Leadership news

21.10.14

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

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No. 2,277

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Small-scale Industrialists Bicker Over Failed Loan Scheme > Page 12

as who certifIES nigeria ebola-free

Survivor Recounts Family’s Ordeal 5

Some of my family members were expelled from work, some were suspended, my younger brother was given a warning letter. It really affected our family. I was supposed to wed on September 27, 2014; the whole thing was just disorganised. All that we invested in the wedding plan was gone – Survivor Ebola survivor Chinyere Enemour during a press conference by the representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Abuja, yesterday. Photo by afp

Boko Haram: Soldiers Kill 25 In New Damboa Attack

By Kareem Haruna Umar, Maiduguri

At least 25 members of the Boko Haram sect died in a

shootout with soldiers at Damboa town in Borno State

on Sunday evening as the insurgents attacked the area

again, security sources said.

This is a clear demonstration

Tambuwal Attends APC Meeting In Sokoto > Page 4

Chibok Diary DAY 190

of their non-compliance with the declared ceasefire deal announced Friday by the ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 5

Schoolgirls: Obama, Osotimehin Welcome Ceasefire Deal > Page 2

2

chibok diary 190

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

DAY

Chibok TweeTs

@WomenUndrSiege Will 'truce' with #BokoHaram free #Chibok girls @dw_english Nigerians are doubtful whether the #Chibok girls, kidnapped six months ago, will be released. @doctalk01 Para venture you see a girl wandering around your neighborhood, kindly notify me. She might be one of the released #Chibok girls as promised by d FG.

Members of #BringBackOurGirls in a village square meeting still requesting for the release of the Chibok girls in Abuja, yesterday.

@JeffOkoroafor 6 months plus 6 days of our #Chibok schoolgirls, we've waited too long. Just #BringBackOurGirls now. @RABBI_edge Parent wailing in tears and saying thank you GOD, hoping release for the Chibok school girls #Bringbackour girls! @TahirSam 188 Special Prayer Service Unity Fountain Abuja #BringBackOurGirls, for humanity sake. @RABBI_edge I believe in fighting for freedom #BringBackOurGirls is a good cause. Live from #Fountain of unity Abuja.

@SarahOmakwu I hear the abundance of rain; the #Chibok girls will be released #BringBackOurGirls @ToyinSaraki Hoping this #news #Nigeria means #Chibok girls will be returned to their families safe and sound!

@elnathan Dear media, Before and after #Chibok school girls, hundreds of women, girls and boys were abducted from Borno by Boko Haram. They matter too Compiled by TUNDE OGUNTOLA

PHOTO BY OYE-

Schoolgirls: Obama, Osotimehin Welcome Ceasefire Deal ABIODUN OLUWAROTIMI, New York

United States president Barack Obama and the executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, have thrown their weight behind the new ceasefire deal between the federal government and the Boko Haram sect on the possible release of the over 200 female students that were abducted at Chibok by the insurgents.

Speaking through the deputy spokesperson of the State Department, Ms. Marie Harf, at a press briefing in Washington, DC, President Obama said that he was aware of reports about a possible announcement by the Nigerian government of a ceasefire, adding that his administration would welcome an end to hostilities in Nigeria.

The US president further stated that he was looking forward for a restoration of the insecurity in Nigeria, stressing that he would be glad if the release of those girls that have been gone for too long was made possible through the new ceasefire deal with the insurgents.

On the US team that is trying to assist the Nigerian government in recovering the girls, Ms. Harf said, “I don’t have the latest from them. I think, again, these

are just reports that are coming out. I know they’re looking to get more information, so as soon as we have anything to confirm, we will do so.”

In his reaction, UNFPA chief, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, welcomed the news of a ceasefire agreement that is expected to lead to the release of the more than 200 girls kidnapped from Chibok.

In a statement obtained by our correspondent, Osotimehin, a former Nigeria’s health minister, said the abducted girls had languished in captivity long enough, noting that it was high time they were returned to their families, communities and schools.

He said: “We owe it to these girls to positively support their homecoming and reintegration.

We at UNFPA are prepositioned, ready and committed to help achieve that. As part of the effort to treat and reintegrate the girls, we at UNFPA will continue to provide psychosocial and other medical support to the girls and their relatives. UNFPA, as part of the United Nations country team, will also address their reproductive health needs and help the federal and state ministries of health in providing them with the required health services.

DELE OMOKAGBO

3

our stand Tuesday, October 21, 2014

We Welcome A Multinational Force

A

fter many months of grim reports from the warfront in the Northeastern part of Nigeria, the recent revelation that some sort of truce had been negotiated between the government and insurgents was quite cheering.

Even in the face of renewed attacks on Dzur and adjoining communities in Borno State, there is still hope that the government will be able to match its word with appropriate results as regards the release of the 219 secondary school girls abducted by Boko Haram six months ago.

While the government works at making the much-expected release of the girls a reality, it is important that those who do the thinking for the federal government work out the fine details of what happens after the girls’ release. Territories captured and occupied by Boko Haram have to be returned to government and the insurgents have to dismantle all the structures of their extremist ideology put in place. A mopup operation involving the relevant security agencies has to be done to smoke out remnants of the sect that may want to

hibernate for now, only to reemerge to unleash mayhem later. A well-articulated plan on how the areas affected by the war would be rebuilt and institutions re-established has to be drawn up and budgetary provisions made in the 2015 estimates. A comprehensive programme of moral and religious detoxification has to be executed in partnership with the traditional institutions, religious bodies, nongovernmental organisations and even international organisations to heal the psychological wounds inflicted on the people, so that they can be in a position to pick up the pieces of their lives again.

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

Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah

All programmes designed to rehabilitate the affected areas and victims should be subdivided into short, medium and long-term plans, with timelines for achieving clearly stated goals.

We hasten to add, however, that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Nigeria must continuewiththearrangements being made with neighbouring countries for the formation of a multinational force as if there wasn’t any negotiation with Boko Haram. A lot of attention should be paid to making the multinational force operational in the shortest possible time. Given their record of mindless butchery, Boko Haram cannot be trusted to simply fold up its tents and vaporise. The only language such a group understands is balance of terror – which side has the bigger guns and more deadly foot soldiers. The only way to win peace after the war is to make any attempt by the insurgents to revive their caliphate dream a suicidal venture. We welcome the decision for a multinational force and hope its troops will be deployed to the affected areas with dispatch.

Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Divisional Directors Iyobosa Uwugiaren Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Abdulmumin Balogun Zipporah D. Tanko Joy Adekanye

Leadership Holdings

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

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

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

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

4 news extra

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo Jonathan Launches National Schools Agric Programme In a bid to raise a new generation of young Nigerian agricultural entrepreneurs, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday launched the National Schools Agriculture Programme (NSAP), saying his administration is committed to making agriculture a profitable venture.

Noting that the aim is to ensure that the sector does not only make the nation food sufficient but to also tackle the challenges of youth unemployment. He gave instances of Nigeria’s business and industrial moguls, including Aliko Dangote and Tony Elumelu, who he said are expanding their investment base into the agricultural sector.

The president spoke while flagging off the NSAP at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, an event which was attended by selected secondary school students, agriculture experts, state governors, diplomats and senior government officials.

“We need the Under-20s to link up with the Dangotes, Elumelus and other big Nigerian entrepreneurs. This is part of our strategy to tackle youth unemployment.”

By George Agba, Abuja

Jonathan Holds Closed Door Meeting With Modu Sheriff In Aso Rock President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday held a closed door meeting with former Borno State Governor Ali-Modu Sheriff at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Modu Sheriff, who came out of the president’s office some minutes after former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Gen. Buba Marwa stepped out, refused initially to talk with journalists, saying there was no time But LEADERSHIP gathered that Jonathan’s meeting with Modu Sheriff might not be unconnected with the current negotiations between the federal government and the Boko Haram group which led to the declaration of a ceasefire and reported plans for the release of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014.

When confronted by State House correspondents to state the purpose of his visit to the president, Modu Sheriff simply said “I can’t talk to you now. There is no time today. I’m rushing to see the Chief of Staff”.

After leaving the office of the CoS to the president, Modu Sheriff, who came out to confront the same journalists he had wanted to dodge from still waiting for him outside, admitted that a cease-fire deal was reached with the leadership of the insurgents last week.

By George Agba, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan (fourth left), VicePresident Namadi Sambo (third left) and other participants at the launch of national schools agricultural programme in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY NAN.

Tambuwal Attends APC Meeting In Sokoto He’s Still Consulting – Speaker’s Aide

By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday attended an extra ordinary meeting of Sokoto State All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Sokoto.

But his special adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, has maintained that Tambuwal remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that he is still consulting on his political future and only attended the meeting to honour the invitation of his state governor, Aliyu Wamakko.

At the APC meeting, which held yesterday at the Presidential Lodge in Sokoto, Wamakko stated that Tambuwal has been a member of the opposition APC since its inception but only remained in the PDP “until the right time”.

Wamakko said, “I appreciate all of you for standing by me against the wish of the opposi-

tion. Now let me state that all eyes are on the speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. Therefore, I want to inform the gathering that the speaker has been a member of the APC since its inception. I only asked him to remain in the PDP until the day of nomination of the party’s flagbearer.”

As if to debunk insinuations that he has endorsed Tambuwal as his successor, Wamakko also disclosed that he has no anointed candidate to succeed him when he leaves office next year, saying that he appreciates the support party stalwarts have given him since 2007 when he became governor and will accept whoever they choose.

Wamakko further admonished the APC members to put the party interest above personal interest to enable the party win elections in 2015 and desist from behaving like the state PDP whose members are currently fighting over position in the party.

“I appreciate all of you, the people of Sokoto State, for supporting me since 2007 till date.

I appreciate and thank all stake-

holders both at the state and national level and want to say that now is the time for me to step aside”, he added.

Efforts to make Tambuwal comment on the issues raised proved abortive as he tactically declined to grant interview and rather headed straight to the governor’s official car where both of them were driven out of the venue.

Meanwhile, Tambuwal has said that he only attended the meeting convened by Wamakko to discuss the political future of the state and meet the governor’s political family.

A statement signed by his media adviser, Malam Imam Imam, also disclosed that the Chairman of the PDP BOT, Chief Tony Anenih, had led other members of the party on a reconciliatory meeting in Sokoto but did not invite Tambuwal and a member of the party’s NEC to the meeting.

The statement reads in part, “Today (yesterday), Chief Anenih led other members of the party on a reconciliation meeting in Sokoto but Tambuwal, a member of the NEC of the PDP,

was not invited to the meeting.

Tambuwal was later invited by Governor Wamakko, to attend the meeting of their political family to discuss the political future of Sokoto State and the speaker duly obliged and attended the meeting”.

The statement also stressed that the meeting was also attended by prominent Sokoto citizens, many of who have no known political affiliation. The most notable been the Sardauna of Sokoto and former minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji and concluded that “consultations on the speaker’s political future continues and the outcome will be made public at the appropriate time”.

In a related development, the over four- hour long meeting by the Sokoto State chapter of the PDP held a to choose a consensus candidate for the governorship race proved abortive as the four aspirants refused to shift their ground.

The meeting, according to sources who sought anonymity, was called at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan with Anenih as umpire.

N10b Jet Scandal: Court Turns Down Diezani’s Bid To Stop Probe

By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday refused the minister of petroleum resources, Deziani Allison-Madueke’s request to amend her originating summons to the effect that the National Assembly has no constitutional powers to carry out oversight function on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government and hold hearing to adjudicate on petitions against them.

Alison-Madueke and the NNPC

had dragged the National Assembly and House of Representatives before the court, praying for an order of perpetual injunction restraining them from summoning or directing her appearance before any committee, particularly the Public Accounts Committee set up by the second defendants.

She also wants the court to stop the defendants from asking her to present papers, notes or documents before any such committee or the giving of any evidence by the relevant public officers.

At the last adjourned date, lawyer to Alison-Madueke, Etigwe Uwa, (SAN) brought an application seeking to amend his originating summons.

He submitted that the application is coming at an early stage when response to the second defendant ( House of Representatives) has not been regularised, adding that the grant of the application is not harmful to the case of the defendants.

He however noted that the originating summons which he

is seeking to amend was prepared under time constraint, saying that more argument will be canvassed over time.

But the lawyer to the 2nd defendant, Aminu Sadauki opposed the application for amendment and urged the court to dismiss the application and hear the suit of the first originating summons.

Delivering ruling in the application yesterday, the trial judge, Justice A.R Mohammed noted that the amendments sought by applicant were in two parts.

NEWS 5

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Survivor Recounts Family’s Ordeal

By Winifred Ogbebo, George Agba, Chibuzo Ukaibe, Victor Okeke , Abuja; GEORGE OKOJIE, Bukola Idowu, Lagos; Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin and ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has formally declared Nigeria free of the Ebola Virus Disease after 42 days without any new case of the virus.

At the event in Abuja yesterday, WHO country representative, Dr Rui Gama Vaz, said, “The chain of transmission has been broken.

WHO officially declares that Nigeria is now free of Ebola Virus Disease. The virus is gone for now. The outbreak in Nigeria has been defeated.”

“This is a spectacular success story that shows to the world that Ebola can be contained, but we must be prepared because the war can only be won when West Africa is also declared free of Ebola.

The WHO official further stated that when the first case of Ebola was announced in Lagos on July 23, the news rocked public health communities all around the world because the population of Lagos alone of about 21 million was almost as large as the populations of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone combined and the major concern was how contact tracing could be done under such a situation.

“That was the major concern raised by stakeholders shortly after the first confirmed case of Ebola was announced.

Again, the disease entered the country’s main oil hub (Port Harcourt) and the concern was that the disease will spared faster; but again that explosion never happened.

“We need to continue sharing the Nigerian experience and country’s expertise to governments which needs to urgently contain the Ebola virus and support partners in the preparedness and response plan,” Dr Vaz said.

The world health body’s declaration comes few weeks after health minister Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, announced to the world that Nigeria had contained the deadly virus.

Mr Patrick Sawyer, an American-Liberian, had imported the disease into Nigeria on July 22 when he flew into Lagos from Lome and tested positive to Ebola just two hours after arrival.

He was diagnosed and treated at First Consultants Hospital, Lagos, where he infected two doctors and other health workers at the hospital who forceful prevented him from

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Jonathan

leaving the hospital. Mr Sawyer also infected ECOWAS protocol officials who welcomed him at the airport. One of them later sneaked into Port Harcourt and was cured by a doctor, Dr Ike Enemuo, who later died of the virus.

All the 48 passengers on board with him in the flight, the airport officials and the medical team that attended to him were either quarantined or kept under surveillance. Later secondary contacts were traced and also quarantined while infected persons were treated and discharged.

According to experts, Ebola has no cure and the cause is unknown.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is the world’s most deadly virus and one of the most painful deaths possible.

During Nigeria’s battle to contain Ebola, eight of the 19 people infected with the virus died before it was finally contained. All others were successfully treated by Nigerian health personnel. Hundreds of others who had contact with infected persons were quarantined in both Lagos, Port Harcourt and Enugu.

Meanwhile, close to 600 Nigerian health workers have volunteered to join anti-Ebola efforts in seriously affected Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, but they will require coordination from regional bodies as ECOWAS or the African Union.

Up to 4,000 people have been killed in the latest outbreak of Ebola across West Africa, and more than 8,000 infected since last December.

Meanwhile, the country, however, continues to battle stigmatisation directed against survivors of the virus.

Chinyere Enemuo, who is one of the survivors of the deadly Ebola fever and sister to ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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Boko Haram: Soldiers Kill 25 In New Damboa Attack FROM FRONT PAGE

federal government.

According to an official of the Nigerian Vigilante Group, Abbas Muhammad Gava, the insurgents stormed Damboa at about 5pm on Sunday in an attempt to wreak havoc on returning residents of Damboa who had been forced to flee the sect’s attacks about two months ago.

“Our members in the Vigilante Group in Damboa informed me early this morning that the attack was repelled and more than two dozen of them were killed,” said Gava.

He added that the gunmen came from the direction of Sambissa Forest and drove several pickup vans and some armoured personnel carriers (APCs).

A top security chief in Borno State, who confirmed the incident to LEARDEHSIP on phone but did not wish to be named as he was not authorised to speak to press on the matter, said 25 were killed during the attack.

“Well, it was another bad day for the BH terrorists in Damboa yesterday (Sunday) when they tried attacking the village,” he said. “Our soldiers were up to the task there as they effectively repelled them and gunned down 25 of them, while several others fled with injuries.

“We recovered several arms and ammunition, including a ‘Buffallo Armoured Personnel Carrier, from them”, he added.

The security source said

the fight against Boko Haram would be sustained since the terrorists had refused to honour the so-called truce.

“Whether with ceasefire or not, we are going to deal with those bastards until we see their miserable end by the grace of God. Nigeria cannot be subdued by some bunch of miscreants; enough is enough”, said the security chief.

After repeated attacks on the agrarian town, the Boko Haram had, on July 17, succeeded in taking over Damboa and hoisting their flags as soldiers and police officers joined the residents to flee.

About 10,000 residents of Damboa and surrounding communities fled to Maiduguri and Biu where they were accommodated in refugee camps provided by government.

Damboa is 85km south-west of Maiduguri, and the gateway to Sambissa Forest where Boko Haram has its largest camp.

Insurgents rustle 1,300 cattle Meanwhile, suspected members of the sect have invaded Grelei village in Ngala local government area of the state, rustling about 1,300 cattle.

A cattle breeder in Grelei village told the BBC on condition of anonymity that they had observed their early evening prayers with the sect members after which they went away with 1,300 cattle.

“The insurgent stormed the village on motorbikes to rustle cattle belonging to about 50

6 NEWS

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Survivor Recounts Family’s Ordeal FROM PAGE 5

the late Port Harcourt doctor, Dr Ikechukwu Enemuo, who was present at the event, has recounted how she and her family members suffered social discrimination because of the ailment.

“The whole incident is not a pleasant one,” she said. “It is traumatic; we were highly stigmatized due to so many rumours and side talks including the ones that were true and the ones that were not true.”

“It affected me negatively, both to me as an individual, members of my family; in fact, the family name as a whole because once you bear that name, everyone tends to be scared of you. Some of my family members were expelled from work, some were suspended. My younger brother was given a warning not to leave school to Port Harcourt at any time or they will stop him from the school. It really affected our family.”

She also told the audience that she was planning to wed her partner when the incident happened but the occasion had to be put off.

“I was supposed to wed on September 27; the whole thing was just disorganised. All that we invested in the wedding plan was gone. We have to start all over again in another venue because I am very sure that, assuming the wedding held as planned, I am very sure nobody would attend just because of the kind of information that was passed on,” she said.

She further urged the government to help the families of Ebola survivors “especially in terms of stigma and to augment the situation of the families, because Ebola destroyed many things in our families including our businesses, our studies.”

Nigeria’s Ebola- free status is by divine providence – Chukwu Earlier in his speech, the health minister Professor Chukwu had called WHO’s declaration a “dignifying deal” on the health ministry’s work.

WHO’s declaration comes on the same day Chukwu formally resigned as health minister, handing over to the minister of state for health, Khaliru Alhassan.

He said Nigeria could not have conquered Ebola without strong, effective leadership and partnership.

“Several people have asked me what I thought was the most critical success factor in the Nigeria’s containment effort against the Ebola outbreak.

Undoubtedly, the most critical success factor was leadership - strong, effective, focused and committed leadership

provided by President Goodluck Jonathan himself and replicated at various levels down the ladder.

“I am convinced that without this quality of leadership, it would have been extremely difficult for the Ebola outbreak not only to be tamed but to be driven out of Nigeria,” he said.

He, however, warned the nation not let its alertness wane because the threat of the disease still lurked in neighbouring countries.

“The war is certainly not over,” Chukwu said. “A reinforced Ebola virus could still invade Nigeria. Given this risk of a possibility of reinfection, there’s need to maintain a high state of alertness at all our ports of entry.”

Shortly before handing over yesterday afternoon, Chukwu called for a supranational structure, led by the United Nations and operated through regional groups as ECOWAS, in efforts to maintain momentum against infectious diseases like Ebola.

He commended the private sector and the media for also playing key roles which greatly facilitated the containment of the disease.

On his part, the outgoing minister of information, Mr Labaran Maku, said he was happy to witness this historic declaration that Nigeria is now Ebola-free.

He said, “This news is heartwarming for all Nigerians wherever they are. Before Ebola, people thought nothing (good) happened in Nigeria.

Today the world is talking about us as where something can be learned.”

He reiterated that the nation must give special tribute to First Consultant Hospital.

“What they did shows that the success of a nation can depend on the judgement of an individual and just one person can save the world. That was the story of Dr Stella Adedavoh and the other members of the medical team that lost their lives.

“This (Ebola success) is the story of citizens and not about government alone. It has thought us that when Nigerians are determined to do things right, we can teach the world valuable lessons. It is about commitment, hard work and belief in ourself,” Maku said.

Safety measures remain despite WHO’s declarationJonathan President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday directed that all measures taken to contain Ebola, following its outbreak in the country on July 30 this year, should remain in place, the WHO declaration notwithstanding.

Accordingly, he ordered that health officials must go on with screening persons entering the country from air, land and sea.

Speaking through his special adviser on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan welcomed WHO’s certification of Nigeria as being officially Ebola-free.

Briefing journalists, Abati said: “As the nation applauds the success of its collective effort to stop the transmission of the Ebola virus within Nigeria, however, the president warns that the entire country must remain fully alert and vigilant against the re-entry of the virus.

“President Jonathan fully shares the view expressed by WHO in its congratulatory message to Nigeria that while we have won a battle against Ebola, the war will only truly end when West Africa, Africa and the world are declared free of Ebola. He also urges all Nigerians to continue to follow the anti-Ebola advisories on sanitation and personal hygiene issued by federal and state health authorities.”

Dedicating the certification to patriotic health workers, volunteers and ordinary Nigerians who worked tirelessly to achieve this feat, the president noted that “some of them paid the ultimate price to stop the deadly virus in its tracks after it entered the country in July this year.”

The president also commended the contributions of state governments, WHO and other international health organisations, relatives of infected persons and other Nigerians who either courageously underwent the rigours of being quarantined or complied with all directives issued by health authorities to defeat the virus.

Noting that the country’s globally-acclaimed success against Ebola was a testimony to what Nigerians could achieve if they keep their differences aside and work together, he urged all nationals to “strive to replicate the unity of purpose and all-hands-on-deck approach adopted against Ebola in other areas of national life.”

First Consultant to get LASG N50m lifeline, inaugurates 24-hour surveillance team The Lagos State government yesterday said it would be supporting the First Consultant Hospital, Obalende, Lagos, where the first Ebola case was diagnosed, with a sum of N50million as an economic support gesture for the medical centre.

The state commissioner for health, Dr. Jide Idris, who revealed this at a press briefing

in Lagos, said it would be extending a similar gesture to each of the 20 Ebola victims, whether dead or alive.

Idris added that the gesture should never be mistaken for compensation but should rather been seen as goodwill in view of what they passed through.

According to him, “Having addressed the human angle in containing the outbreak, there is now the need to address the economic consequences. Under consideration are the following: support to the affected persons including those alive and N50 million lump sum as business support gesture to the First Consultant Medical Centre.

This is with a view to getting people/businesses back to their feet.”

The state government further stated that it would be inaugurating a 24-hour Ebola surveillance team to deal with any Ebola emergency should any case arise again.

“Ebola Virus Disease Team on 24/7 standby is to be created with an ambulance as well as an EVD clinician team leader and a driver. Five of such teams will be available. Decontamination team consisting of at least a driver, two environmental health officers and a supervisor will also be created. Two of such teams will be available,” he added Experts laud Nigeria’s Ebola-free status The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has described Nigeria‘s Ebolafree certification by WHO as a spectacular achievement.

The president of the association, Dr Kayode Obenbe, who spoke to LEADERSHIP yesterday in a telephone conversation, said it showed that the country had a good health care delivery structure that was mobilizde to tackle the virus.

He, however, warned that it was not an invitation for Nigeria to relax but that as a country we must step up our surveillance structure to ensure that “we don’t allow Ebola back again into our territory.”

The immediate past president of the NMA, Dr Osahon Enabulele, also declared the feat as a significant and progressive development in the annals of Nigeria, particularly her health care sector.

Also, the Nigerian-based United States Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has joined Nigeria to mark this remarkable achievement. “ The representative of the US CDC, Ms Pauline Hervey, said, “We want to appreciate the response that has gone into this outbreak. Many outbreaks have occurred in Nigeria; it is very

Chukwu

interesting to note that a lot of the progress that is made comes indigenously. We all know Nigeria has the resources; it has the minds; it has the goodwill and the competence to be able to stop diseases. We have seen that remarkably demonstrated in Ebola.”

‘Government must think beyond Ebola’ Meanwhile, stakeholders on healthcare industry are calling on the government to come up with initiatives that would prevent, control and manage invasive alien species whose entry and spread are dangerous to human, plant and animal health.

At the event organized by the Aquatic Biosecurity Awareness Foundation with the theme: Ebola Virus- A wake-up Call for Integrated Biosecurity Strategy, the chairman of the forum, Chukwudi Chukwu, said that the concern of countries should not only be how to prevent the Ebola virus from entering into their country but how to curb an PDP pays tribute to fallen medical workers The Peoples Democratic Party yesterday (PDP) hailed the gallantry of Nigerians and governments at all levels for the successful eradication of Ebola.

PDP national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement yesterday said the eradication of the dreaded disease was a confirmation that the nation could overcome its challenges no matter how insurmountable or tough they might appear.

NLC lauds FG in containing the scourge The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has applauded the federal and state governments for their efforts in successfully eradicating Ebola.

The central labour union also urged the government to apply the same measure in eradicating other deadly diseases that affect children and adults such as malaria, polio and cholera.

NLC vice president, Comrade Issa Aremu, stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna, yesterday.

news extra 7

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

250,000 Newborns Die Annually - Minister The minister of state for health, Dr Khaliru Al-Hassan, has disclosed that over 250,000 newborns die in the first month of life annually from preventable and treatable conditions.

This is coming ahead of a national newborn conference scheduled for 23rd and 24th of October to address this challenge.

According to Al-Hassan, data from the last three demographic health surveys suggested that the effort of government and stakeholders have resulted in some improvements in the overall child mortality ratio with 36 per cent improvement.

He said that child mortality has fallen from 201 through 157- 128 per 1,000 life-births but neo-natal mortality only gained a marginal 23 per cent drop from 48 through to 40 per 1,000 life-births within 2003, 2008 and 2014.

Al-Hassan, however, said the conference is necessitated by the need to address the increase rate of newborn deaths in the country.

“Trend analysis shows that the contribution of newborn deaths to the number of infant mortality has increased from 29 per cent to 32 per cent. This implies that it would be improbable for Nigeria to further reduce the number of infant mortality without significant reduction in neo-natal deaths,” he said.

By Winifred Ogbebo and Victor Okeke, Abuja

FG Considers Categorisation Of Prisons After Inmates Riot The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro has said that prisoners in Nigeria will soon be categorised according to crimes committed.

Moro,who stated this during an interview with Channels Television, stated that the system would see those who had committed serious offences separated from those with lesser ones.

Moro said that the changes were triggered by lessons learnt from the recent riot by inmates at the Kirikiri Medium Prison in Apapa area of Lagos State.

The prisons authorities are still investigating the cause of the riot, which is thought to have occurred as a result of poor conditions of the prisons.

According to the minister, the government is putting plans together with some regulations to ensure that prisons achieve its purpose of correcting and reforming prisoners.

He said “We are looking for options of making our prison better and happily it is starting from Kirikiri and by the grace of God and the understanding of members of the public, we will take steps now to ensure that the prison system conforms with what is obtainable in the international community.”

By Abdullahi Umar, with agency

A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, Yussuf Maitama Tuggar, addressing supporters and APC Exco from Jama’are local government area in Bauchi, yesterday.

Aisha Falode Seeks Justice For Late Son, Others Murdered In Dubai Says many like Alamieyeseigha’s son will die in Dubai if...

By Millie Ibe , Abuja

Mrs Aisha Falode, whose son was brutally murdered in Dubai eight months ago has said that many more young Nigerians like her late son and that of former Bayelsa governor, Chief Dipreye Alamieyeseigha, will die mysteriously in that country until her late son, Toba Falode, and all the youths murdered in

cold blood in Dubai get justice.

LEADERSHIP had reported that Toba, a student in Dubai was said by the authorities of that country to have jumped down from a balcony, dismissing his death as “suicide”, the same way the death of Alameiyeseigha’s son was dismissed.

The late Toba was reportedly thrown down from the balcony of a 17th floor apartment in Manchester Tower in Dubai, a cold blood murder which a Saudi boy resident in Dubai who was seen on the crime scene with blood stains on his

T-shirt and knuckles was said to have confessed to.

Witnesses to Toba’s murder were said to have given statements orally and in writing, corroborating what his murderer, identified as Faisal Aldakmary Al-Nasser said, while boasting that it was a matter of serving 25 years in jail.

“I have put all these together to make this easy for the Nigerian government to help me get justice for my son in Dubai”, she said.

Lamenting that eight months after her son’s murder, she is still waiting for the

Nigerian government to act, Mrs Folade insisted that the Nigerian ambassador in the UAE, Ambassador Ibrahim Auwalu should be called back to Nigeria “to answer for every young soul that has been lost to Dubai unaccounted for due to his lack of responsibility in office”.

“The Foreign Ministry also must be asked questions on what they have done about Toba Falode’s case eight months after. It took Israel less than 48 hours to act on the loss of their three youths”, she added.

IBB’s Cousin, Col Alhassan Passes On At 64

By Nbu nmodu , Minna

Former military ruler, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) lost a cousin, Col. Alhassan Aliyu Babangida (rtd) in the earlier hours of yesterday.

Col. Alhassan died in Abuja af-

ter a brief illness at the age of 64 and is survived by two wives and children.

He is also survived by many brothers among whom is the director general of Niger State Millennium Development Goals, Alhaji Dattijo Aliyu.

He had worked as a special adviser with the governor of Niger State, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu in his first tenure.

The late Col. Aliyu retired from the Nigerian Army and had a stint in politics, leading to his appointment as a special adviser by the

government of Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.

The governor was among dignitaries who attended the burial prayers that took place at the Minna Central Mosque yesterday, before he was buried in accordance with Islamic rites.

Court Nullifies Jimoh Ibrahim’s Ownership Of – Newswatch Stops Further Publications

By OLUGBENGA SOYELE , Lagos

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos yesterday nullified the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) which transferred ownership of Newswatch Communications Limited to Global Media Mirror Limited owned by Lagos-based businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim.

Justice Buba, in a judgement on a suit filed by some minority shareholders of the news outfit challenging the validity of the takeover of the company, awarded N15.7million damages against the respondents.

The court also ordered a stop to further publications of Newswatch Daily among other reliefs sought by the petitioners.

The minority shareholders who filed the petition were Nuhu Aruwa and Prof Jibril Aminu while

the respondents were Newswatch Communications Limited, Global Media Mirror Limited, Ibrahim, Newswatch Newspapers and Corporate Affairs Commission.

The judge said, “The petitioners gave evidence to show that the second and third respondents have blatantly failed to pay for the shares in the company. They have not showed how and when they paid for the said shares. Nothing in paragraphs 11 and 18A of the respondents’ State-

ment of Defence shows how they have paid for the shares. There is no evidence in paragraph 3.0 that the respondents have paid on or before 5th May, 2011.”

Justice Buba held that it has come to the inevitable conclusion that the petitioners have discharged the burden placed on them and have proved their case while the first to fourth Respondents have failed woefully to discharge the burden placed on them.

8 News north-central

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Jubilation In Benue As PDP Elders Purchase Senate Form For Suswam

By Solomon Ayado, Makurdi

There was jubilation in major towns of Benue State when elders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Benue North-East senatorial District obtained and handed over to Governor Gabriel Suswam the expression of interest and nomination forms for the 2015 senatorial race.

This is just as Governor Suswam, who was greeted with uncontrolled excitement, stated that the situation is a clear manifestation that the people are gradually returning to politics of development.

The elders who thronged the banquet hall of Government House in their hundreds were led by a former lawmaker and elder statesman, Chief Atoza Ihindan, Second Republic parliamentarian Hon. Ugbah Uye, Dr. Aker Gajir and Senator Joseph Akaagerger among oth-

short news Golu To Pick Reps Form Today Chief Whip of Plateau State House of Assembly and member representing Kanke State constituency, Hon. Golu Timothy, has declared to vie for the House of Representatives, to represent Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam Federal Constituency.

According to him, he will pick the PDP nomination form today (Tuesday).

Golu made his intentions known when the League of Veteran Journalists in the state paid him a solidarity visit at his office at the state House of Assembly complex.

The visit was aimed at encouraging him to vie for the seat to represent his constituency in a higher capacity.

By Achor Abimaje, Jos

ers.

However, Atoza who spoke on behalf of the elders noted that the development was propelled by the belief the elders had in Suswam for impacting rapid development in the state and country.

“At this crucial period when every part of the country is looking up to the best to make a case at the centre for them, it became obvious that Suswam, too, is highly needed in Abuja and we cannot afford to delay this,” Ihindan said.

Atoza insisted that the decision was a collective resolve of the party elders and that whether or not the Governor likes it, they will for the interest of the people lure him to contest.

In his response, Suswam said he was humbled by the gesture, added that the situation was equally a clear indication of more burden on him.

UNILORIN Embarks On Cultivation Of 10,000 Hectares Of Oil Palm The University of Ilorin has embarked on the cultivation of 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation as part of the institution’s efforts towards helping Nigeria diversify her economy.

The vice chancellor of the university, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali disclosed this in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday during the university’s pre-30th convocation ceremonies press briefing.

