Leadership news

17

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

BananaRepublic RESTAURANT

CELEBRATING BAZE UNIVERSITY’S Baze University, a world class private university in Abuja holds its first graduation ceremony on Saturday October 11, 2014.

FIRST GRADUATION CEREMONY

The visioner and Pro-chancellor, Senator Baba Datti Ahmed Phd, invites friends and well-wishers to witness the making of history.

LEADERSHIP, the official newspaper of the university, will publish a special pull-out on the landmark achievements and defining impact of the school.

It’s an inevitable platform for your adverts and congratulatory messages!

www.bazeuniversity.edu.ng

Please contact the following numbers for adverts placement:

HENRY on 08068640944 e-mail: henro101@yahoo.com MR. IBE REGINALD on 08037880164 e-mail: ibereginald@yahoo.com

YOU CAN’T BEAT THIS!

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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

c

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES LIMITED (A SUBSIDIARY OF LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPERS GROUP)

2014 ANNUAL

CONFERENCE & AWARDS CEREMONY Chairman MR. SAM AMUKA Publisher, Vanguard Media Limited Keynote Speaker MR. BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, SAN Executive Governor, Lagos State STAR AWARDS 2013

LEADERSHIP PERSON OF THE YEAR General Yakubu Gowon GCFR LEADERSHIP GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan

LEADERSHIP POLITICIANS OF THE YEAR The G-7 Governors Dr. Babangida Aliyu (Niger) Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) Alh. Sule Lamido (Jigawa) Alh. Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) Alh. Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) LEADERSHIP BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Mr. Olatunde Ayeni

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2013 LEADERSHIP CEO OF THE YEAR Simdul Shagaya CEO, Konga.com LEADERSHIP COMPANY OF THE YEAR Chi Limited LEADERSHIP BANK OF THE YEAR Diamond Bank LEADERSHIP ICT COMPANY OF THE YEAR Jumia LEADERSHIP BANKER OF THE YEAR Mr. Philips Oduoza GMD, UBA LEADERSHIP GOVERNMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) LEADERSHIP AUTHOR OF THE YEAR Malam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai

LEADERSHIP PRODUCT OF THE YEAR Nagari Farm Yoghurt LEADERSHIP MICROFINANCE BANK OF THE YEAR LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited LEADERSHIP TELECOM COMPANY OF THE YEAR Swift Networks Limited LEADERSHIP PUBLIC OFFICER OF THE YEAR Dr. Akinwumi Adesina Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development LEADERSHIP BRAND OF THE YEAR SAMSUNG LEADERSHIP ARTISTE OF THE YEAR Ice Prince LEADERSHIP YOUNG PERSONS OF THE YEAR The Golden Eaglets LEADERSHIP SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR Stephen Okechukwu Keshi

Venue: ThisDay Dome, Abuja Time: 9:00am Date: October 14th, 2014

19

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES LIMITED (A SUBSIDIARY OF LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPERS GROUP)

2014

ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND AWARDS PROGRAMME

9:00am

Arrival

9:05am

National Anthem

9:10am

Opening Prayers

9:15am

Introduction of conference theme and dignitaries by conference comperes

9:25am

Welcome address by the Chairman, LEADERSHIP GROUP, Hajiya Ireti Kingibe

9:35am

Opening remarks by the Chairman, Mr. Sam Amuka, Chairman, Vanguard Newspaper

10:05am Lecture by the Executive Governor, Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN Title: “Rebuilding the Nation: Lessons from other Lands” 12:25pm The Awards Ceremony 12:45pm Responses 1:15pm

Vote of Thanks

1:20pm

Closing Prayer

1:25pm

National Anthem

Date: Tuesday, October 14th, 2014

Venue: ThisDay Dome

Signed: ABDULMUMIN S. BALOGUN Director, Conference 0806 972 7798

20 BUSINESS/FEATURE

top story

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

65bn

Over 65 billion passengers have flown in the 100 years since the first Airline flight, data from IATA has indicated

Petroleum Industry Bill: Issues

by WENESO OROGUN and EDEGBE ODEMWINGIE, Abuja

House speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on Tuesday, 16 September 2014 gave the Hon Ishaka Bawa-led Ad-hoc Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) a 21-day ultimatum to submit a report.

Senate president David Mark also assured Nigerians last week that the seventh assembly will pass the bill before it winds down next year. These assurances provide the optimist a new straw to hold on to.

The idea of the PIB began in 2007 following the recommendations of a Presidential Committee set up to carry out oil and gas sector reforms in the country.

The reforms were expected to form the nucleus of Nigeria’s aspiration to become one of the most industrialised nations in the world by the year 2020.

The promising yet problematic PIB was first introduced to the National Assembly in 2009. Since then it has suffered a number of setbacks. The delays have been on account of diverse interests scrutinising its provisions.

Amongst these are the interests of legislators from the country’s North pitted against those of their Southern counterparts The bill is meant to change everything from fiscal terms to overhauling the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) but its comprehensive nature has caused years of disputes between federal lawmakers, oil ministry/ presidency and oil majors.

A LEADERSHIP September 20, 2014 editorial “PIB And National Interest” captures the contentions and conspiracies surrounding the PIB. “Part of the bill’s ‘sin’ is that

Jonathan

it attempts to allow Nigeria and Nigerians play a more active role in the industry and derive the best possible benefits from the resource under their feet.

The contentious issues in the bill include the production sharing contract (PSC), a private agreement between one or more IOCs and a national oil company (NNPC in our case), which vests a license or general exclusive authorisation in the NOC, to explore for, exploit and produce hydrocarbons. PSCs seek to protect the national economic interests of host countries in the areas of technology transfer, training of local employees and preference for local suppliers.

Host governments take such national obligations seriously.

But the IOCs are used to taking advantage of their scientific advancement to the detriment of their host countries and would want that to continue by claiming that the bill would stall investments. PIB says no and that is its problem.”

The issues in contention The 10 per cent Petroleum Host Communities Fund is one of the contending issues. Another is the alleged enormous powers granted the petroleum minister under the bill. A third contentious issue is the opposition of international oil companies (IOCs) to the proposed fiscal regime which they claim is unfavourable to them.

Tambuwal

10 per cent Petroleum Host Communities Fund Lawmakers from the northern states have consistently rejected

Alison-Madueke

the 10 per cent Petroleum Host Communities Fund, a provision contained in the PIB that was meant to bring Nigeria’s host community relations in line with international best practice.

For example, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) provides some guidance for improving community participation in the sustainable development of mineral resources in Africa. Examples include: •The Papua New Guinea Act of 1992, which stipulates that a minimum of 20 per cent of royalties received by the government, should be paid to land owning communities of the mining lease area (In this case royalties are paid directly by mining companies to the agreed beneficiaries and then reconciled to central government for audit).

•Special Support Grants (also in Papua New Guinea) paid to a given provincial government, which represent about one per cent of the gross value of mineral sales of companies operating in the said province.

•Preferred Area Status (also in Papua New Guinea), which requires companies to provide preferential treatment in terms of employment, education and training and business development assistance to communities located in the area in which the company mines.

•The holding of mineral rights to platinum and other resources in the Merensky Reef in Northwest South Africa by the baFokeng tribe. The tribe is a shareholder in the Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd, which

is the second largest producer of platinum in the western world.

It could be seen from these international examples for promoting community participation in extractive industries that they centre on six pillars: preferential employment of local labour; contracting of services and procurement of goods from indigenous local companies; infrastructure provision to local communities; allocation of benefits from mining to local communities; local community allocation of national revenue; and community equity participation.

Southern lawmakers are the most vocal supporters of the PIB because they see in it an opportunity for Nigeria to atone for the many infractions of the land rights of host communities where extractive industries are active. Also, the PIB provides for compliance with sections of the NEITI Act 2007 which emphasise management of the nation’s extractive industry wealth to the benefit of the people.

Importance of Land Lawmakers who oppose the PIB for the 10 percent Host Community Fund are generally oblivious of what the Late president Umar Yar’Adua attempted to achieve with his land reform agenda. At a stakeholders’ forum organised by Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development in November 2007, former chairman, Presidential Technical Committee on Housing and Urban Development, the

Southern lawmakers are the most vocal supporters of the PIB because they see in it an opportunity for Nigeria to atone for the many infractions of the land rights of host communities where extractive industries are active

BUSINESS/FEATURE 21

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

3.7bn

Network competition has produced unprecedented growth and innovation in mobile services, with 3.7 billion unique mobile subscribers globally in 2014

30%

Only 30 per cent of Nigerian businesses currently deploy cloud technology

806

While the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has issued a total of 6,679 pilot licences, only 806 are still valid

Delaying Its Passage (1) statutes of general application in force in England on 1st day of January 1900 becoming applicable in Nigeria. In 1900, the Charter of the Royal Niger Company (forerunner of UAC) and the Proclamation of the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria ceased to operate.

Subsequent agreements between the High Commissioner and the Royal Niger Company were made under the Land Proclamation 1902 which declared all land in northern Nigeria, native land. Further powers of the Governor over land came in 1916 with promulgation of the Land and Native Rights Ordinance. This was the situation until 1962 when the Northern House of Assembly enacted the Land Tenure Law. The Northern region thereafter followed the Eastern and Western Regions by enacting a number of property laws including the Land Registration Law 1963.

Okonjo-Iweala

respected Professor Akin Mabogunje underscored the importance of land by quoting a famous economic historian, Karl Polanyi.

Polanyi informs us that land “is an element of nature inextricably interwoven with man’s institutions”.

According to him, the economic function is but one of many vital functions of land. “It invests man’s life with stability; it is the site of his habitation; it is a condition of his physical safety; it is the landscape and the seasons”. “We might as well imagine him being born without hands and feet as carrying on his life without land” Polanyi posited.

After a wide-ranging survey of the literature on land, Professor Mabogunje concluded that land “is a very constitutive part of the capacity of any society to organize itself for growth and development” stressing that a society does this through its land tenure system which “establishes the effectiveness and efficiency of societal transactions in land and greatly influences the rate of growth and development of its economy”.

Bundle of Rights in Land From an economic-legal perspective, land in Nigeria encompasses four components over which configurations of land rights may be exercised: the earth surface, things located within the soil, everything attached to the earth surface and all inheritable subjects of rights existing on land including right of ownership, right of possession and right of prescription. This conception of the nature of land rights has been popularised by economists working within the framework of the property rights paradigm. This line of research, dating back to the last 60

years, is characterised by emphasis on certain basic ideas concerning the interconnectedness of ownership rights, incentives and economic behaviour. Indeed, advances in the economic analysis of the structure of land rights point to an evolutionary pattern of land tenure relations in all societies.

The communal system predominates when the social, economic, political and demographic realities of the society result in land having a zero exchange value. Consequently, a communal land tenure system is eminently unsuitable for a society where land has acquired a scarcity value meaning that the exchange value of land has become greater than zero. In such a society; a more exclusive land tenure arrangement will be more efficient in guaranteeing access to land, credit and capital. The land reform measures proposed under President Yar’Adua’s seven-point agenda were designed to avoid the limitations of customary land tenure systems by creating a market for secure land titles as a means of empowering all Nigerians.

Evolution of the Land Law Up to 1861 when the British entered Nigeria, customary land tenure systems were in vogue all over Nigeria including the northern part of the country. Family members held land subject to the approval of family heads, village administrators and traditional rulers. This was the situation when in 1913 Britain enacted Foreign Jurisdiction Act giving the British Parliament an excuse to exercise legislative power over Nigeria. This singular development unleashed a chain of events culminating in English Common Law, doctrines of equity and

Military Intervention and Roots of Discord The military made a deliberate effort to unify land tenure across the country oblivious of the fact that definition of property rights in land was proceeding at various stages in communities across the country depending on demographic and economic profiles.

Government, therefore, set up the Land Use Panel in 1977 which report gave rise to the Land Use Decree 1978 (now Cap 102, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990). The Act made the Governor of a state the custodian of all the land in the state without necessarily extinguishing the rights of the current owners. In fact, the Act which was later inserted in both the 1979 and the 1999 Constitutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, asserts that “all land which was already developed remained the

Mark

possession of the person in whom it was vested before the Decree became effective”. The law, however, did not provide such persons any means to protect or contest their “possession” if someone had gone behind them to secure a Statutory Certificate or Customary Right of Occupancy from the state or local government.

Undoubtedly, the Land Use Act has bred a lot of confusion and introduced numerous distortions in the management of land resources in the country. For instance, a legal scholar at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Ade Idowu, reports that adoption of the Act has posed a lot of problems for mining companies including oil and gas companies who are in a dilemma over who they should pay rent or compensation for use of land on which a mining lease is to be enjoyed or an oil pipeline is to be constructed. As Idowu further emphasises, by the language of the Act and section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the Government of the Federation of Nigeria exercises exclusive control over all minerals including oil and gas found upon or under the land of Nigeria or within her territorial waters.

