Leadership new

43

Saturday, November 15, 2014

GAMETROPIC

GADGETED

Matt Damon refused to appear in the recent Bourne Conspiracy game because he thought it was too violent.

We sit on our bums for the most of the day and it’s hard to know if your posture is correct. This is where Darma comes in. Darma is a seat cushion that will improve your body and mind.

TechLife

elon Musk plans for tiny satellites to provide cheap internet worldwide Elon Musk has confirmed plans to bring low-cost internet to the masses by releasing hundreds of micro-satellites. The news follows rumours that Musk was planning to launch a swarm of tiny satellites to bring remote parts of the world online. The billionaire entrepreneur who is also co-founder of SpaceX is reportedly working with Greg Wyler, a satellite expert and former Google employee. Wyler was involved with developing Google’s bid to get less developed parts of the world online, The Wall Street Journal reported. Wyler founded WorldVu Satellites, based in the Channel Islands, which controls a large block of radio spectrum. He is said to be talking to industry executives along with Musk about plans to launch around 700 satellites, each weighing just 113kg. The

be 10 times the size of the largest commercial fleet.

The duo may build a factory to make the satellites, either in Florida or Colorado. Any satellites produced would likely be launched by Musk’s firm, Space X, which has 48 launches planned by 2018.

Last month, the company won a $2.6bn contract to develop, test and fly ‘space taxis’ for NASA, in order to put US astronauts into orbit. However, there are many obstacles that need to be overcome before the satellites are deemed a success. They are predicted to cost $1bn to develop and satellites would be half the weight may not be launched until of the smallest kind used at the the end of the decade, depending on moment, and the constellation would Space X’s schedule.

Natural Machines introduces 3D printer for food As further proof that you can now 3D-print anything, a company called Natural Machines has introduced a 3D printer for food. The Foodini, as it’s called, isn’t too different from a regular 3D printer, but instead of printing with plastics, it deploys edible ingredients squeezed out of stainless steel capsules. “It’s the same technology,” says Lynette Kucsma, co-founder of Natural Machines, “but with plastics there’s just one melting point, whereas with food it’s different temperatures, consistencies and textures. Also, gravity works a little bit against us, as food doesn’t hold the shape as well as plastic.”

At the recently held Web Summit technology conference in Dublin, the Barcelona-based start-up showed off the machine, which it says is the only one of its kind capable of printing a wide range of dishes, from sweet to savoury. In essence, this is a mini food manufacturing plant shrunk down to the size of an oven. In principle, the Foodini sounds like the ultimate laziness aid: press a button

Click! Click!!

for the upwardly mobile

Apptitude Donate your phone’s spare computing power with HTC Power to Give By downloading HTC Power to Give, plugging in your Android phone and connecting to Wi-Fi, your phone’s spare computing power becomes part of a huge grid that provides power to a scientific project of your choice, like researching cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, or understanding climate change, or searching for extra-terrestrial life.

This way you can be a part of a scientific research that is worth the while.

Get instapaper and read that web article later The service strips down articles, removing ads and photos, to present you with easy-to-read articles on your iPhone, iPad, Android device, or Kindle.

Instapaper is the perfect solution when you don’t have enough time to read something right that instant.

enjoy social networking with OkCupid Users can chat, send status updates, message potential matches, and let the service match you up using its algorithms. The mobile app also lets you know what singles are nearby for impromptu meet ups.

to print your ravioli. But Natural Machines is quick to point out that it’s designed to take care only of the difficult and time-consuming parts of food preparation that discourage people from cooking at home, and that it promotes healthy eating by requiring fresh ingredients prepared before printing. Nevertheless, the

company is working with major food manufacturers to create pre-packaged plastic capsules that can just be loaded into the machine to make food, even though they assure these will be free of preservatives, with a shelf life limited to five days. The printing process is slow, but faster than regular 3D printing.

Tinder is a new mobile-only dating app Think of Tinder as ‘hot or not.’ If you see a photo of someone you’re interested in, you can ‘like’ them. If that person likes you back, you can start a conversation and decide if you want to meet in person.

This is how your Gmail account got hacked

If your Gmail account got hacked, blame your friends. You are 36 times more likely to get scammed if your contacts’ accounts have been hacked, according to a study released recently by Google. It’s rare. On an average day, only nine in 1 million accounts get stolen. But when it happens, the operation is swift. These are professional criminals at work, looking through your email to steal your bank account information. Here’s some more of what Google found in its three-year study.

This number sounds huge, but wellcrafted scams can be convincing. They send official-looking emails requesting your login credentials. And sometimes they redirect you to a page that looks like a Google login, but it’s not.

They usually steal your account in less than a day. Once they have your login credentials, the average criminal hijacks your account within seven hours. For an unlucky 20%, the bad guys do it in just 30 minutes. Then they change your password to lock you out.

Effective scams work 45% of the time. It takes only 3 minutes to scan your

email for valuable stuff. They’re looking for any email that shows your bank account information and images of your real life signature. They also search for login credentials for other accounts at Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) or PayPal. They use the email search feature, looking for phrases like ‘wire transfer,’ ‘bank’ and ‘account statement.’

Expect your friends to get preyed on too. Criminals will send emails in your name asking friends for money. Typically, they use a sob story, claiming you got stuck somewhere and need help.

Fraudsters are smart at keeping this under the radar too: 15% of them create automatic email rules that forward your friends’ responses to another email address. So even if you get your account back, you won’t know your friends were targeted, because you’ll never get their responses.

Safety tip: Just make it impossible to break into your email in the first place.

Sign up for two-step authentication, a second password you get by text message.

It’s an extra 30 seconds on every new computer, but it’s worth it in the long run.

44

Saturday, November 15, 2014

CuLtured!

for the uninformed & clueless

CULTURE

SHOCK

In Saut d'Eau, a city in Haiti, Voodoo practitioners make a journey each summer to worship the goddess of love during which they strip naked, twist and wriggle around in mud mixed with the blood of sacrificed animals, with cow and goat heads thrown into the mix.

Superstitions

Dresssense

Jennifer Lawrence suffers wardrobe malfunction It may not have been a problem worthy of Katniss Everdeen, but Jennifer Lawrence still had to deal with a wardrobe malfunction on Monday night. The Hunger Games star was heading out from the film premiere’s after party with singer Lorde when the cleavage tape keeping Jennifer’s risque gown in place seemed to slip. But 24-yearold Jennifer didn’t seem too worried as she stole away from the festivities following the London premiere of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1. Jennifer actually seemed to be more concerned that her skirt, with its high-cut leg had begun to slip a little higher than expected.

Sharing a

car with Lorde, who provided the soundtrack to the film, a laughing Jennifer used her hands to cover the too-high slit between her thighs. Meanwhile, she didn’t seem to notice the side-boob peeping out from underneath the deep V-neck of Jennifer’s sexy white gown. Not to fault Jennifer’s incredible white gown, but none of this would have happened if Jennifer hadn’t decided to switch the modest quilted number she wore to the premiere for a glamorous, figure-hugging dress. As a result of this new dress, Jennifer was the picture of grace and elegance on the red carpet and during the after-party.

When in their correct places, both cleavage and thigh had an appropriate display in this gown, thanks to generous cut-outs and proper usage of adhesive.

the new HM6 Space Pirate Watch

A dog is wiser than a woman; it does not bark at its master.

– Russian pRoveRb A drink precedes a story.

– iRish pRoveRb A drowning man is not troubled by rain.

– peRsian pRoveRb

excusez-moi

Helpful hints when in Luxembourg

When you want information, be sure to ask specific questions.

Luxembourgers may not volunteer information, but they answer specific questions.

The first (street level) floor in buildings is numbered 0 or res-de-chausee, and the next floor up is numbered 1.

80 exterior components. This modern watch was inspired by a Japanese animated series – Capitaine Flam. Max (Maximillian Büsser), its master designer, wanted to create something unique that looks more like an alien than a spaceship.

He had succeeded. While the domed

uncommon history of common things Put your hands together to welcome the new member. Give a hand to the talented young singer.

Let’s hear it for this outstanding group of athletes. How do we show our approval? By clapping our hands together. No other body part works so well in making a loud noise, except the vocal cords.

Just as apes thump their hands on their chest, so primitive man likely learned that clapping was a handy sound producer. We know

Proverbs

Don’t be surprised to see dogs in the restaurants.

Many establishments welcome dogs but not children.

Indulge

Mankind has always been fascinated by the universe, by its vastness and complexity. The creative guys from MB&F have decided to walk in the steps of Neil Armstrong, Galileo and Stephen Hawking, by designing a whole new concept of watch that is said to enable the wearer to immerse into the immensity of the universe. The Space Pirate is built in the spirit of the universe, encompassing many features and tools that make it invaluable. Featuring a titanium case (produced from a grade 5 titanium alloy), time telling domes, 3D horological engine, twin aluminium turbines, green platinum winding rotor and an astounding 68 jewels, this watch is a jewel of its own. There is no doubt that this $230,000 watch comes in only 50 pieces, being as limited as a highend watch can be. The 50 possessors can definitely boast with this exquisite piece of technology that has 10 sapphire crystals, 475 interior components and

Mongolians believe that their souls are travellers and since they don’t know where their spirits are half the time, they have to consult a witch doctor before they do something as simple as a haircut.

that Romans applauded speeches and dramatic performances they liked. Actors sometimes at the end of a play told the audience to ‘clap your hands’ or express appreciation ‘in the usual manner’.

University students’ whose hands were occupied with paper and pen, could compliment good lecturers by stamping their feet.

Orchestra members, hands holding instruments, showed approbation of their conductor in the same way.

sapphire looks pretty simple, the process behind its creation required tens of hours of extensive labor. As a matter of fact, nearly all the components of the case and the mechanism had to be developed individually, which took a great deal of time and many resources.

Be aware that toilets may have flushing mechanisms that differ from those in North America.

Expect the pace to be less hurried than in most other Northern European countries.

Applause

Young women were taught ‘lady like’ applause: holding one hand steady while clapping the other against it, thought to be more refined than vigorously moving both hands together. A different type of applause developed in British parliamentary institution.

Those who approved of what a speaker was saying would often shout, ‘‘Hear him! Hear him!’’ this was directed to people who might not be paying attention. A shortened

form evolved, and today we still use ‘‘Hear! Hear!’’ to voice acclaim to a speech or part of a speech.

Operagoers traditionally shout ‘Bravo’ after a particularly moving aria if the singer is male, ‘Brava’ for a female; for a group with at least one male the cry is ‘Bravi’, and for a group of women it is ‘Brave’ (pronounced brah-vay). American audiences also whistle, but in some countries whistling is equivalent to booing.

45

Saturday, November 15, 2014

TRAVELoGUe One of the most noticeable landmarks in Paris is the striking white-domed basilica of the Sacre-Coeur. Situated at the city’s highest point on Montmartre hill, this stunning basilica draws many tourists every year to see its marble architecture and gorgeous interior.

DESIRABLES

THE MUSTREADS AND LINGER-ONS

Myles Monroe

life and time of life coach extraordinaire Considered a mentor to many and leadership coach to business and government leaders around the world, he once said, “the passion of my life: to help as many people as possible, of every nation, race, creed, or social status, to discover their true leadership potential” leaves behind a very powerful and enduring legacy.

‘The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without purpose’ – so says one of the most compelling quotes of Myles Munroe, globally respected best-selling author, renowned preacher and business coach. And true to the essence of that quote, Munroe, who led the Bahamas Faith Ministries International and his wife, Ruth Ann Munroe, died in a plane crash on Sunday, November 9, 2014 in the Bahamas. Until his death, Myles Munroe was a prolific best-selling author and internationally renowned preacher and business coach of Bahamas Faith Ministries International. According to The Associated Press, the plane in which they died, a Lear 36 Executive Jet, reportedly struck a crane at the Grand Bahama Ship Yard, exploding on impact and crashing onto the ground near a junkyard area.

The crash occurred as people were gathering in Grand Bahama for Munroe’s 2014 Global Leadership Forum which was scheduled to start the next day, November, 10.

Born in 1954 in the islands’ capital of Nassau, Munroe founded Bahamas Faith Ministries International in the early 1980s after studying at Oral Roberts University, a Christian liberal arts school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The charismatic pastor quickly became an influential religious leader among many evangelical Christians, giving sermons around the world and occasionally appearing on televangelist Benny Hinn’s popular programmes.

A prolific author with numerous best sellers under his belt, Munroe authored 69 books covering topics from transformational leadership, personal development, spiritual growth, purpose, marriage and relationships. Some of his best-selling books included Becoming a Leader, The Principles and Power of Vision, The Pursuit of Purpose, Understanding Your Potential,

MeMorable quotes froM

Myles Monroe

Myles and Ruth Monroe

Rediscovering the Kingdom, The Purpose and Power of Love and Marriage, God’s Big Idea among others. Myles Munroe’s book, The Burden Of Freedom revolutionised the thinking of many people regarding third world nations, particularly Africa and the Caribbean. Munroe was awarded an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) medal by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998 for his spiritual and social contributions to the national development of the Bahamas. “He was a towering force who earned the respect and admiration not only of Christian adherents but of secular leaders both here at home and around the world,” said Prime Minister Perry

Christie.

Munroe, who grew up poor in the Bahamas, was considered an inspiration for many people in the island chain and abroad.

He has really put his name on the world stage and helped the Bahamas achieve recognition for talent, the foreign minister said. ‘He was a leader in our country,’ said Christopher Duncan.

‘He spoke at a number of national events. I’ve read some of his books. Just the way he viewed life and the way he understood God’s purpose for our lives made you look at life a different way.’ ‘Dr. Munroe was a spiritual fibre of our country,’ added Monique Dorsett, who lives in the Bahamas but is vacationing

in Miami. ‘He epitomised Christianity and the way he lived. Among Myles Munroe’s last media interviews was the one granted KTN’s JKL Show in Kenya on October 24 and in which he talked about dying. ‘I want to challenge every Kenyan to go to the cemetery and disappoint the graveyard. Die like the Apostle Paul who said I have finished my course, I have kept the faith and I have been poured out like a drink offering. There is nothing left. I am ready to die. That’s how I wanna die because there is nothing else for me left to die,’ he told the show’s host, Jeff Koinange.

‘When you die, die like I am planning to die. Empty. It’s finished,’ he added.

1. “The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without a purpose.”

2. “I exist to transform followers into leaders. My philosophy is, trapped in every follower is a leader. My belief is, if that person is placed in the right environment, the leader will manifest herself or himself.”

3. “Every human heart cries and yearns for the same thing: a chance to fulfil his or her own dreams and desires.

Even the poorest man has a dream.”

4.“Paradoxically, freedom requires the need to impose control on self, require more responsibility than slavery, and the decision to accept a destiny of freedom, recognizing the process and discipline that personal and political freedom require.”

5. “The greatness of a man is measured by the way he treats the little man.

Compassion for the weak is a sign of greatness.”

6. “People generally fall into one of three groups: the few who make things happen, the many who watch things happen, and the overwhelming majority who have no notion of what happens. Every person is either a creator of fact or a creature of circumstance. He either puts color into his environment, or, like a chameleon, takes color from his environment.”

7. “We are a sum total of what we have learned from all who have taught us, both great and small.”

8. “The original purpose for a product determines its design, composition, capacity, and potential. Purpose may be defined as “original intent” or “reason for creation.”

9. “We are smarter not wiser, we live longer but not healthier, we have more but enjoy less, we go to the moon but not go home.”

10. “To exercise leadership, you must believe that you are inherently a leader.”

11. “Leader is not a right, but it is a privilege given by the followers.”

12. “There is nothing as powerful as an IDEA. Everything created began as an idea. Ideas created and control the world. Pursue divine ideas.”

13. “Your existence is evidence that this generation needs something that your life contains.”

14. “Purpose is when you know and understand what you were born to accomplish. Vision is when you see it in your mind and begin to imagine it.”

15. “The wealthiest places in the world are not gold mines, oil fields, diamond mines or banks. The wealthiest place is the cemetery. There lies companies that were never started, masterpieces that were never painted… In the cemetery there is buried the greatest treasure of untapped potential. There is a treasure within you that must come out. Don’t go to the grave with your treasure still within you.”

16. “Circumstances and crises are God’s tools to move you into your purpose and the maximizing of your potential.”

46

Saturday, November 15, 2014

MiNDFUL

RANDOM

for the LeISUreLY-MINDeD & thoUGhtfUL

FACTS

LAST WEEK'S

CROSSWORD

BOOTS DRESS GLOVES HAT OVERALLS PANTS SANDALS SCARF SHIRT SHOES SHORTS SKIRT SOCKS SUIT SWEATER TIE UNDERWEAR VEST

SUDOKU CLASSIC

WORDSEARCH

WORDLADDER Can you climb the ladder and find the missing numbers?

?

295 ?

50 55 11

SUDOKUCLASSIC

16 4 9 3 See solution below

HOMEWORK FOR GROWN-UPS 1 The Munich beer festival is held in which month? a) January b) June c) October

supposedly inspired Isaac Newton to write the laws of gravity? a) An Apple b) An Orange c) A Banana

2. Where is the Cobra beer produced? a) India b) Japan c) Jamaica

6. What type of tree leaves are the only food that a koala bear will eat? a) Mangrove b) Eucalyptus c) Iroko

3. On what vegetable did an ancient Egyptian place his right hand when taking an oath? a) Cabbage b) The onion c) Brussels Sprouts

7. What group of people were the first to use freeze-drying food technique? a) The Igala’s b) The Yoruba’s 4. What is the world’s top c) The Incas selling spice? a) Pepper 8. What is the Giant b) Curry Panda's favourite food? c) Mustard a) Okpa b) Garden Egg Answers 5. What falling fruit c) Bamboo shoots

WORDLADDER SOLUTION

HOMEWORK

c) October a) India b) The onion a) Pepper a) An Apple b) Eucalyptus c) The Incas c) Bamboo shoots

WORDSEARCH

Put each of the numbers 1-9 once in every row, column and 3x3 box

CROSSWORD

1. Topic (5) 4. Environment (7) 8. Layer (7) 9. Soda water (5) 10. Cheap passage (8) 11. Sport (4) 13. Six feet deep in water (6) 14. Invalidate (6) 17. Artifice (4) 19. Glorious (8) 22. Torpid (5) 23. Quantities (7) 24. Aged (7) 25. Covers a wide area (5)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1. Chores (5) 2. Sincere (7) 3. Outside (8) 4. Respectful deference (6) 5. Computer memory unit (4) 6. Latin American dance (5) 7. Diplomatic (7) 12. Famished (8) 13. Surreptitious (7) 15. Brilliant musical passage (7) 16. Bee house (6) 18. Velocity (5) 20. Measured portions of medicine (5) 21. Celestial body (4)

SOLUTIONS

ACROSS

3(x3)=9(-5)=4(x4)=16(5)=11(x5)=55(-5)=50(x6)=300(5)=295(x7)=2065

DOWN

The three most spoken english words are 'Hello', 'Stop' and 'Taxi'.

47

Saturday, November 15, 2014

a la carte

56%

hOW tO ...

THE LOTS TO CHEW ON AND REGURGITATE

Percentage of typing an average person's left hand does when they do type.

95%

Improve your vocabulary Percentage of the unexplored part of the ocean which humans are yet to see.

lady'S WORdS When a lady encounters a friend who has recently been diagnosed with a serious, perhaps incurable, illness.

She does not say: “Have you told your children?

I just don’t know how they will get along without you.”

“Did they tell you how much time you’ve got?”

“Do you have a will?”

“You’re looking really good, all things considered.”

But she does say: “Hello, Jessica, how are you doing?”

When a lady asks this question, she is not asking for a prognosis, and she allows her friend o answer it in any way he or she prefers. If the friend is able to attend a

party, clearly he or she would rather not discuss doctors and hospitals. The lady follows the friend’s lead in the conversation and feels free to share the news of her own life, since that is very likely what her friend would rather hear.