Ambali lamented that Nigeria imports about 500, 000 metric tonnes of palm oil annually while Malaysia, which took the oil palm seed from Nigeria about a few decades ago, exported about 24 trillion metric tonnes of palm oil in 2012 alone to the United States, the European Union, China and India.

“The exports earned Malaysia some £20 billion (or about N5.314 trillion). To invest in the future and generate another oil revenue for the nation, the minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was on our campus on Thursday, May 15, 2014 to inaugurate the project,” Ambali stated.

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

short news

Salem Varsity Holds Workshop On Terrorism The Vice Chancellor Salem University, Professor Joseph Adeola Fuwape, has charged academic institutions to intensify effort in research and exchange of ideas for the country to achieve sustainable development.

Fuwape gave the charge yesterday at the campus of the institution during a two-day workshop on terrorism in Nigeria organised by the university.

According to him, research activities provide an ample opportunities to exchange ideas with colleagues from different institutions and learn from one another for the development of the country.

By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

L-R: Kwara State deputy governor Elder Peter Kisra, Etsu Patigi and vice chairman, Kwara State Traditional Council Alhaji Ibrahim Chatta Umar; Kwara State governor Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed and Emir of Lafiagi Alhaji Saidu Kawu Halliru during a visit to the governor at Government House, Ilorin.

Kwara Senate: Why I’m In The Race – Adedoyin

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

The former minister of state for Health, Princess Olufunke Adedoyin, has said that she aspires to represent Kwara South senatorial district at National Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in order to draw federal presence to the district.

Adedoyin stated this during an interactive session organised by Kwara South youths in Omu-Aran, Irepodun local government area of the state.

The participants at the event unanimously endorsed Adedoyin to represent the district at the Senate.

The former minister promised that she would empower youths and women if elected as senator.

Adedoyin, who lamented the spate of unemployment in the country, pledged to use her office as a senator, if elected, to bring development to the district and tackle joblessness among the youth.

She promised that she would give the district quality representation at the Senate and pleaded with the people of the district to support her bid.

Adedoyin also allayed fears of party members in the area ahead of the 2015 general elections, saying that the presiden-

cy could not capture the state.

She declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dead in the state, adding that since the defection of Dr. Bukola Saraki and the state governor, Alh. AbdulFatah Ahmed to the APC, the PDP had been in disarray.

Also speaking, the coordinator of the forum, Yinka Dallas, remarked that youths in the area endorsed Adedoyin for the Senate slot because of their trust in her ability to deliver.

At the event, no fewer than 100 PDP members from Agbamu ward II in Irepodun local government area of the state, led by Mr. Oluwabunmi Emmanuel, defected to the APC.

Ajaokuta Steel: FG Urged To Sustain Current Tempo

By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

The chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria,(ALGON), Kogi State, Aloysius Okino has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sustain the current efforts aimed at completing the Ajaokuta Steel Complex in Kogi State with vigour.

In a statement issued yesterday by the special adviser to ALGON on Media and Strategy, Ibrahim Obansa, and made available to LEADERSHIP, the chairman expressed confidence in the present efforts of government to com-

plete the ailing project and put it to commercial use.

Okino, who is also the chairman of Ajaokuta local government area in Kogi State, described the various partnership agreements already approved by the federal government as a welcome development, and urged the technical partners to bring their wealth of experience to bear in the operation of the company.

“I am particularly impressed with the activities of Reprom Company Ltd which has already mobilized to site almost all the required spare parts for the reactivation of the mill. It shows that they

are committed. I urge them not to relent in their effort,” he said The chairman commended the zeal of Gov. Idris Wada, the minister of mines and steel, Arc. Muhammed Sada, and the new management of the company in ensuring that the huge investment of the federal government was not wasted.

According to him, Ajaokuta local government, being the host community, would continue to complement the efforts of the state governor, Capt. Idris Wada by providing an enabling environment to ease the operations of the company.

Niger Expends N15.6bn On Agriculture In 7 Years

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

Niger State government has said that is has expended 15.6 billion on the agricultural sector in the over seven years of Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu’s administration in the state.

The Commissioner of Agriculture, Professor Mohammed Kuta Yahaya, who told journalists in Minna over the weekend,

said that of the amount N1.0 billion was used to purchase 25,320 metric tonnes of assorted fertilizers and N830 million to purchase tractors.

The commissioner for agriculture and rural development said that preliminary results indicated that about 734,000 farming families, comprising of over 1.5 million farmers, were registered and forwarded to cellulant in

Abuja for uploading in the National Farmers’ Data Base.

He said that certificate of occupancy had been issued to facilitate access to 250 hectres of land in Badegi of Katcha local government area of the state for the establishment of Staple Crop Processing Zone (SCPZ) by the federal government, with civil works already commenced at the site.

news NATIONAL 9

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Ahmed Commemorates 30 Years As Monarch In Kano The district head of Bagwai local government area of Kano State and the traditional title holder of ‘Dan Madami’ in the Kano emirate, Nura Shehu Ahmed has commemorated 30 years on the throne.

Nura Shehu Ahmed was inaugurated as ‘Dan Madami’ of Kano, 30 years ago after the death of his father, late Shehu Ahmed, the then ‘Madawaki’ of Kano.

He has been the ‘Dan Madami’ of Kano for the past 30 years and the district head of Bagwai local government area of Kano State.

The ‘Dan Madami’ celebrated his 30 years as the monarch in the Kano emirate last Saturday in Bagwai town.

In his address to the gathering, Alhaji Nura thanked late Emir Ado Bayero for the confidence reposed in him to serve in his emirate and to the present emir of Kano.

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

Group Commends Lawmakers For Removing Immunity Clause The Stop Impunity Nigeria (S.I.N) Campaign yesterday commended the House of Representatives for removing the immunity clause for the president, vice president, governors and their deputies in the proposed new constitution.

It also called on the Senate to follow suit so as to eliminate a major source of impunity at the highest levels of government.

In a statement to LEADERSHIP yesterday, the campaign described the decision of the House of Representatives as a welcome development saying “it would facilitate accountability in the executive arm of government.

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

Balewa’s Son Slams PDP Over Jonathan’s Endorsement The first son of the late Nigerian prime minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections, Dr Abdul Jelil Tafawa Balewa has come hard on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) over the recent endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party in next year’s presidential election.

Dr Balewa who described the action of the PDP leaders as killing the principles of internal democracy said he was in the presidential race despite the kangaroo endorsement of President Jonathan in order to redirect the ship of the state which according to him is already sinking.

By Mbachu Godwin Nnanna,Abuja

INEC Can’t Deregister Political Parties – Court

By KUNLE OLASANMI, Abuja

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared as illegal, the deregisteratoin of Hope Democratic Party (HDP) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The court ordered that the party’s status as a political party should be restored.

Justice Ademola made the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by HDP challenging INEC’s decision to deregister the party in December, 2013, among others.

The party had joined the National Assembly as co-defendant in the suit while the National coalition for Democratic Change, a political association, was co-plaintiff.

Ademola said, “INEC failed to discharge fair hearing in deregistering the party without giving it sufficient time to refute allegations of breaches of the Electoral Act for which it purportedly acted.

“The court hereby orders that INEC’s letter purporting or suggesting to deregister HDP be set aside as the action is declared illegal, null and void.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC and its agents from stopping HDP from performing the functions of a duly registered political party and participate in elections is hereby given.” He held that INEC had powers to deregister a political party which breached the provisions of Section 78 of the constitution.

short news Call NSA To Order, Northern Groups Tell Jonathan Two Northern groups, PDP National Strategy and the Public Affairs Youth Forum have threatened to defect from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) unless President Goodluck Jonathan calls the National Security Adviser L-R: Minister of Information and National Orientation, Labaran Maku; Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu; Minister of (NSA) Col.Sambo State for Health, Khaliru Alhassan and World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Rui Gama Vaz at a news Dasuki to order over his alleged conference where Nigeria was declared Ebola free in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN sour relationship with the minister of defence.

The groups expressed dismay and the world is a global village. ical leader.

By Igho Oyoyo, Abuja over the seeming According to the statement, Bu- Criminals should not be granted cold war between Anti-Corruption Network has ruji Kashamu who is facing crim- succour anywhere in the world. As the minister of written a petition to the minister inal charges and trial in an Amer- an organisation, we shall always defence,Alhaji of justice and attorney general of ica court in a case with suit No. defend the laws of our land and Aliyu Mohammed the federation, Mohammed Adoke 94CR17215, escaped to Nigeria protect our society from interconGusau and the on the need to release Mr. Buruji and have since refused to go back. tinental criminals and crooks.

NSA, insisting that Kashamu to the security agencies “No amount of blackmail, in“His appeal to quash his crimiunless President in United States looking for him. nal case failed for the second time timidation, harassment or name Jonathan interIn a statement signed by the in an America Court. We therefore calling will detract our attention venes urgently, director of Outreach Services for by this notice, ask that if the Of- from championing the course of the development Anti-Corruption Network, Mr. fice of the Attorney General of the justice as fair play in the Federmight not augur Timi Frank, in Abuja, the net- Federation refuses to act accord- al Republic of Nigeria. We have well for national work said that Kashamu is a man ingly within the next seven (7) no other country but Nigeria, so security. with international warrant on him days, we will go to court to seek we must do all within our powBy Isaiah and should not be allowed to pa- redress. ers to protect the basic sanctity Benjamin rade himself in Nigeria as a polit“We are a responsible society of truth.”

Kaduna

Group To AGF: Extradite Kashamu To US

2015: We’ve Raised 23m Voters For Jonathan – Fulani Herdsmen

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural association yesterday claimed that 23 million registered voters belonging to the association have decided to support President Goodluck Jonathan.

This was stated by the national leadership of the association led by the chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo and secretary, Saleh Alhassan Kubah at a press conference in Abuja.

Bodejo, stated that their decision to support President Jonathan was because of his Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

He said, “Both the ethnic Fulanis and pastoralists have been able to mobilise more than 23 million voters for Jonathan. We have an efficient means of mobilising our people and I want to confirm that we have asked our people to register in all the places they live and they have done so. These are the votes we want to give to President

Jonathan in the 2015 general election”.

He further listed the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Adamu Mu’azu; the private secretary to the president, Alhaji Umar Tukur; political adviser to the president, Prof. Ahmed Alkali and the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Balla Mohammed as among the prominent Fulani pastoralists serving in the Jonathan administration.

While distancing themselves from any involvement with the Boko Haram insurgency, they backed the truce reached between government and the sect.

The association X-rayed the effects of the ongoing insurgency by the Boko Haram group and the circle of conflicts between farmers and herdsmen and called on the government and all stakeholders to immediately bring an end to the violence in the country particularly the northern region.

10

stories of the Tuesday, October 21, 2014

...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE

GUN Attack: 1 Killed, 5 Injured As Gunmen Attack Nasarawa Community

BY DONATUS NADI, Lafia

Suspected Fulani gunmen on Sunday night attacked Agyaragun Tofa community in Lafia local government, leaving one person dead and five others injured in a siege that lasted less than 15 minutes.

When LEADERSHIP visited the affected community, the district head of the area, Mallam Abdulrahman Ibrahim, who gave account of what transpired, said the attackers stormed the area at about 9:45pm and headed to where a social event was taking place and opened fire on the celebrants.

“I was taking my bath to go to bed when I started hearing gunfire with people scampering to safety and on arriving the scene of incident, one young man had been shot dead” he said.

He added that a woman, shot in the stomach, is among the survivors while two others sustained multiple fractures.

He added that immediately after the attack, youths in the community were mobilized to convey the injured to Dalhatu Araf Special Hospital (DASH) where they are currently receiving treatment.

The district head also expressed delight with the prompt response by the Nasarawa State Police Command in deploying its officers and men to the area to help restore peace.

Inferno: Abuja Fire Victim Cries Out For Help

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

A 30-year-old fire victim who lost his business and entire life earnings in Abuja, Amaechi Ugwanyi, has called out to Nigerians to come to his aid .

Mr Ameachi, popularly known as National, who hails from Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North LGA of Enugu State,recalled that before the fire incident, he was living in a two room apartment in Kubwa, Abuja.

When LEADERSHIP visited Mr. Ugwuanyi, he said October 10 would forever remain unforgettable as he lost virtually everything in a late hour fire outbreak caused by his generator set which he had switched on to shave his hair.

Mr. Ugwanyi said he was adjusting the clipper which he wanted to shave with, he locked the door where the generator was and suddenly heard a loud sound which was the beginning of the massive fire.

Calling for help, he said “I really want Nigerians to come to my help, assist me to rebuild my business back to where it was before. I can cope without a house but a business is where I get money to feed myself, my mother and my family.”

Members of Civilian Joint Task Force speaking to a reporter in Chibok Town in Borno State on Sunday. Photo

By Nan

FRAUD: Man Docked Over N800,000 Fraud In FCT

By NAN A man, Audu Ibrahim, was on Monday brought before a Gudu Upper Area Court in the FCT for allegedly defrauding a man of N800,000.

Ibrahim, who lives at Alieta, Airport road, Abuja, is being tried for criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and cheating.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Isreal Nongo, told the court that Yakubu Attah of Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) reported the case at the Apo Police Station on Oct. 15.

According to him, the complainant transferred from his UBA account the sum of N800, 000 to the GT Bank account of the accused on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16. ``He gave the accused the money to supply

him 20 loads of gravel. ``The accused cashed the money and conspired with one, Friday Eze, now at large, and converted the money to his personal use.’’

Nongo said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 97, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

The accused pleaded innocence of the offences.

The judge, Umar Kagarko, admitted the accused to a bail of N850, 000 in addition to a surety in like sum.

He said the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction as part of the bail conditions.

Further hearing in the case has been fixed for November 28.

Thuggery: 1 Dead, 16 Arrested In Ogun Clash

by Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta

Rival thug gangs yesterday, in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State clashed, leaving one person dead.

An eyewitness, Biodun Sowunmi, who escaped the fracas, narrated that the incident occurred during the assessment tour of the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, though the fracas took place in the town, far from the Empire Ground, where the event held.

According to the eyewitness, who is also a public analyst, the gangs were fighting over territorial protection.

The incident reportedly left many people injured as a result of dangerous weapons used by the rival gang.

Confirming the incident , the police

spokesperson in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi said one person lost his life.

Adejobi said the incident was masterminded by hoodlums who used dangerous weapons freely.

He disclosed that 16 people have been arrested while a lot of weapons such as four pump action guns, cutlasses, axes and assorted charms were retrieved.

Adejobi further stated that, those hoodlums arrested would be given full screening and those that participated in the disturbance would face the wrath of law.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the hoodlums were supporters of two senatorial aspirants from Ogun West Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

KIDNAP: Police Arrest Suspect, Rescue Boy, 7

By NAN

The Lagos State Police Command on Monday announced the arrest of a suspected kidnapper, Aminat Akanni, rescuing a seven-year-old boy from her.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP. Kenneth Nwosu, in a statement said that the suspect was arrested by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Oct. 12 at 10:30 a.m.

The statement said that the arrest followed a report by one Moshood Mubo of No. 305 Church St., Lagos Island at the Adeniji Adele Police Station that two of his children were missing.

It added that the children were rescued from the suspect, while one of them, fouryear-old Nofisat Mubo, was later found dead at Orile Iganmu on the Lagos Mainland.

The statement explained that the suspect who was the complainant’s second wife had accosted the children on their way back to the house and kidnapped them. ``The police arrested Akanni with one of the missing children at CMS Bus Stop.

The said Akanni is the second wife of the complainant. ``Investigation revealed that the corpse of the other child was recovered at Orile Division in a sudden and unnatural death case,’’ it said.

The statement quoted Nwosu as saying that the suspect confessed to have drowned and dropped the corpse of Nofisat at Orile. ``The suspect confessed to have drowned the child and dropped the corpse at Orile on her arrest,’’ it added.

The statement said that the case had been transferred to the Orile Iganmu Police Division for synchronisation and further action.

STORIES OF THE DAY 11

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

day

Photo News

DEATH: Nollywood Actor’s Family Takes Case To Traditional Priest

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Angered by what they described as foul play with the death of a popular Nollywood actor, Clems Onyeka, after he was attacked by armed robbers, who also attacked a bullion van in Asaba, Delta State, relations of the victim have taken their case to a juju priest.

They vowed not to rest until they get to the root of the matter.

Some of the aggrieved relations, including Patrick Onyeka told our correspondent in Asaba that the family members resolved to take the case to a juju priest for perspicacious judgment; saying that they do not believe in the stray bullet story as vehemently claimed by the police.

As it were, the robbers, according to dependable sources, trailed the bullion van from the Benin/Asaba Express way through the Summit road and intercepted it along the DBS road before U&I Foundation, where they engaged the police team on escort duty in a fierce gun battle, allegedly killing the popular Nollywood actor by stray bullet.

Police public relations officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, who insisted yesterday that the Nollywood actor was killed by a stray bullet, said that a policeman in the police escort team was also killed during the fierce gun battle.

She disclosed that the police in the early hours of yesterday, have arrested

six suspected persons in connection with the attack; adding that four others suspected to be armed robbers were also killed along Ogwashi-uku/Asaba express way during a robbery operation.

While appealing to family members of the Nollywood actor to take everything with equanimity; DSP Kalu assured members of the public that the police would get to the root of the incident; adding that the arrested suspects are already helping the police with further investigation.

Expectedly, it was reliably gathered that the robbers numbering over eight arrived in Asaba with a Siena Toyota car commando-style, causing pandemonium on the ever busy DBS Asaba road before the police escort moved into the incident.

Sources said that the road users scampered for safety as many of them abandoned their cars, but when the police noticed that the bullion van driver had escaped with the van intact, the office of the U&I foundation was riddled with bullets while the staffers scampered through the fence for their dear lives.

Speaking further, DSP Kalu confirmed that one of the robbers was killed by the police, adding that the armed gang escaped with the corpse of one of their colleagues killed during the shootout while the Siena car with Reg No. AA261XX was abandoned with the robbers snatching another car from a motorist to escape.

L-R: Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu; Minister of State for Health, Kahliru Alhassan and Country Representative, World Health Organisation, Dr Rui Gama Vaz, during a press briefing to celebrate the exit of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH.

L-R: Senior Special Assistant to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Prof Peter Akpe; Justice of the Court of Appeal and resource person, Justice Mohammed Shuabu and Anti-Corruption Manager, Justice For All, Department for International Development (British Council), Mr Emmanuel Uche, during a two-day stakeholders’ roundtable on Proceeds of Crime (POCA) in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OKEKE JANE

FEAR: Residents Flee Over Robbery Attacks

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Hundreds of residents of Ubulu-Unor Community, Ogwashi-Uku axis of Delta State, may have deserted their homes over incessant robbery attacks they witness in the community.

It was reliably gathered that there have been cases of robbery attacks on the unsuspecting residents of the community as in most cases, the hoodlums allegedly raped married women during their operations.

Only recently, the rampaging rubbers sacked the entire community after a two hours robbery operation where they allegedly killed two security guards who had attempted to rob shoulders with them.

Apart from robbery cases, residents of the community have appealed to the state government to come to their aid by repairing the failed areas of the road; the residents who spoke to our correspondent and did not want their names in the print said that the road has deteriorated so much that accessing their offices and homes have become very difficult.

According to the respondent, the

road is a major road linking UbuluUnor, Ubulu-Uku, Ashama and several other communities within Aniocha South Local Government Area to the headquarters of the local government, emphasizing that the road is the only road through which farmers in the communities transport their farm products to Urban areas especially to Ogwashi-Uku. The residents said, “For instance, Ogwashi-Uku High Court is located off this road just as the general hospital is also located in the same area, for staff of these two offices passing through the road to their offices have become a terrible experience, but there is hardly anywhere they can pass to their offices unless something is done about it.

But in her reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu who spoke on the robbery incidences, disclosed that the police have mobilized a team of detectives to the community with a view to ensuring that the robbers terrorizing the community are brought to book, she said that the police will do everything possible to arrest those who have been behind the nefarious activities.

L-R: Corporate Relations Director/Company Secretary, Guinness, Mr Sesan Sobowale; Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr Kufre Ekanem and zonal head of operations, Zone 2, and representative of Zonal Commanding Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Charles Aborchi, at a media briefing on ”Drive Alcohol Free Campaign” organised by an Initiative of Beer Sector Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria held at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

Hon Nasiru Milo Gusau (right) receiving the expression interst form for the governorship election in Zamfara State under the PDP from Hon Sani Musa (left) on behalf of entire traders of Zamfara who bought the form for Engr Ibrahim Shehu Bakauye Gusau at the PDP national headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.

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business

$1 bn

minimum investment of $1 billion was needed yearly in order to meet the current transmission demand which is presently a weak link in the power reforms

Renewed Optimism Sends Stock Market Northward

By Olushola Bello, Lagos

After heading south throughout last week, the Nigerian equities market heaved sighs of relief to close trading yesterday with a rebound following renewed optimism driven by gain prospects.

Stockbrokers said more investors would scramble for undervalued stocks with strong third quarter earnings.

The NSE All-Share Index appreciated by 464.92 points or 1.22 per cent to close at 38, 662.65 as against the 38,197.73

achieved on Friday.

Similarly, the market capitalisation rose by N153billion to close at N12.766 trillion from the N12.613 trillion posted on Friday.

Seplat recorded the highest price gain of N25.69 to close at N574 per share. It was trailed

by Wapco, which gained N5.94 to close at N117, while UACN appreciated

by N2.56 to close at N53.79 per share.

Oando chalked up by N1.70 to close at N23.10, while Nigerian Breweries rose by 92 kobo to close at N166.37 per share.

L-R: Airtel’s trade marketing manager, Lagos East, Peace Davids; business development manager, Intel, Folake Oyekanmi; territory sales manager, Airtel, Adewole Peter; manager, Consumer Channels Group, Microsoft, Mark Ihimoyan; Airtel customer, Opeyemi Oluwaseun and Igbo community leader, Ozo Idezuna during Airtel’s ICT rural awareness campaign in Lagos.

Small-scale Industrialists Bicker Over failed Loan Scheme

BY WENESO OROGUN, Abuja

A cold war is brewing between some aggrieved members of the National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and its National Executive Committee (NEC) headed by Chief Chuku Nwachukwu as president over a failed loan scheme initiated by the NEC over two years ago.

In a petition signed by nine members, including Mrs Olayinka Adegbore and Mrs Oby Ezeilo, and made available to LEADERSHIP, the aggrieved members alleged that the Nwachukwu-led NEC placed adverts in two national dailies in 2012 with an enticing message.

NCC Blames Bank Loans For CDMA Operators’ Collapse

By Chima Akwaja, Lagos

The executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Eugene Juwah, has blamed the strings of bad loans from Nigerian banks for the collapse of several Code Division

They claimed that the adverts invited existing NASSI members to pay N19,000, and new members N26,000, to benefit from loans of up to N5 million each at single-digit interest rates.

They bemoaned the inability of the NEC to redeem its promises to members more than two years after and now want a refund of their contributions.

Dismissing the claims of the aggrieved members in a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP, yesterday, Nwachukwu wondered why anyone would delude himself/herself into believing that the payment of N19,000 or N26,000 would entitle him/her Multiple Access (CDMA) network operators in the country.

Juwah, who delivered a keynote address at the 2014 Telecom Executives and Regulator’s Roundtable organised by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in Lagos recently, said poor financial management occasioned by the huge loans sourced from banks led to the implosion among CDMA network operators.

He said:“The CDMA operators dying because they borrowed

to a N5million loan at single-digit interest rate. He promised to speak extensively on the matter when he returned to Abuja later this week.

In response to the allegation, the national treasurer, NASSI, Olusegun Dada, said the NASSI signed an MoU with First Bank Nigeria (FBN) Plc with the intent of attracting funding for the small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) from the federal government (FG), state governments, FBN and NASSI itself through members’ subscription.

Dada said the FBN Plc was supposed to be the platform to disburse such loans at single-digit rate.

heavily from banks and they could not pay back.” Juwah said the operators over-borrowed, and most of the loans were effectively deployed to the growth of their networks orchestrating their eventual collapse.

LEADERSHIP had in February 2012, reported how a debt of N27 billion crippled the plans of ZOOMmobile (formerly Reltelwireless), one of the leading Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators to return to full commercial operation. The operator was hindered by huge Interconnect,

“The idea was to ensure that credit go to our members at a single-digit interest rate because commercial rate of interest from banks will be much higher.

“We, therefore, wanted to attract funds from the public sector and partly from the private sector for on-lending to our members at a single-digit interest rate,” said Dada.

Dada said the objective was to get as many SMEs as possible on the scheme so that “we can attract the state and federal governments buying into it.”

However, he emphasised that along the line the MoU encountered technical hitches.

contractor debts and several months’ salary arrears.

The massive growth recorded in the Nigerian telecommunications space since the liberalisation of the industry which started with the return to democratic rule, has eroded as over a dozen telecommunication operating companies have virtually collapsed.

Apart from MTN, Globacom, Airtel, Etisalat and Visafone which added subscribers to their network in 2013 and 2014, most of the other telecom service providers have become Juwah inactive.

BUSINESS QUOTE Capitalism is the legitimate racket of the ruling class.

Al Capone, gangster (1899-1947)

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Oil Prices: Govt Working On New Policies – Emefiele

by Bukola Idowu, Lagos

The Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN) has said that it was working with government in developing monetary and fiscal policies that would ensure that the country was not negatively affected by the declining oil prices.

Speaking at the 2014 Chartered Institute of Bankers of Ni-

geria (CIBN) investiture in Lagos at the weekend, the governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, said the declining oil prices has made evident the vulnerability of the Nigerian economy.

He noted that “monetary and fiscal authorities, are taking actions to ensure that Nigeria will be able to withstand further fall in oil prices,” adding that the ac-

tions which would be unveiled soon, would ensure that Nigeria continues to remain a strong economy.

He said that the CBN was working with government in building a stronger buffer by ensuring fiscal discipline. The nation’s external reserve which has continued to hover around $39 billion stood at $39.41 billion as

at October 16, 2014, while the price of Bonny Light was $88 per barrel as at October 14 according to figures made available by the CBN. Emefiele while stating that the major objective of the apex bank’s policy was to ensure stability in the value of the naira , said, “the CBN will sustain the managed float regime in the

management of the exchange rate as this will allow the bank to intervene when necessary to offset pressures on the exchange rate.”

The naira has in recent weeks, been under pressure as demand for hard currency rose on concerns that lower oil prices would weaken it and widen the current account of the economy.

Mining Communities At Risk Of Repeating Zamfara Mining Disaster – Report

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Lagos

L-R: Chairman, governing board, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, Major Lancelot Anyanya; director, Federal Mortgage Bank Nigeria, Abuja, Dr Godwin Duru, and founder, Wipe a Tear Today Initiative, Theresa Ushibema during the NGO’s one year anniversary in Abuja. PHOTO BY OKEKE JANE

Benue Govt Divests From Dangote Cement Amidst Protests

By OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

Despite widespread outcry against the sales of its shares in Dangote Cement by the Benue State Government, fresh facts have emerged that the government has sold 43 million units of the shares, warehoused by the Benue Investment Property Company, at a value of N9.6 billion.

Documents from Elixir Investment Partners, a fund management and advisory firm and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) revealed that the state has offloaded 43 million shares of Dangote Cement.

Governor Gabriel Suswam has categorically denied that the state’s holding in Dangote Cement was ever put on the market.

Speaking to newsmen in Makurdi recently Suswam had said the shares were still intact and had not been sold to anyone.

Suswam, who refuted claims that the shares were valued at N20billion at the stock market, said the state government owned only N43 million shared with the company.

He said the shares were warehoused with the Benue Investment Property Company and blamed his detractors for peddling such falsehood on the shares.

Offloading of the shares actually started on Friday August 1, 2014 and

gathered momentum in the month of September.

LEADERSHIP gathered that widespread outcry trailed the state government’s decision to offload the cement company’s shares particularly now that elections are at hand.

Last week, the Benue State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) staged a protest against the divestment of shares which belonged to the state, saying the action amounts to a major blow to the socio-economic life of the state.

Addressing journalists, the chairman of CAN in Gboko, Rev. Sam Gar, who led other men of God and worshippers in the protest, lamented the shady deals and therefore called on all to join the association in rejecting the transaction wholesale.

Gar, who threatened that CAN would be compelled to invoke the wrath of God against those behind the deal, appealed to all the political parties as well as their aspirants to take decisive steps to reverse the action or be rejected at the polls.

Investigations however revealed that the shares were being gradually offloaded by the State and our sources wondered why the State is denying that fact.

On Tuesday, September 2, 2014, Elixir, working on the instructions of the government, offloaded a

significant amount of the shares in 16 transactions which involved the sale of 6,152,127 units of shares, earning a whopping N1.35 billion in that single transaction.

Elixir returned to the market on Wednesday, September 17, when it concluded 11 transactions involving the sale of Dangote Cement shares held by Benue State government, and again the next day when 29 sale transactions were concluded.

Similar transactions were conducted on September 19, September 22 and September 23, and the biggest single transaction was concluded on Wednesday, September 24 when in one transaction alone, over nine million units of shares were sold for N2.19 billion.

The document revealed that a total of 29,192,297 units of shares were sold, with the last recorded sale happening on Friday, September 26, 2014.

The implication, according to the analysts, is that the state government may be aiming to divest its entire investment in the largest cement company in sub-Saharan Africa for the purpose of using the money accruable from the sales for electioneering purposes.

In 2010, Dangote Cement Plc, owned by Aliko Dangote, bought majority shares in Benue Cement Company (BCC).

A report released by the Global Rights Partners for Justice, yesterday, has said that mining communities are at risks of falling into the same incident of poisoning and environmental degradation that befell Zamfara State when lead poisoning claimed over 700 children and poisoned the environment in 2009/2010.

Speaking while presenting the report with the theme: ‘Protecting Host Community Rights: An Assessment Report on Extractive Host Community in Nigeria,’ in Abuja yesterday, Global Rights programme officer, Precious Eriamiatre, said this was because the challenges faced by mining host communities in states were similar to those experienced in Zamfara State during the lead poisoning.

According to Eriamiatre, “The cross cutting issues they grappled with include poorly regulated extractive activities by companies and artisanal miners, land and water grabbing, environmental/topographical degradation, air and dust pollution, loss of lives and livelihoods, socio-economic imbalances, conflicts initiated or exacerbated by mining activities, loss of cohesion and loss of self-determination among several others.

Power Reform: ‘$1bn Needed To Boast Transmission Network’

BY Evelyn Okoruwa, Lagos

The minister of power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has said a minimum investment of $1 billion was needed yearly in order to meet the current transmission demand which is presently a weak link in the power reforms.

Speaking yesterday during the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) presidential expert group meeting on infrastructure ranking and scorecard roadmap, he said transmission was the only domain in the electricity supply chain that still remains under the control of the federal government and was being managed by Manitoba Hydro of Canada. According to Nebo, improving electricity transmission has not been easy because challenges such as vandalism and poor shape of infrastructures.

“As many of you know transmission infrastructure in this country is dated and many of the equipment are in poor shape due to neglect of maintenance during the NEPA/PHCN era. The existing transmission network which currently consists of 330 KV and 132 KV power lines are weak with high energy losses. Nigeria has one of the highest transmission losses in the world; this is partly because the average age of the transmission equipment is over 30 years,” he said.

Nebo also fingered shortage of gas as another factor impeding electricity reform adding that due to the current shortfalls in the supply, many power plants built to provide power to Nigerians were only able to utilise a fraction of their installed capacity.

“Of the original six power plants that were privatised, not one is functioning at up to 70 per cent of installed capacity. To make matters worse, many of gas infrastructure that supply these power plants have come under attack by vandals with various agendas.

news NATIONAL 17

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Reps Okay N4,000 Online Registration Fee For NYSC

By Edegbe Odemwingie and Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The House of Representatives has approved the controversial N4,000 online registration fee for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.

The decision reverses earlier House resolution urging the NYSC to suspend the policy following public outcry against the fee.

Chairman, House Committee on Youth Development, Kamil Akinlabi made the disclosure during a media chat at the National Assembly.

Akinlabi explained that the fee will service a private sector driven build, operate and transfer agree-

ment. He said the registration equipment will be installed at the NYSC offices nationwide.

The contractor handling the project is expected to recoup its investment within five years, Akinlabi stated at the briefing.

The lawmaker said the process was approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement with a certificate of no objection.

Akinlabi said, “From the onset, when the matter was brought to our attention, the first thing we felt was the way you are feeling but after constructive engagement, we discovered that it was an innovation that we can’t run from.

“First, it was not the responsibil-

ity of the NYSC to mobilise respective corps members to get their call-up letters, it is the responsibility of the parents. If somebody schooled in Lagos but lives in Kano and to get his call-up letter he has to travel to school, you discover that its time consuming, risky and very expensive.

“So what the NYSC has done is to partner with a consultant that is already handling similar projects for JAMB and WAEC that has eliminated similar risk to partner with them through a PPP arrangement. The PPP arrangement will be on Built, Operate and Transfer.

“The contractor would be responsible 100 per cent for the

Welcome to a more rewarding experience

purchase and installation of every gadget that will be necessary to achieve that in all the 36 headquarters including FCT and in all local government headquarters as well as all orientation camps across the country.

On September 30, federal lawmakers launched an inquest into the controversial N4,000 online registration fee and consequently urged NYSC to suspend the policy.

Hon. Hassan Saleh (Benue/PDP) in lead debates on a motion moved on the matter described the NYSC policy as “insensitive and exploitative”.

“As laudable as the idea of sending call-up letters though the in-

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ternet may be, the decision requiring fresh graduates to cough out N4,000 to access letters appears insensitive and exploitative,” Saleh said.

