prefer a situation where when the rescue is eventually taking place they would take the credit. Till today, many have not forgiven him. But there is a reason for it”.

Mr. Ekpeyong, the Director General for the State Security Services also corroborated the military when he spoke to State House correspondents at the end of a National Security Council meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to him, “Government is making efforts. We know where they are, but we don’t want to endanger their lives. That is the truth. We want to take it gradually and release them at the appropriate time. We know where they are. You can go to bed with that.”

But on Tuesday, the Army expressed its preparedness and readiness to battle the insurgents to a standstill, but reminded the cynics that the war on terror is not a one day’s fight.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, reportedly made this disclosure at the commencement of his familiarisation tour of the 81 Division area of responsibility to familiarise himself with

PROFILE: Rear Admiral Amos Adedeji (Rtd)

Adedeji

Born in Okaka, Oyo State, about 60 years ago, Rear Admiral Amos Gbadebo Adedeji (rtd) enlisted in the Nigerian Navy as a cadet at the Nigerian Defence Academy.

He eventually rose to the enviable peak of his career as a Rear Admiral, an equivalent of a two-star General in the Army.

This is the highest military rank attained by an Oke-Ogun indigene in the Armed Forces.

Rear Admiral Adedeji held several command appointments where he distinguished himself as an officer

with uncommon intellect, deep insight, sound analysis of issues and outstanding performance.

His last appointment was as Commandant of the National War College (now National Defence College), Abuja from where he retired with full honours and dignity in 2005.

Adedeji is the President, Association of Alumni of the National Defence College (AANDEC), a forum for all alumnus of the prestigious National Defence College.

Top 3 DEFENCE STORIES ➊ Military Option Never Defeats Insurgency - APC ➋ FG Warns Against 100-day Rally ➌ 11 Parents of Adbucted Pupils Die

President Goodluck Jonathan with some of the abductedChibok students during their meeting with him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

NEWS 41

Thursday, July 24, 2014

2014 Guber Poll:

OsunDECIDES Aregbesola Will Deliver On Campaign Promises, Akere Tells Osun Electorate

Chairman of Governor Rauf Aregbesola re-election Campaign Committee for Ila Federal Constituency, Mr Sunday Akere has told the electorate in Osun State that the governor is dedicated to improving the lot of the people of Osun State.

The campaign chairman assured the people that Aregbesola would not only deliver on his electioneering promises as he has done during his first four years, but would also ensure that he does more to make Osun a paradise for them.

Canvassing for votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Rauf Aregbesola among residents of Edemosi, Ajaba, Oragun-Ejigbo and Alagbede areas of the local government, Akere en-

joined the electorate in the area to obtain their permanent voter cards to facilitate their participation in the August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun State.

According to the reelection campaign chairman, who was accompanied by members of his team, Aregbesola is dedicated to improving the lot of the people of the state and the only way to return him to office is through their votes.

He charged the electorate in all the communities to ensure that they pick their permanent voter cards at INEC office, saying information at the committee’s disposal shows that the people are not collecting their voter cards.

Akere who is also the

Saturday, August 9

Omisore Pledges To Return Osun To 6-3-34 Education Policy

Aregbesola

commissioner for information and strategy further urged the people not to give up their cards for anything, saying some people are going round the state requesting voter cards from the electorate in exchange for financial assistance. He said that once they give up their cards, they will lose their voting rights in the election.

With less than 17 days to the conduct of August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun State, the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has promised to revert to the 6-3-3-4 national policy on education if elected governor of the state.

Addressing a rally at Okinni in Egbedore local government area of Osun State, Omisore condemned the state government’s jettisoning of 6-3-3-4 educational curriculum, which was introduced by the federal government for all schools in Nigeria.

He also promised to ensure that no student is made to trek long distance before getting to school, adding that he would examine other issues introduced into the state’s education

policy by Aregbesola’s administration.

The former Osun deputy governor condemned the alleged withdrawal of the learning tablets, otherwise known as tablet of knowledge (Opon Imo), hitherto distributed to some students in public high schools.

He faulted the uploading of subjects into the learning tablets which he alleged was responsible for poor performance of Osun students in the last WASCE. He said, “There are myriads of errors in the learning tablets, most especially in Mathematics, which does not have graphs and log tables, while Chemistry, Biology, Physics and other key subjects lacked necessary inputs.

“This was the genesis of academic failures and foun-

Omisore

dation of dismal performances of our children in WASCE, such that our rating in Osun dropped drastically to 24th position from 13th”.

He called on parents, teachers and other stakeholders in the education sector to vote massively for the PDP on August 9 to checkmate the trend in Osun education.

Stories by Joshua Dada, Osogbo

SOUTH-WEST Osun APC Insists On Use Of Card Reader For Guber Election To ensure confidence in the outcome of the August 9 governorship election in Osun State, President Goodluck Jonathan has been urged to instruct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the Card Reader for the election.

Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, the state capital, yesterday, the interim chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Elder Adelowo Adebiyi maintained that if the commission will not stand accused of complicity in PDP’s alleged plan to rig the election, it should use the device.

APC alleged that the main opposition, PDP is attempting to arrest and assassinate some of its leaders and political functionaries ahead of the election in the state.

Adebiyi, who further alleged that the PDP is planning to employ a militia force in military camouflage to terrorise citizens, said that the militia group would be used to drive fear into the people to scare them from the polling booths.

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Tribunal Grants APC Access To Electoral Materials

BY ALO ABIOLA, Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in AdoEkiti yesterday granted an order for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) unfettered access to inspect electoral materials used in the June 21 governorship poll.

The panel also granted an order for the party to serve the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, its petition through substituted means.

The orders were granted by a three-member panel headed by Justice Muhammad Sirajo follow-

ing an ex-parte application by the APC’s lawyer, Mr Kabir Akingbolu.

APC in its petition was seeking to invalidate Fayose’s victory after its candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi lost to the PDP candidate in the June 21 governorship election.

In the application brought pursuant to Paragraph 8(2) of the First Schedule of the Electoral Act 2010 and under the inherent power of the court, the applicant complained that efforts to serve Fayose by the court’s bailiff had been futile.

The ex-parte motion brought pursuant to Section 151 (1&2) and paragraph 47(1&2) of the First Schedule of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended was supported by a

15-paragraph affidavit deposed to by a lawyer, Christian Okoh.

In his ruling, Justice Sirajo said, “Leave is hereby granted the applicant to move the application outside and prior to pre-hearing session.

“Prayer 2, 3 and 4 are consequently granted subject to the payment by the petitioner to the chief national electoral commissioner the requisite fee for the certification of documents aforementioned.

“With respect to the second motion no: EKS/Gov/M3/14, the application for substituted service of the petition on the second respondent (Fayose) is also granted in view of the failure of personal service.”

Plagiarism Is Academic 419 – Vice Chancellor

BY GBENGA ADEBOYE, Abeokuta

The vice-chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Professor Olusola Oyewole, has lent his voice against plagiarism, describing the practice as academic fraud.

The vice-chancellor stated this during the College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT) seminar.

The vice-chancellor described plagiarism as an ugly development in academics, which is morally wrong.

He said plagiarism erodes originality of ideas and is punishable by either suspension or expulsion, adding that the determination of the university to fight the trend prompted it to subscribe to Turn- it- in, a software developed to check plagiarism.

Delivering a lecture entitled, “Mitigating the Practice and Peril of Plagiarism: Turn it in Before Turning it Out”, Prof Isaac Daniel of the Department of Plant Breeding and Seed Technology described plagiarism as “wrongful appropriation, stealing and publication of another author’s language, thought, ideas or expression and the representation of them as one’s own original work”.

SHORT NEWS Yoruba Youths Condemn Jonathan’s Impunity Yoruba youths have condemned the acts of impunity by President Goodluck Jonathan such as drafting soldiers to a politically tense environment.

The youths, in a communique issued at the end of the 10th All Yoruba Youth Conference in Ibadan yesterday, noted that the soldiers ought to be used against military incursion or where Nigeria’s sovereignty is being threatened.

Chairman, Coordinating Council of Coalition of Self-Determination Groups (COSEC), Dayo Ogunlana, said the youths also called on President Jonathan to stop infringing the rights of Nigerians.

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Thursday, July 24, 2014 42 news Lagos Nigeria Will Miss 2015: Bring Back Chibok Girls Or No Election– Braitwaite Aturu – Lawyers,

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, of Assembly were Dr. Joe Okei- herself needed to be rescued in will reconstruct this country, that Lagos Odumakin of Women Arise, Mrs. order to rescue the affected girls. will reinvent this nation and we do Associates At the activities for the burial rite of late human rights activist and lawyer, Bamidele Aturu kicks off in Lagos, prominent Nigerians, including rights activists, lawyers , jurists, labour leaders, members of civil society organiations have said that the country would greatly miss him.

The Nigerians who spoke at a special colloquium organised in honour of the deceased by his chambers also described him as an honest man who genuinely championed the cause of the masses.

Some of those who attended the event included Femi Falana (SAN), Adebayo Onanuga, Kunle Ajibade, Biodun Aremu, Femi Aborishade, former president of Civil Liberties Organisation, Mrs Ayo Obe, the director, International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade, the immediate past chairman of Ikeja NBA, Monday Ubani.

