Leadership tuesday by LEADERSHIP Newspaper

26.08.14

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

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No. 2,245

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Gas Supply Contract: Ghana May Dump Nigeria Over Breach By Chika Izuora, Lagos

The Ghanaian government may look elsewhere for reliable gas supply to her Volta River Authority (VRA) following repeat-

ed failure by NGas, a company owned by Chevron, Shell and the Nigerian National Petrole-

um Corporation (NNPC). LEADERSHIP gathered that the contract provides that, in

the event of failure to meet agreed volumes, the supplier (Nigeria) will pay to enable

APC To PDP: You Can’t Associate David Umaru With Thuggery > Page 8

Chibok Diary

DAY

134

the receiver buy crude oil for the shortfall. The contract was signed more than 10 years ago when the crude oil price was be➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Insurgency: FG Should Tell Nigerians > Page 2 The Truth — BBOG Group

Cameroon Disarms 480 Fleeing Nigerian Troops As Boko Haram captures another Borno town, Gamboru-Ngala Troops’ action tactical manoeuvre - DHQ

President Goodluck Jonathan at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on arrival from Germany yesterday.

Jonathan Returns From Germany > Page 7

chibok diary 134

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

DAY

Chibok Tweets Chibok tweets 18 @Mubarakmuhd529 124 daex ago,ovar 200 galx wre kdnappd 4rm goin 2 skul!D government hs nt rscued 1 child!HELP #BringBackOurGirls @gbengasesan You can’t find what you’re not looking for. Ìwákùwá là nwá nkan tó sonù. To #BringBackOurGirls, the task has to be a defining priority. @BBOG_Nigeria Day 125: We don't have our girls back. Please #BringBackOurGirls\ @rescueourgirls 125 days since Moda Baba was taken from #Chibok. Will she ever come home? Never forget. #BringBackOurGirls @rescueourgirls 125 days since the #ChibokGirls were kidnapped. We ask all of you, continue to rally. We will not be silenced. @Abu_Aaid Will you raise your voice for #OurGirls kidnapped since 14th April? 125 days after...still kidnapped! #BringBackOurGirls #StopBokoHaram @BBOG_Nigeria Day 120: Its now 4 harrowing months for parents and families of over 200 chibok girls that were abducted by #bokoharam #BringBackOurGirls @etinmagbe Our hearts are crying and aching with pain! Is there anyone listening?? #BringBackOurGirls #BringBackOurGirls

Insurgency: FG Should Tell Nigerians The Truth - BBOG By Chika Mefor and Ejike Ejike, Abuja

Following a video released by the leader of the Boko Haram sect, that it has declared Gwoza Town a part of an Islamic Caliphate and on the other hand, the many denials by the federal government of the claim, the #BringBackOurGirls Group has called on the government to stop its denial and tell Nigerians the true situation of what is happening in the country. Recall that the Nigerian military re-

futed the claim by the sect, saying in a statement that the “sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state is still intact”. Also, the Nigerian Defence spokesman, Chris Olukolade was quoted to have said, “Any group of terrorists laying claim to any portion of the country will not be allowed to get away with that expression of delusion and crime.” The BBOG Group stated that the many reports about the insurgency were becoming overwhelming and called on the

Chibok Denies That Parents Are Giving Up On Abducted Girls By Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri Parents and relatives of the abducted Chibok girls yesterday described as “wicked, fictitious and insensitive” the stories being published in various media, alleging that they had given up on their daughters and had asked federal troops to storm Sambisa and wage a full blown offensive against the Boko Haram sect. Some of the relatives and parents of the missing girls, who spoke from Chibok town by phone, said that those giving the impression that they could ever give up on their daughters by urging the military to go into the forest and bring out their dead bodies, either lacked human compassion or had “never experienced the true taste of parenthood”. “How on earth would anyone say we have a culture that gives up our daughters out of despair?” said a relative of one of the abducted girls, Naomi. “This is an insult and a further attempt by those who have disconnected with our culture and tradition as a people.” Naomi, who is a health official further said, “I am in Chibok now and I have been with most of these parents who are still grieving over their daughters and still looking forward to the day they would return. “Every day, my people wake up in anticipation over the safe return of their daughters. Every day they get assurance from the men of God that they should keep on praying for the return of the girls, yet some persons would sit in Abuja and say we have given up on our daughters. Come to Chibok and see how these poor mothers have developed all kinds of medical problems because of too much thinking about these

girls. It is sad that people would sit down in Abuja and be playing politics with our lives.” Another parent, who preferred not to mention his name said, “Look, government has no reason not to help rescue our girls and bring them back home safe and alive, be-

The Facts N200 7bn 95.151bn 15.9% Average cost / pack

Number of units produced in 2013

Cost of cigarettes consumed in 2013

1.3%

Members of #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group during a village square meeting at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

cause the Boko Haram terrorists did not abduct them in our homes but while in school, which means they are taken away from the hands of government, and that government should not give us excuses for failing to bring them home or bringing them not alive,” he said.

Nigeria’s Cigarette Consumption:

Male current use (Male age standardised % 2009

@rescueourgirls 121 days since Tabitha Thomas was taken from #Chibok. Will she ever come home? Never forget. #BringBackOurGirls Compiled by Iroka Ugochukwu

government to stop denying the facts and come up with a viable means of quashing terrorism in the country. It also emphasised the need for the government to provide for the many Nigerians displaced and otherwise affected by the insurgency in the North East. The group reiterated its resolve to continue its advocacy saying come rain come shine, it would carry on with its campaign for the rescue and safe return of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls to their parents.

Girls current cigarette use for ages 13 - 15

Excise Tax on cigarette sales

5.6%

Boy’s current cigarete use for ages 13 -15

2.0%

Male deaths linked to cigarette smoking in 2004

21.7%

Youths between the ages of 13-15 exposed to second hand cigarette smoke

0.1%

Female deaths linked to cigarette smoking in 2004

our stand Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Rising Number Of Displaced Nigerians

recent report indicates that Nigeria is leading Africa’s list of persons displaced by conflict, with the number of its internally displaced persons (IDPs) pegged at 3.3 million. According to “Global Overview 2014: People Internally Displaced by Conflict and Violence”, which has been released by the Internally Displaced Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the number of internally displaced persons in Nigeria is approximately a third of the IDPs in Africa and 10 per cent of IDPs in the world. The report goes on to list the causes of displacement in Nigeria to include violence, flood and storms. It further states that, in 2013 alone, 470,500 persons were displaced in the country, making it one with the third highest number of IDPs in the world, behind only Syria with 6.5 million and Colombia with 5.7 million IDPs. The list is not exhaustive. Apart from the aforementioned, other causes of displacement include illegal eviction, communal clashes, religious crises and insurgents’ acts. The recent increase in acts of violence by terrorists in the country and inter-ethnic clashes as well as clashes between farmers

and cattle herders have swelled the number of IDPs, particularly in 2013; perhaps, Nigeria has not witnessed this high level of IDPs in the many years of its history. From Borno to Yobe and Adamawa through Benue and Taraba to Kaduna, Plateau and other states of the country, escalating violence has caused people to flee their homes and sources of livelihood to other places. It is even more worrisome that some displaced persons move out to a seeming comfort zone, only to be displaced again by one of these elements. As is the case in most crisis situations, women and children are the worst hit. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA) said 300,000 people

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

in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states, 70 per cent of them women and children, had fled their homes since early 2013. Life doesn’t get any easier for IDPs most of whom live in camps in the most appalling conditions. National and state emergency management agencies have not been at their best in managing victims of emergency situations and giving them succour. The present situation calls for concern from all Nigerians. There is the need to make deliberate efforts to ensure that those elements that cause people to be displaced are addressed. As we approach an election year, there is need to preach peaceful coexistence among us. When people are displaced from their homes, they become disenfranchised and therefore may not be part of the election process. The country is in dire need of development, but what degree of it can be achieved when people are constantly on the run and their communities are daily destroyed? Traditional and religious leaders must take the duty of preaching peace more seriously. Government at all levels should do everything necessary to end the causes of displacement. Every Nigerian has the right to live in peace in his own home.

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

Leadership Holdings

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

LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital. We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed. We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!

4 news extra

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo Editors Conference Examines Credible Elections The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has put together arrangements to organise its 10th All Nigerian Editors Conference in Katsina State (ANEC, Katsina 2014). The NGE made this known yesterday in a statement signed by the NGE president, Mr. Femi Adesina, and vice president (North) Mr. Suleiman Uba Gaya in which they disclosed that the founder of the LEADERSHIP Newspapers Group, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, would be the special guest. According to the NGE, editors have an important role to play in deepening the country’s democracy through a credible process of electing people in public offices to reflect the wishes of majority of Nigerians. This, they said, informed the theme of the conference, ‘Credible Elections and Good Governance, the Role of the Editor’. “In view of the key role the editors play in information dissemination, influencing, moulding public opinion and conveying messages and data, it is important that he/she is properly positioned not only to understand the issues involved in organising a credible election but the philosophy underpinning them towards attaining an enduring democracy in the country,” the group said. By Chika Otuchikere, Abuja.

Nigerians Yet To Enjoy Democratic Dividends After 15 Years – NLC President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abduwaheed Omar, has said that Nigerians are yet to benefit from any form of democratic dividends despite 15 years of uninterrupted civilian rule. Omar also stated that the deadly Ebola virus currently ravaging parts of West Africa can cripple the economy if not adequately addressed. Speaking in Uyo at this year’s annual NLC rain school, Omar said the current security challenges, growing poverty, unemployment and high level corruption had denied citizens any democratic dividends. On the Ebola virus, he disclosed that nine African countries were unable to partake in the annual event due to the fear of Ebola. He said the Congress had written to countries such as Kenya, Sierra Leone, Liberia and South Africa, asking them not to send delegates to the conference. He said this year’s theme, ‘Inequality and Socio-political Instability: Issues and Challenges for the Working Class’ is apt in addressing the current insecurity situation in the country caused by deep rooted corruption and class inequality. By Michael Oche, Abuja

Vice President Namadi Sambo at the inauguration of the new 100,000MT silo complex and private sectordriven agricultural equipment hiring enterprises at Kwali Silo Complex in Abuja, yesterday. With him from the right are ministers: Sarah Ochekpe (Water Resources) Chinedu Nebo (Power), Akinwunmi Adeshina (Agric) and Mrs Asabe Ahmed (minister of state, Agric) PHOTO BY NAN.

Reps To NMA: Apologise To Nigerians For Deaths Caused By Strike By Adesuwa Tsan and Edegbe Odemwingie, Abuja

As members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) resume duties after calling off its 55-day strike on Sunday, the House of Representatives has asked them to apologise to millions of Nigerians who lost loved ones owing to the doctors’ strike. The House Committee on Health, while making this call yesterday during a briefing at the National Assembly, pointed out that their decision to stay away in the face of glaring national health emergency was ‘unpatriotic’. “The leadership of NMA has been described as unpatriotic even by other Nigerian doctors, as well as members of the public in view of various health chal-

lenges confronting the nation and the scourge of Ebola virus disease, which erupted during the strike period. Patriotic Nigerians, both home and abroad, have passionately condemned the action of the current leadership of the NMA (led by Dr. Kayode Obembe). “The committee has a final word for NMA. The NMA has suspended the strike, but it has failed to do one thing: the NMA failed to apologise to Nigerians. The NMA should apologise to Nigerians for all the inconveniences and lives that were lost during the strike”. Chairman of the committee, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, added that now that the strike is over, it is important that both parties take home an important lesson: that agreements must be respected to the letter.

“One of such lessons is the need to obey agreements. The law is pacta sunt servanda, meaning, agreements must be obeyed. If parties had obeyed previous agreements executed between NMA and representatives of federal government, the strike would have been averted. The lesson to learn here is that we must at all times obey contents of agreements freely entered into in order to avert crisis,” Elumelu said The lawmaker went on to list some of the conditions reached: “For the avoidance of doubt, the committee resolved as follows: that Federal Ministry of Health has granted the request of NMA for a new circular as demanded by NMA; that federal government shall pay two months salary arrears to members of NMA

on or before July 31, 2014; that balance of salary arrears would be reflected in the 2015 budget and paid to members of NMA; that the new salary structure of medical doctors would be reflected in the 2015 budget and medical doctors will begin to get the new salary structure effective from January 2015. “In its several meetings with representatives of the federal government, NMA raised a 24-point demand, which includes that Mr. President must appoint a surgeongeneral as minister of health. “The question every Nigerian is asking is: was there anytime Mr. President abolished such appointment? Secondly, was there any bill that was passed at the National Assembly that Mr. President had refused to assent?” Elumelu queried.

Nigeria Can Eradicate Ebola By September – NCDC By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that Nigeria can eradicate the deadly Ebola epidemic from the country by September if it sustains its current efforts at tackling the disease. This was disclosed by the project director of the centre, Prof. Abdulsalami Nasidi, during his presentation at a workshop organised by the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) on Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment for Hemorrhagic and Zoonotic Viral Dis-

eases, yesterday in Abuja. He said, “Let me say here that if the current efforts at tackling the disease are sustained, we should be able to defeat Ebola on or before September 6, 2014. But, that is not say the threat of reappearance will no longer be there.” Prof. Nasidi, who said Ebola was already on its way out of the nation, urged Nigerians to stop panicking over disease, saying it was not as deadly as it is being painted, adding that the virus is not easily contactable until the living host becomes visibly sick. He commended President

Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Babatunde Fashola and Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, for the support given to health workers to confront the virus. “The president should be commended because he came back from a trip when the virus landed in the nation and swiftly went into action by championing the cause of containing the disease, and made funds available to that effect. The minister and governor are excellent people; their performance was excellent because they acted swiftly and decisively to bring the situation un-

der control,” he said. He further condemned the call by some embassies for intending travellers to present an Ebola-free certificate, describing it as unnecessary. According to him, “You only need to screen (the blood of) those who have come in contact with an infected person, not everybody. Asking everybody to screen their blood for Ebola is out of WHO’s recommendation.” The federal government, he added, was already taking it up with embassies that now put this as one of the requirements for visa processing.

NEWS 5

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Cameroon Disarms 480 Fleeing One health tip daily Nigerian Troops

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Gas Supply Contract: Ghana May Dump Nigeria Over Breach FROM COVER

low US$20 per barrel Currently, the level of gas supply to Ghana has fallen to 70 mcf relative to the 120 mcf indicated in the contract. Six months ago, Nigeria was delivering around 80 mcf in what industry operators said has become a persistent trend of erratic supply. The development has meant that the largest power producer in Ghana, Volta River Authority (VRA), has to spend US$55million every three weeks to import crude oil to power its thermal plants. The business development manager of the VRA, Kofi Ellis, who spoke on the vexed issue, explained that Nigeria’s domestic gas demand currently outstrips production, making it difficult for NGas to supply the full contractual volume to Ghana. Ellis stated that VRA was already questioning the wisdom of continuing to rely on gas from Nigeria and what could be done to prevent NGas from continually reneging on the agreed volume. Ellis confirmed that the Ghanaians are increasingly worried especially as electricity generation from hydro sources is currently at risk from poor inflows of water into the Akosombo, Kpong and Bui dams. According to him, total demand in Nigeria is about 1.6 billion standard cubic feet of gas, and the production is about 1 billion. “So, ideally, you would say Nigeria should not even put any gas in for Ghana because it’s

Jonathan

not enough for them. But they are doing something to increase production to 2 billion by 2015, and the idea is that when they are able to improve it to 2 billion, there will be enough for the domestic market. Because our price is much better than the domestic market, they will definitely put full gas in the pipeline for us at that stage. He said the price of gas is half the price of crude oil for an equivalent amount of electricity generation, and that “the idea of Ghana gas is purely to try and reduce our cost of production by bringing VRA’s plants from crude production to gas production”. Speaking further he said, “The contract says that if you don’t give me gas, you have to pay to enable me buy crude oil for the shortfall. But this contract was signed more than 10 years ago when the crude oil price was below US$20 per barrel. At the time of negotiating the contract, we agreed that because we didn’t know what the ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

By Bayo Oladeji, Abdullahi Umar, Abuja; Abdulkareem Haruna, Maiduguri with agency report

Nigerian troops are forcing Boko Haram terrorists out of Gaborou Ngala which they had attacked on Sunday. The military has also explained why some troops were found in Cameroun. The troops and some terrorists clashed at the border town of Gaborou Ngala on Sunday that forced some inhabitants of the town to flee to Cameroun. Yesterday, the Defence Headquarters on its blog disclosed that its troops were already after the terrorists with a view to restoring peace and normalcy. “Troops are repelling a group of terrorists who are trying to enter the country through Gamborou Ngala. A group of them who fizzled into the town are being pursued,” it said. The Defence Headquarters also explained the circumstance that led to some troops entering Cameroun: “The Nigerian troops that were found in Cameroun was as a result of a sustained battle between the troops and the terrorists around the borders with Cameroun which saw the Nigerian troops charging through the borders in a tactical manoeuvre. “Eventually, they found themselves on Cameroonian soil. Being allies, the normal protocol of managing such incident demanded that the troops submit their weapons in order to assure the friendly country that they were not on a hostile mission.” The DHQ also disclosed that the affected troops had regained their freedom and were on their way back to the country. “Following necessary discussions between Nigeria and Cameroun military authorities, the issues have been sorted out. Subsequently, the troops are on their way back to join their unit in Nigeria. “The reference to the incident as a defection is therefore not appropriate, considering the discussion between the countries’ military leadership and the series of contacts with the soldiers who have confirmed that they are safe.”

Minimah

Boko Haram Captures Gamboru-Ngala In Borno Barely 24 hours after Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau resurfaced in a video claiming Gwoza town as “Islamic Caliphate”, the sect made further advances in territorial grab by once more taking over Gamboru-Ngala, a key township on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon. The attack by a heavily armed contingent of the terrorist sect marked the second time Boko Haram fighters targeted and seized parts of the town, forcing about 480 Nigerian troops to flee to neighbouring Cameroon. Speaking with the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Cameroonian army spokesman Lt Col. Didier Badjek said the soldiers had been disarmed and were now being accommodated in schools. “480 Nigerian soldiers have fled into Cameroon following fierce fighting with Boko Haram militants,” Lt Col Didier said. According to a resident, the insurgents first attacked and sacked an army barracks in Ngala before proceeding to Gamboru about 3 kilometers away. The sect took over the town without resistance from troops. In a response to the attacks, the Nigerian Air Force jet later dropped a massive bomb in the middle of Gamboru after hovering for several minutes in the air. The jet then left while the militants began a house-tohouse raid in Gamboru. ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

6 NEWS

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Cameroon Disarms 480 Fleeing Nigerian Troops FROM PAGE 5

A contingent of Nigerian troops was later seen massing close to a bridge earlier destroyed by insurgents during their first attack on Gamboru. A security source told the agency that Boko Haram desperately wants to seize full control of GamboruNgala because the extensive area offers great strategic advantages. “If they completely capture the township, Boko Haram will be able to use it to transact economic and military business,” the source said. He further explained, “The township will enable them [to] freely move arms into Nigeria in order to fortify their control of the seized territories they have declared an Islamic Caliphate.” Soldiers fighting Boko Haram in border town retreat into Cameroon Officials of the Nigerian Army yesterday confirmed that soldiers were retreating into the Cameroonian territories as troops fighting Boko Haram ran out of ammunition at the border town of Gamboru Ngala in Borno State. Earlier reports had it that the insurgents might have forced soldiers to flee to the Cameroonian side as Boko Haram overran them with superior firepower. A top officer of the State Security Service in Maiduguri who would not want to be named in this report said soldiers who ran out of ammunition only retreated to

a safer zone at the other side of the border as Boko Haram cut off the unit responsible for supplying them more ammunition. He said: “We cannot say they fled into Cameroon per se, but what happened was that, as the troops continued to engage them, they eventually needed additional ammunition, but those responsible for supplying them the needed bullets got ambushed on the way, and in order for them to get organized, they had to retreat to a safer zone outside the battle line which happened to be part of the Cameroonian territories.” The official said the fighting later continued and “the soldiers did well alongside the support of the Cameroonian soldiers at the borders”. Sources in Gamboru-Ngala who spoke with journalists in Maiduguri from Cameroon, using foreign lines, said the attackers came about 5am today and went straight to attack the military and police formations there. Basuma Muhammed, a resident of GamboruNgala who was among the hundreds of people that fled the attacked border community, said: “The attack was in two forms: initially the Boko Haram people came in not very plenty number, then the soldiers engaged them in a deadly shootout that caused many of them to die. But hours after the attack, a larger number of the Boko Haram gunmen arrived from the other side of the town and engaged the soldiers who could not stand their superior force and had

to join us in running into Cameroon. It was like they used the first batch of their members as guinea-pigs to help them make the soldiers dissipate their arms before they later came in large force. “Though the insurgents did not touch any civilian -as some of them were telling us while we were fleeing that they were not out to deal with us now; that their concern was the soldiers, and after that they would come for us some day -- we still had to run for our lives,” said Basuma, a local trader in the town. Gamboru Ngala is located north-east of Borno State and about 180 kilometers away from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. A junior officer who spoke to newsmen in Maiduguri but would not want to be quoted also said that his colleagues who spoke with him from Cameroon said they had to flee because they ran out of ammunition and that “the calibre of weapons the terrorists came with far outweighed what our men were carrying”. A Cameroonian military spokesman, Didier Badjek, speaking with the BBC Hausa service, confirmed that “about 400 soldiers are currently on their side” and were helping to fight the terrorists in the ongoing battle. Describing how the insurgents came attacking Gamboru-Ngala, Basuma said, “Vehicles mounted with big rifles and armoured tanks; we heard loud sounds like that of bombs and the shootings were deafening.”

Gas Supply Contract: Ghana May Dump Nigeria Over Breach FROM PAGE 5

future price of crude oil would be, we would price it at a default rate of US$35 per barrel. We expected that, within the contract period, even if the price of crude oil doubled, it would fall within that price range. “Now, the crude oil price has jumped from that low level to more than US$100 per barrel. Using the US$35 price, compensation for the entire contract period came to about

US$20million. They’ve paid us US$10million already. So what is left is US$10million for the remainder of the contract period.” Ghana’s current gas demand is about 300million standard cubic feet. The imminent completion of the Atuabo pipeline linked to the Jubilee oil field is expected to bring on stream at least 120 million standard cubic feet of gas. Given the unreliability of Nigeria’s gas, a supply volume of 80 million from them would

still leave a deficit of some 100 million cubic feet. Over the long-term (20142021), the VRA projects electricity demand to grow at an average of 10 per cent annually, rising from 1,950MW to 3,300MW in 2021. The VRA has therefore started negotiations with other gas suppliers in Nigeria for the supply of additional gas via the West Africa Gas Pipeline. The pipeline is designed to carry up to 200 million cubic feet of the fuel.

Court Restrains FG From Sacking Resident Doctors By OLUGBENGA SOYELE, Lagos

The conflict between the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the federal government seems far from over: the doctors yesterday obtained a restraining order stopping the government from terminating their appointments. The order was issued by the president of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Justice Babatunde Adejumo, despite the suspension of the industrial action by the NMA on Sunday. Justice Adejumo, who granted the order while ruling on a motion on notice filed by the registered trustee of the NMA, specifically restrained the federal government and all the chief medical directors of the 37 federal medical institutions across the country from sacking the doctors. The judge also ordered that the status quo ante be maintained pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed by the resident doctors. But the court declined to make any pronouncement on the issue of suspension of the training programmes for resident doctors, holding instead that the claimant (NMA) should put all the respondents on notice. Justice Adejumo held: “I have gone through the Motion Exparte, the affidavit in support as well as the written address in respected of prayer one (suspension of training programme); it is my belief that it will be better addressed when parties joined issues on the issues raised in the Motion on Notice. “On the second prayer (termination of appointment), it is the order of the court that since there is yet to be proof that the order has been carried out, the 3rd to 39th respondents (Chief Medical Directors) are hereby restrained either by themselves, agents, privies or any other person from serving member of the Registered Trustee of the Nigeria Medical Association with any letter of termination if same had not been served on them before today (August 25, 2014).” Respondents in the suit are: the attorney general of the federation, the minister of health and 37 chief medical directors of University Teaching hospitals and Federal Medical centres across the country. The doctors had, in a Motion on Notice dated August 18, 2014, filed by their lawyer, Yusuf Ali, SAN, sought an order restraining the respondents or their privies from executing or giving effect to the directive contained in the letter of August 13, 2014, suspending the residency training programme

for doctors pending the hearing and determination of the suit. They had also urged the court for an interim injunction restraining the respondents, especially the chief medical directors of Teaching hospitals across the country from issuing letters of termination of residency training appointment to resident doctors. In a 19-paragraph affidavit of urgency deposed to by one Dr Adewunmi Alayaki, he stated that, over 10 years ago, the claimant (NMA) has had several face-offs with the federal government over government’s failure to develop health-care delivery system in line with global yearnings, poor work package and environments of medical practitioners in the country. The claimant further stated that he was surprised to see a letter dated August 13, 2014, purportedly suspending the residency programmes for doctors, adding that a prototype letter of termination of employment of resident doctors was further forced on the 3rd to 39 respondents (chief medical directors). He also claimed that the said letter was issued without the approval of the National Assembly and consultations with statutory bodies established to manage the residency programme. The claimant stressed that if the respondents were not retained, it would affect and cause fundamental damages to the health-care industry. The suit has been adjourned till September 17 for hearing of the Motion on Notice. The chief medical directors joined in the suit are those of Aminu Kanu Teaching Hospital, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos State Teaching Hospital, Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, and University College Hospital, Ibadan. Also included are: University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Calabar Teaching Hospital, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Usman Danfodio Teaching Hospital, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. Others are the medical directors of Federal Medical centres in Asaba, Azare, Bida, Birnin-Kebbi, Birnin Kudu, Gombe, Keffi, Gusau, Ido-Ekiti, Katsina, Lokoja, Makurdi, Owerri, Owo, Umuahia, Yenagoa, Yola and Ebute Metta.

news extra 7

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

INEC Says Extension Of Continuing Voter Reg Impossible The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is logically impossible to extend the second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), which ended yesterday. The position of INEC was contained in a statement by the chief press secretary to the national chairman of INEC, Kayode Idowu, following what the commission described as concerns over the agitation in some quarters for an extension of the second phase of the CVR. This phase of the exercise, which commenced on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, involved the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and 11 states, namely Yobe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kwara, Anambra, Ebonyi, Ondo, Oyo Delta and Cross River. But INEC said: “Much as the Commission is eager to ensure that all legitimate persons who are yet to register as voters have the opportunity to do so, it is logistically impossible to extend this phase of the CVR beyond its scheduled deadline (i.e., Monday, August 25, 2014).” The commission, however, added that “in order to give fair chance to legitimate registrants, the Commission will, on a date to be shortly announced, set up registration points at its local Government Area By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

APC Warms To Jega’s Stance On Free, Fair Elections

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Nigeria may be able to organise truly free and transparent elections in the nearest future if the recent comments by INEC chairman Attahiru Jega reflect the thinking of the electoral commission. In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said three issues stood out in comments credited to the INEC boss: that hooded security personnel would no longer be allowed during elections; that the security paraphernalia in future elections should be under the control of INEC, and that the Commission will use ecard readers for the 2015 general elections. According to him, if indeed the INEC boss meant what he said, then it was a breakthrough of sorts in Nigeria’s long quest to hold elections that are not only free, fair and transparent, but are seen to be so by the local and international community. APC, however, said it would hold Prof. Jega to his promises to avoid a repeat of the situation in the past when promises made by the electoral chief were not kept. By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

L-R: Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, former Minister of Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the night of tributes and requiem mass for Prof Dora Akunyili, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

Jonathan Returns From Germany By George Agba, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday arrived in the country from Germany where he was said to have gone to for “a private visit.” LEADERSHIP gathered that the president, whose jet touched down at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 4:32pm, was received by his chief of staff, Brig.-Gen. Jones Arogbofa (retd.); minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Muhammed, and the acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba. Clad in a pair of navy blue suit, a white shirt and his trademark Niger Delta hat, Jonathan went directly into his official residence where he was also received by family members and some close aides on arrival at the presidential villa. He is expected to lead the federal government delegation to a service of songs being organ-

ised in honour of the late former minister of information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, at the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria ProCathedral, Garki, Abuja today (Tuesday). Jonathan left the country last Friday, a day after his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, had issued a terse statement to the effect that he would be back in the country early this week after a private visit to that country in the company of few of his aides. But LEADERSHIP Weekend, our sister publication, had reportedly exclusively that the president had travelled to Germany to treat an undisclosed illness. While a dinner for members of the just-concluded 2014 National Conference on Thursday was also said to be cancelled due to the president’s illness, effort to reach the president’s media team to confirm the said report was futile.