At the end of their encounter, the lady might, however, want to add, “Let’s keep in touch. I want to hear how things are going.”

When a pregnant lady encounters someone who comments on how much weight she has gained.

She does not say: “What’s your excuse?”

“How much did you gain when you were pregnant?”

“Well, I think it’s healthier to eat when you are pregnant than to try to fool people the way some women do.”

But she does say: “My doctor says that my baby and I are healthy, and that’s a good beginning.”

A pregnant lady does not depend on anyone other than her doctor to monitor her weight. A lady knows that every woman’s pregnancy is different, and she keeps that in mind, as she will no doubt be subjected to countless critiques about her growing, and hopefully glowing, body.

change yOuR WORld Be actively involved in your school Being an active parent is the second-best gift you can give your children, after loving their mother. Becoming actively involved with your children’s school opens you up to all sorts

of benefits, from becoming part of a wider community, to getting the opportunity to spend a little more time outdoors doing something active than sitting in front of the computer. When

trying to get involved with the children school activities, ensure you do not get too pushy because no one likes pushy parents and you can land up creating as much resentment.

Green your retirement Planning ahead seems to be the most important part of retirement but you might want to consider the following to keep your retirement years as healthy and green as possible.

So many people move away

from friends and family to the promise of a relaxed life at the beach, only to discover that they are lonely and out of the loop. As a result, your travel expenses can actually increase with retirement. Apart from the

usual changes associated with living a smaller life, retirement is an excellent opportunity to put in place a lot of the changes that you may not have had time to make when working.

laugh–Out–lOud Pet peeves The neighbour’s young son came knocking at the housewife’s door every day to ask if he could take her dog for a walk. Her husband, who is a carpenter almost always took the animal with him to his jobs, so she told the child she was sorry but the dog is at work with her husband. Because the boy kept coming over every day with the same request, she always gave him the same response. The youngster met the woman on the street one day, stopped and eyed her suspiciously and asked her, ‘what does your dog do for a

living?’

Is our parrot a daddy or a mummy?’’ asked the young boy of his mother on a crowded bus. ‘’ She is a mommy parrot,’’ the mother replied. ‘’ How do we know?’’ the boy asked. A hush fell over the passengers as they listened for how the mother would cope with this one. But she was ready for the challenge and replied, ‘’ she has lipstick on, hasn’t she?’’

An agent arranged an audition with a TV producer for his client, a talking dog that told jokes and sang songs. The amazed

producer was about to sign a contract when suddenly a much larger dog burst into the room, grabbed the talking pooch by the neck and bounded back out. ‘’What happened?’’ demanded the producer. ‘’That’s his mother,’’ said the agent,‘’ she wants him to be a doctor.’’

A dog goes into the unemployment office and asks for help finding a job. ‘’With your rare talent,’’ says the clerk, ‘’ I’m sure we can get you something at the circus.’’‘’The circus?’’ echoes the dog. ‘’What would a circus want with a plumber?’’

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once declared that ‘’ language is the skin of living thought.’’

Holmes recognised that just as our skin bounds and encloses our body, so does our vocabulary bound and enclose our mental life. It’s a matter of simple mathematics: the more words you know, the more accurate, vivid, and varied you’re speaking and writing will be.

Here are 5 methods you can use to enrich your vocabulary and, as a result, your ability to communicate: 1. Read! Read! Read!

When you were a child learning to speak, you seized each word as if it were a shiny toy. This is how you learned your language, and this is how you can expand your word stock. The best way to learn new words is through reading. Read for pleasure. Read for information. Read everything you can find on any subject that interests youshort stories, novels, nonfiction, newspapers, magazines. Soak up words like a sponge. The more words you read, the more words you will know.

2. Infer meaning from context Detectives use clues to help them make deductions and solve cases. You can become a word detective and deduce the meaning of an unknown word by taking into account the words that surround it and the situation being talked or written about.

3. Dig down to the roots Like people, words come in families. A word family is a cluster of words that are related because they contain the same root, a building block of language from which a variety of related words are formed. You can expand your vocabulary by digging down to the roots of an unfamiliar word and identifying the meanings of those roots.

Suppose that you encounter the word antipathy in speech or writing. From words like anti-war and antifreeze, you can infer that the root anti means ‘against’. This process of rooting out illustrates the old saying ‘’ it’s hard by the yard but a cinch by the inch.’’

4. Get the dictionary habit The practice of using the dictionary is essential in acquiring a mighty and versatile vocabulary. Keep an up- to- date dictionary by your side when you read. Whenever you run across a word that you are sure of, look it up, a process that will probably take you no more than thirty seconds. Then record the word and its meaning on your private word list.

5. Use your new words As soon as you have captured a new word in your mind, use it in conversation or writing. Try using at least one new word each day. Tell your parents how much you venerate them, compliment your children on their altruism when they stoop to share the remote with you. Congratulate your business associates on their edifying presentation and remind yourself not to procrastinate about acquiring and using words. Make vocabulary growth a lifelong adventure. In the process, you will expand your thoughts and your feelings, your speaking, your reading, and your writing – everthing that makes you up.

48

Saturday, November 15, 2014

BONUSPACK $75 120 kmh million

THE TAKE-AWAYS THIS WEEK

KEEPSAKES

FASTFORWARD

Top speed of the Volvo L60G PCP, the world's fastest wheel loader.

TOP INSTAGRAM PROFILeS FOLLOweRS

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61,607,152 22,654,112 21,036,587 19,957,955 18,963,736 17,217,309 15,459,393 14,368,800 13,878,124 13,568,229 13,325,532 13,307,939 12,380,308 11,793,599 10,651,147 9,524,874 9,439,740 9,434,445 9,308,778 8,805,369 8,229,069 8,215,350 8,037,622 7,874,154 7,619,891 7,570,523 7,213,934 7,079,043 6,940,180 6,915,282 6,764,856 6,744,946 6,295,850 5,937,028 5,808,553 5,798,208 5,663,006 5,650,531 5,492,495 5,441,534 5,439,076 5,421,719 5,383,883 5,325,557 5,297,303 5,288,335 5,276,990 5,267,533 5,259,771 5,221,636 5,190,396 4,985,903 4,853,523 4,852,039 4,820,107 4,798,925 4,789,167 4,667,152 4,572,154 4,527,721 4,461,236 4,428,231 4,366,282 4,356,725 4,352,066 4,284,075 4,275,611 4,141,328 4,112,503 4,025,218 3,985,214 3,960,150 3,964,986 3,951,444 3,935,017 3,919,916 3,845,560 3,754,214 3,748,337 3,748,363 3,706,338 3,680,525 3,679,819 3,687,740 3,676,861 3,672,272 3,660,468 3,626,277 3,604,392 3,553,958 3,491,957 3,448,133 3,422,012 3,417,979 3,405,593 3,400,386 3,402,533 3,389,373 3,383,878 3,367,855

FOLLOwING 218 45 97 0 632 8 171 138 203 153 28 1,271 757 98 263 153 127 12 379 69 159 1 1,270 75 123 194 6 40 240 289 725 798 0 54 136 21 487 124 2 123 2,035 137 22 219 346 29 1,493 571 100 333 482 265 277 800 21 24 5 245 642 269 122 587 50 1 300 1 350 667 173 411 263 1,046 0 972 560 606 21 125 80 24 243 16 111 25 500 11 22 27 23 601 968 88 37 1,059 265 287 1 432 212 669

please cut along this line and keep

SEEN & OVERHEARD Advice

I don’t believe this! You’re taking advice from Oswald? Oswald who once swallowed a sponge to soak up all the beer, so he wouldn’t get drunk?

KATE O’BRIEN

Never, ever put an electrical device in your pant .

TIM TAYLOR

Don’t own nothing if you can help it. If you can, even rent your shoes.

IAN BEALE please cut along this line and keep

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USeRNAMe

Gifts

The Prime Minister tells us that she has given the French President a piece of her mind - not a gift I would recieve with alacrity.

DENIS HEALEY

A chess set ... cool! It’s one of those checker sets for smart people and gays.

RANDY HICKEY

I’m a fairly modern man - I’ve got no problem buying tampons. But apparently they’re not a ‘proper present’.

JIMMY CARR

History

I never knew where Rome was.

That’s how good I was at history.

RICK PARFITT

I think we all agree the past is over.

GEORGE W. BUSH

I can remember exactly what I was doing when I heard the news. I was listening to the news.

HUGH LAURIE

Lies

Sometimes in politics you’ve got to lie, and I think we should be honest about that.

CHARLES KENNEDY

I wasn’t lying. I was writing fiction with my mouth.

HOMMER SIMPSON

I trusted you. You wear glasses.

ANGIE JORDAN

JUST UNBELIEVABLE

Estimated amount in cash Melissa Rivers inherited from her late mother, talk show host, Joan Rivers.

ENGLISH PHRASES Laugh Be laughing To be in a fortunate or comfortable situation. If next year’s Mondeos all prove as durable as this, Ford will be laughing.

Don’t make me laugh Used to reject a suggestion with contempt. Your old man a hero? Don’t make me laugh! Your dad couldn’t have knocked the skin off a rice pudding.

For a laugh/for laughs For spontaneous or amusement. Once Jackson himself ... told a truly funny story, but with grave face; when, not knowing how he meant it, whether for a laugh or otherwise, they all sat still, waiting what to do, and looking perplexed enough .

Good for a laugh Likely to cause amusement though not much else.

Have/get the last laugh To be proved right or be ultimately successful in spite of others’ earlier doubts. But Carrie ... courtesied sweetly again and answered: ‘I am yours truly.’ It was a trivial thing to say, and yet something in the way she did it caught the audience, which laughed heartily ... The comedian also liked it ... ‘I thought your name was Smith,’ he returned, endeavouring to get the last laugh.

Laugh in somebody’s face To show one’s contempt for somebody by laughing openly at them. Prithee fill me the glass till it laugh in my face with all that is potent and mellow. He that whines for a lass is an ignorant ass for a bumper has not its fellow.

Laugh oneself silly/sick To laugh uncontrollably. This harangue ... soon broke up the party: Miss Sycamore, indeed, only hummed, rather louder than usual, a favourite passage of a favourite air; and the Miss Crawleys nearly laughed themselves sick.

Laugh somebody/something to scorn To ridicule somebody or something. Even as the sun with purple-coloured face had taken his last leave of the weeping morn, Rose checked Adonis hied him to the chase; hunting he loved, but he laughed to scorn.

No laughing matter Something very serious. The houses of this town (fair thought it be) have none of them any foundation ... Had not we rather give honest burial to the harmless stones, then tear them out of their graves? Hold ye content my friends, this is no laughing matter.

Play something for laughs To try to cause amusement especially from a serious situation. He works the same trick in Pygmalion. What emerges in Howard Davies’ production is a Shaw played for laughs, dressed to impress, and similarly short on ideas.

Feature 49

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Casualisation: The Unending Woes Of Nigeria’s Workforce Casualisation of employees, which is against the country’s labour laws, has remained a nagging problem despite the tough talk by labour unions. In this report, TAIWO OGUNMOLA-OMILANI, Lagos and MICHAEL OCHE, Abuja, analyse the ugly trend

T

I can assure you that it is not going to be easy for any employer who engages in such act because unions have joined hands to fight this battle

here is no doubt that casualisation in both the private and the public sectors exposes Nigerian workers to abuse in which many have lost their lives. Few weeks ago in Lagos, a worker in a private company, Atukpo Wisdom, died because of a poor working environment coupled with the management’s carefree attitude.

Atukpo died on September 24, 2014 while working and the management cruelly dumped his body in the gutter outside the premises the next day to give the impression that he died outside the company’s premises in order to evade responsibility.

The unpleasant incident prompted the organised labour to query the company during their 2014 work descent day. They sent warnings to Chinese companies who denied unionisation to stop such act.

Contract employment and casualisation of labour contravene Section 7 (1) of the Labour Act, Cap 198, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1990.

The law provides that, “not later than three months after the beginning of a worker’s period of employment with an employer, the employer shall give the worker a written statement, specifying the terms and conditions of employment.’’

The conditions include the nature of the employment and if the contract is for a fixed term and the date the contract expires.

Recently, the orgnised private sector unions accused employers of hiding behind what they call the ‘core’ value of their businesses to casualise over 70 per cent of their workers.

The unions alleged that the growing culture of casualisation by employers was more common in banks and other fi-

Workers resuming for work at the federal secretariat, Abuja

nancial institutions, insurance firms, food and beverage companies as well as in the printing and publishing sectors of the economy.

Speaking on the issue, the assistant general secretary of the National Union of Textile Garment Workers of Nigeria Comrade Ismail Bello warned that private and public companies especially those owned by the Chinese must stop the precarious working conditions and also allow workers to join unions.

“I can assure you that it is not going to be easy for any employer who engages in such act, because unions have joined hands to fight this battle,” he said.

He also called on the ministry of labour and productivity to help in fighting casualisation in Nigeria.

The organised labour said, in Nigeria, companies are replacing their full-time workers with temporary, casual, outsourced and contract workers at a high rate adding that employers now hide behind what they call the ‘core’ value of their businesses to casualise over 70 per cent of their workforce.

In his response, the president of the Association of Senior Staff of Bank Institutions and Financial Institutions

(ASSBIFI), Comrade Sunday Salako stressed that there was need to have equality, justice and fairness for workers in their workplace.

The trade union’s president, Comrade Bobboi Bala kaigama said, “you cannot have inequality in workplace and say there is justice and fairness to workers, most especially in this part of the world where the rights of workers are constantly under attack. I believe that coming together to address this issue will help to create the ideal work environment we all crave for.

The president, National Union of Textile Garment Workers of Nigeria, Comrade Oladele Hunsu who frowned at casualisation, said the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has set up a committee to prevail on employers on the issue.

“As far as I am concerned, it is one of the problems we are battling with in the labour sector except the textile industry,” he said.

Only recently, the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) threatened to downtools without further notice to Chinese construction firms over what it termed unfair labour practices in Nigeria, particularly the casualisation of

workers at their sites and in their offices.

NUCECFWW’s national president, Comrade Amaechi Asugwuni accused the federal government of failing to enforce strict compliance with the terms of contract for capital projects as well as failure to prevail on Chinese companies to adhere to the expatriate quota policy and also called on workers in the industry to be at red alerts for actions for the next directives from the leadership of the union.

He said, “we are more concerned that the federal government has not done enough in checking the abuse of expatriate quota by Daewoo Nigeria Limited, Alcon Nigeria and other Chinese construction companies, despite several regulations that could be leveraged to curb the phenomenon, such as the regulation which stipulates that before any organisation can import workers, such positions must be advertised for Nigerians and foreigners can only be engaged if there are no Nigerians to take up the appointment.

“One of the ills of unfair labour practices in the construction industry which is of great concern to us is casualisation which has denied our members the privileges accruable to permanent staff and the

50

50 Feature

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Casualisation: The Unending Woes Of Nigeria’s Workforce 49

right to freedom of association and the government is not putting in place the right policies and programmes that will promote good working environment for workers in the country.”

According to Asugwuni, Section 7 (1) of the Labour Act, Cap 198, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 provides that: “Not later than three months after the beginning of a worker’s period of employment with an employer, the employer shall give to the worker a written statement specifying the terms and conditions of employment, which include the nature of the employment and if the contract is for a fixed term, the date the contract expires.

“But the reverse is the case in Nigeria as the action of the management of the Chinese construction companies amounts to, not just a violation of the fundamental rights of the workers, but also a clear violation of the Nigeria’s labour laws, constitution and international conventions and standards,” he said.

The labour leader who stressed that the time has come for bold steps to be taken to correct the anomaly of casualisation as it will create an opportunity to address other issues of good working conditions for Nigerian workers, called on the nation’s workers in all the sectors of the economy “to open up so that bad practices will be brought to the fore.”

He said, “the Chinese construction companies, includ-

ing China Engineering Construction Company (CECC), China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) and CGC Nigeria Limited have not been observing all relevant labour laws in Nigeria hence the union was compelled to register its displeasure and will down-tools if nothing is down soon.”

He also noted that the ministry of labour and productivity had not made much effort to comprehensively address the ever burgeoning precarious form of employment in the nation’s economy as it had not been effectively monitoring the activities of private sector employers, particularly those in the construction companies.

“Other alleged anti-labour practices by the Chinese construction companies which do not go down well with our union includes but not limited to intimidation and victimisation of workers, refusal for us to unionise the workers, none adherence to the provisions of the local content policy, which made human resources/industrial relations practice difficult and non-implementation of the NJIC agreement.

“The national headquarters of NUCECFWW cannot fold its arms and watch yet another era of labour slavery and exploitation despite series of agreements reached between the union and the management of the Chinese construction companies in Nigeria to put a stop to these unholy practices,” Asugwuni warned.

Speaking in Abuja, the

chairperson of the Industrial Global Union, Sub-Saharan Africa, Comrade Issa Aremu said the organised labour was determined to end precarious working conditions in the country.

He said, “currently, worldwide and in Nigeria too, workers are exposed to worsening health and safety situations with increased cases of deaths and injuries at work.

“In Nigeria, companies are replacing their full-time workforce with temporary, casual, outsourced and contract workers at a frightening rate.

Employers now hide behind what they call the ‘core’ value of their business to casualise over 70 per cent of their workers.

“Low incomes, job insecurity, delayed payments of salaries and pensions, long hours of work without overtime payment, denial of sick leave and payment for sick leave, denial of annual and maternity leaves, lack of redundancy benefits, poor health and safety conditions and non-payment of compensation for injuries sustained at work, poor working conditions, poor motivation and lack of social protection are bedeviling employees.

The unions frowned at what they described as “violation” with “impunity” by employers particularly in the private sector as workers are often denied the right to organise protests against unwholesome practices by their employers.

He said workers are often employed on causal, out-

sourced and contract work bases because under such arrangements, workers are not protected and are exposed to all kinds of abuses, unfair and unjust practices.

He however warned that unprotected and exploited workers are not happy workers and can therefore not be a productive workforce needed for the much desired transformation of Nigeria.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend, the general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Dr Peter Ozo-Eson said the labour movement in Nigeria is set for repositioning to enable the movement achieve its mandate of protecting workers’ rights and improving their welfare.

He warned that the union would picket any company that refuses its workers the rights to unionise.

He said the NLC would always seek to promote and execute policies that would improve workers welfare in the country.

Despite the tough talk by the various labour organs, casualisation still ranks high among employers of labour, with some of them preferring casual staff members who according to them are easier to cater for in terms of emoluments.

It is the hope of workers that the labour unions will not end at talking but take concrete actions to ensure that the nation’s labour laws which criminalise casualisation are strictly adhered to.

In Nigeria, companies are replacing their full-time workforce with temporary, casual, outsourced and contract workers at a frightening rate

Feature 51

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Sound Legislation, Needed Elixir For Achieving IPSAS Strategies that would entrench probity in government business have been the major concern of all well-meaning Nigerians and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) is one way the accounting sub-sector is trying to achieve this. However, the absence of an enabling legislation is stifling the system. This and more formed the crux of discussions when accountants under the auspices of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) converged on Abuja recently. Catherine Agbo reports.

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With a set legislation, the standards would be better guided, as compliance will become obligatory

he International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), an international modern accounting system which Nigeria has also embraced, is a new drive to ensure uniformity in government accounting records.

This accounting method, according to experts, is one of the things Nigeria needs to have in place if its economy is to be ranked in the comity of nations as developed, at a time when the world is moving towards strengthening mechanisms aimed at further enhancing economic growth, checking corruption and other unwholesome financial impropriety.

While the method is laudable, suitable legislation must be in place and must be enforced for it to work optimally and that is the problem the system faces in Nigeria at the moment. Lack of proper channels of disseminating accounting information, especially at the states level and the endemic corruption in the polity has been the bane of the system.

It has not only been a cog in the wheel of the effective take off of IPSAS, but has also hampered the country’s chances of benefitting economically from the system. Putting in place a legislative framework that would compel accounting officers to strictly adhere to the standards of IPSAS has been a challenge.