Aturu died in Lagos on July 9, at the age of 49 after a brief illness and he would be buried in his home town in Ondo State on Friday.

By Olugbenga Soyele, Lagos

Lagos lawyer and a delegate to the national conference, Dr. Tunji Braitwaite has called on Nigerians to resist 2015 general elections if government fails to bring back the Chibok girls.

He said this yesterday at a rally organised by the Women Arise to mark 100 days since the Chibok girls were kidnapped.

In attendance at the rally tagged: “Chibok: 100 Days After,” which took place at the garden in front of the Lagos State House

Ayo Obe, former president, Civil Liberty Organisation, Comrade Femi Aborisade, Hon. Funmilayo Tejuoso, Mrs. Odedokun a.k.a Mama Niger, a popular artist, Mr. Saheed Balogun and an 11-yearold girl, Favour Nwachukwu, among others.

The Lagos lawyer, while describing President Goodluck Jonathan as a listening president who should be pitied, insisted that rescuing the girls must be a collective and joint efforts on the part of Nigerians and that Nigeria

According to Braitwaite, who decried holding rallies to demand for the rescue of the girls, it will involve Nigerians joining hands with President Jonathan to deal with corruption, which he said was the root cause of the problems facing the country.

“We should let them know that we are not going to allow election again in this country. Do you understand? If good does not come out of the ongoing national conference that will reconstruct, I choose my words carefully, that

not bring these girls back, we will not allow election in this country.

“Let us encourage Jonathan to deal with corruption, let us encourage Jonathan to bring back these girls and we all have a part to play,” he said.

Braitwaite, while speaking further, maintained that it was about time that Nigerians began to realise that things would not change in the country unless they began to take action on their own, even as he recalled the event that led to the Arab Spring.

short news Face Your Case With EFCC, Ogun APC Tells Daniel

LASU Students Certified Competent Communicators Undergraduate students who were financially supported by the Lagos State University management to participate in the just concluded 2014 Nigerian Championship of Public Speaking have been certified Competent Communicators by the Global Headquarters of Toastmasters International in the United States.

This was contained in a statement signed by the public relations officer of the institution, Kayode Sutton.

The honours came following the students advancement to the final round of Twelve (12) University Students, after successfully delivering 10 speeches in the contest.

According to him, Fadare Oluwaseun and Onagoruwa A. Ayodeji of History and International Relations Department, as well as Babatunde Michael and Omolaja Christianah from the Faculty of Law, all got a sum of N100,000 (needed to secure their participation slot) from the university authority.

The competition which was held in Abuja, produced Fadare Kehinde Oluwaseun as the third (3rd) place winner of the 2014 Nigeria Championship of Public Speaking, while Onagoruwa Ayodeji Ayotunde was singled out for excellence as she was awarded the Most Consistent Female Speaker in the contest.

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

L-R: Nollywood actor, Saheed Balogun, elder stateman, Dr Tunji Braithwaite, president, Women Arise, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, Barr Femi Aborishade and former president of Civil Liberty Organisation, Mrs Ayo Obe, during Women Arise campaign on 100 days after the abduction of Chibok Girls, at Alausa Garden, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO BY BENEDICT UWALAKA

100 Days: Activists Hold Rally For Abducted Chibok Girls

By GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

100 days after over 200 girls in Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State were abducted by Boko Haram, hundreds of activists and religious leaders yesterday held a rally in Lagos to demand for the release of the girls. LEADERSHIP observed that the rally, organised

by Women Arise Initiative and other activist groups, was held at the Event Garden, opposite Lagos State House of Assembly located in Alausa, Ikeja area of

the state.

The concerned Nigerians who converged on the seat of power in the state unanimously agreed that 100 days in captivity by the young girls was a bad omen for the nation, in view of the seeming delay and inability of federal government to rescue the girls.

At the rally, Christian and Muslim clerics who offered prayers for the safe return of the girls from Boko Haram’s den carried placards, some of which read, “Punish the criminals,” “Fish out the beast,” “Stone age gone,”

“Stop the killing,” “Chibok girls are human beings not numbers,” among others.

Addressing the crowd at the rally, president, Women Arise Initiative and Campaign for Democracy, CD, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin said, “We wish to register our keenness and undying desire to have the girls back. We have not lost steam in this regard, and we shall not until the innocent girls are brought home.“We want to impress it on all Nigerians, across partisan divides.

The All Progressives Congress ( APC ), in Ogun State has advised the former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel to channel his energy towards extricating himself from the web of stealing preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC).

This, according to the party in a statement issued yesterday by its publicity secretary, Mr Sola Lawal is the noble course to take by the former governor, instead of distracting the incumbent from the task of rebuilding all that he dismantled in the state.

Daniel had vowed to unseat the Ibikunke Amosun administration for rubbishing his legacies.

By Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta

Chibok Abduction: NANS Describes Jonathan As Incompetent

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has described President Goodluck Jonathan as an incompetent leader, saying students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State should have been released before now.

In a statement issued yesterday

by the public relations officer of the association, Comrade Olaogun Victor, the student body lamented the further collapse of the education sector since the administration took over, saying apart from suffering from insecurity, Nigerian students have suffered the consequences of the president’s incompetence more than other Nigerians.

According to him, since the dreaded insurgent group, Boko

Haram, commenced its wanton destruction of lives and properties, not less than 800 students have been killed especially in the orgies of murderous attacks on the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State University, School of Hygiene, Kano and College of Agriculture, Damaturu in Yobe State, among several others.

He said, “We cannot but imagine the harrowing experiences of

these innocent girls who may have been subjected to terrible experiences within the last 100 days in captivity.

There is hardly any nation where this could happen and the president will still have the temerity to stage political campaign and dance ‘alanta,’ as our own president did in Kano just few hours after the Nyanya bombing. It was a huge display of insensitivity and gross misconduct.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

100 Days Of Abduction: Delta Prays For Release Of Chibok Girls 100 days of the abduction of students of Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State by the Boko Haram sect was marked by the Delta State government with a solemn assembly where prayers were offered for their safe release.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan at whose instance the service was held at the Government House Annex, Warri on Tuesday used the occasion to call for prayers against drum beats of war in the country.

Dr Uduaghan cautioned against acts and utterances that have the potential to plunge the country into crisis and war, warning that war in Nigeria could throw the entire West African region into serious humanitarian crisis.

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

news south-South south-East 43

Ebonyi Parallel Assembly Sits, Recalls Suspended Members Security beefed up at assembly complex

By Obinna Ogbonnaya,Abakaliki

The embattled speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, yesterday, disclosed that the House sat and recalled the three members who were suspended before it went on recess last Thursday.

The members were Hon Eni Uduma Chima, representing Afikpo South West, Hon. Frank Onwe representing Ohaukwu North, and Hon. Blaise Orji.

The speaker, however, did not disclose where the members sat and decided to recall the members as the State House of Assembly is still barricaded by security agents.

Briefing newsmen at his residence in Abakaliki, Nwazunku

stated that the matter had been fully resolved internally.

He called on the aggrieved members to sheath their sword for peace to reign in the state.

Meanwhile, in a dramatic twist yesterday morning also, the member representing Ohaozara East state constituency, Hon. Nnenna Nweme who alleged that she was attacked by thugs loyal to Nwazunku reversed her earlier claim.

short news Free Maternal Healthcare: Uduaghan Tells Pregnant Women To Resist Extortion

LG Poll: Allegations Of Fake Primary School Certificates Rock Delta Palpable fear of the unknown has continued to unsettle aspirants and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the Delta State local government elections scheduled for October 25, 2014 over alleged falsification of primary school certificates and other related documents.

While some of the aspirants are reportedly consulting various native doctors to scale through the huddles of screening and primaries both at the councillorship and chairmanship levels, authorities of the police in the state have indicated that many of the aspirants have allegedly been patronising various computer centres to print out primary school certificates.

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

2015: ‘Abia Gov’s Seat Not For Highest Bidder’ As politicians step up their manoeuvrings following the zoning of the Abia State governorship position to Abia south, they have been told that the position is not for the highest bidder.

Senator Chris Adighije, who stated this in an interview with newsmen, said despite the zoning of the position, public acceptability, maturity and political experience were still one of the indispensable qualities expected from any person aspiring to occupy the position of Abia State governor.

In a veiled reference to those who would be throwing money around believing that their money would qualify them for the position he said, “As we often say in political parlance, the Abia governorship is not for sale to the highest bidder.

“Factors, such as public acceptability, maturity, political experience and the track record of the aspirants, other than money, should be put into consideration by the party and its delegates to the primary.’’

By Matthias Nwogu, Umuahia

According to her, “I was not attacked by the speaker’s men. I was rather deceived by the other group to stand against Nwazunku. I am now with Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunka. He is a good man and I am with him”.

As at the time of filing this report, there is tension in the state following attempt by the two groups to hold separate sittings at the assembly chambers.

Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has warned pregnant women and nursing mothers not to give money to anybody since the cost of their medicare was covered by the state government’s free maternal and underfive healthcare programmes.