The presiding Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha ruled that the Committee on Youth Development and the sponsor of the motion be invited to be part of the panel that will conduct a session on the matter.

There had been criticisms against the N4,000 fee but the NYSC had risen to its defence, saying the computerisation would ease the rigorous processes involved in the collection of call-up letters.

NACA To Screen 80m Nigerians For HIV By 2015 The Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS ( NACA) Professor John Idoko, said about 80million Nigerians would be screened for HIV/AIDS by 2015, as a measure for the eradication of the disease in the country, just as he decried the high rate of the transmission of the disease from mother to child.

The NACA boss who disclosed this yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, during the flag-off of HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign and medical outreach organised by NACA in collaboration with MDGs, urged Nigerians to know their HIV status by participating in the voluntary and free HIV testing programme organised by the agency.

Idoko who was represented by the acting director of Programme, Dr. Pricilla Ibekwe, said that NACA has drastically reduced the prevalence of AIDS, stating that about 97 per cent of Nigerians according to recent statistics tested negative to HIV. “HIV/AIDS is treatable once you test positive. It is important to know your HIV status to help NACA fight AIDS in Nigeria, especially now that there is treatment for the AIDS. We should not stigmatise those that are HIV positive because with the necessary treatment those that are positive can live normal lives and manage the virus,” Idoko stated.

By Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

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Tuesday, October 21, 2014 USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY

Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents for easy access in case of any emergency on the metropolitan Roads. Accordingly, the public may easily Contact KAROTA for: Breakdown of Vehicle(s), Traffic Congestion, Accidents, Illegal / Wrong Parking to kindly Call KAROTA through the following number – 08091626747.

Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754, 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833, 08191778888.

KANO STATE GOVERNMENT

171st KANO STATE EXECuTiVE COuNCiL MEETiNG PREPARED BY COUNCIL AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, KANO. iii. iv. v.

•

ENGR. RAbi’u MuSA KwANKwASO, FNSE Executive Governor, Kano State

Accomplishments are the precise preserve of the accomplished. Such is the copious case in Kano State currently under the able leadership of His Excellency Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. This time around, the tenure is premised on the specific resolve to positively transform the lives of the citizenry in Kano State for the better through the provision of impeccable services by the Government via its organs, system and structure marshaled/guided by the steadfast Engineer – cum – polished politician.

The resolve is generally achieved through the commendable performances by all sectors in the execution of projects, programmes and policies which were allowed to stagnate in Kano State prior to the return of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE whose current second spanned three (3) and a half eventful years in which all sectors were reinvigorated. Multitude Of tangible projects, programmes and policies aimed at positive transformation of the social, economic, spiritual, etc. wellbeing of the good people of Kano State were and are still being executed across all sectors prominent among which include Education, Infrastructural Development/Maintenance, Health, Agriculture, Empowerment, etc. Consolidating and completing the initiated efforts in all aspects are at hand and attainable.

Continuing with the laudable trend, the Kano State Executive Council held its one hundred and seventy first (171st) sitting on Wednesday 15th October, 2014 (21st Dhul Hijjah, 1435 AH) where thirteen (13) MDAs submitted forty eight (48) memoranda cutting across seven (7) Sectors for deliberation of which Council approved thirty three (33) for execution with an expenditure of One Billion, Three Hundred and Fifty Six Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy Nine Naira, Eighty Nine Kobo (N1,356,834,879.89) covering thirty one (31) projects while the remaining two (2) are on policy issues.

Thus; 1. THE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT/MAINTENANCE SECTOR The administration of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso continually declared to transform the State by the provision and maintenance of qualitative infrastructure among his promise throughout the campaign for Office prior to the election. All the premises and resolutions were reiterated and emphasized in the inaugural speech delivered on 29th May, 2014.

Impressively, each promise was fulfilled and the performances transcend common expectations and imaginations. Various mega tangible physical developmental projects were and are continuing to be executed and maintained. The list and impact are beyond this medium. Only few examples can be cited as follows; • General Construction of all categories of roads and related structures that enhance and ensure ease for movement for people from homes to places of works, market, recreation, visit to relations and friends, etc. and improve their socio – economic wellbeing.

Mega examples comprise the construction of flyovers at three (3) prominent congested locations in Urban Kano (i.e. Silver Jubilee Roundabout to Kofar Nassarawa; Ibrahim Taiwo Road by Gidan Bello Dandago; Triumph Publishing Company to Tafawa Balewa Road); construction of new major and link roads; expansion of many prominent existing major roads and continued maintenance of others. Construction of 5KM roads in each of the 44 LGCAs in Kano State, etc.

• Facilitation of vitally required transportation of potable water to Greater/ Urban Kano and Rural Areas from various Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) to areas of demand via provision of water supply pipelines for impressive distances Using 1000 mm and 600mm Ductile iron pipes. In fact the total investment so far in the water sector exceeds 19 Billion Naira in the last three years.

Examples are as follows; i.

Watari Water Treatment Plant to Gwaron Dutse. ii.

Watari Water Treatment Plant to Tsanyawa.

Gezawa Joda to Yankaba, Dakata, etc.

Tamburawa to Yankaba.

Kafinchiri to Sumaila, etc.

Provision of Street Lighting and Interlock Tiling of pedestrian walkways of numerous major roads in Kano Metropolis.

• Establishment of Tiga and Challawa Gorge Dams Independent Hydro Electricity Power Stations.

• General renovation of Government owned buildings/facilities for effective utilization, etc.

The laudable trend was maintained as Council approved for the execution of the following five (5) projects in line with the Infrastructural Development/ Maintenance policy of the present administration as follows; a) Request for Funds to Enable Construction of Three (3) Blocks of 3 – Seater and Completion of One (1) Block of 6 – Seater (i.e. 16 – Seaters) Public Conveniences at the High Court of Justice Complex, Miller Road, Kano:Under the current second tenure of His Excellency Gov Kwankwaso a number of projects were executed in the judicial sector. 28 New Magistrate and 27 Shari’a courts were constructed and fully furnished at a total cost of over 1.12 billion Naira. Equally the High courts that were in state of dilapidation for many years were given complete renovation. In continuation with this laudable policies of providing conducive working environment that will ultimately engender quick dispensation of justice, a request was submitted to Council for consideration from the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport at the estimated cost of N9,449,037.80. to provide Toilet facilities.

In line with the present administration policy to ensure sanity and hygienic working environment, Council considered and approved for the release of the stated sum as per the breakdown below; i.

Construction of three (3) blocks of 3 – Seater Public Conveniences = N5,816,460.42. ii.

Completion of one (1) block of 16 – Seaters Public Conveniences = N3,632,577.38. b) Request for the Release of Additional Funds for the Provision of Five (5) Security Plazas Located at Various Locations in Kano State:In fulfillment of his campaign promises the Government of Eng Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has massively invested in the provision of infrastructural facilities especially in road construction, expansion and modernizing existing road network to ease transportation within the state and the city. This include the construction of flyovers and underpasses.

In continuation with this, The Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport recalled Council of its approval granted for the execution of the projects based on a master plan presented by a Consultant.

The contractors mobilized to site but faced problems with the initial BEME for the projects which culminated to the request for an upward review of the original BEME from the sum of N533,722,560.88 to the revised sum of N663,926,552.13 with a variation of N130,203,991.26 upon utilization of the contingencies in the Contracts.

Accordingly, Council considered and approved the revised initial contract of the five (5) Security Plaza from N533,722,560.80 to N633,926,552.13 within a variation of N130,203,991.26. c) Request for Funds to Enable Replacement of 500KVA. 33/415V Electricity Transformer at Daburau and Installation of 300KVA.11/0.415KV Electricity Relief Transformer at Shekar Maidaki Bangaren Gabas, Madobi and Kumbotso LGCAs Respectively:Cognizance of the resolve by the present administration to provide qualitative infrastructure for the benefit of the citizenry in the State. The Ministry of Rural and Community Development submitted the request in the sum of N9,039,363.00.

Council acknowledged the presentation of the request and approved the release of the stated sum for execution of the project. d) Presentation on the Need to Close the Road Leading to Bagauda Bridge and Request for Funds to Effect Reinstatement of the Affected Sections of the Road:Heavy downpour of rainfall caused excessive erosion problems along the approaches to Bagauda Bridge. Details were presented along with the request for the release of the provisional sum of N11,224,148.37 to effect necessary repairs required so as to enable easy passage for the users of the Bridge and Road.

Council appraised the details presented in pictures and approved the release of the provisional sum of N11,224,148.37 to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to enable execution of the repair project. e) Presentation on Request for Instructions and Release of Funds to Undertake Emergency Works at Various Locations in Kano State:The Project Monitoring and Evaluation recalled Council of its earlier directive to study and advise Government on a request for Funds from the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport in respect of the cited issue involving six (6) projects.

Details were presented along with the following two (2) notations; i.

That physical assessment of the six (6) projects revealed that four (4) of them were executed to 100% level of completion while the remaining two (2) are at 70% and 85% completion stages respectively. ii.

That the contingency sums totaling N3,628,186.78 for the six (6) projects was deducted from the total contract sum of N65,451,722.85 due to its non utilization on unforeseen works, thus leaving a balance

of N61,823,536.07 to pay for the completed works and the remaining two (2) projects at 70% and 85% level of completion.

Accordingly, Council considered and approved for the release of N61,823,536.07 to enable the completion of the six projects.

2. THE EDUCATION SECTOR An educated nation/community is a successful one. This made the Education Sector to be celebrated as the highest beneficiary of the positive transformation efforts extended to all sectors. The Education Sector is completely transformed for the better and at all levels and ramifications. Many new Basic Education Schools, Senior Secondary Schools and Tertiary Institutions were constructed while expansion and renovation of existing ones are continually being carried out.

Many Governments owned unused buildings/facilities were converted for use as Schools.

In fact evidences are ubiquitous across the State and the impact is impressive to the point whereby provision of Education is free of charge at all levels.

Two (2) memoranda that directly relate to the Education Sector were approved for execution as follows; a) Presentation on the Review of the Running Cost of Seven (7) Kano State Owned Tertiary Institutions in Consideration of the Free Education Policy of the Present Administration:The Ministry for Higher Education submitted the presentation on behalf of the three (3) Member Committee enacted to consult with Principal Officers of the State owned tertiary institutions in order to arrive at a realistic figure to enable them successfully run the institutions to the end of the current financial year.

The Committee did its work judiciously and submitted the report based on which four (4) prayers were presented to Council for consideration of which only one (1) was approved for execution as it relates to the recommended sum of N437,462,149.70 seven (7) Kano State owned tertiary institutions.

Council acknowledged the presentation and approved for the release of fifty percent (50%) of the requested sum of (i.e. N218,731,074.85) to be disbursed among the seven (7) institutions. b) Presentation on the Need and Request for Funds to Enable Provision of School Furniture to Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in Kano State:Cognizant of the resolve by the present administration to positively transform the education sector in all ramifications, the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Education submitted the cited request for consideration by Council.

Details were presented and summarized as follows; • Senior Secondary Schools (50%) i.

Furniture requirement = 40,000 plastic furniture. ii.

Cost = N540,977,000.00.

• Junior Secondary Schools (100%) i.

Furniture requirement = 24,868 wooden/iron furniture. ii.

Cost = N646,568,000.00.

Total = 64,868 Plastic and wooden/iron furniture at N1,187,545,000.00 which was requested for release by Council for the stated purpose.

Council acknowledged the presentation and approved for the release of 50% of the request in the sum of N593,727,500.00 as per details below; i.

Release of N323,284,000.00 for the procurement of 12,434 wooden/iron furniture for Junior Secondary Schools. ii.

Release of N270,488,500.00 for the procurement of 20,000 plastic furniture for Senior Secondary Schools.

3. THE INFORMATION/COMMUNICATION SECTOR Dissemination of information to sensitize and make the general public aware on current issues are among the cardinal resolutions of the present administration in Kano State under the leadership of the second (2nd) incumbency of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. Transparency in the operations of Government and its general activities is the guiding principle of this administration. Currently, all Government operations are digitalized and institutionalized along best practices. Information Communication Technology (ICT) is adopted while all Government operations are digitalized.

Progressively, the information sector is improved in State and Government does not hesitate to approve the execution of relevant projects related to the information sector. Examples abound, especially the series of approvals granted to improve the operations/performance of Radio Kano, ARTV, etc.

In this vein, four (4) memoranda related to the information sector were approved for execution as follows; a) Request for Funds to Enable the Publication of Kano State Today and Its Hausa Language Version “Jihar Kano A Yau” Magazines:Sustaining the publication of the cited magazines needed no emphasis from the Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture. So far, twenty one (21) editions each of the two (2) magazines were published and released monthly from January, 2012 to date. The magazines present highlights of Government programmes, policies and activities and are circulated within and outside the State.

Council was requested to approve for the release of the sum of N7,680,000.00 to enable publication of six (6) editions each of the two (2) magazine for the months of October, 2014 to March, 2015. Details were presented for consideration.

Council noted, considered and approved as requested.

21

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 b) Request for Funds to Enable Restructuring of the Film Library into a E _ Library for the Censorship Board:The Film Industry plays a significant role in the entertainment sub – sector at which the Censorship Board plays an important role in the regulation of the products from the Industry for employment, promoting cultural norms and the consumption of the public.

Details on the eight (8) items required for the purpose were presented along with the request for the release of the sum of N669,900.00.

Accordingly, Council considered and approved for the stated sum to enable the re – structuring of the Library to E _ Library. c) Request for Funds for the Production of 2015/1436 AH Official Multiple Pages Calendar and Diary:The annual routine nature of the request from the Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture was considered as Council approved for the release of the requested sum of N33,465,000.00 to enable the following productions; i.

Production of 50,000 Copies of Multiple Pages Calendar = N20,915,000.00. ii.

Production of 1,000 Copies each of Desk and Pocket Diaries = N12,550,000.00. d) Presentation of Special Invitation and Request for Funds to Enable Participation of Kano State Contingent at the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) Scheduled from Saturday 19th to Sunday 26th October, 2014 at Abakaliki, Ebonyi State:NAFEST was introduced to Council, through contents of this memorandum, as a wholesome annual affair that draws participants from all States of the Federation and the FCT; Non – Governmental Organizations (NGOs); Private Artists, Creativity Associations, Tertiary Institutions and other Stakeholders in the Art and Culture Industry. NAFEST 2014 is premised on the theme “Celebrating Nigeria at 100”.

Council was notified that the State participated in the event since its inception and won trophies as best performing State in many activities at the event.

Accordingly, Council approved for the release of the sum of N5,000,000.00 to enable the State Contingent participate at the event.

4. THE HEALTH SECTOR “Health is Wealth”. So the saying goes. The present administration of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE acknowledges this and never relent on its resolve to accord priority to the general positive transformation of the Health Sector in the State. An unparalleled number of approvals were granted for the execution of projects to do with the transformation of the Health Sector/Facilities/ System. Examples are; • General renovation of the Kano Dental Center.

• General renovation of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.

• General renovation of Hasiya Bayero Pediatric Hospital.

• Renovation of General Hospitals at Rano, Gwarzo and Bichi • Establishment of Primary Health Care Board, etc.

Continuing with the trend, two (2) memoranda directly related to the Health Sector were approved for execution as follows; a) Presentation on the Need and Request for Funds to Enable Purchase of Hospital Mattresses, Pillows and Bedding Materials for Thirty Five (35) Kano State Government Owned Hospitals and Repairs of Beds, Lockers, Overhead Tables and Drip Stands for some Selected Hospitals:The request was summarized and presented in nine (9) items estimated to cost the sum of N41,262,402.55 which was requested for the purpose.

Approval was granted by Council considering relevance of the request and the details presented. b) Request for Funds to Procure Hospital Beds, Mattresses and Beddings for the VVF Center in Dambatta LGCA:The Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development (FORWARD) was introduced to Council, through contents of this memorandum, as a Non – Government Organization (NGO) that owns and runs the VVF Center in Dambatta LGCA. The Ministry of Health submitted the request on behalf of the Organization which was endorsed by the Secretary to the State Government and presented to Council for consideration.

Essentially, Council was notified that the Organization requested for Kano State Government’s assistance by the release of N2,021,244.75 to enable procurement of six (6) items for use by clients/patients at the Center.

Council considered and approved as requested.

Further to above, the Council approved the release of funds for the promotion/enhancing the educational development of the students/ officials of Health Sector as follows:a) Request for Funds to Enable Conduct of Final Qualifying Examination for Medical Laboratory Technicians and Assistant Students of the School of Health Technology. Council approved the release of the sum of N469,000.00 for the examination. b) Request for Funds to Convey Dental Health Technicians and Dental Surgery Assistant Students to Offa, Kwara State for Final Qualifying Examination (20th – 24th October, 2014). Council approved the release of the sum of N3,018,000.00 for the examination. c) Request for Funds to Conduct Final Qualifying Examinations and Indexing for Pharmacy Technician Students of the School of Health Technology, Kano. Council approved as requested the release of the sum of N625,000.00 for the conduct of the final qualifying examinations and indexing for the students.

5. THE TRADE AND INVESTMENT SECTOR Kano State is covertly referred to as the “Center of Commerce” in Nigeria and the present administration in Kano State upholds and heralds the name by according adequate attention to the trade and investment sector. Activities related to commerce, industrial production and manufacturing at all levels are recognized and the State Government participates through the activities of Kano Investment and Properties (KSIP) Company, KACCIMA, etc.

As such, two (2) memoranda directly related to the Trade and Investment Sector were approved for execution as follows; a) Presentation and Request for Funds to Enable Participation of Kano State Contingent/Co – Hosting the Nigerian Raw Materials Exposition (NIRAM EXPO 2014):This memorandum was a more comprehensive presentation of an earlier submitted one which was directed to be re – submitted.

Seven (7) precise notations were submitted for consideration by Council along with the following two (2) prayers; i.

Council to consider and approve participation of Kano State and co – hosting the NIRAM 2014 exposition. ii.

Approve the release of the sum of N8,500,000.00 for the purpose.

Council noted, considered and approved as requested. b) Presentation of Performance Report/Retirement of Expenditure for the Third (3rd) Quarter (July – September, 2014) and Request for the Release of Operational Funds for the Fourth (4th) Quarter (October – December, 2014) in Respect of the Kano State Consumer Protection Council:The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Tourism submitted the cited presentation and request on behalf of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to Council for consideration.

Details on the retired expenditure for the third (3rd) quarter 2014 were presented along with achievements of the Consumer Protection Council in the quarter in addition to the request for the release of the recommended sum of N4,800,000.00 to cover for thirteen (13) items earmarked for the increment of expenditure in the fourth (4th) quarter.

Accordingly, Council considered and approved the requested sum as operational funds for the fourth (4th) quarter.

6. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION/SANITATION SECTOR The Environmental Protection/Sanitation Sector enjoys priority consideration by the present administration. Several approvals were granted to reinvigorate the sector heralded by the following; i.

Reintroduction of the month – end Saturday environmental sanitation exercise at homes and surroundings. ii.

Introduction of the month – end Friday sanitation exercise at Government offices/workplaces. iii.

Procurement of modern heavy duty equipment for use by REMASAB in the evacuation of heaps of refuse in Kano metropolis. iv.

Procurement of uniforms for street sweepers engaged by REMASAB. v.

Procurement of working tools for the road cleaners engaged by REMASAB. vi.

Establishment of shelter-belts for impressive distances against desert encroachment, etc.

Continuing with the laudable trend, the Ministry of Environment submitted one (1) memorandum for deliberation to Council for consideration. Thus; Request for Funds for the Fencing of the Newly Established 22KM Shelter-belt in Makoda and Gabasawa LGCAs under the Great Green Wall Project:The stated 22KM shelter-belt was established in the year 2013 courtesy of the release of N14,451,455.00 by the present administration for the purpose.

Relatedly, the Federal Ministry of Environment recommends that all newly established shelter-belts be fenced so as to protect the planted saplings/ investment from destruction by both human beings and animals.

In this vein, the Ministry of Environment requested for the release of the sum of N14,760,828.76 to enable provision of the four (4) items required for the fencing project.

Council considered the details presented and approved as requested.

7. THE EMPOWERMENT SECTOR This sector is among the most prominent in consideration of the priority attention it enjoys from inception of the current administration. All segments of the society are considered and empowerment programmes cut across all Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Sponsorship for education at all levels locally and abroad, establishment of skills acquisition institutes/granting of take – off capital, provision of training on crafts and petty trading, provision of entrepreneurship training for small and medium scale entrepreneurship/ provision of take – off capital, etc.

In a nutshell, the most prominent empowerment schemes executed under the present administration include the following; i.

Sponsorship for over 2,500 post graduate Kano State Indigenous students for studies at institutions/universities abroad. ii.

Establishment of twenty Four (24) skills acquisition institutes and granting of take – off capital for the beneficiaries to be self reliant. iii.

Skills acquisition training programme and the granting of take – off capital to women executed by the State Community Reorientation Council (CRC) across the 44 LGCAs. Over 300,000 women benefited under this scheme. iv.

Lafiya Jari (Health is wealth) program where over 1,500 youth benefitted with training on patent medicine store business and take-off grant of N150,000 each. v.

Rehabilitation/reorientation/skills acquisition training executed at the Kiru Reformatory Institute, etc.

The effort to empower the unemployed youth and underprivileged women, etc. continued as Council approved for the execution of fifteen (15) memoranda related to empowerment where approved as follows; i. Request for Funds for the Full Take – Off of the Hospitality and Tourism Institute at Former Daula Hotel:To tackle the pervasive unemployment among our teeming young men and women the Government established 24 skills acquisition institutes to train the youth in various trades and skills to enable them establish their businesses and hence become self reliant. Among these institutes, is the Hospitality and Tourism institute which has already taken off at its temporary site. About 1,500 have so far graduated in various skills. It has so far trained travel Agents, House Keepers, Bakers, Event Managers, Women and Men Photographers, Video coverage etc. The permanent site of the institute has now been completed at a total cost of over N350 million. For the full take off of the institute the Ministry of works submitted a request of N66,238,652.03 which was subsequently approved for release by the council. i. Request for Financial Assistance to Kano Sky Academy Football Club. Government since inception and in line with the campaign promises of His Excellency’s vision paid a great deal of attention to Sports development in the state. To achieve this Sports Academy Karfi was established, Sports college and Mahaha Sports Complex. Spots equipment and gears were procured and distributed to 88 football clubs across all the 44 Local Governments worth over N1.2 Billion. This is in addition to assistance rendered to all clubs in all the divisions. This informed

the Council To approve the release of the sum of N1,000,000.00 as financial assistance to the above club. ii. Request for Funds to Enable Kano State Para Soccer Team to Participate at the International Polio Day in Abuja (18th – 25th October, 2014). Council approved the release of the sum of N801,000.00 as requested for the participation of State Para Soccer Team in the competition. iii. Request for Funds to Enable Reimbursement of Expenditure Incurred by the National Hockey League (22nd – 30th August, 2014). iv. Council approved the release of the sum of N906,700.00 as requested. v. Request for Funds in Respect of 181 Second (2nd) Batch of Students for One (1) Year Top – Up Degree Programme and 197 Spill Over Cases from the First (1st) Batch at the International University of East Africa, Kampala, Uganda:The Informatics institute was the first to be established among the 24 institutes with initial students take-off of 218. At the end of their Diploma course 197 were secured admission at International University of East Africa, Kampala in Uganda to top-up and be awarded Degree in their chosen carrier. The institute reported the student’s performance was extremely good with over 40 students making first class and about 111 with second class upper. The character of all the students was very impressive as attested by the authorities. Many of the students express their happiness at the opportunities given, as attested by Mustapha Uba, Falalu Abubakar, Lynda Mazi Anayo, Nabila Umar Faruk, Garba Tijjani and Halima Suleiman on behalf of other students.

Another batch of 181 that just completed their training have also been secured admission and hence a request of N366,573,390.00 was presented by Ministry of Science and Technology to cover for their Tuition fees, Accommodation, feeding Etc, which the council subsequently Approved for release. In another related development the Ministry submitted requests for:ii. Release of Funds for the Sponsorship of Kano State Indigenous Youth to Participate in the 2014 Science and Technology and Innovation EXPO, Abuja (19th – 24th October, 2014) at the sum of N2,836,750.00. iii. Release of Funds for Organizing a Two – Weeks in – House Training of Newly Employed 100 Computer Assistant at the sum of N217,000.00.

Considering the importance of these request council graciously approved for execution of the programs. xi. Request for Financial Assistance from Trade Union Congress of Nigeria Kano State Chapter to Enable them Attend a 3 – Day International Workshop in Lome, Togo (4th – 6th November, 2014):Kano state Government was the first State in Nigerian Federation to fully implement N18,000 Minimum wage in January 2012 to all state civil servants.

The Government of Gov Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso continues to pay salaries on 25th of every month to all the civil servants to date since assuming power in 2011. Before the Second coming of His Excellency, pensioners use to receive N135 per month. The Governor in his magnanimity raise the minimum amount to be received by every pensioner to N5,000.00 per month. In a related development Government continues to train and re-train civil servants both within and outside the country. Most of the Ministries, parastatals and Agencies have been Renovated to provide conducive working environment for the civil servants. This consideration and Indeed many other gestures, have engendered cordial working relationship between the Government and State Civil Service.

This informed the council decision to consider this request and approve sum of N500,000.00 each for release to the Following unions:xi.

Trade Union Congress of Nigeria Kano State Chapter xii.

Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Services, Technical and Recreational Services Employees xiii.

Nigeria Civil Service Union to Enable them Attend a Seminar in Kaduna (26th October – 1st November, 2014):UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF THE 171ST KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SITTING 1.

SWEARING – IN OF THREE (3) NEWLY APPOINTED PERMANENT SECRETARIES AND ONE (1) STATISTICIAN GENERAL. Council witnessed the swearing – in of three (3) newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Statistician General who were deployed to the Following Agencies; S/N

NAME

POST

1.

Sagir Wali Abdullahi

P e r m a n e n t Council Affairs Directorate Secretary

STATION POSTED

2.

Aminu Shuaibu Rabo

P e r m a n e n t Special Duties; Secretary Secretary to the State Government Office

3.

Ibrahim Garba Kabara

P e r m a n e n t Project and Monitoring Secretary

4.

Babbale Ammani Fagge S t a t i s t i c i a n Bureau For Statistic General

2. 2014/2015 SCHOOLS CALENDER Council noted and acknowledged the re-opening of Schools on Monday 13th October, 2014 with full attendance in all Schools and appreciates the Ministry of Education’s efforts on the provision of Facilities in all Schools for effective Measure on the control Ebola virus.

3. PRESENTATION OF AWARD TO GOVERNOR ENGR. RABI’U MUSA KWANKWASO, FNSE BY KWANKWASIYYA PORTHARCOURT Council Witnessed the Presentation of award to Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso FSNE by Kano Indigenes residing in Port Harcourt in appreciation of the developmental Projects so far being initiated by the current administration.

Signed:

Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports & Culture

www.kn.gov.ng/new

22 E-Business/BUSINESS

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

E-business REPORTS

Zinox Computers Debuts Smart Power Solution

All is set for the release of Zinox award winning intelligent power solution, iPowerPlus into the Nigerian market. The management of Zinox has in the last five years, researched into reliable, efficient and robust smart power solution with her international smart power partners suitable for the Nigerian homes and offices and is now set to debut its customised power engine on October, 20 2014.

Head of power solutions of Zinox Technologies, Engr.

Lekan Faola, has taken over 18months of continuous study and statistical analysis of power parameters generated from monitoring of the power conditions in different homes and offices throughout all the six geo- political regions of Nigeria and applying the same to achieve a clean, reliable, pure sine wave and stable smartpower system suitable for the regions and that is the reason the Zinox iPower Plus power solution is backed up by a minimum of 12months ‘no-story’ warranty.

Telecom mast

Infrastructure Sharing: Telecom Operators Spend $3bn On Network stories by Chima Akwaja, Lagos

Nigeria’s telecom operators have invested over $3 billion to expand their network infrastructure in 2013 to provide mobile telephony services to 130 million subscribers even as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) plans to reduce capital expenditure (Capex) on network investments through infrastructure sharing.

MTN, Glo, Airtel, Etisalat, Visafone and data network operators such as Spectranet, Smile Communications and Swift Networks invested the above amount to improve and expand their network quality of service (QoS) which will be minimised as the NCC plans to licence seven companies as open access fibre optic network infrastructure companies (InfraCos) in Lagos and the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

The InfraCos according to the Open Access Model adopted by NCC, would offer fibre penetration, available on a non-discriminatory basis. NCC believes that the biggest risk in this industry is the absence of an open access shared fiber optic network infrastructure. The InfraCos are expected to help address the challenges of fibre deployment in towns and

cities, promote infrastructure sharing and reduce right of way issues.

Executive vice chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said two pilot licences for InfraCos would cover Lagos State and the North Central Zone, allowing for the deployment of metropolitan fibre-optic infrastructure and associated transmission equipment on an open access, nondiscriminatory and priceregulated basis.

As outlined by NCC’s ‘Open Access Next Generation Fibre Optics Broadband Network’ paper, which was published late 2013 the InfraCos would be responsible for providing a national broadband network to service providers. Juwah said the Open Access Model for fibre-optic network deployment is best suited to bridge the digital divide, facilitate the development of local content, and deliver fast and reliable broadband services to households and businesses.

Chief executive officer, Broadbased Communications Limited, Prince Henry Ise-Okojie, a Lagos-based metropolitan fibre optic network operator who applauded the NCC strategy, said open access fiber optic infrastructure was the way to go and that was why it took his company four years to deploy last mile open access fiber

The need for broadband connectivity expands, broad-based communications would be a major enabler to telecom operators

optic network infrastructure across Lagos State.

He said, “In the next twelve to eighteen months we will continue to expand our reach and hopefully add 1,500 to 2,000 kilometers to our existing infrastructure. Again, this is to make our platform available to all existing telecom operators and new players including InfraCos seeking to lease fibre optic links from an open access, non compete metropolitan fibre network operator.”

The company has been utilising a fiber optics open access non-compete strategy since its formation five years ago. He further noted that the company would clearly play a key role in the initial rollout of the Infraco strategy.

In the NCC’s Infraco strategy, they already anticipated having companies like Broadbased Communications Ltd who have existing fiber optic network infrastructure that can be leveraged by the Infraco to carry traffic to the last mile.

Chief marketing officer of Broadbased Communications Ltd., Mr Chidi Ibisi, said as the need for broadband connectivity expands, broadbased communications would be a major enabler to telecom operators and other industry players that are interested in providing services to the last mile.

CWG Seeks Implementation of Local Content

Founder and chief executive officer of Computer Warehouse Group Plc, Mr. Austin Okere, has called for proactive implementation of local content policy in the telecoms industry. According to him, the industry should not stampede the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) into taking actions that would impede the much needed foreign direct investment in the sector.

Speaking as a member of the local content panel at the just concluded ATCON Telecom Executives and Regulator’s Forum in Lagos, Okere said, “We should not confuse local content with taking businesses from foreign investors and handing them over to locals without recourse to technical ability and financial capability within the value chain.”

Okere believes that while telecoms operation is extremely intensive in financial investment, the rewards are very slow in manifesting. For example Etisalat, with over 15million subscribers, has admitted to not making any profit despite huge investments in her network since inception. Many of the local CDMA operators are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain the heavy investments needed to make their networks viable, and are haemorrhage subscribers at an alarming rate.

aviation/BUSINESS 23

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

aviation REPORTS

Dana Air Bags 4th Award in 2014

Dana Air has added a double feather in its cap as it recently bagged two awards consecutively, emerging the the Best Customer Service Company in Airline Services as well as the Most Efficient Airline in 2014 at the recently concluded Accolade awards of the Nigerian Customer Service Awards (NCSA) 2014.

The NCSA is an annual award that celebrates service excellence in Nigeria by recognising companies that deliver effective and exceptional customer service with a view to make them leverage on value-orientation and encourage other entities to emulate such commitments to business social responsibilities.

Commenting on the award, the head, Corporate Communications, Dana Air, Mr Samuel Ogbogoro, said, “This is the 4th award we are receiving this year and it is a clear indication that our guests appreciate our quality service. We are committed more than ever to introducing innovative services to satisfy our guests.”

Front view of Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja

Why Travel Agencies Are Merging

Stories by Nkem osuagwu, Lagos

Following the decrease in the zero per cent commission from airlines, travel agencies in the country have started to consolidate their operations through mergers, to present a stronger front to negotiate their future from airlines.

The vice president, Lagos Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mr Yinka Ladipo, who confirmed this development over the weekend, said the travel agencies in Nigeria are beginning to merge their operations in order to become stronger.

“It is actually true. Consolidation is a necessity, especially now that the airlines are coming up with all kinds of policies.

“An example is the removal of commissions from ticket sales called the zero per cent commission era. It is very difficult for agencies to survive under the zero per cent commission era. But before now it was the commission we received from the airlines that we used in taking care of our overheads and all our expenses. The consolidation is necessary as without it it will be very difficult to survive in the business. Considering the numbers of travel agencies we have, if an agency stands alone it stands to lose a lot,” said Ladipo.

Four major players in the business - Dees Travels, Fishglow Travels, Quantum and Touchdown - have merged their operations, thus setting the pace for others to follow.

Ladipo also said, “It is no longer secret that these travel agencies have come together to form one

company. With the trend we are witnessing now, at the end of the day we might likely have just 15 travel agencies in Nigeria in future.”

Expatiating further, he said, “Consolidation is when two, three or more agencies as possible come together to relate with the airlines. For instance, Let me say five agencies coming together the sales per billing period (per billing period is every two weeks), we have a sale of some million naira. I have a sale of N150 million, C has a sale of N170 million, by the time we put our sales together instead of I standing alone with my N150 million sales, collectively, we can actually give an airline N700 million sales per month. With this, we can meet with the airline and negotiate our discount percentage.