IPSAS is a system that promotes checks and balances in governance.

Apart from providing the citizenry the opportunity to be part of government, it also presents an evidence-based platform to measure economic growth, income and expenditure and of course accurate budget implementation and this underscores the need for proper legislation that would make it come into full force.

It was in realisation of the importance of legislation to the proper implementation of the ideals of the system, that the 42nd annual accountants conference of the Institute of Chartered accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), recommended that public sector financial management systems must provide reliable information to decision-makers for good governance and accountability. It is in this respect that participants welcomed the move by the government to adopt International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) as a basis for finan-

cial reporting in the public sector.

Markets and economies function properly when participants have trust in the financial statements that drive activities and decisions in the capital markets.

The conference urged chartered accountants to continue to develop their professional capacity for generating credible and reliable financial reports that present a true and fair view of the results of the performance of reporting entities, noting that financial markets in which investors have confidence are the foundation for strong economies and accelerated development.

President of the institute, Adedoyin Owolabi, while speaking on the issue, said, “It is the quest for transparency in governance that has necessitated the call for the preparation of financial reports by all tiers of government with IPSAS. Expectedly, IPSAS would help check a major defect of the cash basis of financial reporting, particularly as it relates to the smooth tracking of assets created with public funds.”

Also, recently, at the annual conference of Finance Commissioner’s Forum in Enugu, chairman of the forum, who is commissioner of Finance in Ebonyi State, Timothy Order, lauded the AccountantGeneral of the Federation, Jonah Otunla, for his relentlessness in keeping the country’s account intact through IPSAS. Though IPSAS has been applauded by experts in the sector, it is disturbing that the system is still being operated using the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007, which states that it is “An Act to provide for prudent management of the nation’s resources, ensure long-term macro-economic stability of the national economy, secure greater accountability and transparency in fiscal operations within a medium term fiscal policy framework.”

Part XI 48(1) of the Act reads, “The federal government shall ensure that its fiscal and financial affairs are conducted in a transparent manner and accordingly ensure full and timely disclosure and wide publication of all transactions and decisions involving public revenues and expenditures and their implications for its finances.”

Although the Act as stated above captures much that is required to implement the accounting system, it however lacks the strike needed; that is the specif-

Jonah Otunla

ic area that speaks on the requirement and penalty for default in non-implementation in all tiers of government and the non-compliance to the guiding principles by anyone, both in the public and private sector.

Furthermore, Part XI 49 (3) of the Act states that “The publication of general standards for the consolidation of public accounts shall be the responsibility of the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation”.

This empowers the Accountant General to ensure that IPSAS conforms to international accounting standards that chart a way for transparency in disbursement of funds.

Secretary to the IPSAS commission, James Nongo earlier said, “Fighting corruption is not easy and since IPSAS will ensure an accounting reporting system that will checkmate corruption and fraud, we should not expect the buy-in of all the stakeholders.”

From the foregoing, it therefore behoves on the federal government to sponsor a Bill to the National Assembly which will be an amendment to the FRA 2007, with a particular clause, specifically detailed to IPSAS, so as to make government finances far more transparent and accountable, as well as bring the private sector on the appropriate path of appreciable responsibility, to meet stakeholder demands.

Speaking on the sidelines of the recent ICAN meeting in Abuja, an accountant who preferred anonymity emphasised that appropriate legislation that would better guide the country to improve transparency and financial performance and productivity, besides escalating the development of the accounting profes-

sion in the Nigerian public sector.

He pointed out that in 2013 when Nigeria was to implement the standard, there were 32 standards based on an accrual accounting system and one standard for cash-based accounting, adding that implementing these would stimulate full transparency both in terms of due process by standards setting as well as public access to agenda material and the involvement of observers in the standard setting process.

“With a set legislation, the standards would be better guided, as compliance will become obligatory. Both the public and private sector would be closely controlled in a manner that is appropriate and in line with the yearning to improve both the quality and comparability of reported financial information.

The standards among others deals with cash flow statements, the effects of changes in foreign exchange rates, borrowing costs, revenue from exchange transactions, leases, construction contract, impairment of non-cash-generating assets, disclosure of financial information about the general government sector, revenue from non-exchange transaction (taxes and transfers) and financial reporting in hyperinflationary economies, among others,” he emphasised.

“All these assortments, usually called standards, would make a remarkable difference in ensuring transparency in the accounting system as well as eliminate the hitherto widespread corruption in the country that has visibly impacted on the economy and financial,” the accountant added.

In countries like Algeria, Albania, Afghanistan, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, China, Cyprus, East and Southern Africa, France, India, Jamaica, Morocco, Malaysia, Norway, Zambia, Pakistan and Uganda as well as world bodies like the African Union and the European Union where the system is in practice with legislation to back it, its full benefits are already being enjoyed.

Thus, Nigeria which desires economic growth and transparency in government business and other ventures that would attract foreign investment and international confidence in the polity, cannot be left out.

52 Feature

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Rev Fr. Willy Ojukwu (L) presenting plates of food to some of the beneficiaries

Abuja Kitchen Where Meals Are Served For Free In a bid to fight hunger in Nigeria, a humanitarian kitchen in Gwagwalada, Abuja, has opened its doors to feed 1,000 indigent Nigerians daily and 2,000 prisoners weekly. AGBO-PAUL AUGUSTINE was at the maiden free food initiative of Marian Soup Kitchen at the Kuje Medium Prison, where 824 inmates had a good time

L

ocated on the outskirts of Gwagwalada on the holeriddled Gwagwalada-Kuje road, Marian Soup Kitchen can pass for any regular structure on the dusty road where little commercial activities take place. It stands like a cottage factory painted blue and white with a few security personnel on guard. But beyond the face of the structure lies a humanitarian service that many a visitor may ponder about.

Marian Soup Kitchen was conceptualised, built and equipped to feed 1,000 hungry Nigerians with rich meals daily and 2,000 prison inmates weekly in the Federal Capital Territory at no cost.

The only requirement is submission for security check at the gate, getting a card, signing in and being seated in the massive hall that is fully equipped like a boarding school dining hall with a projector to show movies while meals are served.

When LEADERSHIP Weekend visited the site in Gwagwalada, it was breathtaking as everything at the centre was provided through the private effort of a philanthropist. The first point of call for any visitor is the reception desk where cards are clocked in, then into the

massive, well-ventilated dining hall with 1,000 chairs arranged around tables. It also has several toilet facilities to meet the large number of persons expected at the centre.

The centre has a small clinic for those with medical needs and a counselling unit too. It also boasts of modern cold-rooms for raw food and drinks with a massive, fully equipped kitchen. It has a modern water treatment facility and a dry food store with hostels for its workers.

The N100-million project was built for the poor in society who are basically faced with the challenge of feeding themselves and with the mandate of giving them hope.

The first Nigerians to taste the free gesture of the kitchen were inmates of the Kuje Medium Prison where 824 inmates had it good recently. The Nigerian Prisons Service graciously granted permission to the kitchen’s request to provide free meal to inmates in the three prisons under the FCT Command of the service. With that arrangement, 2,000 inmates are sure of getting a taste of a good meal once a week.

At the Kuje Prison, LEADERSHIP Weekend was exclusive-

ly granted access to witness the maiden free feeding of inmates as all the inmates were given a plate full of Jollof rice and beef each.

Most of the inmates couldn’t wait for the food to reach them, as the aroma had so aroused their taste buds that some were practically salivating as they scrambled through the barricade of the kitchen to have their share.

It took extra efforts of prison wardens to restore order as some inmates were already going out of control. Some of the more ‘experienced’ prison inmates had to be drafted to assist officials of the kitchen to serve the meal in batches of 10 plates each.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP Weekend, some of the inmates said the food they get in prison is a far cry from what they ate at the kitchen. “The food is far better than what we get in prison and that explains why our colleagues are falling over each other to have a good meal”, said an inmate.

“Some of us that don’t have rich relatives to bring food for us in prison have to wait for opportunities like this to have a taste of home once again.

“I can tell you, eating this meal makes me feel like I am at home because what we get here is of less quality. However, the prison officials are doing their best to make our stay worthwhile,” said another inmate.

All the inmates had to eat the food with bare hands as cutleries are not allowed in prison to avoid being used as weapons. Most of the inmates never bothered to wash their hands before gulping the meal whose aroma permeated the entire prison.

After eating, none of the visitors are expected to wash their dishes; they simply eat and leave.

While speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend, the founder, Rev Fr. Willy Ojukwu said he was motivated by the zeal to make people happy. He said the main objective of the gesture is the love of humanity.

The priest believes that the world is a “family of God” regardless of religion, tribe or ethnic affiliations hence, he was moved to assist the hungry by giving them food at no cost. He said he has been into humanitarian services since 1966 and worked to fight Kwashiorkor in the south east during the Nigerian Civil War. “The place is open for everybody; any person that is hungry is free to come to Marian Soup Kitchen.

“After eating, all visitors to the place are not to wash their plates; they are expected to get up and take the exit door. It’s as simple as that,” Ojukwu said.

He also said the programme had been planned to last beyond his demise even as he bemoaned Nigerians who are in the habit of wasting food items as there are millions of Nigerians who still go to bed hungry every day.

Consequently, Marian Soup Kitchen has taken upon itself to feed 9,000 mouths every week. Its sustainability remains a huge test

to the aspiration of the Catholic Priest to serve humanity in good and bad times.

“If you can’t feed the poor, employ them in factories to work,” Ojukwu,” Ojukwu added.

When asked, he said the motivation behind the gesture was his belief that the world is a family of God and he was convinced too that he could assist the government to uplift the poor. “The main objectives of the programme is the love of humanity; I don’t want to see people suffer. God has blessed me, why shouldn’t I help others?

It pains me to see people begging and suffering.

“If you go round hotels in Nigeria, you will see large quantities of food wasted. It is also sad to see how some rich people in Nigeria waste money. If only they could have an industry or something that will uplift the people, it will be wonderful and that is why I was motivated to see how I can make people happy, especially the poor.

“I love Aliko Dangote though I haven’t met him because he is using his money to establish a lot of industries and once you establish companies, you are feeding a lot of families whether you know it or not. Some of our people who are getting the money either from government or elsewhere only siphon and launder it outside the country. The countries having the money are using it to develop their places and we are here dying of poverty in the midst of riches and wealth,” he lamented.

Speaking on how he gets money for the project, he said, the seed funds were raised from the series of books he had written and movies staged in collaboration with some Nollywood actors.

“We made a movie which was launched in Abuja and about N40 million was realised in a day. The board of directors also added and we were able to get the seed fund to start the project.

“I have great faith in God and I am convincedhat God will always provide for his people. When I finally get started fully, people with big industries, especially food companies and hotels will be approached to pass to us what they cannot use but still edible. We shall also approach bottling companies and breweries to give us drinks that they feel they cannot distribute before their expiring date. Here we can consume them in a day.

“We also intend to approach the Nigeria Customs Service for help.

We want to plead with them to give us some of the seized food items from importers who try to circumvent the law of importation. Instead of destroying some of the food items, our kitchen could make use of them by feeding the masses with it,” he pleaded.

He said, as long as there are hungry people in Nigeria, the place would remain opened.

“This place does not belong to anybody even me and my brothers and sisters and if I pass away today, no one in my family can lay claim to the project ownership. It belongs to God and humanity,” he stated.

Most of the inmates couldn’t wait for the food to reach them, as the aroma had so aroused their taste buds that some were practically salivating

OPINION 53

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Pastor T. O. Banso Faith 08155744752

cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com

Arise, Fight For Your Children! (5)

I Child discipline is a major part of parenting and any parent who fails in this regard will have the children taken over by the devil

’ve been on this series for some weeks now and last week, I began to talk on how parents can arise and fight for your children. I was only able to discuss one point last week: Be a godly example to their children. I want to share with you today other things you must do.

Teach children the way of the Lord. Parents must start teaching their children the Word of God very early in life. That was what God expected of the children of Israel when He gave them the law, and that’s what He still expects of parents today. Deut 11:19 says, “You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (NKJV) God expects parents to use every available means and time to teach their children the Word of God. God said about Abraham: “I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD and do what is right and

just.” (Gen 18:19 NLT) That’s what every parent should do.

And only parents who do this will have children who’ll have peace because they’re following the teachings of the Lord that they’ve received from their parents. “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” (Isa 54:13 NKJV) This is another way for parents to arise and fight for their children lest the devil should take them over.

Parents mustn’t be too busy that they don’t train up their children in the way of the Lord. Prov 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

(ASV) To train up a child means to educate, nurture and guide. It also, by implication, means to discipline but I prefer to treat that separately. Eph 6:4 tells fathers to bring up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord. Parents who fail in this divine responsibility will live to regret it.

Discipline your children: Child

discipline is a major part of parenting and any parent who fails in this regard will have the children taken over by the devil.

Prov 29:17 says, “Discipline your children, and they will give you happiness and peace of mind.”

(NLT) The converse is also true.

Don’t discipline your children and they’ll give you sorrow and lack of peace of mind. That won’t be your portion in Jesus’ name.

Failure to discipline a child is a clear violation of the Word of God because God knows children will not turn out well on their own without discipline. They must be instructed; they must be disciplined. “Don’t fail to correct your children. They won’t die if you spank them. Physical discipline may well save them from death.”(Prov 23:13-14 NLT) Even the Bible recommends physical punishment where necessary as part of the process of raising one’s child. This is notwithstanding the modern belief against this in some societies even legislating against it. But God’s word says, “Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such

discipline purifies the heart.”

(Prov 20:30 NLT) Prov 22:15 says a similar thing: “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.” (NKJV) Refusing to beat your child to correct or discipline him is contrary to the Word of God. The Bible knows that there’re certain things our children won’t get or do right except we apply the rod of correction. “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.”

(Prov 29:15 NKJV) Our children don’t have to enjoy being disciplined. Parents also may not enjoy doing it but all the same parents have a responsibility to discipline their children and where necessary apply the rod of correction. Heb 12:11 says, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening — it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (NLT) To withhold the rod of discipline is to destroy your child.

However, that doesn’t mean that a child should be beaten just for every wrong or without regard for the child’s safety. You don’t beat a child to the point of injuring or killing him or her. That will be child abuse; it’ll be criminal.

“Chastise your son while there is hope for him, but be careful not to flog him to death.” (Prov 19:18 New English Bible) Did you hear that?

I’ll talk more on child discipline next week, and also round off this series. Please, be a doer of the word Take Action!

If you want to be born again, kindly say this prayer now: “0 Lord God, I come unto you today.

I know I’m a sinner and I cannot save myself. I repent of my sins and forsake them. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I‘m saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God” I believe you’ve said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You’ll need to join a Biblebelieving, Bible-teaching church in your area where you’ll be taught how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon.

54 Feature

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Tales of Nigerians In Public Hospitals Various tales abound of what many patients go through in public hospitals across the country. UGBOJA FELIX OJONUGWA, Abuja and SAM EGWU, Lokoja write on how some public hospitals have taken to introducing Sundry unofficial charges and also withholding some services meant to be enjoyed by patients

F

rom the sad expression on Grace Amodu’s face, one could imagine what many patients and their caregivers go through while seeking healthcare services in public hospitals across the country.

Today, while a number of countries around the world can boast of an almost free healthcare system, the likes of Grace Amodu have to endure a health system where they are compelled to purchase surgical gloves for doctors, without which they won’t be attended to.

“I was shocked when the doctors told me that I won’t be treated until I buy a pack of gloves for an outrageous sum of N1,000.

“The amazing thing is that these glove packs are sold exorbitantly by the nurses,” Amodu lamented.

Amodu who was receiving treatment at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, couldn’t contain her surprise when she was told to purchase this hospital tool for the nurses and doctors. According to her, the doctors were even stunned to realise how ‘ignorant’ she was of the now ‘popular practice’ in most hospitals in the country.

Reports abound that extortion bedecks the functions in public hospitals across the country, which is in total contrast with what used to be the practice. One would therefore ask, how come there is such a practice as has been complained about by patients and their caregivers?

Benjamin Ogbebulu, a public policy analyst, in his opinion about the reality of our health system said, “in many places in Nigeria, our hospitals, especially primary health centres are far away from where people live and some have expired drugs , dilapidated structures, corrugated roofs covered with cobwebs and in many places, have become homes of domestic animals. From research, in some tertiary and secondary health centres, mere water supply is not available; patients’ rela-

tives often resort to buying water in jerry cans and health workers have to wait endlessly for essential drugs and disposable gloves while faced with irregular power supply.”

A visit to the specialist hospital in Lokoja revealed that most of the washing of hospital beds’ linen are done by the patients’ family members.

Aisha Abubakar, a relative of one patient who had spent about two weeks in the hospital told LEADERSHIP Weekend that she had no choice than to wash the linen since her relative was admitted in the hospital. She added that she had to buy the detergent for washing of the beddings and sometimes when the hospital staff members didn’t come on time, she had to sweep her corner.

“I was ordered by the nurse to purchase a big sachet of detergent, a bottle of germicide, hand sanitiser and a few other things.

“I was asked to wash the bed sheets and every other dirty thing around, which left me wondering what the hospital cleaners who are being paid by the government are doing,” lamented Aisha.

For Ezekiel Ameh whose mother had been on admission for two weeks, “it is a shame” to witness such absurdity in government-owned hospitals.

“I even asked the nurse if I should also buy her white uniforms for her since we now have to buy practically everything here,” said Ezekiel.

According to Ezekiel, it doesn’t just stop at buying gloves for doctors; one has to also buy syringes and other injection materials at very exorbitant prices when compared to their prices outside the hospital.

A quite pathetic case was that of Sunday Adejo who sustained burns from an accident and was helped to the hospital by a good Nigerian but wasn’t attended to because he couldn’t afford the treatment fees until he mentioned the name of a prominent personality. But Sunday couldn’t make it as he later died from his wounds. The incident leaves one to ponder

A doctor attending to a patient in a hospital. Source: Google

how many others could have died under similar unfortunate circumstances.

Just as poor treatments characterise the Kogi-owned public hospitals, similar trends were also reported in some public hospitals in Abuja, where a patient’s caregiver known as Laraba Moses complained to LEADERSHIP Weekend about being asked to purchase certain items and to also wash the bed sheets used by her sick daughter.

What Is Responsible?

For hospitals built and managed by the government, one might wonder why patients would be forced to buy surgical gloves for the nurses and doctors before they are attended to.

Ezekiel Ameh was very critical in his remark about the trend. “It is either the government has failed to make provisions for the upkeep of the hospitals or the funds are being mismanaged by the hospital management,” said Ezekiel.

“It is a pure act of wickedness because I strongly believe that there are provisions for these materials. Compelling us to make these purchases is also a sign of the level of decay and corruption bedeviling our health system,” Aisha Abubakar added.

Benjamin Ogbebulu stated that these scenarios are as a result of numerous factors ranging from-neglect of the health sector, mismanagement of resources, lack of placing priority, lack of respect for human lives by our leaders, low wages, poor motivation, persistent shortages of basic medical supplies, poor working conditions, outdated equipment and lack of efficient and effective coordination.

A nurse in the hospital who pleaded anonymity stated that

the hospital offers good services and has well-trained personnel “but we cannot rule out some sundry deals of some of our staff members and when one finger soils, it soils all.”

The environment in and around the hospital as observed by our reporter is without doubt a delight, but proper attention to patients still remains a source of worry, which was resonating in their reactions and body languages.

Until press time, the chief medical director of the specialist hospital in Lokoja remained evasive while all attempts to reach him proved abortive. He was either said to be in Government House for a meeting or not available while some said he was always unwilling to speak to the press.

While LEADERSHIP Weekend visited the Wuse General Hospital in Abuja, the hospital secretary explained that she has never taken note of any such practice in the hospital and that no one has reported such a practice to her.