L-R: Chairman, Governing Council, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Sen. Ike Nwachukwu, celebrant and Dr Uduaghan former minister of foreign affairs, Amb. Oluyemi Adeniji, his wife, Olubunmi, and NIIA director-general, Prof Bola Akin- stated this on terinwa, during the inauguration of a one-day exhibition to mark Adeniji’s 80th birthday in Lagos on Tuesday Tuesday while giving antenatal talk to pregnant women at the Mother and Child Centre of the Central Hospital, Warri.

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City workers of the council fear for of kidnapping were reported to Governor have taken place along the road their dear life.

Fear has gripped travellers along Uduaghan who The council boss made the call on Monday alone which she said the ever busy Benin–Lagos ex- yesterday when two Edo State was too much for the people of inquired from the pressway especially at Ovia indigenes in the Nigeria Army the area, adding that travelling women if doctors North East Local Government who just passed out of the Mili- through the road to the office on and nurses were Council axis of the road follow- tary College paid her a courtesy a regular basis has now become collecting money ing the increased abduction of visit in her office and lamented a nightmare for council workers. from them and was innocent Nigerians that use the that the high rate of kidnapping answered in the She, however, called on govroute daily. negative, urged and armed robbery incidence on ernment and security agencies This development has in- the highway in Ovia North East to find a lasting solution to the them to resist formed the call by the chairman area has become very worri- issue of insecurity in the country any action to the of the council, Mrs Lucy Omag- some. contrary. especially the high level of kidbon, for increased security as

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, She said that about six cases napping in Edo State.

Asaba

Panic Grips Edo Council Workers Over Abduction

Bayelsa Elders, Youths Threaten To Shut Down Shell Facilities

By OSA Okhomina, Yenagoa

Elders and youths of aggrieved communities of Nembe Kingdom of Nembe local government area of Bayelsa State yesterday threatened to shut down oil facilities belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) within 30 days over the alleged failure of the company to honour the terms of the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) it signed with the communities.

According to the aggrieved

Nembe communities, though the communities have been peaceful and allowed continued oil exploration in spite of recent cases of refusal by Shell to honour agreements and pay compensations on oil spills, the decision to shut down the facilities is based on the failure of the multinational to honour the terms of the GMoU reached with the community since last year.

The communities through the chairman of Nembe Oil and Gas Committee, Chief Nengi James,

said that it was unfortunate that SPDC had failed to fund the GMoU after the expiration of the former last year.

According to James, “As a community we are giving SPDC 30 days to pay the GMoU fund accrued to the community since last year or face immediate shut down of all of its facilities within our territories. They should stop using the divestment as a deliberate ploy to deny us our privileges while they are still exploring oil within the shores of our communities, we

cannot be deceived.

“Other demands by the community include provision of potable water and electricity generating plant for Nembe Creek communities and settlements pending the completion of the Independent Power Plant being installed by the SPDC for the entire Kingdom , and total mop up of oil spill sites and environmental remediation.”

However, the community thanked SPDC for partnering with the NDDC on the Ogbia-Nembe road.”

44 news NATIONAL I Don’t Hate The North – Clark Elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark has said that he does not hold any ill will against the north.

While receiving some journalists from the north at his residence, Chief Clark said that the Ijaw nation became associated with the north politically as far back as 1951.

According to him, he has had a very cordial relationship with the north and their states’ governments, especially while serving as a federal commissioner of education.

Clark further explained that it was the alliance between the Niger Delta Congress and Northern Peoples Congress that won the majority seats for the north in 1959.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Chibok Girls: SERAP Decries FG’s Reluctance To Seek Foreign Assistance BYGEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

A non-governmental organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), yesterday criticised the federal government for not seeking assistance from state governments and international agencies 100 days after over 200 girls were abducted in a government secondary school in Chibok, Borno

State.

In a statement signed by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, the rights group said the failure of the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to genuinely seek and accept assistance from other states and international organizations has remained a bane to the rescue of girls.

SERAP said, “It is 100 days today

(yesterday) that the girls were taken away from their families. The question Nigerians are asking is, why has this government not admitted that it cannot do it alone.

“It is now time for the government to genuinely and proactively seek help and international assistance to obtain the badly needed intelligence, logistics and other support so that the schoolgirls can return to their families with-

out further delay.

“At this point in time, seeking such assistance will not breach Nigeria’s sovereignty. As a matter of fact, SERAP believes that Nigeria has a duty under international law not only to seek international assistance, but also to accept any such assistance when offered. This is the basis of the principle of international cooperation for the protection of human rights.”

short news Thousands Of Nigerian Children Exploited Abroad –NAPTIP

By Kunle Olasanmi Abuja

HND/BSc Dichotomy: ‘No University Graduate To Run Health Record Management’ The Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria (HRORBN) has bemoaned what it described as the absence of university graduates to run health record management, saying that the highest qualification so far is higher national diploma (HND).

The agency which has commenced reviewing its curriculum because of the training gap, also disclosed that though the number of health record officer per patient is challenging, it is a general challenge in the health sector.

HRORBN registrar/CEO, Alhaji Mohammed Mami, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja to update the public on certain innovations taking place in line with global best practices, added that the worst challenge the terrain was facing was that it had quantity of staff instead of quality as most of the people in the sector were untrained.

By Winifred Ogbebo, Abuja

2015: Group Decries Inability Of Nigerians In Diapora To Vote A group, PDP Project Reloaded, has lamented the inability of Nigerians in the Diaspora to participate in the electoral process just as they expressed confidence that the Diaspora voting Bill will scale through at the National Assembly.

The national coordinator of the group, Chief Richard Lamai, who said they are poised to flag off the presidential ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan in the diapora said Nigerians in diaspora were desirous to participate fully in the general elections by coming back home in order to cast their votes in 2015.

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Executive Secretary of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mrs Beatrice JedyAgba, has said she has been inundated with calls and information by various high commissions and embassies, saying L-R: Family of the late Lagos lawyer Bamidele Aturu - Eri (daughter), Abigail (daughter), Oluwatobi (son), Bimpe (wife) and Lanre (son), thousands of Nigerian children and at Bamidele Aturu service of songs at his house in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO BY BENEDICT UWALAKA. young persons are being subjected to various forms of exploitations in their countries.

Mrs Agba said

By MOHAMMED ISMAIL, Yola fled the party when there was all and sundry with a view to get the damage the trouble only to come back and a credible candidate that will fly scourge had on Anxiety is looming in Adama- indicate interest under its plat- its flag in the up -coming election the human capacwa State chapter of the Peoples form after the dust had settled. in the state. ity development Democratic Party as two party Marwa said Ardo was ignoArdo said Marwa can only conof the country chieftains, Buba Marwa and Dr. test for any elective office on the rant of the issue of waiver and cannot be quantiUmar Ardo, are engaged in a war platform of the party if he spent was just a governorship aspified . of words over the issue of waiver one year in the party or if he was rant, hence he should have find “The children in their bid to succeed impeached given waiver, adding that unfor- out from the executives of the are taken to other Governor Murtala Nyako. tunately for Marwa he does not party before making unfounded West and Central Dr. Umar Ardo has earlier fulfill any of the two conditions. statements.

African Countries, flayed Marwa’s ambition on the But while repudiating Ardo’s Marwa made these comments Europe Asia and platform of the party when the position, Marwa said the issue in Mubi while addressing delethe Middle East latter indicated interest to join of waiver had since been taken gates drawn from various wards among others,” he the race for the Dougirei Govern- care of at the party’s headquar- in the five local government arsaid. ment House, Yola, calling him a ters due to the fact that the PDP eas that constitute the Northern deserter and a prodigal son who was trying to open its doors to Senatorial District.

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

Adamawa PDP Guber Aspirants Trade Words Over Waiver

Borno’s Oldest Abattoir Gets First Facelift In 51 Years

BY Kareem’s Haruna, Maiduguri

An abattoir built in 1963 by the Borno Emirate Council and later handed over to the Borno State government is set to get its first renovation after 51 years of existence, officials have said.

The slaughter house, which has served as the main abattoir for the over two million residents of Maiduguri, will be overhauled with the sum of N162.5 million, the state commissioner for Animals and Fisheries, Pro-

fessor Umar Kyari said.

Professor Kyari made this known during an official signing of contract for the total renovation of the abattoir, noting that the slaughter house would not only be renovated but would also be upgraded in size and capacity that can contain the slaughtering of 250-300 cattle and camels and 500 goats and sheep per day.

The current capacity of the aged abattoir is 90 cattle and 120 goats and sheep per day.

This abattoir was built by the

Borno Emirate during the Northern Nigeria government in 1963.

It had long become obsolete and lacks modern facilities and other equipment that could handle the slaughtering of tens of hundreds of cattle, camels, goats, and sheep, and it hardly meets clinical national standards.

“We are positive that after the abattoir renovation and upgrade project is completed, it will have 18 sections that handle ‘slaughtering and certification’ by veterinary doctors, including pub-

lic conveniences, and supply of water and electricity within the premises of this abatoir.”

The renovation contract which was yesterday awarded to one Al-Ansar Ltd, and is expected to be concluded within 12 weeks.