But speaking to another newspaper on Sunday night, presidential spokesman, Abati, described the report of the president’s ill-health as “the figment of the writers’ imagination.” According to him, Jonathan had the right to go on private visits and that was not only hale and hearty but also treating files in his hotel room. He said, “Before leaving Nigeria, I issued a statement that the president will be embarking on a private visit to Germany with a few of his aides. On Saturday, I sent out a statement that the president spoke with the Falconets on the telephone. I also sent out the video and audio of his conversation with the players where he promised to stay awake and watch the final match. “The NTA and some other broadcasting stations aired the video and audio. There are also photographs out there showing the president when he was leav-

ing Nigeria and when he was arriving in Germany. The president is hale and hearty. In fact, he is treating files in his hotel room. “Are these not enough proofs that Mr. President is not sick as they want Nigerians to believe?” Abati further recalled that a similar private visit embarked upon by the president to Germany last December had sparked reports that he had gone “in search for treatment for ill health. LEADERSHIP recalls that Jonathan’s wife, Patience, was in 2012 admitted in a German hospital for an undisclosed ailment. She had left Nigeria unannounced in August that year and spent about seven weeks abroad. Her media aides had denied that she was sick, saying she was just holidaying. However, the woman, on her return, revealed that she almost died in a German hospital.

Confirmed Ebola Cases Reduces To 13, One Patient Ready For Discharge By Winifred Ogbebo and Victor Okeke, Abuja

The federal government has revised the number of confirmed Ebola cases since the index case from 14 to 13. This came about as a result of a case which turned out negative as opposed to an earlier announcement. The minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, stated this yesterday in Abuja at the inauguration of a committee at the ministry.

He said, “I had let the media know that for each case, we run further confirmatory test on each of them to make sure that anybody that has been labelled as Ebola virus positive is actually Ebola virus positive. “So, the 14th case has turned out to be negative; it is not only negative in terms of viremia, but it is now negative in terms of symptoms. That has now revised Nigeria’s number of cases to 13; that includes the Liberian-American (Mr. Sawyer) who was the index case. So, it’s 13 cases; out of

these 13, unfortunately, we have lost five, including the index case.” In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP, the special assistant on Media and Communication to the minister, Dan Nwomeh, stated that the total number of EVD patients treated and discharged was five. The statement further added that the total number of EVD patients currently under treatment in the isolation ward is three. It added that one of the three persons currently under treatment is for imminent discharge

after necessary protocols. The minister said, “Presently, we have three patients receiving treatment in the Isolation Ward in Lagos. But, certainly, before Wednesday, one of these three will be discharged from the ward because he has tested negative. And, we are now concluding the discharge processes that will lead to the discharge of additional case. “When that is done - before the next 48 hours, it will bring the total number of patients that have been successfully managed to six.”

8 News north-central

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Don’t Associate David Umaru With Thugs, APC Tells PDP By Abu Nmodu, Minna

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Niger State has stated that its candidate for the Niger East senatorial by-election Barrister David Umaru and the party can not be associated with thugery as alleged by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In a statement yesterday by the party’s publicity secretary, Mr Jonathan Vatsa, it noted that the attention of the party had been drawn to the allegation that the party had employed thugs to disrupt the forthcoming by-election, saying the allegation was not true. “We consider it a way of the PDP, exposing their plans to use thugs to rig the election because they are short of ways of rigging the election. It is their trademark, people are wise and they

short news IBB Varsity Collaborates With US Agency Over Mental Health Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) Lapai, Niger State, in collaboration with an America-based National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), has commenced the training of mental health facilitators in Nigeria. The vice chancellor of IBB University, Professor Ibrahim Adamu Kolo who disclosed this while speaking at the opening ceremony of the training, yesterday, at the Guest House of the University in Minna said there was need to train mental health facilitators in view of the depression caused by insecurity and other social challenges in Nigeria. By Abu Nmodu Minna

will protect their votes” the statement read in part. The party stated further that “Our candidate Barrister David Umaru and our party are accepted because people are tired of the falsehood of the PDP. We know that, because of the signs of victory for our party and candidate, the PDP is jittery”. According to APC “The wind of change that is going to blow them all is imminent; it is not a new thing that they have decided to adopt the tactics of associating the party with thugery when it is the trademark of PDP”. The party said PDP has disconnected itself from the people and that they have the opinion that any body in the path of victory must have been adopting their own ways. “We therefore affirm that, APC is not a party of thugs, our can-

No Plan To Return To PDP – Gov Ahmed The Kwara State governor, Alhaj AbdulFatah Ahmed, has denied the rumour doing the rounds that the presidency is lobbying him to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He described the media report to this effect “as mischievous machinations of people devoid of dignity but only out to rehabilitate their dwindling political relevance”. Ahmed, in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Alhaji AbdulWahab Oba, said, “Contrary to the report that Governor Ahmed was at the presidential villa on August 6, 2014, where he sought audience with President Goodluck Jonathan for a possible return to PDP, he was in Ilorin attending to serious state matters”. The statement added that the intent of those peddling the rumour was to cause disaffection within the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state, adding that they were threatened by the increasing popularity of the party in the state. “As they failed in their previous machinations, they shall not succeed in this latest bid to foist discord on the APC family. The APC in the state is a family bonded by solidarity and passion for service delivery rather than filthy lucre.

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Police Rescue 7 Missing Operatives, 28 Still Missing The Nigeria Police has said they have rescued seven of their operative who were declared missing on Sunday following the attack on the Mobile Force Training School, Gwoza. Police spokesman, DCP Emmanuel Ojukwu who made this known yesterday in an update telephone SMS in which he said search for 28 other missing operatives have been intensified. “Attack on Police Mobile Training School Gwoza 7 course men rescued and brought to safety. Search for remaining 28 being intensified,” he said. 35 officers were reportedly declared missing after last week’s attack on the training school which also left many dead on the side of the Nigerian security agencies and the insurgents.

By Chika By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin Otuchikere, Abuja

Plateau State governor Jonah Jang (left) congratulating the new chief judge of Plateau State, Justice Pius Damulak, during his swearing-in in Jos, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN.

2015: APC Will Win Kogi West Senatorial Seat –Melaye By Paul Uwadima, Abuja

The executive secretary of Anti-Corruption Network and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Dino Melaye, has asserted that the APC will win the Kogi West Senatorial seat in 2015 general elections currently being occupied by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking with LEADERSHIP in Abuja yesterday, Melaye

who is a former member of the House of Representatives, said the PDP has failed the people of the senatorial district who have made up their minds to dump the party for the opposition, APC. He said, “As I am speaking with you the present occupant of the senatorial seat is an Abuja politician, he is not a grassroots person, talking about Smart Adeyemi and I want to assure you that politics is about the people

and the people of my senatorial district have made up their minds to go with APC and for change. That change is imminent and that change will come and I assure you that there is no cause for alarm, the APC will win the senatorial seat of Kogi West.” Melaye is also a senatorial aspirant for Kogi West senatorial district on the platform of the APC.

Idoma People Protest Closure Of Ecobank Branch In Otukpo By Christiana Nwaogu, Abuja

The Idoma people of Benue State have protested the sudden closure of the only branch of Ecobank in Otukpo town, by its management. LEADERSHIP gathered that prior to its closure, the affected branch was the only presence of the bank in the nine local government areas, which make up Benue south senatorial district in the state. The aggrieved Idoma people, under the aegis of Idoma Ad-

vancement Project, (IDP), expressed their opposition through a letter signed by one Mr. Steve Anyebe and addressed to the managing director of Ecobank Nigeria Limited. They lamented that the bank’s customers in Idomaland have been subjected to unquantifiable hardship by the closure. The group, however, appealed to the management of Ecobank for the immediate re-opening of Ecobank, Otukpo, to halt further inconveniencies and suffering experienced by her customers.

The IDP recalled that the Otukpo branch of Ecobank was abruptly closed for business earlier this year, pointing out that, “no customer was given any reason for the abrupt closure of the Bank.” Mr. Anyebe regretted that, customers were not adequately informed ahead of the closure, even as many of them came from far places to conduct their usual businesses at Ecobank, Otukpo, only to see a banner informing them to go to Makurdi, a journey of one and half hours away.

Awarding Contracts To Local Engineers Will Boost Devt – NSE By Evelyn Okoruwa, Abuja

The Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) has said that the nation’s economy can only be boosted if the federal government gives consideration in job placement or award of contracts to indigenous engineers. The president NSE, Engr. Isaac Olorunfemi, made this known at the society’s second quarterly dinner and stressed that if the Nigerian engineer is involved in such projects thelocal content will be developed

and sustainable capacity will be achieved. He disclosed that the NSE has initiated strategies towards bringing the relevance of engineers in the pursuit of national development to the front burner. “We desire that the Nigerian professional must be given their due and deserved consideration in the industry and governance. To this effect, we have continued to take advantage of visits to government functionaries at every level to drive home the significance of this aspiration.”

Also worried about the need to close the increasing infrastructure deficit in Nigeria and Africa in general, Engr. Olorunfemi disclosed that the NSE has invited engineers from all over the world to come to Abuja to share experiences in tackling the challenges. He noted that closing the huge infrastructural gap in Nigeria has become necessary as any economy endowed with infrastructure attracts investments and creates jobs faster and in greater numbers.

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Tuesday, August 26, 2014 ``

news north-East, north-west 9 Katsina Disburses N100m To Victims Of Armed Attacks Fintiri, like the former gov-

Adamawa Guber: ‘Adamawa Central Should Wait For 2015’ By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

The acting governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, yesterday submitted his governorship form ahead of the Adamawa governorship by-election, declaring that those clamouring for the zoning of the governorship position to Adamawa Central should wait till 2015. The acting governor added that

although Adamawa Central deserves the position, they should wait till 2015 as he is completing the tenure of an existing administration. Fintiri, who spoke with newsmen after he submitted his nomination form at the national secretariat of the PDP, however, said, “It is my wish that I will not contest in 2015, but if it is the wish of the Adamawa people, I will con-

test.” He also took a swipe at a fellow aspirant and former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, saying he poses no threat because he has no political structure on ground for the election. He further hinted that some aspirants are already supporting his ambition ahead of the by-election.

ernor, Murtala Nyako, is from Northern Adamawa, while Ribadu, Engr Marcus Gundiri, Sen Abubakar Girei, Ahmed Modibbo, Auwal Tukur, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong are from Adamawa Central. On the clamour for zoning to Adamawa Central, he said “for fairness, it is the turn of the Central to contest or to provide leadership for the state in 2015.”

L-R: Former executive secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Ahmed Moddibo; PDP national organising secretary, Abubakar Mustapha, and a PDP chieftain, Sani Bala, during Moddibo’s submission of the nomination form for the gubernatorial election in Adamawa State, at the PDP Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.

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PHOTO BY ADEFEMI ADEWUYI

short news CNPP Extols Gov Dakingari’s Prudence

As the tenure of Kebbi State governor, Saidu Dakingari, gradually comes to an end, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Kebbi State branch, comprising PPP, APGA, LP, NNPP, UPP, CPP, ADC, NCP, SDP, PPA and PDC, has extolled the leadership style of the governor and his prudent management of the state’s resources. The commendation was contained in a press release signed by the chairman of the group, Alhaji Usman Abubakar yesterday in Birnin Kebbi. By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi

2015: INEC Creating Room For Post-election Violence – Anuojo By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto

The possibility of recording yet another post-election violence come 2015 is avoidable if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) resolves to do the right thing at the right time, Comrade Kalu Igwe Anuojo has observed. Speaking while addressing newsmen yesterday in Sokoto, Comrade Anuojo who is the team leader of Accredited Observers of the Permanent Voter Card Distribution (PVC) and Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in Sokoto State,

noted that the exercise was greeted with a myriad of challenges. Such impediments, according to Anuojo, include language barrier, inadequate publicity on voters’ sensitisation and mobilisation, natural occurrences, security, ineffective machines as well as limited registration centres. Commenting on what some of these challenges portend for the country come 2015, Comrade Anuojo solicited extension of dates for the exercise in not only Sokoto but also other states of the federation.

He said, “In view of the above observations, we recommend that the three days for the PVC and five days for the CVR are grossly inadequate for the exercise considering the geographical size of Sokoto; hence the days should be extended as was done in the Federal Capital Territory with only six area councils. “Going by the present INEC strategy, it is very obvious that many voters will be disenfranchised in the state which is capable of causing post-election violence in the coming general elections because the credibility of the election will be doubted.

Emir Of Gwandu Charges Community Leaders To Lead By Example By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi

The emir of Gwandu in Kebbi State, Alhaji Muhammad Iliyasu Bashar, has advised community leaders in the area to lead their subjects with all sense of love and care, and ensure unity and sustenance of peace, law and order in their domains. The emir gave the advice at the turbarning ceremony of eight in-

digines of Gwandu Emirate including the district head of Kuka Na Yelwa in Kalgo local government area , Alhaji Aminu Abubakar. The emir further charged the community leaders to be conscious of the current security challenges facing the country and lead their people with all sense of humility, respect and tolerance. He equally advised the people

to love and respect one another, acquire both Islamic and western education and learn small-scale businesses to reduce unemployment. Speaking to newsmen shortly after the turbaning ceremony, Alhaji Aminu Abubakar who was turbaned as district head of Kuka Na Yelwa called on the people to contribute to the sustenance of peace and security in the country.

short news USAID To Train Stakeholders On Malaria Elimination In Kebbi The USAID-funded Health Communication, Capacity and Collaboration (HC3) and Kebbi government have commenced the development of a comprehensive framework for malaria elimination. The state consultant of the programme, Sammy Olaniru, said in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday that the programme would also train stakeholders to develop advocacy Capacity Social Mobilisation (ACSM) framework adopted from the national strategic framework on the elimination of malaria. By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi

Katsina State government yesterday began the disbursement of N100million to assist victims of armed attacks in three council areas of Sabuwa, Faskari and Safana. The beneficiaries included the next of kin of those killed during the attacks, those injured and scores who lost properties running into millions of naira. Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries, the state deputy governor, Abdullahi Garba Faskari said dependants of those killed during the attacks would receive N512,000. He said none of the injured victims would receive less than N100,000, stressing that the amount each of them will receive will be based on the degree of injuries sustained. The deputy governor maintained that the donation was not compensation but aimed to cushion the effects of the attacks on the victims. In a related development, Jaiz Bank has donated 400 bags each of maize and millet, 300 bags of rice and 330 wrappers to victims of the attacks. By Muazu Elazeh, Katsina

Kwankwaso Taught Us To Rise Against Bad Governance, Injustice – Sumaila The minority leader of the House of Representatives, who is also a gubernatorial candidate under the umbrella of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Suleiman Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, has said that Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has taught progressive politicians to rise against bad governance and injustice in the Nigerian polity. Kawu stated this during the commissioning of the Kano North office of his gubernatorial aspiration held in Bichi local government area, Kano State. According to him, APC as a political party that cuts across Nigeria has promised to give the country the needed change. He added that change does not only lie in changing the government of the day but also entails change in attitude and approach to national issues as a yardstick for an effective, responsible and responsive government. According to him, there are indications that Nigerians are tired of PDP government and they need change. He also described Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as a revolutionary leader who taught present politicians to stand against injustice and bad governance. By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

stories of the Tuesday, August 26, 2014

...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE

Death: 4 Robbery Suspects Killed By patrick ochoja, Edo

A gang of notorious armed robbers who have been terrorizing Benin City and its environs have been shot dead by the police in Edo State. along Ewah road in the state capital The four robbers were said to be driving in a Toyota Camry marked BEN 787 AE which was snatched from one Abraham at Agbor park in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area. A statement signed by the state police spokesman, DSP Noble Uwoh, said policemen on a routine stop and search patrol along Ewah road, chased the robbers who zoomed off after they were stopped. Uwoh said in a gun battle with the police, four of them were arrested with serious bullets wounds. He said they four who were wounded died before they could be taken to the hospital. Some of the dangerous weapons recovered from the robbers included, one locally made pistol, one battle axe, two knives, acid and five cartridges. Uwoh also said one John Osagie, a member of a robbery gang terrorizing residents of Upper Siluko road, has been arrested. He said John was apprehended after residents in the area sent distress calls to the police and the police responded.

MYSTERY: Snake Kills 2 Factory Workers By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

A mysterious snake around OgwashiUku community has killed two factory workers. Sources said the victims were bitten to death by the snake while they resting in one of the rooms in the factory. It was also gathered that natives in the community had attempted to kill the snake before the incident but could not because the snake usually disappear. Our correspondent gathered from a manager in the factory, Kenneth Okigbo, that the victims died after they vomitted and were rushed to a clinic. LEADERSHIP checks revealed that many unidentified persons have been killed in the bush by the mysterious snake which had been a constant source of serious threat to residents of the community.

Motorists manoeuvring the potholes-riddled Gwagwa road in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

SUICIDE: Carpenter Hangs Self Over Love Rejection By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba A 37-year-old carpenter, Okechukwu Michael, has committed suicide in Agbor community of Delta State after his girlfriend dumped him for his inability to satisfy her in bed. Reports said that the victim committed suicide by hanging himself behind his house in the bush on a mango tree, leaving behind a written note by the tree.

It was gathered that Okechukwu had earlier threatened to kill himself if his relationship with the girl failed. Sources said the girl complained about the inability of the victim to satisfy her in bed. Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, confirmed that the body of the victim was found hanging on the mango tree Sunday night. Part of the note reads: “I can’t stand you leaving me; I must return to mother earth”.

DEATH: Farmer Dies In River by Tope Fayehun, Akure

Tragedy struck last weekend when the body of Mr Ojo Olaoye, a farmer at Omifunfun, a suburb of Odode Idanre in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, was found at a river in the area after being declared missing for two weeks. The late Olaoye was said to have been to his farm two weeks ago to harvest some of his farm produce which he intended to sell so as to raise some money to host his monthly club meeting in Akure. He was said to have taken the farm produce to the market for sale but never returned home since then. His family members and wives were said to have since then been searching for him. All efforts to find him were fruit-

less as they could not find him, dead or alive, until his corpse was discovered in a River last weekend . While speaking with LEADERSHIP, some of his neighbours and family members in Akure said that he went to farm on Friday, August 15 and was expected to come back on Saturday as usual, but he didn’t show up. They added that they tried all their best to reach him on phone, but could not be reached. “When we called his phone and it was not reachable, we decided to go to the house of his new wife, maybe he was there, but on getting there, the wife told us that she did not know his whereabouts. We went to meet his elder brother in the village and he told us that he saw him when he was going to the market.

Accident: Fayemi’s Aide, Family Members Escape Car Crash By ALO ABIOLA, Ado-Ekiti

An aide to Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Mr. Odunayo Ogunmola and six members of his family, yesterday escaped death after his car was crushed by a truck. The special adviser to the governor was driving in a Passat CL car, marked Lagos EKY 614 AR around 7:10 pm when the incident occurred around Deeper Life Camp Ground road, Ajebamidele area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. The car was badly damaged while its occupants which included his wife, three children and two in-laws sustained injuries. No life was, however, lost in the accident. Narrating the incident to journalists in Ado-Ekiti, Mr Ogunmola said they were returning home from their church’s special programme when the lorry conveying sand marked Ekiti XA769 MUE driving ahead of him suddenly had brake failure on the hilly road and rammed into his car. According to him, “I noticed the truck, a Mercedes benz, fully loaded with white sand, suddenly stopped while going up the hill and started coming down like that, apparently having lost control of its mechanism. “I started reversing the car but the truck kept following me. I quickly swerved to a side of the road I guessed was safe enough but I was wrong. The truck came down exacly where I parked, hitting the car and sending the whole thing including the occupants tumbling upside down. All of us, except our few months old baby did not sustain any injury”. On how they managed to escape out of the car, Mrs Arike Ogunmola said, “The car was already upside down, the wheels facing the heavens. They assisted us out through the windows. It was after we had come out that we managed to bring my husband out too. This is the miracle of our life.

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STORIES OF THE DAY 11

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Photo News

ACCIDENT: Car Crushes Man To Death

BY Osa Okhomina, Yenagoa

Tragedy struck in the early hours of yesterday during the final match between the Super Falconets of Nigeria and Germany female footbal team when a car at a popular bar along the Sani Abacha Road in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State crushed a 26-year-old man to death The incident, which occurred at about 1:30am at the popular bar known as Stop Over, caused confusion which caused the footbal lovers at the bar to abandon the match and flee the area. While many eyewitnesses could not explain how the driver of the vehicle crashed into the bar where they are watvhing the match, others attributed the incident to drunkenness on the part of the driver. LEADERSHIP gathered that the driver of the Honda jeep, while trying to move the car from one point to another drove straight into the crowd A customer, identified as Biggy, who escaped death by the whiskers, confirmed to LEADERSHIP that the man who died in the accident was a bakery

worker. According to Biggy,” When we saw the car coming, I and some others hurriedly moved away but the boy was unlucky. The vehicle crushed him and dragged him into the bar. Some other persons dancing inside the bar were injured.” LEADERSHIP’s visit to the bar at about 2pm on Monday discovered that the club management has removed the said vehicle and the corpse of the crushed boy. A senior management staff told LEADERSHIP that the crushed boy was not a club member but came from the bakery situated across the road to watch the final football match between Nigeria and Germany at the just concluded under-20 FIFA Women World Cup. LEADERSHIP observed that the crushed wall of the club is already being repaired with bricklayers working to fix the damage,while the inside of the club is being cleared,”we have to work. We are trying to get across to the management of the bakery where he worked and his family.” All attempts by our correspondent to get the location of the vehicle was futile as the incident was not reported at the

EBOLA: Virus Scare Hits Delta Community By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Residents of Oghardhe community in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State were at the weekend thrown into panic following the rumoured outbreak of Ebola virus. It was rumoured that an Ebola virus patient was admitted in a private hospital in the area. Reports said the doctor of the hospital,

A 21-year-old man, Ajinde Ehinnehifo, has been arraigned before an Okitipupa Magistrate Court in Ondo State for alleged stealing and burglary. The accused, who has no fixed address and occupation was arraigned on a three-count charge of felony, burglary and stealing. Also arraigned was one Adeolu Adebayo who was charged with unlawfully receiving stolen goods. The prosecutor, Insp Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the accused on Aug. 1 at about 2am at No. 2, Apata St., Okitipupa, conspired with another person now at large to commit the offences. He said that the accused burgled the house of one Rev. Adedeke Adewole, and stole items such as laptop computer, Ipad, camera and cell phones valued at N119,000. Ehinnehifo was also accused of stealing

BY NAN.

House Committee on Health, Hon Ndudi Elumelu, flanked by his deputy, Hon Garba Musa Gulma (left), and clerk of the House, Alhaji Nasiru Garba, during a press briefing on the suspension of strike by the Nigerian Medical Association’s (NMA), at the National Assembly in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO.

while attending to some patients, said he noiced symptoms that were similar to that of Ebola virus in a patient, who he said came from Lagos State. He added that the doctor was scared and alerted the Ministry of Health officials in Asaba, who responded immediately. Dr. Ofili, who is the state epidemiologist, said that the news of the suspected Ebola Virus in Oghara, is untrue. He said nobody has tested positive to the EVD.

THEFT: Man Arraigned For Stealing By Abdulkareem Haruna, Maiduguri

L-R: Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda, Bauchi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Sani Malami, and state chairman on Polio and Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu, at a special stakeholders’ meeting on polio in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO

a cash sum of N32,000. The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 516, 411(2) and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37,Vol.1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006. Orogbemi also said Adebayo, on Aug. 3 unlawfully received the stolen computer valued at N50,000 from Ehinnehifo. He said that the offence was contrary to Section 427 of the Criminal Code, Cap.37, Vol.1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The Magistrate, Mr Funsho Akintoye, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each in like sum. He said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and present evidence of two years’ tax payment. The case was adjourned till Sept. 16 for further hearing.

L-R: Public Relations officer, Transitional Monitoring Group, Eddy Ezurike; chairman, TMG, Comrade Ibrahim Zikirullahi, and vice chairman, Hajiya Goroso Limola-Giwa, during the 2014 biennial general meeting of the TMG in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH

Ibadan residents queuing up for voter registration, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

14 NEWS/BUSINESS

business news

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Market Declines On Losses By Large-cap Stocks OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

Trading on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed on a negative note yesterday as Nigerian Breweries, Dangote Cement and Mobil led the losers’ chat. The All-Share Index, which opened the week at 41,564.19, went down by 224.71 points or 0.54 per cent to close at 41,339.48.

Also, the market capitalisation depreciated by N74 billion or 0.54 per cent to close at N13.650 trillion, against the N13.724 trillion posted on Friday. Nigerian Breweries topped the losers’ chart by N3.03 to close at N172.51 per share. Dangote Cement trailed with a loss of N1.97 to close at N228, while Mobil dipped by N1 to close at N174 per

share. On the other hand, Total led the gainers’ chart with a gain of 98 kobo to close at N182 per share. It was followed by Forte Oil which gained 91 kobo to close at N232.11, while Conoil up by N55 kobo to close at N69 per share. MRS gained 41 kobo to close at 58.90, while gained Red Start up by 20 kobo to close at N4.80 per share.

IFC Moves To Diversify Angola’s Economy Through SMEs By Friday Atufe, Lagos

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group has entered into a partnership with Banco de Negócios International Angola (BancoBNI) to provide financing that would support manufacturing, trade and distribution businesses in Angola. This development will enable businesses in that country to contribute to the diversification programme of its economy and make it less reliant on the dominant oil sector. LEADERSHIP learnt that under the agreement, IFC will extend a trade line of $25 million to BancoBNI to enable it expand its trade finance activities and extend more competitive services to smaller businesses and corporate clients. Speaking on the partnership yesterday, Mario Palhares, chairman of BancoBNI, said, “This support from IFC will help BancoBNI reach a larger number

of entrepreneurs and companies by offering improved trade finance services. We look forward to helping Angolan businesses grow more with IFC support.” Also speaking, Jumoke JagunDokunmu, IFC country manager for Mozambique and Angola, said, “IFC is committed to helping BancoBNI better serve clients that are adding depth and breadth to the Angolan economy. We aim to build on this relationship with BancoBNI so that we can further support expanding businesses in Angola.” IFC support is being provided through its Global Trade Finance Programme (GTFP), which helps banks deliver trade financing by providing risk guarantees in new or challenging markets where trade lines may be constrained. Since its launch in 2005, the Global Trade Finance Programme has facilitated more than $40 billion in trade, through nearly 500 banks in 40 countries. Through GTFP, BancoBNI will be able to enhance its global reach, and gain familiarity in new markets.