The airline can say it will pay 10 per cent while we ask for 15 per cent. At the end of the day, we agree at 10 per cent. We will have something to show for it instead of collecting five per cent on individual sales.

“With the consolidation process, everybody will benefit because the five of us coming together we have a better deal. Other smaller agencies that do not have enough sales volumes as we do can come under us and start buying the tickets through us. Instead of just collecting service charge, when you buy from us, you will get discounts.

You will realise that the N700 million we are giving to the airline every month can increase to N1 billion in two, three months down the line. At the end of the day, it is a win-win situation for all the stakeholders: the agencies, airlines and the passengers,” he said.

On possible impediments to the process, Ladipo said before you can

go into consolidation, you need to go in with the people of like-minds.

It is a business of trust because there is a lot of money involved.

“There are more advantages than disadvantages. The issue of credit sales is a major problem. As much as possible, the agencies involved in this merger must reduce rate of credit sales even though we cannot do without it.

We need to reduce the duration since we pay airlines every two weeks. The agencies involved will still maintain their names, IATA number, code. It is only the trading name with the airlines that will change because all the agencies involved in consolidation will trade with one agreed name,” said Ladipo.

In order to carry members along, Ladipo said the association plans a sensitisation exercise to educate its members on the right way to go in order to remain in business.

“We are going to organise a seminar in which we shall invite experts to explain all the issues. The consolidation thing is on in South Africa and it is successful in Kenya.

We intend to bring experts from either of the two countries. We intend to bring in financial experts, legal experts, and tax experts. We will use this medium to explain, encourage and persuade existing members and non-members to be part of this wonderful idea,” Ladipo said.

On the way forward for domestic airline operators in Nigeria, Ladipo said the airlines need to sit together and look at what will work for them, adding that they might have more to gain if they pull their resources together instead of standing alone.

British Airways Starts Daily Direct Service To Chennai The British Airways will on October 27, 2014, commence daily service between Chennai and London, to cater to the growing customer demands from the market and provide more convenient options to business and leisure travellers from the city.

British Airways had increased its service from Chennai up from five flights per-week to six flights per-week in October 2013.

With this development, British Airways will be operating 49 flights a week from five key cities in India, which include Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

For his part, the regional commercial manager, British Airways, South Asia, Christopher Fordyce, said, “Expanding our service from Chennai and bringing our Boeing 787 Dreamliner is fantastic news for British Airways’ customers, offering them even greater choice, along with our range of highly competitive fares, and great on board service.

“This year marks British Airways’ 90 years of service to India and the increase in services from Chennai reiterates our commitment to the market. The daily service will give business and leisure customers the opportunity to connect with British Airways’ extensive global network from Heathrow.”

24 INTERVIEW /BUSINESS Can you take us through Transcorp Hotel Plc’s story so far?

You know our company very well, I am sure that you have stayed at the Transcorp Hotel in Abuja. You will agree with me that it has been a great success. A clear indicator of this is that when Transcorp Plc took over the ownership of the company in 2005, the Transcorp Hilton was not the number one hotel in Abuja, but today it is by far the best hotel in Nigeria.

It is a testament of the kind of organisation we are.

It should therefore come as no surprise that our strategy is to build on and deepen our success in Abuja, while simultaneously replicating that success in other cities in Nigeria. Our strategy is to expand both geographically and through the introduction of new products and services.

We are looking at the entire hospitality chain. We believe that the Nigerian hospitality industry has been traditionally under-exploited, with very limited options for local and international travelers. With passenger numbers increasing year on year and wider investor interest expanding, along with greater domestic investment, we see significant growth potential over the coming years.

The combination of Transcorp, as a leading indigenous brand, and Hilton, as a world leading hospitality brand offering a best in class product to our customers.

Our initial public offering (IPO) will raise funds to commence the construction of Transcorp Hotels in Lagos and Port-Harcourt. A lot of people have asked why it took such a long time for us to come to Lagos.

My response is that regardless of the reason, what is s important is that we are now coming to Lagos. Investors should be extremely delighted because we are going to be a big success in these cities. The public offer is already underway and we are very excited about the feedback we are receiving from the capital market.

Can you explain the pricing dynamics for your public offer?

What we did was first to look at the end position before working out our journey. The approach we used was to determine exactly how much equity we required using multiple factors based on discounted cash flow, price to earnings ratio and other earnings multiples, before arriving at the value we are selling at. Before now, the outstanding shares in Transcorp Hotels Plc were few in number. Since 2005 our share capital has increased from 5 million shares of N1 each to 7.1 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo as a result of rights issue and bonus shares. To achieve a lower absolute price, it is necessary to split your shares, but you end up paying a lot more in stamp duties and it becomes wasteful, which is why we stopped at that

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

interview

FG Has No Plan To Re-invest In Transcorp – Ozigbo Valentine Ozigbo is the managing director, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria. In this interview with KAZEEM AKINTUNDE, he talks about the company’s plans for public offer

Ozigbo

point. After the IPO, we will have approximately 7.9 billion shares.

That brings our market value to about N80 billion. People have asked the same question you just asked and it’s important to remember that we are speaking to an informed investing public.

This offer is not just going to retail investors, Nigerian and foreign institutional investors are going to participate in the offer and these people know their numbers. We have also been marketing Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and have had numerous road shows and one-on-one meetings. As an IPO you have to enter the market at the right price, ultimately, the market will determine the true value of our shares. In pricing our IPO, we were forward looking and influenced by our views on where our share price is going. We were very realistic on what is suitable for the company while offering investors long term value.

There are plans for the government to sell their remaining 12 per cent in Transcorp Hotels Plc to the public.

But they will announce this in their own time

There are reports that the federal government plans for [further] investment in Transcorp Plc following your good performance over the years, how true is this?

I was with the Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) when he made those comments and he never meant that government is investing more in Transcorp Plc. What he said was that Transcorp Hotels Plc has consistently given the government good dividends over the years. Whenever they talked about us, what comes first in such discussions, is the huge dividend we have been paying to the government. They are always like, why should we sell

it? Even before they signed the consent for this IPO they had to go through a lot of processes to convince some people of the need to make the company public.

Government is not looking to buy more shares in Transcorp Plc. As a matter of fact, there are plans for the government to sell their remaining 12 per cent in Transcorp Hotels Plc to the public. But they will announce this in their own time. As far as I know, what is most important to government is to see this company go public and that has been achieved. Government wants every Nigerian to be part of the company. This IPO is a fulfillment of government’s dream to ensure that this company gets to the public. That is why we are going through the IPO now. We could easily have raised the money through a private placement but we chose this window in order to give Nigerians the opportunity to be part of this company. This is our way of meeting the expectations of all Nigerians.

Tell us some of growth assumptions and the confidence you have that made you come to the market at this time. If you can, take us through some of your financial numbers.

We have articulated our numbers in the IPO prospectus and there are a lot of excellent assumptions there. Internally we have looked at the market we are going into, we have seen the growth patterns and have taken a very conservative view in making our projections. We know for a fact that Lagos is under served.

A true five star quality hotel does not exist in Lagos today.

That is our conviction. We know Lagos itself is not static; the market is changing and growing. Even at that, the state remains under served. The more

populous Lagos becomes and the faster its economy grows, the more demand there is for hotel rooms. Domestic tourism is on the increase and more and more people are deciding to take hotel breaks in Nigeria instead of going abroad. At the same time international traveller numbers are continuing to increase year on year. We have seen all of this and we have factored these trends into our assumptions and projections.

Also we are looking at cities that are very crucial strategically.

Lagos and Port-Harcourt are probably the most important cities for us today outside Abuja and Calabar. Lagos to us is multiple countries put together.

Its GDP is greater than Kenya’s, greater than Ghana’s and greater than Uganda’s. It is the fourth largest African city by GDP. Until you begin to see hotels not more than 100 meters apart, there is still room for growth in the sector. Another point to note is that even with the entrance of a few new hotels in the Lagos market, the rate has not dropped.

When you begin to see a strain on the rate then you will know that we are beginning to reach saturation point. We are nowhere near that yet. You can ascribe any rate of growth to it; we know where this country is heading.

Port Harcourt is the biggest oil city in Nigeria and so there is no doubt that any five star hotel in the city will have sufficient patronage.

Again we have very many loyal Hilton members in Nigeria that wherever we go they will seek us out, how much more is required when we have a product that will entice them. We believe that the brand equity that Transcorp Hilton has built up already through our successful acquisition and development of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, combined with the portfolio diversification process we have embarked upon with two major new hotel projects gives us the most attractive long term growth profile than any hospitality company in Nigeria.

Talking about hotel prices, there was a report recently that rates in Nigeria are higher compared to what is obtainable in developed countries. As a way of beating competition, do you have a plan to provide decent accommodation at low prices?

Yes. However, let me try and explain the disparity in hotel prices. Nigerian hotels are making money because there is not enough competition, so you can afford to get away with some prices today. Yes, also, the cost of doing business in Nigeria can be high especially the power component to it. For example, for a genuine five star hotel like Hilton Abuja, power never goes out. To maintain this, it means our generators are running around the clock.

science

25

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

100

The Kwara State government has flagged off the distribution of 100 transformers to communities across the state.

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

L-R: Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Barineme Beke Fakae; director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Mr Peter Jack and the Nigerian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Mike Omotosho at the just concluded GITEX 2014 conference in Dubai.

GITEX 2014: Nigeria Lures International Investors

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

We are confident that ICT will replace oil and gas in Nigeria’s economy and we’re bold that, based on our vision to be among the top 20 countries in the world in the year 2020

The Nigerian government has revealed that the 2014 edition of the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition and Conference (GITEX) will be a platform for persuading international investors in the Information and communication technology (ICT) sector to invest in the viable industry.

Speaking at the Nigeria ICT investment forum with the theme “invest in Nigeria – the gateway to Africa” in Dubai, the directorgeneral of the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Peter Jack, said that Nigeria was ripe for investment, citing the nation’s large population and investor-friendly policies as good incentives for investors.

Jack said, “Nigeria is a country of over 170 million people; the rebased economy has become the largest economy in Africa. We are also a very good destination for investment, because we have recently started creating an enabling environment in the ICT sector.”

Addressing innovators and investors at the forum, the NITDA helmsman expressed confidence that the ICT sector will exceed oil and gas in the contribution of income to the nation’s national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the year 20:2020.

“We are confident that ICT will replace oil and gas in Nigeria’s economy and we’re bold that, based on our vision to be among the top 20 countries in the world in the year 2020, we’re seeing where ICT will exceed the oil and gas sector in terms of contribution to national GDP at that time.

This is one of the reasons [why] we’re here today, to showcase the investment opportunities in Nigeria,” he remarked.

The NITDA boss further sensitised participants on the agency’s flagship project, the Lagos Smart City, which is sited on the Lekki Free Zone, saying that the over 48-hectare project will be an innovation hub where all the major players in the sector will be domiciled, while urging the international community to key

into the project .

“The flagship project of the agency, the Lagos Smart City on the Lekki Free Zone, of over 48 hectares, where all the head offices of the local top IT industries will be located will soon be put in place.

We also expect the major players in the international community to show interest there. We’re hoping to make it a complete hub of the ICT investment sector. We hope that most of the companies here in the world will invest in Nigeria, because she’s a very rich country with vast opportunities,” he added.

In a chat with journalists, international stakeholders in the sector were unanimous in their agreement of the prospects and viability of Nigeria’s ICT sector.

In his remarks, the CEO, Fuji Office Machines, Amir Ali, said that his company is seriously considering opening a liaison office in Nigeria, so as to tap into the vast investment opportunities in the nation.

He said, “We’re based in the free-trade zone, we do the import

and export of all types of office machines and equipment and, with regards to the GITEX event, I found a great opportunity to meet with like-minded Nigerian entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-scale business entrepreneurs to interact and discuss the potential of doing business with Nigerian companies.”

According to him, Nigeria’s incentives and policies are investor-friendly and shold be considered seriously by any investor willing to build a base/ liaison office in there to tap into the opportunities available in the country.”

A representative of Dubai Exports Corporation, Samuel Hasmin, said that his company is holding serious talks with the Nigerian government through the agency in terms of exploring the opportunities presented by Nigeria’s vast population.

He said, “We’ve had a lot of discussions regarding the big and massive investment opportunities for the UAE exporters based in

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26 SCIENCE/news

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

GITEX 2014: Nigeria Lures International Investors 25

the UAE and exporting their products and services overseas, especially to Nigeria. Actually, we have a research showing the opportunities of export and auto investments from Dubai to Nigeria.”

Earlier on, the president of Information Technology

Oyo Partners ADB On Infrastructural Development Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has disclosed that his administration, have, so far, executed projects that have directly impacted on the lives of the people of the state.

Ajimobi, who made the statement while receiving the country director and executive members of the African Development (ADB) who were on a courtesy visit to him in his office at the weekend, promised that his government will partner with the bank to provide social infrastructure to enhance the living standard of the people of the state.

While acknowledging the contributions of the bank towards the provision of pipe-borne water for the people of the state, Ajimobi said that his administration had successfully renovated and got to work again, the Asejire Water Plant which had been moribund for over 17 years.

The governor’s special adviser on media, Dr Festus Adedayo, while speaking in Ibadan on Sunday, revealed that, water supply to the city of Ibadan and its environs are “expected to improve drastically”, with the inauguration of the rehabilitated water plant.

“Since we have rehabilitated the Asejire Plant which is now working at nothing less than 80 per cent capacity, so many areas that had no water for the past 17 years are now having water. Thanks to a background laid by the ADB. “It is our belief that the purpose of governance is to provide the enabling environment for the people and businesses to thrive in order to improve their living standard,’’ he said.

Ajimobi said that his administration had repositioned the state to meet the challenges of the modern world through its urban renewal programme, saying it had created conducive environment for both local and foreign investors to invest in the state.

“Since we came on board, we took advantage of our corporate background to approach governance, using what I call the strategy applicable in the business world to identify the critical success factors of good governance,” he said.

Top 3 HeadlineS

Seriki, who is also the group managing director of Omatek Ventures Plc., maintained that Nigeria’s vast population, skilled manpower and cheap labour presents an irresistible appeal for international investors.

“In ICT if you move away from services and tilt towards telling

Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Engr. Florence Seriki, explained that the forum provides an opportunity for Nigeria to sincerely promote local content and manufacturing so that people will be encouraged to come invest in Nigeria, which is a fertile ground.

Energy Efficiency: Firm Intensifies Drive Towards Green Buildings

➊NITDA Boss,

Others To Receive NITMA Award ➋nergy Efficiency: Firm Intensifies Drive Towards Green Buildings

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

➌ Kwara Flags Off

Distribution Of 100 Transformers

NSE Partners Samsung For Capacitybuilding

By Evelyn Okoruwa, Abuja

Taking into cognisance the importance of improving indigenous capacity, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has entered into partnership with Samsung Electronics to train 80 of its members.

The president of the NSE, Engr. Ademola Olorunfemi, made this known in Abuja during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the society and Samsung Electronics West Africa.

Olorunfemi disclosed that part of the responsibility of the society is to ensure partnership with other organisations that could assist in fulfilling professional development, capacitybuilding and, of course, entrench local content.

He said, “Samsung is a world-wide company and,thus, part of the gains from this partnership is that, at least, 80 of our members, of course, mostly young engineers, will have the opportunity to be interns and train with Samsung for a year.”

investors to come and produce, where the population is heavy it makes a lot of difference; and they will come. The labour is not expensive, investors went to China because they were in need of cheaper labour to produce.

They can come and also invest in Nigeria,” she said.

Mrs. Omobola Johnson

In its bid to promote energy efficiency in Nigeria, leading global electronic firm, LG and its strategic partner for commercial airconditioners sales and installations in Nigeria, Tecnicool Nigeria Limited have intensified the drive to erect ‘green’ structures in Nigeria.

A statement by the general manager of the company’s West Africa operations, Jonny Geong, said the group intends to convene a forum on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, in Abuja, to sensitise stakeholders on the importance of promoting energy efficient green buildings in the nation.

According to Geong, the objective of this forum is to present the

NITDA Boss, Others To Receive NITMA Award

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

Director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Peter Jack and other key players in the Information Technology (IT) sector will receive awards at the 2014 National Information Technology Merit Award (NITMA) on November 14, 2014, in Lagos, Nigeria.

The event, organised by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), is in recognition of key players who have made positive impact in the development of the nation’s IT sector.

A statement by the chairman, publicity and events committee of the society, Jide Awe, said the NITDA boss will be feted, alongside other key players, for his high level commitment in achieving the

company’s Multi –V VRF system air conditioners as a great contribution to the drive for green buildings in Nigeria.

He said, “The substantial negative environmental impacts of buildings have led to the emerging concept of “green buildings” which are designed to be energy and water efficient, use nonhazardous materials and provide healthy productive environments.

Green buildings can reduce their consumption of energy to less than half of what a conventional building does, with similar reductions in potable water usage, runoff to sewer and solid waste. It can have a really significant impact on resource consumption and on combating global warming.”

In a related development, the

agency’s mandate of fostering the development and growth of IT in Nigeria, in line with the upcoming review of Nigeria’s national ICT strategic plan being coordinated by the agency.

The statement read in part, “54 years after independence, Nigeria has witnessed growth in the IT industry and [the] profession but a lot still has to be done. Digital advancement is an on-going process because there are still issues hindering technology growth. Sustained progress and overcoming challenges comes from recognising and celebrating those who are reshaping the nation with digital technologies.

“The NITDA DG, who will also play the role of the ‘chief host’ at the event, is quite fitting as the special recognition awards will be presented by NCS to those who have been outstanding over the years in generating jobs, growing the economy and fostering invest-

N1.4 billion

The statement read in part, “54 years after independence, Nigeria has witnessed growth in the IT industry and [the] profession but a lot still has to be done

general manager, VRF system installation, Technicool, Engr. Kamaldin, who had championed several VRF installations in Middle East and African countries, said expertise, depth of knowledge and experience is required for proper handling of VRF air conditioning installation work.

“However, Tecnicool will continue to assist in this area by providing high quality, cost-effective and prompt HVAC system solutions for green buildings in Nigeria, in line with mechanical consultants’ designs and specifications.

We are also training the local technicians in Nigeria for proper handling of installations and maintenance services work for this equipment,” he added.

ment in Nigeria through IT. Innovation enjoyed in Nigeria is driven by those growing technology and introducing creative practices in all sectors towards creating Nigeria’s knowledge economy.”

The statement further underscored the importance of recognising and acknowledging the efforts and achievements of champions of IT sector.

The statement said, “NCS is proud of professionals and organisations doing the extraordinary in network services, software, cloud services, e-payment, online commerce, mobile apps, etc, despite challenges in the environment, these are the faces of local content.”

According to the statement, the event is also, to honour outstanding contributions, encourage and inspires similar achievements in creating a culture of technical excellence essential for true independence.

Kwara Flags Off Distribution Of 100 Transformers

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

The Kwara State government has flagged off the distribution of 100 transformers to communities across the state.

While handing over the new 500/11 KVA transformer to the people of Fagba Community in Ilorin, the state capital, the state commissioner for energy, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, said the government ordered the 100 transformers to improve electricity supply in the benefiting communities .

He said the development will also boost

Abdullahi

social and economic activities in the state.

Abdullahi enjoined the benefiting communities to ensure judicious utilization and adequate security of the equipment.

He said the event marked the commencement of the distribution of the remaining 99 procured by the state government to improve the lives of the citizenry.

“We are here to present this 500/11 KVA transformer to Fagba Community and its environs, in order to help improve the level and quality of electricity supply to the community.

“What we are doing here is a tip of the iceberg, as far as the programmes which the Kwara State government will embark upon to better the lives of the citizens in fulfillment of the campaign promises made to the people of the state [by the governor].

“By the special grace of God, in the next three days, more communities will benefit from it,” he promised.

Earlier, the commissioner visited the community heads of Fagba and Beere, Alh. Alabi Ola Sulaiman and Alh. Ahmad Yusuf, respectively.

NEWS /SCIENCE 27

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

science

titbits

Compiled by Nkechi Isaac

➏ ➐

➋ ➌➊ ➎

➋

➍

➊ Researchers Develop Dissolvable Silicon Circuits And Sensors Electronic devices that dissolve completely in water, leaving behind only harmless end products, are part of a rapidly emerging class of technology pioneered by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Early results demonstrate the entire complement of building blocks for integrated circuits, along with various sensors and actuators with relevance to clinical medicine, including most recently intracranial monitors for patients with traumatic brain injury.

The advances suggest a new era of devices that range from green consumer electronics to ‘electroceutical’ therapies, to biomedical sensor systems that do their work and then disappear.

➋ Getting Sharp Images From

Dull Detectors

❹ Mineralization Of Sand

Particles Boosts Microbial Water Filtration

In the rapid sand filters that are used to treat groundwater for drinking, according to a paper published ahead of print in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. These findings resoundingly refute, for the first time, the conventional wisdom that the mineral deposits interfere with microbial colonization of the sand particles.

“We find an overwhelmingly positive effect of mineral deposits on microbial activity and density,” says corresponding author Barth F. Smets, of the Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby.

Top 3 Headlines ➊ Researchers

Develop Dissolvable Silicon Circuits And Sensors

➋Glowing Nanoparticles Can Be Manipulated Using Magnetic Fields’ ➌ Preparing For Mars-grazing Comet Siding Spring

Observing the quantum behavior of light is a big part of Alan Migdall’s research at the Joint Quantum Institute. Many of his experiments depend on observing light in the form of photons -- the particle complement of light waves -- and sometimes only one photon at a time, using “smart” detectors that can count the number of individual photons in a pulse. Furthermore, to observe quantum effects, it is normally necessary to use a beam of coherent light, light for which knowing the phase or intensity for

one part of the beam allows you to know things about distant parts of the same beam.

In a new experiment, however, Migdall and his JQI colleagues perform an experiment using incoherent light, where the light is a jumble of waves. And they use what Migdall calls “stupid” detectors that, when counting the number of photons in a light pulse, can really only count up to zero, as anything more than zero befuddles these detectors and is considered as number that is known only to be more than zero.

➌ Preparing For Mars-grazing

Comet Siding Spring

On October 19, a comet that has travelled many billions of miles will come within about 87,000 miles of Mars -- about one-third of the distance of the Moon from Earth. Comet Siding Spring comes from the Oort Cloud, material left over from the formation of the solar system. “This comet is coming into the solar system straight from the Oort Cloud. It’s likely this is its first time this close to the sun,” said space scientist David Humm, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland.

Oort Cloud material, including comets, is scattered through a vast region that begins outside the orbits of Neptune and Pluto and extends a substantial fraction of the distance to Proxima Centauri, the closest neighboring star.

➏ Glowing Nanoparticles Can Be Manipulated Using Magnetic Fields’

Plastics for batteries

➎ Electrically Conductive Plastics For Batteries, Transparent Solar Cells Discovered

An emerging class of electrically conductive plastics called “radical polymers” may bring low-cost, transparent solar cells, flexible and lightweight batteries, and ultrathin antistatic coatings for consumer electronics and aircraft.

Researchers have established the solid-state electrical proper-

ties of one such polymer, called PTMA, which is about 10 times more electrically conductive than common semiconducting polymers.

“It’s a polymer glass that conducts charge, which seems like a contradiction because glasses are usually insulators,” said Bry-

an Boudouris, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Purdue University.

The polymer is easy to manufacture, resembling Plexiglas, an inexpensive transparent plastic found in numerous products.

However, unlike Plexiglas it conducts electricity.

long-sought goal of creating particles that can emit a colorful fluorescent glow in a biological environment, and that could be precisely manipulated into position within living cells, has been achieved by a team of researchers at MIT and several other institutions. The finding is reported this week in the journal Nature Communications.

The new technology could make it possible to track the position of the nanoparticles as they move within the body or inside a cell.

At the same time, the nanoparticles could be manipulated precisely by applying a magnetic field to pull them along. And finally, the particles could have a coating of a bioreactive substance that could seek out and bind with particular molecules within the body, such as markers for tumor cells or other disease agents.

28

healthful

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

. . . 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

Ate Too Much?

Here’s Why It Matters

a type of fat in the blood after a large meal-can cause coronary artery inflammation, commonly a prelude to a heart attack.

Large amounts of food and alcohol can trigger adrenalinelike substances that can cause a fatal abnormal heart rhythm.

Even if the most dire consequence of overeating is a few extra pounds, can you drop them easily? No, according to a study published in 2000 in The New England Journal of Medicine.

It looked at holiday weight gain in about 200 adults who worked at the National Institutes of Health. Contrary to expectation, they gained only a little more than a pound, on average.

But they didn’t take it off the following spring or summer, putting them at risk for longterm weight gain.

How bad can it be to overindulge during the holidays? Fortunately, most people get away without serious consequences.

But for those with risk factors such as heart disease or high cholesterol, overeating can set off more serious medical problems. As for that weight gain, it might not be so easy to take off.

A pain in the gut What happens when you’ve stuffed yourself? Heartburn caused by acidic gastric juices refluxing into the delicate tissues of the oesophagus can last for hours. Try an over-the-counter antacid such as Tums for relief. For gas and diarrhoea, try some bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol and generic)-or

just wait for it to work its way out, as it were.

The fat in your feast can precipitate gall-bladder attacks. And if you’re susceptible to gout, which is the painful build-up of uric acid crystals in your joints, go easy on alcohol and red meat.

An overload of salty appetizers can result in swollen ankles for a few days.

If you have coronary heart disease or are at risk for it, over- eating (a big Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner can top 5,000 calories) can have serious consequences. A study of almost 2,000 heart-attack patients suggested that a single act of overeating could quadruple one’s chance of having a heart attack on the same day. Triglycerides-

A healthier holiday Most of us can’t make it through a whole season of holiday parties without splurging a little. Here are a few ways to control your holiday food intake: • Don’t go to a festive meal feeling famished. Eat a high-protein snack beforehand, such as a slice of cheese, to take the edge off your hunger.

• • Be choosy about your hors d’oeuvres. Avoid anything fried. Eat a good helping of salad first.

• Eat slowly. Swallow each mouthful before taking the next and chat with a table mate between bites. Slow eaters tend to eat less food.

• Party buffet? Position yourself as far away from that table as you can get. • Increase your regular exercise schedule to burn off some of those excess calories.

• If you end up overdoing it one night, don’t use it as an excuse to blow the rest of the season, like my stockbroker patient did. Simply get back to your usual (and better) habits the next morning.

Culled from Guide ti Better Health

Lowering Blood Sugar

Beware Of Snacks

Top 7 Diseases in Africa

➊

Pneumonia and Other Respiratory Infections

➋

HIV/ AIDS: It’s among the most spread diseases though preventable

➌

Malaria: It affects over 500 million people annually

➍

Diarrhoea: There are 4 billion cases annually usually among the poor population

➎

Tuberculosis: It became more come with HIV/AIDS with 1 in 4 people infected

➏

Measles: Usually affecting infants, affects 30 million annually

➐

Whopping Cough: With more than 90% occurrence, killing nearly 300,000 annually

We love our chips and popcorn, our Cheez-Its and our candy bars, our peanuts and our cheese sticks. It seems like such a long time from breakfast to lunch, and even longer from lunch to dinner.

And who can resist a nice evening snack as you watch that long movie or surf the Internet? Munching on something and sipping a drink just seem so natural while watching television or a computer screen. And going out to the movies just wouldn’t be the same without popcorn and a soda.

There are two major problems with snacks for those who struggle to keep their blood sugar in check.

1. Most of the snacks we love are high-carb and will wreak havoc on our blood sugar. The sweet things like cake, ice cream, pie, and so forth are loaded with sugar.

Check your blood sugar an hour after you eat them and see what they can do to a perfectly normal state of things. But it is not just the sugary, sweet snacks that will do this. The chips, pretzels, and popcorn will do the same thing.

Anyone who is going to get serious about corralling their blood sugar is going to have to look long and hard at the snacks they are eating and, to quote the song made famous by Bing Crosby, “eliminate the negative.”

2. Your base blood-sugar level is the level your body reverts to once it has dealt with the current load of blood sugar. When you have gone several hours without eating your blood sugar will drop and then remain fairly constant.

This is called your fasting blood sugar. Although doctors normally want to measure this after you have gone eight or more hours without eating (usually in the mornings after a night’s sleep), most people will approach something close to that after going three or four hours of not eating, which is about the time that passes between breakfast and lunch, and between lunch and dinner. By the time you start your meal your blood sugar should have dropped down close to its base level, and your body is now ready for a moderate rise in blood sugar with the intake of your next meal.

But this never happens when you constantly snack in between meals. Many people will go only two to three hours before putting more food into their stomachs in the form of a snack. A5 a result their blood sugar never has a chance to get down to its base level.

Culled from 60 ways to Lower Your BLOOD SUGAR

29

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

250,000

The health minister disclosed that over 250,000 newborns die in the first month of life annually.

42

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Nigeria Ebola free having completed two cycles of incubation of the virus.

Heart Attack Ups Depression Risk In Women Women are at a higher risk of developing anxiety and depression after a heart attack than men, new research shows.

In a study involving 160 patients from Vilnius University Hospital, researchers investigated the impact of gender and cardio-vascular disease risk factors on the risk of developing depression and anxiety after an heart attack.

They found that nearly one quarter of patients (24.4 percent) were depressed and of those, 28.2 percent had received treatment with anti-depressants.

“We found that women were more likely to develop anxiety and depression after a heart

Best Home Remedies To Prevent Premature Greying Of Hair You are in your mid 20s, but you already have white hair- then it can be a premature greying.

Greying of hair is a great concern for younger adults nowadays, especially women. Having grey or white hair can be embarrassing as it makes you look much older than you are. There are many factors that affect greying- genetic, fluctuations, smoking, pollution, stress, etc.

The absence of the “melanin” (the pigment that gives hair its natural colour) in the hair causes grey hair.

How To Prevent Brain Damage After Trauma A treatment to prevent the body’s immune system from killing brain cells can reduce the brain damage caused by head injuries, a study co-authored by an Indian origin researcher has found.

An immune-based treatment reduced the size of brain lesions, the experiments on mice showed.

The treatment called CAP (competitive antagonist peptide) was successful because it stops the immune system from attacking the brain, the researchers said.

If the findings apply to humans, this would help prevent brain damage after accidents, they added.

The researchers were testing the theory that blows to the head cause brain damage, in part, because of the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, allowing the immune cells in the blood to come into contact with brain cells and destroy them.

Culled from zeenew.com

As you age, the melanocyte activity slows down and the body gradually stops producing melanin.

Chemicals found in hair products are harmful for hair in the long run. So avoid regular usage of hair dyes.

Also, deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals in the body can add to this problem. Eating a nutritious diet is vital for healthy hair.

Instead of going for those costly commercial and chemical-laden shampoos, you can use herbal ones.

Culled from zeenew.com

attack than men. More research is needed to discover the possible reasons for this,” said professor Pranas Serpytis.

Patients with depression are nearly six times more likely to die within six months after a heart attack than those without depression.

“The increased risk of death in patients with depression persists up to 18 months after the heart attack. But despite the fact that postheart attack depression is common and burdensome, the condition remains under-recognised and undertreated,” Serpytis added. The researchers also found an association between anxiety and smoking.

High-Fat Meal More Dangerous For Males Than Females A new study has revealed that male and female brains respond in remarkably different ways to high-fat meals and the differences in male brains brain lead to greater inflammation and increased health risks in males that indulge on fatty foods in comparison to females.

According to the study in mice, it is probably ‘ok’ for females to occasionally have a high-fat meal, where it is not recommended for males.

Researcher Deborah Clegg of the Cedar-Sinai Diabetes And Obesity Research Institute in Los Angeles said that the way patients are treated and provided with dietary and nutritional advice should be altered.

She said that an occasional hamburger for women is of less concern, but for men, avoidance should be strongly encouraged, especially if they have pre-existing diseases such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

Culled from zeenew.com

Kids’ Genes Put Mothers At Risk Of Joints Disease

Having children with certain genetic makeup, inherited from the father, increases the mother’s risk of rheumatoid arthritis - a chronic disorder that affects joints, says a new study.

Rheumatoid arthritis, a painful inflammatory condition that primarily affects the joints, has been tied to a variety of genetic and environmental factors, including lifestyle factors and previous infec-

Culled from zeenew.com

tions.

“The female predilection of rheumatoid arthritis strongly suggests that factors involved in pregnancy are involved,” said first study author Giovanna Cruz from the University of California - Berkeley in the US. Certain versions of the immune system gene HLA-DRB1, known collectively as the shared alleles (each of two alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation), are associated with the condition.

HLA genes are best known for their involvement in the immune system’s response to infection.

The researchers analysed the genes of women with and without the shared allele associated with the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and their children. They found that having children with these high-risk alleles increased the women’s risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

The findings could possibly explain why women are at higher risk of developing the disease than men. “Women are three times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than men, with peak rates among women in their 40s and 50s,” Cruz concluded.

Culled from zeenew.com

healthful Q &A HOW common is bursitis of the hip, and what can be done about it?

1 had my first siege 10 months ago, and although Feldene helped a lot, the bursitis has not disappeared entirely.

Although bursitis most often affects the shoulder, bursitis of the hip is also quite common.

Knees and elbows are also vulnerable. At all those joints, tiny sacs called bursae cover the area where the tendon attaches to the bone. When a bursa becomes inflamed, often because of injury or overuse, the joint aches.

Standard treatment consists of rest and oral anti-inflammatory medication such as naproxen (A/eve, Naprosyn, and generic).

Sometimes injections of a corticosteroid drug directly into the bursa can be helpful. The inflammation and pain usually pass with time but can recur. In rare instances, surgery may be necessary .