This is the root of discord in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country where conflicts exist over the utilisation of land resources. Conflicts between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers over fodder resources can also be understood from this perspective. The 10 per cent Petroleum Host Communities Fund proposed in the PIB is thus one small step towards ensuring sustainable community participation in the nation’s extractive industry.

It deserves to be applauded and supported.

22 aviation/BUSINESS

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

aviation REPORTS

Travellers Commend Chidoka For Improved Sanitation At Airports

Air Nigeria aircraft

Body Makes Case For Improved Airline Industry

Stories by Nkem osuagwu, Lagos

The Aviation Round Table (ART) has urged the federal government and aviation authorities to encourage high net worth entrepreneurs to invest in the aviation industry in order to facilitate the efficient funding and management of local airlines.

ART had on September 30 last month held an interactive forum on challenges confronting the growth of the domestic airlines in Nigeria.

The interactive session discussed the challenges facing the local carriers and proferred some solutions to them.

According to the communiqué signed by ART president, Captain Dele ore, aviation authorities and the federal government also initiate “a regulatory fleet consolidation process with the backing of the National Assembly as a way of strengthening the local operators.

Also, in view of the high cost of aircraft, all service providers to the airlines (public and private) should maintain a comprehensive insurance portfolio to mitigate damages to airlines’ equipment as provided for in Part 18 of the NigCARs 2012.

Furthermore, in view of the high insurance premium paid by the local operators the relevant authorities and organisations should address it, by ensuring the certification of our airports and other proactive economic indices

that would help alleviate the matter.

The Body also lamented the high cost of aviation fuel (JET A1), which is negatively affecting the profitability of the airlines. “ The bridging of supply by fuel trucks and demurrage are part of the problems and should be addressed by government and marketers.”, urged ART. Also, ART criticized the multiple entries, frequencies and capacities allocated to foreign airlines which they said are adversely affecting the growth and survival of local operators.

“Government should therefore urgently review this trend in line with the stoppage of payment of royalties by foreign airlines,” urged ART president There is the need to review the certification and operations of private jets as safety and security of the nation is being threatened while non-scheduled operators are being short- changed.

We call for increased monitoring of economic regulation on the airlines by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to ascertain their financial health as provided for in the NigCARs 2012.

Category 1 Recertification: NCAA Commends Ortom For Providing Leadership The acting director-general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),Benedict Adeyileka, has commended Chief Samuel Ortom, for providing the leadership and

support that culminated into Nigeria’s retention of the Category One status from the FAA. He stated this at a press briefing in Lagos recently on Nigeria’s category one recertification.

The Category One safety status, is issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) only given to countries that have complied with a rigorous safety audit, in terms of technical capacity, manpower capability and regulatory oversight. It’s after this tasking process that the US will consider those countries airlines safe enough to fly into the USA. Ortom was the supervising minister of aviation throughout the period of the safety audit by the FAA. FAA had first awarded Nigeria Category One safety status in 2010, after it was confirmed that the country had met the international aviation safety assessment standards.

Recall in March, 2014 the FAA visited Nigeria and had carried out an intensive safety assessment of the Nigerian aviation industry to ascertain if the status will be withdrawn or not.

The eight critical elements the US FAA team looked at were primary aviation legislation, specific operating regulations, state civil aviation system and safety oversight functions and technical personnel qualification and training.

Air travellers in the country have commended the minister of aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, for the innovation and improvement he brought into the janitorial services at the airports across the country.

Prior to the appointment of the minister, some travellers described the sanitary situation at some of the nation’s airports as appalling.

Some of the passengers who spoke to our correspondent on their arrival at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, commended the minister for improvements in the sanitary services which they said was in inline with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

Mr Okechukw Peters, who claimed to be a frequent traveller said, the level of hygiene and cleanliness at the domestic airports could now be likened to what is obtainable in advanced countries.

“I have been to Nnamidi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, Port Harcourt International Airport, Calabar International Airport, and of course, the airports in Lagos, since the minister took over, the sanitary services at these airports is not what it used to be, there is great deal of improvements,” he said.

Also, Dipo Akin, who travelled from Abuja to Lagos, said he was impressed with the sanitary situations of the airports especially the toilets and commended the minister for the effort.

BA Puts Kuala Lumpur Back On Route Map

In view of the high cost of aircraft, all service providers to the airlines (public and private) should maintain a comprehensive insurance portfolio to mitigate damages to airlines’ equipment as provided for in Part 18 of the NigCARs 2012.

British Airways has said it would resume direct daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to London from May 27, 2015.

British Airways will be the only airline to offer premium economy seating between London and Kuala Lumpur. The daily service will be operated by a four-cabin Boeing 777-200ER, featuring 12 seats in First, 48 in Club World business class, 32 in World Traveller Plus premium economy class and a further 127 in World Traveller economy class. The flight’s early morning arrival in London allows passengers a full day in the city or plenty of time to catch easy and convenient connecting flights to other destinations in the UK and Europe.

Jamie Cassidy, British Airways’ area general manager for the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, said, “It’s wonderful to be back in Malaysia.

We are starting the new flights in response to strong customer demand for direct flights to Kuala Lumpur.

“As Malaysia’s economy grows, it is becoming an even more important trading partner with the UK, and Britain and has long been a favorite destination for Malaysians to study, shop and experience its rich heritage.”

Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, managing director of Malaysia Airports, said: “I greatly welcome the return of British Airways to Malaysia. This underlines the strength and vibrancy of the air travel market between the United Kingdom and Malaysia and I believe that this new route of British Airways will bring about positive impact of great proportions to both countries from the economical, political, social and cultural standpoints.

“To British Airways, I wish them best in their preparations to reconnect the two great cities of London and Kuala Lumpur and am confident that KLIA will add value and enhance British Airways huge global network.”

science Tuesday, October 7, 2014

23

$488

“At the end of 2013, Nigerian economy (GDP) became the largest in Africa with more than $488 billion, the world’s 26th largest economy and the fastest growing economy across the globe

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

Engineers at work

Nigeria @ 54: Tackling Factors Undermining Our Technological Development

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

Nigeria doesn’t have any global product, we only consume products from Asia and Europe

As Nigeria marks 54 years of independence tomorrow, stakeholders in the science and technology sector have identified poor funding and infrastructural deficiencies as among key factors undermining the nation’s technological development.

Speaking in an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP, the director-general of the Nigerian Institute of Leather Science and Technology (NILEST), Dr. Isuwa Kari Adamu, said poor funding and infrastructure over the years had continued to work against the rapid development of science and technology in the nation.

Adamu said, “science and

technology has moved quite ahead but not up to the level we expect it to move because it has not been funded adequately in the past 16 years. Our budget is one of the lowest in the whole federal ministries and there is need to do more for science and technology if transformation is to take place.

“Transformation study is a scientific term that we use in engineering, in thermodynamics and we know what it means. So, we would like government to empower the ministry so that Nigeria’s transformation can be real.”

According to him, Nigeria has the potential to generate

the technology that can power the nation but infrastructural deficiencies have made the nation to remain a highly consuming one.

“90 per cent of what we consume is made in China. So, we have a lot of challenge. We have the potential to produce real made in Nigeria goods but we have so many other fundamental infrastructural deficiencies which will not allow us achieve that.

“So, for that reason the government needs to do more to fix the infrastructure especially power and also we need to invest more into innovations. Nigeria doesn’t have any global product, we only consume products from

Asia and Europe,” he added.

In his comments, the director-general of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Prof.

Idris Bujage, said the nation was making progress in technological development. He, however, said Nigerians were not currently feeling the impact of development in the science and technology sector because it was still highly dependent on technologies of other developed nations.

He explained that although Nigeria does not have a global product, it still has a good economy, expressing dismay that Nigerians hardly patronize

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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Nigeria @ 54: Tackling Factors Undermining Our Technological Development 23

products that originate from Nigeria because of national culture challenges.

Bugaje said, “we do not have a global product as a nation but there’s hope for Nigeria. Nigeria is not the only country that doesn’t have a global product but it still has a good economy.

“The global product issue is about politics because if you talk about ‘global produc’, there’s no product that is truly confined to a nation because every product you see is as a result of

FOSSRA Raises The Alarm Over Increased Online Fraud

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

The Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA) has issued a warning over the increasing activities of swindlers that engage the use of unverified websites and fake social media platforms to defraud unsuspecting public and spread false information.

At the end of its monthly meeting which was held at the weekend in Nigeria Customs Headquarters Abuja, the chairman of the forum, Major-General Chris Olukolade said most victims of the swindlers were applicants who were often tricked into paying money under the guise of getting employment in return. The other common victims, according to him, include buyers and intending investors.

While urging relevant institutions, including regulatory bodies and security agencies to intensify efforts at curtailing the excesses of the internet scammers and online fraudsters, the forum warned the public to be wary of enticing and unbelievable offers by verifying claims on social media platforms and emails.

While acknowledging the fact that many arrests and convictions have been made, the forum also appealed to commercial banks to cooperate with the concerned authorities in arresting the ugly trends since the swindled monies were mostly paid through bank accounts.

The forum cited instances of multiple fake social media platforms often created in the names of public agencies and officials, saying those were some of the ploys used by the fraudsters to confuse the public. It added that “public information are always issued with verifiable sources while such agencies would normally not request any payment either for employment or services through the social media.”

In his opening address, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General, Finance Administration, Mr. John Atte, urged the forum to sustain the existing synergy in the management of public information, especially in the light of the present global security challenges.

Also in his remarks, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Customs Service, Wale Adeniyi said the Nigeria Customs Service had approved new social media policy that would guide online visitors on the activities of the agency and protect them against the increasing antics of online fraudsters.

Top 3 HeadlineS ➊ At 54, Nigeria

so many technologies coming into play which sometimes is not deliverable from one nation alone.”

He added, we have national culture challenges where we don’t seem to believe in us as a nation.

That’s why we find it difficult to accept and believe that what we can do can stand the test of time but poor finishing is also a challenge but technologies grow with time. So, I want to assure you that some of the finishing will improve and it will meet up

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

➌ Environment

Ministry Engages 52,000 Workers Under Great Green Wall Bulama

West Africa’s largest independent fibre optic infrastructure provider, Phase3 Telecom, has added the Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) to its growing network The essence is to enable people access as well as share large amounts of data from multiple locations.

Phase3 Telecom’s chief executive officer, Stanley Jegede explains that “the addition of the MPLS solution further supplements our rapidly evolving network and will further facilitate the provision of affordable and reliable broadband connectivity and telecommunications services for our increasing client base in the health, education, oil & gas, financial and public sectors across the continent.”

He further stated that “the possibilities and benefits of businesses being connected to a viable network that enable quick and secure data sharing across diverse or remote locations is exponential.

We hope to drive rapid economic growth by offering vast and untapped value creation by providing seamless services that allows data sharing on multiple networks.”

By Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Abuja

one of the examples I can give is that of Nicosan, as a drug to manage sickle cell anemia, we got it right, we had the research, we had the intellectual property right, we had the USA patent on it. We then moved from that patent into all the clinical trials and hospital tests and then we partnered with a very good American company, Xechem, they came to Gwagwalada, Nigeria, established a factory and were manufacturing Nicosan.

Minister Inaugurates NARICT, NILEST Boards

Still On Course For Industrial Revolution ➋ FOSSRA Raises Alarm Over Activities Of Online Fraudsters

Phase3 Telecom Upgrades Network With MPLS

We have national culture challenges where we don’t seem to believe in us as a nation

with global standards with time.”

Also speaking exclusively to LEADERSHIP, the directorgeneral of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Engr.

Umar Bindir, said Nigeria had been unable to fully utilize the development of science and technology sector because of poor management.

He said, “to say that we don’t have a global product is, probably, not completely true statement. We have tried and

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdu Bulama, has inaugurated the boards of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) and the Institute of Leather Science and Technology (NILEST).

Speaking on the occasion in Abuja, he said the two agencies were strategic to the development of science and technology as well as

served as vehicle for national development and transformation.

He explained that NARICT was established with the mandate to research into processes for the conversion of solid minerals, petroleum and agricultural raw materials into useful industrial chemicals, petrochemicals and polymers and conduct R&D activities into industrial plastics and textiles and other synthetic materials. NILEST, on the other hand, was established with the mandate to provide courses of instructions, training and research in the field of leather and leather products and conduct R&D on leather technologies and goods production, he also noted.