The managing director of the benefiting firm, Alhaji Modu Burma, gave the assurance that the completion deadline would not be exceeded as his management would take cognisance of the crucial role the facility plays in employment creation.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

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48 THE NATION’S CAPITAL

Thursday, July 24, 2014

GGSS Abaji Graduates 64 Students

By Igho Oyoyo

Sixty four students have graduated from the Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS) in Abaji area council.

This was made known by the principal of the school, Hajiya Zainab Mohammed Ari, during the school speech/prize giving day at Abaji.

She disclosed that the 13th graduation ceremony of the school was aimed at celebrating excellence in academics and character among staff and students, adding that the ceremony was part of the school’s commitment in the spirit of transformation to total education, which students of the school had benefited and which has earned the school enviable reputation across the country.

She further said the school has won two

Korean scholarships twice, in which one of the graduating students of the school, Agnes Otene, has travelled out on the scholarship to study in Korea and Japan along with her colleague, Miss Muslimat, who also won the scholarship.

The principal added that the school has won academic in various competitions , which include, FCT SAGE competition, Junior Achievement award, FCT best school magazine award and among others.

Also speaking, FCT secretary for education, Alhaji Usman Kabiru, represented by his wife, congratulated the graduating students and encouraged other students to devote time to their in learning.

He also encouraged the students of the school for their entrepreneurship skills, while assuring that the education secretariat would continue to provide the needed facilities in the school.

Sellers of goat meat at the Wuse Market, yesterday. photo by ogoh Joseph

FCT APC Faults Report Of Bwari Decampees

By Igho Oyoyo

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) , has faulted the reported decampment of over 10,000 members of the party in Bwari area council at the weekend.

In a statement signed by FCT Secretary of the party, Hon. Abdullahi Candido, alleged that Hon. Yahaya Isah, who was reported to have led the delegation that decamped was never a

registered member of APC in Bwari and was wrong to have identified himself as a member of the APC. According to Candido, FCT APC is challenging Isah to publish his membership card and those of his alleged 10, 000 supporters in any national newspapers, alleging that Isah he has been a spy for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even when he was a member of All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).

“APC is happy that moles

are been identified even before the 2015 elections.

Isah was three times ANPP chairmanship candidate in Bwari, which he lost all of them. During the formation of the APC, he never attended any of the meetings and was never around in any way.

“How come he is claiming that he was a member of APC and has decamped?

Even during our last count of members of APC in Bwari, we were not up to 12,000, where did he get the

10,000 members to decamp with, when the members of APC in Bwari are still intact?

“APC in the FCT remains the party to beat in 2015 despite the intimidation of APC controlled states by the already confused federal government.

Defection by any means is a matter of conscience. We in FCT APC are never threatened an inch by the so call defections of some people who are scampering around PDP for uncertainty,” he stated.

‘Insurgency, Product Of Poor Leadership’

By Chika Mefor

The current insecurity problem in the country has been blamed on poor quality of people occupying leadership position at both national and state levels in the country.

This was the view of the President-General of Esu Nlap Oro, Asukwo Enweme, while speaking during a formal inauguration of Abuja branch of the organisation.

He alleged that most of those in leadership position in the country know how to go about tackling the insecurity problems but not for lack of political will and determination.

Earlier in his speech before the inauguration of Abuja executive of the group, Enweme, warned the new executive against any act that could jeopardized collective interest of the group, threatening to melt out appropriate sanction against anyone that violate the ethics of the group as spelt out in their constitution.

In his address, the President of Esu Nlap Oro in Abuja, Emmanuel Ekpo reiterated his readiness and commitment to ensuring that the interest of Oro people in Abuja is placed ahead of selfish ambition whether in politics or in economics.

Ekpo further explained that the organisation was formed in 2009 as a platform for ensuring unity of purpose among all sons and daughters of Oro nation at home and abroad, noting that the group remains the only umbrella of youth socio-cultural organisation that oversees activities and helps youths to achieving self-determination in the country.

Also present at the occasion was one of the gubernatorial aspirants for the 2015 election in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Chris Abasi Eyo, who spoke extensively about the plight of Oro people at home and abroad as well as the reason responsible

for his aspiration, pointing that Oron area in Akwa ibom State produces over 90 percent of natural resources in the state .

President of Akwo Ibom State community in Abuja, Engr. Ben Ukpong in his address commended all the attendees for finding time to show up for the event, pledging a donation of one hundred and fifty thousand naira to the Abuja branch of the Esu Nlap Oro. High point of the event was a formal presentation of certificate of recognition to the Abuja group by the Worldwide President of the Union, Asukwo Enweme.

49

crime Thursday, July 24, 2014

F E AT U R E S

100 Days After: ‘Send Attack Dogs Into Sambisa Forest’ Nigerians have waited with bated-breath for 100 days for the return of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls without success. Every attempt, if any, to rescue them have proved unsuccessful. Some watchers of the unfortunate situation have called for the use of attack dogs to invade Sambisa forest where the Schoolgirls are still being held by members of Boko Haram sect. CHIKA OTUCHIKERE writes

Nebolisa and his dogs

D

ogs are generally seen as man’s best friend. The dog naturally exhibits unfeigned loyalty and service to its owner. The dog, arguably, the most intelligent of animals, has, over the years, endeared itself to man with its high intelligence level and unrivalled sense of smell.

Besides being pets, attack dogs also double as security guards. They undergo security training the same way security operatives are trained. They are vigilant, sensitive to their environment and try to prevent any intrusion into the privacy of its owner or the premises it finds itself.

Most countries of the world where insurgency has been

experienced have known the immense benefits of deploying attack dogs into territories infested with insurgents. One of the obvious benefits is the ability of the dogs to sense danger from a long distance.

This ability prevents avoidable loss of security operatives who may be ambushed by the insurgents and slaughtered.

The use of attack dogs in wars and insurgency dates back to the early centuries but it became a more organised aspect of security operations from the 20th century. Their uses covered a wide range of tasks such as rescue operations, tracking mines, delivery of first aid, transporting food, medicine and injured soldiers, communication, assisting in

combat and bombing of enemy targets.

Various experiments have been carried out on wide range of ways of deploying attack dogs to troubled areas.

These experiments, many of which proved disastrous, have eventually led to a scientific approach to using dogs in war situations.

Today, most countries security apparatus include a unit for hounds. While some countries have mastered the use of attack dogs, other countries are still using them for only domestic activities and minor crimes prevention.

Nigeria may as well fall into this category.

Some security analysts have averred that the federal government and its numerous security agencies may not have deployed all the options readily available to address the kind of insurgency the country is facing currently. According to them , one particular option is the use of attack dogs to invade the forest where the Boko Haram insurgents are keeping the abducted Chibok girls.

They further averred that the excuse that the forest may have been lined with deadly mines may not be tenable anymore as attack dogs are usually trained to not only detect where the mines are buried but also have learnt how they could be safely unearthed.

A dog trainer, Mr Chinedu Nebo Olisa, in a chat with LEADERSHIP, opined that the Nigerian security agencies should have deployed a large number of well-trained attack dogs into the Boko Haram hideouts in the so called impenetrable forests long before the insurgents kidnapped the Chibok schoolgirls.

Nebolisa, who said he trained as a dog trainer for six years in Jos, Plateau State before setting up his own kernel in

Abuja, affirmed that attack dogs would have ensured that the insurgents did not find a safe haven in the Sambisa forest or other forests that dot the landscape of the northeast.

Chinedu Nebolisa, a dog trainer for over 11 years spoke to LEADERSHIP on the importance of using attack dogs on a full scale, to fight insurgents and guard public places. According to him the Nigerian security agencies must deploy as many attack dogs as possible into the war against insurgents.

“I feel sad like most concerned Nigerians that 100 days after the Chibok schoolgirls were abducted there is no sign that the Nigerians security agencies have the wherewithal to rescue these girls. I have continued to hear that the security agencies do not want to carry-out an invasion of the forest where the girls are being held hostage so as not to endanger their lives.

“This type of thinking will make it practically impossible to rescue the girls because as long as the insurgents know that with the girls in their midst any invasion of their stronghold will remain unlikely they will do everything to ensure that the girls are not released from their grip.

“This should be the dilemma of the security agencies: to invade or not to invade. This predicament will remain for as long as the agencies believe that an invasion will harm the girls. This is where the use of attack dogs will come handy.

Attack dogs will definitely unsettle the comfort of the forest and set confusion among the insurgents. Under that atmosphere, the security operatives could cash in and smoke out the insurgents or pick them down as they attempt to make their escape”.

Neboolisa also advised the agencies to also deploy attack dogs to public places including markets, bus parks, recreational gardens and even schools and worship places which have been targets of the insurgent attacks. This according to him would go a long way to preventing further attacks on such places.

This is where the use of attack dogs will come handy.

Attack dogs will definitely unsettle the comfort of the forest and set confusion among the insurgents.

Under that atmosphere, the security operatives could cash in and smoke out the insurgents or pick them down

50 NEWS /CRIME

Thursday, July 24, 2014

SSS Parades Kidnappers Who Killed School Proprietress

By CHIKA OTUCHIKERE, Abuja

The Department of State Security, yesterday paraded four members of a gang that abducted the proprietress of Chelson Group of Schools, Dr. Edith Aliyu, in Gwagwalada, Abuja and murdered her after she recognized one of them.