Culled from Guide to Better Health

30 SCIENCE/feature

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

2.6 GHz Band, Stimulant For Nigeria’s Broadband Development

Telecoms mast by nkechi isaac, Abuja

short BIO OF Dr. Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah

Juwah is the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

He holds a PhD in Systems Engineering (1981) from the University of Manchester, Manchester England.

He has over 30 years of experience in the IT and telecommunications sectors, including over 20 years of the above in top managementlevel positions.

The Nigerian telecommunication industry has been ranked as the fastest growing segment in Africa, with a subscriber base of 121.3 million and a penetration/tele-density of 86.62 per cent as at the end of the third quarter of 2013.

As at 2001, telecoms subscription in the country stood at around 400, 000 fixed lines while tele-density stood at 0.73 per cent.

On the other hand, data or internet services have is still relatively underdeveloped, despite having grown significantly in the past years.

As part of the drive to deepen broadband penetration in the country, the nation’s telecoms industry regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in February this year, licensed the 2.3 gigahertz spectrum to BitFlux, to provide wholesale services to other telecoms companies.

Five months after, the commission also announced plan to auction the available spectrum in the 5.4 gigahertz frequency band, all in

Copperbelt Sinks $18m Into Selected African Energy Sectors Lusaka Stock Exchange listed power distribution company, Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) is to invest over $18 million in upgrading its network in a bid to boost Zambia and DR Congo energy sector.

“CEC owns the inter-connection between Zambia and DRC. We are building a duo circuit transmission line which will see the capacity of our inter-connector extended from 250 megawatts to 550 megawatts,” said CEC managing director Owen Silavwe.

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an effort to drive broadband development as the next revolution in the nation’s telecoms sector.

The NCC, on October 10, 2014 also released the auction modalities for the spectrum slots in the 2.6 gigahertz frequency band in its sustained drive for pervasive broadband penetration across Nigeria.

The information memorandum (IM) defines the process that the commission has decided to adopt for the licensing of 2 X 70 MHz paired spectrum available in the 2.6 gigahertz band. It also provides information on the Nigerian telecommunications market, details of the spectrum to be made available, the pre-qualification process, the auction process and indicative timetable.

According to the NCC, the process for the licensing of the new spectrum is predicated on demands by operators for additional spectrum to avail them the opportunity of providing advanced wireless broadband services for the country.

This is in line with international trends and provisions of the

National Broadband Plan 2013204, which proposes a 30 per cent broadband penetration target for Nigeria by 2018.

Speaking at a forum recently in Lagos, the executive vice-chairman of the NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, said that the target of the auction is to achieve 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018, saying it is a tall order for NCC, adding that the commission will do everything possible to ensure that new spectrum bands are made available to ensure that wireless broadband services are provided to Nigerians.

He said, “Nigeria currently has a broadband penetration of six per cent and this is a clear plan to grow it five-folds in the next four years.”

Commenting on the auction, the chief executive officer of Swift Networks, Charles Anudu, noted that having more spectrum available will translate into the provision of more innovative services by the operators to the consumers.

“Global mobile data traffic grew 81 per cent in 2013. Also, video traffic account for 53 per cent of the global internet traffic. This is growing even faster in Nigeria, which is still an emerging market and the fastest-growing telecoms market in the world. Indeed, telecoms firms are really trying in Nigeria but the growth in demand for data services, most especially, is outstripping the networks, putting more pressure on the operators,” he said.

He explained further that the increase in the number of web-based applications, being developed daily, is another factor where demand for data is coming in the telecoms sector.

The IM contains specifications and qualifications for all companies who are interested in bidding for the 2.6 GHz spectrum.

Specifications and price According to the IM for 2.6 gigahertz spectrum licensing, the spectrum offers 14 lots of 2 X 5 megahertz FDD paired spectrum in the 2.6 gigahertz, ranging from 2500 – 2570 megahertz and 2620 to 2690 megahertz (totaling 2 X 70 megahertz) for auction. A generic reserve price (GRP) of $16m has, therefore, been fixed on each of the 14 lots.

NCC further stated in the IM:

“The GRP is the minimum price at which a lot shall be sold, which is the Reserve Price for one Lot of 2 X 5 megahertz, and as such, each has a value of $16m. This means each lot of 2 X 5 megahertz represents 1 eligibility point. An applicant that pays the IBD for 6 lots will have a total of 6 eligibility points.”

Consequently, with $16m minimum GRP tagged on each of the 14 lots, it is estimated that the NCC will generate minimum of $224m (about N35.8bn) into the government’s coffers, in addition to the over N300bn it said it had generated from spectrum licensing in the last 13 years of telecoms liberalisation.

Qualification criteria On the eligibility criteria to participate in the auction, the NCC sated in the IM that applicants in the spectrum allocation process will not be required as a pre-qualification criterion to hold any telecommunications operational license in Nigeria.

However, to be qualified, the regulator said that applicants must fulfill a number of pre-qualification criteria, which require applicantcompany to be registered in Nigeria with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and also be independent from all other applicants under the allocation process.

Also, applicants must transfer an intention-to-bid deposit (IBD) into the designated account in cleared funds by the Commission.

The NCC said that the deposit will bind the applicant to take up a license, should it be a successful bidder, at the reserve price or any higher bid value submitted during the process.

As part of the qualification criteria also, the NCC said that operators participating in the process must fulfill all existing obligations to the commission, including payments of annual operating levy (AOL), as well as the spectrum and national numbering plan fees prior to pre-qualification, among others.

On the assignment process, the commission said this will comprise an auction billed to take place during the first week of December, 2014 in Abuja through the application of Ascending Clock Auction system.

Econet Launches Digital Schooling In Zimbabwe

Dangote’s Surging Cement Activities Propel Tanzanian Coal Investment Investment in coal production is gaining momentum in Dangote Group’s business drive across Africa as the company’s President; Aliko Dangote promised to invest an undisclosed sum in Mbinga mine, a major coal mine in the Southwest of Tanzania.

The new investment was made known by Aliko Dangote at a meeting with the Vice president of Tanzania, Dr. Mohammed Gharib Bilal during the Africa Global Business Forum in Dubai.

According to the reclusive billionaire, the coal produced from the Mbinga mine will be used to energize his Mtwara cement plant which is currently under construction. It will also be used to aid transportation of cement across Tanzania’s borders.

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70 Per cent There are targeting to register 70 percent of Zimbabwe university students on this digital education platform within 18 months.

Zimbabwe’s largest mobile phone and internet service provider Econet Wireless has partnered the University of Zimbabwe in launching EcoSchool digital platform in a bid to boost the country’s education sector.

EcoSchool, the digital education platform provides scholars and educators with onthe-go affordable and reliable access to world-class educational content.

Econet Wireless, services chief executive officer Darlington Mandivenga said there are targeting to register 70 percent of Zimbabwe university students on this digital education platform within 18 months.

–VENTURES AFRICA

fct watch

31

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

N10m

Medicaid plans to raise N10m to treat cancer patients in FCT

ABAJI AMAC BWARI GWAGWALADA KUJE KWALI

GwaGwalada Women Want Government’s Empowerment Women in Gwagwalada area council have called on the government to empower women by organising empowerment programmes to help them improve their lives.

By Chika Mefor

Kwali Residents Call On Council To Intensify Effort On Sanitation The residents of Kwali area council have called on the council’s administration to intensify effort in the area of sanitation of the environment so that the council will become a place known for healthy environment.

—By Chika Mefor

bwari Residents Demand For Road Maintenance

Teenage girls in class.

Promoting Girl-child Education In FCT

By Igho oyoyo

Studies have shown that in most parts of the Northern part of the country where the FCT falls into a girl child is subjected to kind of languages and practices which patronise exclusion of various natures at variety of levels, and failed to understand that women with higher social status are likely to be more sensitive to female child’s need and aspiration and also that education brings economic liberation, which in turn facilitates social liberation.

In the southern parts of Nigeria, it is commonly believed that education is the key factor that can initiate a chain of advantages to females. However, in the north the access to education is differently perceived for male and female. Key indicators like literacy, enrolment and years spent in schools explain the situation in the access to education and the indicators reveal that the level of female education in the FCT is still low, and lagging far behind, than their male counterpart.

It was discovered that the low adult literacy rates for women are a reflection of past underinvestment in the education of women which does not necessarily capture the recent progress. The problem is not only confined to low enrolments but poor attendance to

school.

Parent’s perception of current costs of education and future benefits also influences the decision of whether a girl child should continue taking education or not.

There are also some factors which tend to make a parent reluctant to send daughters to school, for example, the concern for the physical and moral safety of the girl child makes parents unwilling to let them travel distances to school each day. Religion and socio-cultural factors cannot not be undermined because they also influence parents choice, as they tend to search for a girls’ schools and the one where only women teachers are employed.

Speaking to some parents in the FCT, LEADERSHIP gathered that education beyond the level of literacy for girls may be perceived as threat for their possibilities for marriage once they reach puberty.

Investigation revealed that in a typical FCT rural community household’s eight-to-12- year -old girls work as many as 100 per cent more hours than boys. Naturally, girls who would work more than their brothers at home will have less chances of attending schools.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the founder of a nongovernmental organization, in Jiwa community of the FCT, Maimuna Education Foundation, Alhaji Abdulahi

Adamu Candido, said that that there is the need to put more focus in educating the girl child because when a male child is educated, an individual is educated but if a girl child is educated, that means someone is educating an entire nation.

Candido said, “from time immemorial in the society where I come from little or no concern is given to educating female children. That is why, whenever, they complete their little secondary education they get married. We are trying to see how we can encourage them not to ignore education completely that even when they get married they can still continue their education.

“It will even make them to be better wives and make them assist themselves and the society at large.

That is why we are trying to see how we can encourage female education and see how we can discard the idea of getting married after secondary education. We want to stop that and make sure that after their secondary education girls can still further higher.”

According to him, “what our foundation does is to identify the best pupils among young girls, we invite them for lectures and we give them special scholarship assistance, even through to higher institution, just to compliment the effort of their parents. Because,

Residents of Bwari area council have called on its administration to organise periodic maintenance of roads to help in the longevity of various roads in the area.

—By Chika Mefor

abaji Garba Urges Residents To Maintain Healthy Living The chairman of Abaji area council, Hon. Yahaya Garba, has called on residents of the council to maintain clean and healthy culture by ensuring that their environment remains clean so as to help prevent outbreak of diseases and sickness.

By Igho Oyoyo

aMaC Jiba Tasks Parents On Girl-

child Education

In commemoration of the just concluded UN International Girl Child Day, the chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Micah Jiba, has called on parents in the council to ensure proper education of their female children in order to give them better future like their male counterpart.

Kuje Tete Urges Kuje Youths To Be

Proactive

32

The chairman of Kuje area council, Hon. Shaban Tete, has called on youths in the council to be proactive by going into trades and other better ways to be useful to themselves and the society, promising that the council’s administration will continue to empower the youth through skills acquisition and empowerment.

By Igho Oyoyo

32 FCT watch/NEWS

Kuje Corps Members Lament Non-payment Of 4-Month Allowance

By Igho Oyoyo

National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, Batch ’ C’, serving with the Kuje area council secretariat have complained over non-payment of their four-month allowance by the authorities of the council.

The corps liaison officer (CLO) of the council, Mustapha Aliyu, who spoke on behalf of other corps members in a meeting with the chairman of the council, Shaban Ishaku Tete, at Kuje recently, complained that no corps members serving with the secretariat has received the N5,000 monthly allowance.

He also cited the lack of adequate accommodation as another challenge facing the corps members, adding that over 70 corps members deployed to the council always manage 32 mattresses at the lodge.

“Also, not long ago, when some suspected armed robbers invaded the corps members’ lodge and made away with our laptops and cash which is quite disturbing and worrisome,” he said.

He appealed to the council chairman to come to the aid of the corps members, by ensuring that the place is secured and off-setting the fourmonth allowance.

Also speaking, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) inspector in the area, Elisha Zira, commended the council chairman for sparing his time to liaise with all the corps members serving at the secretariat.

He appealed to the council chairman to come to the aid of the corps members, by providing them with mattresses and a more decent accommodation.

Responding, Tete, said since the assumption of his administration, the council has been determined in its approach to the welfare of all corps members serving at the council.

He attributed the lack of sufficient funds as one of the challenges facing the council to address some of the pressing issues, while pledging the council’s desire to give priority to the welfare of all corps members serving at the council.

Wednesday, October 21, 2014

Kubwa Fire Victim Cries Out For Help

By Ruth Tene Natsa

A 30-year-old man who lost his business and life earnings in a fire which razed his shop and abode in Abuja on October 10, 2014, has called out to wellmeaning Nigerians to come to his aide.

Amaechi Ugwanyi, popularly known as ‘National’, who hails from Amufe, Nsukka, Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North LGA of Enugu State,‎ recalled that before the fire incident, he was occupying two rooms in a five room ‘boy’s quarters’‎ in Pipeline, Kubwa, Abuja. “But now,” he lamented, “I have nothing”.

When FCT Watch visited Ug-

wuanyi, ‎he said disclosed that the late-night fire out-break began when his generator set had exploded, after he had switched it on to shave his jaw.

He recalled, in halting English, that as he was adjusting the clipper when he suddenly heard a loud sound and the whoop of the fiery fire.

The victim said after he had done all he could to salvage what ;little of his belongings he could, he raised the alarm which attracted his neighbours to come render help and put out the fire; but not before the building had been razed by the fire.

“I really want Nigerians to come to my help, assist me to

rebuild my business back to where it was before. I can cope without a house but a business is where I get money to feed myself, my mother and my other family members,” he said.

A neighbour who witnessed the fire said that the fire started at about 8:00pm and was “massive and uncontrollable”.

A resident and friend to the victim who also spoke with ‘FCT Watch’, Chikezie, recalled that his problems began two months earlier when the National Film and Video Censors Board officials seized his decoders for not paying some fees, while using his shop as ‘viewing centre’.

Chikezie, who explained that Ugwanyi ran a restaurant which

he also used as a ‘viewing centre’ for football matches, explained that when Ugwanyi’s decoders were seized, he was knocked out of business for over two weeks which made his business suffer.

Shortly after the visit of the censors’ board, burglars attacked Ugwanyi’s shop and made away with two generators, some food stuff and others.

After ‘settling’ with the officials of the video censors’ board, Ugwanyi had borrowed his neighbour’s generator, so that he‎ could do business and raise money to buy another generating set. “It was this generating set that claimed all he had left,” Chikezie said.

A sugarcane hawker eating in Kuje market, yesterday.

Group Commends FCT Minister For Shelving Guber Ambition

By Igho Oyoyo

Indigenous youth in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), under the auspices of FCT Original Inhabitants Youths and Women Empowerment Association, have commended the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, for sacrificing his governorship bid to concentrate on the rapid development and transformation of the FCT. In a statement signed by the president of the association, Com-

mandant Isaac David, the natives also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for reposing confidence in the Bauchi-born minister, describing his gesture of ‘dropping’ his governorship bid as an “outstanding act of patriotism and sacrifice”.

According to them, the minister’s decision to harken to the voice of Abuja natives and others to shelve his gubernatorial bid is truly an act in national interest.

The indigenes said the imple-

mentation of Senator Bala Mohammed’s various developmental programmes to their logical end will result in Abuja being transformed into a first-class global mega-city.

“There is no denying the fact that Abuja is now on a fast lane to comprehensive economic, social, infrastructural and physical development under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan and Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed,” they stated.

They stressed that the various multi-billion dollar projects currently going on, such as the light rail, the land-swap, Centenary City, Abuja Industrial Park, Abuja City Centre, Jabi Lake Resort, World Trade Centre, Aerotropolis City, the new City Gate and several others will certainly transform Abuja into the foremost capital city on the African continent and one of the top 20 mega cities in the world within the next four years.

Promoting Girl-child Education In FCT 31

in this society, not much is being done to encourage the girl child education, that is why year- in year -out you see them after primary education, you will hear of wedding invitations for teenage marriages and that is the end.

“That is why we are coming up to help them, and we are calling on other organisations to move

towards this path of encouraging the girl child education. The government should come up with strategies and platform to see what they can do to address this issue of female education.”

Speaking during the foundation’s scholarship lectures at Jiwa community, the head of primary education departmentof the

College of Education, Zuba, Mrs Comfort Ekele, reiterated that the government is not doing much to encourage the girl child education in rural areas, highlighting the need to sensitise young girls on becoming useful to themselves and the society through qualitative education.

Ekele said, “the government

is trying to encourage the girl education, but they are not doing enough because when you look around the FCT, especially, here in Jiwa and other communities, they are having this challenge of lack of girl child education and they cannot boast of any young lady that has graduated with first degree or its equivalent.”

FCT watch/feature 33

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Stranded commuters waiting for transport at Wazobia Park in Abuja, yesterday. photo by ogoh joseph

Ban Of Green Buses: Plight Of Commuters Continues

By Chika Mefor

Last week in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was a week of rainfall, as it rained almost every day and the most challenging aspect of it, was that it chose to rain during the time workers have finished their day’s job and were on the verge of going back to their respective houses. However, for those who are opportune to have a car, the rain was not an issue, except for the usual traffic congestion experienced during the downpour, but for those without a car, it is usually a source of worry.

It was observed during that challenging period, two things were left for the commuters

in that circumstance; they either braved the rain or waited in wherever they could find shelter to hide themselves until the rain subsided, even if it took hours. Also, it was another story for those who the rain caught up with, as they were on their way to a bus-stop, because they would be surely drenched, since there are no shelters from rain in the city, except for those mini bus stops provided by network operators.

Considering the challenges of residents of the FCT, who are yet to buy their personal cars, the problem of getting transportation to their destinations has been very difficult and this difficult does not occur only when it rains, even during nor-

mal days, commuters always scramble to get cabs.

A visit to areas like Berger Junction, Nicon Juction, Wuse bus stop and other part of the city, would reveal a true story of the plight of FCT residents arising from the ban of green buses popularly known as ‘Araba’, to the extent that men and women had to struggle for transportation to get home after a long day work.

It could be recall that the FCT Administration (FCTA) last year placed a banned on the green mini buses from plying major routes in Abuja and the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, while pronouncing the ban, insisted that it will help in decongestion of the city cen-

ter, that there would be no going back on the policy as it was for the good of all the residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

The questions most FCT residents are asking after one year are; was the banning really for the good of residents? It is true to say that the banning has brought sanity in the city, but, did it in any way help residents or has it compound issues for them? These questions they say beg for answers.

Mr Yanusi Isah, a public analyst who spoke with LEADERSHIP stated that though the banning has brought about calm in the territory, but, it has ended up creating more problem for the commuters who apart from finding it difficult to

get buses, they are also at risk of entering ‘one chance’ taxis which are almost everywhere in the FCT. “After the banning the buses, in most places in the territory, people are being saved by private vehicle owners, some of whom are civil servants who wants to augment their salaries. They stop along the roads to pick people. Some of them are genuine, but, some of them are not. As far as the driver says he is going where you are going, you jump into his vehicle. He is a stranger. He might pull a gun at you and you will not be able to do anything. Yes, government succeeded in removing the buses, but he placed residents at security risk,” he said.

My Handiwork Kept Us Going After Graduation – Ominiabohs

By Igho Oyoyo

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Mrs Queen Ominiabohs is a graduate who could not get a job after National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) since 2000 because of her marital status. She did not allow herself to be deterred. She decided to start a business.

Ominiabohs who is always stationed at Kings and Kings junction in Lugbe’ Federal Housing decided to go into the production of liquid soap, izal, detol, air freshener, insecticide and car wash soap.

She stated that since she start-

Ominiabohs and her son

ed the business of making handmade products, it has paid off as she was the one that caters for the family since her husband lost his job for the past four years. She said that with the business, the payment of school fees and other home expenses were taken care of.

“I am also into handiwork, like making of hats, production of traditional wedding beads, crown, mufler and bracelets. The car wash soap I make is different from the liquid soap, because, the liquid soap is multi-purpose, while the car wash soap is specific to retain

the colour of cars.

“We also make vaseline and hair creams. I have been into it since i finished my youth service, since I could not get a good job. It got to the extent that I was refused a government job and private ones because of my marital status.

“The main challenge that we are experiencing is financial challenge. Most times I hawk my liquid soap, Izal and car wash soap.

I also supply stores and give them at wholesale prices. The main challenge we are experiencing is the money to produce everything,” she added.

34

labour matters Tuesday, October 21, 2014

be seen fighting over it.

From the last delegate conference to date, what achievement has the present leadership of congress made?

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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

Ajero

Why Labour Appears To Be Less Vibrant – Comrade Ajero Comrade Joe Ajero is a deputy national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and also the general secretary of the Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). In this interview with MICHAEL OCHE, he spoke on the forthcoming NLC delegate conference and the need for the labour movement to re-strategise for better service delivery to workers.

The NLC delegate conference is fast approaching, what are your expectations?

We are expecting that with proper preparation, without intrigues, this convention will be rancour free and that is the prayer and dream of every worker. At least we should be

seen to be doing things differently from the politicians. Because it is all about service to the workers.

And we don’t behave as if there is something to earn there. It is not like where you get constituency allowance. If it must be clearly service to workers, we shouldn’t

We have achieved a lot, given the time and circumstances around us. Basically, the issue of minimum wage which was moved to N18, 000 was achieved during this present leadership. Don’t forget that the NLC is just like a club where members can join. Actually, the basic achievements are by the individual unions. NLC is just an umbrella union. During this period, most unions have had landmark achievements. So, if you collate the more that 40 affiliates unions of the NLC, you will see that the labour movement has achieved. In most instance, it is only when they couldn’t conclude an issue that they need the father figure of the NLC, it is on such rare cases and on national issues like minimum wages that they run to NLC. Many people believe that labour is not as vibrant as it used to be during the days of Adams Oshiomole. What is you take on this?

Adams was a general secretary; before he became NLC president.

He was a factory worker and later became a paid staff. So by the time he was coming up, he was already a thorough bred unionist. And he also served as deputy president to Pascal Bafyau. That is one. I am equally lucky to have worked with people we call first generation general secretaries like Adams.

Those first people that emerged after the creation of industrial union as general secretary, if you work under their tutelage, you will learn a lot. It won’t be like somebody that just became general secretary yesterday. The issue of mentoring is very important. If you bring the Ejiofors’ of this world, if they talk, you know that they are vomiting unionism.

Another point is that there is

problem which is societal. Before now, you can’t serve as a unionist without being ideological. Those ideologies guide you as principle.

You can’t go there to look for money or to cheapen yourself. It is just the defence of workers. I am also amongst the cadre that moved in from student unionism and recruited into union politics.

That was the process of recruitment back then. Today, you still wonder the recruitment process. But even if you are to replicate it, is this the NANS we are seeing, is this the kind of NANS that will engage IBB or the military? Even the place you are going to recruit from, what is left of it? So that is a societal problem.

And everything that is happening in the society, has the tendency to reflect in other sector, whether it is in labour or academic. I think the society has a lot of influence on that The former NLC president, Adams Oshiomole canvassed for labour activists to also partake in politics. What do you think is the major factor hindering workers from partaking in active politics or standing for elective position?

First and foremost, the problem is the monetisation of politics in Nigeria. If you work for 35 years, and you have four kids as well as dependent relatives, no matter your salary, it will be difficult for you to save enough money to buy ticket or nomination form of any party. You may have the best ideas, but when it comes to election, you discover that you can’t make it. Unless probably, during that period, while working, you are fortunate to have made money either by combining your work with other things, but the end product is that you need to still go to god fathers. And if you are somebody that runs a policy that is based on principle and you don’t want to be controlled by godfathers, it will equally be difficult for you to go and succumb to godfathers.

Everything happening in the society, has the tendency to reflect in other sectors, whether it is in labour or academic

Labour Warns Chinese Company Against Casualisation Of Workers

By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

Labour unions in the country have warned Chinese companies operating in the country who engage in casualising Nigerian workers to desist from doing so or face the wrath of the law.

The unions made this know at a rally in Lagos to wage war against precarious working conditions.

The unions also picketed Lynda

Manufacturing Company over casualization.

The rally which took place at Textile House, Acme road brought together, Trade Union Congress, Nigeria Labour Congress, Textile and Construction workers among others.

The protesters carried placards with inscription such as, “we say no to outsourcing and casualization, embrace decent work”.

Speaking with journalists,

assistant General Secretary, National Union of Textile Garment Workers of Nigeria, Comrade Ismail Bello explained that the essence of the rally is to sensitize the publics and companies to stop precarious work and to let them know that workers have the rights to join union.

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

this battle”, he said.

He also called on Ministry of Labour and Productivity to help in fighting casualization In Nigeria.

The unions also extended their rally to the Lynda Manufacturing Company, producers of weavon to assure the workers of their support.

They also warned the management to desist from casualizing its workers and told the employ that they will monitor

the company until it follows due process.

According to the unions, In Nigeria, companies are replacing their full-time workforce with temporary, casual, outsourced and contract workers at an alarming rate.

He said, “Employers now hide behind what they call the ‘core’ value of their business to casualise over 70 per cent of their workforce.”

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

news north-East, north-west 35 First Female Rep In North West Opts For Senate (ASF) France, Mr Ebhos is one of actually taken to the gallows but

Yero Removes Ebhos From Death Row

By Igho Oyoyo, Abuja

The governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ramalan Yero has signed a release order for Thankgod Ebhos, an inmate on death row in Benin City prison after 19 years on death row.

The governor signed the release in exercise of his power of Prerogative of Mercy as outlined under section 212 of the Nigerian constitution.

The long winding road to

Thankgod Ebhos’ release began with the intervention of the international human rights organisation, Avocats Sans Frontieres France (ASF France) on the platform of their death penalty project, Saving Lives (SALI). The pro bono team of SALI lawyers forestalled further threat of execution by immediately filing for an injunction at the ECOWAS community court of justice.

In a statement by Miss Esther Akpa, Avocats Sans Frontieres

nine prisoners whose release order was approved to commemorate Nigeria’s 54th Independence Day celebration.

According to the statement, Mr Ebhos came into the limelight in June 2013 when he narrowly escaped execution alongside the famous four inmates of Benin prison after their death sentence warrants were signed by the Edo State government.

Thankgod, the fifth inmate, was

was not hanged unlike the four who did not escape the hangman’s noose.

“In February this year the ECOWAS court ruled in Thankgod’s favour by granting the injunction and ordering the federal government to remove his name from the death row list. The final judgment from the same court on the 10th of June, 2014, reiterated the order to take off Thankgod’s name from death row.

NEMA Coordinator, North East Zone, Mr Muhammed Kanar (left), presenting rice to Malam Bulama Yaga, an internally displaced person from Damboa, during the second commencement of distribution of relief materials to internal displaced persons in Chibok town in Borno on Sunday.

PHOTO BY NAN

A House of representatives member and the first female politician to win the House of representatives election in the north west from Kebbi South senatorial district, Hajiya Halima Hassan Tukur has declared to contest the Senate seat of Kebbi south senatorial district under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Hajiya Halima who is the only female politician in Kebbi State that is contesting for a key political office declared her intention at the weekend after purchasing nomination form for the Senate at the PDP state headquarters in Birnin Kebbi.

According to her “My intention to go for Senate was informed by the call of my people who have expressed satisfaction and support over my candidature. I will continue to assist my people and my community to develop and I have great respect for my party in the state , that is why I decided to purchase the form here in Kebbi and not in Abuja.”

She called on elected officials to adequately represent their people by striving to bring development to their areas and not to be bench warmers in the House.

By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi

short news Zamfara Guber 2015: NANS Endorses Ibrahim Gusau

National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) has endorsed Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Bakauye Gusau for the governorship position of Zamfara State in 2015.

National president of NANS, Mr. Tujjani Usman stated this in his solidarity message at the formal ceremony of the purchase of expression of interest form for gubernatorial nomination of Zamfara State under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at PDP National Headquarters, Abuja.

By Millie Ibe, Abuja

States’ Assemblies Mere Rubber Stamps To Executives – Sen Zwingina

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

A senatorial aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Silas Zwingwina has chided States Houses of Assemblies for allowing the executive arms to pocket them saying that most of them are mere rubber stamps to the executive arms of their states.

Zwingina however lauded the Adamawa State House of Assembly for removing Gov-

ernor Murtala Nyako adding that through their action, the Adamawa lawmakers have shown the world that they are not pocketed by the executive arm of the government.

The former senator who made the statement during a press conference where he announced his intention to contest Adamawa South senatorial position yesterday in Yola said his desire to vie for the senatorial seat was in order to restore the glory and vibrancy of legis-

lation at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

He said so far the Senate has become a stabilising force in the polity as it has played prominent role in salvaging the polity from going into the abyss of political instability.

Zwingina noted that the leadership of the Senate has displayed a great deal of maturity when the polity was in a quagmire notably when it saved the country through the doctrine of necessity.

2015: I Deserve Another Chance – Sen Nenadi

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

Former minsiter of finance and senator representing Kaduna South senatorial district, Mrs. Nenadi Esther Usman yesterday said she has no iota of doubt that her constituents will give her another chance to represent them at the Senate come 2015, stressing that she has represented them well .

Senator Usman gave this assurance yesterday in Kaduna while briefing members of the Correspondence Chapel of Kaduna State Council of Ni-

gerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), adding that if politics is all about service delivery and proper representation, she did her best and will not hesitate to do more if given another opportunity.

“I want to say categorically that I’ve represented my people very well, so my re-election will be as simple as ABCD; I believe so by the special grace of God,’’ she added.

Speaking on her stewardship in the Senate, Mrs. Usman said, she has empowered over 5,000 youths, built several health cen-

tres and also provided succour for victims of violent attacks in Kaura and Sanga local government areas of the state, stating that the people will definitely vote for her for another term.

On the frequent killing of innocent people in the southern part of the state by suspected fulani gunmen, she stressed the need for the people to unite themselves and live together in peace irrespective of tribe or religion, stating that only peaceful co-existence among the people will end the insurgency in the area.

short news NASS Commends UDUS Management The House of Representatives Committee on Education yesterday during an oversight visit to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto(UDUS) commended the management of the university for its prudence, transparency and honesty.

Speaking during the visit, the chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Aminu Suleiman insisted that their visit was not to witch hunt anybody rather a fulfillment of their constitutional responsibility.

By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto

Sen Tukur In Trouble As Youths Endorse Former MD, NPA The senator representing Adamawa central senatorial zone, Senator Bello Tukur may be swimming against the tide as the youths in the area have vowed to frustrate his ambition come 2015 general elections on the premise that he did not represent the area well.

The youths who endorsed former managing director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Omar Sulaiman said the choice of Sulaiman was due to his philanthropy that has immensely touched the lives of the youths in the area.

“Omar Sulaiman has assisted many youths with scholarship, and has created job opportunities for the teeming residents of the senatorial zone and assisted farmers with implements,” he said.

The director general, Adamawa Youth Vanguard, Jamil Yusuf who expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the incumbent senator from the zone, Bello Tukur, said Sulaiman represents the best option in view of his leadership qualities and accommodation to all and sundry.

By Mohammed Ismail, Yola

36

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

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

politics today Tuesday, October 21, 2014

REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS

The Unending Crisis Of Zoning In Rivers PDP Efforts of the national leadership of PDP to nip the protracted internal crisis of its Rivers state chapter in the bud have not yielded any positive result. MBACHU GODWIN NNANNA writes on this development.

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the oil-rich Rivers state with over two million voters according to INEC records has not been the same since the dramatic exit of its former leader and governor of the state Hon Rotimi Amaechi who piloted the affairs of the party over the years.

The exit of Amaechi mid last year to the opposition All Progressives Congress(APC) has put the party on its toes as it grapples to restructure itself ahead of the challenge of the 2015 general election .

Amaechi who was seen then as the problem of the party had left the party that gave him platform to govern the state arising from perceived disagreement with the presidency, thus placing the state in the hands of the opposition, the All Progressive Congress (APC) The party has suffered from one crisis to another with no resolution in sight. Political pundits and other political observers are now curious to ask, when will the crisis in Rivers PDP end?

At the centre of the recent crisis is the battle for the sole of the party and who flies the party flag in the forth coming gubernatorial election in the state. Again the agitation of which senatorial zone to produce the next governor of the state has heightened the crisis as the four major ethnic nationalities, the Ogonis ,

Kalabaris, Ikwere and Okrika have continued to drum songs of war over whose turn is it to give the state the next governor.

The recent announcement of the leadership of the party in the state, specially by its chairman Chief Felix Obuah that the state is no more disposed to the principle of zoning which hitherto has been adhered in the state since the advent of this democratic dispensation in 1999 sparked off the recent crisis as the zones that have not produced the governor once have threatened brimstone and fire should the party leadership in the state make good its intention.

Obuah who was alleged to be serving the interest of the former minister of state for education, Barrister Nyesom Wike was petitioned by the anti-Wike’s group in the state who feels that Wike, who took over the sponsorship of the party in the state after the exit of Governor Amaechi should not participate in the governorship primary.

Their argument is that Wike hails from the same ethnic nationality and senatorial zone with the incumbent governor. These elements in the state had maintained that another Ikwere man will not be supported or allowed to take over the reins of power from the incumbent who is serving out his eight years tenure.

They argue that it will amount to marginalising the Ogonis and other zones

Jonathan

Wike

Odili

Maeba

The party has suffered from one crisis to another with no resolution in sight

that are yet to produce the governor. They have vowed to frustrate any plot to field any Ikwere man as the party flagbearer, insisting that other zones must be given the chance to equally govern the state.

But Wike appears unruffled as he has intensified his plot to participate in the party primary; his argument is that he has sacrificed a lot to bring the party to where it is and nobody can intimidate or stop him from contesting the

governorship election in the state next year.