Saying science, technology and

innovation (ST&I) was needed to transform Nigeria from a consumption-based nation to a production-based one, the minister pointed out that the boards were being inaugurated to formulate policies that would help the institutions to achieve their mandates.

He urged members of the boards to live up to their expectation, while assuring them of his ministry’s unalloyed support.

In her remarks, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, also said the two parastatals were established with the mandate to develop indigenous technologies for use locally, to promote industrialization and youth employment.

You Must Accept Challenges, RMRDC Boss Tells Officials

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

The director-general and chief executive officer of the Raw Materials and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr. Ibrahim Doko Husseini has charged stakeholders of the council to be dynamic and bold to accept challenges and adopt new ways of doing things in order to move further.

Speaking at a retreat for the middle level manpower on the Second Strategic Plan for 2014 through 2017 designed to align officials on their responsibil-

ities for the implementation, he stressed “for us to move forward, we must be dynamic and be bold to accept challenges, adopt new ways of doing things especially where we did not get desired results”.

The RMRDC boss reminded that “over the years, the council has established a formidable data bank on raw material availability, uses and fabricators of processing equipment in Nigeria.

“This has helped the industrialists, research institutes, government agencies and schools

in the promotion of entrepreneurship development in this country. We must continue to expand this data bank by proactively carrying out activities that will promote the local content of raw materials resources across the country.

“To this end, it is important to also note that you need to rework and sustain your feedback mechanisms to the management or headquarters as the case may be so that we can keep track of what you are doing at your various desks or state offices.”

NASENI Commissions Locally Made Tricycles

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

The National Agency of Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has commissioned two locally made passenger and cargo three-wheeled vehicles in Abuja.

At the commissioning at the 9th Abuja International Trade Fair, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdu Bulama, said only technology innovation could attract investments for Nigeria. He disclosed that Nigeria was on its way to achieving self-sustenance in the production of indigenous technologies.

“NASENI has continued to design and fabricate products that have bettered the lives of Nigerians and also transferred these technologies to SMEs...Getting things right in terms of the technology innovation and proliferation will help attract the needed

Haruna

investment in the country and contribute to the growth and development of the real economy,” he stated.

The minister said Keke NASENI would go a long way in addressing the transportation problems experienced by the masses.

Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NASENI, Engr.

Mohammed Sani Haruna, said the rickshaw produced by his agency was as good as and even more rugged than the ones produced in India.

He remarked that the chairman of NASENi’s governing board, President Goodluck Jonathan was committed to strengthening and encouraging the agency to play pivotal role in Nigeria’s industrial development.

In his comments, the head, technical

business development, National Engineering Design Development Institute (NEDDI), Nnewi, Anambra State, Mr. Bolarinwa Gabriel, said the products were designed by his agency which is a subsidiary of NASENI. He explained that all the parts of the motorised tricycle except the standard parts were fabricated at NEDDI in Nnewi.

Gabriel further said the three-wheeled vehicle was based on the same technology as motorcycles and powered with a motor, adding the tricycles were stronger, durable and had better advantages than the imported keke.

According to him, the locally made passenger’s tricycle is made of fibre instead of tapoleen as in the imported keke with seat belts and executive chairs for the safety of the passengers.

SCIENCE/news 25

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

science

titbits Compiled by Nkechi Isaac

➏ ➐

➌➊ ➎

➋

➊ Panama Opens Biodiversity Museum Panama has inaugurated a museum designed by the world-renowned Canadian-born architect Frank Gehry - his first in Latin America.

The Biomuseo has been built at the entrance from the Pacific ocean to the Panama Canal.

It bears Gehry’s trademark metallic curves and canopies, made famous by the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, in Spain.

The museum celebrates the history of the Central American isthmus as one of the world’s richest ecosystems. The isthmus has more bird, mammal and reptile species than the United States and Canada combined.

BBC

➋ Protest Halts NASA’s

➍

Spaceflight Plans

❹ Researchers Develop Silicon Detectors For Telecommunications A team of researchers, led by the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton, has demonstrated a breakthrough technique that offers the first possibility of silicon detectors for telecommunications.

For decades, silicon has been the foundation of the microelectronics revolution and, owing to its excellent optical properties in the near- and mid-infrared range, is now promising to have a similar impact on photonics.

(Sciencedaily)

Top 3 Headline ➊ Solar Cell That Stores Its Own Power Developed

➋Panama Opens Biodiversity Museum ➌Protest Halts

NASA’s Spaceflight Plans

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to work on two new commercial spacecraft face a delay following a formal protest about the contract award process.

The complaint has been filed by an eliminated contender.

NASA administrator Charles Bolden said the protest had been lodged by Sierra Nevada Corporation in relation to its Dreamchaser spaceplane proposal.

He was speaking in Toronto at the opening of the week-long In-

ternational Astronautical Congress (IAC).

The issue will keep the agency from moving forward with the next phase of its commercial crew programme until the issue has been resolved.

NASA has 30 days to respond and the US government accountability office is expected to issue its ruling in early January 2015.

Just two weeks ago, the US space agency awarded a $4.2bn contract to The Boeing Corporation and $2.6bn to Elon Musk’s SpaceX

➌ Fast, Cheap Nanomanufacturing:

Tiny Conical Tips Fabricate Nanoscale Devices Cheaply

Luis Fernando Velásquez-García’s group at MIT’s Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL) develops dense arrays of microscopic cones that harness electrostatic forces to eject streams of ions.

The technology has a range of promising applications: depositing or etching features onto nanoscale mechanical devices; spinning out nanofibers for use in water filters, body armor, and “smart” textiles; or propulsion systems for fistsized “nanosatellites.”

In the latest issue of the IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, Velásquez-García, his graduate students Eric Heubel and Philip Ponce de Leon, and Frances Hill, a postdoc in his group, describe a new prototype array that generates 10 times the ion current per emitter that previous arrays did.

(Sciencedaily)

➏ New Approach To Boosting Biofuel Production

Device for heart treatment

➎ Solar

Cell That Stores Its Own Power Developed

Is it a solar cell? Or a rechargeable battery? Actually, the patent-pending device invented at The Ohio State University is both: the world’s first solar battery.

In the October 3, 2014 issue of the journal Nature Communications, the researchers report that they’ve succeeded in combining a battery and a solar cell into one hybrid device.

Key to the innovation is a mesh

solar panel, which allows air to enter the battery, and a special process for transferring electrons between the solar panel and the battery electrode. Inside the device, light and oxygen enable different parts of the chemical reactions that charge the battery.

The university will license the solar battery to industry, where Yiying Wu, professor of chemistry and

biochemistry at Ohio State, says it will help tame the costs of renewable energy.

“The state of the art is to use a solar panel to capture the light, and then use a cheap battery to store the energy,” Wu said. “We’ve integrated both functions into one device. Any time you can do that, you reduce cost.”

(Sciencedaily)

Yeast are commonly used to transform corn and other plant materials into biofuels such as ethanol. However, large concentrations of ethanol can be toxic to yeast, which has limited the production capacity of many yeast strains used in industry.

“Toxicity is probably the single most important problem in cost-effective biofuels production,” says Gregory Stephanopoulos, the Willard Henry Dow Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT. Now Stephanopoulos and colleagues at MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have identified a new way to boost yeast tolerance to ethanol by simply altering the composition of the medium in which the yeast are grown.

26 SCIENCE/feature

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

GITEX 2014: Marketing Nigeria As Africa’s Gateway For Technology Investment

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

short BIO OF Mr. Peter Jack

Jack attended the International Information Technology Policy Programme, College of Engineering, Seoul National University, South Korea.

He holds a BSc. in Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA, both from the University of Lagos.

The NITDA boss has also designed and implemented the Niger Delta Youth Computer Training Program for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2003.

GITEX Technology Week 2014– running October12-16, being organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is the largest ICT event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA).

This year’s event has been packaged to host more than 3,700 exhibiting companies from 61 countries and 100,000 visitors from 150 countries around the world and is partnering the world’s top ICT leaders to share transformational developments with regional companies across the show’s four knowledge themes: Smart, Cloud, Big Data and Mobility.

With GITEX technology week presenting strategic investment inroads into the lucrative Middle East and African ICT markets, Africa’s largest economy and population, Nigeria, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will serve as the show’s official country partner and represent Africa’s high-growth ICT market.

Nigeria has 120 million mobile users and 87 per cent mobile penetration by population At the pre-event conference in Dubai, the director-general of NITDA, Mr. Peter Jack, said the agency was coordinating the participation of Nigerian official delegation, exhibitors and young innovators with various home grown products and solutions to the investment forum to showcase investment opportunities in Nigeria in order to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Jack said, “as the government agency charged with the responsibility of developing IT in Nigeria, it is part of our mandates to expose our country to developments in the global IT industry and Gitex is a major global event with participants from across the globe. \ “It is therefore expected that our participation at Gitex 2014 would create a good platform for our young startups and the ICT

The director-general of National Information Technology Development Agency, Mr. Peter Jack (middle) flanked by Henrik Mulvad and Abdulla Hashim, officials of Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of the GITEX Technology Week 2014.

community in Nigeria to meet with investors and stakeholders across the globe who may be willing to be part of the success story of the ICT revolution currently going on in Nigeria. We will use this year’s edition of GITEX to show that Nigeria is the window to the African market, and anyone who gets Nigeria right has got Africa right.”

Addressing a collection of stakeholders and journalists at the event, the NITDA helmsman highlighted the potentials for investment in the ICT sector in Nigeria, saying they were enormous, not only within the country but for the sub-region and the continent as a whole.

“With a population of about 170 million people, the country is a ready market for manufacturers of hardware, software developers, software as a service and ICT solution providers.

“At the end of 2013, Nigerian economy (GDP) became the largest in Africa with more than $488 billion, the world’s 26th largest economy and the fastest growing economy across the globe. Nige-

ria is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank, it is also a member of the MINT group of countries, which are widely seen as the globe’s next “BRIClike” economies. It is also listed among the “Next 11” economies to become among the biggest in the world,” he said.

He stressed that Nigeria not only offerred the door of investment to investors in Africa, but also could boast of skilled low cost labour from a large army of vibrant entrepreneurs and IT startups, fast growing financial sector and free flow of investment.

He further said that the government had put in place various incentives to attract investors especially in the ICT sector which currently contributes about nine per cent to national GDP, adding that the aim was to grow ICT contribution to Nigeria’s GDP to about 15 per cent within the shortest time possible.

Reeling out her achievement in the ICT sector, the NITDA boss said Nigeria had developed a national ICT strategic plan with a time line of 2010-2015. He said,

“the implementation of the plan in sectors such as education, agriculture, health, human capital development, governance, judiciary and national security, amongst others, has propelled the level of development in the ICT sector in Nigeria.”

He added: “With over 48 million regular internet users, various activities are being carried out online. We are currently measuring the impact of the plan and implementation level in preparation for review next year. ICT contributes over eight per cent to the Nigeria’s GDP and is now growing at seven per cent annually. Our target is to grow the ICT industry to a point where it contributes up to 15 per cent to the GDP within the next three to five years.”

Earlier in his address, the director-general, Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and CEO, DWTC, Helal Almarri, said Dubai was set to transform into a ‘Smart City’ by harnessing technology to create better living conditions and new forms of developments for all people in Dubai and the UAE.

Airtel Zambia Forced To Refund Subscribers

Bioenterprise, Key To Rural Transformation – Ogbadu

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

The director-general, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Lucy Ogbadu, has said bioresources in the different geo-ecological zones of the country hold the key to rural transformation, poverty eradication and gainful employment.

She gave this indication during the quarterly meeting with directors of the Bioresources Development Centre (BIODEC) of the agency in Ogbomoso, Oyo

State.

She restated the objectives of the centre and charged the directors to work hand-in-hand with the host communities to facilitate identification of the available resources and their development with a view to encouraging the emergence of profitable bioenterprises.

Earlier in his report, a director at the centre, Dr.Olusegun Oyedele, said the centre had raised the awareness of the local farmers to the potentials

in indigenous vegetable production using the latest technologies.

According to him, the effort has Top 3 yielded result with the forma- laptops in tion of two different coopera- nigeria tive societies devoted mainly to vegetable cultivation in OgHewlett bomoso. He revealed that the Packard (HP) cooperative societies received support from Nigeria-CanaAcer da Vegetable Project (NICAN) which he said resulted in increased capacity and productivDell ity of the about 200 members.

➊ ➋ ➌

Nigeria has 120 million mobile users and 87 per cent mobile penetration by population

28, 000

Airtel Zambia has revealed it has refunded airtime to over 28,000 subscribers after intervention of the country’s

Airtel Zambia has revealed it has refunded airtime to over 28,000 subscribers after intervention of the country’s regulatory body, Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA).