Diamond Bank Rights Issue: Shareholders Seek Extension OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

extension. According to a shareholder Shareholders of Diamond in Abuja, Sulaimon Laban, “We Bank Plc have demanded for an ended the Eid-El-Fitr celebrations extension of the closing date of not too long ago and this came the bank’s rights issue which will with some expenses. Currently, be closing today, to enable them many interested investors are maximise the opportunity to take low on capital. I will like to invest up their allotted shares. in the rights issue as the shares I The rights issue, which opened have in Diamond Bank are very on July 30, 2014, is expected to profitable and I see this as an close August 26, 2014. opportunity to increase the value According to them, huge of my stakes.” expenses were incurred during He noted that the bank’s the last Eid-El Fitr celebrations management should accede to which came up during the last the request of shareholders, weekend of July, while the especially in view of the festivities opening of the rights issue was that have just ended. at the end of the same month. Another shareholder in Lagos, Majority of them explained Alhaja Bilikisu Amuda, expressed that coupled with the fact that similar view and hoped that the salary payments were not due bank’s management would appeal for workers in Nigeria until the to the relevant authorities to end of month, raising meaningful have the closing date extended investment capital would be a big in the interest of concerned challenge, hence, the appeal for shareholders. Follow these reports on leadership.ng/business

L-R: Managing director\CEO, Oamsam Cassava Proccessing Plant, Ayede, Ekiti State, Mr Femi Salami; special adviser on Cassava to the minister of agriculture, Mrs Toyin Adetunji; commissioner for agriculture, Ekiti State, Mr Jide Arowosafe; minister of agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, and principal manager, Agribusiness, Bank of Industry , Mrs Lolo Kadafa, during the commissioning of Oamsam High Quality Cassava Flour Processing Factory financed by the Bank of Industry in Ayede, Ekiti State.

FG Directs CBN To Earmark N50bn For Mechanised Agric By George Agba and ruth tene natsa, Abuja

The federal government yesterday directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to set aside a N50 billion mechanisation intervention support fund that will allow and speed up the full establishment of the 1,200 private sector driven Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises (AEHE) in all the 36 states of the federation. Vice President Namadi Sambo gave the directive while commissioning and flagging off the 100,000 metric tons grains Silos and the Agricultural Equipment Hiring Centres in Abuja on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan,. “As we produce more food, it has become necessary to expand our food storage capacity and reduce post-harvest losses. The development of strategic grains reserve is central to our policy of stabilising food prices for consumers and assuring guaranteed minimum prices and market access for farmers,” Sambo stated. Noting that it was for this reason that he launched the agricultural transformation agenda in 2011, with the goal of producing an additional 20 million metric tons of food by 2015, the

vice president noted that current records indicated 21 million metric tons were produced by Nigerian farmers surpassing this target and achieving increased food production in the past three years. He announced that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had since completed a total of six silos with a capacity of 250,000 metric tons (MT) since November 2013, with a further 625,000 MT silos to be completed by December 2014, making a total of 875,000 MT silos capacity completed within two years. Expressing satisfaction that the agricultural transformation agenda was achieving great strides in government’s efforts to turn Nigeria into a self- sufficient country, Sambo said Nigeria was the first in Africa to develop the e-wallet system which is now being replicated in several African countries. He said, “Our Growth Enhancement Scheme and the e-wallet system for reaching farmers with fertilisers and improved seeds through the mobile phones, have reached 14 million farmers by 2014. “With the Agricultural Enterprise Hiring Enterprises (AEHEs) being launched today, the agricultural mechanisation programme will be driven through

a public private partnership involving private sector manufacturers of tractors and agricultural machinery, service provider operators, financial institutions and government.” He commended the minister of agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, the minister of State, Asabe Ahmed, and their team in the ministry for the progress achieved so far under the transformation agenda. Earlier, the minister of agriculture said private sector investments in agriculture were expanding, just as all over the country, small-holder farmers had been witnessing a new dawn. “Our food import bill has declined from N 1.1 trillion ($ 6.9 billion) in 2009 to N 684.7 billion ($4.35 billion) by December 2013 and continues to decline in 2014,” Adesina said. He noted, however that despite the gains, certain challenges abound, even as he cited some of such challenges to include the low level of mechanisation of the agriculture sector. Other challenges, according to him, include the high cost of land clearing which is a major disincentive for the expansion of cultivated area and the high cost of mechanisation from ploughing to harvesting.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

16 NEWS/BUSINESS

Elumelu Returns To UBA As Chairman By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

Barely a month after Jim Ovia, the former managing director of Zenith Bank, was appointed as the chairman of the bank, United Bank of Africa Group has also appointed its former chief executive, Tony Elumelu, as its chairman. These appointments are coming on the heels of a proviso on Guidelines for Tenure of Managing Directors of Deposit Money Banks and Related Matters issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2010 which stipulated in paragraph four that, “Any person who has served as CEO for the maximum tenure in a bank shall not qualify for appointment in his former bank or subsidiaries in any capacity until after a period of three years after the expiration of his tenure as CEO.” Both of them retired from their respective banks in 2010. Elumelu, who served as the chief executive of UBA for 13 year and retired from the bank following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s policy on tenure, succeeds Ambassador Joe Keshi. He is currently the chairman and chief executive of Heirs

Holdings, a pan-African proprietary investment company which he founded in 2010 and has stakes in a number of African businesses, including Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp). Commenting on the Elumelu”s appointment to chair the board of the bank, UBA’s group chief executive, Philips Odozua, said, “Elumelu’s track record at UBA speaks for itself. His return to the board brings a depth of knowledge and experience in the African financial services industry that is second to none. We are privileged to have him lead the board at this critical stage of our development.” Bismarck Rewane, chief executive of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, while commenting on the appointment noted that, “Tony is visionary, courageous and has shown an ability to both, think for the long term, and to create significant shareholder value. The drive, dynamism and competitiveness that we saw during his period as CEO of UBA, was one of the catalysts of the enormous changes in the Nigerian banking sector.”

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

JTF Seeks Speedy Trial Of Oil Thieves By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Commander of Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Major General, Emmanuel Atuwe, has said that speedy trial of suspected oil thieves would help in addressing the crime which is hurting the economy. Atuwe, who said this in Lagos at a conference organized by the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC), vowed to keep those arrested over oil theft in custody on the order of the court until their cases were determined. He said his command was taking necessary steps to check the oil theft that is castrating the nation’s economy. Atuwe, who said his command has declared zero tolerance for oil theft following its recent arrest of 12 stolen vessels, also expressed disgust over the growing level of illegal oil bunkering in the country.

He suggested those who are caught in the act of illegal bunkering should be subjected to speedy trial by the court, saying that if this is done all oil thieves will be taken away from the society. According to him, there is also need to address the challenge of unemployment in the country by encouraging the establishment of modular refineries through which oil theft could be prevented. He also cautioned multinational oil companies operating in the country to desist from hiring and firing policy, saying the development breeds oil theft and sabotage to the nation’s economy. Also, speaking at the event, managing director of Energia Limited, Felix Amieyeofori, suggested the creation of special court to adjudicate on oil theft cases in Nigeria. According to him, the federal government should grant amnesty to the illegal refiners to train them in

crude refining and setting up of modular refineries as well as equip the security forces with modern surveillance vessels and gadgets to effectively patrol the creeks to check illegal bunkering. He also suggested the need to enforce stiffer penalty on illegal refining and bunkering at the end of the amnesty period to prosecute any offender as well as the need to restructure the JTF into a Special Force Unit under a separate command with strict instruction to clean the stop illegal bunkering within a specific time line. He suggested the need for the country to adopt modern deep pipe burying technologies. He said, “Considering the high level of unemployment in the country, government should consider creating employment opportunities for Nigerian graduates in surveillance of the pipeline right of ways, using modern surveillance and monitoring tools.’’

Bank along Secretariat, University of Ibadan, had introduced the use of the hand steriliser for their customers and the use of hand gloves for their staffs. Also, inside the banking halls, tellers and cashiers were seen wearing white hand gloves for protection Ebola virus. One of the security personnel told LEADERSHIP that the bank’s management decided to introduce the wearing of hand gloves by the staff and use of the cream to protect its staff from the dreaded disease. He said customers should not see the measure as embarrassment but rather as managment’s effort to protect staff and customers from

contracting Ebola disease. Also, at the Unity Bank, the security personnel, who said he was not in best position to speak on the use of the hand sterilized cream, said it was part of the measures by the management to contribute to the war against the disease. “It is to protect the customers and the staff against the now dreaded disease,” he said. Most of the customers to these banks were seen applying the cream before entering the banking halls without any resistance. A customer, Adetunji Egunjobi commended the initiative, saying that it would go along way in protecting the customers and the staff against the disease.

Ebola: Oyo Banks Introduce Hand Sanitisers Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Following the Ebola disease epidemic in West Africa, banks in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, have put in place measures aimed at protecting their staff from being affected. When LEADERSHIP visited these banks on Monday, customers, apart from passing through some security checks, were given hand steriliser cream before they were allowed into the banking hall. The white cream-like substance was applied into the customers’ palms at the entrance which they rubbed with the two hands. Customers to Fidelity Bank along Iwo Road gate and Unity

Sada Stresses Need For Safe Issuance Of Mining Explosives Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

The minister of mines and steel development,Mr Mohammed Sada, has stressed the need for safe distribution of mining explosives. A He made the call while responding to a communiqué presented by stakeholders at the conclusion of a one-day workshop with the theme: “Strengthening the Existing Synergy Between Mining Cadastre Office and the Technical Department for Enhanced Mineral Title Administration and Affective Regulation of the Mining Industry Operations,” which held in Abuja, yesterday. “Anybody who is ready to work with explosives should apply early enough and federal and zonal mines officers must be very observant and objective in ensuring that explosives are rightly issued to companies that

are effectively prepared to use them, through proper and guided storage.” Presenting the communique, south -east mines officer, Ebong Bassey, revealed that the mining cadastre office in conjunction with the mines inspectorate department had resolved that the” MCO shall henceforth direct in writing companies issued with mineral titles to report to zonal/state offices where the mineral titles are located for registration and should route all requests for information from the cadastre office through the director of mines and create a database for registration of mineral titles in the state offices and to educate and guide the holders of the preconditions for commencement of operations.” The communiqué further called on all mines officers and other

mining and geosciences officers of the ministry to register with COMEG without delay, while federal /zonal mines officers are to ensure prompt reports on mineral titles to enable the MCO process renewal of mineral titles. In his remarks,directorgeneral Mining Cadastre Office, Mohammed Amate, said the objective of the meeting was to sit with stakeholders whose mandate involves supervision, monitoring and enforcement of the provisions of the law, while the MCO administers and manages mineral rights “This relationship therefore calls for effective and sustained synergy and collaboration between these organs to ensure meaningful contribution of the mineral mining sub- sector in the national economy.”

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

KAIBO INTERNATIONAL

64 TO OUR

Hearty Cheers

AMIABLE GOVERNOR & GENTLEMAN Good tidings is only what come to mind on a day like this; your season of celebration and abundant blessings. On behalf of the management of KAIBO INTERNATIONAL. We join your numerous admirers, family members and associates to rejoice with you on this occasion of your 64th birthday. We also congratulate you and the good people of Kogi State on the 23rd anniversary of the State creation. We are proud to be associated with the uncommon transformation in the state under your watch. We pray Almighty Allah bless you with good health as you continue to impact positively on the development of the state.

Congratulations!

His Excellency

KAIBO SUN CHaiRman

Capt. Idris Ichala Wada Executive Governor, Kogi State

18 BUSINESS/CUSTOMS

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Nigerian Customs Under Dikko’s Watch As Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde, clocks five years as the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) this month, dispassionate observers and stakeholders who have been examining his score-card during the period under review seem unanimous in their verdict that the Katsina-born gentleman has surpassed all expectations. It is also important to note that the best way to judge the performance of an individual is to examine how far he has achieved the goals that were set for that individual or those he had set for himself. Then, those making the assessment should be those who have the knowledge of the environment under which the person being assessed operates, as well as the relevance of those goals which he had set out to attain. It is generally believed that the condition of the Nigeria Customs Service before August 17th, 2009 before Dikko came to administer it was not a salutary one. The NCS had been one of those State institutions that were in a dire need of reform and, which had unfortunately, defied many past and attempts at transformation into an organisation that would live up to the expectations of the founding fathers and its stakeholders. The minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who had performed the same function during the second term of Olusegun Obasanjo administration had lamented in her book: “Reforming the Unreformable,” how frustrated she was at the failed efforts of the Obasanjo administration at reforming the NCS, which had remained a Leviathan of sorts. But if Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, who supervises the Nigeria Customs Service, were to write another book today on

the goings-on at the Nigeria Customs under Abdullahi D. Inde, she would have a different story of sterling achievements to tell and would pour encomiums on the man who has not only dragged the big animal to the bank of the river, but has also made it drink copiously. Her book would be a reflection of the new Customs because it is the major part of the success story of the government she serves, which has put a lot of smiles and cheers on the faces of Nigerians and the Jonathan administration. When the current comptroller-general assumed office in August of 2009, he took one hard look at the stagnating state of affairs of the Service and was convinced that what was needed was a programmatic approach by insightful managers who would work with a motivated staff force to bring about the envisaged results. For that purpose, he set out a six-point-agenda. Those who had known Dikko Inde from his younger days say that he was never distracted from his goals. During the past five years, he has remained single-mindedly faithful to the actualisation of the points of that agenda and has surprised all and sundry and even the government of the day. He must have surprised himself too! A high profile independent team headed by Professor Sunday S. Ifah of University of Maiduguri recently conducted a detailed and world-class research on the assessment of Dikko’s six-point agenda by the stakeholders of the NCS. The result involved administering of questionnaires on 5,000 staff members of the Customs across all its formations across the country, and on its other stakeholders

customs focus By FESTUS ADEMOLA

from outside the service. The research results which were turned in last month showed a near overwhelming consensus that the Service has faithfully lived up to its words as far as the agenda which it had set for itself was concerned. According to the researchers, made up of four research supervisors and 150 research assistants, Dikko the study which will be “…of immense benefits to both the NCS and the federal government in their developmental activities…,” was conducted by polling officers and men of the Customs, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), The National Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAF) as well as other agencies involved in Customs duties. The team polled 5000 respondents and conducted interviews. The survey results that came in shows that a preponderant percentage of stakeholders were satisfied that NCS Management under Dikko has largely lived up to expectation in the implementation of the different items of the six- point agenda. On the issue of the promised improvement of welfare

package for staff, 73.9 per cent of those polled were satisfied; 25.4 were not quite satisfied 0.7 did not express any opinion. On the issue of Integrity and moral rebirth in the service, while only 11 per cent were not satisfied with the progress that has been made in that direction, a whopping 85.5 per cent were satisfied, even as 3.5 per cent of the respondents did not have an opinion. On the capacity building that has taken place since Dikko came to the office in 2009, 89.4 per cent of the polled stakeholders were satisfied with the work that has been done, while only 9.3 per cent were not satisfied leaving 9.3 per cent of the respondents as indifferent. Directly linked to the issue of capacity building, the training and retraining which the different cadres of the

Services benefitted from were surveyed. While 79.3 per cent of the stakeholders expressed satisfied, 19.7 per cent believed that more needed to be done. A negligible one per cent was indifferent. The encomiums which the Dikko administration has been receiving from all over the world was echoed by 92.2 per cent of the polled stakeholders who nodded in support of the giant steps which the Customs has taken in the last five years in the area of e-Customs through ASYCUDA for international best practices. Only a puny 6.6 per cent was not quite satisfied with the efforts made so far; 1.2 per cent did not know. On the area of better collaboration and partnership with stakeholders, the poll returned a satisfaction rate of 91.4 per cent, while 6.7 per cent was not quite impressed. Closely related to that was the fact that 86.6 per cent of the polled stakeholders agreed that the Customs has of late increased the mutual understanding between the Service and its various publics. On the other had 12.3 per cent did not agree, while 1.1 per cent showed indifference. The study showed that whatever way one looked at how far the Dikko administration had performed in the last five years, it was crystal clear that it has passed with a resounding ”A” score in all the sectors of its activities. Not many public institutions can make such a boast, leading many observers and stakeholders to declare that all these achievements were mainly owed to the dynamism and personal capability of one man – the comptroller-general , who superintended over the Nigeria Customs Service during the period under review.

Lilypond Port Customs Rakes In N5.2bn By Samson Echenim, Lagos

Lilypond Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said duties and levies on imported goods and exports collected by the seaport command between January and March 2014, amounted to N5.2 billion.

Lilypond Port’s Area Comptroller, Isa Talatu, who gave the figure at a meeting with customs clearing agents and freight forwarders at the command’s complex, Ijora, Lagos, said the concerted efforts of stakeholders and officers of the command yielded the positive results

which also saw the command generating N2.2 billion in April. While encouraging the agents to have faith in the pre-arrival assessment report (PAAR) and maintain utmost honesty in their import declarations, Talatu explained that the teething problems

with the PAAR had been overcome by the customs management. She, however, noted that banks might be posing some challenges for certain agents. She said, “Your contributions and effort in ensuring seamless trade facilitation has yielded results.

This month we have been able to rake in N2.2 billion as revenue. “When you raise false declarations, problems start arising from the very beginning of the clearing process and the moment we start having issues you start lamenting about delays.

aviation/BUSINESS 19

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

aviation REPORTS

FAAN MD Tasks Staff on Airport Transformation

One of African’s airlines affected by the Ebola virus crisis

Issues Affecting Intra-African Aviation Connectivity Stories by Nkem osuagwu, Lagos

As some African countries continue to introduce travel restrictions as part of measures to fight the spread of Ebola virus in the region, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), at African Aviation Day, emphasized the need for intra-African air connectivity which has the potential to spread economic and social prosperity across the continent. In particular, IATA noted that the liberalisation of air rights for intra-Africa flights could yield significant benefits in both job creation and GDP growth. At the IATA Africa Day held recently in Johannesburg, South Africa, IATA noted that Africa is well-placed to enjoy sustained economic growth due to a young, expanding and urbanising population, combined with abundant natural resources. But because intra-African aviation connectivity and the economic health of its airlines are weaker than they could be, opportunities for job creation, business growth and innovation are being lost, even as African airlines are expected to return a profit of just $100 million in 2014, on a net profit margin of 0.8 per cent, the lowest of all aviation regions. Only through industry and governments working handin-hand can these challenges be overcome, to the benefit of everyone across Africa,” said Raphael Kuuchi, IATA’s vice president for Africa. To provide African governments with a clearer view of the benefits of intra-African connectivity, IATA formally launched a report showing that liberalisation of air services across 12 African nations would create 155,000 jobs and

boost GDP by $1.3 billion. The report by InterVISTAS, an independent consultancy, calculated the positive economic impact of implementing the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision, which pledged to open up air transport markets within Africa to transnational competition. The 12 nations in the report are: Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda. “This report is a major step forward in quantifying the benefits of liberalising air services across Africa. It is absurd that it is possible to travel 13 times a week from Nairobi to London yet impossible to travel directly from Nairobi to Dakar. A potential five million passengers a year are being denied the opportunity to travel, trade, and spread economic and social development,” said Kuuchi. The 2012 Abuja Declaration on African Safety by transport ministers of the African Union sets out a goal for African aviation to match the average safety levels of the rest of the world by 2015. “Safety is the number one priority for aviation. Africa has been closing the gap compared to the rest of the world but there is still a lot of work to do to reach the Abuja Declaration goal. The implementation of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) by all eligible airlines in Africa is mandated through the declaration, and IATA is working hard to assist airlines to achieve that,” said Kuuchi. IATA has identified 20 airlines for assistance in implementing IOSA. The declaration also calls on nations to create wellresourced and autonomous civil aviation authorities and to implement safety management systems.

It is absurd that it is possible to travel 13 times a week from Nairobi to London yet impossible to travel directly from Nairobi to Dakar. A potential five million passengers a year are being denied the opportunity to travel, trade, and spread economic and social development

Improved consultation and partnership between industry and government is the key to ensuring Africa enjoys competitive infrastructure and business costs. In many parts of Africa infrastructure needs to improve, but it is important that improvements are funded according to established international principles. transparency and consultation are critical. “The foundation of a successful air transport sector is good physical infrastructure coupled with competitive costs. But governments also have a role to play in encouraging air connectivity through appropriate taxation and enabling regulation. If aviation is treated as a cash cow, its ability to be an economic catalyst is compromised. Aviation is ready to play a much more prominent role in the African economy, provided it is able to operate in a policy framework that values its contribution,” added Kuuchi. The spread of Ebola continues to be a significant medical challenge in the region. IATA is liaising closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), which is taking the lead in tackling the disease. The WHO has consistently stated that travel restrictions are unnecessary. The note specifically explains that aviation is “low risk” for Ebola transmission, and that the “WHO does not consider air transport hubs at high risk for further spread of Ebola.” The aviation industry is taking all necessary precautions, such as introducing exit screening at certain airports. Airlines also have well-tested procedures for handling suspected cases of infection, including guidelines for isolation and care for ill passengers, and measures for disinfecting aircraft.

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Engineer Saleh Dunoma, undertook an unscheduled inspection tour of the Rescue and Fire Department of the Authority at Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria. The Department provides fire cover for NCAT’s airstrip, used for the training of aircraft pilots and other related professionals. Dunoma, who was received on arrival by the Rector of the College, Captain Caulcrick Samuel, inspected old and new fire tenders as well as communication equipment provided and serviced by FAAN. Dunoma charged staff of FAAN to be diligent in their duties and also support the new minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, who is spearheading the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in the aviation sector. He further charged them to continue to give maximum support to the authorities of NCAT and FAAN, in their collective quest to implement the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.

Lufthansa Starts New Cargo Flights To Lagos Lufthansa Cargo is further integrating Lagos into its own network through twice-weekly freighter flights. From 15 September, a Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 freighter will take off from Frankfurt for the Nigerian city every Monday and Wednesday. Lagos is an important destination for the oil and gas industry in particular. Urgently required spare parts and equipment for oil production facilities can now be transported even faster to Nigeria, and with greater flexibility, said the airline. A total of 170 tonnes of capacity will be available each week to Lufthansa Cargo customers on this route. Following a brief stop, the freighter will fly on to Johannesburg. The return leg to Frankfurt will include a stopover in Nairobi. Another two weekly flights from Frankfurt to Johannesburg will also stop in Nairobi on the southbound flight. “Adding Lagos to our freighter network considerably strengthens our involvement in West Africa”, emphasised Carsten Wirths, vice president Europe & Africa at Lufthansa Cargo.

SAA Increases Flights To Lagos From Johannesburg South African Airways (SAA) has increased frequency between Lagos and Johannesburg from 7 to 8 services per week, starting from September 2, 2014. Strong passenger demand and an additional state of the art A320s inducted to the fleet, are among the reasons that prompted SAA to add frequencies to the Lagos route. Thobi Duma, SAA country manager in Nigeria said, “SAA stands ready to offer seamless customer service to our valued passengers. This will ensure increased connectivity and better connecting times to flights in the evening out of Johannesburg. “We are noting a steady growth and we maintain that the increases in frequency will provide both business and leisure passengers travelling to and from these destinations with more flexibility and greater choice to connect onto SAA’s extensive global network.” Owing to the increased frequencies, passengers connecting from Lagos to other cities such as Abuja will be able to connect without challenges as opposed to the current schedule where they spend the night in Lagos before connecting.

20 E-Business/BUSINESS

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

CBN Sensitises Sokoto Consumers On Financial Products, Services

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday in Sokoto State commenced a one-week financial literacy and consumer protection awareness campaign to engender trust and confidence in the nation’s financial system through the promotion of

responsible market conduct and fair treatment of consumers. The sensitisation was meant to achieve, among other objectives, things such as ensuring that consumers get maximum benefits from their financial services to help them be in charge of their financial well-being. According to a statement

signed by Umar Dutse, the director, CBN Consumer Protection Department, the Nigerian apex bank agreed that there was shortage in circulation of the lower naira denominations, but urged Nigerians to go and get it directly from the CBN branch in any of the states. The statement read in part, “An in-depth study of the crisis revealed that lack

of consumer sophistication was a key factor responsible forth near collapse of the financial system. The CBN accordingly introduced reforms to address these factors to sanitise and stabilise the system with Consumer Protection as a cardinal component of the reform programme. This ledto the creation of a consumer protection office

in 2010 and its subsequent upgrade into full-fledged department in the bank in 2012. “In line with the CBN mandate of promoting a safe, sound and stable financial system as enshrined in the CBN Act, the consumer protection department was saddled with the responsibility of implementing policies

and programmes that would engender trust and confidence in the financial system through the promotion of responsible market conduct and fair treatment of consumers. This is a critical complement to traditional macro-prudent regulations in promoting a safe, sound and stable financial system in Nigeria.”

E-Business/BUSINESS 21 E-business REPORTS

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Samsung Unveils Biometric Scanner-enabled Galaxy Tab

A typical telecommunication base with alternative power supply generators and solar panels

South Africa, Nigeria Top In Africa’s ATM Deployment

By Chima Akwaja Lagos

Banks in Nigeria and South Africa are leading in the deployment of automated teller machines (ATMs) in the African continent as the cashless economy initiative connects more banks customers to new technologies. A World Bank data shows that Africa is the continent with the least amount of ATMs available with South Africa ranking highest on the continent followed by Nigeria. ATM is an electronic telecommunications device that enables the customers of a financial institution to perform financial transactions without the need for a human cashier, clerk or bank teller. On most modern ATMs, the customer is identified by inserting a plastic ATM card with a magnetic stripe or a plastic smart card with a chip that contains a unique card

number and some security information. Based on the World Bank data, the Americas, Australia, Russia and most of Europe have widespread ATM networks. Nigeria with a gross domestic product of $522.6bn and a population of 173.2m have its banks increase their ATM deployments from 10,727 in June 2012 to 15, 000 as at June 2014 while South Africa, the most advanced economy on the continent has a total of 28, 610 ATMs deployed by the leading five banks. In latest full year report, Nedbank said that it had 3,445 ATMs around the country; FNB listed 4,582 ATMS; Standard Bank marked 8,077 ATMS; while Absa recorded 9,588 machines – the largest ATM network in South Africa. Capitec, South Africa’s fifth largest bank by customers has the smallest ATM network, with 2,918 ATMs at last

official reporting. The World Bank data states that Nigeria has 11.39 ATM per 100,000 inhabitants while South Africa has 59.93 ATMs per 100,000 inhabitants. Countries such as Chad, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone statistically have 0 ATMs per 100,000 inhabitants. The Republic of Korea is the most ATM dense country in the world, with 282 ATMs per 100,000 people, followed by Canada and Portugal with 205 and 185 ATMs per 100,000 people, respectively. Others in the top ten ATM dense countries include Russia 182, China 179, USA 173, Australia 166, Spain 138, Japan 128, and United Kingdom with 124 ATMs deployed. According to the ATM Industry Association, a global non-profit trade association with over 1,300 members in 50 countries, financial institutions worldwide have 1,753,377 installed

ATMs. ATMIA has chapters around the world in Europe, United States, Asia-Pacific, Asia, Africa, Canada, Middle East and Latin America. According to a new report by mobile trade association, MEF, which analysed data from 10,000 respondents in 13 countries, mobile banking activity is higher in Africa than anywhere else in the world, led by Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya – the latter-most of which has the reputation for being the world’s mobile money pace-setter with M-Pesa. Mr. Dipo Fatokun, director, payment systems, Central Bank of Nigeria said Nigeria increased its ATM machines from 10,727 in June 2012 to 15, 000 by June 2014 with the transaction volumes also moving from N1.3 trillion as at June 2012 to N1.7 trillion as at June 2014. Point of Sales (PoS) terminals has as well

Digital Migration: We Are At The Forefront Of Public Sensitisation – GOtv By Chima Akwaja, Lagos

General manager GOtv Nigeria, Elizabeth Amkpa has said that GOtv is engaging in several initiatives to raise awareness on the digital migration. She said GOtv is not oblivious to the low level of awareness on the impending switch-over from analogue to digital broadcasting in Nigeria. “We have being holding forum and town hall meetings in various cities to educate Nigerians of

the digital migration. Furthermore, our recently unveiled campaign, Digilevelz Don Land which kicked-off in Jos in June, and which we are taking around the country is aimed at sensitising the public about this topical issue in Nigeria’s broadcast industry,” she added. “As a fun and innovative brand, we at GOtv have a well thought out plan to use infotainment and edutainment to communicate this message. September sees GOtv

going big with its public sensitisation campaign. On 3 September, an informative radio drama series named Change Lane as well as the Digilevelz Talk-show will hit the airwaves,” she said. Change Lane is an engaging 13-week radio drama which breaks down the meaning and importance of the digital switch-over to the mass market using interesting and relatable characters in a humorous yet educational manner.