The suspects, Maxwell Ajukwu, Solomon Amodu, Sunday Jacob and Aliyu’s driver, Isah Angba, who initiated the abduction and was paid N200,000 from the N2million ransom that was paid by the victim’s relations.

Aliyu, who was also the Chief Executive Officer, Grants Micro Finance Bank, was kidnapped at her residence at Gwagwalada on June 29,2014 and was buried in a bush at Yangoji village along Kwali-Lokoja Expressway few hours after she was strangled by a fleeing gang member, identified as Douglas.

The Director of Operations, SSS FCT Command, Ibrahim Haliru, who paraded the suspects in FCT command of the SSS explained that the gang demanded N5 million ransom

but were paid N2 million which was converted to $11,550 and was dropped for the kidnappers around Obajana Road, Lokoja, Kogi State by Aliyu’s relations.

“The service initiated measures which led to the arrest of four of the kidnappers.

During investigation, the arrested kidnappers admitted to commission of the crime and eventually took the service operatives to the location where the body of Dr. Aliyu was buried in the bush at Yangoji,” Haliru said.

Ajukwu,41, in an interview explained that he had visited Aliyu’s residence on surveillance where he posed as a generating set mechanic, adding that they decided to kill the victim because she recognized him, after they removed the mask that was used to cover her face when she was abducted from her home.

According to him, the school proprietress on recognizing him as the person that came to her home to repair her generating set, slumped and a decision was taken to kill her.

Ajukwu who claimed to have

studied Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, narrated how the victim’s driver, Angba was giving the gang members updates on investigation into the kidnap by the SSS. The suspect admitted that he and Jacob got N500,000 each from the ransom.

He said, “The woman slumped when she recognized me as the person that came to repair her generator and Douglas (who is at large), killed her by strangulation. During the investigation, Isah, the driver was providing information to us on how the SSS investigation was going.”

Another gang member, Jacob,39, who funded the kidnap operation, said he could not remember the exact amount he expended on the venture, but he indicted the driver as the person that suggested that his boss should be kidnapped for ransom.

Angba, 27, in his defense, said he did not meant to have his boss killed, adding that the woman had assisted him with his tuition fees.

He said, “Sunday came to our house and was discussing how they kidnapped one man and he said they could kidnap my madam for ransom, but I said they should not because she always have people around her. They wanted to kidnap her during the graduation of her school, but I scared them by saying she had soldiers with her.”

The driver did not however deny receiving N200,000 from the ransom which was collected after the gang had murdered their victim and buried her in a shallow grave.

Amodu who drove Aliyu’s car in which she was taken away, stated that the victim slumped when she saw Ajuwku’s face and recognized him as the man that visited her house.

“After the woman slumped when she saw Maxwell’s face in the car, I was asked to go and park the car along the main road. Douglas asked me to tie her hands and he strangled her,”Amodu,32,who claimed to be a 400 level Geography student of the University of Abuja explained.

US, DFID, Aid Nigeria Police On Counter-terrorism The Department for International Development (DFID), a United Kingdom-based organization and United States government have resolved to assist the Nigeria Police Force on counter-terrorism.

The leader of DFID team, Dr. Bob Arnold, while presenting a book on counter terrorism to the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar at the Force Headquarters yesterday, said the Department would train selected police officers and men on counter terrorism.

Arnold averred that with the partnership, the problem of terrorism would be reduced to the barest in the country.

In his speech, while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Inspector General of Police General of Police IGP Mohammed Abubakar, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle said the collaboration will result in a well-trained police force dedicated to the highest ethical standards, proficient in law enforcement, preventing and detecting crime, preserving the peace and protecting citizen’s rights.

By Chika Otuchikere, Abuja

Police To Recruit Medical Doctors, Other Personnel

The four suspected kidnappers, Maxwell Ajukwu, Solomon Amodu, Sunday Jacob and Aliyu’s driver Isah Angba.

Keep Money For Us At Home, Robbers Tell Ogun Residents

By Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta

Residents of Elerinko estate in Ijoko-Ota in Ado-Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State are at a loss as men of the underworld have served them a notice of visitation.

The suspected robbers who reportedly pasted notification letter of their impending visit to the estate advised the residents in their own interest to make cash available failure of which would cause them pain.

LEADERSHIP gathered that, the suspected robbers pasted the letters on buildings, electric

poles and other strategic points in the estate before dawn.

According to some of the residents who pleaded anonymity for fear of attack, the letter had logo of skull and bones.

“As we woke up, we saw the letters pasted all over the estate asking us to prepare for them that they are coming”, a resident said.

According to him , in the letter, the robbers threatened to attack them saying they should keep cash in their homes or withdraw cash from banks to keep at home.

“They said that we had enjoyed peace and no security can stop them. You can imagine the panic in the area with many planning to pack out please help us”.

In his reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed that the command was aware of the threat by the robbers, saying, the Commissioner has ordered the area commander to mobilise his men to secure the areal.

Adejobi however, said he had not received any letter from the residents but, just heard about it.

“We have put in place adequate security in the area.

I got the information from someone, I did not see the letter.

The CP has acted on it. The DPO of Ota, CSP Gabriel Idibie has been parading the area.

“The area commander in Ota, Titilayo Kayode who can be reached through this number 08032145961 has directed the DPO in charge of Ota, Gabriel Idibie whose number is 08033097332 to ensure security in the area.

We have put in place adequate security in the area. The people should make use of the distress numbers. They should get across to us,” Adejobi said.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar, has said that the police would embark on recruitment of medical personnel to fill up vacant positions in the various medical facilities owned by the force.

Abubakar gave the indication yesterday in his remarks during the opening ceremony of a Three-day seminar for medical personnel of the Force in which he lamented the shortage of medical personnel in the force medical facilities.

“We have made it a point of duty now that very soon there is going to be recruitment the medical department is going to be given one large chunk to be able to recruit more doctors and more of other medical personnel.

“I believe that we can do more because, to my understanding the medical department has been sleeping, so we are trying to wake them from their slumber. It’s on record that with the arrangement of the HMO we have the number,” Abubakar said.

Head of the Police Force Medical department, AIG Grace Akudo who fielded question from journalists during the event said the Force medical department has evolved strategy to meeting the health needs of the officers and men.

By Chika Otuchikere, Abuja

WORLD NEWS 51

Thursday, July 24, 2014

world

NEWS ➐ ➊ ➌

Plane Crashes In Taiwan, Killing 47

A TransAsia Airways turboprop plane crashed on its second attempt at landing during a thunderstorm on an island off Taiwan on Wednesday, killing 47 people and setting buildings on fire, officials said.

The plane, a 70-seat ATR 72, crashed near the runway on the island of Penghu, west of the mainland, with 54 passengers and four crew on board, they said. No one was killed or hurt in the buildings.

➏ UN To Investigate Israel’s Offensive In Gaza

The UN Human Rights Council has voted to launch an independent inquiry into Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip, backing efforts by the Palestinians to hold the Israel up to international scrutiny.

The decision on Wednesday in Geneva came hours after the UN rights chief, Navi Pillay, said that Israel’s military actions could amount to war crimes, as Israel continued pounding the enclave for a 16th day.

Italy’s Costa Concordia will set sail on its final voyage, two and a half years after the luxury cruise ship crashed and sank in a night-time disaster off the island of Giglio that left 32 people dead.

The rusting liner, which has

been floated from its watery grave in the biggest salvage operation of a passenger ship performed so far, will be towed away on Wednesday to the port of Genoa in northwest Italy to be dismantled and scrapped.

➎ TransAsia Airways ➏

➍ ➎

➋

➊ Russian

➋ S/Africa Jails Rhino

Ukraine has said that two of its attack jets have been shot down by missiles fired from within Russian territory, in the latest violence in eastern Ukraine.

“According to preliminary information, the rockets were launched from Russian territory,” Kiev’s defence council said in a statement yesterday.

has been sentenced to 77 years in prison, in a case national park rangers hope will deter other poachers.

Mandla Chauke, a South African, was sentenced for convictions of murder, illegal hunting of rhinos, rhino horn theft, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Missiles Shot Down Poacher For 77 Years Jets –Ukraine A rhino poacher in South Africa

LANGUAGES USED ON TWITTER ENGLISH 61%

PORTUGESE JAPANESE 11% 6%

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OTHERS 18% SPANISH 4% INFOGRAPHICS BY Matthew Akhabue

➌ Sierra Leone’s Top

➍ Somalia MP Killed

The head doctor fighting the deadly tropical virus Ebola in Sierra Leone has himself caught the disease, the president’s office said, as the outbreak claimed more victims.

Sheik Umar Khan, a Sierra Leonean virologist credited with treating more than 100 Ebola victims, has been receiving treatment at a ward run by medical charity Doctors Without Borders.

A Somali MP renowned for her popular folk singing has been killed along with her driver in a shooting in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, a police official said, in a second such incident this month.

Saado Ali Warsame was shot dead in the Hodan district yesterday by gunmen who pulled up near her car in another vehicle, said Mohamed Hussein, a police captain.

Ebola Doctor Gets Virus

In Drive-by Shooting

➐ Costa Concordia

Cruise Ship To Be Towed Away

52 WORLD NEWS

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Suspension Of Flights To Tel Aviv Renewed

Stranded passengers at an airport in Tel Aviv, yesterday.