ZICTA said about 28,000 Airtel customers had been erroneously marked as roaming subscribers and lost airtime amounting to $180 each.

“Airtel had refunded the affected subscribers and given them 30 minutes of free talk-time for use within the Airtel network as compensation for inconvenience caused,” said ZICTA public relations manager Ngabo Nankonde.

–VENTURES AFRICA

E-Business/BUSINESS 27

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

E-business REPORTS

Indigenous Firm Develops Recharge Cards for 32,000 Redeem Branches

Electronic roadmap

NITDA Unveils Roadmap On e-Government, Skill Acquisition stories by Chima Akwaja, Lagos

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), charged with the implementation of IT development, has signalled it is embarking on a renewed determination to ensure the adequate and increased application and use of IT tools and solutions in all government establishments across the country.

NITDA’s director-general, Mr Peter Jack, aware of the paucity of uptake and deployment of IT in especially the public sector, and in realisation of the critical need to embrace electronic systems for governance and administration, said the crusade to carry IT into all nooks and crannies of the country, into all public and private establishments, with the schools being the incubation centres was now more urgent than before.

Jack was speaking against the backdrop of renewed vigour by the agency to ensure that IT tools and solutions used in the country met standards set

by NITDA for the purpose of ensuring rapid and widespread human capital development.

And, as a body empowered by law to drive Information and Communications Technology (ICT) growth in Nigeria, NITDA said it was renewing its efforts at encouraging government ministries, departments and

agencies to adopt technology for efficient services delivery.

Jack said NITDA would push this further through training and re-training of government officials, which is part of its core mandate for ICT development in the country.

Giving this indication in Abuja, the director-general said NITDA’s core strategy was to position IT as prime catalyst for turning Nigeria into a ubiquitous society.

And to achieve this, those in government must begin to involve ICT in their day to day activities.

In this regard, he said NITDA had in the recent times organised trainings for legislators as well as lecturers in the nation’s universities.

These trainings were aside the regular training programmes and scholarships for youths and undergraduates which the agency undertakes periodically across the country. According to Jack, NITDA would continue to encourage ICT usage in government while it would not shy away from its responsibility of giving government the right recommendations for ICT acquisitions.

Under the NITDA ACT of 2007, the agency is to create incentives to promote the use of information technology in all spheres of life in Nigeria including the development of guidelines for setting up of information technology systems and knowledge parks.

The legislative arm of government is well equipped with necessary ICT tools to enhance their duties and also increase output

And part of those incentives, Jack said, has been in form of ICT trainings and scholarship programmes for government officials and youths.

The agency is also saddled among others, with the responsibility of “developing guidelines for electronic governance and monitor the use of electronic data interchange and other forms of electronic communication transactions as an alternative to paper-based methods in government, commerce, education, the private and public sectors, labour, and other fields, where the use of electronic communication may improve the exchange of data and information.”

NITDA also advises the government on ways of promoting the development of information technology in Nigeria including introducing appropriate information technology legislation to enhance national security and vibrancy of the industry. Before now, NITDA had organised ICT training for members of the House of Representatives and followed by another for their Senate counterpart as a move to digitise the Nigerian law making arm of the country.

The purpose of this, according to NITDA, was to ensure that the legislative arm of government was well equipped with necessary ICT tools to enhance their duties and also increase output.

One Card, a fast moving consumer goods company has signed an agreement with the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG), for the production, distribution and sales of RCCG’s customised multiple service recharge cards.

With this agreement, Redeem members in all its 32,000 parishes across the country now access top-up solution at any parish while also receiving God’s blessings Speaking on this unique service, the founder/ director of One Card, Prof Olurinde Lafe, said “this initiative is borne out of the company’s commitment to making life easier for Nigerians via easy –to-use and accessible top-up solution.”

According to Lafe, partnering with Redeem Church provided One Card an excellent opportunity to ensure Nigerians, especially RCCG members access the convinience that his company has brought while even in their place of worship.

Telcos Create Nigeria’s Largest Mobile Ecosystem Nigeria telecom operators, phone vendors and applications developers are set to create the largest mobile ecosystem at the maiden edition of Phone Expo Nigeria 2014 (PEN 2014), colocating four unique events in Lagos from December 2-6, 2014 under the theme, “Next Frontiers of Connected Nigeria.”

Founder/Group CEO of Technology Times, Mr Shina Badaru, said that the event would bring together diverse segments of the biggest market in the Nigerian economy, the vibrant mobile telephony subscribers.

The four co-located events will focus on four key touch points that matter to the Nigerian mobile marketplace: business, innovation, thought leadership and entertainment, he said.

It will co-locate PEN exhibitions, mobile app challenge. “We are pleased to be producing PEN 2014 with our partners to evolve the annual must-attend mobile telephony show in Nigeria that will become the flagship exhibitions and trade show catering exclusively for the mobile ecosystem,” Badaru said.

MTN Foundation Invests In Rivers State Security Fund MTN Foundation, the corporate social Investment arm of MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd, has equipped Rivers State with new security vehicles in an effort to reduce the security challenges in the country.

It donated security vehicles to the Rivers State Government under the third phase of its Security Support Project (SSP).

Receiving the vehicles, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, who was represented by his deputy, Tele Ikuru, commended the MTN Foundation, for keying into his administration’s vision of providing adequate security to engender socio-economic growth in the state. He said the initiative would help complement efforts made by the government in securing the lives and property of the state’s inhabitants.

“The business of security is everyone’s business. Government can’t handle the security challenge alone which is why we are particularly gladdened by this gesture which is the first of its kind since this administration embarked on its transformation agenda,” he said.

28

healthful

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Anopheles mosquito

. . . C O N D U C I V E TO G O O D H E A LT H O F B O D Y O R M I N D

Ready To Snap?

T

hink about the that have really ticked you off in the past 24 hours: someone nicking your parking space; a fellow commuter blasting music out of their earphones (why bother wearing them?); being put on hold for 45 minutes… chances are, you can draw up a list as long as your arm because the truth is, we are a generation of ragers. According to a new survey, nearly half of us feel our everyday stress levels have increased over the five years.

And this leads to anger and irritability.

But why are we so on edge? Well, experts say being switched on 24/7 means we are used to being able to get everything.

But constantly striving for instant gratification means our expectations are so high that we can easily become upset if things don’t go our way-like having to wait more than a minute for a coffee, or not getting a phone signal in the middle the lake District, ‘says Dr Jessamy Hibberd.

What’s more being permanently connected to our mobile phones means we never really switch off, which can lead exhaustion. And feeling fazzled all the time can weaken our immune system and increase our risk to heart attack amd stroke. So it is time for some keep calm strategies.

Stress can be good!

Tackling out that rage means sorting out your stress. The first step? Changing your mindset

about your physical reaction to it (and it is not as tricky as it sounds). ‘We interpret the physical changes-like a pounding heart breaking into a sweatas signs that we are not coping,’ says leading health psychologist Dr David Sheffeild. ‘But this is actually our “fight or flight response” kicking in ( the same one one that helped us detect danger when we were cavewomen)-and it is energising the body so we can rise to the challenge.’ Clever.

Here’s how bit works: our nervous system floods the body with adrenaline and cortisol hormones. Our heart beats faster, pumping blood away from places that don’t need it, such as the fingertips-to muscles and limbs.

Hmm handy if we’re about to run away from sabre-toothed tiger, but not much use -if you’ve just remembered that little Johnny needs help building a cardboard spaceship for science

lowering Blood pressure

Nuts To You class tomorrow and you have idea where to start.

‘By viewing these symptoms as helpful and positive, you can actually change your body’s response, triggering a healthier reaction,’ explains David. In fact, one study found that by doing this, our blood vessels relax so we get a similar physical reaction to when we experience joy or courage.

So, the next time your heart pounds because you have to throw together a last-minute spaceship, don’t think, ‘I’m falling apart, I can’t cope!’ and snap at your other half.

Take a deep breath and tell yourself: ‘My body is given me signs that it’s helping me rise to the challenge, so I can achieve what I need to.’

Keep things in proportion Next thing to tackle? How you interpret ‘challenging’ situations - because that can determine how wound up you become.

Yes, it’s time to get some perspective! ‘When you feel overwhelmed, your mind automatically becomes focused on the “Threat”, so thoughts like, “Ugh, this is too much to deal with!” run riot, working you up into a state,’ says Jessamy. ‘Anger is like Velcro - it sticks to us and is hard to shake off, so even small things can set us off. We only see things in black and white, ignoring all the shades of grey. ‘ Yes, you know the story: a lastminute phone call to pick your mum up from the hospital meant you were late collecting your son from nursery (again) so you were fined, you lost your cashpoint card, and then - the final straw - your local shop ran out of the pasta sauce you needed for dinner.

So you snapped at the poor cashier and simmered with rage for the rest of the evening.

So how do you stop blowing things out of proportion? Well, it goes back to soothing the stress. (After all, it caused the anger in the first place.) Question negative thoughts like: ‘The staff at nursery must think I’m totally useless,’ and ask yourself, ‘What advice would I give a friend if she were going through the same thing? Are these thoughts rational?’

Top 6 habits that may cause constipation

➊

Inactivity and Constipation Lack of exercise not only causes weight gain and other health problems, it can also affect digestion.

➋

A LowFiber Diet Slows Digestion Fiber is the material in plant foods that your body can’t digest, and it’s important for good digestion.

➌

Not Drinking Enough Fluids Causes Constipation When you’re dehydrated, your body has less fluid available to keep stools soft

➍

Junk Food and Your Digestive Health When you eat junk food, you spend your calorie capital on foods that are low in fiber and nutrients and high in fat and sugar.

➎

OTC Supplements: A Surprising Cause of Constipation Did you know that OTC supplements can affect your digestive health

➏

Overusing LaxativesCan Cause Hard-toTreat Constipation Overusing stimulant laxatives can lead to dependence

The “thou shalt not’s” loom large, but the “thou shalt’s” are sometimes hard to determine. Allow me to give you a major “thou shalt.” Thou shalt eat nuts, all kinds of nuts, and frequently!

So what’s so great about nuts? For starters, they are high in protein and relatively low in carbs. (One little problem is that the nut many people find the tastiest of all, the cashew, has twice the carbs that most nuts have, and is probably the one you should go easy on.) But as a whole, nuts are nutri- tious and packalotof power in their nutty little shape. Years ago they were thought to be problematic since they contain a lot of fat, but they have made a tremendous comeback as researchers are finding that they actually . promote a healthy heart. Consider the following: Researchers from Harvard Medical School and the Har- vard School of Public Health have examined the effect of eating nuts on cardiovascular health, reports the Harvard Mens Health Watch. “Their work shows that nuts really are healthy, especially for men at risk for heart disease,” says Dr. Harvey B. Simon, editor.

Studies show that healthy men, and those who have already suffered a heart attack, can reduce cardiovascular risk by eating nuts regularly.

Doctors theorize that: •nuts may help lower cholesterol, partly by replacing less healthy foods in the diet.

•nuts contain mono- and polyunsaturated fats known to benefit the heart.

•the omega-3 fats found in walnuts may protect against irregular heart rhythms .

•nuts are rich in arginine, a substance that may improve blood vessel function .

•other nutrients in nuts (such as fiber and vitamin E) may also help lower cardiovascular risk. For those with blood-sugar problems, nuts are truly a godsend. Nuts of all kinds-almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios, walnuts, and even the lowly peanut (which is actually related more to beans than to tree nuts)are gifts from heaven.

Giving up those salty, bad-for-you snack foods doesn’t mean you have to go hungry. Nuts are your replacement for those blood- sugar-spikers like potato chips, nachos, french fries, Cheetos, Doritos, and the like.

Not only are nuts much lower in carbs than nearly all our favorite.

Culled from 60 ways to Lower Your BLOOD SUGAR

HEALTH 101 29

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

20

Nigeria has contained Ebola but will be declared EVD-free on October 20 according to WHO protocol

330m

Anopheles mosAnopheles mosquito quito

Lagos State says it will produce a minimum of 330 million gallons of water per by 2016 in line with its projected demands

Hospital Can Benefit From Their Mistakes

Clear Seamless Packaging Tubes

Hospital often make the news for getting it wrong but in the United States, where the healthcare system is driven by insurance companies, hospitals can actually make more money when they make mistakes.

An extended and unexpected stay in the hospital from a preventable infection, for example, goes right to the hospital’s bottom line, say researchers from the University of Michigan School of Medicine at Ann Arbor.

I Such extra care costs around three times more than a standard stay, when the patient doesn’t contract a hospital infection.