She further stated that even if such was going on, it would be difficult for her to know about it, since she wasn’t in the clinical wards. But some of the doctors declined to speak with LEADERSHIP Weekend on the matter with the claim that they were not allowed to speak to the media on such matters.

At the Kogi State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja, another relative of a patient, Solomon Shuaibu, advised the state government to overhaul the working system of the hospital. He said most of the staff claimed to have come from people who are one way or the other connected to the government. He told LEADERSHIP Weekend that someone who claimed to be brothers of government officials have been harassing people around the hospital.

A quite pathetic case was that of Sunday Adejo who sustained burns from an accident and was helped to the hospital by a good Nigerian but wasn’t attended to because he couldn’t afford the treatment fees

islam 55

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Okikiola Qasim

Khadija Abdu Iya

Islam My Paradise

Searching Inward

islammyparadise@yahoo.com, thisisbolatytoqaasim@gmail.com

08140560505, 08185516060

Islam: World Crisis And The Pathway To Peace

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They should not interfere unjustly or pressure either of the parties unfairly.

The natural resources of any country should not be taken advantage of

owever, today we find that there is division and separation between powerful and weaker nations. For example, in the United Nations we find that there are distinctions made between certain countries.

Thus, in the Security Council there are some permanent members and some non-permanent members. This division has proved to be an internal source of anxiety and frustration and thus we regularly hear reports of certain countries protesting against this inequality at the United Nations in New York, USA. Islam teaches absolute justice and equality in all matters and so we find another very crucial guideline in chapter 5, of the Glorious Qur’an Verse 2, the mentioned verse states that to fully comply with the requirements of Justice, it is necessary to treat even those people who go beyond all limits in their hatred and enmity with fairness and equity. The Qur’an teaches that wherever and whoever counsels you towards goodness and virtue, you should accept it, and wherever and whoever counsels you towards sinful or unjust behaviour, you should reject it.

Thus, Islam has drawn our attention to various means for Peace. It requires.

• Absolute justice • Truthful testimony should always be given • That our glances are not cast enviously in the direction of the wealth of others • That the developed Nations put aside their vested interests and instead help and serve the less developed and poorer Nations with a truly selfless attitude and spirit.

If all of these factors are observed, then true Peace will be established. If despite all these aforementioned measures any country TRANSGRESSES ALL LIMITS and attacks another country, and seeks to unjustly take control of its resources, then other Countries should certainly take measures to Stop such cruelty – but they should always act with Justice when doing so.

The circumstances for taking action based on Islamic teachings are detailed in the Qur’an and in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). Chapter 49 of Al-Qur’an teaches that when two countries are in dispute and this leads to war, then other governments should strongly Counsel them towards Dialogue and Diplomacy so that they can come to an agreement and rec-

onciliation on the basis of a negotiated settlement. If, however, one of the parties does not accept the terms of agreement and wages war, then other countries should unite together and fight to stop that aggressor.

When the aggressive Nation is defeated and agrees to mutual negotiation, then all parties should work towards an agreement that leads to long-standing peace and reconciliation. Harsh and unjust conditions should not be enforced that leads to the hands of any Nation being tied, because in the longterm that will lead to restlessness which will ferment and spread further disorder.

In the circumstance where a third-party Government seeks to bring about reconciliation between two parties, then it should act with Sincerity and total impartiality.

This impartiality should remain even if one of the parties speaks against it. Therefore, the third-party should display no Anger in such circumstances, it should seek no revenge nor should it act in an unfair manner. All parties should be afforded their due rights.

Thus for the requirements of Justice to be fulfilled, it is essential that the countries that are negotiating a settlement should themselves not seek to fulfill their own personal interests nor try to derive benefit unduly from either country. They should not interfere unjustly or pressure either of the parties unfairly. The natural resources of any country should not be taken advantage of. Unnecessary and unfair restrictions should not be placed upon such countries, because this is neither Just nor can it ever prove to be a source of improving relations between countries. Due to time constraints, I have only very briefly mentioned these points. In short, if we desire for PEACE to be established in the World, then we must leave aside our personal interests for the greater good in order to establish mutual relations that are based entirely on Justice. Otherwise, some of you might agree with me that due to alliances, blocs may be formed in future – or I can even say they have started forming – and it is not unlikely that DISORDER will continue to increase in the World, which will ultimately lead to a huge destruction (may Allah forbid, amin). The effects of such devastation and warfare will surely last for many generations. Therefore, the so-called World Super Powers should play their roles in acting with thorough ➔ CONCLUDED

07033726351 (Text only) searchinwards@yahoo.com 0708 370 1955 cedarministriesintl@yahoo.com

The Secret Weapon Of Marriage...(2) How would you expect the person to have the same values as you, when even the sibling you were brought up with did not imbibe the ones your parents had tried to inculcate in both of you? How then would you expect someone who is oblivious of your kind of life to be perfect, when you aren’t perfect yourself?

Elimination process It starts from the onset. When choosing a spouse, you have to be careful and be very sure about your feelings for the said person before taking the giant stride. Cultural, religious and family upbringing and values are factors which have to be taken into consideration before choosing a spouse. Doing that ameliorates or sometimes eliminates some of the major differences that may occur in a union.

“I disagree totally that these factors can ensure a good marriage,” says Tala...“Love is the most important factor jor!” She reiterated firmly when the matter came up at one of our girls’ outings...Abeg na how good both couples are in bed that guarantees a good marriage,” Cynthia interjected mischievously. “I’m not saying that these factors you guys are saying are not important factors,” I tried to reason with them.

Learnables “What I’m saying is that conflicts in any union arise mostly when people do not understand why one person is behaving in a certain way.

Usually our religious and cultural beliefs are embedded in our behavior; they define and dictate our actions and that is the playground for conflict.

“If couples understand why their partners behave or act in a certain way, that eliminates and saves them the trouble of going back to the drawing board to learn all the ‘learnables’ of their varied cultures and religion. Who doesn’t like easy?”

I pointed out resolutely.

So, eliminating these background factors (religious, cultural and family values) most times plays a major role in keeping couples together (sometimes). One party cannot claim he/she is aware of a certain custom...

A burden?

“I understand what you mean,” Tala said in her fluidly... “If not for religion I would have adopted my style of living. I would say “bye-bye” to marriage, stay single, be myself

without having to be at the mercy or waiting on another human being,” “Ahh! Is that how you view marriage? A burden because you can’t stand waiting on another person?” asked Rawdah, the goody two shoes of the group. Though she’s tinged with a little naughtiness, she hardly compromises on her 18th century stance. We often tease her about that. “No oo, before you crucify me!

What I mean is, Islam has a hold on me so much, it stops me from catching some fun whenever I want to,” she winked wickedly...

Individual differences “So, Khadi, we are not allowed to marry outside our creeds and tribes?

Is that what you are saying basically?” They chorused, except for Sima who had been watching quietly and evaluating in her usual placid way.

“Haba, even the Nupes, where I come from and the Adamawa Fulanis, who hardly marry outside their tribes, have stopped that practice,” I told them. “My point is, if you can conveniently eliminate these factors then you are left to deal with the individual differences in both of you, which makes life easier...”

“Does it?” Sima spoke for the first time. “I really do not think that there are any secret weapons to keep marriages,” she started sensibly. “I believe that Allah S.W.T keeps the couple and once the time comes for both of them to go their separate ways it would happen in a twinkle of an eye! If not He would secure the tools the couple need in understanding each other...”

A good tool Understanding each other is also a good tool to adopt in a marriage.

Even if you are from different backgrounds and values, when you try to understand the other person no matter what, it relieves stress between couples. The combo of all these virtues in a marriage-patience, understanding and all the elements discussed above and last week is crystallised in the beauty of friendship. Once a couple is able to establish friendship in their union, all other considerations fade into the background.

Be yourself absolutely; pretense or frequently going out of your way will quickly get you to a ‘burn out’ stage, leaving you frustrated, especially if it’s not reciprocated by your partner. So, I advocate the concept of not going out of your way too often; just relax in your person.

What I’m saying is that conflicts in any union arise mostly when people do not understand why one person is behaving in a certain way

56

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Charlyboy

Jonas Agwu Road Safety Column 08077690055 122 FRSC Toll-free emergency number jonasagwu@yahoo.com

Nuts And Screws 08032481739

Email: areafada1@yahoo.com Twitter:@areafada1 Instagram: areafada1 BB pin: 2324A360

How Safe Is Your Child? Wash Wash Nigeria

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Reproducing injury prevention strategies that are relevant to adults does not adequately protect children

eatbelt driving culture is no doubt commendable yet motorists don’t seem to care about child safety. Daily, these children, whether in school buses or family vehicles, are transported without any iota of safety. Despite the series of child safety campaigns with themes such as, “don’t kill the child, kill the bad habit” and children are our future, protect them, aimed at raising safety awareness, child safety is still not a priority among motorists.

Road safety crisis is the leading cause of preventable deaths and the third largest cause of disabilities. In Africa, it is the second largest cause of death after HIV/Aids and even the new entrant, Ebola. In the same Africa, there is generally no costing data making cost of crashes difficult to estimate except for few countries. A study has shown that 10 per cent of global road deaths occur in Africa though only four percent of world’s registered vehicles are in the continent. This study posits that if reporting of road crashes were to improve, the road crash index in the continent will be different as it most likely would show more deaths. South Africa and Nigeria, according to this study accounts for most of the reported deaths.

These deaths, according to the study are caused mostly by human error and vehicle factors that include the following: over speeding, dangerous overtaking, alcohol and drug abuse, negligence of drivers, poor driving standards, overloaded people or goods vehicles, poor tyre maintenance, burst tyre, bad roads and hilly terrain, negligence of pedestrians, distraction of drivers by passengers, cell phone use, among others.

The truth is that the world is concerned about child safety. This is because, road traffic injuries alone are the leading causes of deaths among children 15-19 years and the second leading cause among 10-14 years old.

These injuries are not inevitable; they are preventable. Ironically, most parents are not concerned despite the rights of children to safety as contained in the 1989 United Nations convention on rights of the child, ratified by almost all governments, which states that children around the world have a right to a safe environment and protection from injury and violence. The conven-

tion stressed the responsibilities of society to protect children (from birth up to the age of 18 years). Even the 2000 United Nations Millennium Development Goals resolution set as its fourth goals, the need to reduce by two thirds the mortality rates of children under the age of five years.

In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly held a special session on children, from which a document; A World fit for Children, was produced. This document sets out a number of health goals for children. One of such goals which is specific to injuries, calls on all member states to,’’reduce child injuries due to accidents or other causes through the development and implantation of appropriate measures.’’ In 2005, the same WHO and UNICEF issued calls for greatly expanded global efforts to prevent child injury. This was followed in 2006 by WHO’s ten year plan of activities on child injury.

In addition,the WHO/UNICEF in 2008 in a report, titled, World Report on child injury prevention, expressed concern that every day around the world, the lives of more than 2000 families are torn apart by the loss of a child to an unintentional injury or so-called ‘’accidents’’ that could have been prevented…’’It noted that children injuries have been neglected for many years.

Children’s maturity and their interest and needs differ from adults, the report further stated.Therefore; simply reproducing injury prevention strategies that are relevant to adults does not adequately protect children, it warned. The report affirmed that there are proven interventions such as child seat which is the trust of this campaign.Others include, cycling helmets, childresistant packaging for medications, fencing around swimming pools, hot water tap temperature regulations and window guards, to name a few The above is proof that children, rank high in the vulnerable user graph? Last year, the incidence of child death was worrisome. With the 2015 enforcement deadline for compulsory use of seatbelt by all occupants, we must emulate global safe practices such as the United Kingdom where alarm over the”disastrous” figures for 2006 vulnerable road users particularly children prompted drastic actions.

CONCLUDED

Limited

We dey wash Everybody’s always tryna be posh Pretending like say we dey floss But if u really check am na wash we dey wash We dey lie To look better than the next we try And everybody is a balling guy But if u really check am na wash we dey wash - Wash-Wash by Eldee D Don Very dope song by a dope artisteEldee. This song is so on point and it scores a bull’s eye in this piece I put together.

Look around and see how fast people are changing before your very eyes. Garri and sand mixed together, but the packaging na Semovita. Na wash!

When we say somebody “na wash”, it means that this type of person lives by this mantra: “It’s all about me”.

They would always talk about themselves. You will also notice that they brag a lot about themselves, materialistic possessions, what they know, who they know or how well they are doing. Most of the time, the words from their mouth are a pack of lies, which they must keep coming because that’s the only way they feel a sense of belonging. In short, they would always find something to make them seem better or look better than you.

Na wash!

Everybody’s always tryna be posh Pretending like say we dey floss Musicians these days dey ‘flabagas’ me joor. In the business, “hype” is to call attention to a particular product you want to sell, or in my case, to challenge the stereotyping of people who are different. But if hype becomes a way to announce one’s arrival into affluence when you are actually living in penury, my guy, na wash!

Na all musicians go be multimillionaires? How do unrealistic hype and living a fake life credit your account?

Abegi!!

Verse 1: Me? I don’t go to the mainland I stay close to Banana Island Excuse me what is BRT When in the club I chill in VIP Huh, I’m going to feature Wyclef Jonathan dey pick my call himself Ooooh Jay-z too dey ping me jor I been dey follow Messi play before Enter Nollywood my guy, you go bow.

This is where you see many fine faces without skills and because they must impress and belong, they sleep around with politicians to make ends meet. Yes o, na me talk am. Apart from the few who have really paid their dues, worked hard in Nollywood and have established themselves, a lot of them are doing runs. Na wash!

How much are they paid for a shoot wey dem just turn to Ajala, today na Dubai, tomorrow London?

Verse 2: I’ve never eaten amala I’ve never tasted alomo or paraga Me? I’ve never taken okadaI I’ve never ever had pure water I only wear human hair o It’s from Dubai me I don’t ever shop here o I have four blackberry handsets I’m going to have my wedding in Seychelles Practically, most things and people in Naija today na wash; total lies. If you want to meet enough wash wash people, come to Abuja, that’s where most of them reside. It’s not that they do not exist in other places but Abuja is the hub of wash wash. Everybody dey form wetin dem no be. Kai, my eyes have seen things! The kinds of people that are in Abuja are those who could not cope where the real hustle is. Fake people!

Fake leaders dem just de carry person dey form mugu. Where they are supposed to perform they ask us to pray.

Na wash!

Will God come down and do the things that they are supposed to do?

Nothing works, no good roads, no good government hospitals, no employment, no electricity, nothing!

But every election period, promises are made here and there…but in the end we don’t see any one fulfilled. Na wash!

Verse 3: U see the lord sent me to you It is well just sow a seed or two The more you sow the more you reap Do more my guy don’t be cheap I’m a youth too i share your plight That’s why I’m here to fight for your right Vote for me and i will give you light After we win everything will be alright Our politicians are not our religious leaders so it is not their job to pray or ask us to pray, it is their job to act in favour of the masses. But is the blame just on them when the masses themselves na wash?

Many of us are ready to receive, eat and wipe our mouths, not caring if our neighbours starve to death. Our leaders know how gullible and selfish we are, so they take advantage of us the more. Since we are no different from them, how can we fight for what is really ours?

Check yourself! Are you lying to yourself or pretending to be something you are not? Time no dey for all that one. In the end you will regret all the lies because you are the one bearing the heat from beneath. This wash wash ministry na serious case, lets open our eyes and minds as well.

57

weekend politics Saturday, November 15, 2014

Weekend Politics Editor: Chibuzo ukaibe

PVC: Anxieties, Hiccups, Backlash Trail INEC’s Distribution The third phase of the distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) started on a sour note across the states involved. Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abubakar Salihi, Stanley Uzoaro, Mu’azu Elazeh and Anayo Onukwugha xray the situation in some states.

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he third phase of the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and Continuous Voters Registration by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has left a trail of dissatisfaction and heightened suspicion of foul play by the electoral commission.

The current controversy over the distribution of Permanent Voter’s Card has yet again resurrected concerns about the commission’s capability at rewriting Nigeria’s history of flawed elections.

In a repeat of the proceding two phases, INEC has come under a lot of criticism for the shoddy handling of the process, especially, the logistics.

Taraba, Zamfara, Gombe, Kebbi, Benue, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Enugu and Kogi, states were in the first phase.

The states involved in the second phase of the programme are Yobe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Sokoto, FCT, Kwara, Anambra, Ebonyi, Ondo, Oyo, Delta and Cross River.

States in the phase 3 PVC distribution and CVR exercise are Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Imo, Lagos, Ogun, Edo and Rivers.

However this third phase has generated more heat. Perhaps

this is because it has some of the states with the highest voter propensity, including Lagos, Kano and Rivers States and also that they are under the control of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to INEC, out of the 70, 383, 427 eligible voters in its register, Lagos has 5, 426, 818; Kano has 4, 751, 818; while Rivers State has 2,466,977.

Moreover, the commission has severally maintained that there will be no use of temporary cards as only permanent cards would be used for the electoral exercises 2015.

All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu lambasted INEC over the way it was going about the distribution, declaring that the electoral body failed in the distribution of PVC in the state.

He said in every one of the 11 lo­ cal governments in the state where the first phase of the distribution of the PVC was monitored by key party of­ ficials, the reports brought back were unanimous that INEC’s performance was abysmally poor.

He emphasised that the best thing for INEC to do was to start afresh, stat­ ing that what has happened smacks of a collusion to rig the election in favour of the

government at the centre.

His words: “This is a co­lossal failure and it has erod­ ed my confidence in INEC to be able to midwife a success­ ful 2015 election.”

The Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola, also said INEC has failed in the state, PVC, alleging that the manner the exercise was conducted suggested that the commission planned to disenfranchise the people of the state.

“It seems to me that if INEC does not mean to disenfranchise them, the exercise must be extended. You cannot say you do not intend to disenfranchise us and not give us the fullest opportunity to collect what enfranchises us, then what you say is unimportant because the only measure of proof that we have is what you do”.

With some of these reservations expressed early in the process, the commission quickly postponed the exercise in some of the states. They described the hiccup as technical reasons with a promise to commence the exercise on November 28, 2014 in some states.

However in Edo State, there was a challenge of a different kind as about 4, 658 PVCs, were snatched in various parts of the state during the distribution of

Jega

the manner the exercise was conducted suggested that the commission planned to disenfranchise the people of the state

the cards.

The Edo State Residential Electoral ommission, Baritor Kpagih, who disclosed this, added that the commission had since reported the theft to the Nigerian Police for investigation and prosecution of those found culpable in the crime.

He assured that anyone found with PVCs that were not legally given to them by INEC during the general elections would be arrested and handed over to the police.

The state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, however praised the process. He said the turnout of registered voters who had come out to collect their cards was impressive and also commended the ad hoc staff of INEC for sticking to the rules.

“I am encouraged by the turn out, and I also commend members

58

This Week On Backlash The recent declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 presidential election has stirred up a back and forth arguement between the two leading political parties, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). The declaration has yet again opened up the debate over the economy, security and good governance under the current administration.

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58 weekend politics

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Backlash

Jonathan’s Presidential Declaration Insensitive – APC

M

with his latest act of blatant hardheartedness, President Jonathan is only continuing along his well-trodden path of acting without deep introspection

iffed by the declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan to join the race for 2015, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it was insensitive and callous for the president to declare his second term ambition a day after almost 50 students were killed and about 80 injured in a suicide bombing in Potiskum.

“Since this president has chosen to celebrate a national tragedy, Nigerians should also be ready to celebrate his electoral failure next year,” the party said in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed.

APC said with his latest act of blatant hardheartedness, President Jonathan is only continuing along his well-trodden path of acting without deep introspection.

“When about 60 students were killed in the terror attack on the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, in February 2014, President Jonathan never visited the scene to commiserate with the families of the victims. When over 80 peo-

ple were killed in the first Nyanya bombing in April 2014, President Jonathan went dancing ‘Azonto’ in Kano less than 48 hours later. And when almost 300 girls were freshly abducted in Chibok, President Jonathan neither acted fast enough to rescue the girls nor visited the village. His administration even denied anyone was abducted, until 19 days after!