Gurion airport after a nearby rocket attack has been extended for a second day.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) renewed its ban on three US carriers - Delta, United and US Airways - for a further 24 hours.

Meanwhile, three French and German airlines cancelled more flights to Tel Aviv amid ongoing safety concerns.

Air France said it was suspending such flights “until further notice”.

The FAA first imposed the ban on Tuesday, extending it further on Wednesday citing “potentially hazardous situation” in Israel and Gaza.

German carriers Lufthansa and Air Berlin also extended their flight cancellations until Thursday.

Lufthansa said its decision to cancel flights also applies to its subsidiaries including Germanwings, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines.

The initial US flight suspension prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ask US Secretary of State John Kerry for help lifting the FAA ban.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg flew on Israeli airline El Al to Tel Aviv on Tuesday night to “show solidarity with the Israeli people and to demonstrate that it is safe to fly in and out of Israel”.

On Tuesday, Israel’s transportation ministry said: “Ben Gurion Airport is safe and completely guarded and there is no reason whatsoever that American companies would stop their flights and hand terror a prize.”

The same day, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said it “strongly recommends” that airlines should avoid operating to and from Tel Aviv.

Earlier, Delta said a flight from New York City to Tel Aviv was diverted to Paris on Tuesday after Israeli police confirmed that a rocket landed approximately one mile (1.6km) from Ben Gurion airport.

—BBC

Honour guards carrying coffins into two planes at Kharkiv Airport in Ukraine, yesterday.

MH17 PLANE CRASH: Netherlands Holds Solemn Ceremony For Victims The Netherlands has received the first victims’ bodies from crashed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in a solemn ceremony at Eindhoven air base.

Forty hearses left for the town of Hilversum where the formal identification process will begin.

The Netherlands is observing a national day of mourning for the 298 victims, most of whom were Dutch.

Ukrainian pro-Russian rebels have been widely accused of shooting down the plane on 17 July.

UK government sources say intelligence shows rebels deliberately tampered with evidence, moving bodies and placing parts from oth-

er planes in the debris.

As fighting continued in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, officials in Kiev told the BBC that two aircraft, thought to be military jets, had been downed just 35km (20 miles) from the crash site. The fate of the pilots was unclear.

US intelligence officials had earlier released evidence that they said showed the separatists’ involvement in bringing down flight MH17.

Two military planes - one Dutch and the other Australian - carrying the first 40 coffins landed at Eindhoven air base yesterday. afternoon.

—Al Jazeera

SECURITY Nigerian Police, US Sign MoU To Improve Ethics, Proficiency

By Ugochukwu Iroka, Abuja

The US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) will engage the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in police training and modernization project with the aim of grooming a well-trained police force dedicated to the highest ethical standards and proficient in law enforcement.

This was one of the resolutions reached when delegates from the Nigerian Po-

lice met with a contingent from the United States met to sign a Memorandum of Understanding.

In his remarks during the signing ceremony, US Ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle urged men of the police force to always keep in mind, the reason they joined the force in the first place.

He said, “Remember the reason you took the job, your family, friends, and neighbours. And remember, they are your greatest asset. They are your great-

est asset because they will be there to support you when things are bad, and as recent events have shown there will be bad times.”

Entwistle also stated that the police are a major player in any democracy but stressed that law enforcement is only a part of the job description.

“The rest of the job is being good family, friends, and neighbours in the communities that they serve.

That is the true importance of the police to Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.

PALESTINIA: Gaza Under Heavy Attack Despite Truce Efforts Israel has bombarded the southeast of Gaza, killing more than a dozen people and forcing residents to flee, as the death toll since the fighting began in Gaza rose to above 655 and diplomats tried to find a solution to the conflict.

Sources and witnesses told Al Jazeera that Israel had bombed the areas of Khuzaa, Bani Suhaila and Absan, near Khan Younis, killing at least 17 Palestinians and injured dozens, as it attacked Hamas fighters.

Hundreds of people

were seen fleeing their homes in eastern Khan Younis as the battle unfolded, flooding into the streets with what few belongings they could carry.

Many had children in tow.

“The airplanes and airstrikes are all around us,’’ said Aziza Msabah, a resident.”They are hitting the houses, which are collapsing upon us.”

Residents who fled Khuzaa, a rural area, said that families were trapped and Israeli snipers had taken up positions on top of buildings.

“Ambulances are having hard time to get to the wounded in Khuzaa since the fighting is still going on,” said Al Jazeera’s Nicole Johnston said, reporting from Gaza.

Witnesses told Al Jazeera that appeals to evacuate the wounded were not possible due to the ferocity of the Israeli shelling.

“Tank shells were landing on the roads out of the area,” she added, making it difficult for anyone to enter or leave.

—Reuters

interview 53

Thursday, July 24, 2014 in a lot of suspicion and doubt. And so, there was so much that was being questioned as to whether indeed girls were abducted. Now, for me as a mother, I wasn’t thinking whether girls were abducted. As far as I was hearing, some girls went to school to take their exams and their parents said they cannot find them.

Wherever those girls are, it was important for our society to respond decisively in identifying their location and bringing them back.

Ezekwesili

Campaign For Chibok Girls Not Political – Ezekwesili

On the eve of the 100th day in captivity of the over 200 abducted Chibok schoolgirls, a former minister of education and one of the leaders of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign group, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, speaks to BBC’s Hardtalk programme on issues concerning the Boko Haram terror, and her group’s campaign for the release of the schoolgirls, saying it is an apolitical movement.

The abduction…

It is something very strange. When I first learnt about the abduction, it was the day of Nyanya bombing of April 14. Apparently about midnight of the same day they had been abducted. The day of Nyanya bomb blast, I had been so frustratedly angry at the fact that we just seemed to hear about bomb blasts and we were almost becoming a nation of people that didn’t feel anything every time the bombs were off and, statistically, numbers were given of victims. So, when the next day we didn’t hear the additional news that some girls had been abducted from a school, it added to my frustration.

But then, it had been tweeted, and the Nigerian Army said it was doing what was needed to make that the girls were rescued. It was three days before there was a word from the Nigerian Army.

I don’t think anybody doubted; the perception was the government was slow in response to what happened in Chibok. But then, if you put in context of the mass killings of more than 2,000 civilians by Boko Haram in the first six months of this year, the fact that some territories are under the control of these Islamic Jihadists, then it raises the question of what the government is capable of doing…

If we stretch your very interesting perspective further, we would be saying we should give up completely on our government and give up on our military; I don’t believe so.

I believe in a capable state; I believe in the functionality of government as the controller of the cohesive apparatus; I believe in effective governance and as far I could say that we have challenges with ensuring the security of Nigeria because of the sheer weight of the attacks that the jihadists have launched against our country should not in any way lead to a giving up and saying ‘It simply cannot be done,’ I don’t believe in that school of thought.

You may not believe it but again your former boss, former President Obasanjo, has said the military that we have is not equipped to fight these terrorists who are suicide bombers, that they’ve been trained in conventional warfare but frankly the militants are much more capable than the underground soldiers…

And every problem has a solution.

Part of what I believe is that we do need to look at our counter-insurgency strategies. I don’t think that we planned for this, so of course we are not responding as effectively as we should. Part of what became very clear over the days of the abduction was that it was shrouded

I want to focus on the nature of your #BringBackOurGirls campaign. There is massive worldwide publicity; you’ve got the support of the prominent individuals across the world, including First Lady Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie and others. But Agukwe the campaign looks simple and a Nigeria novelist has described it as like lighting a candle to cure cancer. What have your campaign actually achieved?

I think the first important thing that is needed to be achieved was to call attention to the fact that indeed there were 219 girls as now established by the Presidential FactFinding Committee; 219 human beings have been taken away from their school environment and we needed everyone to acknowledge that. We need everybody, particularly our government, to acknowledge that. And then we needed to create enough awareness that will lead to compelling action for their rescue. Why was that necessary?

It is necessary because there have been other incidents that happened and then everyone moved on. Suddenly the scale of the hideous and wicked acts of the jihadists completely went overboard. We were not going to sit around and just in muted voices condole with the parents who were going to go through the agony. So, we needed that action be taken.

Did you decide that your campaigns will be open because the president at a point accused you of psychological terrorism, of playing politics with the situation?

I actually refused to imagine that our president will speak in such language. The reason is simple, that is not the language of our president. We have never been political about the campaign for vulnerable girls. The people you see there as part of the BringBackOurGirls group are people who are grieved by the fact that, for many days, the fact that these girls have been abducted refused to be an issue of priority. And for us, everything about politicising the campaign sounds like some strange language.

But I do read your tweeter feeds; you are the one who has gone on to attack the president’s spokesman and you have gone on attack at other ministers and officials. You have ac-

cused the government of deploying a PR firm, you called it ‘evil’; you have decided to play hard ball with the government of Nigeria which said it is doing everything within its powers to bring these girls home.

The right question then will be perhaps why is it that there has been a response from the #BringBackOurGirls. It means as a result of the utter shock that, that which concerns the souls of innocent citizens was being characterised and the narrative was being given to it as though there was a conversation beyond the human beings. What brought out women who predominantly make up the #BringBackOurGirls campaign? Was it anything about politics? It was that sense of bond of sheer humanity.