In fact, insurers are often presented with

a $400,000 bill for treating these patients.

Hospitals are profiting from these complications-even though they’re of their own making. Worse, efficient and well-run hospitals that keep infection levels to a minimum are losing out.

The infections-known as CLABSls, or central line-associated bloodstream I infections-happen when the plastic tubes (catheters) used to administer fluids or obtain blood become infected. Around 80,000 patients in the US suffer from a CLABSI every year and around 28,000 of them die, which is similar to the death rate in the US from breast cancer.

Doctors Say The Funniest Things

Low-Grade Prostate Cancer ‘Not A Killer’ Prostate cancer doesn’t become more aggressive over time.

Low-grade cancer always stays that way and doesn’t become life-threatening, new research has suggested, which supports the ‘watchful-waiting’ approach.

Cancer specialists have assumed that prostate cancer can develop and change, and recommend surgery or radiotherapy if the patient is under the age of about 65.

But researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have discovered that not

only can the treatment result in impotence or incontinence, it may also be unnecessary if the cancer is identified as lowgrade. In an analysis of cancer tissue taken from more than 1,200 prostate cancer patients between 1982 and 2000, the researchers discovered that the Iow-grade cancers invariably remained that way.

Instead, men diagnosed with a low-grade cancer should adopt a watchful-waiting strategy, where there are regular checkups but no intervention.

“You are not the only case, you know” (after complaining about a nine-month waiting list to have a grapefruit-size fibroid removed).

I had had flu-like symptoms for several weeks with fevers especially at night. I phoned the doctor to ask if he knew of anything fitting this description that was going around. He said no, so I asked him if it could be mononucleosis. “No, that’s most unlikely,” he said. When I asked why that was, he said, “Because you never had it before!”

Skipping Breastfeeding Helps Baby’s Brain Grow Breakfast Breastfeeding is good for babies and their developing brains. It encouragIncreases Heart es better development in the vital areas-tA4Itgovern cognitive abilities Attack risk and of ‘white matter,’ which deterIt’s been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the dayand now scientists have proved it.

Skipping breakfast increases your chances of a heart attack, but so does eating late in the evening.

Men who regularly skip breakfast have a 27 percent higher risk of heart attack or cardiovascular disease that results in death.

Breakfast-skippers are also more likely to be overweight, have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and to suffer from diabetes, all of which can lead to heart disease.

mines how quickly electrical signals can zip around the brain.

Children who are exclusively breastfed for at leastthree months seem to have brains that are better developed, say researchers who examined the brains of133 children aged from 10 months to four years using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans.

The breastfed babies showed greater developmentthan even those whose breastfeeding had been supplemented with formula. Overall, they had around 30 percent more white-matter growth than babies who were either partially breastfed orfed only with formula.

The difference was also apparent in simple tests. The breastfed children demonstrated better language, visual and motor-cpntrol skills.

Culled from what doctors don’t tell you

healthful Q &A What causes hangovers, and can anything help ease or prevent them?

Alcohol can cause dehydration and disrupt cell function throughout the body, making you feel sick, or hungover, when any intoxication wears off. The amount needed to trigger a hang- over depends partly on how much you’re used to drinking: As little as one or two glasses of wine, for example, can leave some people feeling wiped out if they seldom drink at all. Of course, the best way to avoid a hangover-and to avoid getting dangerously tipsy-is simply not to drink heavily or more than usual. But several steps may possibly reduce the likelihood and severity of a hangover. Try not to drink on an empty stomach or when you’re worn out from exercise or lack of sleep. After you’ve indulged, drinking lots of nonalcoholic liquids and popping a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin lB, and generic) may be helpful, although it may upset a stomach already irritated by alcohol. Note that dark liquors including red wine are more likely to leave you hungover than lighter libations.

Culled from Guide to Better Health

30 BUSINESS/CUSTOMS

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Boosting Customs Capacity With WCO Single Window

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

customs focus

By JULIET ALOHAN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About 60 representatives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

60 tonnes of tramadol and 725 kilogrammes of ivory.

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

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

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

Remarking, Mikuriya noted

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

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

fct watch

31

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

ABAJI AMAC BWARI GWAGWALADA KUJE KWALI

N2 bn

The World Bank has pledged to pay a counterpart funding of N2 billion to support the implementation of community based projects in the FCT

abaji Garba Urges Muslims, Christians To Unite The chairman of the Abaji area council, Hon. Yahaya Garba, has called on the Muslim and Christian faithful in the council to endeavour to always live in unity amongst them, saying that without unity, the council will be tense and, thereby, forestall the government’s plan for improved development.

—By Igho Oyoyo

aMaC Jiba Urges Muslims To Pray For Peace The chairman of the Abuja municipal area council (AMAC), Hon. Micah Jiba, has called on Muslims in the council to use the eid period to pray for peace and unity in Nigeria, saying that only through peace and unity will Nigeria get to its desired height of development.

—By Igho Oyoyo

bwari Bwari Residents Pray For Peace

Children having fun at the Millennium Park, yesterday.

Eid-El-Kabir: Fun Seekers Throng Abuja’s Gardens, Parks

By Igho oyoyo and ChIka Mefor

As Muslim faithful celebrate this year’s Eid el Kabir, the weather did not prevent thousands of residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from coming out to have fun at recreational parks and relaxation centres.

In Utako, where many recreational gardens are located, loud music boomed out from speakers, as many sat in groups, savouring pepper soup, drinking juice and ice creams. Others went about singing in the native Hausa language, playing on local instruments and getting paid for the entertainment.

When LEADERSHIP visited the sprawling Jabi Lake park, Wonderland, City Park and other attractive gardens around the city, fun seekers from within and without the city, clad in colourful attires could be seen in their numbers celebrating the eid with their friends and relatives.

Many could be seen on horseback while others enjoyed tense rides on speed boats.

One of the fun seekers, Suliatu Mohammed, disclosed that, in spite of the financial challenges faced by residents of the FCT, they still thought it necessary to go to the parks, because the eid was the only period for them

to enjoy themselves before resumption of work.

“Also, it is a time to re-unite with our loved ones and some family members who we have not seen in a long while and, as you can see, I am really having fun with my family and friends,” she said.

Another resident, Danladi Umar, did not think that it would have been wise to stay away from the fun centres.

“We cannot continue to sit at home during festive periods, because of the security challenges in the country. That is why I came to the Wonderland Park to have a god time with my family members.

“But we are still appealing to the government to make money available, so that, in times like these, people can celebrate with their loved ones comfortably.

As I am talking to you now, so many people are not celebrating, because some ministries have not paid salaries. Even at the local government level salaries were not paid. But we want to thank the Almighty Allah who gave us life to celebrate this Sallah,” he said.

At the Unity Fountain and Millennium Park, more fun seekers could be seen donning their best wears, moving freely

and celebrating the day.

One of the residents, Maina Yusuf, told LEADERSHIP that the Millenium Park remains his favourite spot for the festive season. Yusuf maintained that the place is so special to him that nothing will stop him from returning there time and time again, to celebrate the eid.

Another resident, Abdullahi Usman explained that the eid season is one fit to celebrate with family and friends, as the busy schedule never gives one enough time to unwind and celebrate.

“Sallah is all about celebrating with my family and friends. My children have been anticipating this moment for a long time, so I could not go back on fulfilling the promise I made to my family. But I don’t usually celebrate with my family alone; I call on my friends too, because Sallah is all about sharing love. I work too hard, so I plan on using this break to rest,’’ he said.

Another resident, Fatima Ibrahim, decried the security challenges in the country.

However, she added that the presence of the security personnel made her feel safe to celebrate with friends and family outdoors.

“I am a house wife who is always indoors. This is the right

As the Muslim faithful celebrate the eid, the residents of Bwari area council have continued to pray for peace in the country, especially in the North-east where insurgents have destroyed houses and killed many.

A cross-section of residents who spoke with LEADERSHIP stated that they wish the country can enjoy lasting, undisturbed peace.

—By Chika Mefor

GwaGwalada LG Boss Calls For Prayers For Peace The chairman of the Gwagwalada area council, Abubakar Jibrin-Giri, has called on the residents of the council to continue to pray for peace in the country, especially during the celebration of the eid.

—By Chika Mefor

KujE Tete Congratulates Muslims On Sallah

The chairman of Kuje area council, Hon. Shaban Tete, has commended the Muslim faithful in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the successful and peaceful eid celebration, saying that, despite the financial challenges, this year’s eid celebration was most peaceful and joyous; one in which residents were not scared to go celebrate with their loved ones.

—By Igho Oyoyo

Kwali Kwali Chair Calls For Peaceful Co-existence

32

The chairman of Kwali area council, Ibrahim Daniel, has called on the residents of the council to continue to live in peace with one another, despite their religious differences. Daniel made the call during the eid celebrations in the council.

—By Chika Mefor

32 FCT watch/NEWS

Kwali Boss Commends Aduda’s Empowerment Scheme

By Igho Oyoyo

The chairman of the Kwali area council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Ibrahim Daniel, has expressed gratitude to the senator representing the FCT, Sen. Philip Aduda, on his empowerment programme in all FCT’s area councils.

Ibrahim made this commendation during the flag-off of the distribution of cars and motorcycles to PDP stakeholders in the wards and six area councils in the area.

Daniel said that Aduda has done what no senator has done within four years in the area.

He said that none of the others had looked towards providing either infrastructure, social amenities, effective representation in the Senate or chairing any form of empowerment programme for the FCT residents.

However, the commissioner representing the FCT in the Civil Service Commission, Alh. Hassan Sokodobo, affirmed the territory’s endorsement of President Jonathan and Aduda, during the ceremony. Sokodobo pointed out that the affirmation is coming on the heels of the “uncommon transformation which both individuals have brought to about”. Thus, he called on the residents of the FCT to support them and give them a second chance.

“As a people, we have looked around the FCT and discovered that there is no body that has ever met our aspirations like Aduda, since the emergence of democracy. I can tell you, authoritatively, that there are no wards in all area councils that do not have Aduda’s projects,” Hassan said.

Six jeeps and 62 motor cycles were distributed to six area councils and 60 wards of the FCT, respectively.

One of the beneficiaries in the AMAC, Alhaji Musa Yahaya, commended Aduda for his kind gesture.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

UniAbuja VC Appeals For Students’ Support, Perseverance

By Chika Mefor

The vice-chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof Michael Adikwu, has called for the support and perseverance of students in the school to help him re-build and re-position the institution to greater standard.

Adikwu who was speaking during the 2009-2014 sandwich students’ matriculation, stated that he will operate an ‘open-door’ policy where everyone will contribute to the growth of the school.

The VC added that the institution’s doors will be opened for complaints and grievances and that the staff will always be available to attend to students.

While speaking on the importance of teachers in the country, Adikwu stated that the performance of students in the nation currently has revealed that Nigeria lacks quality teachers. ‘’One important thing I must mention about your case is that anyone who is admitted into the Institute of Education is being trained to be a teacher.

“I have always attributed the moral decadence in our society to teachers, because teachers occupy an enviable position that can enable them to mould lives,’’ he added.

He advised the students to put more effort in their studies and urged them to work against cultism, examination malpractice, truancy and every negative act.

Also speaking, the acting director of the school’s Institute of Education, Dr Patricia Ojiah, stated that the institute’s objective is to train various cate-

gories of teachers to meet modern teaching challenges.

Ojiah called on the students of the programme to be committed to their studies, so as to graduate with good grades at the end of their stay in the campus.

Ojiah noted that though the institute is aware that some lecturers do not begin classes till late in the semester, results are released late in the year, as well as other challenges facing the programme, the management is making efforts to address them.

Shea butter sellers making sales at Souka, along Airport Road, yesterday. PHOTO BY JANE OKEKE.

Tete Reaffirms Commitment To Improved Education

By Igho Oyoyo

The chairman of Kuje area council, Hon. Shaban Tete, has reaffirmed his commitment to improve the council’s educational sector, especially in areas located in the hinterlands.

Tete, who made this known through his senior special adviser on media, Suleiman Sabo, said that the leadership of the

council has decided to take education to the council’s most remote areas, in order to make it accessible to indigent people.

Tete said the Buzukuri Community is one of the areas that has benefitted from the drive, as the council has provided blocks of classrooms for school-children in the community.

“One of the major priorities of this administration is to en-

courage education of residents of Kuje, because the leadership of the council believes that without education no society can thrive in terms of infrastructures and otherwise.

“That is why the leadership of the council has commenced the construction of blocks of classrooms in rural communities where the residents lack educational facilities. I want to assure

residents that this administration is committed to improving education in the council.