This disagreement has pitched the party chieftains against one another other as most notable politicians in the state jostle to favour their zones in the battle for power.

The national leadership of the party which admitted that ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 38

Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor ojogodonald@yahoo.com

37

38 POLITICS TODAY

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Rivers PDP And Burden Of Zoning

Obua ➔ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

But the reconciliation process ran into a hitch as the two factions engaged themselves in a brawl of punches leading to injuries

the crisis in Rivers state PDP has given them a nightmare had two weeks ago, through its reconciliation committee invited the warring factions to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja with a view of resolving the crisis.

But the reconciliation process ran into a hitch as the two factions engaged themselves in a brawl of punches leading to injuries. The failure of the reconciliation committee to produce the desired peace at the Abuja parley compelled the national chairman, Adamu Mua’zu to lead a delegation to the state obviously to resolve the lingering crisis.

Mua’zu our correspondent learnt had appealed to the warring factions to sheathe their swords and work together for the interest of the party.

Not even the fatherly visit of Mu’azu could assuage the feelings of aggrieved party members especially the zone clamouring to produce the next governor of the state as they continued in their anti-Wike slogan There are concerns from this camp that Mua’zu’s visit may have given a tacit approval to the ambition of embattled former minister whose gubernatorial ambition has remained the most pronounced subject of controversy in the state.

However, the Ogoni elitist organisation and the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has described those campaigning for ban of zoning of governorship position among the three senatorial districts in rivers state as enemies of

Sekibo

Ogoni land and democracy.

For Senator Lee Maeba, a contender to the governorship race, while reacting to the crisis in Rivers PDP vowed to work with other politicians from the Ogoni area to ensure that the Ogoni people produced the next governor.“We must unite to get the governor, those saying no more zoning are enemies of Ogoni land,” he said.

The Okirika and the Kalabari people in the state are not left out of the clamour for “it is our turn to produce the next governor chorus” . The political leaders from the two areas are equally insisting that power must not be domiciled in the Ikwere zone for more than eight years. They are backing the rotational arrangement in the state where governorship position is been rotated among the three senatorial zones.

The rumoured gubernatorial ambition of Senator George Sekibo in the 2015 general election has intensified the crisis . Senator Sekibo is said to be backed by the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan who incidentally hails from the same Okrika.

Those who are opposed to his aspiration argue that, his area Okirika had produced the governor of the state once in the person of Chief Rufus Ada George and should allow others to take the shot.

There are fears that the desperation exhibited by some politicians within the PDP in the state ahead of the 2015 elections may destroy the party if no drastic and urgent steps are taken to nib the trend in the bud.

Director of mobilisation Niger Delta renaissance

Graham-Douglas

organisation (NDRO) Comrade Isreal Obodo has raised the alarm over the rising violence in the state as a result of the crisis in the party, adding that the party may lose the state to the opposition if the internal crisis continued.

Already, signs that a heated governorship primary is about to berth in the Rivers PDP are beginning to manifest as Obuah and a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party, Chief Tonye Graham-Douglas have engaged themselves in a verbal war.

The later is accusing the former sports minister of being an APC mole in the PDP over a secret meeting he allegedly held with Governor Amaechi and other chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Port Harcourt.

Obuah had in a chat with newsmen on Sunday evening in Port Harcourt, alleged that Graham-Douglas attended a meeting with APC chieftains at Government House, Port Harcourt, accusing him of romancing with the opposition party.

He said the presence of the Kalabari-born politician in the APC meeting has vindicated the leadership of the PDP in the state, as those accused of causing crisis in the PDP. But in a swift reaction, Graham-Douglas, who is a founding member of the PDP, lambasted Obuah for labeling him as a mole planted by the APC with the ranks of the ruling party, saying that he had been in Abuja, attending the 80th birthday celebration of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon.

He said; “I did not hold a meeting with anybody today

(Sunday) in Government House. I can’t be in Abuja and be in Port Harcourt at the same time. I was in Abuja for General Gowon’s 80th birthday celebration. I came into Port Harcourt just this afternoon; so, I do not know when that meeting took place. It is a blatant lie. Challenge them to prove it; the Government House is there.

“Whoever says I am APC mole needs psychiatric attention. Can you imagine that at my level, he will call his father, a mole? He has no good home training; it shows that he has no pedigree; for calling me a mole. I am not a member of APC. I am a founder of PDP; I am a supporter of PDP, but not the PDP that has been hijacked and they are just camouflaging and fooling everybody.”

The PDP BOT member declared his support for the zoning of the governorship slot of the party, saying that it will be only fair for the party to allow the next governor of the state to come from either the riverine or Ogoni axis of the state.

Graham-Douglas said; “The issue I want them to talk about is who takes over from Governor Amaechi? It has to be a riverine person or Ogoni person. These are the two sides that have not gotten the governorship of Rivers State, he said.”

For the Rivers PDP, this is indeed, a trying time for the party as the days ahead are determinant factors in one, who gets the party’s governorship ticket. Perhaps more likely, the zone that produces the APC candidate is probably going to be a factor in the chances of the PDP.

POLITICS TODAY 39

Monday, October 21, 2014

Delta 2015: I Am Set To Occupy Government House – Orubebe Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe is the immediate past minister in the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), and governorship aspirant in Delta State. In this interview with CHRISTIANA NWAOGU, he talks on a wide range of issues, including his vision and readiness to occupy government House by 2015.

Are You interested in Governing Delta State?

I am set to govern Delta State come 2015 as I’m ready to render some services to the great people of Delta State and to also contribute my own quota towards the development of my fatherland from where the incumbent Governor Udaghan will stop. I will be picking my ticket today. Am contesting because God has deposited a lot of knowledge in my head and I want to replay that to change the face of Delta State.

I have been fully equipped both physically and academically to deliver the dividends of democracy to my fatherland.

It is being whispered in some corners that all your concerts/ night vigils have been primed towards getting the people to warm to you when you declare to contest , is this true?

No. that is not true. Those are two different things. You called concerts, there are spiritual concerts that we organise to appreciate God and to make people know more about God. It has nothing to do with politics. I can tell you authoritatively that it is not only Deltans that are involved in these Night vigils. People come from from different part of the country and sometimes we see foreigners too coming to seek and commune with the Almighty Father.

That is a vision that was given to me by God and for those who know nothing about Glory Sanctuary, God gave me a mandate which I should manifest in three ways. First is to bring pastors together so that they can organise crusades to win souls into the Kingdom. Again, to render financial and material assistance to pastors and churches to enable them spread the gospel and to meet up with their targets. While the third mandate is to carter for the less privileged, especially the aged, needy, suffering widows/ widowers among others.

As a Deltan well informed of the happenings in the state, how will you rate the performance of the incumbent governor in the last 8 years?

Well, you know governance is a continuous activity and until we get to the standard that we can be called advanced nation, that is when we boldly say we have arrived. He has done well and History will remember him.

Judging from where Udanghan started till date, he has done well

in so many areas. In security, Delta beyond oil, and in so many other sectors, I believe that history will talk about him and I am prepared to start from where he is going to stop and do excellently well too by adding my own contributions towards giving Delta a developmental face.

You just reeled out his projects will you continue with them if elected to succeed Uduaghan?

Yes, I will. When Ibori left office, he had some on-going programmes which Uduanghan met on ground and continued with them. And so, when I come in, I will definitely key into the projects he will not be able to complete before leaving office, to give Delta a new face.

I believe in continuity. That is the only way that we can systematically and progressively take development a higher level in the state Sir, 2015 draws near, Delta is primed for drama, because, despite the pedigree of people waiting to take over the hot seat, the incumbent governor is being rumored to have endorsed one of the aspirants. What is your take on this?

Well, I think it is rumor and I can tell you categorically that the governor has not endorsed any aspirant. I can also state categorically that the governor is a friend to all the people that are aspiring. I can also tell that you he believes in fairness and working with all the aspirants so that whoever succeeds him will continue from where he will stop. All aspirants see the governor as the leader of the Party in Delta State and as a leader he is giving us a level playing ground. So, that story is not correct.

We are all working towards November 29, 2014 congress where one of the aspirants , Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe will be elected as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship flag bearer.

What changes are we going to see in Delta state if you are elected to occupy the number one seat?

Yes, my vision for Delta State is to make them proud. I will first reflect on my life; how did I get to this level? Three things made it possible for me. One is having a vision and staying focused on that vision.

Secondly, working very hard and being committed to the vision and above all, depending totally on God who is the Alpha and Omega. This is the Delta of my dream.

I want a situation where every Deltan can aspire to become great depending on these three pillars that I have created for myself. I want a Delta State where our young men and women can achieve excellent height depending also on these three pillars.

I want to affect the mental reasoning of my people, particularly the youths who are future leaders of this great nation and state. I want them to see God as their ultimate

source of achievements. All other expectations such as infrastructural development, improved welfare, health as well as quality education are part of my vision to the state. I’m particularly going to face agriculture very squarely .

I want to create a Delta state where everybody will be equal and have a say. The only demarcation that will be seen in the state will be the level of hard work and commitment to achieving result. Achieving a Delta of happiness, uninterrupted joy, Delta of togetherness and a level playing ground is my vision.

Putting smiles on the faces of the needy, aged and less privileged in your society has been your major priority, do you see yourself continuing this project as a governor?

If I have been able to sustain organising special programmes for the aged because I have a passion for them as an individual, I will do it better as a governor of Delta State.

This is because, the scope will be expanded. As governor of Delta state, I will ensure that the aged will enjoy social security from now to when they will be called to glory.

It is believed that the Delta state chapter of the PDP is now a house divided against itself.

Do you see the opposition APC taking advantage of the lack of consensus by your party to clinch the hot seat?

Well, firstly, let me correct that notion by sounding it loud that the PDP house in Delta State is not divided as perceived. In politics, these are expectations. There is no way a party will have over 20 aspirants and not have people engineer their interests. I want to state categorically, that there is no other party in Delta State.

As a minister of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, you were accused by the region’s youth as not implementing a special project termed ‘stomach infrastructure.

Do you see them supporting you?

You know so many times, government is misunderstood by so many people. I try as much as possible to explain to people what we did in the ministry. MNDA has been a one project ministry, which is the East-West Road. In 2010 I took over the ministry and today, over 70 percent attainment was recorded during my tenure.

You know, amnesty was being supervised by the special adviser to the President on Niger Delta.

So many people did not know that it was not under my jurisdiction. I approached Mr. President to approve the training of non militant youths which he graciously did. Today, over 26,000 youths have been trained in oil and gas, maritime, agriculture among other vital sectors of the economy.We also employed some

Orubebe

graduates into the Federal Civil Service.

So many of them said they needed contracts. But in all, I thank God that the East –West is today a thing of Joy after I drew the designs and obtained loans from African Development Bank as well as from Sure –P Sir, your time as the minister in charge of the Ministry of Niger Delta, was made uncomfortable by allegations of different shades. Why are you still interested in Public Office?

I think that when your hands are clean, when you mind is free and when you have a passion for the people, no accusation will scare from answering the clarion call. You know, anyone who listens to public criticism can never achieve greater heights. For instance, In Nigeria, from when President Jonathan took over till now, the country has recorded massive achievements with our railways working, the power sector master-plan and adequate fuel supply can be boasted about.

But thanks to Mr. President who has remained focused.

Now, in the same vein, people said so many things about me and of course, what is important is you telling people that all the allegations leveled against me are malicious and untrue. No matter what they say, it will not deter me from delivering and serving my people. There are things God wants me to do for the people of Delta state and I’m determine and focused to obey that divine instruction.After my tenure, history will have a good record about me.

What is your message to the people of Delta State?

My message for the people of Delta state is that we should work in unity and give the incumbent governor the support he needs to govern the state until the end of his tenure.

I want to also tell them that come 2015 we will have different shades of programmes and come up with additional projects that will place the state above its equals. That is why I came up with the slogan ‘Deltans Working Together’. We should pray for our state. I see every Deltan as part of one big family.

We are all working towards November 29, 2014 congress where one of the aspirants , Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe will be elected as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship flag bearer

HE 40

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

REPORT OF THE

TRANSFORMATION

AGENDA

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President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

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

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

un A gang

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

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To participwaithteph:otographs, charts and graphs and call

08068640944, sation’s achievements along Simply compile the organi08037880164 or 08099231246, Henry Ubimago:2116707 Reginald Ibe: 52766, Tosin Allen: 0805 newspaper 45 06 07 : in am nj Be o ay Adeb ent inant Abuja resid m o d e th in it ll te Show and

42 news south-South south-East 2015: No Anointed Candidate In APGA, Says Shinkafi As the various political parties prepare to choose their flag-bearers for next year’s general elections, the national secretary of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Alhaji Sanni Shikanfi, has told all aspiring contestants under the party’s platform to get prepared to face the grassroots in primaries, warning that there will be no anointed candidate.

Alhaji Shikanfi who spoke on Sunday at Okpoko, a suburb of Onitsha, the Anambra State commercial hub during the commissioning of boreholes completed by the member representing Ogbaru federal constituency in the federal House of Representatives and deputy chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, described the lawmaker as a big asset to the party.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Rivers: PDP Chairman, BoT Member In War Of Words Over Meeting With Amaechi

By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Chief Felix Obuah and a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party, Chief Tonye Graham-Douglas were engaged in a war of words over an alleged secret meeting with Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and other chieftains of the All Progressives

Congress (APC) in Port Harcourt.

Obuah had in a chat with newsmen on Sunday evening in Port Harcourt, alleged that GrahamDouglas, a former minister of Culture and Tourism, attended a meeting with APC chieftains at Government House, Port Harcourt, accusing him of romancing with the opposition party.

He said the presence of the Kalabari-born politician in the APC meeting has vindicated the lead-

ership of the PDP in the state that those causing crisis in the PDP were moles and agents of APC. In a swift reaction, GrahamDouglas, who is a founding member of the PDP, lambasted Obuah for labelling him as a mole planted by the APC within the ranks of the ruling party, saying that he had been in Abuja, attending the 80th birthday celebration of former head of state, General Yaku-

bu Gowon.

He said, “I did not hold a meeting with anybody today (Sunday) in Government House. I can’t be in Abuja and be in Port Harcourt at the same time. I was in Abuja for General Gowon’s 80th birthday celebration. I came into Port Harcourt just this afternoon; so, I do not know when that meeting took place. It is a blatant lie. Challenge them to prove it; the Government House is there.

short news 2015: Group Endorses Ndoma-Egba

By Okechukwu Obeta, Awka

I Won’t Be Intimidated Out Of Guber Race – Sen Esuene

Following last week’s attack on Senator Helen Esuene in Essien Udim local government in Akwa Ibom State, in which several of her supporters were wounded, the senator has declared that she will not be intimidated out of the race for the government House.

Speaking to Senate correspondents yesterday, she declared that if the intention of the attack was to intimidate her out of the race, then the proponents of the attack have failed.

She also called for an investigation into the matter and that the perpetrators be brought to book so that the act of criminality will not go unpunished as such criminal behavior is highly volatile, unacceptable and must be treated with all amount of seriousness.

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Abuja

Masquerades Banned Over Violent Acts The Ugoani of Okpanam kingdom in Delta State, Micheal Mbanefo Ogbolu, has reaffirmed the proscription of the popular youth masquerade known as Ipempe, for unleashing terror and mayhem on innocent citizens.

The monarch, who made the disclosure in his address during the council of elders meeting of Okpanam kingdom held at the Ugoani palace recently, argued that the masquerades which were originally conceived to add colour to festivals are now portraying the town in bad light.

He urged the elders to give the necessary support and cooperation necessary to ensure the ban is enforced on Ipempe masquerade’s further outing.

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

L-R: Former Minister of Health, Prof Alphonsus Nwosu, former chairman of INEC, Prof Maurice Iwu and former Minister of Health, Dr Tim Menakaya, at the commendation and send-off for Minister of Health in Abuja on Sunday night. Photo By Nan

Gov Dickson’s Aides Resign, Declare For State, NASS Polls

By Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

Two aides of Bayelsa State governor,Hon. Seriake Dickson, yesterday resigned their appointments to contest for state and National Assembly elections in the state.

The two aides are the commissioner for Education in Bayelsa State, Hon Salo Adikumo and the chief of staff,Bayelsa House, Abuja,Chief Dikivie Ikhiogha, LEADERSHIP gathered that their resignation is in fulfilment of the provisions required to pick up nomi-

nation forms on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Adikumo and Ikiogha are contesting for the Sagbama Constituency 3 House of Assembly election and Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/ Opokuma federal constituency respectively.

Adikumo, in an interview, noted that his resignation letter has been accepted and he is preparing for the party’s primaries scheduled for next month. He also explained that the Restoration Government under Governor Dickson has performed well and experienced politicians need to be elected into the

House of Assembly to complement the efforts of the executive.

LEADERSHIP gathered that Ikiogha’s letter of resignation was submitted to the secretary to the state government on Monday afternoon.

According to Ikiogha when he spoke in an interview, his decision to resign was premised on his aspiration to contest the Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/ Opokuma federal constituency and the need for him to comply with the guidelines of the party which stipulates that aspirants should resign their appointments before the primary election.

The endorsement train made a stop-over at the weekend in Ikom state constituency of Cross River State as President Goodluck Jonathan and Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) were jointly endorsed to continue in office in 2015.

Ikom is the political and economic capital of Cross River central senatorial district.

In a communiqué signed by Hon. Joseph N. Ndoma, Dr. Ebaye Akonjom, Hon. Glory E. Akonjom and Dr. Tony N. Ngban respectively for Ikom state constituency, they noted that, “it was pointless changing a winning team since Senator Ndoma-Egba and President Jonathan have performed creditably well, we have endorsed them each for another term in office.”

By Jonathan NdaIsaiah, Abuja

Police Order DNA Probe Over Decomposed Body Of Boat Owner

By Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

Authorities of the Bayelsa State Police Command over the weekend ordered that a Deoxyribonucleic Acid text (DNA) and autopsy on a decomposed body of a 25 year old boat owner, Mr. Ebi Francis, popularly known as Akunama Agunza, to ascertain its paternity.

The decomposed corpse of Francis, who allegedly drowned under controversial circumstances last

month during his arrest by the men of the state command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), is been disputed by two families who claim they are the rightful owners.

The deceased was allegedly arrested over his attempt to secure the release of his large wooden boat which had been impounded by the Illegal Oil Bunkering Task Force set up by the Southern Ijaw local government council.

He was alleged to have leased out his boat to some youths who used it for illegal oil bunkering, leading to its impoundment. The controversial death was reported at the Oporoma Police Station after the family discovered the decomposed body.

But while members of the deceased’s family were insisting on proper investigation and arrest of some accused NSCDC officials, a different family from Sagbama local government council have laid claim

to the decomposed corpse, claiming that the decomposed body is not that of the boat owner but of their son who went missing weeksago.

LEADERSHIP gathered yesterday that at a meeting presided over by the state commissioner of Police,Barr.Valetine Ntom Chukwu,the police directed the family laying a separate claim to the decomposed body of the boat owner to incident their claim at Sagbama police division and conduct a DNA test.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

43

44 news NATIONAL Borno 2015: Only Jokers Will Dare Contest Against Accuses the ex-president Shettima – Deputy of hypocrisy, insincerity

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Buruji Kashamu: Ameh Ebute Writes Obasanjo

The choice of who leads Borno State after 2015 has long been settled as the majority of the people of the state have resolved to support Governor Kashim Shettima for another term, Borno’s deputy governor, Zannah Mustapha, has said.

Mustapha stated that contesting the election will be difficult for those he referred to as ‘runaway political gladiators’ whom he said fled the state in its times of need only to return when politics came calling.

The deputy governor who made these comments yesterday while taking delivery of food items donated by the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the displaced victims of the Boko Haram insurgency, said the opposition party politicians in the state had failed to identify with the people of Borno who were traumatised by the Boko Haram insurgency.

BY BODE GBADEBO, Abuja

A former president of the Senate in the Third Republic, Senator Ameh Ebute, has written an open letter to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in which he accused the latter of hypocrisy and insincerity over his recent reaction to

the aftermath of series of visits by chieftains of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in an attempt to resolve the crisis bedevilling the South West zonal chapter of the party.

Ebute, who is now the pro-chancellor/chairman of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), said he was constrained to employ the medium of an open letter since most of the issues he intended to raise were already in the public domain.

He added that Obasanjo’s subjects of anger against the ruling party as contained in the ex-president’s press statement appeared to be the “biggest self-indictment” ever written by a Nigerian leader.

Obasanjo had last week made a veiled reference, among other issues, to the chairman of the PDP Mobilisation Committee in the South West, Buruji Kashamu, as an indicted drug baron wanted in the United States, saying that as such, he could not accept him

(Kashamu) as a leader of the party in the zone where he hails from.

Ebute in his reaction said, “With due respect baba, this assertion of yours smacks of great hypocrisy and apparent insincerity. Even though you never mentioned the fellow you were referring to by name, it is common knowledge that the alleged drug baron is no other person than Prince Buruji Kashamu, a man with whom you had a very robust personal and political relationship up till 2011”.

short news EFCC Arraigns Bureau de Change Operator Over $50,000 Fraud

By Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri

Fashola Warns Against Building Without Approval Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola yesterday warned residents of the state against building of houses without obtaining valid approvals from relevant government agencies.

Fashola gave the warning at an event to commemorate the Year 2014 World Habitat Day, organised by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in Alausa, Ikeja area of the state.

The governor who was represented at the event by his deputy, Mrs Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, blamed rapid development of slums on lack of respect for regional master plan and failure to obtain necessary building approvals.

By George Okojie, Lagos

TETFund: Kebbi Varsity Gets N3bn Intervention, Asks For More

The governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Usman Sa’idu Dakingari, has said that the N3billion High Impact intervention allocated to the Kebbi State University by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund has helped to change the face of the institution.

Dakingari, said this yesterday in Abuja when he paid a courtesy call on the executive secretary of TETFund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro and the Board of Trustees of the agency to solicit more support toward the development of the newly established Kebbi State Polytechnic.

He said he was at the agency like “Oliver Twist” to ask for more assistance to enable the state government raise the standard and infrastructure of the State Polytechnic under construction.

By Kuni Tyessi, Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, arraigned Abubakar Abdullahi before Justice Dije Aboki of Kano State High Court on one count charge of criminal breach of L-R: Borno State deputy governor, Ahaji Zannah Mustapha, receiving a donation of relief materials for victims of insurgency trust.

A press statement from APC national welfare officer, Alhaji Dikko Umaru, in Maiduguri, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN signed by the EFCC spokesperson, said “the accused, who is the manager of Maisabulu Bureau

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja don’t come easy; a lot of sleep- and the minister of defence, Lt. de Change, Kano, less nights have gone into it; we General Aliyu Gussau said, “We had sometime in Amidst controversies trail- must salute Mr President for the came in at a very difficult time April 2013, upon ing the declaration of a cease- courage and the conviction that for the country and I thank God the instruction of fire deal between the federal we must have peace rather than we have been able to strongly his employer, Alhaji government and the Boko Ha- have war, and also all the pres- put in a very hard work to ensure Kabiru Maisabulu, ram sect, the outgoing minis- idential lieutenants who have that value is added to what we the managing directer of state for defence, Senator assisted in facilitating the pro- met on the ground, and some of tor of Maisabulu Musiliu Obanikoro yesterday cess that we are about to get the successes that we have seen Bureau de Change, commended President Good- into. I am very sure that with in terms of stability in the counpurchased the sum luck Jonathan for the ceasefire what President Jonathan is do- try are part of the contributions of $50,000 from agreement, declaring that the ing on security, terrorism will that we have also made as part of the Central Bank of deal is real. soon become history in Nige- the ministry of defence family.”

Nigeria on behalf Obanikoro stated this in Abuja ria,” he said.

On the funding challenges facof one Bello Sani at a ceremony marking his sendOn his experience in the min- ing the Defence Ministry, ObanYakassai of Misau forth from the Ministry of De- istry, Obanikoro who was full of ikoro said it is not a new thing, Bureau de Change. fence. appreciation for the permanent but expressed optimism that the

By Ejike Ejike, “I’m excited; things like this secretary, Alhaji Aliyu Ismaila ministry would overcome.

Abuja

Ceasefire Deal Between FG, Boko Haram Real – Obanikoro

National Open University Approves Study Centre For FRSC

BY Ejike Ejike, Abuja

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has secured approval for a study centre by the National Open University of Nigeria, as part of measures to further engender professionalism among its operatives in the discharge of its statutory mandate.

The approval was given during an advocacy visit by the management of the FRSC led by the corps marshal and chief executive, Boboye Oyeyemi to the national head-

quarters of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja.

While approving the study centre, the vice chancellor of the university, Prof Vincent Tenebe noted that the FRSC has remained committed in its efforts to deliver on its statutory mandate as manifested through reduction in road crashes in Nigeria, and described the initiative of creating a study centre for the commission as a value-adding move that will positively impact on the FRSC oper-

atives on service delivery.

According to him, the NOUN enjoys similar partnerships with the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Union of Road Transport Workers and other relevant government agencies and organisations.

He also disclosed that the approval of an FRSC study centre is coming at a time when the university has established a department on transportation, adding that the synergy will enhance the intel-

lectual capacity of FRSC personnel on road safety management and traffic administration.

Earlier in his presentation, the FRSC corps marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi commended the selfless service which the VC rendered to the country as chairman of the National Committee on States’ Rating on Road Crashes.

He stated that the commission’s robust digitalisation process will provide seamless integration of the FRSC personnel into NOUN’s academic programmes.

news south-west 45

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Osun Governorship Tribunal Gets New Panel The leadership of the nation’s judiciary has dissolved the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

A new three-member panel has also been appointed.

The new members are Justice E. N. Ikpejime from Benue State, who is the chairman; Justice V. I. Ofesi from Delta State and Justice Kutigi from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Former chairman of the dissolved panel, Justice I. M. Bako, had earlier been withdrawn from the panel.

APC, in a statement by its spokesperson, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had earlier kicked against his withdrawal and called for the dissolution of the panel.

Bako’s withdrawal was said to have been predicated on initial complaints by APC in the state.

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Fayose Swears In SSG, Pledges Better Deal For Women

By Alo Abiola, Ado Ekiti

Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has promised to give the womenfolk their rightful place in his administration.

Fayose stated this during the swearing-in of the newly appointed secretary to the state government, Dr (Mrs) Modupe Alade and inauguration of his

special assistants yesterday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

The governor who promised robust empowerment for women in his government also assured that the 35 per cent Affirmative Action for women in consonance with the Beijing Declaration of 1993 will be implemented.

Fayose who pointed out that

the appointment of Mrs Alade underscored his respect for the womenfolk, pledged that appointive and elective positions would be allotted to women, especially during the 2015 State and Federal Legislative polls.

Ekiti Assembly Suspends Recess, To Begin Sitting Today

The 30-day recess of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, announced last Friday by the speaker, Hon Adewale Omirin has been suspended.

To this end, the Assembly will begin sitting at its Hallowed Chamber in preparation for the screening of special advisers and commissioners appointed by Governor Ayodele Fayose.

2015: Group Holds Mega Rally For Jonathan In Ibadan A political pressure group from the South West geopolitical zone of the country, Goodluck Grassroots Volunteers (GGV) is set to organise a mega rally to push for President Jonathan’s re-election in 2015.

The group in a press statement jointly signed by its national coordinator, Comrade Otunla Adesola Moses, and the director of media and communications, Comrade Y. S. O. Olaniyi, said it had concluded plans to organise a mega rally for President Jonathan early next month in Ibadan - the political headquarters of the South West.

It said that the six states in the South West will be fully mobilised, The group added that civil society groups, professional groups, traders, students, youth groups, political parties among others are all going to exercise their free wills to support the candidature of Goodluck Jonathan.

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Adeyemi College Provost Tasks Alumni On School’s Infrastructure The new provost of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State, Prof.

Koya Ogen has urged the Alumni Association of the college to come to the rescue of the institution, particularly in respect of its infrastructure needs.

Ogen, after a tour of the college facilities, vowed to ensure rapid academic and infrastructural change in the next four years.

The new provost contested and won the position over 38 other lecturers. Subsequently, President Goodluck Jonathan approved his selection after due recommendation by the Ministry of Education.

By Edegbe Odemwingie, Abuja

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi presenting letter of appointment to one of the teachers just employed by the state government in Ibadan, yesterday. With them is the secretary to the state government, Mr Ismail Olalekan Alli. HOTO BY NAN

Flooding: Osun To Release Excess Water From Dams

by JOSHUA DADA, OSOGBO

To avoid the imminent collapse of dam structures in Osun State, the state government has announced its decision to release water from dams across the state following the heavy rainfall witnessed in the state in the past few days.

A statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo yesterday by the state commissioner for information and strategy, Mr Sunday Akere called on the residents of the state not to panic as little floods may occur in communities hosting the dams when the water is released.

According to the statement, weather

experts have predicted heavy rainfall as the 2014 rainy season is gradually winding up and if government fails in its duty to take appropriate precautions by allowing the water to ease up gradually, the consequence may be disastrous.

Akere stated that the heavy rainfall witnessed in the past weeks has led to excess water lodging inside the dams and if it is not released appropriately, it may lead to terrible flooding.

The statement further disclosed that residents of communities such as Ede, Iwo, Ejigbo, Okinni and many communities around dams in the state should be aware that little floods may occur between now and next week as

the water is being released, assuring them that it is nothing to worry about.

It also urged residents of the state to cooperate with government in its effort to curb flood incidents in the state by ensuring that they do not dump wastes in waterways as well as inside drainages across the state.

Consequently, the statement disclosed that the state water corporation would be releasing water from the dams to give reliefs to the dams and avoid forced flooding.

Government further appealed to the people to pay their water rates promptly to assist the government in getting funds to sustain and maintain water infrastructures at the dams.

Oyo: We’ve Executed People-oriented Projects – Ajimobi

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has said that his administration has since its inception been executing projects that have direct impact on the lives of the people of the state.

He said this while receiving the country director and executive members of African Development Bank (ADB) who were on a courtesy visit to him in his office.

The governor said that his gov-

ernment would partner with the bank in the area of provision of social infrastructure to improve the living standard of the people of the state.

While acknowledging the contributions of the bank towards the provision of pipe-borne water for the people of the state, Governor Ajimobi said that his administration had successfully rehabilitated the Asejire Water Plant which had been moribund for over 17 years.

With the inauguration of the rehabilitated water plant, he said that water supply to the city of Ibadan and its environs had improved drastically.

“Since we have rehabilitated the Asejire Plant which is now working at nothing less than 80 per cent capacity, so many areas that had not had water for the past 17 years are now having water. Thanks to a background laid

by ADB. “It is our belief that the pur-

short news Hijrah 1436: Cleric Calls For Transparent Presidential Election

As Muslims all over the world celebrate another new Islamic year, Hijrah 1436, Muslims in Osun State have called for transparency in the 2015 presidential election.

Speaking at a press briefing organised by the Osun State Muslim Community to herald Hijrah 1436, the president of the community, Sheik Salahudeen Olayiwola, said any attempt to tamper with the wish of the people in the election that will come up in Hijrah 1436 may lead to extra-constitutional means of seeking redress by the aggrieved.

The cleric whose address was read by the vice president of the association, Alhaji Mustafa Adeleke Olawuyi also urged politicians to stop sponsoring terrorism and emulate peace exemplified by Prophet Muhammed.

Olayiwola who urged politicians not to mix terrorism with religion noted that terrorism has no religion, no ethnicity and no nation, adding that Boko Haram is not an Islamic sect.

By Joshua Dada.

Osogbo

pose of governance is to provide the enabling environment for the people and businesses to thrive in order to improve their living standard,’’ he said.

Governor Ajimobi said that his administration had repositioned the state to meet the challenges of the modern world through its urban renewal programme, adding that it had created conducive environment for both local and foreign investors to invest in the state.

46 news Lagos Court To Hear Alleged Lagos Deportees’ Suit Feb 10 Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday fixed February 10 to hear a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by seven persons allegedly deported by the Lagos State government from the state to Anambra.

The plaintiffs, Joseph Aniebonam, Osondu Mbuto, Osondu Agwu, Nnenna Ogbonna, Emily Okoroariri, Friday Ndukwe and Onyeka Ugwu, had filed the suit on behalf of themselves and 76 others, against the respondent, claiming the sum of N1billion as damages for breach of their fundamental rights.

The respondents in the suit are the attorney-general of Lagos State, and the commissioner of police, Lagos State.

The case was stalled yesterday due to a notice of preliminary objection filed by counsel to the plaintiff, Leo Nbu, holding the brief of Chief Ugo Ugwunnadi.

Nbu told the court that he had also filed a counter affidavit in addition to the notice of objection, which he had just served on counsel to the first respondent.

The plaintiffs in their motion on notice, wants the court to declare that they, as Nigerian citizens, were entitled to their fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution.

By Olugbenga Soyele, Lagos

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Civil Servants Corrupted Politicians – Lawmaker

By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

The vice chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Home Affairs, Muhibat Rufai-Adeyemi has said that civil servants influenced politicians to be corrupt.

She disclosed this at a weekly programme organised by the Lagos State House of Assembly

correspondents.

“You can imagine that even civil servants also aid corruption; at times, a politician may not have the required knowledge on how to go about embezzling money, but the civil servants would be the ones to teach him,” she said.

She pointed out that any position being occupied should be seen as a trust for which everyone at the helm of affairs should be

ready to account.

The lawmaker who lamented the high scale of corruption in the system stressed that “it is erroneous to believe that it is only the politicians that are corrupt”.

Speaking on the challenges posed by corruption in the country, the lawmaker said the problem is endemic and could only be dealt with by the Creator.

Meanwhile, she advised the

federal government to tackle the problem of power as well as the challenges posed by insecurity and unemployment.