Change Lane will be recorded in Pidgin English, Yoruba and Hausa and it will air on several radio stations across Nigeria, some of which are; Wazobia FM - Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja; Bond FM, Lagos; Vibez FM, Benin; Rhythm FM, Jos; Orisun FM, Osun; KSMC, Kaduna and AKBC Uyo among others. The Digilevelz Talk-show is a 15-minute interactive, radio phone-in programme that will also inform and educate the populace on the digital migration.

Samsung Electronics has unveiled its new flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S, in Nigeria, adding a new, premium device range to its highly popular Galaxy Tab series. The device is already on sale at all Samsung Experience Stores, Operator Stores and at accredited dealer stores nationwide. Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, said the Galaxy Tab S will redefine how technology innovation enhances the quality of life. “Tablets have evolved significantly in the past few years in function and purpose. Building on the heritage of the Galaxy S smartphone line, the Galaxy Tab S delivers on our commitment to bring meaningful innovation that our customers cherish most.” Kim used the unveiling to underscore Samsung’s growing share of the global tablet market, which has grown from 7.6 percent to 22.6 percent in just three years. “We have made a major commitment to the tablet because we strongly believe in its market. We have devoted substantial resources, not only to hardware excellence, but also to content towards providing our consumers with a wholesome communication experience.

Technology Platforms To Drive $37bn Africa Investments New platform technologies such as mobile, cloud, big data, and social media will drive the next wave of development in Africa coming from $37bn United States of America new investment for Africa in sectors including infrastructure, electricity, public health, and security. According to the Mark Walker, regional director for Sub-Saharan Africa at International Data Corporation (IDC), the recent U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit hosted by President Obama has created a new wave of international interest and participation in the emergence of a new, more prosperous Africa. The three-day event held in Washington D.C. earlier this month saw 50 African leaders secure substantive investments in the field of ICT. He said many of the initiatives and opportunities presented at the Summit are strongly dependent on the rollout of innovative technologies across the continent. “While these technologies represent the foundation for innovation, the key to success will be successfully developing relevant answers to Africa’s requirements in the government, energy, finance, and commercial sectors, while simultaneously ensuring benefits to both local and American partners.” Six of the ten fastest growing world economies are African, and over the last decade the average income in the continent has increased by 30 per cent. Despite the huge size of the market, IDC expects overall IT spending in Africa to expand at a very healthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3 per cent over the next five years to total $33.4 billion in 2018.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

science Tuesday, August 26, 2014

N402m

A total of 160 transformers worth N402 million have been procured by the Kogi State government for distribution to 300 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

An Ecosystem chart. photo by google

NITDA Launches Framework For Building ICT Partner Ecosystem By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

The economic community is expected to produce goods and services of value to customers

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched a national framework for building Information and Communication Technology (ICT) partner ecosystem for an all-inclusive development of the sector. Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the director-general of the agency, Mr. Peter Jack, said the primary objective for building ICT partner ecosystem like in other economies was to encourage positive interaction amongst the stakeholders in the industry in particular and the environment in general. Jack said, “the stakeholders’

agitation for an all-inclusive framework on building partner ecosystem in this industry is in line with current trend where globalization is eliminating the traditional advantages of the large corporation over small corporation in terms of access to capital, access to markets and economies of scale.” According to him, “based on the general principles of ecosystem therefore, the economic community is expected to produce goods and services of value to customers, who are themselves members of the ecosystem. “This simply means that member organizations also include suppliers, lead producers,

competitors, and in our own case regulatory bodies that provide the enabling environment for the interaction which time allows participating bodies to co-evolve their capabilities and roles while the roles in turn tend to align themselves with the directions set by one or more central organizations.” The NITDA boss reiterated the agency’s commitment to the framework initiative, saying it was fully committed to ensure the sustainability of the ecosystems in the industry that commit the nation’s natural and human resources towards developing appropriate technologies, products and services that would

Jack

provide critical support for the various sectors. Speaking to journalists, the acting head of corporate strategy and research department of the agency, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, said NITDA initiated the framework

24 SCIENCE/news

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

NITDA Launches Framework For Building ICT Partner Ecosystem 23

for effective coordination of initiatives in the IT sector. Olatunji said, “it’s really important for us to properly coordinate what is happening in the sector and NITDA being the development agency in Nigeria, it is really important for us to have first-hand information, data, statistics and various initiatives going on in the sector and we believe we should work collectively if we want to achieve that national vision of positioning ICT as the key driver for national development. So, we need a framework to guide whatever we do in the sector.” According to him, “ICT in Nigeria cuts across the government, private sector,

NILEST Inaugurates Leather Cluster Liaison Centre In Edo State By Patrick Ochoga, Edo State

The Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NIEST), Zaria, has inaugurated a leather cluster liaison centre in Owan East Local Government Area, Afuze, Edo State. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the director-general of the institute, Dr. Isuwa Adamu, said the establishment of the Edo liaison office marked a milestone in the series of activities to boost the technology of hides and skin processing, footwear production, leather production, leather goods manufacture and leather waste management geared towards SME and capacity building and development. He said, “we are establishing regional cluster in Edo State because we felt there is need to move a step forward in institutionalizing this research and development outputs and the mandate of the institute by having a wider geographical strength. “It is our belief that the cluster will service the South-South geopolitical zone. We are hoping that this will result in technology transfer, capacity building, national integration and above all, job creation.” He further expressed the institute’s wish to liaise with institutes of higher learning for the development of a curriculum to advance the leather technology to attract the youth to pick interest in the sector. “Our target is to synergise and see how curriculum for the award of diploma, higher diploma and national diploma and degree programmes could be designed in order to advance the technology to a level that will attract the teeming youths in the region. “The centre shall focus on raising local and mechanized leather and leather product companies and the artificial leather and leather product companies as well as interface with tertiary institutions such as Auchi Polytechnic and others and also collaborate with universities such as universities of Benin, Port-Harcourt, Delta and Bayelsa State,” he added.

Top 3 HeadlineS ➊Nigeria Energy

And Emission 2050 Pathways Calculator Underway ➋ NILEST Inaugurates Leather Cluster Liaison Centre In Edo State

civil society organisations, the media. That basically cuts down to ecosystem partnership, particularly in the area of ICT and you know ICT cuts across all sectors like health, education, agric, human capital development. So, you can’t say you’re doing ICT in isolation. It’s done within the environment. So, there’s need for us to come together and work together.” Commenting on how Nigerians can benefit from the framework, the head of the framework formulation committee, John Dada, said the measure of the success of the framework would depend on the kind of impact it would make to ordinary Nigerians. He said, “for the first time,

By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

National Development – RMRDC Boss

Scietech Set To Bridge The Gap In Engineering Sector

A group, Science, Engineering and Technology Development Network (Scietech), has said it is set to bridge the gap that exists in the engineering sector, especially in the academia. The coordinator of the group, Engr. Valerie Agberagba, made this known in Abuja at the Science, Engineering and Technology Stakeholders’ meeting, with the theme ‘Bridging the gap: creating an all-inclusive environment’. She said, “we know that there is a gap in infrastructure, there is a gap in curriculum and because education is a global thing now, there are exchange programmes between universities and countries.

it and operationalise it. “NITDA has put together this committee on the behest of the stakeholders who asked that they wanted a framework and based on that NITDA took the leadership position, put together a committee that is amongst the stakeholders and gave us terms of reference to be able to come up with this framework. The committee worked with other members within the stakeholder groups and this is what has come up and what we expect is for everybody to take ownership of this framework, use it as a tool to operationalise the work so that everybody benefits from your work and the country is catered for,” she added.

Sports Enhances National Development – RMRDC Boss

➌ Sports Enhances

By Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Abuja

NITDA has put together this committee on the behest of the stakeholders who asked that they wanted a framework

we’re having this partnership ecosystem within Nigeria. We’ve been working in silos in the past and that has led to duplication, replication, counterfeiting and so on. And for the first time we have what can be described as a onestop shop on ICT. The measure of the success of this framework will depend on how this framework will affect and the kind of impact it’ll make to ordinary Nigerians.” In her remarks, a member of the committee, Prof. Omotayo Fakinlede, said the framework developed on the behest of stakeholders in the IT sector was for uniformity in development, stressing that the success of the initiative would be based on the ability of stakeholders to key into

Hussaini

The director-general of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr. Hussaini Ibrahim, has said sports is a necessary tool for national development as it brings about increased productivity. He stated this at the official flagoff ceremony of the RMRDC internal walking/jogging exercise with the theme ‘Jogging for improved productivity” organised by the

Nigeria Energy And Emission 2050 Pathways Calculator Underway By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

Stakeholders have met in Abuja to deliberate on the development of an energy planning tool, the Nigeria Energy and Emission 2050

council’s sports club as part of activities of its executive committee’s winding up programme for the year in Abuja. He lauded the activities of the sports club, saying sports was the panacea for increased productivity as “workers are more productive when they are fit and healthy.” Hussaini represented by the director of agro-allied department, Dr. Mayo Jolaoso, urged other MDAs to take a cue from the council and promote sporting activities

(NEEPC2050) pathways calculator for the nation. Speaking at the stakeholders meeting in Abuja, the director-general of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Prof. Eli Bala, explained the planning tool developed by the United Kingdom Department of Energy and Climate Change (UKDECC) to relate the long term energy demand and supply pathways to green house gas (GHG) emissions up to 2050. Bala said, “there are various demands and supply pathways that Nigeria can take into the future. The 2050 calculator evaluates these pathways and concomitant emissions therefrom to help pol-

2050 In the adoption of the 2050 calculator for Nigeria, the ECN assessed the base year status of the various energy demand and supply sectors in the economy

amongst its staff. In his remarks, the chairman of the club, Mr. Tony Ogaraku, described regular engagement in sporting activities as a sure way of attaining a healthy living. A statement by the club’s public relations officer, Mr. Batako Lapai, said the exco’s winding up programme would end with a congress meeting today (Tuesday, August 26) during which the executive committee would present its score card and challenges in the last four years. icy makers and energy planners take informed decisions. It is also to this effect that the commission entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK-DECC and the British High Commission in Nigeria in November 2013 on the adoption of the UK-DECC 2050 calculator for Nigeria.” According to him, “in the adoption of the 2050 calculator for Nigeria, the ECN assessed the base year status of the various energy demand and supply sectors in the economy, made assumptions and drafted scenarios, levels and trajectories that can be used in 2050 model from the base year till 2050.”

Kogi State Procures 160 Transformers To Boost Electricity By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

A total of 160 transformers worth N402 million have been procured by the Kogi State government for distribution to 300 communities across the state. The state governor, Captain Idris Wada said the transformers, procured under his accelerated Rural Electrification Scheme, were in fulfillment of his earlier promise to take electricity to all the nooks and crannies

Wada

of the state. He condemned what he called illegal estimated billing of electricity consumers in the state by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria and promised to pay a visit on the management of the organization in Abuja on the need to correct the anomaly. He reiterated his commitment to improving the living standard of the people as well as boosting the socio-

economic activities in the state through the provision of basic infrastructure. Wada called on the benefitting communities to guard against the vandalisation of the transformers by miscreants in order to justify government’s huge investment. He also commended the effort of the state ministry of rural development towards the realization of the transformation agenda of the present administration.

NEWS /SCIENCE 25

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

science

titbits

Compiled by Nkechi Isaac

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❹ Boeing Completes Key Design Review For Space Taxi Boeing Co has completed a key review of its design for a new commercial venture to fly astronauts to the International Space Station, making it the only one of four rival bidders to finish the NASA work on time, company officials said. Boeing is competing with Space Exploration Technologies Corp, or SpaceX, and privately held Sierra Nevada Corp, to develop and build U.S. commercial space taxis to transport astronauts, rather than relying on Russia to ferry them to the station. –Reuters

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➊ Spacex Rocket Terminated In Texas Test Flight, Company Says A Space Exploration Technologies’ Falcon 9 rocket suffered an anomaly shortly after launch on a test flight in Texas on Friday, triggering its automatic termination system, the company said in a statement. “Earlier today, in McGregor, Texas, SpaceX conducted a test flight of a three engine version of the F9R test vehicle (successor to Grasshopper),” the privately owned company said. –Reuters

➋ Researchers Design New Wireless Energy Transfer Device

Top 3 Headlines ➊ Spacex Rocket Terminated In Texas Test Flight, Company Says

➋ Researchers Design New Wireless Energy Transfer Device ➌ Researchers Develop New Solar Concentrator

Researchers at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) have designed a new device for wireless energy transfer that will, for example, charge mobile phones or laptops without needing wires. The system, patented by the UPV, is based on the use of resonators designed with radial photonic crystals; one of them would act as an energy transmitter and the other would be

set on the device that needed to be charged. Between them a phenomena known as resonant coupling is produced, which is what finally produces the charging or recharging of the equipment. “This phenomena is produced when a resonant object is moved closer to a second resonant element and both resonance frequencies are equal or quite similar.

➌ Computer Security: ‘Melbourne Shuffle’ Secures Data In The Cloud To keep data safe in the cloud, a group of computer scientists suggests doing the Melbourne Shuffle. That may sound like a dance move (and it is), but it’s also a computer algorithm developed by researchers at Brown University. The computing version of the Melbourne Shuffle aims to hide patterns that may emerge as users access data on cloud servers. Patterns of access could provide important information about a dataset -- information that users don’t necessarily want others to know -even if the data files themselves are encrypted.

➏ Physicists Chill The World’s Coolest Molecule It’s official. Yale physicists have chilled the world’s coolest molecules. The tiny titans in question are bits of strontium monofluoride, dropped to 2.5 thousandths of a degree above absolute zero through a laser cooling and isolating process called magneto-optical trapping (MOT). They are the coldest molecules ever achieved through direct cooling, and they represent a physics milestone likely to prompt new research in areas ranging from quantum chemistry to tests of the most basic theories in particle physics. “We can start studying chemical reactions that are happening at very near to absolute zero,” said Dave DeMille, a Yale physics professor and principal investigator.

New Solar Concentrator

➎ Researchers

Develop New Solar Concentrator

A team of researchers at Michigan State University has developed a new type of solar concentrator that when placed over a window creates solar energy while allowing people to actually see through the window.

It is called a transparent luminescent solar concentrator and can be used on buildings, cell phones and any other device that has a clear surface. And, according to Richard Lunt of MSU’s College of Engineering, the key word is “transparent.”

Research in the production of energy from solar cells placed around luminescent plastic-like materials is not new. These past efforts, however, have yielded poor results -- the energy production was inefficient and the materials were highly colored.

26 SCIENCE/feature

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

NCC And Juwah’s 6-Point Agenda By Nkechi Isaac, Abuja

short BIO OF Dr. Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah

Juwah is the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with over 30 years of experience in the Information Technology and Telecommunications industries, with over 20 years at the highest management levels. Juwah was nominated by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and confirmed by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on July 29, 2010. He is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers.

There is no gainsaying that the telecommunication sector plays a vital role in the development of all other sectors of the economy of every nation. Access to telecommunications is critical to the development of all aspects of a nation’s economy including manufacturing, banking, education, agriculture and government. Knowing the importance of telecommunications in national development, the federal government on November 24, 1992, inaugurated a regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and charged it with the responsibility of regulating the supply of telecommunications services and facilities, promoting competition, and setting performance standards for telephone services in Nigeria. In order to effectively achieve its mandate, the federal government made sure that qualified individuals were appointed into the leadership positions of this sensitive body to initiate innovative policies that would grow the sector. With the expiration of his tenure as the third chief regulator of the industry after eight years, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, the government appointed another telecoms engineer of many years of experience, Dr. Eugene Juwah, to pilot the affairs of the commission. During his confirmation by the Senate as the fourth EVC of the NCC on July 29, 2010, Juwah clearly marshaled a six-point agenda for his tenure which included consolidating the progress made before he came to office; taking drastic measures to improve quality of service (QoS); enhancing broadband implementation; improving competition among telecoms players; providing diversified choices for consumers at good quality and price as well as improving the telecoms regulator’s presence in the in-

Tanzania To Generate 4,000MW Of Renewable Energy Before 2017 As renewable and efficient energy gradually settles into Africa’s developing power sector, the government of Tanzania has established a company to guide the country into efficiently tapping its geothermal energy sources to generate electrical power for the country. –VENTURES AFRICA

Trending Science Stories ➊ Tech chief behind Healthcare.gov leaves White House: source ➋ Amazon developing own online advertising software: WSJ

➌ Oregon sues

Oracle, claiming fraud over failed Obamacare website

➍ Cosmonauts head

outside space station for satellite launch, research. (Reuters)

Science Daily

ternational space. On July 29, 2014, Juwah clocked exactly four years in office. Stakeholders who spoke with reporters on consolidation of the progress made so far in the sector gave kudos to the NCC boss, saying he had achieved significant progress. According to one of the industry analysts and telecoms engineer, Mr. Akin Akinbo, “if we start from the parameters which NCC put in place, the industry has increased teledensity from 63 per cent in 2010 when Juwah came in to more than 90 per cent in 2014.” He said, “we’ve also increased subscriber base from 88 million in 2010 to more than 130 million currently as released by the regulator in its monthly subscriber data. This is an improvement of almost 50 per cent in four years that Juwah came to office.” We gathered that the 88 million subscriber mark was recorded over a period of 10 years after liberalisation of the sector. “In the area of subscriber growth and all the things NCC is doing to encourage this, I think the regulator has done remarkably well and it is as a result of increased favourable regulatory regime put in place by the NCC without which all the good things we’ve seen today would not have been possible,” the Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat, Mr. Matthew Willsher, said during an interactive session with journalists recently. He particularly urged the NCC to continue with its implementation of policies that would further put the industry on the path of development to attain its prime place in the global telecoms map. The increased telephony penetration recorded in the last four years has also contributed remarkably to the Nigerian economy in terms of contribution to Gross Domestic Product, GDP. Meanwhile, while the likes of Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON); Associa-

Juwah

tion of Licensed Telephone Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) as well as the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), have commended the NCC’s regulation in the last four years, they still maintain that it is not yet Uhuru as more still needs to be done. For instance, ATCON president, Lanre Ajayi, said, “NCC has done very well but much still needs to be done in terms of continuing to make the market investor friendly both for existing and new players.” ALTON president, Gbenga Adebayo, particularly urged the NCC to remove all obstacles confronting the operators’ infrastructure rollout plans, saying with the ongoing regulation, stakeholders could only expect better outlook in the years to come. However, the president, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, who commended NCC for its effort at ensuring that telecoms operators provide good services with wider choices provided through MNP services, stressed that “the service quality is not yet satisfactory and we would want NCC to beam its actions into this until we begin to have superior services comparable to what obtains in the most developed countries around the world.” From the quality of service standpoint, stakeholders said the regulator could still do better, although it had always imposed sanctions on the operators aimed at ensuring that they meet the Key Performance Indicators, KPIs, for quality of service set for them.

Juwah, in a recent chat with journalists, said the industry had witnessed a lot of policy initiatives, which had continued to impact positively on the industry with multiplier effect being felt on other sectors of the economy under his leadership. He pointed out that NCC had undertaken a number of policy initiatives all of which continue to put the nation’s telecoms market on the path of consistent growth in the last four years. “We’ve increased it from 5 per cent when I came in to 8.5 per cent as announced recently during the rebasing of the economy. “Finally, looking at investment in the sector, we increased it from $18 billion in 2010 to more than $32 billion today. The sector has created the most stable jobs and as investments grew in the past four years, more jobs, both direct and indirect, had been created and are still being created,” Juwah stated. g some of these initiatves, Juwah said the NCC reviewed old interconnect rates, following the expiration of the old interconnect rate regime last year. Also referred to as termination rates, interconnection rates are the charges which one telecoms operator charges another for terminating calls on its network and one of the key premises for open and fair competition in a telecoms market is an effective interconnection regime. Another initiative put in place by the NCC is the setting of price cap on local SMS at N4.00 with effect from February 5, 2013.

MTN Launches First Mobile HD Voice Service In South Africa MTN South Africa has launched high definition (HD) Voice services, making it the first telecom network to deploy the service in the country. Africa’s largest telecoms company said the use of the HD voice will improve customer experience and the quality of voice calls. The innovative service would also give computer-based processes like voice recognition and speech-to-text the advantage of more accuracy. MTN SA General Manager, Radio Optimisation & Planning, Krishna Chetty says HD Voice will give subscribers superior audio feedback and make conversations between communicators sound clearer and more natural. –VENTURES AFRICA

We gathered that the 88 million subscriber mark was recorded over a period of 10 years after liberalisation of the sector

Surfline Births Ghana’s First 4G Network Service Top3 Nigerian Internet Ranking Banks

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Guranty Trust Bank Zenith Bank

First Bank

Ghanaian ICT firm, Surfline Communications has launched the country’s first 4G data network

Ghanaian ICT firm, Surfline Communications has launched the country’s first 4G data network, granting it access to the growing group of 4G-utilizing countries, a group that includes Africa’s largest and most developed economies, Nigeria and South Africa. Surfline Chief Executive Officer, Dr Yaw Akoto said the internet service is ten times faster than the current data packages, citing an example that one can even download a two hour movie while taking a shower. - “If for nothing at all, by arithmetic interpretation, the 4G should be better and faster than the 2G and 3G networks available,” Ghana Communication Minister, Edward Omane Boamah added. –VENTURES AFRICA

labour matters 27

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

‘Judicial Workers To Resume Suspended Strike If…..’ By Michael Oche, Abuja

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has threaten to resume their suspended strike for what they described as the insensitivity of Chairman, forum of FAAC commissioners towards respecting the provision of the constitution as regard to financial autonomy of Judiciary or making it a first line charge as directed by the court. To this end, the union had summoned an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) for August 30, 2014 to deliberate on the impasse with a view to

ensuring that the rule of law is respected. National President of JUSUN, comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu in a Press statement in Abuja, weekend said it is “unfortunate” that despite the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) all the stakeholders signed with the union that led to the suspension of the strike, adding “they are saying is difficult to meet the union demand”. In the statement, comrade Marwan said, “my attention has been drawn to a publication on one of the national dailies in which one Timothy Odaah, Chairman, forum of FAAC

commissioners, that because of the dwindle or short fall of revenue due to force majeure declared by shell and a series of shutdown of trunk lines and pipelines at various terminals, including the substantial decline experience by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in Companies Income Tax collection contributed in dip in Revenue for the month, the court order would be difficult to implement. He added that, “the forum chairman disrespect the MoU all the stakeholders enter to implement the court order rather went to the press to say “it would be difficult to implement

the order of the court simple because there was a short fall in revenue for the month, so what is difficult, when the figure is there for everybody to see how much is budgeted or what should be given to each of the organ of government due to the available resources”. According to comrade Adamu, his action is very unfortunate and shows that he doesn’t have regard for the rule of law, and we as a union believes that since is a Memorandum of Understanding we both signed that led to the suspension of the strike, both parties involved should respect the teams of the agreement”.

Minister of labour and productivity, Emeka Wogu (right) with other officials during the commissioning of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity Skills Aquisition Centre in Bauchi

Sure-P: Funds To Be Used For Acquisition Of Modern Passenger Rail by Michael Oche, Abuja

In a bid to ease the pains of millions of Nigerian commuters, the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) has earmarked funds for the deployment of five airconditioned passenger coaches by Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in September 2014. This is in addition to six modern air-conditioned coaches and two diesel multiple units equally funded by SURE-P and recently commissioned by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu, , disclosed this in Lagos recently

while flagging off the SURE-P Technical Vocational Education Project (TVET) sponsored three months technical training for railway technicians working along the Lagos-Kano corridor. According to the Minister, the objective of the project was to enhance the institutional capacity of Nigerian Railway Corporation to ensure sustainability of rail transport delivery, particularly in the area of railway track maintenance, including skills training for gangers and subgangers, train guards and senior station masters. Wogu revealed that at the end of the training exercise, 1,605 job spaces would be filled as part of

Government’s skills development efforts towards sustainable railway operations in the country. He added that other 1,600 jobs would be created when the Eastern railway line is rolled out for both professional Engineers and technicians along the Portharcourt to Maiduguri railway corridor. Wogu noted that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, through the activities of its Community Services, Women and Youth Employment (CSWYE) Programme and TVET, has made impact on various segments of the nation’s economy. Technical Vocational Training has created not less than 5,000 jobs nationwide.

The Labour Minister identified the areas of intervention as including the renovation and commissioning of eight Technical Vocational Training Centres for different trades nationwide; its partnership with Galaxy Backbone to train and empower 1,000 auto-technicians with relevant tools; partnership with Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) to upskill 1,000 housing and construction artisans as well as its current collaboration with National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) in training 220 Nigerian Electrical/ Mechanical Engineers to position them for opportunities in the power sector.

FG Approves Skills Development, Certification For Trade Testing Officers by Michael Oche, Abuja

The federal government has approved a new Skills Development and Certification/ Trade Testing Cadre and its inclusion in the Scheme of Service of the Federation. Consequently, the career progression of officers in this cadre has been upgraded from terminal Grade Level 14 to Directorate Level on Grade Level 17. Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, disclosed this in Karu, Nasarawa State recently while flagging off a two-day Capacity Building Workshop for Skills Development and Certification/ Trade Test Officers organized by the ministry in collaboration with Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET) arm of SURE-P Programme. The minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh, indicated that the Labour Ministry would partner the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and relevant stakeholders like Industrial Training Fund (ITF); Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC); National Directorate of Employment (NDE), among others, to fashion out a Skills Development Policy for the country to boost human and institutional capacity in this specialized area. The minister charged the workshop to map out modalities for transforming the nation’s Skills Training Centres into centres of excellence for addressing the skills development gaps and imbalances undermining relevant technical and technological productivity in the country. He added that government under the SURE-P TVET programme was poised to provide financial and logistical support for such training and development efforts. The minister stated that the TVET programme has so far rehabilitated eight Skills Training Centres, namely: Federal Ministry of Works High Way Training Centre, Ijora, Lagos State; Federal Ministry of Lands and Housing Training Centre, Yaba, Lagos State; National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Orji, Enugu State. Others are: National Directorate of Employment (NDE) Training Centre, Aba, Abia State; Federal Ministry of Works Highway Training Centre, Kaduna, Kaduna State; Industrial Training Centre, Jos, Plateau State; Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity Training Centre, Bauchi, Bauchi State; and Federal Ministry of Works Highway Training Centre, Ugoneki, Edo State.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

birthday

greetings On behalf of myself and my family, I humbly rejoice and celebtrate with you on your birthday. Your commitment to making a positive difference in our beloved state is unequalled. I wish you good health, long life and prosperity.

His Excellency

Capt. Idris Ichala Wada Executive Governor, Kogi State

Alh. Abdulkareem Isah (Wambai of Koton Karfe)

Chairman, Al-Usabs Construction Nig. Ltd.

fct watch

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

N200, 000

Rotary Club of Nigeria, Maitama Chapter has commissioned Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project, worth over N200, 000, in Dutse, Bwari area council.