“I also want to urged residents to endeavour to enrol their children in most of these government schools, because they are the leaders of tomorrow and, only through proper education can they become the true leaders of tomorrow,” he said.

Fun Seekers Throng Abuja’s Gardens, Parks 31

opportunity to go out without my husband complaining that I went to enjoy myself alone. In spite of what is happening in the country, we have to come out and celebrate. Somehow, sometime, everyone will die; so, I can’t deny myself of happiness, because of the bomb blasts. To say the truth,” she confessed, “the presence of security agents

around the city also made me safe”.

Meanwhile, the ever busy Nyanya and Kubwa express ways were a shadow of their normal, bustling selves, as only a few motorists could be seen plying the roads.

One of the motorists, Austin Nnamdi, blamed the eid celebration for slow business.

“Many are relaxing at home, while others travelled,” he said.

In the suburbs, many could be seen trekking, as the riders of the main means of transportation, okada, also took some time off to celebrate with their families and friends.

“I have stood here for 20 minutes waiting for bike to take me to the market. I was

wondering where they’d all gone to and I remembered the Sallah.

Some have travelled while some just took the day off,’’ Faith Iku, a resident of Kubwa stated.

The eid break has not only been enjoyable for most of the FCT residents because of the long holidays which fused into the weekend, it has also eaten deep into the pockets of many

FCT watch/NEWS 33

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

‘Student Population Explosion Is Due To Academic Excellence’

By Chika Okeke

The principal of the Community Secondary School Asokoro, Alhaji Sa’idu Ahmed, has stated that the students’ excellent performances in the 2014 West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations is the major reason for the increased enrolment which the school is currently witnessing.

In an interview with newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Ahmed described the use of

basic curriculum, qualified personnel, appropriate student-teacher ratio, conducive learning environment, adequate instructional materials and effective supervision as the secret behind their performance.

“The only challenge we encounter at the moment is population explosion because of our performance academically and our disposition in terms of discipline but, unfortunately, the space is not available

because we tried to maintain optimum class-size to avoid over-population in the classes.

“Out of 119 candidates who wrote the 2014 WAEC, 90.8 per cent got distinction and credit, 8.6 per cent got pass and 0.6 per cent failed,” he said.

Ahmed who maintained that the school had 119 vacancies for students seeking admission into JSS 1 expressed shock that over 200 students wrote the post-examination and over

160 students qualified for admission into the school.

Ahmed also thanked the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) for their immense support and eulogised the efforts of the school’s proprietor, who is also the director-general of Department of State Security Services (DSSS), Ekpeyong Ita, for providing hand sanitisers, gun thermometer and other equipment for protecting students, pupils, staff and visitors against the Ebola virus.

Abaji Chairman Reiterates Security Commitment

BY Igho Oyoyo

The chairman of Abaji area council, Hon. Yahaya Garba, has reiterated his commitment and determination to protect the lives and property of residents of the council.

Garba, made this known through the council’s head of administration, Alhaji Isah Rubochi, while addressing residents and stakeholders on the need to ensure the completion of uncompleted buildings which pose a serious security risk to the council’s residents.

The council boss said that, although the nation is gradually overcoming her security challenges, the government, especially at the local level, will not relent in its effort to curb crime and criminality in the country.

He further urged residents who have over-grown trees around their houses to have them trimmed, in order to avoid from being used as them being used as hide outs for criminals activities.

Garba also used the opportunity to appeal to residents to have faith in the present administration, as efforts are being made to address various challenges and demands confronting every community in the council.

APC supporters in Abuja.

APC Commissions Party Office In Kwaku

By Chika Mefor

In its bid to reach the grassroots aspect of the polity by commissioning one office in each of the 62 wards of Abuja, the FCT chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commissioned one of its party offices in Kwaku, a settlement in Kuje area council.

Speaking during the commissioning, the leader of the party in the FCT, Alhaji Zachari Angulu Dobi, explained that the party is building and commissioning its offices n the wards of the FCT, because it is a grassroots-based one which needs to get the

people involved in the party.

“The APC, as a party, is a grassroots party; that is why we are moving into the grassroots. Politics is not about building one’s office in urban areas, it is all about involving the people at the grassroots.

“When we first talked to them, the people said that there was need for every ward in the council to have a party office. That is why we are here in Kwaku commissioning one today. People here are happy with the new development. Now they have an office where day-today activities are being run,”

he said.

He added that the party offices will get the people involved in the party activities, as well as encourage the people in the various wards to be loyal to the party, since they have an organised structure to work in.

“Kwaku is one ward out of 62 others in the FCT. We took the party to the wards where the people can make their decisions. This will make people believe in party. We just finished our convention about two months back and it is up to the party leaders to go down to the

grassroots to associate with their people,” he said.

Angulu-Dobi called on the people not to sell their votes but to use it as a weapon to fight for change, a change that will better their lives and that of their families.

“People are yearning for change but change is not achieved without using one’s weapon which is the voter’s card. Do not sell your conscience. Just vote for the APC and remain there until results are entered and election materials escorted to the appropriate place. Protect your vote,” he warned.

Garba

Did You Know That Kwaku, a settlement in Kuje area council.

❂❂❂

Kwaku is one ward out of 62 others in the FCT.

❂❂❂

The main occupation of Kwaku residents is farming.

❂❂❂

One of the major challenges of the settlement is bad road network.

34 FCT watch/feature

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

A waste truck.

Estates To Take Over Waste Management In FCT

By Nkechi Isaac

The responsibility of waste management is seen as the responsibility of the government in most developing nations.

In line with global standards, however, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) recently called a town hall meeting of estates in the metropolis to initiate the process of handing over the responsibility of waste management to individual estates.

Speaking at the meeting convened by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), the coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Arch.

Reuben Okoya, said that

the board is currently overwhelmed with the business of waste management in the city, adding that the board wants to hand over management to individual estates to enable it effectively regulate other mandates under its purview.

The AMMC boss disclosed that the FCT administration spends over N160 million per month on waste evacuation, adding that the previous system was not sustainable hence the move to initiate a self cleaning system for estates.

Okoya said, “The city pays over N160 million per month and N320 million in two months to about 20 contractors to clean the city round the clock but it is not sustainable.

These contractors may not be doing the best job. We want to

find a different way of doing it, what obtains globally, what is best for everybody.”

In a chat with journalists, the acting director of AEPB, Mr Baba Lawan, said that the reason for the meeting was to sensitise residents on the need to have a structure for self waste management.

“There are 86 estates on our list and out of these 86 only 10 has a structure on ground, the others have no structure.

We are the ones cleaning these estates and it has been quite a tasking job. We want them to organise themselves and levy their residents so they can contract licensed contractors for onward disposal,” Lawan said.

The AEPB boss said that the estates have been given

two months to set up a proper structure for waste collection and evacuation.

The FCT minister’s special assistant on projects and ICT, Engr. Erik Anyamene, called for a collaboration between the government and the private sector, saying that city sanitation is the business of everyone.

He said, “There should be a mid-point between the government and the private sector on how to keep the city clean because the role of keeping the city clean is everybody’s business. It’s not the governments’ problem alone; we’re all stakeholders in the process. So, I urge the residents, developers, managers, the government and everybody to put their hands on

deck to clean up the city.”

In his remarks, the chairman, Minfa 1 Garden Estate, Lokogoma, Abdulkareem Yusuf, commended the initiative. He, however, called for a transition period, whereby residents would be allowed to go through the gradual process of independently managing their own waste.

He also called for regulation by the regulatory body to ensure effective and effective waste disposal by the cleaning contractors.

The estate manager, Suncity, Freeman Leslie, said that the initiative was the solution to waste management in the city, saying that residents knows the amount of waste they generate and how often it should be evacuated.

Ice Block Business Is Profitable – Olughara

By Nkechi Isaac

Top 5 Security Guard Companies In FCT ➊ Kings Guards ➋ Infinity Security ➌ Flare Securities ➍ Deepcover Guards ➎ Olive Guards

Contrary to the low profit perception of ice block business by entrepreneurs, Mr Felix Olughara who is into the business has said it is a very profitable venture.

Speaking in an exclusive chat with LEADERSHIP, Olughara said that he makes as much as N50, 000 per day from ice block sales.

He said, “People often neglect ice block business but it’s a very profitable venture. I make as much as N50, 000 a day from the sale of ice block, depending on how good the market was for the day. I have a

Olughara

relatively big ice block making machine that takes up to 1,400 pieces of ice block which sells for N100 per piece.”

According to him, “the business is most vibrant during dry season because there is a high demand for ice block during hot weather, a piece of ice block can sell for as much as N200 during this period because of the extremely hot weather.

“The business is normally slow during the rainy season because the weather is cold but we recoup our loss during the harmattan.”

Giving details of requirements

to start up the business, Olughara said the most basic thing needed to set up the business is a fridge.

“The basic requirement is a fridge. You can get one for as low as N300 or as high as N1.5 million, depending the size of the fridge, then you some other basic materials. So, setting up the business will cost you a minimum of N400, 000.”

He said he’s been able to achieve a lot from proceeds of the business, urging unemployed youths to consider the venture, saying it’s a viable source of income and a good business.

35

labour matters Tuesday, October 7, 2014

DG NDE, Abubakar Mohammed

TOP LABOUR UNIONS IN NIGERIA

1. The Radio Television Theatre and Art Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) is an umbrella Union comprising of all Radio, Television presenters and producers 2. The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Registered as an umbrella body of judiciary workers across the country 3. The Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) Umbrella union of health workers across the country

FG Can Curb Unemployment Through Empowerment Of AutoTechnicians – NATA Despite several efforts by the federal government to reduce unemployment in the country, the legion of unemployed youths has continued to be on the rise. However, the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) has suggested that if youths are encouraged to embrace automechanics, the federal government will go a long way in its quest to reduce unemployment in the country. Michael Oche writes.

T

he rate of unemployment in the country is expected to increase further by about two per cent this year, a report by the Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC), a Lagos-based financial

advisory firm predicted earlier in 2014.

Meanwhile, statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that 54 per cent of Nigerian youths were unemployed in 2012. Though the government over the years has lunched several

initiatives to curb unemployment, but the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) says it may have the antidote to help government curb the rate of unemployment in the country.

“If you go to any auto-mechanic workshop station, you are sure to see at least 3 to 6 young apprentice who are under a master. This creates a lot of employment opportunities for young Nigerians.

There is nowhere you go across the country, that you don’t get to find our members. From the villages to the big cities, auto-technicians are everywhere and they are contributing meaningfully to the development of the economy” the national president of NATA Comrade Michael Ajayi Omonayin told our reporter.

He said he is hoping that through adequate collaboration with the government the union will be able to build mechanic schools to teach “our young ones technological skills as mechanics and technicians that will enable them survive in our ever changing world of technological innovations. We will also continue to support both the federal and state governments in the realisation of their efforts to create jobs for our unemployed youths.”

NATA is the umbrella body for all the Auto- Technicians which comprises Auto-Mechanics, Rewires, Sprayers, Vulcanizers, Battery- Chargers and Auto- Body Builders.

The federal government recently lunched the national automotive policy to encourage made in Nigeria cars. But some analysts have raise questions saying lots of expatriate auto engineers and technicians will inevitably be imported into Nigeria due to inadequate skill levels of Nigerians to ensure that the multiple technical agreements/ partnerships being entered by the government work out.

However, comrade Omonayin said auto-technicians have a critical role to play in the success of the auto policy. He said the union is already organising training for

young Nigerians in mechatronics and to allow them to be self- reliant.

He said the union is a critical part of the transport sector and has the capacity to create jobs for millions of young Nigerians if they are properly encouraged.

He said, “By our last count, we had about 2.7 million Nigerians.

We believe that the insecurity situation in the country is caused by unemployment. But through adequate collaboration with the federal government, more of our members will be empowered to train more young Nigerians.”

He revealed that due to complaints of Nigerians as regards the attitude of some automobile technicians, the union will soon begin head count and registration of automobile technicians across the country to ensure that quacks are not allowed to practice.

Comrade Omonayin also raised alarm to all practising Auto-Mechanics and Associates operating in all its units across the thirty-six States of Nigeria, particularly in the Northern region to be cautious with the customers who brings vehicles to their mechanics workshops.

He said it is against the backdrop of the signals made by the military intelligent on the new trick of the insurgents to perpetrate bombings attack outside the North East Zone in order to divert attention from its recent Military onslaughts.

“I wish to sound a note of warning to all NATA members operating in any units across the country to be wary of vehicles being brought for repairs or maintenance in your workshops, diagnose not only the faults but guaranty the public safety of the vehicle by keeping vigilance on the identity of customers, strangers that patronize your workshops,” he said According to NATA Boss the Mechanics’ villages and workshops should be placed under security and vigilantes to monitor vehicles of Publicand Private Organizations coming for repairs and maintenance.