It wondered what purpose the so-called Safe Schools Initiative of the federal government is serving, when over 70 students were killed and more than 100 maimed within a week in two separate attacks targeting schools in Potiskum alone, saying: “The Safe Schools Initiative will remain a mere tokenism until the fundamental problem of insurgency, which has claimed thousands of lives, is conclusively addressed. Mr President, what Nigerians want is not an isolated Safe Schools Initiative, but a Safe Nigeria Initiative.”

APC said it is usually the practice for leaders who seek re-election to tout the achievements that would justify their return, adding, however, that in the case of President

Mohammed

Jonathan, there has been nothing but blood, tears, sorrow and the gnashing of teeth by Nigerians since he assumed office, hence he has nothing to showcase but lies!

The party wondered how President Jonathan could, in good conscience, even ask Nigerians to reelect him when he has wasted the mandate given to him in the first instance, adding that nothing shows the president’s incompe-

tence and cluelessness more than the failure of his administration to provide security for the citizenry.

“This is undoubtedly President Jonathan’s biggest and most fundamental failure. At times it goes beyond incompetence to perhaps even collusion, or how else does one explain that the rate and intensity of attacks have increased in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe since they were placed under a state of emergency last year?

“How does one explain that more lives are being lost to the insurgency at a rate that is directly proportional to the increase in spending on defence and security? From 5.07 billion US dollars in 2010 to 7.12 billion US dollars in 2014, the Boko Haram insurgency has fuelled increases in security spending to around 25% of annual federal government budget. In light of the rebasing of Nigeria’s GDP (put at N80.3 trillion or $509.9 billion), the yearly average for 2010-14, which is $6.58 billion, is equal to 1.3% of GDP, while the total for the 5 budget years amounts to 6.5% of Nigeria’s GDP”, APC queried

PVC: Anxieties, Hiccups, Backlash Trail INEC’s Distribution 57

of the National Youth Service Corps, who are being used to distribute the PVCs. You can see that they are sticking to the rules, because I came to collect my PVC but forgot my temporary card at home; they didn’t give me my PVC until I sent somebody home to get the initial card.”

The governor, who noted that reports of hitches in some areas had reached him, however, expressed the belief that INEC would take steps to address the issues.

He said that before the end of the exercise, both INEC and the political parties would reconcile the number of cards available with the number of registered voters in the 2, 627 polling units across the state.

For Kano State, the exercise before it was postponed had experienced a large turnout of eligible voters who thronged polling units to grab their voter cards.

In Fagge local government area, the exercise commenced at 8 am, as scheduled by the electoral body, and there was a huge crowd of people at the polling units, in

several places in the area.

Similarly, in Ja’en area of Gwale local government area, it was gathered that the polling units were chaotic due to high number of people gathered to collect their voter cards, though there was no report of violence in the area.

Meanwhile, some people in Fagge local government, who spoke to Leadership Weekend, complained that the exercise was marred by irregularities in the area.

According to them, misplacement of voter cards as well as missing cards were recorded in the exercise in the area.

Speaking, Hajiya Mimi Murtala, said she went to the polling unit where she was issued her temporary card but could not find her PVC, and the information did not appear on the list. “ This is the both where I was issued my temporary voter card, but to my dismay and surprise, I couldn’t get my card. The worst part of it, my name didn’t appear on the list.”

According to Ladi Yahaya, a resident of Fagge A ward, she was

baffled when she got her card, the picture appeared on the card was not hers.

In Katsina State, where it was also postponed, residents have continued to express mixed feelings over the exercise.

While some are optimistic that the exercise will record little or no hitches judging by the level of preparations and arrangements made, others are sceptical about the whole exercise.

Speaking to our correspondent, the Katsina state chairman of APC, Dr Mustapha Inuwa said INEC have no reason to fail in Katsina State as it ought to have learnt one or two lessons from what happened during the distribution in other states.

“We expect INEC to do what it ought to do in ensuring orderly distribution of these cards and indeed, hitch free conduct of the continuous voter registration. But then we have some suspicion that the state government is trying to interfere” Responding to a query about his expectations, Wada Siyaya, the PDP chairman of Musawa council area said “We expect to see

an orderly distribution, devoid of serious hitches. At our own level as political leaders, we will support the exercise because it is central to our democracy.”

In Rivers State, before the postponement of the exercise, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi had declared Friday, November 7, a work-free day to enable people of the state participate in the exercise, as he sympathised with INEC over its inability to carry out the exercise in all the 23 local government areas of the state, and prayed that the commission find solution to the problem very soon.

Addressing journalists at Government House, Port Harcourt Amaechi said, “We sympathise with INEC and we join them to pray that they find a solution to the remaining local government areas. In my local government area, there are some units that were registered but the names of some people have been omitted completely. So, there will be fresh registration.”

The governor, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), called on the people of the

Before the end of the exercise, both INEC and the political parties would reconcile the number of cards available

weekend politics 59

Saturday, November 15, 2014

the lashback

Jonathan’s Declaration Has Thrown APC Into Confusion – PDP

Nigerians, by their massive support on Tuesday, showed that they know the truth and are solidly behind their president

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has noted that Tuesday’s landmark declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan, the overwhelming support shown

by Nigerians and the catalogue of unprecedented verifiable achievements marshalled out, have thrown the APC into confusion.

PDP national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement on Thursday said the APC in their “characteristic manner, instead of accepting the successes already acknowledged by Nigerians, went into their usual shadowboxing and mischievous propaganda in a failed attempt to score a cheap political point.”

The ruling party said such a lurid epithet by the APC defies logic, while calling it hypocritical and opportunistic. It therefore called for objectivity and

Olisah-Metuh

forthrightness from the political class, especially the opposition, as the campaigns for the 2015 general elections begin in earnest.

It further berated the APC for always seeking to gain political capital from the security chal-

lenges in the nation, adding that “Nigerians, by their massive support on Tuesday, showed that they know the truth and are solidly behind their president.”

The statement said notwithstanding that he defied the expectations of the terrorists and their sponsors to go ahead with the declaration, a day after the Potiskum bombing, the president and the PDP stand unyieldingly by the mourning families as his disposition, speech and mobilising of over 100,000 Nigerians in prayers at the event clearly showed.

It added that for the APC to cry wolf over this declaration which was scheduled almost a month before the bombing, means the opposition party is either lacking in institutional memory or suffering from a de-

liberate amnesia.

“Nigerians may recall that on the 20th of May, 2014, there were twin bomb blasts in the city of Jos, killing 118 people and wounding at least 56 others. However, this tragedy on the nation did not restrain the APC from holding its so called “Mega Rally” in Ekiti the very next day, May 21 in promotion of the gubernatorial campaigns of the then Governor Kayode Fayemi.

“The entire top hierarchy of the APC, its national leaders, governors and the Interim National Executive were in attendance. At the rally, the APC scarcely observed a minute silence in honour of fellow Nigerians mowed down in cold blood before charging the atmosphere with usual insults and loathing acts of insensitivity, speaker, after speaker,” it said.

PVC: Anxieties, Hiccups, Backlash Trail INEC’s Distribution 58

state to ensure that they collect their Permanent Voter Card (PVC), while those who did not register during the last voters’ registration exercise to do so, in order to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.

He said, “For our votes to count, every Rivers man or woman, and who is a Rivers man or woman?

It is anybody who lives in Rivers State. That person is a Rivers man or woman and you will have the support of the Rivers State government to go and collect the PVC. “Having said that, even those who are in PDP too, it is important for all of us to go and collect our voter cards. And those who have not registered, there are some wards or units that their names were either omitted or. I think about 18 in Rivers State, they should also get registered afresh.

For Imo State, residents lamented the shortage of materials for the continuous Voters Registration (CVR)in the state.

The residents who took the advantage of the public holidays declared by the state government to ensure full compliance with the exercise told LEADERSHIP Weekend that they were disappointed mostly by the shortage of the electronic machines for the exercise.

At Umudagu Mbeiri ward in Mbaitoli local government area

of the state, a resident, Obirieze Ngozi complained of the usage of one machine for the entire ward, thereby preventing them from participating in the exercise.

“Even the only machine provided is not working, they told us that virus have entered the system, making most of us not to see our PVC,” Ngozi stated.

However, the state deputy governor, prince Eze Madumere who monitored the exercise expressed his disappointment with the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) who he said have not shown their seriousness.

When contacted, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Selina Oko explained that the machines were provided one each for the wards in the state.

However as the criticisms trail the third phase of the distribution of PVC INEC quickly denied allegations of delisting voters and foul play, admitting however that the process faces “temporary challenges.”

Also, the electoral commission specifically denied allegations that it has removed the records of 1.4 million persons from the Register of Voters compiled in 2011 in Lagos State.

INEC which admitted that it announced a figure of 6.1m registrants in the state by 2011, however said the figure was reduced to 4.6m after the data

was subjected to the Automated Fingerprints Identification System (AFIS) as well as discovery that there were data losses.

While, the commission has repeatedly stated that only voters with the PVC will be allowed to vote in the 2015 general elections, the phase three distribution of permanent voter cards approved by the INEC for Kano, Edo, Plateau, Ogun and Imo states kicked off November 7 with complaints.

Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu in a statement said “contrary to allegations in some quarters, no duly registered person has been delisted from the Register of Voters; neither will any be denied his / her PVC. “This reassurance is against the backdrop of temporary challenges that have been experienced in the third phase of the distribution of PVCs in some states, which the Commission has been making vigorous efforts to remediate.

“INEC has since Friday, November 7th, 2014, been distributing PVCs to registered voters in nine states across the country under the third phase of the exercise.

“Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is scheduled to hold in the same states from Wednesday, November 12th to Monday, November 17th, 2014.

“Similar exercises have already

been conducted in 24 other states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the first and the second phases of the programme.

“The Commission deferred the distribution of PVCs in four other states it had earlier listed for this third phase because the cards for those states have not been fully delivered by printers. It is partly for the same reason that the Commission rescheduled the distribution of PVCs in limited areas of Lagos and Nasarawa states.

“The outstanding cards will, however, be certainly distributed in good time before the 2015 general election. They are presently being produced and have been scheduled for distribution under the fourth phase of the exercise from Friday, November 28th to Sunday, November 30th, 2014.”

“The Commission has made provision for eligible persons for whom PVCs could not been printed due to data loss or defective data to come out from Wednesday, November 12th to Monday, November 17th, 2014 for their data to be recaptured during the CVR. “In special consideration for the 1,792 polling units in Lagos State where the challenge of data loss is much pronounced, the CVR will take place at the polling unit level, as against the Registration Area (RA) level in other parts of the state.”

Contrary to allegations in some quarters, no duly registered person has been delisted from the Register of Voters; neither will any be denied his / her PVC

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

Akwa-Ibom nest of champions: Punch missed the point (A reaction to the back page column entitled “Governor Money-Miss-Road” by Abimbola Adelakun in The Punch of Thursday, November 13, 2014)

By John AkpAide

I

t is the opinion of one of Nigeria’s most distinguished journalists, Ray Ekpu, that column writing has been bastardised in Nigeria. the time-honoured tradition in countries with strong media tradition is for veteran journalists, and those who have had robust experience and gathered respectability, renowned and worthwhile readership to write columns. that is not the case in Nigeria. Here names crop up in the press daily without pedigree, without renown, without readership. these writers lack experience and are irreverent, combative, and, above all, they deploy gutter language and insults in articles. Giving a column to such persons in a respected newspaper like “The Punch” is like giving a machine gun to a toddler and putting his finger on the trigger. These are like drunks in a chinaware shop. Such people are men and women with tar brushes, who are inebriated with their newfound platform and use same to defame and insult people with some sadistic relish.

One of the names that fit the bill above is Abimbola Adelakun. She is “The Punch’s” mistake on most thursdays. Anyone who has had the patience to read her intemperate articles would be shocked that The Punch suffers her to bore her readers with her insolent pieces. She even once accused President Goodluck Jonathan of “closing his eyes to corruption and every other imaginable vice in his administration.” that is how cheeky and insolent she is! Such is her capacity for insolence and irreverence mixed with a natural ability for gutter language that you cannot read her without feeling sorry for her.

In The Punch of thursday November 14, 2014 (Back Page) she penned an article with the title, “Governor Money-Miss-Road.” You could see her twisted mindset and absolute disrespect for authority figures from this curious title. She did not “disappoint” in the body of the article as she (true to type) heaped all kinds of imaginable insults on Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State for infrastructures he has provided in Akwa Ibom State.

She ignorantly claimed that “sporting facilities in Nigeria is sheer waste of resources.” But this was a Freudian slip as she went on to fault other Akwa Ibom projects like the tropicana Entertainment Centre, which has not been completed yet. Yet she faulted the Akwa Ibom State Government of subsidising the Cineplex, but we will come to that. She is apparently annoyed with the uncommon transformation in Akwa Ibom State. the Bible talks about Sanballat and says that when he heard that Nehemiah had come to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, he was very mad – just like Abimbola Adelakun is mad and having constipation (her words) about what is happening in Akwa Ibom State.

She is used to the old narrative of Akwa Ibom people being house helps and nannies. She is not comfortable with the new narrative of things happening outside the Western Region – particularly in Akwa Ibom State of all places. Stadia should only be built in Lagos and Ibadan, and Akwa Ibom should play their games in bush paths. She is mad that Akwa Ibom is building a five-star entertainment center (the tropicana Entertainment Center). By her jaundiced view, only the West “have” the copyright (and the economy for such hospitality infrastructure) not poor Akwa Ibom (a land of woodcutters and the poor).

Hear her, “today, Akwa Ibom is rich, perhaps richer than several African countries put together.” that is a big fallacy. Lagos State is many times richer than Akwa Ibom in terms of internally-generated revenue and Federal Allocation.

Rivers State going by the same yardstick is richer than Akwa Ibom ten times over. But Adelakun is miffed that Akwa Ibom people may soon enjoy the good things of life, which had been the exclusive preserve of her cousins and nieces in the West.

She is jealous that other parts of Nigeria is join-

ing the development trend – we extend our sympathies to her but that is life, God routinely turns the captivity of His people. the irreverent article sought to denigrate all those who attended the event, including eminent dignitaries like the President of Ghana and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, President John Dramani Mahama; the President of Cote d’ Ivoire, President Alassane Ouattara; the President of Nigeria, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu; former President of Ghana, Mr Jerry Rawlings; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and a host of dignitaries and statesmen. So all these eminent personalities were wrong, and a certain upstart and ethnic jingoist in “The Punch” was right?

One thing jealousy does is that it beclouds logic. Her unfortunate treatise was a study in confusion and completely lacking in logic not to mention logical progression. She was embittered that the Stadium project “was wholly financed by the state government.” Should it have been debt-financed for her to be happy?

She claimed that “Days before the event, some journalists fed us to constipation with stories of the stadium’s magnificence. they threw up the phrase ‘world class’ while describing the edifice that at some point it became clichéd.” So all her journalist colleagues were wrong and she was right. One could imagine how her stomach turned (constipation) at the thought of all these happening in Akwa Ibom State. Poor lady!

She claimed the Governor at the Stadium commissioning talked about the earnings of sport stars and concluded that the Governor said, “that Nigeria deserves some share of the money…How that was supposed to happen from the stadium apparently escaped the governor’s top-down tunnel vision.” Poor lady! the governor did not need to expound on “how that was supposed to happen” because he believed he was addressing intelligent people who understood the global economic matrix. More so, he was given ten minutes to deliver his speech and he was not supposed to give a budget breakdown or present the feasibility study.

Even expecting this in an opening speech shows the level of ignorance of this lady with a tar brush.

What makes her think that the Stadia in Lagos and Abuja are not making money? Has she checked the revenue records or does she not dare allow the facts to interfere with her illogical conclusions?

Does she know that you have shops of all kinds, clinics, bookshops etc. and canteens in every stadium? Does she know that you always have daily activities in the stadium? Does she know that many of today’s star athletes cut their athletic skills in some stadia? No, she does not because she is living in a cocoon called “the Punch” and is yet to break out of it and understand her world.

Adelakun is a fiction writer who has a book to her

Does she know that you always have daily activities in the stadium?

Does she know that many of today’s star athletes cut their athletic skills in some stadia? No, she does not because she is living in a cocoon called “The Punch” and is yet to break out of it and understand her world.

credit. One bets you have never heard of it before, one never did too until one checked on her. She extended her fiction writing skills to this article by claiming that Governor Akpabio has signed a memorandum of understanding with Snowvalley Europe Limited for the building of snow resort in Akwa Ibom. A red lie! A group made a presentation to the administration on this and the Governor commended them for their presentation and left it at that. the issue was not followed up and no MOU was signed - except in Adelakun’s infantile imagination.

As stated earlier, the tropicana Entertainment Centre is not completed and Adelakun is already having “constipation” and “fits.” One hopes she does not have a heart attack when it is completed.

Only one aspect of the Centre, the Cineplex was completed and thousands of Akwa Ibom people trooped there to watch films. this is the only Cinema spot in the entire state and taking cognizance that governance is a social contract between the government and the governed, the Governor decided to subsidize the process and let more Akwa Ibom people watch the films and enjoy the facility.

Adelakun asked one of the most ignorant questions ever asked in the print media, “Where in the world does the state subsidise entertainment?”

Governments subsidize entertainment all over the world. the Canadian Government gives grants to and subsidizes the Canadian Feature Film Fund and the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund. the American Government does the same.

Here is a quote from The New York Times, “Hollywood may make movies about the evils of capitalism, but it rarely works without Government incentives, which are paid for by taxpayers.”

Again, when California had a budget surplus recently, state lawmakers debated whether to use the money to reverse cuts to social programs or spend up to $400 million (a whopping N7 billion) as a handout to the film industry. the Nigerian government under President Jonathan also gave a N3 billion grants to the film industry and only a hare-brained person will say this was misplaced, as the industry has helped the image of the country as well as provide jobs for thousands. So what was is Abimbola Adelakun talking about?

Hear her again, “Just how many matches can be played in Akpabio’s ‘world-class’ stadium every year to guarantee the place running without the government having to give it a crutch to stand? If 30,000 people paid N1, 000 to watch matches in that stadium every weekend (assuming that is ever possible), will it buy the diesel for the many generators necessary to supply power and keep the place running?” Her level of ignorance is absolutely shocking! In the stadium you have billboards that companies pay for monthly. You have shops. You have clinics. People rent the arena for events. You have bookstores. You have canteens.

You generate employment for tens of thousands of people. the area opens up to more economic activities. It is not all about matches, poor Adelakun!

Her suggestion that Akwa Ibom should save for the future is very touching but sounds like sour grapes. Let her give the advice to her State Government. In Akwa Ibom every project is designed to empower the people and lead to the employment of its citizens. Interlopers like Adelakun should come to terms with the fact that Akwa Ibom has emerged from the shadows and will never be put back there by all the Adelakuns in this world.

We admonish The Punch not to soil its name by handing out columns like groundnuts to whosever wields a pen and comes asking. We are sad that such a hollow article was passed by The Punch’s Editorial team. that newspaper has a pride of place in the Nigerian Media, it should cement its place in gold and not allow it to be soiled by amateurish articles like this on its hallowed back page. We urge The Punch to review Adelakun’s article objectively and be man enough to apologise to the Governor Akpabio and all the dignitaries who attended the event for Adelakun’s indiscretion.

Akpaide writes through johnakpaide@yahoo.com

61

Saturday, November 15,

E/Guinea To Host 2015 AFCON

Caf President, issa Hayatou

Equatorial Guinea will host the 2015 African Nations Cup after Morocco was stripped of the event having asked for it to be postponed over fears of the spread of the Ebola virus, the Confederation

of African Football (CAF) said yesterday.