Many of these women were women who say of themselves: ‘I have kept quiet for too long while things like these happened in the past.’

The issue is whether the plight of the girls is being manipulated for political gains because the minister of information claimed that 90 percent of the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners are actually members of the APC opposition; is this true?

I think our information minister is somebody who is good with words but I always do everything on the basis of analytical evidence and when he presents me with that analytical evidence, there will be a basis to speak to that. The people that come to the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy on a daily basis, nobody even talks about your political persuasion; it’s not a conversation.

These are people who are completely connected to the fact that we cannot be a society that keeps moving on every time there is tragedy, we find a way to become so resilient that we will move on. That has destroyed our social capital. I turned to my husband and said, ‘What’s this politics talk that comes on an issue of vulnerable girls endangered in the den of terrorists?’

There are allusions to political gains maybe to further your ambition as an opposition politician, is that in any way a part of your agenda?

You know what! I have never been a politician.

But you were a minister of mines, minister of education…

But I have not been a minister in a Westminster-type government where I have to stand for elections in order to be a minister. It is presidential system we practice, I went into government to offer myself.

In fact whenever they talk about politics, the people who had known me, they just laugh because Oby and politics don’t go together.

I am totally not the person that they want to characterized.

You’ve never been in politics?

I have never been in politics.

54

Thursday, July 24, 2014

NFF Should Seek Independence From FG– Onigbinde Former Super Eagles coach, Adegboye Onigbinde has charged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to strive to be independent of the Federal Government to quell the supposed interference and thus avoid future Fifa bans.

The NFF was recently saved the blushes of international ban after the world football govern-

ing body lifted the suspension clamped on the country for alleged interference in the running of the affairs of the game by the government.

Fifa stepped in and the law court that sacked Aminu Maigari led NFF board had to be rescinded among other things done to ensure that the country does not

suffer world soccer ruling body’s hammer.

Onigbinde who was elated with the fact that Nigeria had been left off the hook encouraged the NFF to seek for private participation in the running of football in the country so as to shift the day to day running of the game away from the government.

C/wealth Games: Nigeria Tackles Kenya, India In Table Tennis

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

Former African champion, Segun Toriola has been named as captain of Team Nigeria to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Toriola, who is making her fourth appearance at the games having made his first appearance at the 2002 Manchester Games, will be in charge of the 127-man contingent representing at the 11-day multi-sports tournament.

The Director General, National Sports Commission (NSC),

Gbenga Elegbeye made the announcement at the Games’ Village in Glasgow, adding that Toriola was picked being the most experienced athlete in the team coupled with dedication and patriotism to the country.

Also to acknowledge the pedigree of Toriola among the Commonwealth nations, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has lauded the former Africa champion alongside New Zealand’s Lee Chunli, after they both won the first gold medals a the games during the maiden

outing of table tennis at the Commonwealth games in Manchester 2002.

According to ITTF Publication Director, Ian Marshall, Toriola caused major upsets at the Manchester Games when he accounted for Canada’s Johnny Huang loss to clinch gold in the men’s singles, while Lee Chunli using her traditional Asian pen-hold grip style of play to great effect, attacked like fury to beat Singapore’s Lee Jiawei.

“Furthermore, both Toriola and Chunli, the champions 12 years ago will once again be in action.”

Uneasy Calm As NFF Board Meeting Holds Today

BY ISHAKU KIGBU, Abuja

But behind the scene, other issues relating to the crack within the group will also come to the fore as a lot has happened before, during and after the FIFA hammer and reinstatement of the present board

There is uneasy calm as the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) meets today at its ecretariat in Abuja to deliberate on how to move Nigerian football forward as well as make sacrifices to advance football development. NFF president, Aminu Maigari is expected to address a world press conference after the deliberations.

The 13-member committee will also meet to review Nigeria’s participation in the recently– concluded 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, appraise the

preparation of the U-20 Women National Team, Falconets, for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Canada next month and also deliberate on Nigeria’s participation in the qualifying series for the 2015 African U-17 and African U-20 championships.

But behind the scene, other issues relating to the crack within the group will also come to the fore as a lot has happened before, during and after the FIFA hammer and reinstatement of the present board.

One issue that will be discussed also today will be the technical crew for the Super Eagles after Stephen Keshi contract expired

2014 World Cup Superstars: Diego Benaglio (Switzerland) NAME: Diego Orlando Banaglio Date of Birth: September 8, 1983 Place of Birth: Zurich Club: Wolfsburg World Cups: 2 APPS : 3 Goals: 0

Benaglio

It may seem natural that a player born in a country associated with mountains should be referred to in headlines as ‘Mister Cool: but Diego Benaglio’s nickname has less to do with Alpine pursuits than the Wolfsburg skipper’s reputation for levelheadedness.

If there’s any type of footballer that you’d put money on being eccentric, it’s goalkeepers - but Switzerland’s number one is arguably a trifle

dull.

And that is, in part, the reputation of the Swiss team as a whole. In a weak qualifying group, their success was based less on scoring than on stopping goals. Set aside a freak 4-4 home draw with Iceland, and they let in two goals in nine games.

Benaglio played in eight of Switzerland’s ten qualifiers, and kept a clean sheet in five. It’s the kind of miserly performance he can also produce when surrounded by a club defence. In his best seasons, Diego has registered clean sheets in more than one-third of his Bundesliga appearances.

at the end of the World Cup and the qualifying series for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations around the corner. They will also deliberate on the preparation of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, for the 9th African Women Championship in Namibia in October this year. The 2014 Annual General Assembly of the federation which is the elective Congress set for next month as well as the grand finale of this year’s Men and Women Federation Cup competitions, tentatively slated for Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Saturday, August 16 will also be discussed.

Aminu Maigari, NFF President

Ukraine Conflict: Shakhtar Donetsk Move Training, Games Shakhtar Donetsk will play home the pro-Russian rebel-controlled games more than 600 miles to the regional capital.

Club president Rinat Akhmetov west in Lviv because of the conflict had suggested the six absent playin Ukraine.

Six foreign players refused to ers, five of them from Brazil with return to Donetsk, the main pro- Ferreyra hailing from Argentina, Russia rebel-held city in Ukraine’s were using the conflict to agitate east, on Saturday after a friendly for a move elsewhere.

He had warned they faced sancin France.

Alex Teixeira, Fred, Dentinho, tions if they did not return, saying Douglas Costa, Facundo Ferreyra there was “nothing to fear”.

Douglas Costa denied the claim and Ismaily did not fly back after on his Instagram page on Tuesthe game in Lyon.

The squad will now reside and day, posting: “We want to stay at train in Kiev and travel to the Are- the club, but we must have risk-free na Lviv for Champions League and working conditions.” domestic games.

Shakhtar beat Dynamo Kiev 2-0 Fighting has continued in the in Lviv, in western Ukraine, in the Donetsk region in recent days, with season-opening Ukrainian Supergovernment forces advancing near cup on Tuesday night.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

sports 55

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Dedevbo Lists Oshoala, 20 Others For U-20 World Cup

By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

Crack Within NFF Board As Factions Strategise BY salifu usmaN, Abuja

Barring last minute changes, the much anticipated second board meeting of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after the reinstatement of the board is expected to hold in what looks like a make or mar meeting for the Maigari-led executive committee.

The two factions within the board are sticking to their guns unwilling to shift grounds.

The two groups locked themselves inside the NFF board room for four hours last Friday and all efforts to resolve their difference ended in deadlock.

Though chairman NFF media committee, Emeka Inyama insisted that there is no friction

within the body observers say there is deepening crack.

“The 12 members of the board have been deliberating because one of us travelled abroad and we have resolved to move Nigerian football forward. All issues that are likely to cause any conflicts is discussed and we have agreed that we have to make sacrifices to move the game forward.” he had said.

NFF president Aminu Maigari had a brief meeting on Monday with the sports minister, Dr Tammy Danagogo ahead the planned board meeting today. But a meeting between the board and the minster failed on Tuesday as

the minister opted to meet with the Premier League club owners, who demanded for changes in the football house insisting that the executive committee of the NFF as presently constituted is not proper.

Also, since the reinstatement of Maigari’s board after a High Court in Jos revoked an earlier injunction which restrained the NFF board and management staff from commanding and controlling Nigerian football, the general secretary of the NFF, Musa Amadu has not resumed back to the office. NFF accounts is still being frozen while the government monthly subvention of about N253 million for

July has been withheld by the ministry, indications that the battle is far from over.

Rumours were high during last Friday’s meeting that the Maigari-led group want to suspend other members for antiboard activities while the Mike Umeh and Effiong Johnson group threatened to impeach Maigari and his group.

But non of the group could garner upper hand to carry out the threat as the 12 board members that attended the meeting were divided against each other on equal basis.

Findings reveal it is not yet clear which group Enyimba chairman, Felix Anyansi who was not at the last meeting belongs.

Head Coach, Peter Dedevbo yesterday released his final list of 21 players for this year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals, including Super Falcons’ ace Asisat Oshoala and former U-17 stars Patience Okaeme, Halimatu Ayinde, Jiroro Idike, Uchenna Kanu and Yetunde Adeboyejo.