ABAJI AMAC BWARI GWAGWALADA KUJE KWALI

Abaji Garba Tells Residents Not To Build On Water Lanes The chairman of the Abaji area council, Hon. Yahaya Garba, has adviced residents of the council to avoid building and farming on flood-prone areas, in order to avoid sparking a flood which will pull down houses and destroy lives and property. By Igho Oyoyo

AMAC Jiba Commends NMA For Ending Strike The chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Micah Jiba, has commended the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) for calling off the over two months old strike, urging workers to always be patient with the government, because the government is always thinking of possible ways to improve on the welfare of workers in their respective environment. —By Igho Oyoyo

Bwari Chair Calls For Commitment Of Staff

Children playing soccer

Sports, Unifying Factor For Kuje Youths By Igho Oyoyo

The future of the nation, they say, lies with her young. However, the unifying factor for these young people is sport, as without it, no proper foundation for unity may be laid. However, it could be generally agreed that the tapping of talents across a broad spectrum is not an easy exercise. It requires intense effort, not only from the football fraternity but the entire nation and, most importantly, the corporate world. Most business houses have partnered to help develop sport in the country and football particularly. However, very few or no corporate organisations have sought to focus on the areas which matter mot – the grassroots. In order to emphasise the importance of investing in untapped talent, the Kuje Coaches Association in the sport department of the area council began the Kuje Rising Stars U-15

Holiday Football Competition for boys within the age bracket who school in the council. The sport officer, Elisha Musa, emphasised that the core purpose of the programme, as the theme suggests, is to discover and nurture untapped talent. He insisted that it is more rewarding to give opportunity to young boys at the grassroots, instead of dealing with mature players who are already established in various leagues. “Our focus is on the grass roots. We want to help tap [into] talents lying idly across the country. We organised the competition to help us discover the hidden talents from the grassroots and train them to represent the area council in future competitions. “We intend to build a formidable U-15 team in Kuje area council, just like we already have the area council’s U-17 team for the area council. My advice to the government is that they should always engage students in sporting activities and other

related competitions in schools and colleges. “The government should also encourage the schools through the provision of sports equipment. Sport will contribute a lot to the educational standard of the students. It will also contribute to their mental, moral and psychological development and help them prepare for academic activities,” he explained. Musa also disclosed that the competition, slated to last for seven days, was organised with the aim of engaging the students during the holidays. It will also see nine teams seek for glory. During one of the ‘group A’ games between Kuchiyakwo United FC (Kuchiyakwo Village) and Morning Star Dafara (the Dafara Village representative), which saw both teams play out a 1-1 draw, it was clear that the council had some promising young stars who, if encouraged and properly utilised by government, will take the sport to greater heights in future. The coach of Kuchiyakwo FC, Abraham Gado, who expressed satisfaction at the performance of his team, projected that, given their talent; his wards will win the competition. “I am very impressed with the performance of my boys and I am sure that we will win the competition. My boys played fantastic football despite their size and their age, when compared to other teams in the

The chairman of the Bwari area council, Hon Peter Yohanna, has called on staff of the council to be committed to their duty and make the council one of the best in the FCT. —By Chika Mefor

Gwagwalada Council Calls On Residents To Participate In CVR Exercise The chairman of the Gwagwalada area council, Abubakar Jibrin Giri, has called on the residents of the council to go out en masse and participate in the on-going voter registration exercise, so as to be among those who will vote come 2015 election. Bwari Chair Calls For Commitment Of Staff —By Chika Mefor

Kuje Tete Urges Residents To Maintain Healthy Living The chairman of the Kuje area council, Hon. Shaban Tete, has called on residents in the council to always maintain healthy living and avoid dumping of refuses in drainages, in order to prevent outbreak of diseases and uncontrolled floods, as the rainy season continues. —By Igho Oyoyo

Kwali CVR: Kwali Chair Urges Residents To Cooperate

The chairman of Kwali area council has called on the residents of the council to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) all the necessary support and cooperation that will lead to the success of the continued voter registration exercise in the area. Gwagwalada Council Calls On Residents To Participate In CVR Exercise —By Chika Mefor

32 FCT watch/NEWS

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Bwari Area Council Speaker Impeached BY ANKELI EMMANUEL

The Speaker, Bwari area council, Abuja (FCT) Mrs Mary Makama was yesterday impeached by the two-third majority of the house on grounds of incompetence, deputy chief-whip Hamza Yunusa Isa has said. Speaking to LEADERSHIP in a telephone conversation, Yunusa who affirmed that

among the charges against the impeached speaker included unilateral decision without the consent of the other nine members, inability to organize and hold council meetings regularly among others. Noting further that, the impeachment followed due process, Hamza said a consensus was reached after about there hours of firce contest between honourable Jimat Gomna and

honourable Ahmed Jacob Danjuma. According to him, at the long run, Jimat willingly stepped down for Danjuma thereby allowing the deputy speaker who also acted as the speaker while the impeachment lasted to formally declare Danjuma as the new substantial speaker of the council. Among the 10 members of

the council, only three were absent from the proceedings that led to the impeachment of Mrs Mary Makama as the speaker of Bwari Area Council. Though, the impeachment has come with high level of bitterness in the council polity, as LEADERSHIP exclusively learnt that the council executive chairman, Peter Yohana allegedly lured three of the 10 members who were not pre-

sent while the impeachment process lasted with a million naira each. The executive chairman, Peter Yohana was also alleged to have shown his readiness to lure others into his fold with money to enable him get 2/3 majority that could lead to automatic reversal of the impeachment on grounds that it was done without observing due process.

Abaji Boss Pledges Support For Flood Victims

Dutse Residents Brawl Over CVR By Chika Mefor

Residents of Dutse in Bwari area council, yesterday, engaged in a free- for -all fight as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) winds up the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Abuja. Residents, who spoke to LEADERSHIP, described the registration exercise as a survival of the fittest, saying that people were desperate to be captured in the exercise before INEC’s deadline. Recall that the CVR exercise was billed to take place from Au-

gust 20 to 25, 2014 in 11 states of the federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. One of the residents, Ukamaka Nzeakor, said that she had been coming there since the exercise commenced, adding that her hope of being captured in the exercise was slim. Nzeakor said, “When we come we usually write down our names when we come to register but the problem is that the INEC officials on ground here do not finish with the people on the list before they go which brings a lot of argument

the next day. This, amongst others, is what brought about confusion and brawl,” Another resident, Yusuf Baba, blamed the fight and struggle to impatience, adding that if everyone would be calm and wait for their turn, the exercise would have moved smoothly. He also stated that the number of machines brought in the area were not enough as many people had come out to participate in the registration. Another resident, Ejike Eze, who was at the Unit to collect his temporary card after regis-

The chairman of the Abaji area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon Yahaya Children during a book reading Garba, has promised to assist programme to flood victims in Yaba Commurejuvenate reading nity of the council whose beculture titled, longings were destroyed by the “Books enlighten natural disaster. and reading Garba, who made this promhelp us grow” ise when he visited the affectorganised by the ed areas, expressed shock at the FCT Education Resource Centre, level of destruction caused by yesterday. PHOTO BY the flood. He urged the flood victims to OKEKE JANE be calm and unruffled, promising them that the council will look into their situation, with a view to assisting them to cushion their sufferings, occasioned by the flood. The council boss further aptering, said that the trick to reg- pealed to residents of the counistering was to avoid struggling, cil to desist from building and adding that he was able to regis- farming on flood-prone areas ter when he helped the INEC of- and river banks, so that rivers ficials bring in their equipment can flow with ease, without any into the school. “I told myself that day that I form of impediments. The flood which occurred at will not be able to struggle. I came the weekend destroyed several up with a strategy. I told the other people with me. We waited for houses and belongings worth the INEC officials. Immediately millions of naira, as well as they came, we all rushed and took over 52 hectares of farmland their equipment and papers for with yet-to-be-harvested crops work. The ladies among us went like millets, yams, cassava, rice, and collected hand bags of the la- guinea corn, maize among othdies among them. That is how we ers. —By Igho Oyoyo did it,” he said.

Sports, Unifying Factor For Kuje Youths 31

competition,’’ he said. The coach of Morning Star from Dafara Village, Benjamin Akur, pointed out that though his wards did well at the second half, the goals did not come. He hoped they will do well in future games. A social analyst, Mrs Sarah

Nduka, who was present at the competition, stressed the need for the government to beam its searchlight on the abilities of young boys and girls in the rural communities, stressing that Nigeria would have developed beyond her sports sector if government at all levels had

taken it upon themselves to utilise the talent of youngsters who are lying fallow. “We have young talents in this FCT who can change the face of sports in Nigeria. It is almost difficult to imagine that, given the size of the FCT, there is very little we can boast of, despite the

number of talented young boys and girls lying waste in their rural communities. “If these young people are enrolled into any football academy, I make bold to say that, before they get to 20 to 25 years, they will challenge any footballer in the world,” she said

NEWS /FCT watch 33

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Indiscriminate Urination, Defecation: AEPB Harps On Change Of Attitude By Nkechi Isaac

Indiscriminate defecation and urination remains prohibited in the FCT

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has said that it is not the non-availability of public conveniences that fuels indiscriminate defecation and urination in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); rather, the people’s orientation and habits. Speaking at a media briefing on emerging issues of environmental and public health importance in the FCT, the director of the board, Aishat Adebayo, noted that there are public conveniences attached to every shopping complex, plaza,

market, gas station and most high activity nodes within the city. She was, however, baffled as to how and why people opt for the road sides and public drainages, and instead of these facilities provided for hygiene, privacy and dignity. “For example, there is a clean and accessible sanitary convenience attached to the Area 1 Shopping Complex. However, it has become a common sight to see people cross over to the Treasure Islands Park boundary wall to urinate. “This is a common sight in some public places. It follows, therefore, that a million more public conveniences will [not]

curb this menace; rather, a change of attitude/ behaviour will,” she added. Adebayo maintained that indiscriminate defecation and urination remains prohibited in the FCT, urging residents to use the facilities provided at various strategic parts of the city. “The FCT Administration has provided conveniences at strategic locations of the city. We must be disciplined and patient enough to walk to the nearest public convenience and use it accordingly,” Adebayo urged. “In different parts of the world people queue to use the public convenience;

District governor, 9125, Mogbeyi Tolu Omatsola, commissioning a WASH project by Rotary Club of Maitama at Government Junior Day Secondary School, Dutse.

Rotary Commissions Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Project In Dutse By Winifred Ogbebo

As part of its corporate social responsibility, the Rotary Club of Nigeria, Maitama, Abuja chapter has commissioned Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project in Government Junior Day Secondary School (JDSS), Dutse, Bwari area council. While commissioning the project, the district governor, 9125, Mr Mogbeyi Tolu Omatsola, said that the project was situated in an environment where there are growing children to enable them inculcate the habit of washing their hands regularly. Omatsola said, “if these chil-

dren are not healthy and if they don’t have access to good drinking water, they are likely to come down with all kinds of diseases, which will prevent them from getting quality education.” According to him, “I am quite impressed that the club has found it necessary and appropriate to put up this kind of project, which addresses one of the areas of focus of Rotary International, which is water and sanitation. The whole essence of that area of focus is to provide clean potable water to those communities and those areas that do not have clean drinking water.” The district governor added that the club also went a step

further to renovate toilets, for both the male and the female students of the school, for them to be able to ease themselves, not only in comfort but in very clean and hygiene environment. “this addresses a serious area of focus because we all know what is happening in the country now with this Ebola scourge. Every little step that Rotary can take towards educating and addressing the prevention of the spread of the disease is highly commendable,” he added. Calling on wealthy and influential Nigerians to help and assist government in fulfilling some of its civic responsibilities, Omatsola said, “Rotary as

an international organisation has always addressed the areas of need with or without government’s assistance. I do know too that there are quite a few nongovernmental organisations that do the same. But, there are a lot of very wealthy, influential Nigerians who can also help and assist, people who can also go to some of these villages or schools, communities or rural areas to carry out some of these projects.” In her remarks, the president of the chapter, Ms Lynda Ihuoma Nwadioha, noted that Rotary was a partner in development, while it works in the avenue of service.

Gede Foundation, Others Unite For Mental Health Awareness A non-governmental organisation, Gede Foundation, has united with other civil society organisations to promote mental health awareness among resident of the FCT and the nation. Following the May 22, 2014 round-table discussion on the “Implications of the August 2013 National Policy on Mental Health Services Delivery” attended by representatives from 12 civil society organisations, a second meeting was held recently to discuss ways in which civil society organisations can support government initiatives with regards to mental health. The group agreed to form a coalition that will advocate for accessible and quality treatment services, reduce stigma through awareness and education, conduct research and push for policy implementation. Officers and members of the Gede Foundation, Catholic Action Committee on AIDS (CACA), Christian Blind Mission (CBM), Comprehensive Community Mental Health Programme (CCMHP), Herbal Medicine Practitioners, Network Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Parents Against Drug Abuse (PADA), Planned Parenthood Federation Nigeria (PPFN) and Ummah Support Group, all identified the membership criteria. In a statement released to LEADERSHIP, the coalition, now known as Mental Health Coalition Nigeria, called on all groups and professional associations interested in promoting mental health, addressing mental health issues, and advocating for the rights of people with mental health problems to identify with the cause, in order to promote safe mental health amongst Nigerians. By Onukogu Kanayo Jubal

Did You Know That Rotary Club of Abuja, Maitama chapter was chartered in 2012.

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The president of the chapter, Ms Lynda Ihuoma Nwadioha.

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The chapter is made up of 53 professional members.

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The chapter, recently, establisehed a WASH project, worth over N200,000 in Dutse.

34 FCT watch/feature

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Houses at Gishiri community photo By Chika Mefor

Gishiri: History, Culture, People By Chika Mefor

First Impression Alighting the bus along the main road leading to the Berger-Wuse axis from Kubwa, just opposite the Nicon Junction lies Gishiri Community. If one is ever surprised by the fact that the road to the settlement is bumpy and messed up during the rains, all one has to do is move further to behold the community spread like a war-camp. Gishiri is one of the few communities situated around what some who live on the outskirts of FCT refer to as “inside town” that is privileged to still have both the rick-shaws (Keke NAPEP) and okada as a means of commercial transportation. Gishiri is like other communities in the FCT, as far as its classification as a ‘ghetto’ goes, but has more advantage then others because it is situated right in the heart of the city capital. However,

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its location has made it free, to say the least, from issues like inaccessible roads, lack of electricity, water, health care system and educational facilities – issues that have come to define other sub-urban settlements in the capital. How The Name Came To Be Gishiri, as many who understand the Hausa language knows, means ‘salt’. How did this community acquire such a name? For more than 100 years, the settlement Gishiri was known as ‘Nbwaha’. However, a native of the community, a ‘medicine’ man named Gishiri, cured people from far and near of their ailments. Everyone flocked to the area to receive herbs from Gishiri to cure their sicknesses. When people were asked where they were heading to, they answered “to Gishiri’s town”. Thus, Gishiri became the name of the community. Speaking to LEADERSHIP in an

interview, one of the sons of the chief of the community, Prince Dan Fenu, narrated that many of the community’s young people hardly know that the community was once named ‘Nbwaha’. However, the secretary was quick to say that before document about the community becomes official, the name ‘Nbwaha’ must be added. ‘Nbwaha’, Fenu revealed, means ‘a place of comfort’. Like many other stories being associated with the Gbagyi Community, ‘Nbwaha’ was a place where people took refuge because of a cave behind the hill in which they resided in times past. “The hill at the Aso Radio was the former village site, before my people came down here (Gishiri). There is a cave around that area where people hid during wars then,’’ he said. The community has a centrally-located primary school, a po-

lice post, an orphanage and two private clinics. Culture, People The natives of the community are Gbagyis, though time and civilisation has brought other ethnic groups to settle amongst them. Fenu revealed to FCT Watch that though civilisation and religion have phased away a number of cultural practices, one festival which was well known to the Gbagyis was the Zhibaje, a festival which involved the whole community. According to folklore, Zhibaje was always celebrated to entertain visitors. Women prepare for the festival by brewing local beer made from guinea-corn which they are given seven days before the beginning of the festival. The festival involves a lot of singing and dancing, as well as masquerade displays. As the invited guests turn up, they also bring their gifts to the community and there is a

‘Women Should Be Industrious’ By Igho Oyoyo

Women should be industrious and be able to fend for themselves, in order to be independent. Rose Igado, a native of Ogbadibo local government area of Benue State and a resident of Dutse Baupma in Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) pointed this out when she spoke with LEADERSHIP yesterday. Igado, who enrolled in the National Teachers Institute (NTI), in order to follow teaching – her

Igado

first love – said that upon her enrolment, she discovered that coping with the financial demands of her studies will be difficult and that, in order not to be idle and finance her studies, she decided to enrol in a pastry school, in order to acquire basic baking experience. “Now I can bake any kind of cake, snack and even organise events for people. I try as much as I can not to take advantage of people, so I charge the required according to size and design. “With these baking skills I ac-

lot of sharing and rejoicing. Basic Needs Most rural communities in the FCT lack access roads. Gishiri is no different. The road leading to the place is rough and full of pot holes. While speaking about the road in the area, one of the residents, Mercy Baba, had this to say; “I have lived here for five years. I am a teacher here. I will tell you that the main problem we are facing here is the road. The road to this area is bad. When we take a bike and Keke NAPEP, it is always hell going through our road. I know it will be worse for pregnant women and the sick among us. Plying this road can increase one’s health problem.’’ Some of the residents disclosed to LEADERSHIP that the community has no primary health care centre and that the people have to make do with two private-owned clinics.

quired, I have been able to assist my husband in different areas. In less than one year of becoming a professional baker, my financial status has started improving and I can hardly demand anything from my husband. “It is not good for a woman to stay idle, whether married or single. A woman should learn to be independent and industrious. She should always think of ways to assist her family. That is how she will earn the respect of people within and outside her environment,” Idaro said.

OPINION 35

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

De-registration: INEC Caught In Its Own Web Of Lies By Praise Tamunotonye

It is shocking to observe that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC remains adamant in its insistence that Fresh Democratic Party, FRESH must stay proscribed, despite a court verdict it falsely claimed to have appealed.The latest in this saga is the startling revelation that despite its several insistences in the media that it had engaged FRESH in court to challenge the judgment of Justice Kolawole, wherein the party’s de-registration was voided, the agency only filed a new notice of appeal on July 17, 2014. But the Commission is,in fact, just trying to plead with the registrar at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal to transmit the Records of Appeal, in a motion dated 17, July, 2014: one whole year after the Federal High Court judgment. Yet, the law demands that any appeal must be entered within three months of an extant judgment, by the rules of the Appeal Court, for it to be granted. INEC’s excuse is that they had been busy with other legal matters, causing action on the appeal to take a back seat. This position is not tenable in law. One wonders who is advising INEC on legal matters! Lies, denials and double speak is a recurring decimal in Nigeria’s corridors of power. It has become part of the features of Nigerian governments to use misinformation and exercise undue hegemonic bullying of the citizenry. Why would a national agency tell such a blatant lie before the entire world, disregarding due process and the rule of law, and now try to smuggle in a belated appeal two days shy of a year after

Jega

the judgment; an appeal it had consistently claimed it had entered into with FRESH? INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to the utmost surprise of FRESH, once claimed not to have even been aware of the judgment in a long-drawn proceeding, where his lawyers put up regular appearances until they lost abysmally in a landmark verdict delivered by Justice G. O. Kolawole of the Federal High Court 5, Abuja Division on July 29, 2014, in favour of the Rev. Chris Okotie-led party.This is absolutely amazing, considering the fact that this nonexistent appeal of the judgment was supposed to be on-going as Jega’s courtiers claimed. The question his claim begets is: at whose instance was the notice of appeal instituted, if as head of the agency, he was not aware of the judgment? These are just some of the serial lies that the political ivory palace has strewn

INEC, which is like old wine in new skin, is reminiscent of military style leadership, and this intransigence must not be elevated to the status of a threat to national security, peace and stability

Where Is Ribadu Heading? Babayola M. Toungo

I write this morning with a very heavy heart. This is because one of my political heroes decided to commit what I consider political hara kiri. My sadness also stems from the realisation that Nigeria may be in trouble because those you feel have the moral suasion to to save our nation are turning out to be not better than the worst of the lot. My sadness stems from the fact of knowing that most of us who grandstand on most national issues actually use our grandstanding as a vehicle for personal gain and nothing altruistic. The defection of Nuhu Ribadu from the All Peoples’ Congress (APC) to the Peoples’ Democratic Party

(PDP) came as a very rude awakening to those of us who still believe that it is possible to change the country through the force of our collective characters. What Ribadu did to us is akin to thumping his nose on all those who still believe in him and those like him, but to be fair to him he has only toed a line earlier toed by some of his former colleagues in the Obasanjo administration like Femi Fani-Kayode. Much as one may not like to lump Ribadu in the same political and ideological category with Fani-Kayode, one is forced by Ribadu’s action to do so. This singular act by the former EFCC chairman gives credence to the conspiracy theorists who went to town in 2011 with

along FRESH’s path to justice, and funneled to feed the de-registration monster. Another straw in the long list of filibuster’s is the new re-amendment of the relevant section of the Electoral Act, by the Senate in an attempt to keep the de-registrations head above water. After all said and done, the much touted servant-leader cum good governance leitmotifs that are variously mouthed by the present government at the centre is being exposed as nothing but political rhetoric. The agency’s disregard of an extant court judgment and subsequent re-amendment of the relevant section of the Electoral Act which the judgment has voided clearly shows that INEC has exposed itself as a joker, and this calls to question the integrity of the agency as a fair and un-biased umpire. INEC, which is like old wine in new skin, is reminiscent of military style leadership, and this intransigence must not be elevated to the status of a threat to national security, peace and stability. It has perverted the definition of oversight in justifying the deregistration, and on all counts, it must be faulted. It has its daggers drawn in this long-drawn battle of attrition against FRESH, but its subversive politicking is capable of undermining the already tumultuous democratic process and rousing new pockets of animosity towards this government. It is tantamount to gross dereliction of duty and culpable act of negligence for INEC to bandy the ruse of being busy with other legal matters and thus ignore a valid judgment. – Tamunotonye wrote in from Port Harcourt, River State

the rumour that Ribadu and Shekarau were bribed with huge amounts of money to ensure that Buhari wasn’t the only candidate from the north, thereby ‘dividing’ the northern vote between the three of them. I refused to believe the nonsense then. I am now compelled to reassess my perception of the story now that both Ribadu and Shekarau belong to the PDP. My personal bellyaching aside, is there anything that Ribadu wants to prove by jumping into the PDP train? Is he in the PDP to spoil the chances of those who have been in the party fighting the course of the party and for the entrenchment of democratic norms in the general polity? Has Ribadu done a’Shekarau’ or is he

continuing a project he began in 2011 and might have enjoyed the fruits of that particular misadventure? Much as one may respect the ex-policeman, his latest move has effectively put paid to any claims of perpendicular leadership. We just hope that Ribadu is not going to the PDP as Mu’azu’s battering ram in Adamawa. There is already a long list of eminently qualified aspirants in all the political parties vying to contest the by-election without Ribadu joining the fray and muddying the waters. There is also already so much rancour in our politics and personal relationship without some people trying to pour fuel into the cauldron. —Toungo wrote from Abuja

Guest Columnist Mohammed Alhassan

Jonathan 2015: Any Hope For Free Polls?

hough President Goodluck Jonathan has not made public his intention to contest the 2015 presidential election, it is certain that he would do so as nothing including possible chaos and instability in the country after the polls can dissuade him. This is because for the president and his loyalists, including most of his kinsmen, in the South- South geopolitical zone, 2015, is a matter of life and death. It should be noted that President Jonathan’s interest in the 2015 polls is unpopular as was his contest for the same position which he won in 2011 using state power in his position as the man who completed the late President Yar’ Adua’s tenure terminated suddenly by death. Though he is a very divisive person who to win power and retain it so far, has had to force Nigerians back to their ethnic enclaves, President Jonathan and his supporters have practically captured the ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the point where no member of that party is keen on the 2015 presidential elections except him. To achieve this feat, once again, the incumbent relied on his legendary divisiveness which saw the ruling party factionalised with the emergence of the then New PDP, and the mass exit of many of its members among whom are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a number of governors of the party. This group of prominent politicians have now found refuge and pitched tent with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). The issue that was in contention in 2011 when Goodluck Jonathan muscled his way to the presidency is still at stake today as we move towards the 2015 polls. And this issue as in 2011 may be glossed over and power of incumbency employed in order to impose the incumbent again on Nigerians. It is interesting and heartening however that many Nigerians see the possible coming back of Jonathan in 2015 as unlikely and fraught with dangerous consequences as with his 2011 victory. President Jonathan’s victory by all means in 2011 gave Nigerians the Boko Haram terrorism that we have today, making life a nightmare for Nigerians and the accompanying insecurity in the nation. Many Nigerians are worried about the consequences of another imposition in 2015 although many hold the view that 2015, for Jonathan is far- fetched as a nation weakened by terrorism might not survive another assault on its people. Unfortunately, President Jonathan has shown that his main concern is to remain the nation’s leader no matter what because he sees his presidency as the right of the people he represents forgetting that certain compromises were made for him. In the normal play of the zoning formula and rotational presidency, it may not have been the turn of his geopolitical zone, the SouthSouth. We all remember how the zoning arrangement for the presidency was set aside in 2011 to accommodate President Jonathan. In the runoff to the 2015 polls, the Jonathan issue led to the first ever fractionalisation of the hitherto pan Nigerian party, the People’s Democratic Party. Based on the above scenario, doubt is growing whether with the current president in the race there will be free and fair elections in 2015 or as happened in 2011 under his nominee as chairman of the electoral umpire, INEC, everything would be done for him to achieve victory while his opponents would be told to go to court and prove their case?

issues

By cnandran nair

The US has led a global narrative about a new era of peace and a world order following its rules. Is the West really a force for good and an upholder of superior values and morality? Having learned the lessons of the European colonial experience, the US positioned itself as a benevolent hegemony. Imagine a bomb going off in a European or U.S. city — and a pregnant mother being killed by the blast. The unborn baby is somehow saved and in critical condition in a hospital. The mother is buried and her family pins all hopes on the baby living so that the mother’s death is not in vain. Five days later, the little one’s struggle — to live, carry the bloodline and give some meaning to the memory of her mother’s life — is over. Last breath taken, blood turns from warm to cold, eyes hardly open, never having the chance to get used to the glare of light, the harshness of the brutal world or the sweetness of her mother’s love. Does anybody care? This happened just last week and you should be shaken out of your complacency and start wondering why your sources of breaking news – the global news channels and social media – did not reach you with this story as part of their usual 24hour news coverage. You never heard about it because the mother (she wore a veil) and the baby were not from a Western nation. They were Palestinians. Remember Boston, London, and Bali? All outrageous acts of violence against innocent civilians. When it concerns the lives of Americans, Europeans or Australians, the international media coverage of each deceased is endless. Every last little detail is talked about, over and over. But you will not hear much about Shaymah (age 23) and her baby also named Shaymah (age 5 days). No flowers for them. No condolence books and no pious, emotion-laden speeches by political leaders anywhere in the West. There are many more such stories from the recent attacks on Gaza: A mother, father and son, all three lost both legs in a bomb attack, their only other child, a girl, badly burnt. All remain nameless to us because

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Geopolitical Dominance By The West

they are not what we are led to believe are innocent civilians – they are collateral damage in a “just war.” It is as if, because they are Arab Palestinians, they are by extension complicit jihadists and supporters of terrorists, which makes their lives not as valuable as those of other people. In reality, they are simply pawns in a proxy war. Mindless consumers of — partial — news So how did we get here? How did we become mindless consumers of news? Why did we write off our sense of humanity – or apply it so selectively? Why do we give in so easily to lies and distortions? Coming to terms with our very selective perception starts with understanding the nature of the geo-political struggle of the last three centuries between the West and the “Rest.” The events of the last few weeks and months provide an opportunity to outline a quick tour of recent history and how we got to live in such a world, dividing humanity into the West against the Rest. Asking questions about this is long overdue — especially for those trapped in sound bites, too busy tweeting, addicted to “likes” rather than “thinking” about things and other impulses so as to not confront reality. It is a reminder, too, to all those also in denial, who shut off the world, quite literally. For starters, it is not just recent incidences where Western media, and especially American ones, have carefully crafted very selective versions of the past, present and future. It is curious that, as the West (and not the Rest) commemorates the start of the First World War in 1914, so little is being said about the broader global canvas on which this war took place. Get The Globalist’s latest headlines in your email inbox three times a week. Sign up here. On the broader canvas, the warring European states were at the same time masters of much of the world and dominating

Obama

With Europe in tow, the U.S. government set out to create global institutions and rules for how the world should work hundreds of millions of people. For example, almost 90% of Africa was ruled by European powers in 1914. And yet, there are no commemorations for these millions of Africans who were subjects of the empires and worse – slaves. In addition, thousands of Chinese, Indians and other subjects of the various empires died fighting worthless wars. No Asian, African or Arab country was party to this script expect arguably Japan. Why? These nations were the oppressed majority whose resources were needed to enrich the West and create the modern world. This is true even if one is willing to accept the controversial arguments of some in the West who suggest

colonialism was a net gain for the colonies. Native Americans, indigenous communities in South America, millions of Africans and aboriginal Australians were stripped of their rights by colonial Europeans. Genocide was committed in the name of progress. The rights of the West to control the world were deemed unquestionable and even morally supported by the Western religious institutions of the time. After the great wars of the 20th century, an exhausted and bankrupt Europe was forced to allow for the end of colonialism and the liberation of hundreds of millions in the developing world. The United States: benevolent hegemony or

empire? They handed over the keys of global leadership to the United States — and the “Rest” had no say in the matter. In the ensuing 50-60 years, the United States, with all its media power, led a global narrative about a new era of peace and world order that was made in its image and by its rules. A grateful Europe, rising from the ashes, became its partner made easier by its shared history, religion and culture. Having learned from the lessons of the colonial experience of its European friends, the U.S. attempted to paint a picture of a benevolent hegemony. It was successful in this endeavor despite growing evidence that it had evolved into an empire and, in that process, had also made Europe a subservient partner to its increasingly unpopular foreign polices around the world. With Europe in tow, the U.S. government set out to create global institutions and rules for how the world should work. The proposed course of action was dictated by self-interest. And so it was that the U.S. dollar became the reserve currency of the global economic system. Institutions such as the World Bank, IMF and the WTO were set up. All of this gave the United States what has been called an “exorbitant privilege.” The West believing its own rhetoric But whatever the original intentions of the United States, like all other great powers, it drank too much of its own koolaid. In its current state today, it is viewed by many around the world as the greatest threat to world peace given its disastrous foreign policy (Gallup survey). All of this puts a real question mark behind the suggestion so readily advanced in the global media of the West as a force for good and the upholders of superior values and morality. This is a generalisation, but broadly a correct one. There are many in the West who would agree with this analysis and this criticism is not leveled against them. Rather, it is directed against Western governments and political leaders who have for too long believed their own rhetoric. Nonetheless, the Western public is still the beneficiary of the global dominance of the alliance of their governments.

politics today Tuesday, August 26, 2014

REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS

2015 Elections And Limited Roles For The Military Federal lawmakers and INEC agree that the role of the Nigerian Armed Forces in elections should be limited. EDEGBE ODEMWINGIE reports on issues and contentions around the proposed limits and other proposals as 2015 general elections approaches.