Adeyemi-Rufai representing Ojo I, said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led federal government has failed the nation, adding “despite the taking over of power by private individuals, it has not brought light to the populace.”

short news

50 UK Varsities, Colleges To Attend British Council Exhibition

Ebola: Lagos Harps On Personal, Environmental Hygiene Lagos State government has urged residents of the state to continue to observe personal and environmental hygiene to prevent the spread of diseases particularly the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The state commissioner for education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye made the call at a hand washing exercise organised by the United Nations Information Centre, in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Education, to commemorate Year 2014 Global Hand Washing Day Celebration.

Oladunjoye noted that though cases of EVD are no longer in the country, it is important for people to observe personal and environmental hygiene.

She charged students in the state’s public and private schools to imbibe the culture of frequent hand washing with soap and clean water The Commissioner reiterated the need for students to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene, stressing that the outcome of their academic performances depends largely on their state of health.

She charged them to be focused and pay adequate attention to their teachers and parents among others in order for them to achieve their academic goals.

By George Okojie, Lagos

L-R: Deputy director in charge of voters education, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Ayo Aluko; deputy director in charge of publicity, Mr Nick Dazang and deputy director in charge of Civil Society Organisations, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony, at a workshop for some state INEC officials in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN.

Lagos Assembly Summons Linda Coy Over Worker’s Death

By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday summoned the management of Linda Manufacturing Company to appear before its Committee on Transportation, Commerce and Industry today over the death of one of its workers, Mr Atukpor.

Chairman of the committee, Hon Bisi Yusuf expressed disappointment with the presen-

tations of the senior staff of the company who represented the management at a meeting held yesterday at Alausa.

“The committee was not satisfied with the presentation and explanation given by the senior staff of the company; we want the management of Linda Manufacturing Company to appear before the committee.

“There are some fundamental questions we need to ask your management; I believe

that you are not in the best position to answer them. We are not here to play. We are here for serious business”, Yusuf said.

The committee had earlier paid a visit to the company and ordered the management to put some things in order.

Sometime early this month, workers of the company protested to the House over the death of one of their colleagues who died at work.

Over 50 UK universities and colleges will storm Lagos for the British Council education exhibition on November 8, meant for students who want to study in the United Kingdom.

This was revealed at a press briefing held at the British Council office in Lagos.

The exhibition is expected to showcase over 50 UK universities and colleges coming to Nigeria for the programme.

The project manager of British Council, Sephora Imomoh said the opportunities are wide for students who want to study in the UK, adding that the exhibition will also hold in Abuja on November 11.

By Taiwo OgunmolaOmilani, Lagos

Court Closes FG’s Case Against Alleged Arepo Pipeline Vandals

By Olugbenga Soyele, Lagos

The failure of the lawyer representing the federal government in the ongoing trial of suspected pipeline vandals, who allegedly killed nine policemen in Arepo, Ogun State to appear in court yesterday forced a Federal High Court in Lagos to close the case of the prosecution.

The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang closed the case of the prosecution following an application to that effect by the defence team.

The court also fixed November 6, 2014 for hearing of no-case submission which the defence indicated to be preparing to file.

The suspects, among them a 54-year-old woman, Susan

Viana, are standing trial on a 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy, pipeline vandalism and oil theft.

The police alleged in the charge that the suspects were the masterminds behind the oil bunkering incident at Arepo, near Ikorodu, Lagos State, which happened on May 24, 2014.

The suspects were alleged to

have stormed the Arepo area in about 14 speedboats to carry out an illegal oil bunkering deal.

According to reports, during the illegal operation, the criminals were confronted by some policemen attached to the Anti-Pipeline Task Force, who engaged them in a gun duel, resulting in the killing of nine policemen.

tribute 47

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

General Yakubu Gowon At 80

By Adamu Fika

On October 19, 2014, General Yakubu Gowon clocked 80 years of a life well spent in the pursuit of peace. Here’s to the health of a leader and a great and remarkable human being.

I first met General Yakubu Gowon in January 1950 when he was admitted into form III at Barewa College Zaria. I was in form V then and both of us were in the same boarding house (Dan Hausa House). Gowon was an all round student both academically and physically in the field of sport and athletics. He was the goal keeper of the college and the undisputed champion of the pole vault and hockey, as well as the college’s leading the long distance runner.

In his final year, he was appointed the House Captain; and one of his duties as House Captain was to ensure that the Muslim students under his care woke up to attend the congregational prayers early in the morning.

Yakubu successfully completed his secondary education in December 1953. By that time, the military career had become one of the career opportunities available to finalists of Barewa College. As far as back 1949 two of the final year students of the college, namely Zakariya Maimalari and Lawan Umar had enlisted into the Army and eventually became the first Africans ever to attend the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in England. The following year, in 1950, Kur Mohammed and Abogo Largema followed the footsteps of Maimalari and Umar. In 1952 Yakubu Pam also enlisted in the Army and trained at Sandhurst. So in 1953 it became the turn of Yakubu Gowon and a few of his classmates who attempted to enlist in the Army but only Yakubu eventually made it to Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army.

My friendship with Yakubu, which started in the college, continued after both of us had passed out of the college. I spent ten years of my 13 years as an educationist in the public service of Northern Nigeria in Zaria and Kaduna; and that made it possible for contact between us to continue, and whenever he came to Kaduna or Zaria, he visited me at home. When in April 1965, he visited Zaria and Kaduna to see friends and relatives and bid them farewell on his way to the UK for another course, he visited me at Federal Training Centre where I was the principal. He left Nigeria by sea in May of 1965; and I still have the postcard he sent me when he reached Accra. Our friendship was strengthened when I took for my second wife a classmate of his wife at Queen of Apostles College Kaduna, the present Queen Amina College (QAC).

General Gowon then a Lt. Colonel returned to Nigeria about the mid January 1966 two days before the first military coup, on a day when all his senior colleaguesMaimalari, Kur, Largemo and Pam( senior military officers from the north) were murdered in cold blood. His friends and relatives were worried about his fate before but it turned out that he was alive. He was saved by the fact that the coup plotters were not aware of his return to the country.

Although Nigerians were told that it was a mutiny and that the coup had failed. General Ironsi seized the power from the remnant of the erstwhile civilian administration of Tafawa Balewa. In spite of the assurances by Ironsi that the military would stay only for a short period, in May 1966 he announced the dissolution of the

federal structure and turned Nigeria into a unitary state. This he did against all advice from all quarters, including three of the four regional governments.

Following the counter coup In July 1966, General Gowon was appointed the head of the military government and Supreme Commander of Nigerian Armed Forces, a title he inherited from Ironsi. But he immediately dropped the title of Supreme Commander and adopted Commander in Chief in line with the universally accepted practice. He also returned the country to federal form of government.

The Eastern Regional Government refused to recognise General Gowon as Head of State and the relationship between Eastern Region and the rest of the country became strained. In early May 1967, the Eastern Region declared itself the Republic of Biafra and on May 27, Gowon ordered ‘police action’ against the Eastern Regional Government, and simultaneously announced the creation of twelve states in the country. One of the reasons for the creation of the states was to constitutionally remove Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers provinces from Eastern Region, in accordance with the expressed desire and wishes of the people.

The police action marked the beginning of the Nigerian civil war, which was to last up to December 1969, although it would officially ended on the January 15 1970.

No doubt, Gowon’s strength of character was tested during this period. Almost the entire international community not only supported Biafra but was also hostile to Nigeria. Among the major powers, only British Labour Government under Harold Wilson stood firmly by Nigeria. On the African continent Niger Republic and Cameroon assisted Nigeria greatly, while Nigeria’s principal enemies were Tanzania under Julius Nyerere and Ivory Coast under Felix Houphouet Boigny, the two of the only four that recognised Biafra. But in spite of the international pressure, Gowon maintained his cool and prosecuted the war as humanely as possible. He issued a code of conduct to the government, in accordance with the Geneva Convection.

The war itself was fought without resorting to conscription, and without external assistance of any kind. No external loan was taken as the resources used in the fight were mobilised within the country and the internal loan that could be said to have been taken consisted of deductions from the salaries of workers at the end of the war.

At the end of the war, General Gowon declared “No Victor, No Vanquished.” The late Chief Sunday Awoniyi wrote a citation on General Gowon’s 70th birthday in which he lauded his conduct that had “such magnanimity, such large heartedness [as] is unprecedented in the history of civil wars; [and] with great zeal and urgency, he set about the task of reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation. He showed great courage and resilience; and it is to his eternal credit that in spite of great pressure, he stood his ground and refused to be vengeful. There were no trials, no executions. No legal encumbrances and political disabilities were imposed on anyone or on any part of the country” Formation of Federal Executive Council When he announced the creation of twelve states, he also announced the formation of a new Federal Executive Council with majority civilian membership.

Gowon

He chose the twelve ministers (then designated as commissioners) very carefully from among Nigerians of proven integrity with considerable experience of public service either as politicians or top civil servants on the basis of at least one from each state. The ministers appointed were Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was also named as the vice chairman of the Council, as well as commissioner for finance, representing Western State. Others were, J.S Tarka (Benue/Plateau), Aminu Kano (Kano), Dr Joseph Adetoro(Kwara), Mr Femi Okunnu (Lagos), Chief Anthony Enahoro (Mid West), Dr R.A.B. Dikko(North Central), Alhaji Ali Munguno(North East), Alhaji Yahaya Gusau(North West), Mr Wanike Briggs(Rivers), Dr Okoi Arikpo( South East). He recalled Dr T.S. Elias and reappointed him the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. After the coup of January 1966, Dr Elias had to vacate office as the Attorney General of the Federation; and in his place, General Ironsi appointed his kinsman, C. C. Mojekwu, as Attorney General.

The Cabinet was backed up by an experienced and committed team of technocrats led by Mr H.A. Ejueyitchie, the Secretary to the Government and Head of the Federal Public Service. While the war was being prosecuted and satisfactory progress was being made, General Gowon ensured that the life of the ordinary Nigerian citizen and his welfare were not unduly disrupted and so the normal activities of government continued unabated. This was done through the continued implementation of the first six-year National Development Plan. The Plan was due to end on 31st of March 1968, but General Gowon approved its extension to 31st of March 1970 Rehabilitation, Reconciliation and Reconstruction With the war successfully prosecuted, General Gowon and his team of ministers gave full attention to the normal government business of protecting life and property as well as providing economic amenities and social services to the populace. An ardent believer in strict adherence to rule of law, General Gowon saw to it that every decision and every action of government was covered by the law. He ensured that legislations were passed to facilitate implementation of government policies, decisions and programmes.

Establishment of National Economic Council While recognising and accepting the reality of the autonomy of each government on matters within their respective competences, Gowon realised the need for regular consultations among the governments and coordination of their activities in certain respect, accordingly, and he spearheaded and supported the creation of the NEC as “a forum in which the Federation and Regions might meet to discuss the many economic problems common to each, notwithstanding their separate constitutional functions, and such of their development policies as may have consequences reaching beyond their respective constitutional spheres; without however encroaching upon the duties entrusted by the constitution to the respective Governments” In 1958, the National Economic Council set up a Joint Planning Committee (JPC) consisting of officials of economic ministries of all the governments.

The council, which was chaired by the Prime Minister with each premier leading the delegation of his respective government, held its meetings twice a year on rotational basis and each meeting lasted a whole week. The Joint Planning Committee was chaired by the Chief Economic Advisor to the Federal Government; and it held its meetings every month and prepared the agenda of the meeting of NEC. Both the Council and the committee continued to function during Gowon’s administration, except with the Supreme Military Council, made of all the military governors and the administrator of the East Central State, taking over the function of the National Economic Council. In 1972, General Gowon created a new body, the National Economic Advisory Council under the chairmanship of the Federal Minister of Economic Development and Reconstruction as an intermediary body between SMC and JPC. The members of the council included representatives of the organised private sector to ensure that the interests of the private sector were fully taken into accounts in the Development plan.

Another inter governmental consultative body was the National Council on Establishment which handled staff matters and ensured that the various governments within the federation adopted similar conditions of service in the public service, have to compare with one another by offering different levels of remunerations and other conditions of service. The National Council on Establishment was chaired by the federal minister of establishments with his counter parts from the states as members. The council also had a subordinate official committee to service it and General Gowon allowed and greatly facilitated the work of this council.

In April 1970, General Gowon launched the third five year National Development Plan, with the theme of Rehabilitation, Reconciliation and Reconstruction. With it, Gowon turned out a series of people oriented policies, established institutions and organs of government and created an environment for the development of a vibrant middle class in accordance with the saying that ‘a strong middle class is the bedrock of democracy.’ continued on page 48

48 tribute

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

General Yakubu Gowon At 80 others Thus, General Gowon recorded tremendous achievements during his 9-year period of leadership. He succeeded in governing Nigeria mainly because of his personal character and his leadership by personal example. He was very honest, conscientious, and humble, and was never swayed by thoughts of Personal aggrandisement.

from page 47

General Gowon’s fiscal policy set out in the Plan document: a) To make available for financing economic development the maximum flow of material resources, consistent with minimum consumption requirements; To maintain reasonable economic b) and price stability in the face of inherent inflationary pressure; c) To minimise existing inequalities in wealth, income and consumption standards, which may tend to undermine production efficiency, offend a sense of social justice and endanger political stability.

During the five-year period of the second National Development Plan, General Gowon’s administration scored successes in virtually every aspect of human endeavour.

In the field of education were the two federal universities at Ibadan and Lagos adequately funded, the Federal Government contributed substantial funds through NUC to the regional universities and other tertiary institutions. He also built two unitary schools in each of eleven states, in addition to the Kings and Queens Colleges in Lagos. Similar adequate funding was also given to the health sector particularly to teaching hospitals. In line with the philosophy behind their establishment, unity schools recruited their student from all over the country, which is a way of integrating Nigerians at tender ages; and he also created the National Youth Service Corp to integrate them at the tertiary level In the transport sector, the Gowon administration built or expanded the seaports at Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar; and constructed airports of international standard in about ten cities together with terminal buildings including international wing at the prestigious terminus at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Ikeja, Lagos Through the implementation of the Second Development Plan, General Gowon’s Government scored great successes in various sectors.

In The Education Sector I. Primary school enrolment rose from 3.5 million in 1970/71 to 4.5 million in 1972/73 II. Secondary school enrolment rose from 344,300 in 1970/71 to 649,900 in 1972/73 III. The Federal Government established 22 secondary schools in 11 states and three Federal Schools of Arts and Science at Mubi, Ogoja and Sokoto. It also took over the University of Nigeria, Nsukka at the request of the government of East Central and South Eastern States Government.

IV. University enrolment also rose from 14,500 in 1970/71 to 25,000 in 1972/73.

In the Health Sector The Federal Government substantially made funds available to University Teaching Hospitals at Ibadan, Lagos and Enugu and specialist hospitals at Benin, Enugu and Ilorin. For Lagos Teaching Hospital, the Federal Government provided funds for expansion of several units of the hospital including dentistry, catering and dinning, radio diagnosis etc.

In the Field of Oil and Mining Sector —

Gowon

The Federal Government acquired majority share holding in virtually all oil production companies and entered into producingsharing contracts with some of the new companies varying from 65% to 70%. The government was thus put in a very strong position in oil industry. Simultaneously, the Federal Government established the National Oil Corporation, which enabled it to participate in the oil industry actively.

The Enugu coalmine was rehabilitated completely.

In the Transport Sector—About 3600 miles of roads were constructed. Enugu airport was constructed following the construction of the airport at Lagos, Ilorin, Jos and Calabar. Also, constructed were the airports at Kaduna, Maiduguri and Sokoto.

The Nigerian airways acquired two Boeing 707, two Boeing 737 and two F.28 aircrafts.

The Nigerian Ports Authority completed the rehabilitation of the war- damaged facilities at Port Harcourt and Calabar while the National Shipping Line bought two new ships. The STD facilities were extended to Ibadan, Kaduna, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Bauchi and Kano and interstate roads linking major cities were constructed.

In the Agricultural Sector — Produce price for the major crops increased between 1972/73 and 1974/75 by large percentages: cocoa, 97%, palm kernel 129%, palm oil 209%, soya beans 89%, Beniseed, 107%, seed cotton 98%, and groundnut 109%.

Rate of inflation dropped from 12.6% in 1971/72 to 4.2% in 1972/73.

Gowon’s greatest achievement was in the industrial and commercial sector. He introduced the indigenisation program through which certain categories of businesses were reserved exclusively for Nigerians while in other Nigerians should hold a minimum of 40%. He also introduced the policy of industrialisation through assembly plants which would adopt backward integration so that the plant would eventually become a fully manufacturing concern with greater portion of the raw materials sourced within Nigeria. In this regard, two car assembly plants were established in Lagos and Kaduna and truck assembly plants were established in Kano, Ibadan, Enugu and Bauchi. Other manufacturing concerns started or expanded during the period of General Gowon include textiles, cement, paper production, steel and sugar among

Autonomy of State Governments The Nigerian Constitution of 1954 through which Nigeria formally became a federation, provided full autonomy for the Regions in respect of all matters within the competence of the legislature of the regions, as defined in the legislative lists in the schedule of the Regional governments.

When the states were created in 1967, they were given the autonomy of the regional government.

To emphasise this point, each government had its own constitution and General Gowon treated the state government in exactly the same way as the previous civilian Federal Government regarded and treated the three Regional Governments in the spirit of true federalism.

In the area of security, General Gowon did not interfere with the work of the Police Service Commission and the Inspector General of Police, so that police officers were appointed and promoted on merit. In September 1966, the late Alhaji Kam Salem was appointed the Inspector General of Police and retained in the post up to the end of Gowon’s regime. He did not try to get involved in the appointment, promotion of posts subordinate to the Inspector General. To his credit, internal security of Nigeria throughout his administration was remarkably well- maintained.

He had refrained from interfering in all facets of the public service. Public officers and especially career officers were allowed to rise in their cadres and careers normally and according to the conditions of service prevailing in their respective cadres. He concerned himself only with the appointment and removal of officers where the law vests such responsibility in the Head of State.

Although the appointment of ministers was his exclusive responsibility, he nevertheless consulted with his top advisors in the Civil Service who assisted him to appoint experienced and honest politicians with proven record of service during the First Republic either in government as ministers or in the opposition.

General Gowon was prudent, accountable and transparent in the management of public finance. The law of the land had already clearly set out how public resources, including finances were to be managed and used. All government incomes must first enter the Consolidated Revenue Fund and the process of releasing and expending them has been duly defined.

All expenditure must be appropriated by the law- making body (Supreme Military Council). A warrant could then be issued by the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General would then authorise funds release. This was a constitutional issue which the Gowon Administration strictly adhered to. To his credit, this approach ensured probity and discipline in the use of the country’s revenue. General Gowon would never direct the release of funds for any other purpose. Any such release

followed the procedure enunciated in the Constitution and in the relevant law.

From 1966/67 to 1974/75 financial years, when Yakubu Gowon was the Head of State, the revenue which accrued to the Federal Government totalled slightly over nine billion naira out of which the expenditure incurred for salaries and allowances as well as the lost from the Civil war and the many projects executed totalled slightly over five and a half billion Naira with about three and half billion surplus. After nine years as Head of State, he could not at a stage pay the school fees of his children. It was General Buhari’s administration that approved the payment of the fees and also allowed him a little fund for his basic comfort.

The Home Front This article will be incomplete if tribute is not paid to Mrs Victoria Gowon.

Throughout the leadership of the country by her husband, she kept her distance from governance of the country. She never interacted with people other than persons close to her. Nor did she even ask for employment for any person. She was content with being the wife of Head of State and ensured tranquillity in the home, which was necessary for her husband to deal with the great task of managing the complete problems of Nigeria. Nigerians saw Victoria only occasionally, usually when she accompanied her husband to public functions such as Independence Day celebrations. She conducted herself with decorum and within the constitution and the law in which there is no provision for public executive functions involving tempering with public funds. Because of what we have seen of the conduct of wives of Nigerian public office holders, I think Nigerians owe a debt of gratitude to Mrs Gowon for doing it the way it should be done.

I would like to end this article with another quotation from Chief Awoniyi’s citation on General Gowon on the occasion of that 70th birthday; and I quote: “In retrospect the overthrow of General Gowon on the 29th July 1975 marked a watershed in the history of this country. A benchmark of what we had been and what we can still become given the right leadership. He is a watershed between humane, predictable, carefully planned governance on the one hand, and arbitrariness, insensitive ruler ship masquerading as dynamism on the other hand. Today, nearly three decades down the years, we have experienced a decline in probity in governance and in everything that is honourable through duplicitous, self- serving manipulative leadership. We have witnessed the destruction of timetested systems and procedures which are indispensable to orderly, transparent governance. To do away with them is to destroy the basic ingredients for transparency and accountability and to facilitate the enthronement of corruption in the conduct of public affairs through arbitrariness, impulsive decisions and actions.”

I am sorry to state that today the bleak situation in Nigeria described by the late Chief Awoniyi has become much worse.

And with God is the refuge.

I wish the General Gowon many happy returns of the day.

— Adamu Fika, CFR, can be reach at maikjad@yahoo.co.uk

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

zonal watch

49

ANAMBRA IMO ABIA EBONYI ENUGU

Ekweremadu Harps On Effective Leadership

By miKE UBANi, Enugu

The deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, has canvassed for quality and effective leadership as tools for promoting democracy as well as inspiring the people’s confidence in elected public office holders at various levels of government.

Ekweremadu stated this at the

weekend while commissioning the Ogbombara Spring Water Harvestation and Reticulation at Ndeaboh community of Aninri local government area of Enugu State.

He said that the provision of social amenities such as water, electricity and good roads to communities who lacked these facilities would help create

harmonious and enduring relationships between the government and the governed.

He also expressed happiness that the project would solve the water problem facing the Ndeaboh community, adding that with the water problem taken care of, he would focus his attention to the completion of the construction of a dam in the area.

Speaking also at the occasion, the member representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, thanked the deputy senate president for helping to solve the water problem facing the people, adding that this development would help check the spread of water borne diseases in

APC Vows To Resist Electoral Fraud In Enugu State

Anambra: Over 800 Intending Christian Pilgrims Undergo Screening

By NNAmdi mBAWiKE, Enugu

The Enugu State chapter of All Progressives Congress(APC) has assured the electorate that it would not allow the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to rig the 2015 general elections in the state.

Chairman of APC in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who spoke weekend in Enugu at the end of the party’s state working committee meeting with stakeholders, said the opposition party would not allow rigging as witnessed in previous elections, during which the ruling party allegedly used government personnel to perpetrate electoral fraud.

Nwoye said, “It would no longer be business as usual in 2015.”

He called on true democrats and progressives in the state and Nigeria at large to key into the APC project of addressing the political and economic blunders committed in the country by the PDP since the inception of the ongoing civil rule in the country.

He assured that the party was taking its time to produce credible candidates that would wrest power from the PDP in 2015 at all levels of government.

He added that the APC constitution made provision for adoption of consensus candidates for elective positions but not imposition.

“Our constitution allows for consensus candidate but not imposition, an imposition is where one or two persons decide that this or that person will be the candidate,” he said.

According to him, before an aspirant would emerge consensus candidate of APC, the person would have to tell the party members why they want to contest for the position.

Nwoye reiterated the party’s resolve not to allow their party to be a dumping ground for disgruntled politicians, especially those from the PDP who fail to actualise their aspiration in other political parties.

the area.

He also thanked Ekweremadu for attracting good roads and electricity to Ndeaboh community, saying that the people have been empowered to live fulfilled lives. The federal lawmaker, later donated N300, 000.00 to the community to help fuel the generator that pumps water into the facility.

By OKECHUKWU OBETA, Awka

l-r: Federal commissioner Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) South East zone, dr. zion ibenye and chairman, Anambra State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board ,dr. levi monanu, at Government House, Awka, during the screening of intending pilgrims from Anambra State

Enugu 2015: Onwuegbu Joins Governorship Race

By NNamdi mBawike, Enugu

a renowned politician in the South east geo-political zone , mr. anayo Onwuegbu has declared his intention to contest for the governorship position in enugu State on the platform of the ruling Peoples democratic Party(PdP) in 2015.

Onwuegbu earlier contested for governor of the state in 2007 and 2011 respectively on the platform of the PdP.

Speaking at the weekend while declaring his ambition, Onwuegu insisted that the party caucus in the state which according to him is less than 25 per cent of the electorate cannot decide for the entire people of the state who would be their governorship candidate.

Onwuegbu explained that he is once more seeking the ticket of the PdP, so as to enable him reconcile the political class and present to

the people of enugu State the leadership that would work with a road map for effective development of the state.

He argued that aspirants from the enugu North Senatorial Zone where the PdP zoned its gubernatorial ticket to, participated in past governorship election in the state, insisting that enugu west senatorial zone therefore has the right to contest for the governorship position in the forthcoming election.

Imo Deserves Technology Village – Odom

By STANlEy UzOArU, Owerri

A former minister of state for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Chuka Odom has promised to create a technology village in Imo State if elected governor of the state in 2015.

Odom who spoke to LEADERSHIP stated that in addition to creating massive employment opportunities,

the project would also boost the knowledge of information technology among the youths.

“We would look beyond mere creation of the usual jobs and create a technology village by partnering with private sectors, and as well provide innovation centres to leverage both information and communication technology if elected governor of Imo State next year,” Odom

stated.

He also pointed out that as a former minister of state, environment, housing and urban development, shelter and land management would be another area of priority for his administration, pledging a fully computerised land management to address both urban and rural land management challenges in the state.

Over 800 intending pilgrims from Anambra State at the weekend presented themselves for screening by the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) for this year’s trip to the Holy Land in Israel.

Due to the large number of the intending pilgrims and to ensure thorough screening of the applicants, NCPC federal commissioner South-East, Dr. Zion Ibenye who is at the head of the screening exercise directed that the exercise which was originally slated for two days be extended by one day, to make sure that no applicant was unduly denied the opportunity of going to strengthen his or her spiritual life.

“We encourage Christians of various dominations to take a trip to the Holy Land as a way of revaluing their Christian life and re-dedication of their lives after witnessing the reality of Christ existence on earth,” Ibenye stated.

Ibenye expressed satisfaction with the screening process and noted that the state would be able to fill the 850 quota allocated to it by the NCPC for this year’s pilgrimage.

He called on the intending pilgrims not to take the trip as a mere trip but should be dedicated to prayers for the country and Anambra State as the country needs prayers more than ever before.

“We all know that 2015 is nearby and is a year of general elections so serious prayers need to be offered to God in various Holy Lands where Nigerians go for prayer because if there is no stability in the country nothing moves, every life is crumbled and we do not wish for instability,” he said.

50 zonal watch (South-East)

Tuesday,October 21, 2014

NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS

Why Ekweremadu, Eze Oppose Ugwuanyi As Chime’s Successor

BY MIKE UBANI, Enugu

Barely 24 hours after Governor Sullivan Chime organised a proPresident Goodluck Jonathan rally at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, ostensibly on the auspices of Enugu Movement for the Reelection of Jonathan (EMJ), the Enugu State chief executive announced Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who currently represents Igboeze North/Udenu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, as the sole candidate of the PDP in the state for the 2015 gubernatorial election.

The announcement followed the state PDP stakeholders meeting which held at the instance of Governor Chime Friday night at Government House Enugu.

Ugwuanyi was reportedly described by the stakeholders at the meeting “as the consensus candidate”.

LEADERSHIP gathered that before the Enugu meeting last Friday, stakeholders of the party from Enugu North Senatorial zone and traditional rulers from the area had also during a meeting held at Nsukka, selected Ugwuanyi as the one to fly the PDP gubernatorial flag in the next general elections.

A usually reliable source told LEADERSHIP that many of the people who attended the Nsukka meeting were arm-twisted “by the powers that be”, to select Ugwuanyi as the consensus candidate of the PDP from the zone to fly the party’s gubernatorial flag in 2015.

Governor Chime had earlier announced the zoning of the governorship slot to Enugu North Senatorial zone where Ugwuanyi hails from. He said the decision was taken by the stakeholders of the party in the state. He argued that the decision was based on fairness, equity and justice.

The Enugu North senatorial zone is yet to produce a governor since the commencement of the present democratic dispensation in 1999. Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, who clinched the position in 1999 on the platform of PDP, hails from Enugu East senatorial zone. He ruled the state from 1999 to 2007.

His successor and incumbent Governor Chime hails from Enugu West senatorial zone. Chime is due to leave office in eight months time. He is said to be nursing the ambition to contest the Enugu West senatorial seat in the forthcoming election. Senator Ike Ekweremadu, deputy speaker of the senate, who is also speaker of ECOWAS parliament, is presently representing the zone in the upper legislative chambers.

It was gathered that though

Chime

Ekweremadu is not against the governorship slot going to Enugu North Senatorial zone, he was rankled by the ‘undemocratic’ way the decision was taken. Some of the people close to him say the governor took a unilateral decision to give the coveted trophy to Enugu North whose representative in the Senate is Senator Ayogu Eze. However, Ekweremadu’s greatest concern is the governor’s alleged ambition to go to the Senate to represent Enugu West senatorial zone at his (Ekweremadu’s) expense.

The governor is also reportedly preparing his chief of staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, to replace Senator Gil Emeka Nnaji at the Senate. Nnaji who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, presently represents Enugu East senatorial zone in the Senate.

Ekweremadu was conspicuously absent at the Enugu rally last Thursday. He told LEADERSHIP that he couldn’t attend the rally because the Senate was that day debating important national issues including the request by President Jonathan for the parliament to approve a $1billion loan to buy arms and ammunitions to contain the present insurgency in the country.

He described the organisers of the rally as late comers to the campaign for President Jonathan to declare interest to contest the 2015 presidential election on the platform of the party.

Nevertheless, Governor Chime said during the rally that any PDP stakeholder in the state who failed to attend the rally was against the re-election of President Jonathan.

Ekweremadu was not also

My supporters are particularly worried by the aspect of the story claiming that I have stepped down for the said anointed candidate. I wish to state clearly and unambiguously that I have not, and will not step down for any anointed candidate

present at the PDP stakeholders meeting held last Friday night where Ugwuanyi was announced the sole gubernatorial candidate of the party.

There are over ten politicians from Enugu North jostling to succeed Governor Chime. They include Senator Eze, the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo, Chief Vita Abba, chairman of the state chapter of the PDP, and Mr. Chinedu Onu, a member of TETFUND board.

Senator Eze was said to have expressed shock and disbelief after Governor Chime announced Ugwuanyi as the consensus gubernatorial candidate of the party on the basis that other contestants stepped down for him.

And shortly after the controversial nomination of Ugwuanyi, Senator Eze issued a statement denouncing the exercise.

He said he was hoodwinked into the meeting, and vowed to forge ahead with his gubernatorial ambition on the platform of PDP. Senator Eze said, “My supporters are particularly worried by the aspect of the story claiming that I have stepped down for the said anointed candidate. I wish to state clearly and unambiguously that I have not, and will not step down for any anointed candidate.

I am still squarely in the race for Enugu Lion Building in the year of our Lord 2015.

“I was invited to a meeting of a gathering of the people of my Senatorial District presided over by the governor at the Governors Lodge in Enugu on Friday September 26, 2015. Prior to our arrival at the Government House that Friday afternoon, the agenda of the meeting was not circulated, neither was the criterion for selecting those attending the meeting made known to me.

“At the meeting, I pointedly stated that though I was already in their midst in a sort of an ambush, I was not bound by their decision to which I believe they were entitled.

It is their inalienable right to choose a consensus candidate in the same manner that to my supporters and well-wishers I am also a consensus candidate.

“I look forward to all the consensus candidates of the various interest groups meeting in the field at the PDP governorship primaries on November 29 to test which of the various consensus blocks is numerically stronger.

“Democracy is about elections and the will of the people. Those elements of democracy will be put to test when we arrive the field for the primaries. I will gladly accept the outcome of the primaries.

Eze

News Behind The News

Enugu Guber: PDP Dismisses Plan To Unleash Thugs On Eze

BY NNAMDI NBAWIKE, Enugu

The Enugu North senatorial zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has dismissed as false, the allegation credited to Senator Ayogu Eze, that some members of the state chapter of the party had concluded plans to harass him with thugs following his insistence to conduct open primaries to choose the party’s candidate for the 2015 governorship election in the state.

In a statement signed by Enugu North zonal chairman, Chief Mike Ejinima, the party said the allegation ascribed to Senator Eze who currently represents Enugu North senatorial district in the upper legislative House was unfounded and mischievous.

It would be recalled that at a meeting of PDP stakeholders from the zone held at Lion Building, the official residence of Governor Sullivan Chime on September 26, 2014, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, presently representing Udenu/Igboeze North federal constituency in the House of Representatives was adopted as the party’s consensus candidate.

Senator Ayogu reportedly dismissed Ugwuanyi’s adoption as undemocratic, and allegedly went further to accuse the party in the state of planning to hire thugs to scare him away from participating in the governorship primaries scheduled to hold next month.

But Ejinima in his statement issued at the weekend said that by adopting Ugwuanyi as the consensus candidate for the governorship election, the party has not closed its doors against any aspirant opposed to the party’s decision on the matter. According to the statement, “The party as an agent of democratic values would be glad to welcome Senator Eze to the primaries to test his strength if he still insists on contesting against the popular choice of the party”.

While commending the party’s leaders from Enugu East senatorial district for unanimously endorsing Hon. Ugwuanyi as the consensus governorship candidate, Ejinima reminded Senator Eze of the grave consequences of “all his actions and inactions against the interest of the party in the state”.

He further noted that he was aware of a proposal by youths of the party from the six local government areas that make up Enugu North senatorial district to organise a peaceful rally in support of the emergence of Hon.