Oil-rich Spanish-speaking Equatorial Guinea, one of Africa’s smallest countries with a population of just about 600,000, hosted the 2012 finals with neighbours Gabon but will take on the 16-team tournament on its own from January 17 - February 8.

Morocco was on Tuesday stripped of the right to host the finals with the North African country also disqualified from taking part in the tournament after its request for a postponement was rejected by CAF. CAF said the decision on the

new hosts was made after a meeting in Malabo on Friday between Equatorial Guinea’s president Teodoro Obiang and CAF president Issa Hayatou.

“The head of state of Equatorial Guinea agreed to host the competition. As a result, the CAF executive committee confirms that the tournament will go ahead and Equatorial Guinea will compete as the host nation,” a statement from African soccer’s governing body said.

Equatorial Guinea had been disqualified from the preliminaries in August for fielding an illegible player.

AFCON Qualifiers: Eagles Go For Broke Against Congo

By Salifu uSman, Abuja

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on the Red Devils of Congo in a make or mar cracker for a place in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations slated for Equatorial Guinea next year.

The African champions are at the third position in group A with four points out of 12 after four round of matches and a win against Congo could give them a chance to qualify.

However, the Congolese are also aiming for a place at next year’s tournament.

They’re second on the log in group A with seven points after two wins and one draw, one point behind the group leader, South Africa who is on eight points. Therefore, this match is undoubtedly one of the anticipated ties of the weekend as it means Coach Stephen Keshi and his boys are in a ‘do or die’ situation.

Although the African champions’ confidence could be high following their 3-1 victory over Sudan last month and Congo may have defeated their visitors 3-2 in the first leg, Nigerians are sure of getting the right result in Pointe Noire today.

Keshi believes his boys would do the country proud.

“I am sure we will win. We have done everything on our part. Now we just have to ask Nigerians to pray for us,” he stated.

The former Hawks of Togo and Eagles of Mali coach also shrugged off concerns of many Nigerians that the artificial surface which the game would be played on may affect his boys’ performance, stressing that “it will not be a problem.”

“We know what to expect. It’s never an easy thing and that is why I left out Victor Moses from this trip (to Congo) because he’s just recovering from an injury. All the boys I selected are warriors who will fight to the death on Saturday.”

However, his Congolese counterpart, Claude Leroy, who masterminded his side’s stunning victory over Super Eagles in September, in Calabar, said he has Keshi and his

The Super Eagles

team code number. The African champions were stunned 3-2 at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar thanks to goals from Prince Oniangue and Thievy Bifouma who rendered a double-to-render efforts from Efe Ambrose and Gbolahan Salami theoretical.

Leroy said hard work, attention to detail and complacency from the Super Eagles were a combination of factors that led to the unlikely result.

“I studied a lot before we faced Nigeria the first time. This is because Nigeria is at a much higher level compared to us.

“It was clear they had better players and to win, we needed to work very hard as a team. We watched a lot of videos of Nigeria together and analysed their strengths and weaknesses.

“I even had to procure a 100-page document used by France to defeat Nigeria at the round of 16 of the 2014 World Cup to help us.

“Also, on the day of the game, I think Nigeria relaxed a bit after they scored early. They assumed that they did not have to work too hard for the win and it was a mistake. The Super Eagles woke up in the

second half and put us under a lot of pressure but we worked very hard,” Leroy told supersport.com.

The former Black Stars of Ghana coach is however full of respect for Nigeria and believes today’s tie will not be easy for his team.

“Nigeria is still a great side and they are coming (to Pointe-Noire) for a win. They have great players like (Vincent) Enyeama, (Efe) Ambrose, (Ahmed) Musa and (Emmanuel) Emenike who is very strong.

But just as we did the first time, we have worked hard to study Nigeria,” he said.

Bankers Games: Skye, UBA Lead Race For Semi-final There were no surprises on the last day of the group round of games as Ecobank and Skye Bank won their respective fixtures to finish top and second in Group A while Sterling Bank and Standard Chartered Bank shared the points to complete the Group B qualifying quartet.

However, it is the race for the golden boot that took anoth-

er turn as Seun Mohammed of Skye Bank leaped over the rest after hitting a brace in Skye Bank’s 2-0 defeat of new Boys, Heritage Bank. He now tops the scorers’ log with three goals in four games.

But it is the weekend of the quarter finals and crunch tackles to claim a place in the last four with Skye Bank, the cup holders

looming large with their immaculate record from the group stage that they finished with the maximum 12 points. It is the lot of Sterling Bank to face their last season’s eliminator at this same stage. Tunde Olanrewaju had opened scores for Sterling Bank and Shola Akintayo responded seven minutes after for regulation time to end 1-1 before Skye

Bank triumphed on penalties 5-4.

UBA, last year’s runners-up will square up against Group A fourth placed team, Stanbic IBTC and again this is another gritty fixture that is unpredictable. Stanbic was not in the fray last year and came into this season as the unknown but made against odds to finish fourth to reach this stage.

First Bank and Standard Chartered are matched for the third semifinals slot while Fidelity Bank paired against ECOBANK in a fixture they would attempt to replicate their dominance of athletics in football to emerge the real champions of the Bankers Game All the matches would be played today at the National Stadium Legacy Pitch in Lagos.

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Egypt, Senegal In For Crunch AFCON Clash The Pharaohs of Egypt are scheduled to meet Senegal’s Lions of Teranga in a 2015 AFCON qualifier today. Egypt go into this encounter sitting at position three in group G after two wins out of four games and a win in their next matches could give them a chance of qualification.

However, the Senegalese are also aiming for a place at next year’s tournament. They’re in position two with two wins and one draw, one point above the Egyptians. This match is undoubtedly one of the anticipated ties of the weekend as it means Egypt are in a do or die situation.

Although Egypt could be high on confidence following their two victories over Botswana last month, the visitors have played a draw and lost to Tunisia in the past, giving them a sort of an disadvantage in Cairo to bounce back.

Coach Shawky Gharib will

hope his men such as Mohammed El-Neny and Mohamed Salah come back and show the same hunger they displayed against the Zebras of Botswana.

However, the Lions of Teranga felt hard done by their loss against Tunisia last month and will hope to topple Egypt with

their campaigners such as Papy Djilobodji and Cissokho Issa.

Coach Alain Giresse will also bank on the log standings advantage he enjoys over the Pharaohs hence a win in Cairo could make things easy for them to win at home in the return leg against Botswana four days later.

Uganda coach Milutin Sredojevic

Uganda’s Cranes Target Win Over Ghana Uganda Cranes will be eager to pick maximum points when they host Ghana in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier today.

Head Coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic told MTNFootball.com that although the Black Stars will be minus inspirational coach Asamoah Gyan, he still thinks the visitors will be a tough opponent.

“We cacnot take Ghana for granted because they top Group E with eight points and also have several professional players featuring in big League around the world,” added the Coach. In their first leg meeting in Kumasi, the Black Stars needed a second half penalty to cancel out Tony Mawejje’s goal to settle for a 1-all draw.

But Sredojevic thinks the match on Sunday is a must win if his team is to have a chance of qualification for Afcon which has eluded them since 1978. “We are third in the Group with four points and another win would put us in a good position before we travel to face Guinea next week,” reasoned Sredojevic.

Skipper Andrew Mwesigwa is expected to lead the Cranes together with South African based Geoffrey Massa and goalkeeper Dennis Onyango. In the absence of Gyan, Olympiue Marseille’s Andrew Ayew is expected to captain the Black Stars at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.

Midfielders Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Christian Atsu and Solomon Asante could have a great part to play for the Black Stars who need a clear win to qualify for the Afcon finals before their last Group game next week against Togo.

Bafana Bafana of South Africa

Indomitable Lions of Cameroon

S/Africa, Cameroon, Tunisia Set To Seal 2015 AFCON Spots South Africa, Cameroon and Tunisia will qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)– wherever it takes place – this weekend if they beat Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana respectively.

Algeria and Cape Verde have already qualified for the 2015 tournament whose original hosts Morocco were stripped of the rights to stage the January 17 to February 8 finals over concerns over Ebola.

South Africa are top of Group A with eight points and are playing for the first time since the murder of skipper Senzo Meyiwa.

If they beat Sudan on Saturday in Durban – the hometown of the slain Orlando Pirates goalkeeper – will give them an unassailable 11 points.

“I think it’s going to be very important for us to win this game because it will be a befitting send-off for the late Senzo,” said coach ‘Shakes’ Mashaba, whose team could still earn an automatic passage to the Africa

Cup should third-placed Nigeria fail to beat Congo in Pointe-Noire.

“One other thing we have been preaching is that the spirit of our late captain prevails in the team.

“Everybody has to have this mentality that we have to play to the best of our abilities like the late Senzo had been doing.”

Brilliant Khuzwayo, Darren Keet and Siyabonga Mpontshane are now battling to be named in goal for the late Meyiwa.

Striker Sibusiso Vilakazi has pulled out of the squad with a toe injury, while May Mahlangu said he is too tired to play for his country and he has subsequently been banned from the national team.

Bafana Bafana beat Sudan 3-0 in Omdurman in September in the first match between the two sides.

Congo and African champions Nigeria are also locked in a tussle in the same Group A with the Super Eagles in serious danger of

missing out on the 16-team tournament after they lost to Congo and Sudan.

Cameroon are expected to book their ticket from Group D with a win in Yaounde against second-placed DR Congo. The fourtime champions are on 10 points, four points clear of DRC who they beat 2-0 in the reverse fixture three months ago.

Cote d’Ivoire are expected to get their campaign back on track in the same group by doing the double over Sierra Leone in Abidjan after they defeated the Leone Stars 2-1 in September.

This match will be played in Abidjan because of the severity of the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone.

Tunisia also top Group G on 10 points and a win in Botswana will qualify them for their 17th appearance at the Nations Cup. They dominated the game when they hosted the southern Africans in Tunis but only won 2-1.

Ethiopia Face Algeria Without Key Player Ethiopia will face Algeria today in a 2015 AFCON qualifier without one of their inspirational stars Saladin Said. The injured player, who joined Egyptian giants Al Ahly early this year, and South African based professional Getaneh Kabede, who scored one of the goals in the 3-2 win over Mali, will also miss the game due to suspension.

In their first meeting Algeria stopped Ethiopia 2-1 in Addis Ababa, but Coach Jeronimo Mariano Barreto thinks they can also collect maximum points away.

After falling to Uganda 3-0 in an international build-up on Sunday, Barreto said it was a good wake-up

call for his team. “The loss to Uganda will motivate us to push even harder against Algeria,” added the coach who has been under pressure for registering un-convincing results.

“We know Algeria is a very strong team, but we are determined to give our best and get a good result,” Barreto told Supersport.com after their loss to Uganda on Sunday in an International friendly.

Algeria, who have already qualified after collecting maximum points in all four matches, will most likely give chance to Baghdad Bounedjah, Islam Slimani and Hilel Soudani in the hunt for goals.

Porto FC attacking midfielder Ya-

Saladin Said

cine Brahimi, rtecently nominated for both Caf African Player of the Year and BBC African Footballer of

the Year is another player expected to play a pivotal role for the Desert Fennecs.

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

Willie Obiano

NSSF: Anambra Assures Athletes, Officials Of Better Welfare The Anambra State govenment has promised to ensure that members of the state contingent to the school sports festival are adequately taken care of.

The state commissioner for education, Kate Omenugha, made the promise on behalf of the government when she visited the team at their games village in Otukpo, Benue State yesterday.

Omenugha, who also met with the wife of Senate President, David Mark and officials of the school sports federation at their secretariat, lauded the impressive performance of the team at the festival so far.

She said that her ministry would ensure that all the benefits due to the athletes and their officials would be given them and appealed to them to continue to do their best.

The professor of mass communications told newsmen after addressing the team that the state was also going to embark on capacity building for coaches and sports officers.

She said that the state had

shared values which included respect for self, man and God and urged them to continue to shine among peers.

“Every member contingent including 80 officials, who are legally here, will surely get what is due to him or her from the government. Governor Willie Obiano is fully committed to the development of sports and education in Anambra and he is happy with your performance so far.

“We approved a large contingent give space to all of you to express yourselves in sports, the best is expected from you,” she said.

Also speaking, Olisa Nzemeka, chairman of Anambra Universal Education Board, thanked the Senate president for bankrolling part of the festival and bringing it to a local government. Nzemeka, who was a former vice president of NSSF, said it was good that the festival have been made closer to the grassroots but added that facilities should not be compromised.

NSSF: Anambra, Niger For Football Finals Anambra State U-13 football team and their Niger State counterpart are through to the finals of the football event of the ongoing National School Sports Festival (NSSF) in Otukpo, Benue State.

Anambra beat Kwara 5-4 on penalty after a barren draw at the end of regulation time to advance to the finals, while Niger defeated Kaduna by 2-1 to scale through.

In other events, cricket which featured as a scoring event for the first time ended on Thursday with Lagos winning gold in the male category ahead of Anambra and Niger who got silver and bronze medals respectively.

Anambra won gold in the female category, while Niger and Ebonyi went home with silver and bronze.

Ikem Asika, a national umpire

and coach of the Anambra team said he was impressed that cricket was now enjoying wider acceptance, while thanking the school sports federation for adopting the sport as a medal scoring event at its festivals.

Asika said that this would increase awareness on cricket in Nigeria and elicit interest of more youth in the “gentleman’s game”.

In Judo, Cross River won with 14 gold and two silver, followed

by Anambra with two gold, eight silver and five bronze and Lagos with two gold five silver and three bronze. Golf has also been concluded with Benue winning with seven gold, four silver and two bronze medals, Lagos was second with one gold and one silver while Cross River came third with no gold, three silver and two bronze.

Andy Murray and Roger Federer

Federer Happy Murray Avoided ‘Double Bagel’

R

oger Federer was two points away from beating one of his fiercest rivals without dropping a solitary game but said he was happy not to beat Andy Murray 6-0 6-0 on Thursday.

The Swiss great was leading 6-0 5-0 and 30-0 on the hapless Murray’s serve when he missed a routine volley and the Briton dug deep to register on the giant scoreboard at the O2 Arena.

Federer completed the demolition in the following game for a 6-0 6-1 victory that

sealed top spot in the group with the Swiss having already booked a spot in the last four of the ATP World Tour Finals for the 12th time in 13 appearances.

Anyone who witnessed the way he dismantled Murray, a player he shared an 11-11 career head-to-head with prior to Thursday’s clash, would tip him to claim a seventh yearend title.

Federer said it was an almost perfect performance, but he was not too upset at losing the penultimate game.

“Yeah, not so cool because

I wouldn’t want to be in that position,” the 17-times grand slam champion told reporters.

“I was happy to get it done.

At the end I was happy I didn’t win the second to last game to be quite honest.n It’s uncomfortable. I don’t know. I don’t like it.”

Federer is the only player to win 6-0 6-0 in the history of the tournament -- in 2005 against Gaston Gaudio in Shanghai -- and his emphatic victory on Thursday continued the run of one-sided group matches at this year’s version in London.

Kal Reveals World Title Aim Kal Yafai is targeting a world title shot in 2015, but firstly must overcome his toughest test against Everth Briceno.

The 25-year-old super-flyweight puts his unbeaten record on the line against the Nicaraguan in Dublin today.

A 13th straight win for Yafai will propel him further up the rankings, but he is not expecting an easy night against Briceno, a former world title challenger.

The 36-year-old dropped points defeats against Fernando Montiel and Omar Andres Narvaez, while he also extended Leo Santa Cruz in a late stoppage defeat.

But the Birmingham man has to handle this step-up in class if he wants to remain on course for major honours.

“I am moving in the right direction,” said Yafai. “It is still early in my career so

there is no need for me to rush anything, but when I get opportunities I will grasp them with both hands.

“I would like to win a world title towards the end of next year, it would be ideal. If I can stay injury free and get the wins then I don’t see why that can’t happen and there are some huge fights out there for me next year where I can really break out into the big time.

“I am expecting a really tough fight on Saturday. I am expecting it to be my toughest yet. The guy is big and experienced and has boxed for a world title on three occasions.

“He went to points on two of those occasions and got stopped in the 11th by Leo Santa Cruz, who is a brilliant fighter. So I am expecting a tough, tough night’s work.”

Kal Yafai

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So What If Tanko Al-Makura Is A Peacemaker?

BY Yakubu Lamai

Nasarawa State wears a carnival look today as Governor Tanko AlMakura celebrates his birthday. In this regard, Al-Makura has declared November 15 as “Day of peace in Nasarawa State”, and is leading citizens to walk for peace from Stadium Junction along Jos Road in Lafia to Total Roundabout. This peace walk and a display of tranquillity and harmony cannot dispel the fact that the state has intermittently being swept by tidal waves of communal clashes and violence. While some of these unfortunate incidents may have deep-rooted historical antecedents, a lot of these conflicts are artificially instigated by political interests. These recurring civil restiveness and inter-ethnic violence have been used in sections of the media as political trump cards by a vocal section of the opposition to smear the visible works of Governor Al-Makura and make him seem at loss as to how he can douse statewide tension, secure the lives of citizens and implant a “full-proof” mechanism that will guarantee peace and harmonious coexistence among the various ethnic groups under his stewardship.

The governor is concerned that those

who do not mean well for Nasarawa State will continue to hatch more nefarious chapters of their evil script as the 2015 elections approach. In reality, the good works of Al-Makura in Nasarawa State are so visible that “ko makaho ya gani!” (Even the blind can see). It is understandable that given Al-Makura’s unprecedented economic turnaround, whoever desires to topple his administration will have no choice than to either choose to instigate disaffection and ferment crises so as to dent the image and capability of Governor Al-Makura.

As campaigns for 2015 gain momentum, some politicians are beginning to discard maturity and sense of restraint in their choice of words.

Some seekers of public offices have no qualms stirring up their supporters and rile against those they perceive as opponents with words and antics that are frankly immature, inflammatory, abusive and instigative; all at the expense of the collective peace of society. The electorate themselves are being used as pawns in a carefully orchestrated ploy to question the integrity and capability of government. Superior argument is being thrown to the dogs while champions of religious, ethnic and emotional politics hold sway.

This is why the letter of peace written by Governor Al-Makura to commemorate his birthday is timely and relevant.

The violence in the state is as to an extent historically rooted but preeminently motivated by a clash of political interests. The merchandising of violence is a long-term ploy, so as to give the opposition a voice and political relevance with which to campaign during the forthcoming elections.

The approach to peace-building by Al-Makura is not only constructive but evidence-based. He has visited all the crisis-prone communities and assessed firsthand the situation.

He has devised a new security model to deploy more security personnel and implant posts at far-flung nooks and crannies of the state so as to contain the activities of mercenaries and war mongers. He has also adopted a long-term approach to peace building that portrays a conscientious effort to avert violence during the 2015 elections. While friends, foes and naysayers may play to the gallery with provocative statements and actions, Al-Makura has insisted on keeping a friendly mien, cool head and a statesman-like maturity; this is worthy of emulation by other states.

History has it that statesmen across

the world have written letters to the people they lead or spoken directly to them on radio and television, as a step towards redirecting public opinion and Governor Al-Makura has adopted this same strategy and written a special letter of peace to be distributed to all mosques, churches and schools and implore them to preach to their faithful to embrace peace as we approach elections. The government is putting in place a practical mechanism to allow every registered youth association, women group and cultural group and NGO to nominate one of their members to become a ‘peace envoy’. Al-Makura is also repeating a process of mediation as he has done in the past by meeting every tribe and ethnic group in the state on a one-on-one basis with a view to understanding their peculiar needs and areas of rouse. Government is also initiating a policy to recognise and reward any individual or organisation that encourages the promotion of peace in Nasarawa State.

As Governor Al-makura celebrates his birthday, we ask the Almighty to grant him the wisdom to build bridges of understanding among all good people of Nasarawa State.

– Lamai is the chief press secretary to Governor Al-Makura.