We will also continue to support both the federal and state governments in the realisation of their efforts to create jobs for our unemployed youths

NANISC Boss Lauds Jonathan For Calabar Channel Management Coy

By Millie Ibe, Abuja

The chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Indigenous Shipping Companies (NANISC), Comrade Isiaka Adebayo, has said that the establishment of the Calabar Channel Management Company will boost maritime activities in the country.

Adebayo, who was speaking during the meeting between the NANISC and other stakeholders in the maritime sector, commended

the president for launching the company and said that the establishment of the company will decongest the Lagos and Port Harcourt ports, as well as open up new frontiers in the sector.

“This is a welcome development.

Since the news of the establishment of the company filtered to us, there has been wild jubilation among our members and other stakeholders because to us, this is an avenue to further expand our activities to contribute to the economic growth

of our this country”, he said.

Adebayo expressed optimism that, with the Calabar Company in place, activities in the Nigeria Export Processing Zone (NEPZ) and Tinapa will also greatly pick up.

While noting that maritime operators in the country would take advantage of the new opening, he said that President Goodluck Jonathan had kept faith with his Transformation Agenda which is impacting positively on the economic development of Nigeria

and the well-being of the citizenry.

It would be recalled that the contracts for the management for four channels in Nigeria namely Lagos, Bonny, Calabar and Warri were advertised. The bid was conducted internationally by Mobotek, a Holland consulting firm where about 49 international companies applied.

At the end of the pre-qualification exercise involving the technical and financial bid verification with series of bid clarification meetings

between NPA, Federal Ministry of Transport, some companies emerged.

These include: DEPASSA leading a consortium of companies for Lagos Channel, Dredging International Services, leading a consortium of companies for Bonny Channel, Niger Global Engineering, leading a consortium of companies for Calabar Channel and Forby Engineering leading a consortium of companies for Warri Channel.

36 labour matters FG Partners ILO To Review National Employment Policy

By Michael Oche, Abuja

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity is collaborating with International Labour Organisation (ILO) to review and update the national employment policy in line with national and global economic trends.

Minister of labour and productivity, Emeka Wogu, stated this in Abuja while declaring open a training workshop on “the national employment summit: challenges of implementation” organised by the ministry.

The minister who was represented at the workshop by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Clement Illoh, noted that the purpose of the workshop was to discuss issues of unemployment and job creation in Nigeria.

He added that the main objective of the training workshop was to create a platform for reflecting on the outcomes of the national employment summit held in April 2009 “and to assess progress in implementation of those outcomes”.

The workshop is also aimed at building the competences that would enable them contribute constructively to the ministry’s drive towards achieving the milestones contained in the National Action Plan on Employment Creation (NAPEC),” he pointed out.

The minister charged the workshop to come up with resolutions that would be implementable to reinforce the nation’s collective will and commitment to work.

He expressed concern that young people were mostly the victims of unemployment and joblessness now constituting a serious threat to the stability of the nation and the African continent.

“This raises the urgency for us as Labour Officers to review strategies and plans aimed at mitigating the impact of unemployment on our society,” Wogu stated.

In her remarks, the ministry’s director of employment and wages department, Mrs Jessica Okpuno indicated that the National Action Plan on Employment Creation (NAPEC) document, being one of the outcomes of the 2009 employment summit, identified eleven key sectors with high potentials for job creation and mapped out a framework for performance evaluation and monitoring of implementation in the different sectors.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Labour Unions Condemn Casualisation Of Workers By Chinese Firm

By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

Labour unions in the country have condemned in strong term the casualisation of workers especially in Chinese companies situated in Lagos.

The reaction was sequel to the protest made by youths working with Linda Manufacturing Company, producer of hair attachment.

President, National Union of Textile Garment Workers of Nigeria, Comrade Oladele Hunsu who frowned at casualisation, urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to set up a committee to prevail over the matter.

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

he said.

Also, Trade Union Congress (TUC) boss, Bobboi Bala Kaigama described casualisation as a serious issue, saying they have met with the Chinese embassy in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that some factory workers in Lagos embarked on a peaceful protest alleging exploitation by their employer which they claimed, led to the death of their colleague.

The workers of the Linda Manufacturing Company, Agege, producers of E-xpression hair `attachment’, protested to the Lagos State House of Assembly over alleged poor condition of service.

The workers claimed that one of their colleague, Mr Nnamdi Solomon, died due to maltreatment by the firm

owned by Chinese.

The Leader of the protesters, Mr Vincent Victor, said: “Solomon went to complain to the management that he had stomach pains but he was not allowed to go home until the closing hour which led to his death because of the severe pain.

“The management kept us in darkness, trying to sweep the case under the carpet.

“It knows we are going to stop work if we are aware that our colleague is dead.

“Solomon’s body was left inside the gutter for two days in the rain within the premises before we found him.’’

Victor alleged that the company usually sacked workers or seized their salaries whenever they were absent from work.

Minister of labour and productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, commissioning the NDE skills acquisition centre in Bwari, Abuja, recently.

Umar

NLC Faults NYSC’s N4,000 Call-Up Fee By michael oche, Abuja

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has opposed the policy of charging corps members N4,000 for on-line registration.

The union in a statement by its general secretary, Dr Peter OzoEson said though the initiative may be good but find it morally wrong for the authorities to turn this initiative into a moneymaking venture.

He stated that It is the more incongruent and unacceptable because it seems the authorities now want to take advantage of the weak and the vulnerable.

The statement reads in part, “While we commend the authorities of the National Youth Service Corps for this initiative which evidently saves prospective corps members from costs and risks associated with movement or travel, we certainly find it morally wrong for the authorities to turn this initiative into a money-making venture.

“As a general rule, any technology that seeks to increase the cost of production is not worth the effort. “in the instance case, we have reason to believe that the on-line registration initiative helps to reduce both administrative and bureaucratic costs, which NYSC had borne all along.

Independence: Organise Labour Decries Growing poverty

By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

As Nigeria celebrate her 54th anniversary, the union leaders in the country have divergent views on the performance of labour sector.

To the President General of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, said there is room for development, saying “we have a lot to cover in the sector.

On his part, Comrade Peter Esele who was the former TUC boss noted labour sector

has done well despite various challenges affecting the labour force.

Comrade Abiodun Aremu of Joint Action Front (JAF), said “labour is as worse as Nigeria at 54 especially in the area of unemployment, low productivity, job loss amongst others.

“All these have implications on the sector and with these, there is nothing to celebrate.

The leader is not leaving to the expectations”, he said.

The President, National

Union of Textile Garment Workers of Nigeria, Comrade Oladele Hunsu said the sector was smooth after the independent in terms of growth in the economy.

“For example, textile industry was the largest sector in the early 80s but now, the sector is witnessing downward trending against the picture painted by the government. There is poverty in the land with series of problems. We have nothing to celebrate at 54, rather our

government step up to their responsibility by encouraging local productions.

“Basically, we have the infrastructural challenges such electricity problem. We leave on generator because of the epileptic power supply”, he noted.

Comrade Hunsu urged Federal Government to ensure stable power supply and encourage local content production, saying it would assist the textile industry to bounce back.

politics today Tuesday, October 7, 2014

REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS

2015: As Bayelsa PDP Elders Tackle Dickson Over Zoning Osa Okhomina, in this report, captures the brewing tension in Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over zoning of federal legislative offices ahead of the 2015 elections.

The new arrangement, allegedly masterminded by the state governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, is seen as a means of easing out the three senators and five House of Representatives lawmakers from the state

There is rising political tension in Bayelsa State following the decision of members of the National Assembly to move against the governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson over the contentious issue of zoning and a plot to stop their return to the National Assembly in 2015.

While the pro-Dickson group is insisting on the zoning formula which means the three senators and five members of the House of Representatives will not return to the National Assembly, supporters of the federal lawmakers have dismissed the zoning formula as laughable and an attempt to ignite disunity and cause disaffection in the state.

The pioneer chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Engr Charles Dorgu, had during a rally held to endorse Jonathan and Dickson for 2015 and 2016 in Sagbama last Sunday, disclosed that the leaders had decided to zone the National Assembly seats in the interest of peace and harmony in the senatorial district.

Dorgu said by the new arrangement, Sagbama would now produce the senator for two terms of four years and Ekeremor would produce the House of Representatives member also for two terms.

The new arrangement, allegedly masterminded by the state governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, is seen as a means of easing out the three senators and five House of Representatives lawmakers from the state as similar moves in same direction were made in Bayelsa East and Central districts.

The affected federal lawmakers are Senators Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central), Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa West) and Clever Ikisikpo (Bayelsa East) in the upper legislative chamber. Those in the House of Representatives are Foingha Jephthah (Nembe/Brass),Henry Ofongo (Southern Ijaw), Warman Ogoriba (Yenegoa/ Kolokuma-Opokuma), Dr Stella Dorgu (Sagbama/Ekeremor) and Nadu Karibo (Ogbia).

But concerned elders and

Dickson

leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) from Ekeremor and Sagbama areas of Bayelsa West senatorial district have kicked against the ‘purported’ zoning of the National Assembly seats in the area.

The concerned elders and leaders described as baseless, the alleged zoning of National Assembly seats in the area, insisting that their senator, Heineken Lokpobiri must be allowed to contest.

The enlarged meeting held in Yenagoa, was between concerned political leaders, elders and representatives of the 26 electoral wards that constitutes Bayelsa West senatorial district, led by Chief Dennis Daunemighan.

Daunemighan said “the statement on zoning as canvassed at the Sagbama rally were extraneous and clearly beyond the scope and authority of the rally.”

The meeting which had Chief Abeke Ebikake, Hon Stephen Ogullah, Fitzgerald Olorogun, Torpedo Amananaghan, Bekekeme Dick, Jenakumao Alex, Arimebofa R. F, among others in attendance, strongly observed that “the representative of Bayelsa West at the National Assembly should be dictated by cognate experience, proven track record of competence, capacity to attract infrastructural development and bring about robust perspective to help stabilise the polity at this crucial period.”

Speaking at the event,Chief Apeki Ebikake,while dismissing the purported motion adopted earlier on zoning at Sagbama,said though the union of Sagbama and Ekeremor local government councils formed a political alliance that transformed into a senatorial district started in 1976,the issue of zoning and rotation of senatorial district was never an issue.

According to Ebikake,the truth is bitter but it must be told and “the Sagbama as a council have produced three senators within this political union, with Ekeremor having two. ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 38

Sen. Lokpobiri

Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor

37

38 POLITICS TODAY

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

2015: As Bayelsa PDP Elders Tackle Dickson Over Zoning ➔ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

We must allow the status quo to remain.

President Goodluck Jonathan needs experienced hands to support him at the Senate.

Do we now because of zoning,send an inexperienced person to the senate

He continued, “Sagbama has produced three different senators. It has produced Felix Oboro, Diffa Emmanuel and John Brambaifa. Out of the five existing times as senator,Ekeremor has served two. The pronouncement that the position of senator to Sagbama is therefore wrong.”

Oguala, former commissioner of Finance of the state,who is from Sagbama,while agreeing with the position of Ebikake,said “instead of the people to be guided by elders,the elders who gathered and proposed the zoning formula are trying to misguide and cause division in the state. They want to cause disunity between Ekeremor and Sagbama. Sagbama has a sitting governor and the Senate position should remain in Ekeremor, one local government cannot take the two at once.

“We must allow the status quo to remain. President Goodluck Jonathan needs experienced hands to support him at the Senate. Do we now because of zoning,send an inexperienced person to the senate?Senator Lokpobiri knows the business of the Senate and he has performed. He should remain in the Senate.”

To this end, the concerned political leaders, elders and representatives of the 26 electoral wards that constitute the Bayelsa West senatorial district, rejected and condemned what they described as the irrational resort to the matter of zoning in the Sunday rally at Sagbama, which agenda did not include anything of sort.

In the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, they noted that the issue of zoning was not part of the agenda of the rally, adding that “the statements on zoning canvassed at the concluding part of the rally were extraneous and clearly beyond the power, scope and authority of the rally.”

While reiterating their support for Jonathan and Dickson, they unanimously endorsed Senator Lokpobiri as the candidate for the senatorial position for Bayelsa West senatorial district in the forthcoming National Assembly elections.

The communique read in part: “The concerned political leaders, elders and representatives of the 26 electoral wards constituting Bayelsa West senatorial district of the Peoples Democratic Party also strongly observed that representation of Bayelsa West at the National Assembly at this critical moment should be dictated by cognate experience, proven track record of competence, capacity to attract infrastructural development and bring about robust perspectives to help stabilise the polity in

Ofongo

Ogoriba

this crucial period of national history.”