There are three goalkeepers, seven defenders, five midfielders and six strikers in the squad that Dedevbo believes will stun the world in Canada.

Dedevbo, who steered the U-17 girls, Flamingoes, to the quarter finals at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010 and in Azerbaijan in 2012, has also included US –based college star Courtney Dike, younger sister of Super Eagles’ forward Bright Dike. The tall and spritely forward from Oklahoma State University is the only overseas –based player in the squad.

The team will depart for Moncton, Canada through Frankfurt in two batches aboard Lufthansa Airlines flight on Thursday and Friday, from Abuja.

Nigeria has featured in every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, since the inaugural edition, also in Canada, in 2002.

The Falconets reached the Final in Germany four years ago and also made the semi finals in Japan in 2012. This year, Dedevbo’s maidens will clash with Mexico, Korea Republic and England in Group C, with the first two games coming up in Moncton before they travel to Edmonton to slug

it out with England.

THE FULL LIST Goalkeepers: Sandra Chiihii (Ibom Angels); Ibijoke Sangonuga (Inneh Queens); Chiudo Ehiudo (Delta Queens) Defenders: Ebere Okoye (Nasarawa Amazons); Jiroro Idike (Delta Queens); Maryam Ibrahim (Nasarawa Amazons); Sarah Nnodim (Delta Queens); Ugo Njoku (Rivers Angels); Victoria Aidelomon (Pelican Stars); Gladys Abasi (Ibom Angels) Midfielders: Asisat Oshoala (Rivers Angels); Patience Okaeme (Delta Queens); Halimatu Ayinde (Delta Queens); Yetunde Adeboyejo (Bayelsa Queens); Osarenoma Igbinovia (Inneh Queens) Forwards: Loveth Ayila (Makwada Babes); Courtney Dike (Oklahoma State University, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Pelican Stars); Yetunde Aluko (Sunshine Queens); Chinwendu Ihezuo (Pelican Stars); Uchechi Sunday (Rivers Angels)

Dedevbo

Only 3 Clubs Are Healthy For Transfer Buz – LMC

BY ISHAKU KIGBU, Abuja

Kano Pillars; one of the clubs healthy for transfer business

The League Management Company has opened up on the financial state of the twenty clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League stating that amongst the clubs only three are financially healthy enough to buy players in the ongoing mid-season transfer window. The LMC named the three clubs that have complied with the rules as Kano Pillars, Abia Warriors and Bayelsa United. The league management outfit said these are the only clubs that have established that they have met their obligation to players at the end of the first stanza of the season. It said the other clubs have not responded to a

July 18 deadline to establish proof of compliance.

Chief Operating Officer of the League Management Company (LMC), Salihu Abubakar said the three clubs have as a result been the only Glo Premier League Clubs that can buy players or secure players on loan in the on-going mid-season transfer window.

The LMC had pursuant to Sections 8.1.1 and 9.46 of the 2013/14 Rules and Frameworks which deals with Clubs’ Finance and Players Remuneration respectively, through a letter dated July 10 directed all clubs to provide evidence of compliance to payment of players’ wages.

The letter requested the clubs to furnish the LMC with such

evidence that may include electronic or hard copy of club’s payroll, evidence of payment including bank transfers or signed vouchers and any other proof the club may make available. But as at Monday this week, only three clubs have complied. “As at Monday, July 22 and after the expiration of the Friday July 18 deadline, we have verified that only Kano Pillars, Abia Warriors and Bayelsa United have provided evidence of compliance as requested.

The three clubs have the clearance to buy new players in the mid-season transfer window and would also be paid immediately their second installment of the basic award,” Abubakar said.

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24.07.14 www.leadership.ng

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

his is the period of Ramadan, an auspicious time to ponder, to reflect on the current situation of the only nation we can call ours as well as the anxieties, fears and ambitions of us citizens and inhabitants. For the Muslims, this is the time to rededicate towards practising the true teachings of Islam and not politically-induced acts and behaviours.

It is also a time to reflect on the conditions of Muslims in this part of the world. Indeed, it is time for silent prayers for forgiveness and mercies from God Almighty as well as deep self-assessment and soulsearching.

Islam means peace but some misguided elements who claim to be Muslims have given the religion a violent image. Suicide bombing was not known in Islamic history until September 1982 when some Arabs, out of frustration for Israeli invasion of their lands, adopted it as an unconventional weapon to fight the Israelis. But in Islam if you kill yourself, you die an unbeliever. Conventional warfare for the defence of oneself, one’s fatherland and one’s honour and dignity has been what is known and enjoined, not killing oneself and other innocent people for largely political reasons.

Today, Nigeria is suffering essentially due to heightened religious consciousness as well as too much religious intolerance. Islam was founded on tolerance as the Prophet himself co-existed with the Jews and Christians in peace.

Thus, any intolerance by Muslims anywhere has no basis in Islam. In any case, when the earliest Muslims were persecuted in Mecca, it was to the Christian emperor of Habasha (Ethiopia) that they ran for refuge! Those early Muslims were not only received and protected but even honoured there.

When the Muslims are enjoined to love their neighbours as they love themselves, it is not specified if the neighbour is a Muslim or a stone worshipper. It is just said “neighbour”, which means all human beings living with you,

THURSDAY

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The Thursday Column

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the Muslim. In any case, Muslims are enjoined to take care of even animals, what more of fellow human beings? Thus, anyone who claims to be a Muslim and is injuring another human being must be inspired by the devil and not Islam. Terrorism is alien to Islam and all divine religions just as it is alien to our African culture. Terrorism is so alien to us that there is no word for it in our languages, so much so that in Hausa it is translated as ta’addanci, from the word ta’adi, that is, to be naughty!

Therefore, what is required now is an inward journey to search for the truth which is very manifest and glaring. One can deceive others but one can never deceive oneself. And if the truth must be told, a lot of the atrocities being committed in the name of religion must have been based on ignorance. The solution to ignorance is well known: seek sufficient knowledge. The societal decadence, social decay and corruption which breed violence and so much tension in the country can clearly be attributed to perceived and actual injustice. The solution is therefore well known: be just and fair to all; there will be peace and prosperity for all. We must all work for peace and understanding.

In this regard, the religious leaders have a major role to play.

They must allay the fears and address the prejudices that breed confrontation. As the moral compass of their societies, the religious leaders must avoid a situation whereby they are so compromised by the corrupt elite that they lack the moral authority to tell truth to power and to guide the generality of the people. Ostentatious living, visiting palaces and state houses all the time are, in this regard, not the beginning of the solution but rather the beginning of the problems.

In Nigeria today, virtually all the destitute and beggars all over the country are Muslims. Why is it so? Does it mean it is the Muslims who do not know how to take care of their less-privileged ones or is it that only Muslims are so

shameless as to turn begging into a way of life? Begging, under whatever pretext, is not allowed in Islam. That is why Zakkat on wealth is a fundamental principle of Islam; and if it is honestly adhered to by the wealthy ones, there may not be any beggar in the streets.

It is an equitable wealth distribution mechanism which would have made begging unnecessary. Begging should be outlawed.

Education is the key to the present and especially the future. It is true that religious study is good, even compulsory for spiritual fulfilment but a man is only complete if he can not only worship but also work. And one can only work if one is trained in the appropriate knowledge, skills and craftsmanship. Most, if not all, of the almajirai, the street urchins, are young Muslim boys and girls, millions of them all over Nigeria. The local and state governments should complement the efforts of the federal government by helping to take them out of the streets, educate them or teach them some trade and skills. Otherwise, they will continue to be a burden to themselves and to the society.

It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to mobilize a malnourished, ignorant or illiterate citizenry. And so long as a society does not encourage all-round, functional and sound education, so long shall that society continue to be stagnant and static in a most dynamic era of history such as we have now. And, it is high time ignorant Muslims began to come to terms with the fact that modernization is not necessarily westernization but a universal phenomenon to which every culture and civilization throughout history has made its own contribution. Similarly, diversity has come to stay; thus every society must be tolerant and must prepare for healthy competition if it is to succeed.

Girl child education must also be encouraged. As the saying goes, educating a woman is educating the nation. No society can succeed if women are left behind in all fields of human endeavours.

Women are the strongest pillars of any nation and the primary agents for inculcating appropriate values and training for the next generations. How can a woman train the children if she herself is not educated and trained? Women have to be educated, developed and appreciated for what they are: the greatest builders of families, communities and nations who should not be secluded and excluded in societal development.

Thus, for problems of Muslims and Muslim societies, the Muslims must look inwards and not anywhere outside. They would realize that moral revolution with economic subservience cannot go together; that spiritual regeneration and poverty do not go hand in hand; that moral rectitude and elite corruption are incompatible; and that it is most improbable and indeed impossible to realize the objectives of moral, Islamic life in a decadent, ignorant, diseased and malnourished social system. It is in fact a disservice to Islam. This then is a revolution that must begin from the top to serve as a good example for those down. In other words, only good intentions, good deeds and good leadership can breed good followership and therefore good society.

Happy Sallah in advance.

GHANA MUST GO We didn’t collect naira and kobo to remove Nyako — Fintirin

You only collected dollars?

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