As reported, like a war zone, the troops took their positions. At almost every 100 metres from the entry point of the state, police officers and soldiers mounted various check points

he debate about the legality or otherwise of the deployment of thousands of soldiers and security apparatus in elections will remain contentious with the fast approaching 2015 elections. But what is yet to be established is whether or not the presence of the troops had any direct consequence on the way the Ekiti and Osun elections panned out. For the records, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) clinched Ekiti and Osun respectively. In July, federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives were sharply divided along political party lines on the powers of the president to deploy military troops for elections. The heavily militarised Ekiti governorship had just been conducted and the contentions were still fresh. The massive security personnel deployed for the recently conducted governorship election in Ekiti had never been seen. For the federal government, a few violent clashes recorded before the Ekiti governorship election was enough reason to warrant the deployment of about 12,000 troops. The combined team of security personnel included soldiers, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), State Security Service, police officers were on ground to “keep the peace” during the poll. One week before the Ekiti election, the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, deployed three helicopters for surveillance in the three senatorial districts in the state with one assistant inspector

general of Police and four commissioners of Police for effective coordination of security operations. Abubakar confessed that the number of troops, armoured tanks and helicopters deployed in Ekiti State was the highest ever deployed in a state, saying it was part of the resolve of the police to do anything humanly possible to provide security for election materials and personnel of INEC. As reported, like a war zone, the troops took their positions. At almost every 100 metres from the entry point of the state, police officers and soldiers mounted various check points, with blood-hound dogs sniffing for any likely breach of peace by supporters of the political parties. “On the eve of the election, there was tension. More troops were deployed to the state. Some visitors coming into the state through Efon Alaaye-Ekiti, the first point of entry into Ekiti State on the Osun-Ekiti border, encountered at least eleven checkpoints before getting to Ado-Ekiti, the state capital,” a monitored report stated citing eyewitness accounts. The August 9 gubernatorial election in Osun also witnessed similar deployment. The APC said the massive deployment was just another veiled move of the PDP-led federal government to capture Ekiti State “at all cost”. The party said the state was over-run by armed security personnel with the intention of intimidating the opposition and the voters as well. The APC presented proof. Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and his Edo counterpart, Adams Oshiomhole were prevented entry into Ekiti to attend the last APC mega rally by military

Tambuwal

personnel. Some leaders of the party, including the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, and the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, were barred from taking off at the Akure Airport after the rally, leaving them with the option of travelling by road. “Our electoral laws are clear that every polling unit should have one unarmed policeman and the military should have no role in the election. But in Ekiti, armed police and military personnel have been deployed in their numbers and the question we are asking is whose purpose are they going to serve? “The PDP is too desperate to capture Ekiti by every means

and in view of this, we have deemed it fit to alert Nigerians to their antics”, national chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, stated at a press conference in Lagos on the eve of the Ekiti election. Reps’ position In July, when the House of Representatives debated a bill seeking to further amend the Electoral Act, No.6 of 2010, the House deputy leader, Leo Ogor (Delta/PDP) and the chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Albert Sam-Tsokwa (Taraba/PDP) insisted that the powers of the president Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 38

38 POLITICS TODAY

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

2015 Elections And Limited Roles For The Military ➔ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

to deploy troops was backed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as Section 8 of the Armed Forces Act. According to Tsokwa, the Armed Forces Act particularly gave the president proxy, powers to deploy troops for “operational use”. But the position drew a harsh response from the House minority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos/APC). Efforts by the presiding deputy speaker, Hon Emeka Ihedioha to douse the situation failed as Ogor and Gbajabiamila continued to trade harsh words over the matter. While acknowledging that the Constitution allows the president to deploy the military, Gbajabiamila insisted that the powers were not “absolute”. Gbajabiamila stated that the president can only exercise such powers subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.

Jega stated, “On the insertion of a new section 29 (1) (b) to empower INEC to control security agencies at election time, there are a few countries that are doing this because they feel it is good practice

Limited Roles Fast forward August 19, where in a public hearing organised by the House, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) backed an amendment of the Electoral Act which constitutionally limits the role of the Nigerian armed forces in elections. The backing was given in its position paper presented by Attahiru Jega, chairman of the commission last Tuesday during a one-day House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters Public Hearing on the amendment of the 2010 Electoral Act. On deployment of the country’s armed forces in elections, INEC backed the amendment of Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act which inserts a new paragraph(b) that limits the role of the military to “securing the distribution and delivery of electoral materials”. The new paragraph(b) reads: “Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law and for the purposes of securing the vote, the Commission shall be responsible for requesting for the deployment of relevant security personnel necessary for elections or registration of voters and shall assign them in the manner determined by the Commission in consultation with the relevant security agencies. “Provided that the Commission shall request for the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces only for the purpose of securing the

politicians to other political parties after winning elections on a prior party. The IPAC chairman, Dr. Yunusa Tanko who doubles as national chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP) said in its position paper that the decision was unanimously agreed after a meeting on political parties.

Badeh

distribution and delivery of electoral materials.” Jega said giving INEC the statutory power to manage security forces during elections would help to sanitise the nation’s electoral processes. It was the practice in many countries around the world that electoral bodies were given the power of management of security forces during elections, Jega said. Jega stated, “On the insertion of a new section 29 (1) (b) to empower INEC to control security agencies at election time, there are a few countries that are doing this because they feel it is good practice. “In fact in some of the countries, the entire management of the security forces in the period of the election are given to the electoral management body. “We (INEC) did not recommend this because people are already accusing us of taking too much power. But if other stakeholders agree with this recommendation, it would help sanitise the electoral process.” In other disclosures, the electoral management body forclosed any hope of electronic and diaspora voting in the 2015 elections. Jega stated that while INEC was seeking constitutional amendments to allow for electronic and diaspora voting, it can only be adopted in “subsequent elections” from 2015. “It will be difficult for INEC to prepare adequately for the process. There is simply no time to do that...we (INEC) will not be able to do electronic voting in whatever form on or before

the 2015 elections,” Jega told the Hon. Jerry Manwe-led House Committee on Electoral Matters. Again, INEC asked the National Assembly to extend the time for conduct of run-off elections to offices of president and governor from 7 days to 21 days as it will be “technically impossible” to conduct a runoff election in 7 days. Jega said the INEC identified 23 Sections of the Electoral Act which required amendment. He said the amendments if approved by the National Assembly will provide a level playing field and enhance the Nigerian electoral process. INEC also listed constitutional amendments sought. They are operational independence of the commission to be fully guaranteed in the Constitution; appointment of dates for conduct of elections to be made by the commission in accordance with the Constitution; persons convicted of electoral offences should be disqualified from contesting elections and holding any positions in political parties; voting by Nigerians in diaspora should be allowed, Constitution should make provisions for access to ballot by political parties, the need for establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission with power to investigate and prosecute all branches of Electoral Legislation in Nigeria. In another contribution at the hearing, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) - an association of all registered 25 political parties in Nigeria called on the National Assembly to outlaw “cross-carpeting” by

2015 elections as a watershed in Nigeria’s history Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said at the public hearing that the 2015 elections will mark a “watershed” in Nigeria’s history. Tambuwal said, “In a way, it is sad that 15 years after the return of our great country to democratic rule, we are still talking about free and fair elections, autonomy of INEC, legal frame work of states’ INEC, time frame of elections, participation of physically challenged persons in our elections, conduct of politicians, internal party democracy, order of elections, voters registration and accreditation, and debates by candidates, just to mention a few. “However, we must look at democracy as a journey towards establishing for our nation a more perfect system of government. So, at every stage, we must be willing to take corrective measures that will ensure that we do not miss our way and arrive at the wrong destination. He added that a “technically and morally sound” Electoral Act will go a long way in ensuring free, fair and credible elections in 2015 and beyond. “As we approach the date for a national general elections, it is important that we tidy up every aspect of the regulations governing the conduct of our elections. We believe that if our electoral law is technically and morally sound, it will go a long way in ensuring that we have free and fair elections in 2015 and beyond, “ he said. The speaker said the amendments sought by the National Assembly to the country’s Electoral Act was to provide a level playing field for the 2015 elections by removing all encumbrances that will hinder the conduct of free and fair polls. “Let there be no confusion about our motives here. Our interest is in the well being of our people, the growth of our democracy and the survival of our nation as a progressive and indivisible entity,” he said.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

THE

ELECTABLES On August 30th, 2014

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40 ISSUES

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Nigerian Civil Service Of The Future: A Perspective Analysis A study on administrative reforms in Africa conducted by Prof. Ladipo Adamolekun in 2005 regarded Nigeria as a “hesitant” reformer alongside Gabon, Togo and Zimbabwe; closer to the vicious cycle of nonreformers (Somalia, Sudan) than the vicious cycle of advanced reformers, (Botswana, Namibia, Mauritius). 45 long years down the line Nigeria is still hesitantly conceding to administrative reforms in the public service! Dr. Tunji Olaopa may not be a prophet, neither a Nostradamus who sees tomorrow, but he has been in the bureaucratic corridor of Nigeria, Africa and CAPAM long enough to know that all is not well with the Nigerian Civil Service. That is why, his passion for a professional civil service propels him to bring his experience as an “expert insider” to attempt a prospective prognosis, a roadmap towards achieving a world-class Nigerian Civil Service in the near future. That is what Dr. Tunji attempts to do in the 372 -page book: The NIGERIAN CIVIL SERVICE OF THE FUTURE: A Prospective Analysis. And who can offer a more befitting imprimatur than Dr. Christopher Kolade (CON) himself one of Nigeria’s seasoned bureaucrat and technocrat- who

in the Forward says, “Olaopa is offering --- a timely roadmap for a return journey to a civil service of a world class quality”. Made up of 18 chapters, Dr. Tunji labouriously and painstakingly takes us on his visionary journey to a trajectory for the future of Nigeria’s Civil Service. He chronicles the reform dynamics of Nigeria’s public administration; the politicsadministrative interface; the beginning of the Nigerian Civil Service and reflections on the Nation’s Administrative history. Olaopa also interrogates Nigeria’s reform profile and its emergent dysfunctions, explaining why administrative reforms have failed in Nigeria. From analyzing the elements of the civil service reform process, which include: structure, recruitment, capacity building, performance and promotion, professionalism and modernity to accountability, Dr. Tunji examined the statist environment of the Nigerian Civil Service and how that has, one way or the other, compromised its capacity to represent the government in its task of effectively and efficiently delivering qualitative goods and services to the citizens. Indeed, as the roadmap to the future, which includes a

reflection on the past, Olaopa gives us a synopsis of what he calls “a practitioner’s perspective” on bureaucratic corruption and the public service, noting the following as the contextual dimensions and manifestations of corruption: bribery, embezzlement, fraud, extortion, abuse of power, conflict of interest, insider trading/abuse of privileged information, favouritism and nepotism. With empirical hindsight acquired from his several researches on the bureaucracy, Tunji says that “the manifestation and the effectiveness of Nigeria’s anticorruption strategies and control mechanisms have unfortunately recorded inadequate outcomes”. Therefore, if corruption equals, monopoly plus discretion in decision-making minus accountability, the overall objective of the anti-corruption

In envisioning the future of the Nigeria Civil Service, Dr.Tunji does not claim puritanical ideas strategies should be “to increase the level of transparency and

rebranded profession and a accountability”. leadership development scheme Dr. Tunji also unravels the pay that empowers. and compensation conundrum But how can this be done? In and its effect on productivity: prescribing the building of a new if you pay peanuts, you get generation of public managers/ monkeys. Nigeria needs to adopt leaders, Dr. Tunji examines a new style management in terms the New Zealand model, the of the management of the salary/ German ‘Slim State’ model, the wage setup of the civil service, Nordic model and the New Public bearing in mind her social and Governance model which lay economic environment. This emphasis on managerialism as is a solution framework for the paradigm of organizational industrial relations and Nigeria’s efficiency and suggests that productivity challenges. In “the Public Service should be envisioning the future of the carried on by the admission into Nigeria Civil Service, Dr.Tunji its lower ranks of a carefully does not claim puritanical selected body of young men ideas. He examines the National ( and women) who should be Strategy for Public Service employed from the first upon Reforms (NSPSR) Reform work suited to their capacities Blueprint, and concludes that and their education and should “it can be negotiated through be made constantly to feel that a 5-Point Agenda” by creating their promotion and future a new generation of public prospects depend entirely on the managers committed to the industry and ability with which agenda of a new productivity they discharge their duties”- a paradigm; Reengineering of return to professionalism. ministries, departments and In addition to the above, the agencies management system Service needs to get back to the into performance-oriented, basic right in terms of creating a technology-enabled and core institutional framework for social compact or accountable managing the reform process. business model; strengthening and leveraging public-private By Dr. Tunji Olaopa partnerships to facilitate and REVIEWER: Dr. Ukertor Gabriel deepen effective and efficient Moti (Senior Lecturer in Public service deliveries; Reorienting Administration, University of Abuja, the public service into a Nigeria).

Re : The Ribadu Factor In Adamawa Politics By hassan AL-MIN

Writing on the above caption yesterday in page 36 of LEADERSHIP newspapers, a certain Zayyad Muhammed who claimed to write from Jimeta , Yola attempted, as has become very characteristic of the Ribadu campaigns to further pull the wool over the eyes of many a Nigerian when he embarked on what could most probably be described as ‘operation make Ribadu Governor’. Sadly it seems to be at all cost. Muhammadu if he truly exists said some aspirants and their supporters are wont to disagree with Ribadu’s choice as it is capable of bursting the bubble. Whatever that means. But the truth remains that the only bubble that will burst is the Ribadu bubble because it will spell doom for the ruling PDP. As others have said, Ribadu has no electoral value, not to the APC nor even to the PDP. But to further orchestrate what obviously can be described as a clear cut hype aimed at selling garbage as bananas, same character, out of the blues

projected that, “ Nuhu Ribadu’s likelihood of winning the governorship position on the platform of the PDP is 85 percent, while on APC is 40 percent. “ he added that “PDP’s likelihood of winning the governorship position with Nuhu as its candidate is 85 percent, while APC’s likelihood of winning with Nuhu as its candidate is 55 percent “. He described Nuhu as the ‘beautiful bride.’ Needless to say that characters such as Muhammed are just dumb odd political writers who for the benefit of feeding themselves would go to any length to make a case for their principal. The rules of elementary statistics which Muhammed failed wofly- as will his boss come October, is that the moment percentages are brought into question, they must equate the 100 percent mark. So in his projection of Nuhu Ribadu under PDP which he scored 85 percent or PDP under Ribadu which he scored 85 percent, none equated the 100 percent mark after scoring 40 and 55 percents in same direction for

the APC. Not to bore our esteemed followers with the politics of statistics, especially fraudulent ones at that, the truth remains that such clandestine statistics will lead Nuhu and his cohorts nowhere for what the PDP needs is a carrier of the people and a grassroots mobiliser. The ethnic dictatorship which Ribadu and folks like Zayyad Muhammad are wont to foist on the Adamawa people is an agenda that will never see the light of day, just as posited by President Goodluck Jonathan who has described Ribadu as “a shameless man that will turn around and accept to be the political lackey of a man he once openly accused of corruption at various times between 2004 and 2007. Now that he has been used and abused by the undemocratic overlords that reign over the ACN and fearing that he may soon be dumped now that that vehicle is about to be subsumed into the so called All Progressives Congress, Ribadu is desperately seeking fresh relevance”. The President

in perfect description of Ribadu further posited that , “Ribadu’s descent into a moral abyss since leaving the exalted office of EFCC Chairman, his equally ethicallychallenged new friends and his willingness to vituperate against any person or institution he perceives as a challenge to the fulfillment of his unattainable ambitions, have clearly exposed him for what he truly is – a thoroughly unprincipled attention-seeker whose entire career in the public service was built on bootlicking and doing the bidding of the powers of the day without a care for legality which should have been his primary concern as an officer of the law, “. And nothing can describe Ribadu the more. So for folks like Muhammed ( if he exists) , bent on fooling himself and embarking on deceit , a whole lot of factors will come to shape the governorship elections in October and whom the PDP choses to present as its candidate and not the 100 percent or one million allocation he has concocted for Ribadu ,

mischievously without any poll reference. Some people need to go to jail, wallahi. The sharing of cars and cash by loyalists of ousted former Governor Nyako will not help Ribadu and his ilk like Muhammadu. The PDP primaries shall separate the wheat from the chaff and truly then assert the true PDP mindset and character. This is important to note, lest folks like Muhammed begin to award contracts even before primaries. Adamawa people will have a major say in who governs them. The hypocrisy of the past will lead doomed leaders nowhere. So, for “Mr 85 percent” , my brotherly advice is that instead of sitting at a beer parlor over some chilled bottle of beer and concocting percentages, advice Ribadu to go back to the APC and pull his strings as the PDP is aware of his gimmicks. Al-Amin wrote in from Yola North, Adamawa State and can be reached on hakibra10@yahoo. com.

news NATIONAL 41

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Doctors Resume, Attend To Few Patients By Winifred Ogbebo and Victor Okeke, Abuja

Doctors resumed yesterday at their duty posts in the nation’s health facilities but with low patronage by patients. Though there were reports that some of the doctors were yet to resume in some states, the first vice president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Titus Ibekwe, said all doctors agreed to return to work. He pointed out that though he was unaware

that some doctors failed to return to work, the decision to end the strike was a unanimous one. He said, “The decision was democratically taken; you know we made four attempts to call off the strike which failed in the past; the constitution of the NMA is a rich one, and that is why the process to call for a strike was quite vigorous, and the same process had to be followed to call off the strike”. He said the associa-

tion has chairmen in all the 36 states of the federation who are yet to report that their members failed to return to work, adding that to his knowledge this decision to call of the strike was obeyed by all members of the NMA. According to him as a surgeon with the ENT unit of the University Teaching hospital Abuja, he had resumed dutifully at his place of work but had few patients compared to what he was used to.

pants of the National Security Training Seminar who were on a study tour of the commission at its headquarters in Abuja. The INEC chairman stated that the security agencies deployed to the two states contributed to a large extent to the free, fair and credible governorship elections, adding that the people came out in the two states in large numbers to discharge their civic respon-

sibilities due to the presence of security personnel.

Osun, Ekiti Guber: INEC Applauds Security Agencies Over Outcome By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega has hailed the security agencies for their role in the conduct of the Ekiti and Osun states’ governorship elections. Jega who was represented by INEC national commissioner, Dr Ishmael Igbani, gave the commendation when he hosted 23 partici-

he noted that the high turn out of voters was largely He also educated the participants on the functions, structure and working mechanisms of the Commission, stating that the era of rigging of elections and snatching of ballot boxes was over with the strict measures put in place by the commission.

42 news south-west Judiciary: Ondo Workers Begin Indefinite Strike Barely three weeks after the national body of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUNSUN, called-off its nationwide strike,the Ondo State chapter of the union has embarked on another industrial action. The union is demanding the removal of magistrates from manning administrative positions and the consideration of conversion, advancement or promotion of its members. It also wants the Judicial Service Commission to be restrained from fashioning out new scheme of service for the registrar cadre. All activities was paralysed due to the strike as the gate leading to the court premises was under lock and key. The decision to go on strike was reached at the congress of the union held last weekend. at the premises of the High Court in Akure, the state capital. According to a statement issued in Akure yesterday, the union stated that the action became imperative following a failed negotiation deal between its representatives and the Judiciary Service Commission, JSC, and management of the Ondo State Judiciary system.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Aregbesola’s Victory, Reward For Dedication To Service – Aide by millie ibe, Abuja

The victory of the governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola in the August 9 governorship election has been described as a reward for dedication to the service of the people. Senior special assistant to the governor on Community Forum, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye made the assertion at the Christ Apostolic Church, Number 1, Ibokun, during a Special Thanksgiving

Service over the successful reelection of Aregbesola. He said that if not for the overwhelming support of the people and divine intervention, the victory would have been difficult to achieve. Outlining achievements of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the areas of infrastructural development, education and youth empowerment, Oyintiloye noted that vision and commitment on the part of governor brought

about the change. Promising that the governor would reciprocate the gesture in his second term, Oyintiloye added that the governor was concious and clear about the challenges of development. Oyintiloye who noted that the governor places premium on the love and support shown to his administration leading to a victorious outing at the poll, stated that the governor would ensure equal distribution of social amenities.

By Tope Fayehun,Akure

Don’t Reject Patients With Ebola, Group Warns Health Workers A civil society organisation, Civil Society Awareness Response on Epidemic Diseases (CARED) has warned health workers in all hospitals across the country not to reject patients with Ebola related symptoms just as they called for the fumigation of all public places in the country. The co-ordinator of the organisation, Mr Stephen Aremu who lamented the rate at which the deadly virus spreads, called on the Federal Ministry of Health to embark on air spray as a means of preventing the deadly Ebola virus in most parts of the country. He urged the Federal Ministry of Health to embark on air spray adding that government should consider the possibility of preventing hunting expedition in the country. Still on the rejection of patients with Ebola related symptoms, he said: “we are amazed at reports of several patients being refused treatment when found with Ebola symptoms when the right response should have been to notify the relevant authorities about such suspicions than to send them back into the community.” “The consequences of sending such persons back to the communities untreated and uncared for are best imagined if any of the persons affected are truly infected with Ebola virus,” he added. By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Traffic caused by bad road at Agbado area of Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, yesterday.

PHOTO BY GBENGA OLAJOBI

short news OOU Shutdown: CDHR Calls For Commissioner’s Sack The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Ogun State branch, has berated Ogun State government for shutting down Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye calling on the commissioner for education, Segun Odubela to be sacked. In a release made available to journalists yesterday, the body chronicled the genesis of the institution’s crisis resolving that Odubela should be shown the way out. “That the CDHR Ogun State branch as a matter of urgency demand the immediate sack of Barr. Segun Odubela for lack of moral and pedigree to remain as commissioner for education or be a public servant at any level. By Gbenga Adeboye, Abeokuta

MURIC Rejects Boko Haram’s Caliphate Claim by Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) yesterday rejected the Boko Haram declaration of Caliphate in Gwoza, Borno State, just as it reaffirmed its faith in the unity and indissolubility of Nigeria. MURIC’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola said in a statement that Boko Haram’s declaration was a statement of secession. “It must not be allowed.

Gwoza must be liberated within days. Boko Haram or no Boko Haram, we cannot compromise the territorial integrity of Nigeria to anyone, no matter how barbaric. “Gwoza Caliphate is definitely not the caliphate which we desire. Unlike that of ISIS and Boko Haram, the caliphate of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) which he established in Madinah was based on justice, love and peaceful coexistence,” it said.

According to MURIC, Boko Haram has chosen disobedience to and belligerence towards the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The leader of the Boko Haram insurgents, Abubakar Shekau, had declared Gwoza as Boko Haram’s caliphate. Gwoza is a part of Borno State that was overrun by the insurgents a few days ago. It noted that Boko Haram

members were aware that the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III is the indisputable leader of all Nigerian Muslims, yet they have refused to heed all his appeals. “Instead of giving honour to Muslim leaders and emirs, Boko Haram has killed some of them and attacked some others,” it added.

Osun Poll: Omisore Yet To File Petition By JOSHUA DADA, Osogbo

Four days to the deadline for filing of petition before the Election Petition Tribunal in respect of Osun State governorship election, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore, has not approached the tribunal. The PDP candidate who re-

jected the result of the election that was declared in favour of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) candidate, Mr Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola had made his intention to challenge it at the tribunal known following his claim that the election was fraught with irregularities. However, investigation conducted by LEADERSHIP yesterday revealed that the tribu-

nal has not received petition from any of the political parties that participated in the August 9, governorship election in the state. The secretary of the tribunal, Mr. Adamu Mohammed Aliyu, in a phone chat stated that though a lawyer who refused to disclose his identity approached the tribunal for “hearing notice” yesterday, no party has for-

mally filed any application in respect of the election. But he said that the opportunity to approach the tribunal for redress is still open till 5:00 pm on Friday, August 29 as provided for by the Electoral Act. It would be recalled that the election that was keenly contested by 20 political parties was declared won by the incumbent, Mr Rauf Aregbesola.

news Lagos 43

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Jonathan’s Campaign: Lagos Assembly Berates INEC The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to justify its neutrality in the conduct of elections in Nigeria by complying strictly with the electoral laws and regulations in the country. This was disclosed yesterday by the chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity representing Epe Constituency II, Hon. Segun Olulade. The House faulted the national electoral body for what he described as “Sidon look approach” to various public campaigns and endorsement jamborees embarked upon by the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) since the beginning of the year even when INEC is yet to lift ban on public campaigns and rally. “It is very worrisome that Mr. President himself flagged-off the outright violation of electoral rules by sheer declaration and participation in rallies in different states across the country even days after the Boko Haram insurgents attacked location near the Federal Capital in April 14th 2014”.