“Consequently, we totally reject and unequivocally condemn the irrational resort to the matter of zoning in a rally which agenda did not include anything of the sort. We as concerned political leaders and representatives of the 26 electoral wards also resolve that Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who is presently the senator in the National Assembly, should continue in his position to continue his good works in supporting the president and attracting infrastructural development in the area of water supply, electricity, health care, education and environmental protection.”

Meanwhile, Bayelsa State governor,Hon. Seriake Dickson,in apparent reference to the barrage of protests by

supporters of the affected National Assembly members, has issued a stern warning on an alleged plot to destabilise the state.

Dickson admonished the political class not to heat up the polity, but play the game according to the rules.

Speaking in Yenagoa at a state banquet marking the 54th Independence celebration of Nigeria and 18th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State, Dickson urged those seeking elective positions to establish contact with the people, rather than deploy what he described as ‘politics of thuggery and intimidation.’

Dickson said, “I enjoin all those who are aspiring for one office or the other to play the game according to the rules. We have always won elections without

even buying a single ammunition.

This state has no room for that anymore. I, working closely with the president, our leader, we are determined to keep Bayelsa safe so that Bayelsa will not be turned into what our detractors would want us to be.”

“As I said on the day of my inauguration, we will not play politics with your development at all, we will not play politics with security issues; we will not play politics with issues that have to do with the protection of the Ijaw national interest.

The governor, who said his administration has worked hard in collaboration with the federal government to keep the state peaceful and stable, stressed that government would not condone any form of violence or act capable of disrupting the peace of the state”

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

zonal watch

39

ANAMBRA IMO ABIA EBONYI ENUGU

Group Lauds Gov Chime For Ugwuanyi’s Endorsement.

BY NNAMDI NBAWIKE, Enugu

A socio-political group, made up of the electorate in Enugu West, East and North known as Enugu Three-In-One Movement has commended Governor Sullivan Chime over the endorsement of the member representing Udenu/IgboEze North federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the consensus governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 governorship election in Enugu State.

In a press statement signed by its chairman, Mr. Anthony Chijioke the group said it was at the meeting of all the governorship aspirants and other stakeholders from Enugu North senatorial district,

otherwise known as Nsukka zone, convened by Governor Chime at Government House Enugu on Friday September 26, 2014, that the emergence of Ugwuanyi as the consensus candidate was agreed.

The movement therefore commended the political maturity and wisdom of Governor Chime for taking the pro-active step.

The group said the emergence

of a consensus candidate would greatly reduce tension in the state.

The group described Hon. Ugwuanyi as the most credible, capable, accessible and acceptable aspirant that will deliver the goods to the people of Enugu State.

Chijioke who is from Obunofia ward in Ezeagu local government area of the state said that Hon. Ugwuanyi, the three-time

lawmaker and the chairman House Committee on Marine Transport, is a unique politician whose friendship and humanitarian activities cut across the state.

“Hon. Ugwuanyi is bridge builder with no political baggage. He is a friend of all and a very effective lawmaker that has attracted so many projects to his constituency and state in general,” said Chijioke.

Abia First Lady Harps On Healthy Living

Heads FROM tHe ZONe

BY MATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia

➔ the deputy governor of ebonyi state, Mr. dave Umahi, is hell-bent on contesting the Peoples democratic Party (PdP) governorship primaries despite Governor Martin elechi’s aversion to his gubernatorial ambition, a development which may force the state House of assembly to impeach him.

Some of the economic empowerment items distributed to South-east widows under Dame Patience Jonathan’s Women for Change Initiative at the Dr. alex ekwueme Square, awka. PHOTO BY OKECHUKWU OBETA.

Imo Christians absolve Oritsejafor Over $9.3m Cash For arms scandal

By Stanley UzoarU, Owerri

➔ Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has directed teachers in public schools in the state to resume work on October 13, 2014. the teachers had withdrawn their services following a directive from the leadership of the Nigerian Union of teachers (NUt), that teachers nationwide should not resume work until necessary equipment to prevent the spread of ebola Virus disease (dVd) are provided in public and private schools.

the Imo State chapter of the Christian association of nigeria (Can) has warned Christians and other nigerians to desist from a campaign of calumny against the association’s president, Pastor ayo oritsejafor over alleged involvement in the $9.3 million cash for arms scandal.

Speaking exclusively with leaDerSHIP, the state chairman of Can and Bishop

of the Praise Centre Church International, Stafford nwaogu, absolved the Can president of complicity on the $9.3 million cash seized in a plane by the South african authorities at the lanseria International airport, adding that the Can president is being unjustly criticised for what he is unaware of. “oritsejafor was not in the aircraft when the controversial sum of money was found, and he does not use the aircraft

said to belong to him to stash money abroad for any government official, and so it is very wicked and malicious of anybody to accuse him of financial racketeering”, said Bishop nwaogu.

He also announced that the church would soon hold its 20th International Convention 2014, with the theme “all things are possible” packaged to enable the church impact knowledge to the people based on truth.

Abia PDP Commends Chukwumerije For Quality Representation

BY MATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia

The chairman of the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Nwaka has commended the senator representing Abia North Senatorial zone in the Senate, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, for his quality representation. He promised that the party would provide a level playing ground for all aspirants to the various

elective public offices during the forthcoming party primaries.

Senator Nwaka also said the PDP family would forever remain grateful to Senator Chukwumerije for attracting numerous investments not only to his senatorial zone, but also to Abia State.

Speaking at the party’s secretariat in Umuahia, the Abia State capital when Senator Chukwumerije presented his

score card after representing Abia North senatorial district in the National Assembly for three consecutive terms, Nwaka solicited prayers for the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections, even as he warned members of the state executive of the party against being used as political agents for any aspirant, saying , “anyone caught on such act would be thoroughly dealt with”.

Wife of the Abia State governor , Mrs. Mercy Odochi Orji, has tasked residents of the state, especially the aged to embark on routine medical checkup to ascertain their health conditions at all times.

Speaking at a Health Fair organised in Bende, the headquarters of Bende local government area, Mrs Orji said that routine medical check-up would help discover adverse health conditions in time, as well as help subject the patients to early treatment to avoid unnecessary complications.

She explained that the health fair was organised to educate and sensitise the people particularly the aged about their health and benefits of maintaining healthy living.

According to her, routine medical check-ups, good dietary and regular exercise for physical fitness, could help keep at bay many illnesses and increase longetivity.

The Abia First Lady who equally advised on the importance of maintaining clean environment and regular visits to health centres, urged the aged to control their cholesterol and sugar levels by eating more of vegetables and fruits.

According to her, the fair is part of the health package of Governor Orji, which is targeted at reaching Abians in the rural areas and taking the state to higher level of health development.

She enumerated the health facilities provided by the administration to include the specialist hospitals in Aba and Umuahia; the dialysis centre in Umuahia, chest, ear, and eye centre sited also in Umuahia, the 100 bed hospitals in nine local government areas of the state, and over 250 primary health care centres in various wards of the state.

In his remarks, the commissioner for health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah, described the fair as a health awareness campaign aimed at explaining and promoting health information to the people due to recent increase in non-communicable diseases.

Dr. Ogah said that diseases like hypertension and diabetes have become alarming health concern globally, saying that the diseases had claimed several lives due to lack of appropriate knowledge among patients.

Mrs Mercy Orji

40 zonal watch (South-East)

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

news behind the news

BY PAUL UWADIMA, Abuja

At the end of the meeting a member of the House of Representatives from Enugu North senatorial district, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was unanimously endorsed as the PDP consensus candidate in fulfilment of Governor Chime’s promise that the next governor of the state would be from Enugu North senatorial zone

When stakeholders and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) was summoned to Government House Enugu recently by the state governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, little did many of them know that they are going to make far reaching decision on who becomes the next governor of the state.

At the end of the meeting a member of the House of Representatives from Enugu North senatorial district, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was unanimously endorsed as the PDP consensus candidate in fulfilment of Governor Chime’s promise that the next governor of the state would be from Enugu North senatorial zone that has never produced a governor in the state.

However the choice of Ugwuanyi did not go down well with some other gubernatorial aspirants including the deputy senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Ayogu Eze who kicked against the adoption of Ugwuanyi insisting that the party must hold primary to determine the party’s candidate.

While there appears to be divisions in the PDP over Ugwuanyi, other stakeholders in the state including the coordinator of South East Revival Group(SERG), Chief Willy Ezugwu, himself a traditional ruler and a major stakeholder in Enugu State has joined the list of those hailing the choice of Ugwuanyi.

Chief Ezugwu hailed the governor for keeping to his promise that Enugu North would produce the next governor of the state and for choosing Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. He told LEADERSHIP in Abuja that he was elated when he heard that the governor and other PDP stakeholders have endorsed Ugwuanyi, saying even though he was not a member of the PDP the right choice was made by the party while asking other political parties to ensure that they also chose their gubernatorial candidates from Enugu North in order to ensure equity in the state.

Ezugwu said, “I am not a member of the party. In as much as I am not in PDP I am the secretary general of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties(CNPP), that not withstanding I am a very high stakeholder in Enugu State and Nigeria in general. I have said it without number that Governor Chime is God-sent to Enugu State and I still stand by it and if anybody wants to dispute this let him come and say otherwise. I have also granted interview where I said if Governor Chime were to bring a stooge we will not take it and it has happened severally that some incumbent governors try to nominate a stooge, in order to cover up their deeds, but as far as I am concerned he brought an

Chime

acceptable candidate from Enugu North.

“The man Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has no rival in Enugu North. He is the only member of the National Assembly from Enugu State that can even think of the welfare of other people; the rest are just after their own selfish interest.

It was Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who behaves like somebody elected by the people and that is why his acceptability was 100 per cent in the whole of Enugu North and even across the state. I have sampled views of many people from Enugu State and no one could be able to say anything bad about him. And when the people speak as one whether negative or otherwise you have to take it but it was positive, every Dick and Harry. “ I think once again the governor has done us proud. One, as the leader of his party that the next governor of the state will come from Enugu North; two, by going ahead by nominating an acceptable candidate, not his stooge. Afterall Ifeanyi being a member of the House of Representatives has never worked for his government but a representative for Udenu north/ Igboeze federal constituency. So he went outside the marauders who are claiming that ‘I am the governor’s candidate’ and picked the choice of the people. I am advising other parties to bring their candidates from Enugu North that can match Ifeanyi but for now Ifeanyi is the best candidate that the PDP has gotten.”

Speaking on the insistence by the powerful stakeholders like deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Ayogu Eze that their supporters did not agree with the endorsement of Ugwuanyi, Chief Ezugwu said, “What makes them powerful or power brokers? No I don’t agree with that because I don’t look at them as power brokers they were just fortunate to be appointed severally to represent the people

Ezugwu

Enugu Guber Race:Stakeholders Explain Why Ugwuanyi Was Adopted and not because they are power brokers. As far as I am concerned that is my state and there is no way the majority of the people does not know what is good for them. The worst would have happened to PDP in Enugu State if they did not bring out somebody like Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. I have looked round, he has no match, in humility, in acceptability, and in maintaining the people’s mandate he is holding”.

On Ayogu Eze’s claim that he is very popular and that his supporters have also endorsed him, the coordinator of SERG said, “Who are his supporters? Where is he popular? The members of the National Assembly from Enugu State were all appointed and the person that appointed them say it is over and they are complaining even though their party has already zoned this position to Enugu North and has maintained a policy of consensus candidate.

All of them got to their positions by consensus arrangement, so why are they kicking against it now? In a contest of more than five people one person must emerge and somebody has emerged from their party.”

Chief Ezugwu dismissed the allegation by Ayogu Eze that

the emergence of Ugwuanyi was through imposition by Governor Chime. He said “I was not in that meeting but the governor did not impose anybody because all the contestants came out to say something, every contestant who showed inkling that he wants to govern Enugu State was given opportunity to speak and most of them stepped down for Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, if you doubt it go to primaries and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will still beat all of them.

“I am not holding brief for Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. At my level I have said time without number that in my zone, none of my elected representatives have ever called me, at my own level in this country. I am the coordinator general South East Revival Group, I am coordinator Save Enugu Group, I am secretary general of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties for years now and at the same time traditional ruler, the Eze of my Kingdom, but none of these people have ever talked with me, even a phone call talk more of the ordinary folks in the villages. We had a fund raising for 2,000 Boko Haram victims returnees none of them came and they are claiming that they have supporters, which supporters?”