51

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

world

news ➌

➊ ➋

➐ ➏

➎ Turkey To Let Iraqi Kurds Join Kobane Battle

Turkey has said it is helping Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters to cross its borders to join Syrian Kurdish forces battling the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group for the Syrian town of Kobane.

“We are assisting Peshmerga forces to cross into Kobane,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara yesterday, adding that talks on the issue were ongoing but without giving further details.

➏ Ukraine Crisis:

Human rights group Amnesty International says there is evidence of atrocities committed by both warring sides in eastern Ukraine, but not on the scale

reported by Russia.

It said “strong evidence” implicated government forces in the killing of four men near rebelheld Donetsk.

Australia’s parliament has backtracks on controversial decision to make women covering their faces sit in separate enclosures. Amid an outcry a controversial plan to make women wearing the niqab or the face veil sit in separate glassed public enclosure

in the building due to security concerns.

The backdown yesterday followed a decision on October 2 to seat people wearing face coverings in areas normally reserved for noisy school children while visiting parliament.

➍➎

➊ Europe Emission ➋ Deadly Car Bombings Targets ‘Will Fail To Protect Climate’

Europe’s leaders are about to consign the Earth to the risk of dangerous climate change, a UN expert says.

Prof Jim Skea, a vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, says the EU’s plan to cut CO2 emissions 40 per cent by 2030 is too weak.

Hit Iraq’s Karbala

Five car bombings in the revered Iraqi city of Karbala have killed at least 15 people, Iraqi official have said.

A police officer said yesterday that the explosives-laden cars were parked in commercial areas and parking lots near government offices. He said 48 others were wounded in the explosions.

Amnesty Condemns Abuses By Both Sides

➌ Scores Of Rebels

➍ Widodo Sworn In As

Fighting between Houthi rebels and Sunni tribesman leaves 52 Houthis dead, as clashes rage for control of territory.

Renewed fighting between Sunni tribesmen and Shia Houthi rebels advancing into a town in central Yemen has killed dozens of people, as part of a growing struggle over territory and influence between the two sides.

Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been inaugurated as Indonesia’s new president, facing the challenges of rebooting a slowing economy and working with a potentially hostile opposition that has already landed some blows against him.

Widodo, took the oath of office in a ceremony at the parliament in the capital, Jakarta, attended by regional leaders and US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Killed In Yemen Fighting Indonesia’s President

➐ Australia

Parliament Reverses Face Veil Rule

52 Business/WORLD NEWS

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Russia’s Crusade To Banish McDonald’s

Officials are continuing their crackdown on McDonald’s (MCD) by forcing the closure of nine restaurants and investigating roughly half of the country’s 446 locations.

The string of closures began in late August when authorities shut down four McDonald’s

locations in Moscow, including the city’s first that opened nearly 25 years ago. As many as a dozen McDonald’s locations were closed, but some have recently reopened.

It’s widely believed the shutdowns are part of a retaliatory plan to punish American businesses after the U.S.

and Europe issued harsh sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis.

Local media had previously reported that “sanitary violations” were the reason behind the closures.

“We disagree with the court’s decision and will appeal,” said McDonald’s in a statement.

McDonald’s isn’t the only consumer company that’s suffered since tensions between the West and Russia flared up.

The firm behind Jack Daniel’s whiskey also reported struggles in the country.

Brown-Forman (BFB) was targeted by the same consumer watchdog as McDonald’s. A report from the organization in late August said dangerous substances were found inside samples of the company’s whiskey.

Brown-Forman said it “vehemently” denied that there was anything harmful in its products.

IBM Pays $1.5bn To Offload Chip Unit As Profit Falls

IBM is to pay $1.5bn (£930m) in cash to offload its lossmaking chip manufacturing division to Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund GlobalFoundries.

IBM, which wanted to avoid the cost of upgrading the unit’s technology, said it would now focus on cloud computing, mobile and big data analytics.

IBM will take a $4.7bn charge in the third quarter as a result of the sale.

The sale came as IBM announced a 17 per cent drop in third quarter profit; IBM said it made $3.5bn profit for the

three months to the end of September, with revenues down 4% to $22.4bn.

“We are disappointed in our performance,” chief executive Ginni Rometty said.

Ms Rometty blamed a “marked slowdown” in client buying behaviour for the drop in sales, which were lower than analysts had expected.

However, she said the results also reflected “the unprecedented pace of change in our industry.”

IBM is trying to adapt to industry-wide changes and has been restructuring to focus on its software products.

The disposal of the unprofitable chip making business is the latest step by Ms Rometty to sharpen this focus.

IBM said the sale would enable it to “focus on fundamental semiconductor and material science research, development capabilities and commitment to delivering future semiconductor technologies”.

GlobalFoundries said it would offer jobs to all IBM employees affected.

IBM will spread the $1.5bn payment to GlobalFoundries over the next three years.

Under the terms of the deal, GlobalFoundries will get intellectual property and technologies related to the chip business.

S&P 500 Edges Up Despite Uncertainty Wall Street is making a positive start to the week, shrugging off weakness for European bourses, although the global growth fears and monetary policy uncertainty that so rattled markets last week still lingers.

The S&P 500 is up 6 points at 1,893 albeit in choppy trading conditions even as shares in IBM fall sharply following the tech group’s poorlyreceived results.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300, which jumped 2.8 per cent in the previous session, is down 0.4 per cent, primarily on weakness in oil groups and after a profit warning from SAP, the software group.

But Asian markets had a positive session, led by a 4 per cent surge for Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 as the region welcomed Wall Street’s Friday bounce and a report said Japan’s $1.2tn pension fund would more than double its holdings of domestic equities.

But the overall underlying mood in the markets is very much the result of the wobble that went

before.

Wall Street’s benchmark at one point last week touched a six-month intraday low of 1,821, leaving it 9.8 per cent below the record high touched in September, in often volatile and high volume trading that was reflected across the globe.

As investors fled equities they piled into the perceived safety of the US and German government bonds, pushing yields sharply lower.

The action reflected a burst of investor concern that economic weakness and deflationary pressures in the eurozone were spreading to the US just as the Federal Reserve was about to conclude its third multi-billion dollar asset purchase programme and prepare to raise interest rates next year.

Some traders even cited building fears about the Ebola outbreak and signs that fresh stresses were emerging in eurozone peripheral sovereign debt, after worries about the political situation in Greece caused a spike in Athens’ implied borrowing costs.

Malasian plane shot on July 17 over eastern Ukraine

MH17: Germany Blames Pro-Russia Rebels Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency has concluded that pro-Russian rebels are to blame for the downing of Malaysia Airline MH17 in Ukraine in July, making it the first European agency to say so.

Gerhard Schindler, president of the BND, told a secret parliamentary committee on security affairs held on October 8 that separatists had used a Russian Buk missile defence system from a Ukrainian base to fire a rocket that exploded directly next to the Malyasia Air plane, media reported.

The crash over pro-Russian rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine on July 17 killed all 298 passengers and crew and led to a further deterioration of ties between the West and Moscow.

“It was pro-Russian separatists,” Der Spiegel quoted Schindler as saying.

A Russian politician on yesterday disputed the claims, saying the agency’s conclusions could be interpreted in a way that implicates Kiev in the crash.

“The German intelligence stated: The Boeing was downed by a Buk missile system ‘captured by militias.’ That means Russia was not involved. And the Buk could have been launched by the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Alexei Pushkov, who heads the Russian lower parliamentary house’s foreign affairs committee, said on Twitter.

The BND concluded the rebels were to blame after a detailed analysis based on satellite and other photos, Der Spiegel reported.

Search: Sweden Hunts For Mystery Submarine The Swedish navy has widened its search in the waters off Stockholm amid suspicions that a Russian submarine might be in trouble there.

The military has asked civilian vessels to evacuate the area between Nattaro island and Danzinger Gatt.

A Swedish source said that an underwater vessel was spotted in waters about 25km (16 miles) from Stockholm.

Russia’s defence ministry denied any “irregular situation” involving its ships.

It said a Dutch submarine might have triggered Sweden’s alert after carrying out exercises

in the area.

However, this theory has been dismissed by the Dutch defence ministry.

“It was definitely not a Dutch submarine,” a ministry spokeswoman has said.

It is the fourth day of the search, involving ships and helicopters.

The Swedish military earlier said it was investigating “foreign underwater activity”. It denied looking for a submarine, and said that it was conducting an intelligence operation.

The Swedish navy has asked all vessels to go no closer than 1km to military vessels.

WW 2: Nazis Who Left US Still Paid Social Security The US government has paid dozens of suspected Nazi war criminals millions of dollars in social security after forcing them to leave the US. The payments, funded by taxpayers, were made through a legal loophole, investigation has uncovered. Some are still being paid.

Former guards at Nazi labour camps, where millions died, are among them.

The US justice department says benefits are paid to individuals who renounce US citizenship and leave voluntarily.

But there is anger that public money is being used in this way.

“It’s absolutely outrageous that

Nazi war criminals are continuing to receive Social Security benefits when they have been outlawed from our country for many, many, many years,” said Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.

She said she plans to introduce legislation to close the legal loophole.

Four World War Two suspects are said to still be alive and collecting benefits. One is former SS guard Martin Hartmann, another is Auschwitz camp patroller Jakob Denzinger.

Mr Hartmann is said to have moved to Berlin from Arizona in 2007, while Mr Denzinger left Ohio for Germany in 1989. He currently resides in Croatia.

53

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Bankers Games: Skye Maintains Unbeaten, Stanbic Win Skye Bank sustained their unbeaten run from last season when they piped a very enterprising Ecobank 1-0 on a day UBA and Fidelity Bank shared the points in the Group B top-of-the-log clash on Match Day 5 of the 2014 Nigeria Bankers Games.

It was also a day the first drawn games were recorded in the 2014 season. Two scoreless games were recorded in Group B as Sterling Bank and Diamond

Bank fired blanks just as the two group leaders, UBA and Fidelity Bank failed to find the back of the net.

Ecobank could have been tagged the better side in a match they did all the pressing but gifted Shola Akintayo the goal that separated both sides. Fielding a very strong team against the defending Champions, Ecobank created several scoring chances but were left to rue those

missed opportunities as a mix up between their Goalkeeper and a defender left Akintayo to pounce in the second minute of added time. For Skye Bank, it is nine points from three games and leading the pack in Group A. Stanbic IBTC Bank in the Second Group A fixture made amends for their opening day loss to the cup holders and narrowly edged new lads on the block, Heritage Bank 1-0.

Controversy Olabiyi Shares OverWonder Kano Pillars GoalBasketball Prize WithTeam AbaTravel Orphanage Plans Enyimba and current

By IshakuMidfielder Kigbu, Abuja longest serving player, Rasheed Olabiyi fulfilled one offor theKano main The travel plans objectives of the Wonder Pillars basketball club Goal to Award initiated by the League the Zone 3 basketball zonal Management (LMC) championshipCompany in Burkina when he made the presentation of Faso is generating controversy Fifty Thousand Naira (N50, 000) in Kano Road with Motherless allegationsBabies that to Ngwa the club is scheduled to Home Aba from the cash prizehit of the West Goal African nation by the Wonder Award. road air. However, Therather award than was initiated by the the team’s coach, Sani LMC to improve and Ahmed increase has and distanced himself from Club community interactions the also allegations theimbibe team and assist thethat players the values of impacting positively on their society.

Olabiyi was accompanied to the Home mate preparing for bytheteam Zone 3 Emma Anyanwu and an official basketball club championship of Enyimba International, and Mr. are being shortchanged Okanume Chukwudi.

They made to hit Burkina Faso arrived at the Home of at 12 by road instead bynoon air and was received by an official of allegedly planned for by the the home, Miss Precious Chukwu. state government.

However, because theConcerned visit took basketball place during school enthusiasts hours, most had of theraised childrenthe werealarm alreadythat, out Pillars, most to school butNigeria’s he met one who was successful basketball not in school on that day. club side are failure bound at the Making the presentation to continental zonalthanked showpiece the Home, Olabiyi them for their efforts in taking care of Motherless babies and prayed

for God’s wisdom and strength on them. up “I give thanks toFaso God coming in Burkina for what you people are doing to this month end because they these motherless children.

May will have to travel by road to the Almighty Allah withwhich them Ouagadougou viabebus and continue to strengthen will not be comfortable you for guys Amen” the midfielder prayed. the over 25 persons on the In response, the official Miss trip including of them Precious Chukwumost on behalf of above 6 feet.

They fear the the Home thanked the player tall and players the LMCwill for be thecramped gesture, in a Toyota Coaster bus forona praying for God’s blessings journey thatlike is to over hours them. “I will say 25 a very big by road.and may the good Lord thanks According toand reward the continually bless them them accordingly in Jesus Name, Amen”.

Rasheed Olabiyi (12) Enyimba official, Chukwudi Okanume, Team Mate, Emmanuel Anyanwu and Miss Precious Chukwu with baby at the Ngwa Road Motherless Babies Home.

AFCON: Amodu Vows To Salvage Eagles’ Qualification We have been given an assignment that is tough and very challenging but not one that is impossible to accomplish. We will give it our very best and see how things can be turned around

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Super Eagles interim coach, Amodu Shaibu has urged Nigerians be moderate in their expectations of the team even as he promised to give his best in salvaging team’s hopes of participating in 2015 Africa Cup of Nation (AFCON).

Amodu, alongside Salisu Yusuf, Gbenga Ogunbote and Alloysius Agu were appointed on Thursday by the new NFF board as the new Super Eagles technical crew.

Their immediate task is to prosecute Super Eagles’ two remaining qualifying matches to Africa’s biggest soccer showpiece.

The Super Eagles are present-

ly third in their Group A of the 2015 AFCON qualifiers behind South Africa and Congo. Nigeria will need maximum points from the two remaining matches to be sure of their place at the biennial tournament she won in South Africa in 2013. But, Amodu in a press release issued by the Super Eagles media officer, Toyin Ibitoye believed the task is surmountable.

“We have been given an assignment that is tough and very challenging but not one that is impossible to accomplish. We will give it our very best and see how things can be turned around.”

“I think this situation is very similar to what we had in the qualifiers to the 2002 World Cup.We

worked hard,did our bit and were fortunate to have results elsewhere also going our way.

“There are things that, as humans, we cannot control just as there a lot more we can influence.

I can assure everybody that we will give this assignment all we have and then hope that all other things fall in place for us.”

“Let us all be modest in our expectations so that we do not put ourselves under undue pressure.

Let everybody involved in the game in Nigeria pull together in the right direction and then we see what we can achieve with the next two games as mandated by the Nigeria Football Federation,”Amodu Stated.

Shaibu

NFF Sends Elite Referees To UK For Capacity Building

Pinnick

The Nigeria Football Federation has concluded all arrangements to send the best of Nigerian referees to the United Kingdom for special refresher course beginning in the first week of December.

The three –week capacity building exercise is aimed at preparing the best of Nigerian arbiters to become better officiating officials in the coming years and to enhance their opportunities of commanding greater recognition by international soccer bodies. According to the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, this move is part of the vision of the new NFF Executive Committee to enhance the capacity of our referees for the kind of prominence on the international

stage that a leading football powerhouse like Nigeria deserves.

“The new NFF Board is determined to train and retrain our referees, as well as coaches and administrators with an eye on better output. There is no reason why Nigerian referees should not be holding their own globally. We have the men and women, and all they need do is enhance their knowledge of modern techniques of the profession.

“In another six months, we will get another company to sponsor another batch of referees to another refresher course. It is a continuous exercise. But selection of beneficiaries will be based on performance on the domestic scene.”

Pinnick says one of the cardi-

nal programmes of his administration is to improve refereeing in Nigeria, and he sees no reason why a Nigerian referee should not be on duty at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

The eleven lucky arbiters on the trip to England in this first phase, who will be led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Referees Association, Alhaji Ahmed Maude and the Chairman of NFF Referees Committee, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed ‘Fresh’, are Ferdinand Udoh, Abdullahi Shuaibu, Usman Isah, Samuel Pwadutakan, Orowole Tope, Egudia Efosa, Peter Ogwu, Paul Umuago, Musa Dung Davon, Olayinka Olayide

and Ukah Ndubuisi.It would be recalled that as Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission, Mr. Amaju Pinnick sent two respected referees, Messrs Paul Umuago and Dave Egho to England for capacity building, and the duo officiated Legends’ games at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, homes of English Premier League topdogs Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC respectively.

The trip is being sponsored

by Senforce Insurance Brokers, which also sponsored Umuago and Egho on their trip to England, and which has always partnered Delta State Sports Commission on capacity building.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

54 sports

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Guinness Record Fight: Nexim Bank Frustrates My Ambition, Says Bash Ali

By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Musa

CSKA Will Beat Weak Man City –Musa Nigerian striker, Ahmed Musa scored two goals at the weekend following his two goals for the Super Eagles last Wednesday and he has declared that his Russian side CSKA Moscow can get something from their Champions League clash at home to Manchester City today.

“As you can see, they are very weak this year. We are going to use that advantage against them,” Musa said in the Daily Mail.

“In a couple of games they haven’t been that good. They are very weak in the defence,

so we are going to do our best to work against that.”

CSKA have lost both their matches in the UEFA Champions League to Roma and Bayern Munich and have conceded six goals and scored one – which Musa got against Roma on Matchday 1.

“I think we are going to have a great opportunity because of the quality of the players we have. I think Tuesday is going to be a very good game for us.

“We are going to do our best to win because this is the last opportunity that we have.”

Nigerian veteran boxer, Bash Ali has accused Nexim Bank of frustrating his dream to become the first world’s oldest boxer and fighter ever recorded in the Guinness World Record. He alleged the officials of the bank are demanding a pay cut of $10M USD from the $30M USD fight purse and $100M USD cut from the PPV TV profit just to make happy certain bad and corrupt government officials are betting on his frustrating his dream.

The veteran boxer in his open letter written to President Goodluck Jonathan, said since the inauguration of a 17-man Local Organising Committee (LOC) by the federal government through National Sports Commission (NSC) nine months ago to galvanize all sources of support and funding

through the marketing and promotion to meet the requirements of protocol, logistics and event management, no concrete step has been taken.

He said the LOC is indebted to the tune of over N50 Millions in logistics and if by 5:01 PM New York Time of October 31, 2014, Nigeria does not pay the approval fee of $1million USD to the International Boxing Union (IBU), the country would lose the right to host the historic event including the PPV TV profit to Germany.

According to him, IBU has offered him 15M Euros to fight in Germany but he would not allow corrupt government officials to drive away and kill his dream for a better Nigeria.

“Nine months after the inauguration and several meetings with some key officials at Nexim bank (Nexim bank is the coordinating

bank with the Bank of Industry for the LOC), there is nothing ‘positive’ to report back to Mr. President because a bad and corrupt official at the Nexim bank is demanding a $10M USD cut from the $30M USD fight purse and a $100M USD cut from the PPV TV profit to make happy some bad and corrupt government officials who are not happy with me.

“Respectfully request that you appoint a representative that will be in charge of the fight purse and the PPV TV profit. That because of the urgency of the moment, that the overdue logistics money and the overdue fight approval fee are paid immediately so Nigeria does not lose the right to host to Germany. That the bad and corrupt official at Nexim bank be sanctioned for trying to kill Nigeria’s dream,” he stated in his letter to the President.

Pillars Stadium No1 In Crowd Pulling – Bala The Director media El-kanenemi Warriors football club of Maiduguri Alhaji Tahiru Bala has described the Kano pillars Stadium sabon Gari as the number one stadium in terms of crowd pulling in the 2013/2014 Glo Nigeria premier league football going on in different stadia across the country.

Bala made the observation recently in kano when pillars played crown F. C. of Ogbomosho. “The turnout is amazing and incredible seeing thousands of football lovers coming out to cheer their darling team.

I must say it is the largest turnout I saw in the apex league in Nigeria today.”

Along the line the crowds do lend us their support when we play our matches in the same stadium, especially if we are playing on the same day with kano pillars. “Our supporters and that of pillars are unofficially merged supporting each other and that has been going on whenever we play our home matches”.

The security provided for

YSFON Set For Kwankwaso U-17 Tourney

matches in kano is excellent in terms of organization of the men and officers of the police under the leadership of the DPO in sabon gari. “The stadium is always given adequate security above the LMC required number, with the spectators parking lots shifted to about 50 meters away from the stadium walls.

Searches were conducted upon approaching the vicinity of the stadium and areas are marked with paint of same marking with the one on the pitch of play”.

Similar scenario was seen in maiduguri last year when we successfully hosted all our league matches. “By the beginning of the season next year the issue of Boko haram that was used to push us out of Maiduguri will be overcome by the military especially now that the insurgents are opting for ceasefire and dialogue, God willing the problem will be over and El-kanemi Warriors stadium will see actions of the premier league and its supporters will thronged the stadium in the same manner as pillars fans do”.

By Dickson Onyewu, Kaduna

Arrangement has been concluded by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria to organize the maiden edition

Former cruiseweight boxing champion, Bash Ali, making a point when he visited the corporate headquarters of LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY JANE OKEKE

Kaduna Polo: Yero Assures Of Security

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

Ahead of the 2014 Kaduna International Polo Tournament scheduled to kick off in two weeks’ time, Governor Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna state has assured the polo club and participants of adequate security for the duration of the annual tourney.

He gave the assurance during the cheque presentation at the weekend at the Ahmadu Yakubu Polo ground Murtala Square Kaduna.

Governor Yero who was represented by the Commissioner for

of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso U-17 Unity Cup slated for Tuesday, 21st, October, 2014 in Kano State.

According to a statement by YSFON Zonal Secretary, North West, Ba-

Sports and Youth Development, Hon Bashir Zuberu said the state government would render all necessary assistance required to make the tournament a huge success.

“Governor Yero is a member of Kaduna Polo Club and he is committed to ensure that the tournament is well organized and Kaduna state government would ensure maximum security for the people that would attend the tournament. Governor Yero would be present on the opening and closing ceremony of the tourney. We would contribute more than the major sponsors to en-

shir Hassan, the championship which will be contested among all the states in North West geopolitical zone of the country will start with the arrival of all the states on Tuesday

sure that this is the best edition of the tournament.”

President Kaduna Polo Club, Alhaji Shehu Muazu expressed appreciation to the Kaduna state government for approving a second polo ground for the club and for building a stable for the club.

Tournament Manager, Alhaji Ibrahim Abba said the 2014 tournament will be used to commemorate Nigeria’s centenary celebration adding that it would be exciting and interesting with polo players expected from within and outside the country. He said the prestigious high goals Georgian Cup will be the main attraction.

while screening of players will commence on Wednesday, 22nd, October.

The statement while reiterating that over- aged players will not be allowed to take part in the cham-

pionship, reminded participating states that preliminary and semi- final matches will be concluded

by Friday with the finals will take place on Saturday, 25th, October, 2014.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Real Madrid

Real Madrid Seek First Victory Over Liverpool Two of Europe’s greatest clubs with 15 European Cup successes between them renew their rivalry at Anfield tomorrow with Liverpool looking to preserve their unlikely 100 percent record against Real Madrid in Europe’s elite competition.

While that match evokes past and present glory, Barcelona play Ajax Amsterdam in another Champions League match between European aristocracies with eight European Cups wins between them.

The game between AS Roma and Bayern Munich in Rome, another heavyweight affair, gives Francesco Totti another chance to beat his own record as the oldest man to score in the competition.

Real, the reigning European champions, have lost all three competitive European matches they have played against Liverpool: the 1981 European Cup

final when Liverpool beat them 1-0 in Paris as well as 4-0 and 1-0 defeats in the last 16 of the Champions League in 2009.

But Real arrive for their Group B match in great form, having won their last seven matches in all competitions following their second successive 5-0 win in La Liga, over Levante on Saturday.

Liverpool meanwhile will need to improve on their somewhat fortunate 3-2 Premier League win over Queens Park Rangers on Sunday when they needed the help of two own goals from the struggling London side for a late victory.

Still, coach Brendan Rodgers says he is keen to face Real tomorrow.

“Real Madrid are playing as well as they have played for the last five to 10 years, the threats they have,” he said after the QPR game. “I am really looking forward to that.”

sports 55

Suarez’s Exit Derailed Us – Liverpool Boss Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers has admitted his side has stalled this season in the absence of last season’s Premier League Player of the Year Luis Suarez.

The Uruguayan scored 31 goals as Liverpool came within three points of winning their first league title in 14 years before joining Barcelona in July for a reported £75 million ($125 million, 95 million euros) in July.

“I signed a three-year contract with the objective of fighting for the league and we almost won it in our second

year,” Rodgers said in an interview with Madrid sports daily ahead of his side’s Champions League meeting with Real Madrid tomorrow.

“But the team’s natural progression has stalled this summer with the departure of Luis Suarez and the arrival of new players.”

Liverpool have only won four of their opening eight Premier League games and were desperately lucky to emerge victorious against bottom club Queens Park Rangers on Sunday as the Londoners scored two own goals in a 3-2 defeat.

Rodgers remains bullish that he can restore the club to its former glories, but also hinted that he too could be lured to La Liga in the future.

“Hopefully I can work one day in Spain. I speak and I have studied Spanish, but I need to improve. I speak it with my Spanish players.

“I am just 41 and there are many things I want to achieve at Liverpool, where I want to be for another 20 years or more.

But one day I would like to experience Spain, it’s a marvellous culture and magnificent clubs.”

Suarez

Mannone Wants To Reimburse Fans After 8-0 Rout At Southampton Walcott

Walcott Return To Fitness Excites Wilshere

England international Theo Walcott’s imminent return cannot come soon enough for Arsenal teammate Jack Wilshere.

Walcott needed surgery after rupturing knee ligaments against Tottenham Hotspur in January but his rehabilitation is almost complete and England midfielder Wilshere believes the winger’s comeback will spark the north London club’s season.

“I’ve never played with someone before who times their runs so perfectly and keeps doing it, time after time,” Wilshere told Arsenal’s website (www.arsenal.com) on Monday.

“He gives us something different, he gives us pace. I know we’ve got Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who gives us pace but Theo gives you something different without the ball. It’s a dream for a midfielder.”

Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone believes he and his teammates should reimburse all the club’s fans who made the long journey to witness the 8-0 hammering at Southampton.

The Italian has established himself as Gus Poyet’s first choice despite the arrival of former Manchester City man Costel Pantilimon but he endured an afternoon to forget as the Black Cats suffered a humiliating defeat at St Mary’s.

The Sunderland supporters continued to cheer for their players until the final whistle and Mannone says he wants to meet the costs of the 700-mile away day for the 2,500 fans.

“I will personally talk to the team to see if it is possible to pay for their tickets and their trip,” he said.

“I really mean that we should pay their tickets and travel. I will

do everything possible. We should “We play Arsenal next do it because we didn’t put a foot week so at the end of the in, we didn’t work hard. We start- day, we lost 8-0 but we ed the game well but after we con- didn’t lose eight games ceded we threw in the towel and I 1-0. Let’s take it on the chin and go again beinclude myself.

“It is difficult for us but it’s very cause we have another 30 difficult for them as well. It is a dif- games,” he added. ficult moment. We will go through it during the week. We will have time. The Premier League is real- Champions League Fixtures ly difficult. We have a tough game CSKA Vs Manchester City again at home, so there is no time Moscow Vs NK Maribor to feel sorry for ourselves. We need Chelsea to react.

Vs Sporting FC Schalke Lisbon “As I said they are special fans. 04 Vs FC Bayern We are really lucky to be at this club AS Roma München and have these fans. If it was me, I would probably not react in the Barcelona Vs Ajax Camp Nou same way.”

Vs Athletic Club FC Porto Mannone insists things must get Shakhtar BATE Borisov Vs better when he welcomes his forDonetsk mer club Arsenal to the Stadium of APOEL Vs Paris Saint Light on Saturday.

Germain Nicosia

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AMUSEMENT PARK you’d think such a little mind would be lonely in such a big head — Anon

21.10.14 www.leadership.ng

comrade Timi Frank

Tuesday Column:

FoR god and countRy

No. 2,277

TUESDAY

N150

Jonathan, Desperation And The Chibok Girls’ Debacle 08070888888 (text only)

T

he stunt pulled that the 219 abducted Chibok girls would soon be released after over six months in Boko Haram captivity may well represent a new phase of desperation by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Why announce that the Chibok girls will soon be released when they haven’t?

Lessons abound on how to manage hostage situations.

The United States recently exchanged five “hardened terrorists” for the last American prisoner-of-war in Afghanistan. Nobody got the news until the American POW was already safe in the embrace of American forces, which then wasted no time in relocating him to the US. A proud President Barack Obama called up the parents of Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl with the news of his release. Obama even courageously sidestepped a law that stipulates that the Congress is apprised of such information before the execution of the deal. No loophole existed that would have led to a sudden change of mind on the part of the Taliban about the swap deal.

Closer home, it could be said that when the Cameroonians secured the release of their nationals kidnapped by the Boko Haram, President Paul Biya of Cameroon announced the breakthrough in a radio broadcast after the release.

This is why I feel that the news last Friday that the federal government had wrapped up a ceasefire deal with the Boko Haram insurgents was premature and ill timed.

The report came at a time when Nigeria’s northern neighbours – Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic – had commenced preparations to support Nigeria in the battle

against Boko Haram. According to reports, the four countries had agreed to form a multinational Joint Task Force to confront the deadly sect from November 1. As part of the arrangements, it was learnt, the base of the force, which would be headed by a chief of staff, will be in Baga, Borno State.

They were meant to operate under the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) membercountries and to be joined

by Benin Republic, Nigeria’s western neighbour. The force is expected to begin combat action on November 20. The decision was said to have been reached at the LCBC security meeting in Abuja, which also adopted the draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the African Union (AU) on terrorism. This is why I ask, why the hurry?

I am still expecting the news that the Chibok community is agog with festivities to welcome the girls home and I pray fervently for it to come.

However, I think that with all we have gone through in the hands of the insurgents, it would have been better for the girls to have arrived at the Government House in Maiduguri or some military facility before the announcement by the chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh and the coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mike Omeri. To have released such sensitive information to the world without actual release of the girls shows that Mr President and his minders have learnt nothing, despite the travails of Nigerians since 2002 in the hands of the insurgents.

Expectedly, the indiscretion led to a barrage of questions from Nigerians, who prefer to see before they believe. After all, we had similar news three months ago. The military had claimed that all the kidnapped girls had been rescued and reunited

with their families during the early days of the kidnap. The information turned out to be a costly hoax.

Notwithstanding, reports that the Chibok girls kidnapped on April 14 would soon be home should gladden the heart of any parent anywhere in the world. However, somebody who claimed to have represented the Boko Haram during the President Idris Derby of Chadled talks in Saudi Arabia was quoted to have said the girls were “fine”. Let the girls first regain their freedom and then they can tell us how “fine” they were in Boko Haram captivity for over six months.

Other critics have nonetheless labelled the information as a political move

by Mr President and the PDP ahead of the 2015 elections.

But trust Nigerians to bring the ugly out of very beautiful situations. A friend of mine sent a message to my BB that reads, “On May 2, 2011, in the lead-up to the American presidential election, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by a United States Special Forces military unit. That move practically gave the incumbent Barack Obama a re-election.

Today, Nigeria’s military says it has agreed a ceasefire with Islamist militants Boko Haram - and that the schoolgirls the group have abducted will be released. President Jonathan might declare his interest to run for 2015 election tomorrow at TAN grand finale in Abuja.

‘Oga Jona’ I see you!”

One really wonders if the ceasefire is what we need at this time. Efforts ought to have been made by the nation’s military and troops from neighbouring countries to effectively weaken the insurgents, cut off their supply routes and force them to voluntarily surrender, as some of them have reportedly done.

I still believe our troops are

I am still expecting the news that the Chibok community is agog with festivities to welcome the girls home and I pray fervently for it to come capable of pulling this victory, even though the handling of the insurgency by the Jonathan administration so far is not only far from salutary, but also downright indecisive.

What should Nigerians expect from the ceasefire? What would Nigerians benefit from the ceasefire? Does it mean the federal troops can now stroll into territories being controlled by the insurgents without being repelled by a volley of machine gunfire? Will occupied areas be vacated by the insurgents or are they using the period as a decoy to restock food, arms and ammunition? Was the ceasefire as a result of a deathblow to the insurgents from the federal troops? Did the insurgents beg for the ceasefire, as advocated

by Senate President David Mark, or has the federal government gone soft on the insurgents once again? Will the insurgents now account for the ‘missing’ NAF aircraft whose pilots they allegedly beheaded in a recent video? Was it for the love of the Chibok girls that the federal government brokered a ceasefire or the insurgents’ fear of the West African joint forces, scheduled to battle them from November 1? Is the ceasefire solely for political expediency?

Why the ceasefire now?

What is the value of the pact when reports indicate that it was violated less than 24 hours after pronouncement?

We must not forget too fast.

The euphoria occasioned by news that the girls would soon be released should not

timifrank@leadership.ng be allowed to becloud our sense of judgement on the idiosyncrasies of criminal elements, or to think that the Boko Haram has lost its deadly venom. However, we must welcome the prospect for peace, no matter how belated.

Besides, Nigerians must be vigilant to ensure that the two parties in the bargain mean well for the girls in particular and our country. This must not be a false hope raiser by the government and state agents with the aim of reaping political gains.

The Boko Haram should not be allowed to capitalise on this window of opportunity to amass supplies in arms and food for future attacks. This is why the attacks on some villages some hours after the ceasefire was announced must not be taken with levity. If that happens, it would show that we are still dealing with a dangerous viper who, sensing that a coalition of sub regional forces would soon congregate to rout it, has decided to red herring the federal government and the military to enable it regroup, re-arm and restock for the battle ahead. This is why we must be cautious.

GHANA MUST GO Patience Jonathan meets Ladoja over 2015 — News

Wetin be her business sef?

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