Fashola Urges Student Leaders To Aspire For Leadership By George Okojie, Lagos

Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola yesterday urged the leadership of student unions across the country to live above board and aspire to take up the nation’s future leadership roles . Fashola made the admonition while playing host to the representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who paid a courtesy visit to his office at the Lagos House,

Ikeja. He charged the students’ leadership in the country to use student unionism as a platform and an opportunity to prepare themselves for future leadership that earnestly awaits them. The governor reminded the NANS leaders that their actions and inactions as student leaders would define their perception of leadership both now and in the near future. Fashola pledged to always pursue policies that would

enhance the standard of education. The governor added that, “We are trying to give you the opportunity that we did not have, the opportunity to participate in the decisions that affects your life. This are some of the process that we decided to take in order to prepare you for future leadership. “We didn’t just wake up one day and decided to increase the tuition of the school but it was you the students who protested

to the State House of Assembly to complain over the state of the school. And based on your complaints, we acted accordingly. “Part of the recommendations by the visitation panel was that the tuition of the school should be increased for the progress of the school.” The governor received a certificate of commendation from NANS over his decision to revert to the old tuition being paid in the state-owned university.

short news KBL Insurance Pays N250m Claims In 6 Months

By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

CSO Accuses PSC Of Promoting Fraud In The Police A civil society organisation, the Network On Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN), has accused the Police Service Commission (PSC) of complicity in the fraud that has characterised operations of the Nigerian police. The group alleged that the PSC has institutionalised the practice of promoting corruption and misconduct in the police by rewarding police officers indicted for corruption rather than discipline them. According to a statement issued by the national co-ordinator of the group, Comrade Okechukwu Nwanguma, the PSC ignored a report of investigation by the Special Fraud Unit which indicted Bala Hassan for “fraud and illegal auctioning of exhibit vehicles” while serving as CP of Rivers State. Nwanguma said the accused and owner of the vehicles who was eventually discharged and acquitted of the charges for which he was charged to court and his cars impounded, accused Bala of illegal auctioning of his three cars and buying one of them while the case was still pending. By Chika Izuora-Lagos

Former Senate president, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Ahmed Agbabiaka (left), Lagos commissioner for education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye (third right), NANS Zone D chairman, Comrade Sunday Ashefon (second right) and Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola, during presentation of certificate of commendation by NANS to Governor Fashola for school fees reduction at Lagos State University in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN.

LASU To Get N1.3bn Grant From FG By GEORGE OKOJIE , Lagos

The vice chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Professor John Obafunwa, has said that the management of the institution has put measures in place to reposition the turbulent ivory tower, saying the university is to get N1.3 billion from the federal government to upgrade infrastructure in the institution. Obafunwa who revealed this while speaking with journalists in Lagos added that the money would come

to the school very soon and would be used to carry out major infrastructure rehabilitation. He explained that the money would be released to the school by the Federal Ministry of Education through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TET Fund). The vice chancellor said, “We are expecting some assistance from the federal level. We will inject the funds from the federal level according to what it is meant for. We have already identified the classrooms we need to renovate.

“We have already identified the hostels we need to renovate. We have identified the lecture theatres we need to refurbish. We are just waiting for the funds. We are not depending on the state government strictly. All the funds we are expecting from Abuja have been declared to the state government. It is not that we are hiding anything. In all, we are expecting about N1.3 billion from the Federal Ministry of Education through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.”

KBL Insurance Limited, a subsidiary of Keystone Bank Limited, said it has paid off N250 million as claims in the first six months of 2014. A statement by the head, Corporate Communications of the insurance company, Nwakerendu Ike, stated that KBL Insurance paid N249.64 million to its customers as claims. Ike assured the company’s customers of excellent service through prompt claims settlement. He said prompt claims settlement is part of the insurance company’s efforts to ensure customer satisfaction and increased market share. By Bukola Idowu, Lagos

Ebola: Firm Storms Lagos Streets, Homes For Enlightenment

by george okojie, and Sivowaku Abiodun Lagos

As part of measures to curb the rapid spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, (EVD), Multipro Enterprise Limited, a division of Hypo bleach, yesterday stormed Lagos streets where they undertook a house- to-house sensitisation campaign to enlighten Lagosians about the disease.

Speaking on the sensitisation programmme, the manager, Multipro Enterprise Limited, Mr. Jude Nzeata said the firm has embarked on a nation-wide sanitisation exercise to arrest rapid outbreak of EVD and make the environment free from germs. He added that the exercise also took place at other parts of the country, saying the primary objective is to create awareness and

also enlighten the publics and hospitals on the use of bleach to kill germs and keep the environment clean. According to him, “We visit houses, hospitals and public places and teach them how to maintain simple hygiene by washing hands clean, toilet washing, even tiles too with hypo.” Also speaking the medical director of County Hospital, Dr.

Amos Azzun stressed the important of good hygiene to the body and the environment. He said “It is very important that we cultivate the habit of cleanliness. We shouldn’t wait until there is an outbreak of disease like virus or bacteria before we do that. Sanitiser can do that and if that is not available, then drop of bleach.

44 news south-South south-East Voter Registration: PDP Thugs, Kpirikpiri Residents Clash Some thugs suspected to be working for a stakeholder of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi State at the weekend clashed with some residents of Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, who came out in their numbers to register at the Abakaliki Stadium, one of the wards in Kpirikpiri. An eyewitness who spoke to LEADERSHIP, Mr Christian Okoro said that trouble started when the PDP stakeholder drove into the registration centre, allegedly bribed the registration officers and insisted on registering over 30 persons he brought in a bus against the agitation of others who were there before 6am. He said; “The stakeholder ordered the people he came with to come and queue in front to be registered; immediately there was a public outcry and the people revolted against the directive, insisting that the boys must queue behind.”

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Fight Against Ebola, War To Save Humanity – Amaechi By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

Rivers State governor and chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has described the global fight against the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) as a war to save humanity. Amaechi, who stated this yesterday in Port Harcourt while declaring open a one-week training for health workers in the state on the Ebola virus, said that during wars, unseen enemies such as parasites, viruses

and bacteria kill more people than the gun in a lifetime. The health workers, who are being trained by a team of professionals from a United Statesbased group, the Elizabeth Griffin Research Foundation, are drawn from the State Ministry of Health, the State Ministry of Environment, private hospitals, health facilities of multi-nationals, the Police and the Armed Forces. The governor, who was represented by the state commissioner

for health, Dr Sampson Parker, said it was regrettable that Lagos State was caught unawares by the disease, when a Liberian victim sneaked into the state last July. He said, “This is a clear and present danger facing all of us. Our brothers in Lagos were caught unawares when someone sneaked into Lagos and we lost some of our colleagues. During wars, the unseen enemies are viruses, parasites, and bacteria; they kill more people than the gun can kill in a lifetime.”

The commissioner stated that apart from training the health workers on the Ebola disease, the trainers will also train them to prepare for further epidemiological emergencies that may break out in the state. He said, “Every establishment that has something to do with health care is represented here. They are to be trained on how to handle Ebola Virus Disease, if it comes into Rivers State. It is a pre-preparedness training against Ebola.”

short news Olejeme Praises Uduaghan, Promises To Take Delta To Next Level

By Obinna Ogbonnaya, Abakaliki

FG’s Mechanised Cassava Farming Takes Off In Delta A socio-political organisation in Akwa Ibom, The Frontline Akwa Ibom Movement, yesterday said it would not allow any part of the land belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom to be annexed for the purpose of creating a state for Ijaw people in the South-south region. The group explained that though elders and people of Akwa Ibom State are not opposed to the creation of Oil Rivers or any other state for the Ijaw people, it will employ every legal means to resist any attempt by groups such as Ijaw Youths Council to blackmail Akwa Ibom leaders. The group made its position known in a statement made available to newsmen in Uyo and signed by its president, Ibanga Isine and secretary, Anietie Akpan. By Bernard Tolani Dada, Uyo

PPA Chieftain Condemns Kalu Over Attack On Orji Factional deputy national chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Ogbuishi Benjamin Obrota, has described the recent press attack by former Abia State governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, on incumbent Governor Theodore Orji as “myopic and an afterthought”. Reacting to Kalu’s description of Orji as a chameleon, Obrota said the write-up was “an expose of the shallowness of the former governor who maintained a chief of staff for eight years without discovering him.” By Millie Ibe, Abuja

The chairman, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Dr Ngozi Olejeme has praised the Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan for setting high standards in sports, security and management of public finances, promising to Rivers State govenor Chibuike Amaechi and former FCT minister and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Malam Nasiru continue where the el-Rufai (left) when the governor took El-Rufai to see some of his projects, in Port Harcourt, yesterday. governor will stop in 2015. “I must thank His Excellency, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for a job By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City Etokhana as the Oghieavhianwu of and carry party cards; I only ask you well done. I will Avhianwu, the governor urged the and your chiefs to educate our peobring my wealth Edo State governor, Comrade Ad- new royal father to educate his people to distinguish politicians who of experience ams Oshiomhole, has said that he ple to distinguish and support only will stand only when it is good for to bear in the has no apology to tender to those politicians who stand for the inter- their families, not when it is good administration and who decamped from the All Pro- est of the larger community, rather for the larger community. development of gressives Congress (APC) to a rival than their personal interests or the “I want it to be said that when I Delta State. I will party, saying he will never share the interest of their immediate families. left office, our people started disalso take Delta State state’s resources meant for developHe said: “We must use every op- tinguishing thieves from real polto the next level,” ing the state to them. portunity to educate our people. iticians. Our people must learn to she promised. Speaking at the presentation This afternoon, your Royal High- begin to interrogate all manner of of staff of office to Alhaji Jackson nesses, I am not asking you to go political miscreants.” By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

No Apology To APC Defectors – Oshiomhole

APC Condemns Impeachment Moves Against Enugu Deputy Gov By Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the ongoing impeachment moves against the deputy governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi. Speaking at the weekend during the inauguration of Enugu East local government secretariat of APC at Abakpa Nike, Enugu, the APC chairman in Enugu

State, Dr Ben Nwoye urged residents of the state to resist any attack on democracy, even as he vowed that his party would take over Enugu State in 2015. Nwoye described the flag-off of the office as the biggest event of the party in the state this year, saying it was a move that would culminate in the defeat of the ruling party next year. “This is the beginning of that

movement I told you about in April this year, where we will march one by one, men and women, boys and girls from every polling unit, from every ward and join hands together to champion true democracy in Enugu State. “Today is like no other day because all those that have spoken that there is no APC in Enugu State will wake up to the true reality of our own time: that APC

has come to stay and that one by one, they are going to come in and join you because they have seen the truth from the falsehood. We know that today, while APC governors are planning and providing free education, free healthcare, better roads, industrialisation, PDP government in Enugu State is involved in chicken impeachment”, he stated.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

TRIBUNAL: THE SHOCKING REVELATIONS OF RESULT SHEETS OF PLASIEC

The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) has allegedly forged the result of the February 25th local government election of Jat ward in Langtang North Council of the state. According to a certified true copy of statement of results S/N 0009808 of chairmanship election obtained, it indicates that the Democratic People Party (DPP) chairmanship candidate in the election, Dan Dul scored Four Hundred and Eighty One votes while his PDP counterpart Godwin Kumzhi Nan Nwa pulled Four Hundred and Eighty Seven votes. Our investigation revealed that a close look at the CTC issued by PLASIEC S/N 0009808 shows that DPP candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s result was reduced from 481 to 181 while that of PDP Godwin Kumzhi Nanmawa was increased from 487 to 787 votes. It was learnt that PLASIEC gave PDP a true certified copy and another different certified copy to DPP as DPP has a duplicate copy of the certified copy given to them by PLASIEC, each with the same serial No. 0009808. One wonders how the same PLASIEC gave two different certified copies of the chairmanship statement of result of Sabonlayi polling unit with the same serial No. 0009808. Signed:

Nimkar Telzing

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

48 news NATIONAL Public Procurement: Nigeria Loses Billions To Quacks –CIPSMN Boss

The president, Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN), Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu, has decried the high participation of quacks in the purchasing and supply chain management in the country. Speaking during the Batch-B 2014 induction ceremony for new graduates in Abuja, he disclosed that government loses billions of naira to quacks handling purchasing and supply in the country, adding that bad procurement will increase poverty and inequality in the country. The president of the institute said: “Corruption and corruption risk can take place along the entire cycle of procurement. The goal of procurement is to satisfy the public interest. Like any government action should be, in this sense, good procurement should satisfy the needs of the people, should be fair to businesses, should save and avoid wastage of public funds.’’ By Tunde Oguntola, Abuja

We Never Tried To Kill NSCDC Commandant – Police Lagos State Police Command has debunked the claim that five policemen led by an inspector wanted to assassinate the commandant general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ade Abolurin, at Maba Island in Ifo local government area of the metropolis. NSCDC in a statement alleged that Abolurin, who was on an inspection and assessment tour of disposable forfeited items along with over 200 of his committee members, including representatives of the Nigerian Army, EFCC, ICPC and office of the Attorney-General of the Federation among others, came under siege when a suspected police inspector attempted to open fire on them at Ikorodu, Lagos State. By Matthew Dike, Lagos

NBA Confab: Tambuwal Charges Bar On Credible Election

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal has urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to continue to uphold the nation’s democracy by insisting on credible elections. Tambuwal stated this yesterday at the opening ceremony of the National Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in Owerri, the Imo State capital. “Nigerians are apprehensive as 2015 general elections draw close instead of looking forward to the elections with hope. The nation craves free and fair election in 2015 and the judiciary has a role to play to ensure that the aspirations of Nigerians are met. By Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Adamawa Guber: I’m Not Rattled By Waiver Delay –Ribadu By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant ahead of Adamawa governorship by-election, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday said he was not worried about his pending application for waiver to vie for the par-

ty’s ticket. The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who spoke after submitting his nomination form at the national secretariat of the PDP, said ”I am not worried about the waiver. I have followed the rules. I am a law and order person. I have done my own bit and I will wait for the party to do their

own. That part is not my responsibility.” On why he dropped his presidential ambition, Ribadu said “I am old for service, I don’t know anything in my life other than public service. And I am prepared to serve in any capacity. If you ask me to become a sweeper of any street in any part of Nigeria, I am prepared to do so.”

On claims that he ate his vomit by returning to the PDP, he said “No, I did not.” On his reasons for leaving APC, he said “today, I have submitted my forms to vie for the office of Adamawa because I am very passionate about my state.‎ I want to work towards addressing the challenges and difficulties facing people of Adamawa .

short news APT Pension Holds AGM APT Pension Funds Managers Limited, a licensed Pension Fund Administrator, managing about N18.1billion pension funds by 31st December, 2013, has had its 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM). The chairman of the company, HRH, Chief Ombo Clinton Odibo Tom Big Harry, disclosed this during the company’s AGM in Abuja. He said he has Former EFCC chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu (left) submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms to PDP national kept his pledge deorganising secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN spite the economic and environmental challenges and severe competition in the pension industry. By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Abuja The paramount ruler listed the Obekpa in his palace in Otukpo. The financial The Senate president maintained projects to include the multi-bilPresident of the Senate, Senator that development can only take lion naira Otobi multi-purpose performance in David Mark has urged traditional place in a peaceful and congenial dam; construction of Oweto-Uloko 2013 was better rulers across Nigeria to rise up to atmosphere, just as he reminded Bridge, establishment of College of than that of 2012 the challenge of ensuring security, those perpetrating violent crimes Medical and Health Sciences, Otukas the gross income peace and unity of the nation at all to sheathe their swords and em- po campus of the University of Aghad increased from times. N305.9million to brace dialogue. riculture, Makurdi as well as the Senator Mark said traditional rulN447.2million in Senator Mark in a press state- National Open University of Nigeers and citizens alike need to com- ment issued by his chief press secre- ria (NOUN), Otukpo Study Centre 2013, representplement government’s efforts in the tary, Paul Mumeh, said he would do among others. ing 46.2 per cent onerous task of curbing crimes, es- more to attract developmental projgrowth with the He, however, tasked the Senate pecially the insurgency ravaging Ni- ects to his constituency but would president to do more in order to reprofit before tax geria. increasing from require a peaceful atmosphere, the alise the creation of Apa State out He spoke at the weekend when he support and cooperation of the peo- of the present Benue State, saying N60million in 2012 formally received the certificate of ple. to N162.7million, that the people are homogeneous his chieftaincy title, the Okpokpowrepresenting 170.7 Handing over the certifi- and hospitable. ulu K’Idoma (meaning the brave cate to the Senate president, the per cent growth in The Och’Idoma added that the warrior and defender of the Idoma Och’Idoma praised Mark for pro- proposed State is economically viprofit before tax people) from the paramount rul- moting peace in the country and able and its creation will ultimatein the year under er of Idoma nation in Benue State, attracting developmental projects ly bring government nearer to the review. Och’Idoma IV, Agabaidu Elias Ikoyi to his domain. people. By Penbi David -Stephen , Abuja

Mark Urges Royal Fathers To Ensure Security, Unity

NTI Boss Bags European Professorial Award By Millie Ibe, Abuja

The Director-General of the National Teachers’ Institute, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu has once again bagged another milestone as he was conferred with honourary professorship on educational administration and management award by

the European American University EAU, Commonwealth of Dominica. The well packaged event brought together many eminent Nigerians from various walks of life and avail the EUA the opportunity to present doctorate and professorship awards to some outstand-

ing Nigerians. The event saw presentation of different categories of honourary awards to Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession. In his acceptance speech at the event, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu said the award would

not only go down the lane of history, but would also inspire him and the institution. He also added that the National Teachers’ Institute has over the last few years intensified its operations at enhancing the quality of Nigerian teachers and by extension to pupils and future generations.

news NATIONAL 49

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Adamawa Guber: ‘I’m In The Race To Rescue State’ By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Former national chairman of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant in Adamawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Moddibo, yesterday declared that he is in the race to rescue Adamawa State from underdevelopment. Moddibo who spoke after he submitted his nomination form to contest the October 11 governorship

by-election, however, expressed reservations over the consensus arrangement, saying it was responsible for the tragedy faced in the state. Moddibo who said he has paid his dues having worked in the public service for 35 years and lectured for 23 years, said “We are on a rescue mission of Adamawa State from bad governance and to ensure effective development of the state”. He noted that with determination, his team will

transform the state. Moddibo added, “I am not afraid of any contestant. We have been told that there will be a level playing field so I believe we should all go to the field and test our popularity. “Of course, in democracy you can say consensus and all that, but democracy allows the vote of the people to determine the winner. If you are that popular, subject yourself to what the people think and you will take the verdict from the people.

Adamawa Guber: 8 PDP Aspirants Submit Forms By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Ahead of the October 11 Adamawa State governorship by-election, about eight governorship aspirants under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday submitted their nomination forms for the by-election.

The aspirants who submitted their forms yesterday include the acting governor, Umaru Fintiri, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, former national chairman of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC),

Muhammed Moddibo, former minister of health, Dr Aliyu Idi-Hong. Others are Engr Marcus Gundiri, Sen Abubakar Geiri, Dr Umar Ardo, and Auwal Tukur. While the screening of candidates begins on August 28, the party primaries will hold on September 6.

2015: TMG Opposes Deployment Of Security Agencies During Elections By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Comrade Ibrahim Zikirullahi, has opposed heavy deployment of security forces for the purpose of policing electoral environments, saying elections are not wars. Comrade Zikirullahi made the assertion at the Biennial General Meeting (BGM) of the group, which held in Abuja yesterday. He said, “Emerging trends have shown that the excessive presence of the military in the electoral process is giv-

ing off vibrations that are not too pleasant for lovers of democracy and that INEC’s call to be reposed with the deployment of security should be heeded.” “Ordinarily, elections are not wars that should require such massive deployment; it is the sinister machinations of many desperate politicians whose resolve is to subvert the electoral process that has provided the alibi for the massive militarisation of the electoral environment. Our take on the debate on militarisation is that while we insist

that the electoral environment must be secure for voters to exercise their franchise, it is our considered view that the vigilance of the citizens is ultimately the best antidote to electoral malfeasance.” Zikirullahi charged the electorate to always see the electoral process as directly connected to their welfare and called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act that has been put forward by INEC for the successful conduct of the 2015 elections.

Don’t Let Nigeria Disintegrate, Mothers Beg Politicians By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

Nigerian mothers, under the auspices of the Mothers of Vision Development Initiative, have pleaded with politicians not to let the nation disintegrate, as the 2015 election is around the corner. Speaking on behalf of the group during a press conference held at the Savannah Suites, Garki, Abuja, yesterday, the

leader of the women, former minister of water resources, Salome Audu Jankada, OON, urged politicians to embrace peace and oneness as they seek elective offices. “If the country disintegrates, God forbid, it is the women and children who bear the brunt of the wrong decisions; they are the ones who will suffer the most in the ensuing confusion.

“The women and children should be considered when decisions are being made, because they are Nigerians and every Nigerian has a right to the resources, opportunities and human rights as prescribed by the constitution. “If we want our nation to remain as one, we must do unto others as we want to be done unto. Also, we must love one another,” she said.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

zonal watch

ANAMBRA IMO ABIA EBONYI ENUGU

Inec Issues Certificate Of Return To Widow Of Late Abia Lawmaker BY MATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has issued a certificate of return to Mrs. Nkemdirim Nwogu Iheasimuo, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and winner of the August 16, by -election for Aba South state

constituency of Abia State, despite protests by the All Progressives Congress (APC). INEC resident electoral commissioner in the state, Prof. Jacob Jattau, who issued the certificate to the lawmakerelect, congratulated her on her victory, stating that with

the certificate she has been empowered to commence legislative functions. It would be recalled that the leadership of APC in the state had issued a statement alleging irregularities in the conduct of the election. The party also claimed that the “Final results announced by INEC did not

reflect the will of the people of Aba South Constituency.” APC said that it was convinced that its candidate won the election on merit, and deserved to have been announced winner of the election. Mrs. Iheasimuo scored 1,655 votes to defeat her closest rival, Elder Smart Ebere of APC,

Abia Canvasses For New Curriculum For Schools

Heads FROM the ZONE

➔ The secret trial of Enugu State deputy governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, by a seven-man panel over allegations of misconduct leveled against him by the State House of Assembly, ended last week Wednesday. The House is this week expected to announce the findings of the panel. ➔ The leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, last week faced a rebellion mounted by some disenchanted members of the group. About two persons were said to have died, and several others wounded when members of the group loyal to Uwazuruike tried to flush out the ‘rebels’ occupying the luxurious Biafran headquarters located at Okwe, in Onuimo local government area of Imo State.

who scored 313 votes, while Chief Chimobi Apara, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA) came third with 252 votes. The Aba South constituency seat became vacant following the death of Mrs. Iheasimuo’s husband, Hon. Nwogu Iheasimuo.

BY MATTHIAS NWOGU, Umuahia

One-storey building belonging to late Mr. Okafor Ughamadu of Umunbo village, Ayamelum local government area of Anambra State where his son, Mr. Celestine and his gang keep their victims being demolished on the orders of the state governor, Mr Willie Obiano.

Anambra Govt Demolishes Kidnapper’s Den

BY OKECHUKWU OBETA, Awka

The Anambra State government at the weekend demolished a building in Umunbo in Ayamelum local government area of the state allegedly being used by the owner identified as Celestine Ughamadu, for hiding kidnap victims. According to the senior special adviser (SSA) on media to Governor Willie Obiano,

Mr. James Eze, the recent demolition exercise brings to 16, the number of such buildings demolished by the government in various parts of the state. LEADERSHIP gathered that residents of Umunbo danced round the community after the demolition of the building in appreciation of the governor’s efforts to secure lives and property in the state. A youth leader in the area

Mr. Anthony Osita, thanked Governor Obiano, for sustaining the fight to rid the state of all forms of crime and anti-social activities. He urged the youths not to get involved in criminal activities, but rather to engage themselves in productive ventures to enable them lead useful lives, adding that the act of kidnapping has dented the image of the community.

Obinugwu Youths Commend Okorocha For Dethroning Ilomuanya BY STANLEY UZOARU, Owerri

Hundreds of youths of Obinugwu community in Orlu local government area of Imo State, last week staged a peaceful march to Douglas House, Owerri, the official residence of Governor Rochas Okorocha, to commend him for removing Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, as traditional ruler of the area, as well as replacing him

with HRH Eze Stanley Nwangwu Anaezionwu. The youths who chanted various slogans, described the appointment of Eze Anaezionwu as the new traditional ruler of the community as a step in the right direction, saying that it would lead to peace and socio-economic transformation of the community. The leader of the youths, Mazi Abuchi Ezekwe, regretted that

the community had for years lagged behind in development as a result of bad leadership, and expressed gratitude to God for the emergence of Eze Anaezionwu who he said has the capacity to move the community forward. The youths, however, condemned some people in the area who are opposed to the new royal father.

Abia State deputy governor, Emeka Ananaba, has canvassed for the introduction of a functional curriculum in all educational institutions in the South-East to produce quality graduates that would revive the collapsed economy of the geo-political zone. The deputy governor who spoke in Umuahia during a meeting of the organisers of the South-East Economic Summit scheduled to hold in Enugu in September, said the high quality manpower available in the defunct Eastern region contributed in making the area the fastest growing economy in sub-Saharan Africa. He attributed the fall in the standard of education in the region to the takeover of schools owned by missionaries and individuals by the various state governments after the end of the Nigeria/Biafra war which lasted from 1967 to 1970. He regretted that the South-East zone which used to be the bastion of education, now ranks high in male school dropout in the country, and advised the summit to come up with proposals that would keep male students in schools, as well as new curriculum that would enhance the quality of education in the zone. The state commissioner for education, Mrs. Monica Philips, described education as the bedrock of development and progress, adding that the time has come for the region to develop an indigenous educational curriculum that would equip students with the knowledge to provide the basic needs of the country after graduation. The theme of the Enugu summit is: “Education in the South East Nigeria: Bridging the Gaps for Social and Economic TransAnanaba formation”.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

world

news ➎

➊ Syria Set To

➌ ➍➏ ➋ ➐ ➊

➎ American Held In Syria For Almost Two Years, Released

An American journalist held in Syria by Islamist rebels for close to two years has been released. Peter Theo Curtis, 45, is believed to have been captured in October 2012 and held by the al-Nusra Front, a Syrian rebel group with ties to al Qaeda.

“My heart is full at the extraordinary, dedicated, incredible people, too many to name individually, who have become my friends and have tirelessly helped us over these many months. ” said Curtis’ mother, Nancy Curtis.

Russian food safety watchdog yesterday said it has ordered the temporary closure of one McDonald’s (MCD.N) restaurant in the southern Stavropol region over sanitary

violations. The regulator, known in Russian as Rospotrebnadzor, said that violations had been unveiled during an inspection of the restaurant.

At least 43 people killed in Baghdad and other cities, as new prime minister calls for unity. A wave of attacks targeting commercial areas in and outside Baghdad has killed a total of 43 people, officials have said.

They said the deadliest of Monday’s bombings was carried out by a suicide bomber who blew up himself among Shia worshippers who were leaving a mosque after noon prayers in the capital’s eastern New Baghdad area.

➋ Ukraine Crisis:

Work With West Against ‘Terror’

‘Column From Russia’ Moves On Mariupol

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has said that his country is ready to work with the international community to battle against “terrorists” within the framework of a recent UN resolution. In a news conference in Damascus yesterday, he said that Syria must be involved in co-ordinating any air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria.

The Ukrainian military says it is battling rebel armoured vehicles that crossed from Russia and headed to the south-eastern city of Mariupol. It said the column was halted near the town of Novoazovsk. One military commander said pro-Russian rebels might be trying to open up a new southern front. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had not heard the reports but complained of regular “disinformation about our ‘incursions’”.

➏ Russia Orders Temporary Closure Of One More Mcdonald’s Restaurant

➌ Hundreds Gather In ➍ Islamic State Captures

Ferguson for Michael Key Syrian Air Base Brown’s funeral Hundreds reportedly killed as Michael Brown, 18, who was unarmed, killed on 9 August after being stopped by a white police office for walking in the middle of the street. His death sparked days of protests and violent clashes, but tensions appear to have eased in recent days.

fighters storm the Tabqa base in northeast Syria, the army’s last foothold in the area. Fighters from the Islamic State group have taken over an air base in northeast Syria, capturing it from government forces after fighting that cost more than 500 lives, a monitoring group and state media have said.