Suswam At 50: An Ode To The Poor

By Joseph Ode

Governor Suswam believed that in order to achieve sustainable development, it would be better to provide infrastructure that would create an enabling environment for investment, selfemployment, higher income generation, and enhanced standards of living

Johnson Ogbada, 19, an indigene of Obusa in Oju LGA of Benue State, graduated with an NCE in 2006. After a long spell of fruitless search for a job, first in Makurdi and later in Lagos and Abuja, he returned to Obusa to take care of his aged mother. Without any source of income, taking care of his mother was not an easy task; he became despondent. However, in 2010, Governor Gabriel Suswam came to commission the Obusa rural electrification project. With regular power supply now guaranteed, Ogbada decided to open a barbing salon with funds provided by his Lagosbased elder brother.

Later in 2013, the hitherto almost-impassible Oju-Obusa-Idele road was constructed and tarred. Today, Ogbada is generating reasonable income from his barbing salon for his up-keep and that of his family.

Samuel Ijir, 30, is a yam farmer in Anyin, Logo LGA. Before 2007, he was earning a miserly N50,000 per annum because his acreage was small and yields very low. However, since 2008 when he started taking advantage of the Suswam administration’s policy of supporting farmers with farm inputs such as subsidised fertiliser, his income has risen to an average of N200,000 per annum.

The stories of Ogbada and Ijir are typical of thousands of Benue people who have been lifted out of poverty by the Suswam-led administration since 2007. The vision and mission were clearly spelt out in the document, “Our Benue, Our Future.” It is all about how the administration has been transforming the lives of Benue

people through the provision of basic infrastructure such as urban and rural roads, rural electrification, water supply as well as health and environment services, among others.

This approach to economic and human development was premised on the maxim that, to feed a man for life, it is better to give him a fishing line than to give him fish.

Governor Suswam believed that in order to achieve sustainable development, it would be better to provide infrastructure that would create an enabling environment for investment, self-employment, higher income generation, and enhanced standards of living. Unlike in the past when a handful of people depended on random handouts from government for sustenance, the Suswam administration designed poverty alleviation policies, embedded in the development of infrastructure. The provision of electricity in rural areas makes it possible for enterprising individuals to set up small businesses such as welding, hairdressing salons, business centres/cybercafés, videoCD marketing, cold rooms for selling meat and fish, etc.

As soon as he assumed office, Governor Suswam launched headlong into the construction of rural and urban roads across the state. Within his first 100 days in office, he re-constructed over 100km of urban roads in Makurdi (the state capital), Otukpo and Katsina-Ala. By the end of his first term in 2011, the governor had reconstructed virtually all the streets virtually washed out in High Level, Wadata, Wurukum and North Bank areas of Makurdi. Most of the dual carriage roads in Makurdi were pro-

vided with pedestrian walkways and street lights, giving the town the befitting ambience of a state capital.

Governor Suswam carefully selected road projects in the state in such a way that all the three senatorial zones were almost evenly covered.

And most of the roads were those that linked two or more local government areas, such that almost all local government areas benefitted from the projects. By the end of his first term in 2011, the government had constructed or awarded contracts for the construction of about 418.38 kilometres of roads in zone A, 392.87 kilometres in zone B and 386.68 kilometres in zone C. The well-being of the rural populace, where the larger population of Benue people live, has also been enhanced by the agricultural policies of the Suswam administration. Some of these include the provision of over 12,000 tons of fertilisers at highly subsidised rates to farmers annually, provision of farm chemical sprayers, procurement and sale of over 500 tractors at generously subsidised rates to encourage mechanised farming, training of farmers and farm support personnel on livestock-improvement programmes. These and other measures are quietly boosting farm acreages, incomes and general well-being of the farmers.

To complement these agricultural and road infrastructure, the Suswam administration also implemented an expansive rural electrification programme that has connected over hundred settlements to the national power grid. On the whole, a total of 145 communities have benefitted directly from the rural electrification

programme of the administration.

The issue of poverty alleviation was so dear to the governor that he made it his priority for the second term. Even in the face of paucity of funds, he did not relent as he raised a bond of N13 billion from the capital market which was applied to the completion of major projects.

The latest major poverty alleviation and youth empowerment strategy, was the implementation of the state SURE-P programme in January 2014. Through this programme, government engaged 8,500 unemployed youths under different schemes such as graduate attachment, teaching, health, sports and environmental sanitation with monthly stipend of various sums.

The efforts of government in poverty alleviation, youths and women empowerment have been well-complemented by those of the Benue State first lady, Arc. (Mrs) Yemisi Dooshima Suswam. In January 2008, she set up a non-governmental organisation (Sev-Av Foundation) to control HIV/AIDS, encourage women and youths with skills and encourage the adding of value to agricultural production.” The foundation has embarked on a number of programmes including the establishment of skills acquisition centres in Vandeikya, Gboko, Makurdi, Otukpo and Oju. More could have been said but for space sake. It is expected that these poverty alleviation measures will have a multiplier effect on the people of Benue people for years to come. They are part of the reasons why Governor Suswam deserves to be celebrated as he marks his Golden Jubilee.

While friends, foes and naysayers may play to the gallery with provocative statements and actions, Al-Makura has insisted on keeping a friendly mien, cool head and a statesmanlike maturity

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

Benue 2015: Who Does The Cap Fit?

BY BEM TERHEMBA

Ahead of the 2015 governorship elections in Benue State, the aspirants, particularly those on the platform of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have intensified campaigns, consultations and alignments in preparations for the party primaries slated for November 2014, the primaries are the first popularity tests that aspirants would have to pass to contest the general elections.

This renewed vigour is coming on the heels of the conclusion of the ward delegates election conducted by the PDP across the country.

The conclusion of this all important exercise signals the commencement of the race to succeed the incumbent governor of the state, Rt. Hon Gabriel Suswam.

The campaigns are intense, vigorous and challenging, as aspirants try to out do each other. Right or wrong, sentiments and interests have become part

of the game.

The narratives have changed as the aspirants now truly understand that power belongs to the people in every political contest, and have indeed engaged the real electorate about their programmes and vision rather than the old way of imposition of leaders without vision.

There is a new dawn and hope that the leadership recruitment process in Benue is beginning to be strong and rooted in true democracy.

In the race for who succeeds the incumbent governor of the state are a rainbow collection of aspirants, however, it is a straight fight between Mr. John Hingah Biem who hails from Gwer East Local Government and Chief Samuel Ortom from Guma local government.

The two have invested time and energy in their campaigns and have visited every nook and cranny of the state, trying to sell themselves and what they will offer if given the man-

date.

The difference between the two front runners is that Mr Biem seems to have the solution and how to approach it, while Chief Ortom understands the issues but seems clueless on what approach to apply, which is a minus.

Biem, a former columnist, editor, director general, council sole administrator and permanent secretary, appears to be having an edge over the other contestants, perhaps because of his journalism background.

He looks set for the tax ahead with clear cut timelines.

He speaks authoritatively on how to turn around the agricultural and economic sectors and identifies the wastages the state records on account of lack of plants that would have been used to turn the raw materials into finished products and that shows that he knows what he is saying and how to tackle it.

On traditional institutions, health, unemployment, education as well as security, Benue

looks good and better if he succeeds Suswam.

Ortom on the other hand boasts more of followership, giving his background of a motor park tout, He also seems to have a clear idea of the issues as well, but does not have the answers that are tied to clear cut timelines.

He seems to be passionate about agriculture, unemployment, health and security, just like his major opponent (Biem) but he has not been able to tell the people in concrete terms how he intends to turn around the sector.

His idea of job creation cannot withstand the test of time because it does not have the needed foundation for it to last.

The preponderance of opinion and the emergence of a governor of any state must be complete, and situated in the proper context of competence and development not mere sentiments and parochial interests.

—Terhemba is a public commentator based in Abuja

The narratives have changed as the aspirants now truly understand that power belongs to the people

No National Service, No Elective Positions For Maverick Nigerians (2) ➔ CONCLUDED FROM YESTERDAY

By Achike Emejulu-Joe

The National Assembly is hereby invited to strongly consider and embed the provision of “No National Service or No NYSC– disqualifies one from being voted for in respect of any electoral position

The Nigerian military in their first advent into governance in Nigeria (1966 to 1979), despite their mistakes and fault-lines but in keeping with military patriotic tradition, first instituted the National Youth Service Corps in 1972 (NYSC) and afterwards the present national honours. The NYSC scheme requires all young Nigerians who graduate from universities and higher institutions in Nigeria and overseas to do a one-year compulsory national service before embarking on their choice careers. These Nigerians must have obtained their first degree on or before their 30th birthdays. Coming soon after the bitter experiences of the Nigeria – Biafra war, the NYSC established by General Yakubu Gowon was designed to promote national integration, selfless service to the nation and a sense of patriotic-nationalism in all future Nigerian leaders.

The national honours instituted afterwards also by the military were to be conferred on Nigerians of worthy character and distinctive services to the nation. These national honours include the high-

est – Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON), Commander Federal Republic (CFR), Member Federal Republic (MFR), Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), etc. These were not to be conferred on charlatans or political jobbers and people Nigerians euphemistically referred to as any-government-in-power (AGIP).

Again, Nigerians who are old enough would recall the famous patriotic speech of General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR on his assumption of office sequel to December 31, 1983 coup “this generation of Nigerians, in fact the future generation of Nigerians have no other country to call their own” This speech of General Buhari then, more than anything else fired the spirit of patriotic-nationalism and deep sense of selfless national service and commitment in Nigerians.

Today, the reverse is the case – especially with political charlatans and seekers of political and elected office across the broad spectrum of Nigeria – political party affiliation regardless!

As we progress towards the 2015 elections, there is a plethora of charlatans and political office seekers who have always manipulated

the system to secure choice national offices and national honours, in addition to their spurious academic degrees and epithets acquired overseas during the several years of military interregnum in Nigeria in the 1980s and 1990s. As the successful transition to economic-democratic governance began in Nigeria in 1999, these political job seekers and political charlatans came back to Nigeria, manipulated the system and secured choice positions as Special Advisers, senior special assistants, director-generals, even ministerial and commissioner positions. These office seekers are planning again to manipulate the system to emerge as governors and lawmakers without the foundation of previous selfless and sacrificial national service. However, there are exceptions. There are some honourable Nigerians who because of their unavoidable absence from Nigeria when they got their first university degree after the NYSC scheme took off, came back to Nigeria in recent times to serve in the NYSC – regardless of their current age.

About seven years ago, I recall encountering a middle-aged man who came back from the United State, and was serving in the NYSC then, he was fondly called by his fellow

younger youth corpers as “Papa the Corper.” Such are the honourable Nigerians who deserved to be celebrated. Those maverick Nigerians who in plain language evaded/dodged the NYSC scheme, neither did they serve with the police or in the military since they graduated in the last 30 years should not be celebrated or given opportunity to lead. These must be stopped through water-tight public-policy provisions in the up-coming 2014 Electoral Law. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that non-participation in the NYSC scheme or national service with the security forces by any Nigerian political office seeker, with university first degree qualifications obtained after the NYSC scheme began shall stand disqualified for any elected position in Nigeria from the 2015 elections onwards. The National Assembly is hereby invited to strongly consider and embed the provision of “No National Service or No NYSC– disqualifies one from being voted for in respect of any electoral position”.

—Emejulu-Joe a Chartered Accountant and public policy analyst wrote from Abuja ➔ CONCLUDED

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

3 Killed As Air Force Helicopter Crashes In Yola

BY MOHAMMED ISMAIL, Yola

Less than a week after a helicopter allegedly carrying expatriates and ammunition crashed near Damare Internally Displaced Person’s Camp, another helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Air Force has crashed near Modibbo Adama University of Technology, a few Kilometers from the site of the first crash, killing three persons on board.

Thursday’s crash caused serious pandemonium in Yola and its environs as students and residents of Sangere where the incident occured scampered to safety, fearing insurgents had launched an offensive.

Residents say they got panicky when they heard explosions which occurred in rapid succession as fire gutted the crashed aircraft.

“I was awakened by the sound of an explosion after the plane crashed and the weapons it was carrying started to explode,” a resident of the area, David Molomo, stated.

Following the mishap which occurred around 9 pm, rumours quickly spread through Yola and

environs and many of the residents fled into nearby bushes, thinking that Boko Haram terrorists were around the corner.

Meanwhile, the appointed leader (Amir) of Boko Haram in Mubi has been arrested by the hunters and civilian JTF who recaptured the town from the insurgents, many of whom fled to Gombi and Hong local governments of the state where they tried to launch reprisal attacks against the two communities, sparking off another round of confrontation between local hunters and the insurgents.

Sources from Gombi and Hong local governments said the fleeing insurgents launched attacks in several places, leading to death of about five persons in Hong local government and destroyed the prison in Gombi local Government, setting the inmates free while they burnt down a police station.

A resident of Gombi local government, Mallam Gambo said the insurgents had a field day in the town because soldiers and policemen had fled on learning that the insurgents were about to strike the town, leaving the people to their fate.

Court Stops PDP, INEC From Dissolving Party Exco In Oyo

BY Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

Justice Evoh Chukwu of a Federal High Court siting in Abuja has foiled attempts by former governor of Oyo state, Adebayo Alao Akala to take control of the structure of the Peoples Democratic Party’s executives in the state ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

The former governor who is nursing the ambition of returning to the government house lost to Governor Abiola Ajimobi in the 2011 elections.

He has been critical of the Hon. Yinka Taiwo led executive of the Oyo state chapter of the party and has been working to sack the executive members

and install a caretaker committee that will work for the realisation of his gubernatorial ambition in 2015.

Presently, 20 aspirants have indicated their interests to contest the forthcoming governorship election in the state on the platform of some of the registered political parties with majority of the aspirants belonging to the People’s Democratic Party.

In fact, 12 of the aspirants are of the PDP stock.

As preparations for the election heightened, supporters of the former governor, Alao Akala, petitioned the national chairman of the party seeking the dissolution of the Hon. Yinka Taiwo led executives which he accused of not living up to expectation.

2015: Niger Residents Urged To Support Gado-Nasko

By Igho Oyoyo, Abuja

Residents of Niger State have been urged to support the aspiration of Umar Gado-Nasko to become the next governor of the state in the forth coming 2015 general election, in order to set a pace for continuity after the administration of Governor Babangida Aliyu.

Mr. Hamza Gado-Nasko, younger brother to the governorship aspirant, who is aspiring on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that he is confi-

dent that Umar Gado-Nasko will continue and improve on the developmental strides of the present governor of the state.

Gado-Nasko who made this call after a meeting with friends and associates of the Niger State governorship aspirant in Abuja yesterday, to strategised on how to ensure the success of Umar Gado-Nasko in the governorship race of the state, said that there is the need for Niger state youths to support a youthful and vibrant governorship aspirant.

L-R: Jigawa State gubernational aspirant, Arc Aminu Kani, submitting his expression of interest and nomination form to Hon. Sani Musa who received on behalf of the national organising secretary, Abubakar Mustapha, at the PDP headquarters in Abuja, recently.

Automatic Ticket Crisis: Jonathan, Dickson’s Cold War Deepens …Gov’s associate tells president to face his constituency

BY Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

The cold war between Bayelsa State governor, Hon Seriake Dickson and the family of President Goodluck Jonathan appears to have deepened as the battle for tickets of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state takes a new twist.

Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, who is also a close ally of the governor, Hon Benson Konbowei has cautioned the president against interfering in the choice of senatorial candidates for the party in the state.

“Mr President is from the east

senatorial district and we are talking about the central senatorial district. We are talking about a senator representing central senatorial district, so the president should have nothing to do with the issue.

As far as the decision is concerned, it should come from us,” the speaker told LEADERSHIP in an interview.

Hon Konbowei’s position comes on the heels of reports that President Jonathan, as part of the deal reached with the leadership of the senate, has insisted on the return of Senator Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa central) in 2015.

The president/senators’ deal was to the effect that two senators per state would be given automatic tickets. Senators Paulker and Heineken Lokpobiri are touted to be favoured

by the agreement as it affects Bayelsa.

This, however, does not go down well with Governor Dickson, who is insisting on the replacement of all the three senators, the five House of Representatives members as well as 22 out of the 26 member state assembly.

Hon Konbowei said in the interview: “We only gave him (Senator Paulker) a second chance and when the second chance was given to him he acted the same way, so why should we give him a third chance?

“The president doesn’t have to go to our constituencies, so we take all his messages back to the people. We take all the messages of Paulker to the people.”

Sambo Submits Presidential Forms On Behalf Of Jonathan …As submission of forms ends

BY Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday submitted his presidential forms to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as an aspirant for the 2015 presidential election.

Vice president, Arc. Namadi Sambo, submitted the forms on behalf of the president.

He arrived the PDP headquarters at about 12:25 pm in company

of president of the Senate, Senator David Mark and other principal officers of the National Assembly as well as members of the Federal Executive Council.

President Jonathan had on October 30 obtained the nomination forms.

It is however unclear whether President Jonathan’s decision to delegate his vice to submit the forms has put to rest speculations over the fate of Sambo as his run-

ning mate in 2015.

While handing over the completed forms to the PDP national chairman, Dr Adamu Mu’azu, Sambo hailed his boss and promised that the administration would continue to pursue its transformation agenda.

“This is the president that has moved the country forward; this is the president that has improved the economy, making it the best in Africa and 26th in the world,” he said.

Jonathan’s Transformation Backward – Atiku

By Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has described the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan as transformation to backwardness.

The former number two citizen of the country said this yesterday while paying a courtesy visit to Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at his Oke Mosan office, in Abeokuta.

Atiku who said he has been vis-

iting states being governed by All Progressives Congress (APC), noted that the transformation in those states is visible.

“PDP will talk on the television that they have done this and that, but they do nothing. But if you go to the APC states, honestly, you will see, you’ll feel the kind of transformation that is going on.”

“They call themselves transformers while we call ourselves progressives because transforma-

tion goes with progressiveness, but their own transformation goes with backwardness.” “ I have said it over and over again because I have visited APC and PDP states. If you go to Sokoto, Lagos, River, Zamfara, Kano, you’ll really, see, feel and touch, not what they tell you on the television.”

He further stated that the railway the ruling PDP said has been reactivated was far from the truth.

68 news across the states

Insurgency Affecting CBN’s Cashless Policy

By MOHAMMED ISMAIL, Yola

When the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the cashless policy, it explained that it was aimed at reducing the amount of physical cash in circulation in the economy and encouraging more electronic-based transactions.

It was also intended to drive development and modernisation of payment systems in line with Nigeria’s goal of being amongst the top 20 economies by the year 2020, in view of the fact that an efficient and modern payment system is positively correlated with economic development and is a key enabler for economic growth.

Also, it reduces the cost of banking services, drives financial inclusion by providing more efficient transaction options and greater reach, while improving the effectiveness of monetary policies in managing inflation and driving economic growth.

Though the policy which is already in force across the country has gained popularity, it is being ham-

pered in the north-east, which is being ravaged by insurgency.

Before the recent terrorism-related activities in Mubi, which was reputed to be the economic epicentre of Adamawa State, the town used to be a hot bed of commercial activities.

Apart from the volume of international trade that takes place between border communities in Adamawa and Cameroon, mainly through the Belel axis, other sprawling businesses such as the Mubi International Cattle market, the numerous bureau de changes and the foodstuff market, made the town a huge centre of commerce.

Due to the economic activities in the town, many commercial banks struggled to outdo each other, establishing branches in prime locations in the town. Investigations revealed that banks in the town were among the most profit-yielding in the state and residents took advantage of the services offered by the various banks to carryout transactions, thus reducing the amount of money in circulation.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Review Revenue Sharing Formula– ALGON Interim Committee …Promises Free and Credible ALGON Election

By Stanley Nkwocha, Abuja

Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has called for a review of the national revenue sharing formula, saying the lopsided nature of the present formula which gives the federal government the lion’s share, makes it difficult for the attainment of massive developments expected at the grassroots.