➐ Iraq Bombings Target Shia Areas

52 WORLD NEWS

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Roche To Buy US Biotech Firm Intermune For $8.3bn

Roche Holding AG has agreed to buy U.S. biotech company InterMune Inc for $8.3 billion in cash, helping the world’s leading maker of cancer drugs expand into the treatment of rare or incurable diseases. Roche’s efforts to produce successful non-cancer drugs from its own labs have been mixed, with setbacks in recent years for experimental drugs against heart disease, diabetes and schizophrenia. The Swiss drugmaker already markets Pulmozyme for cystic fibrosis and Xolair for severe asthma in the United States and has other experimental respiratory products in clinical development, including another severe asthma drug called lebrikizumab.

The InterMune deal brings it a promising new drug, pirfenidone, for treating a progressive and ultimately fatal scarring condition of the lungs. Pirfenidone is approved for socalled idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in Europe and Canada, and is undergoing U.S. regulatory review. Roche said that it would pay $74.00 a share through a tender offer for InterMune, representing a premium of 38 per cent to the closing price on Aug. 22 and a 63 per cent premium over Aug. 12 when takeover speculation around the stock began to circulate. The acquisition, which has been recommended by the boards of both companies, is the largest by Roche since 2009, when it bought out the remaining

stake it did not already own in U.S. group Genentech for around $47 billion. Analysts described InterMune’s price tag as “hefty” given it only has one marketed product in a field that is likely to become increasingly competitive over time. But Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Tim Anderson, who rates the stock ‘outperform,’ praised the decision to beef up outside oncology as a “smart tactical move.” Industry analysts expect pirfenidone, which is given as a pill, to have sales of $1.04 billion in 2019, according to consensus forecasts compiled by Thomson Reuters Pharma. Shares in Roche were up 0.5 per cent at 267.2 Swiss francs by 0806 GMT on yesterday. The large premium ascribed to InterMune is not unusual in biotech takeovers, reflecting intense competition for promising new drugs among larger companies, which rely on small innovative firms for a growing proportion of their products. Roche said the transaction was expected to be neutral for its core earnings per share in 2015 but would boost profits from 2016 onwards. It said guidance for this year remained unchanged.

BOC Aviation Orders Boeing Planes Worth $8.8bn

BOC Aviation, the leasing arm of Bank of China (601988. SS), has placed the biggest order in its 20-year history for 80 Boeing (BA.N) medium-haul passenger planes, weeks after lessor SMBC Aviation ordered 115 Airbus jets. The shopping spree by leasing companies comes as they ride a boom in aviation financing and see strong demand from airlines. Seeking to keep lean balance sheets, airlines are increasingly turning to lessors to upgrade fleets to fuel-efficient aircraft Singapore-based BOC Aviation, one of the world’s leading lessors, said the order was for 50 Boeing 737 Max 8 planes and 30 Next Generation 737-800 aircraft, which will be delivered from 2016 to 2021. The order, which also includes two 777-300ER longhaul wide-body planes, has a value of $8.8 billion at list

prices, Boeing said. Last month, SMBC placed an order worth about $11.8 billion for Airbus planes. Buyers typically receive an undisclosed discount on the listed prices of jets. The order is part of BOC Aviation’s strategy to build its fleet for the next seven years. The company had a fleet of 251 delivered aircraft as of June 30. “Following the successful placement of the 50 Next Generation 737 aircraft that we ordered in 2006, this is a continuation of our commitment to be responsive to airline customers which are expanding or replacing older fleets,” said Robert Martin, managing director and CEO of BOC Aviation. Asia-Pacific is the top region for aviation growth. The region’s customers are expected to buy about $2 trillion worth of planes over the next 20 years, or 39 per cent of global sales of $5.2 trillion, according to Boeing’s latest forecast. Lessors such as BOC Aviation place their aircraft with airlines globally, and are increasingly important customers for the plane makers as their share of global fleets grows. The order for the upgraded, re-engined variant of the Boeing narrow-body jet follows BOC’s deal for 43 of Airbus Group NV’s (AIR.PA) A320 family of aircraft, including seven of the re-engined A320neo planes, at the Farnborough airshow in July.

S&P 500 Tops 2,000 For First Time Ever So much for the stock market rally coming to a screeching halt. The S&P 500 surpassed the 2,000 level for the first time ever on Monday morning. Despite a fair amount of ups and downs over the past few months, the popular index of large companies is up 8% this year. And that follows a nearly 30% surge in 2013.

If you’ve had your money in the market since 2009, you’re likely very happy -- and a lot richer. The S&P 500 is now up more than 200% since this bull market began in March 2009. Many people invest in retirement funds that mimic the S&P 500. —Rueters

Ebola: Liberian Doctor Given Promising Drug Dies A Liberian doctor who contracted the Ebola virus and received a promising experimental treatment has died, the manager of the Elwa Ebola Facility in Monrovia, Liberia, has said. Dr. Abrahim Borbor died on Sunday evening after contracting Ebola at JFK Hospital in Monrovia. Borbor was given ZMapp, the same drug that was given to two Americans who had Ebola. The Democratic Republic of Congo is also reporting new Ebola cases in a northern town, sparking fears that the deadly virus is expanding far beyond West Africa. Two people in Gera tested positive for Ebola, a government spokesman said Sunday. The country’s health minis-

ter, Felix Kabange Numbi, confirmed the cases in a televised statement. “We’re going to provide essential medication in all medical institutions in the area of Gera but also free health treatment for the duration of the epidemic,” Numbi said. A lab and quarantine station have been set up in the town, which is about 750 miles from the capital of Kinshasa. The central African nation said its test showed that the strain is different from the one that has killed nearly 1,500 people in the West African nations of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. “This epidemic doesn’t have any link to that which is now happening in West Africa,” Numbi said.

Ecowas Commission Honours Fallen Hero By Tunde Oguntola, Abuja

The Management and Staff of ECOWAS Commission have held a Special Prayer service in honour of the Protocol Assistant at its Lagos Liaison Office, Mr. Salihu Abdulqudir Jatto who died on the 12th August 2014 after a brief illness. According to a press release, made available to LEADERSHIP, ‘’The solemn ceremony at the Commission’s Abuja Headquarters, on Friday 22nd August 2014 was presided over by the Vice President of the Commission Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh on behalf of the Management and President of the Commission, His Excellency Kadré Desire Ouédraogo.’’ Glowing tributes were paid in

memory of Mr. Jatto, who was variously described as a diligent, passionate, humble and hardworking staff, who died a hero in the course of duty. Leading the other mourning colleagues in the outpouring of grief, the Vice President described Jatto as “a sharp, young, aggressive goal-getter and a personal friend.” “We are all touched by his death, which is both a personal and collectively loss,” the Vice President said, and prayed for the repose of Jatto’s soul. Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Steve Onwuka, Head of Protocol at the Commission, narrated some examples of Jatto’s unique “unassuming, humble and infectious” character.

EBOLA: Japan Ready To Offer Flu Drug Tokyo says Ebola and influenza viruses are the same type and theoretically similar effects can be expected on Ebola. Japan said it is ready to provide a Japanese-developed anti-influenza drug as potential treatment to fight the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on yes-

terday that Tokyo can offer the tablet favipiravir, developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, any time at the request of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Suga said Japan is watching for the WHO’s decision on further details over the use of untested drugs, news agency reported. —Al jazeerah

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Ideye Blames Bad Luck For Barren Debut Nigeria international and West Bromwich Albion new signing Brown Ideyehas expressed his frustration not getting a goal on his debut for the Baggies at St. Mary’s against Southampton. The former Dynamo Kiev forward made his English Premier League debut as a 52nd minute substitute for compatriot Victor Anichebe but could not inspire his side to

victory as they settled for a 0-0 draw against the Saints despite several chances coming his way. His back-post header flew just inches wide into the side-netting, before a neat turn inside the penalty area left Maya Yoshida for dead yet Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster sped off his line to smother quickly.

“It was a good debut but I really wanted to score today (Saturday),” Ideye told Albion Player. “The first header was close, in my mind it was in, I saw the ball and anticipated a move to the back post, I was unlucky. “The second chance, I made a great turn but the ‘keeper came out very quickly and it was a good save.”

Woods Parts Ways With Coach Foley Tiger Woods has said he will no longer be working with coach Sean Foley. The former world number one, currently sidelined with a back injury, spent four years with Foley but has not added to his 14 major titles in that period. Woods, 38, returned to the top of the rankings in 2013 but has been deposed after a best finish of 25th this year. “I’d like to thank Sean for help as my coach and for his friendship. This is the right time to end our professional relationship,” Woods told his website.

For Osaze Odemwingie, I left him out of the games to give other players a chance

“Sean is one of the outstanding coaches in golf today, and I know he will continue to be successful with the players working with him. “Presently, I do not have a coach, and there is no timetable for hiring one.” After being named the PGA Player of the Year in 2013 when he won five of his 16 tournaments and finished in the top 10 in three others Woods has endured a wretched 2014 season. He missed the first two majors of the year, the Masters and US Open, while recovering from back surgery on 31 March.

At the Open at Hoylake, Woods finished in 69th place, 23 shots behind champion Rory McIlroy. He then missed the cut at the PGA Championship this month, a week after withdrawing from the World Golf Championships event in Akron with further back trouble. Having failed to earn an automatic place in the US team for next month’s Ryder Cup at Gleaneagles, Woods ruled himself out of contention for a wildcard and said he would not return to competition before December.

I Want To Lead Liverpool To Champions League Glory – Balotelli Mario Balotelli has set his sights on winning the Champions League after completing his €20 million move from AC Milan to Liverpool. The Italy striker has won the competition once before with Inter and hopes to bring that experience to Anfield as the Reds prepare for a return to European football’s top table. “I always start a competition

wanting to win it,” Balotelli told Liverpool’s official website. “We will see. I want to win another Champions League for sure, because the Champions League [with Inter] wasn’t all mine, I was in a team. I want to take this team to the Champions League.” Balotelli revealed that he regrets his decision to leave English football after two-and-

2014 World Cup Superstars: BENZEMA

Benzema

Woods and Foley

Name: Karim Mostafa Benzema Date of Birth: December 19, 1987 Place of Birth: Lyon Club: Real Madrid World Cups: 1 Appearance: 5 Goals: 3 For a man who plays centre forward for the world’s biggest club, Benzema has often been surprisingly poorly regarded in France. This helps explain why he was yet to make an appearance at a World Cup until 2014. He was left out of the squad in 2010 with France’s then coach Raymond Domenech citing his lack of form for Real Madrid as the reason.

He did represent France at the 2008 and 2012 European Championships, but even before the second of these there were a lot of people calling for Olivier Giroud - who had just ended the season as Ligue ls top scorer - to be selected ahead of him. Benzema is one of many players whose observance of Ramadan began on Sunday 29 June during the 2014 World Cup. But Benzema (like Giroud) is about a lot more than goals. Strong and acutely aware of what is going on around him, at Madrid this season his role has been to assist Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, rather than hog the limelight for himself.

a-half seasons with Manchester City to return to San Siro and Serie A. “I’m happy to be back because I left England and it was a mistake,” the 24-yearold admitted. “I wanted to go to Italy but I realised it was a mistake. “English football is generally better. English football is beautiful.”

Balotelli

Kenya To Bid For 2017 Cup Of Nations Football Kenya Federation have entered race to bid to host 2017 Orange Caf African Cup of Nations following recent withdrawal by Libya. A statement from Kenya FA signed by President Sam Nyamweya and obtained by Goal stated in part, “Football Kenya Federation wishes to announce Kenya’s interest in putting in a bid to host 2017 Orange CAF Africa Cup of Nations, which opened following withdrawal of Libya as host nation. “We view this as another opportunity to bring Africa’s greatest soccer showpiece to our great nation and coming so soon after Caf handed us rights to host 2018 Orange Caf Africa Nations Championships.

“FKF is in the process of consultations with relevant stakeholders and government before submitting our bid before September 30, 2014, deadline. “We are also alive to exploring possibilities of putting a joint bid with our neighbours Tanzania, who have already showed interest and Uganda as well as Rwanda. “This we belief may enhance region’s chances on understanding that Caf did make that recommendation when they announced opening of bids on Saturday, August 23, 2014. “Further communication will be made in due course and once all the details of fresh bid are concluded.” Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

54 sports

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Sardauna Babes Storm Accra For FIFA Agent Tourney By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Simeone

Simeone Slapped With Eight-game Ban Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has been hit with a total ban of eight matches following his conduct during the Supercopa de Espana clash with Real Madrid. Simeone was sent from the dugout in the first half of the second leg at the Vicente Calderon on Friday after arguing with the officials on the touchline. He

then patted the fourth official on the head and sarcastically applauded the referee before heading to the stands. The Argentine said earlier that he was willing to “pay the price” for his indiscretion, and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has now deemed fit to punish him for four separate acts of misconduct, totalling an eight-

match ban from the touchline. In an official statement, the RFEF confirmed that Simeone has received a two-game ban for excessive protests over a decision, a four-game ban for striking the fourth official and two additional one-game suspensions for applauding the referee before continuing to remonstrate from the stands.

The National Division Two side, Sardauna Babes FC of Kano are expected in Accra, Ghana next month to compete for honours in the FIFA Agent Cup Competition. The club will storm Ghana with 20 players and seven officials to participate in the competition that will also feature teams from other the West African countries. According to the team manager of the club Alhaji Kabiru Ali Mazado, the team will depart for the competition on September 25 ahead of the first game of the tournament. Mazado said the club’s sponsor, former Kano State governor and Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim

Shekarau has given the team the assurance for their participation in the competition. He said the minister, who transformed the fortune of Kano Pillars FC when he was governor of the state has charged the players to excel in the championship. He said the team will also be in Madrid, Spain in December for an international invitation tournament as part of the build-up process in the club. According to him, with the support of Malam Shekarau the team has produced top players for the national age group teams. He expressed confident that the team will do well in the two tournaments to justify the investment by their sponsor.

Shekarau

Oshoala with her award

Asisat Oshoala Wins 2014 Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup Golden Ball Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala has won the Golden Ball award as the best player of the 2014 Fifa U20 World Cup and Golden Boot having scored seven goals and provided two assists. France midfielder Griedge Mbock-Bathy was awarded the Silver Ball while her compatriot Claire Lavogez, the Bronze Ball winner.

Paulina Bremer of Germany scooped the Silver Boot with five goals and five assists to her credit. Another German Sara Daebritz scored five goals with two assists to win the Bronze Boot. German goalkeeper Meike Kamper won the Golden Glove award as Canada took the Fair Play award.

Jonathan Hails Falconets Despite Losing To Germany By George Agba, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday told the Nigeria’s under-20 women’s football team, the Falconets that Nigerians were proud of their skillful, highly spirited and patriotic performance at the just concluded FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup Tournament in Canada, their loss in extra time to their German counterparts in the keenly contested finals notwithstanding. In a statement issued by his special adviser on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president congratulated the Falconets, on behalf of himself, the

federal government and the people of Nigeria, for winning the silver medal at the Tournament, saying he was looking forward to honouring the team with a reception at the presidential villa on their return from Canada. The statement made available to LEADERSHIP Sports reads: “President Jonathan assures the Falconets that despite their loss in extra time to their German counterparts in yesterday’s very keenly contested final, all Nigerians remain proud of the skillful, highly spirited and patriotic performance they put up throughout the tournament.

NFF Fire: Report Ready This Week – Fire Service By Salifu Usman, Abuja

Federal Fire Service has said that the report of its investigation into the fire which gutted the office of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) last week Wednesday morning will be released this week. Assistant Controller General, Toyo Peter Adeoye made this known yesterday while speaking to newsmen after carrying out further assessment of the scene of the fire incident. He said the decision by the NFF leadership to quickly engage industrial cleaners to clean up the place will not in any way affect their investigation and warned the public not to pre-empt the outcome of their investigation. “We are still investigating and we cannot come out with any conclusion for now. There are a

lot of factors involved. I am sure of that, but I can’t tell you what the factors are for now because we are still investigating. “We have been calling for reports from people to tell us what they know about the fire and we will make our report known to people the moment we are through. “We have to be very careful in order not to pre-empt the report. Fire investigation is not an easy thing and we shouldn’t say anything that may result to litigation. We will come out with our facts. “Let them wipe away whatever they like, we will still ask questions. We were here on the first and second days and we are still here today again just to make sure we get everything right. We are writing our report already and we will complete it this week by the grace of God,” he stated.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

sports 55

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Immobile Not Much Use To Dortmund – Hamann

Keshi

Danagogo Convinces Keshi To Stay With Eagles By NAN

Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo and coach Stephen Keshi have reached an agreement on the ongoing precontract talks regarding the latter’s stay as Super Eagles’ Head Coach. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt yesterday that both parties agreed that the coach would for now take charge of the team in its upcoming two matches. This agreement, which will be in place until after the matches in September, is to allow for the team to have a handler for the period in question. The coach’s two-and-a-halfyear contract was up after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. But renewal talks became very necessary and urgent in view of the team’s qualification campaign for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AF-

CON) in Morocco, which ends on Nov. 19. The team is grouped alongside South Africa, Congo and Sudan in Group A of the qualifiers and will take on Congo on Sept. 6 in Calabar and visit South Africa on Sept. 10. However, wrangling among board members of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) had kept the matter unresolved until the Sports Minister stepped in. According to a source, who pleaded for anonymity, said the talks were however expected to resume immediately after the two matches. Speaking on the development, an aide of the coach, Emmanuel Ado, confirmed to NAN an agreement was indeed reached between the Minister and Keshi. ``The agreement is all about Nigeria. Keshi as a patriotic Nigerian believes he has no choice other than to look at Nigeria first, before himself.

``The Minister is the Commander-in-Chief for sports in Nigeria, and when he summons his officers, of which Keshi is one, he (Keshi) can’t say `no’. ``It is a matter of averting what can end in a disaster for the country. Nothing yet was agreed as per the salary or other terms. Talks regarding that will resume after the two matches,’’ he said. Ado however commended the Minister for his prompt intervention, saying ``this has helped in averting disaster. ``I must say that the Minister really deserves all praise. We should give him credit for wading in to avert what can be a disaster. ``Now that he has stepped in and brokered an agreement, all is well and we can be sure that the team Super Eagles will be starting the qualifiers on a very good note for a successful campaign for a ticket to Morocco 2015,’’ he said.

NFF Congress: Abiso Preaches Peace By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja

The former chairman of ElKanemi Warriors Football Club, Alhaji Bashir Abiso has prayed for a new NFF leadership who will improve the standard of the game, just he charge the stakeholders in the football circle to unite. Alhaji Abiso stated this ahead of today’s Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) congress in Abuja. He said that Aminu Maigari deserves commendation for the tremendous achievements recorded during his tenure as president, adding that there is nothing wrong for him to seek reelection for second term

if wish, as many Nigerians are now calling for president Goodluck Jonathan for second mandate. The former chairman however, said that the crisis in the federation will not augur well for the industry rather than tear the family apart, football being the unifying factor of all Nigerians regardless of cultural, religion and social backgrounds. “We must to follow the due process and allow fair play for all interested members to exercise their fundamental civic right in election. ‘’Many contenders were denied opportunity to obtain the form, but this two week extension

granted by FIFA will give room for those who were unable to buy the form to do so within the period, the former chairman explained. Alhaji Abiso explained that there is need for all stakeholders to abide by the FIFA’s standard as the highest decision making organization for world football business in respect of the two-week extension requested by the NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari to hold the election. He then commended Nigeria’s Falconets for their feat in the FIFA Under-20 female World Cup in Canada, despite their 1-0 loss to Germany in the final.

Dietmar Hamman has serious doubts over whether Borussia Dortmund summer signing Ciro Immobile will justify his €19 million price tag. The Italy international, who was the top scorer in Serie A last season with Torino, made his Bundesliga debut at the weekend but failed to impress in a shock 2-0 defeat for BVB at home to Bayer Leverkusen. Hamann argued that while Immobile is by no means a poor player, the 24-year-old

striker is ill-suited to Jurgen Klopp’s counterattacking tactics. “I’m not sure if he has very much value for Borussia,” the former Germany international told Sky. “He’s a box player and, given the way Dortmund play, I don’t know if he helps them.” Immobile, who has been capped four times by his country, netted 22 times in 33 appearances in Serie A last season.

Ebosse

Player’s Death Leads To Algeria League Suspension Algeria has suspended football indefinitely following the death of Cameroonian player Albert Ebosse, who was hit by a stone thrown by fans. The Algerian Football Federation made the decision after a meeting on Sunday. Ebosse, who was 24, was struck on the head when leaving the pitch after his side JS Kabylie’s home defeat by USM Alger in Tizi Ouzou on Saturday. Algerian authorities had already ordered the indefinite closure of the 1st November 1954 stadium. That ruling will now apply to all stadiums in the country. Algeria’s football federation said in a statement it had postponed the league “in protest at the irresponsible actions of certain fanatics and hooligans who resort to violence in the stadiums which has reached an unacceptable level”. It added that it was considering taking further action, including the

expulsion of the club at fault “from all competitions”. The governing body has also decided that US$100,000 will be given to Ebosse’s family, plus the amount he would have earned over the period of his contract. In addition, JS Kabylie’s players will each donate a month’s salary. An investigation into Ebosse’s death, and a deeper inquiry into football hooliganism in the country, has been ordered by the Algerian interior ministry. BBC Sport has learned that the 1st November 1954 stadium was under maintenance at the time of the game and fans threw loose stones that were lying on the ground. It is understood that one of the key questions to be asked by the investigation will be why the venue was used when construction works were still in progress. The match was only the second round of games in the new season.

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AMUSEMENT PARK in the soviet army it takes more courage to retreat than advance

— Joseph Stalin

26.08.14 www.leadership.ng

Comrade Timi Frank

Tuesday Column:

The president has consistently trampled on this law without necessary legal repercussions

ven though President Goodluck Jonathan has continued to dither on declaring his intention to contest the 2015 presidential election, Nigerians are no doubt aware that he has since commenced his campaign across the country in outright breach of the electoral law. He and the PDP have held rallies across the six geopolitical zones to canvass for votes, even though INEC has not endorsed the kick-off for campaigns as required by law. Section 99 (1-3) of the Electoral Act says: “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.” The president has consistently trampled on this law without necessary legal repercussions. An INEC bulletin had quoted its chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, to have said: “As at now, none of the parties has held any primaries. It is therefore preposterous and hasty for individuals to erect billboards or print posters urging voters to vote for them.” Specifically in March, Jega repeated the warning and threatened to sanction politicians over illegal campaigns. He said he was tired of politicians breaching the Electoral Act, which stipulates that campaigns can only commence 90 days to an election. He had said: “When you look around, what you see are fundamental breaches against these agreements.” For emphasis, he added: “There is a thin line in rallies. It may be to promote the natural progress of the party and not the candidate. If a party goes ahead there to say vote for me, then you have crossed the Rubicon. You can’t have your poster pasted and you sit back and say someone put it there on my behalf. If someone put it there, why did you not stop him?” Aside from the open show of impunity by the PDP and the president, the recent inauguration of an 11-member committee to screen and coordinate over 4, 000 unregistered opportunistic groups out to back Jonathan for re-election puts a lie to earlier claims by the Presidency that it was not behind these groups’ unlawful acts. The special adviser to

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 2,245

TUESDAY

N150

Transformation Lies For Sale

the president on political matters, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, had said: “As 2015 approaches, we note that the circumstances and fundamentals facing us are somewhat different. The opposition is different; the political landscape is different; the players are different and the issues are different.” He posited further: “To address these issues, the re-organisation of the Goodluck Support Group (GSG) has become imperative. I have, therefore, decided to set up a special GSG reorganisation committee to study all issues concerning the organisation and propose a reorganisation structure that will allow us position for 2015.” The screening and evaluation of the various Jonathan support groups for accommodation under the GSG umbrella, he added, would be carried out in the six zonal centres set up by his office. The existing and emerging political organs reminds one of similar groups such as “Neighbour 2 Neighbour” which bankrolled billion-naira worth of adverts in different mass media for Jonathan about four years ago. It is regrettable to recall that Neighbour 2 Neighbour was headed by the ousted but not prosecuted controversial former minister of aviation. Intelligence at my disposal shows that one of the leading groups of campaigners for the president is directly being bankrolled by a serving minister who would be unveiled at the appropriate time. How can these groups seek to make Nigerians believe that corruption is not an issue today in Nigeria? How can these desperate agents attempt to trivialize the monumental unemployment situation in the country? How can these groups fail to see that the people are being annihilated by criminals in the garb of insurgents or militants? Why do these paid praise-singers want Nigerians to believe that the power situation has been transformed? Yes, from no light to darkness at best! Even the privatization of PHCN touted by the present administration as the elixir and cure-all solution to the epileptic power supply situation in the country has failed to yield expected results. For instance, in December 2013, a report by NOI Polls Limit-

08070888888 (text only)

ed, an indigenous survey agency, revealed that electricity supply in Nigeria worsened considerably, declining drastically to an 11-month low. Ridiculously, the government is, at the moment, raising loans to assist the investors in the power sector to run their businesses. Yet there is no letup in payment for darkness across the country in the name of increased electricity tariffs and estimated bills. After 136 days, the Chibok girls are still in captivity. All they at the Presidency have continued to do is spread the virus of political amnesia, which is worse than the Ebola virus disease (EVD). They tell Nigerians that all is well when Nigeria is virtually under siege and at a tipping point that requires urgent action to salvage the situation. Today, most schools are considering the option of extending their resumption dates as a result of the EVD. Some schools, especially in the north-east, have been closed permanently. Those who attempted to remain were brutally massacred and others abducted. Of recent, whole towns and villages have been annexed by the Boko Haram insurgents. Soldiers are today engaging in open mutiny. Wives of soldiers have openly protested against their husbands being sent on “suicide mission” to chase after insurgents. The “bring back Jonathan” groups claim they are engaged in taking the “achievements of the president to the grass roots”. What grass roots? if one may ask. If there is any achievement at all, the people will see it. You don’t need to go and mouth an achievement that is non-existent and expect the people to be swayed and persuaded. If there was uninterrupted power supply, industries like Dunlop Plc would not need to relocate to Ghana. The gates of textile factories especially in Kano would not have been perpetually shut. The people would know if their children, brothers and sisters have a job to guarantee a take-home pay. If there was an achievement in the health sector, 16,000 resident doctors that were recently sacked would know. Farmers don’t need mass rallies in their localities to know if they have improved seedlings and subsi-

timifrank@leadership.ng

dized fertilizers to guarantee a desired harvest. Market women don’t need T-Shits and fez-cap-adorned youths to know whether the road to the market has been tarred or remains muddy. You don’t need to tell the people that you are not using the military to intimidate them when they see overwhelming deployment of soldiers in a state where an election is about to be conducted. You don’t need rallies to know that hooded security men don’t augur well for the psychological and emotional well-being of the people – they are harbingers of fear and terror. These groups must stop spreading lies and deception. Action, they say, speaks louder than words. Let the people see the achievements. They don’t need to hear what they can see. After all, seeing is believing. With the open acknowledgment of the over 4, 000 groups by Prof. Alkali, therefore, INEC cannot continue to play the ostrich, if it is sincere in providing a level playing field for all stakeholders in the electoral process. It cannot deliberately overlook these clear infringements on the law by the ruling party and its commissioned agents as the 2015 elections draw near. Notwithstanding, politics in Nigeria today is beyond money and tricks alone. The recent Osun gubernatorial poll clearly attests to this assertion. The people have realized that their salvation lies in change.

GHANA MUST GO Accord Party’ll win Oyo in 2015 — Ladoja

What’s that?

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