This is just as chairman of Plateau State ALGON, Dr Emmanuel Loman, stated that the newly inaugurated interim caretaker committee of the association is committed to conducting a free, fair and

credible election which would enthrone a new national executive of ALGON. Speaking after its first inaugural meeting in Abuja yesterday, Dr Loman said while the organ was in support of full local government autonomy, it however, was of the view that against the notion that some states’ government are prone to hijacking local government funds, the real issue lies in the restructuring of the federal revenue sharing formula which would give more percentage to the local governments, as they were more pivotal to the needs of the people and easily enhance speedy national growth.

Loman, who disclosed that his committee had been put in place to conduct elections for a substantive ALGON exco, regretted the crisis which the association had been plunged into in the past, but however promised a new dawn in ALGON as the local government chairmen in the country were more determined than ever to add to the nation’s developmental strides.

“Following the court order which sent packing the Nwabueze Okafor - led ALGON executive, we the interim management committee of ALGON, after our inaugural meeting have resolved to provide the enabling environment for a free, fair and credible election.”

Voter Education: INEC, MacArthur, YIAGA Train Radio Ambassadors

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), MacArthur Foundation and Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) has at a workshop yesterday trained over 50 radio ambassadors for a more effective voter education towards the 2015 general elections.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend at the workshop, YIAGA head, Research Policy and Advocacy, Samson Itodo said the choice of radio as the popular medium for voters’ education is because it is a very magnetic and veritable tool for voter education.

“We are devising radio as a tool for voter education because our targets are the grassroots population, for a lot of people at the grassroots radio is the only means of information or communication that they get, especially in places where there is no social media and

studies have shown that radio is a very magnetic tool for voter education and citizens outreach.”

He said the stakeholders are targeting citizenship participation and awareness through the training of radio presenters who are influencers and mobilisers for a peaceful 2015 election.

Itodo said radio presenters as ambassadors have a critical role to douse tension because media is a vital tool to reach out and call on politicians to stop overheating the policy.

On INEC’s preparations for 2015, he said, “I think INEC can actually do better. Have we purchased the cards that are going to be used? Have we concluded voters’ education? This is because we have a fourth phase of the Permanent Voters Card(PVC) and Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise and unfortunately there are some states that fall in December.

USAID Donates N50m HIV/AIDs Machine To UDUTH

By ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto

The United States Agency For International Development (USAID) - sponsored Management Science for Health Project yesterday donated N50 million HIV/AIDs viral load measurement machine to Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto.

Unveiling the machine at a special dinner held at Dankeni Hotel, Dr Philip Dayal, deputy director, HIV/AIDs and TB, USAID said that

the gesture was aimed at boosting healthcare delivery in the state and Nigeria at large.

He further promised a robust relationship if the management takes good care of the machine.

Commenting on the clinical importance of the donation, Dr Hamidu Liman, coordinator, UDUTHHIV/AIDS Project, said the machine, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is used in the measurement of the viral load of HIV/ AIDS patients.

Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (R), and Apc Gubernatorial aspirant for Kaduna State, Hon. Isa Ashiru, during the latters declaration for the election. Photo By Nan

Our Deity Demands Children As Sacrifice– Community Leader

By VICTOR OKEKE, Abuja

The leader of Ngwo community of Udi local government area of Enugu State has said that he stopped worshiping the community’s ancestral god because it continually demanded human sacrifices from worshippers.

Mazi Joel Ani who now lives outside the community told LEADERSHIP Weekend that he chose to abandon the worship of Odo, their god, because at every festival held in its honour, they

are expected to sacrifice one of their children.

“Odoh deity is a powerful spirit that many of us in the community worship because he blesses our farms and makes us have a fruitful harvest, but he continually demands human sacrifices, which is not good,” Mazi Ani said.

It was also learnt that a boy, Victor Onoh, had ran away from the community when he was 17 years old to avoid being sacrificed to the Odo deity.

According to a relative of the

boy, Mr Onyemaechi Mba, “Victor’s father, Mazi Onoh Uchenna wanted to sacrifice him to the Odo deity because the deity demands human sacrifice from worshippers during its bi-annual festival.

“As a worshipper, the Odo deity expects fathers to sacrifice their sons during the Odo festival which is held every two years after the spirit who is believed to be responsible for bountiful harvest and rain returns from his journey,” Mr Mba said.

Health Workers Agree To Suspend Strike

By Michael Oche, Abuja

Striking health workers under the aegis of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) have agreed to suspend the strike action they embarked on.

The decision was reached after a conciliatory meeting initiated by the Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, with the union.

The minister, during the meeting held in Abuja, yesterday, called on JOHESU to suspend the strike in order to safe-

guard the health of Nigerians.

While noting that the strike has commenced in federal health institutions and agencies with states and local governments slated to join the strike a week later, the meeting agreed to follow due process in addressing the issues in dispute and noted that although there was no written agreement between the Federal Government and JOHESU on the fundamental issue of adjustment of salaries for JOHESU, as it was done for Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in the same sector on January 1, 2014.

The right to have the demand considered was however conceded to members of JOHESU. Thereafter, on the basis of acceptance by both parties, an agreement would be entered into and an implementation process would be specified.

In considering the decisions, the parties noted that time was of the essence while concluding that other issues in dispute would be considered in subsequent meetings as JOHESU promised to suspend the action after the meeting of its National Executive Council.

news across the states 69

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Yola: Protesters Burn District Head’s Office The office of the district head of Jimeta in Yola North local government area of Adamawa State, Alh Ibrahim Inuwa Baba has been set ablaze by angry residents who were unhappy with the removal of the Chief Imam of the Jimeta Jumaat Mosque, Mallam Sufiyanu Adamu.

Sources at the Mosque said, immediately after the Jumaat prayers were observed yesterday, hundreds of angry worshippers who felt slighted by the action of the district head accosted him and were on the verge of lynching him before he was saved by his driver who drove him away from the scene.

The angry youths said they would not accept the unilateral decision of the district head because he was not happy with the way the Imam has been criticising the lacklustre attitude of government towards curbing the insurgency rocking the state.

Reports from the mosque indicated that the Imam came very hard on the government blaming it for its failure to stop the carnage occasioned by Boko Haram insurgency during a special prayer session for peace held at the mosque last week.

However, the sermon of the Imam did not go down well with the traditional ruler who decided to punish him with suspension, an action the people vowed to resist.

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

Justice Evoh Chukwu of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has okayed the moves to stop the planned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention scheduled for December 10 and 11, 2014.

The court in a ruling after an exparté motion moved by counsel to the plaintiff, Aliyu Ayuba Gubrin, a House of Representatives aspirant from Adamawa State, Lilian Ojimma, asked the plaintiff to put the ruling party on notice on the pendency of the suit.

He adjourned the case to November 20, 2014 to argue the motion on

notice seeking to stop the PDP from holding its convention.

In the originating summons, the plaintiff is seeking the removal of Mu’azu as the chairman of the PDP. The plaintiff also in a motion on notice asked the court to restrain Mu’azu from acting as the chairman of the party. The originating summons has been fixed for December 20, 2014.

In the motion on notice, the court was asked to stop the planned national convention of the PDP scheduled for December 10 and 11.

The party is expected to adopt President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party at

the convention for next year’s presidential election.

The plaintiff, in suit number FHC/AbJ/CS/821/2014 and dated November 10, 2014 said the resignation of the immediate past chairman of the party, Alh Bamanga Tukur, did not comply with the provision of Section 47(5) of the constitution of the party which stipulates that a 30-day notice be given to the national executive committee by Bamanga Tukur.

The defendants in the suit are the PDP, Alh Tukur, Mu’azu and the Indepedent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the suit, the plaintiff asked for

an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the PDP from holding its national convention slated for December 10 and 11 under the chairmanship of Adamu Mu’azu pending the determination of the suit.

He also asked for an order of the court restraining Mu’azu from acting as the national chairman of the PDP pending the final determination of the suit.

Last week, two separate suits challenging the appointment of Mu’azu were withdrawn at the court and about two days later, another fresh suit was filed before the court seeking the ouster of Mu’azu as the party chairman.

short news Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (2nd right), receiving the All Progressives Congress(APC) presidential nomination forms from Hon. Peter Edeh of Ebonyi State (2nd left). With them are Hon. Rotimi Makinde (right) Dr. Sani Mohammed (left), and Hon. Umar Mohammed Bagu (middle), at the Speaker’s residence in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

SMEDAN Partners Tech Company To NAWE Holds 2014 Summit, Honours Amb Audu –Emeje Create 17m Jobs dered females from maximising their po- occasion, the chief executive of the Queen Amina Foundation in Kaduna, tential in the society.

BY Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

In a bid to ensure the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria and the creation of millions of job, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), yesterday in Abuja, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) Plc with a view of generating 17.7m additional jobs in the country.

The objective of the MoU is to provide an ICT technology platform for the use of MSMEs at very affordable cost. This would also avail them the services of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform called Small and Medium Enterprise Resource Planning (SMERP).

Signing the MoU, the director general of SMEDAN, Alh Bature Umar Masari, lamented that the major issues affecting MSMEs include access to finance and markets.

He said the signing of the MoU between SMEDAN and the computer group will effectively ameliorate these challenges.

Alhaji Masari noted that the challenges facing the country today would be a thing of the past if the potentials of the MSME sub-sector of the economy is fully realised.

By Agbo-Paul Augustine, Abuja

The National Association of Women Entrepreneurs (NAWE) has held its annual summit and awarded Ambassador (Dr) Aisha Audu-Emeje ‘NAWE Woman of the Year’.

The summit with the theme, “the role of Nigerian women entrepreneurs in 2015 and beyond” was held from Tuesday to Wednesday and witnessed the commissioning of NAWE national office on the first day.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP Weekend, the national president of the association, Chief Adaeze Ozongwu noted that the programme was aimed at sensitising women on various issues that have hin-

“One of the association’s objectives is to provide ways by which women could be drawn into the main stream socio-political and economic decision-making organs at all levels in Nigeria,” she said.

The president who lamented the current rate of marginalisation of females by their male counterparts, emphasised the indispensible role of women in the society. She expressed optimism that with the empowerment of the women gender, the society stands to gain in immeasurable ways, adding that one of the critical issues the summit addressed was that of women’s health, especially cancer.

Delivering a keynote address on the

Alh Sadique Maidoya spoke on “the role of women entrepreneurs in the Nigerian political scene.”

Sadique who spoke extensively on the need for women to stand and fight for their rights encouraged them to take active part in Nigerian politics stating that power does not just fall on the laps of anyone but had to be fought for. He however challenged men not to be selfish but allow women participation in the development of the nation.

The award on Ambassador Audu-Emeje, according to the national president of the association was in recognition of her entrepreneurial accomplishments.

Centenary N100 Commemorative Note Wasteful – TUC

BY Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) said it is unimpressed with the introduction of a new N100 note by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to commemorate Nigeria’s centenary.

This was contained in a statement yesterday signed by the president general of TUC, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama.

According to TUC, “the unveiling of the notes by President Goodluck Jonathan, assisted by Vice President Namadi Sambo and CBN governor, Godwin

Emefiele, shortly before the commencement of the weekly federal executive council meeting on Wednesday is grossly wasteful.

“Printing of new currency is usually a capital-intensive venture and raises questions as to how the CBN hopes to grapple with the economic implications of redesigning and printing the new bank notes. Even the timing of the project is inappropriate, coming so late in the year when the economic hustle and bustle associated with Christmas and New Year are nigh.

“This, with the insurgency and height-

ened state of insecurity in parts of the country, the frenzy of political activities and electioneering campaigns towards the forthcoming 2015 elections and the current slump in global oil prices make this the worst possible time for such drastic fiscal policy.

“We are also uncomfortable with the clandestine approach adopted by the federal government and the CBN on the matter. The apex bank has disclosed that the new notes will be in circulation from the 19th of this month (November 2014), implying that the project is already fait accompli.”

I Never Withdrew From Presidential Race– TafawaBalewa A presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and son of former prime minister, Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa-Balewa, yesterday said he never withdrew from contesting the presidential ticket of the party with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Tafawa-Balewa, stated this yesterday after submitting his presidential nomination forms at the national headquarters of the PDP. Reports had emerged that Tafawa-Balewa withdrew his presidential ambition after he visited former minister of information and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark.

He however explained that the situation that generated reports that he withdrew from the race emanated from a misunderstanding arising from a response he gave to a question when he went on a visit to Clark, who was holding a press conference at his house.

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

REPORT OF THE

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LEADERSHIP in a bid to provide a true and objective picture of the successes and challenges of the Transformation Agenda is publishing THE REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA as told by the key actors themselves in their own words unedited.

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The Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan has been hailed as successful in several areas like agriculture, power, roads, macro-economic stability, foreign-direct investment inflow, and the health sector, among others. Critics cite poverty, youth unemployment, insecurity and the contracting middle class as evidence that the Transformation Agenda is not working. So who and what do you believe? Welcome to the Situation Report.

Ministries, Paratatals and Agencies who have made impactful contributions to the Transformation Agenda are invited to tell their success stories in the REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA. Private sector companies and contractors who have successfully executed Transformation Agenda projects are also invited to show and tell their success stories in the historic REPORT OF THE TRANSFORMATION AGENDA.

To participwaithteph:otographs, charts and graphs and call

n’s achievements along nry Ubimago: 08068640944, tio sa ni ga or e th le pi m co y Simpl 3143902, He Iyobosa Uwugiaren: 08:03 Tosin Allen: 08052116707spaper 6, 76 52 45 06 07 in am nj new Adebayo Be nt Abuja resident a in m o d e th in it Show and tell

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

MISSING VEHICLE This is to notify the general public that a white-coloured Hyundai Sonata saloon car with registration number BWR 642 AH and chassis number KMHEB41BABA097759 belonging to LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group Ltd is missing. The vehicle was last seen with Hajiya Mariya Ibrahim Baba. Any person with useful information regarding the missing vehicle should please contact the nearest police station or LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group Ltd through this phone number: 07035782552 Signed: Management

AMUSEMENT PARK

I DON’T CARE WHAT THEY SAY, WOMEN MAkE THE BEST WIvES

— Chic Young

15.11.14

www.leadership.ng

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 458 N300

The Weekend Column Capt Daniel Omale

P

The company is not accepting deposits until rollout of the first prototype, even though Schwenk says customer interest has been keen

ilatus Aircraft is venturing into a new market segment by launching the PC-24, a single-pilot, midsize twin-turbofan aircraft that will be able to operate from short, unpaved fields yet cruise at 425 kt. It will be priced at $8.9 million.

The Swiss manufacturer touts the new model as unique, the first in a new “Super Versatile Jet” segment; its closest conventional competitor is the Embraer Phenom 300. Similar to the Brazilian jet, PC-24 will use aluminum alloys for the primary airframe, limiting composites to secondary structures.

Although unveiled at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE), held in Geneva May 2013, initial design studies on the aircraft began 4-5 years ago; Pilatus Chairman Oscar Schwenk says of the project, “We’ve kept it very confidential.”

Most sales distributors were briefed on the aircraft just a week prior to the unveiling.

The newest Pilatus is the company’s first production twin and will expand its offerings, which include the PC21 military trainer and PC-12 business aircraft, both powered by single, Pratt & Whitney PTGA turboprops.

Similar to the PC-21, the new twin will have a low-drag airfoil that was developed in-house.

To achieve the balance of high-speed, high-altitude cruise and low-speed approach and landing performance, the wing will have modest sweep, inboard and outboard fowler flaps and large ground spoilers. Estimated stall speed at maximum landing weight is 81 kt. and projected landing distance is 2,525 ft.

Standard takeoff field length is 2,090 ft. and 4,430 ft. when departing a 5,000 ft. elevation, ISA+20C airport.

“It’s not easy to fly to [Flight

Pilatus Twin Turbofan daniel@leadership.ng

Level] FL450 and have the spoilers and flaps needed for short-field operations,” says Schwenk.

Extensive wind-tunnel tests were conducted at Prague’s Aerospace Research and Test Establishment, the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands and Ruag’s facility in Switzerland. The final results were not compiled until early 2013.

The PC-24’s short-runway performance will enable it to use 1,300 more airports around the world than the Phenom 300.

And its ability to operate from unpaved facilities – “It can land on all kinds of surfaces, except water,” Schwenk says – will give it access to 21,000 more runways globally than those available to aircraft restricted to using paved runways. A gravel kit will be fitted to the nose wheel to deflect debris away from the engine inlets and the wing flaps will be armored for protection from debris thrown back by the main landing gear.

Notably, the jet will be fitted with dual-wheel main gear with low-pressure tires and anti-skid brakes.

The 501-cubic -Feet cabin is 5.1 ft. high, 5.6 feet wide and 28 feet long from the cockpitto-cabinpartition to the aftpressure bulkhead. The cabin windows will be the largest in the midsize-jet class. Maximum cabin altitude is 8,000 ft. at the aircraft’s 45,000-f maximum cruising altitude. There is a fully enclosed forward cabin, externally serviced lavatory and 51-90 cu. ft. of internal luggage capacity, depending on placement of the aft-cabin partition.

Interior volume will be bigger than that of a Citation XLS+, but smaller than ian a Hawker 900XP. Unlike most midsize aircraft, though, it will have a flat floor plus both a forward passenger and a 51 X 49-in. rear cargo door, a feature similar to that on the PC-12. Fitting the aircraft with a

dropped aisle would have offered more center-aisle headroom, but it would have hindered cargo handling.

Pilatus believes the aircraft will find a home with cargo, medevac, commuter and even government special mission operators, along with its traditional customer base of high net-worth individual owner-operators, air charter operators and small companies.

Six cabin layouts will be offered accommodating 6-8 passengers in executive configuration, 10 in commuter seating, a pure cargo configuration and a 50/50 passenger-cargo combination.

The PC-24 will be able to climb directly to FL450 in 30 minutes, Schwenk asserts, and it will achieve its maximum cruise speed of 425 KTAS at FL300.

Pilatus says maximum payload will be 2,500 ib. and the aircraft should have a tanks-full payload of 915 Ib., enabling it to fly four passengers 1,950 nm at longrange cruise. However, based upon preliminary specifications released by Pilatus, Aviation Week believes tanks-full payload will be 847 pounds.

The aircraft will be powered by two Williams International FJ44-4A turbofans, rated at 3,400pounds, thrust for takeoff. The auto power reserve will boost thrust to 3,600Ib. with an estimated flat rating of ISA+11C. Williams also is engineering a new noise-attenuating inlet for the nacelle along with a passive thrust vectoring system that will use the Coanda effect to deflect thrust 2-3 deg upward at takeoff for better aircraft pitch-control response. And it is developing a proprietary low-idle speed mode that will enable the right engine to serve as a low-noise auxiliary power unit.

The advanced cockpit environment flight deck, or ACE, will feature Honeywell’s second generation. Apex avionics, with four 12-in. landscape displays in a T configuration, Laseref inertial reference and attitude/heading reference systems, enhanced-

08054102747 (text only) ground-proximity - warning and traffic-alert and collisionavoidance systems, along with auto-throttles, localiserperformance with verticalguidance (LPV) approach and graphical flight planning.

Parts now are being fabricated at the Pilatus factory in Stans, Switzerland. Rollout is slated for mid 2014 and first flight is set for fourth-quarter 2014. Three aircraft will be used in a 2,500hr. development program leading to FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency certification in early 2017, followed immediately thereafter by entry into service.

The company is not accepting deposits until rollout of the first prototype, even though Schwenk says customer interest has been keen.

Although a rough-field jet marked has never been identified, the same was said of the market for a pressurised, single-turboprop, cargo/ passenger aircraft – the market of the PC-12, of which more than 1,100 have been delivered.

“Pilatus always has been a trend-setter,” says Schwenk, insisting that the PC-24 will become as emblematic of its homeland as the snow-capped Alps and precision timepieces.

Source: AW&ST

GHANA MUST GO Local hunters recapture Mubi from Boko Haram

–News

Jonathan should release the $1billion loan to them!

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