Thursday

28.08.14

THURsday

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

No. 2,247

NIGERIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPER

N150

Leadership Newspapers

@leadershipNGA

Divestment: Shell Sells 4 Oil Fields In Nigeria

By Samson Echenim, Lagos Juliet Alohan, Abuja and Chika Izuora, Lagos, with agency reports

Oil giant Shell has sold four oil fields which it operated in Nige-

As FG loses N15bn to ECOWAS trade scheme

ria, in line with its global costsaving initiative. Shell last year

put up for sale its 30 per cent shares in four oil blocks in the

Niger Delta — Oil Mining Licence (OML) 18, 24, 25, 29 — as well as a key pipeline, the

Magaji Dambatta Dies At 83, Akunyili Goes Home Today > Page 4

Nembe Creek Trunk Line.

“We have signed sales and purchase agreements for some of the oil mining leases, but not ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

3 Days To Election: David Umaru Receives PDP Defectors > Page 8

CameroonTroops Kill 30 Boko Haram Members Nasarawa crisis, boat mishap claim 40 lives Jonathan, Obasanjo meet over insecurity, other issues

5

A Palestinian man strapping his belongings to the roof of his car, as he and his family prepared to return home from the UN School camp in Gaza City, yesterday. photo by afp

Chibok Diary DAY 136

BBOG Group Begins Courtesy Visits To s > Page 2 Media Houses

2

chibok diary 136

Thursday, August 28, 2014

DAY

Chibok Tweets @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 @rescueourgirls 121 days since Tabitha Thomas was taken from #Chibok.

Will she ever come home? Never forget. #BringBackOurGirls Compiled by Iroka Ugochukwu

Members of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) Group during one of their protests in Abuja. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO

BBOG Group Begins Courtesy Visits To Media Houses

By Chika Mefor and Ejike Ejike, Abuja The #BringBackOurGirls Group yesterday embarked on a series of visits to media houses, in continuation of its campaign for the rescue of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls. It started by paying courtesy visits to the Daily Trust Newspapers and the African Independent Television offices in Abuja.

Speaking at their daily sit-out session, one of the leaders of the visitation delegation, Dino Melaye, explained that the media houses accepted and welcomed the group’s ideas and agenda, which are focused on the safe return of the abducted girls.

He also noted that the visit afforded the group the opportunity to explain certain confusing and wrong information being circulated to discredit the group.

“The team was able to visit Daily Trust. We were received by the editors. It was a wonderful meeting, because it gave them the opportunity to ask us questions about some misconceptions about the group and we at the same time answered them.

They promised to scale up coverage of our activities.

“We were also able to go to AIT, where we cleared many erroneous thinking about our group. We were able to tell them what we stand for. They also promised to support us. Our visit to the media has helped clarify what we stand for - the Chibok girls and nothing else,” he said.

Also as part of activities to mark Day 120 of the sit-out sessions and campaign for the rescue of the Chibok girls, who have been in the captivity of the Boko Haram sect for 135 days, one of the leaders of the group, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, gave a talk on how to achieve good democratic governance.

While speaking to the group, she urged the members to continue to demand their rights and the rights of the Chibok girls, saying that should they keep quiet, the girls would be forgotten, just as other issues in the country had been swept under the carpet and forgotten.

3

our stand Thursday, August 28, 2014

Remember UNEP Report On Ogoniland

T

wo years after the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) released its report on the criminal degradation of Ogoniland by Shell Petroleum Development Company and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the President Goodluck Jonathan administration is still talking about speeding up environmental restoration works in the affected area. The UNEP report, which was presented to the federal government on August 4, 2011, confirmed the assertions of the Ogoni people and the late Ken Saro-Wiwa – he lost his life to the struggle for the protection of Ogoni environment in 1995 -- that the negligent environmental pollution laws and sub-standard inspection techniques of the relevant federal authorities had led to the dreadful conditions of the Ogoni environment.

The report also established that the water bodies in Ogoni, without exemption, were truly contaminated by the activities of oil companies Shell and NNPC. It revealed that some of

what the Ogoni people drink as potable water had carcinogens, such as benzene, up to 900 times above acceptable World Health Organisation levels. The world body also found that, in some places in Ogoniland, the soil is polluted with hydrocarbons to a depth of 5 metres and that the Ogoni homeland had indeed been turned into an “ecological disaster”.

For many people, the findings of UNEP are not new. They only confirmed the claims of Ogoni people and indeed the Niger Delta all along. The late Saro-Wiwa-led Ogoni group had, in the late 1980s, begun

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

to raise the alarm over the extensive criminal devastation of their environment. The alarm was followed by several cautious but extensive peaceful protests. And, with the Ogoni Bill of Rights of 1990, the Saro-Wiwa-led group catalogued their demands for environmental, socio-economic and political justice. It is sad that nothing has been done to remedy the situation up until now.

We wish to remind the Jonathan administration that the UNEP report made recommendations that most rightthinking people would see as a huge opportunity which the federal government could easily have grabbed to assuage the suffering and pains of the people and immediately start the process of restoration. Indeed, the clear inaction of the federal government is not a positive development index.

We agree with the minister of petroleum resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, who recently stated that the time has come to bring in fresh urgency into the process of implementation of the UNEP report and address all its recommendations.

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

Leadership Holdings

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

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

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

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

4 news extra

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo Nigeria Still Under Threat Of Ebola – FG Barely 24 hours after news of the containment of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria broke, the federal government yesterday asked Nigerians not to celebrate yet as the country was still at risk of the deadly virus.

According to it, the country is not free of the public health hazard yet until the one patient currently undergoing treatment and a number of others under surveillance are certified free of the disease.

Minister of information Labaran Maku and his Health counterpart, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, stated this after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Addressing State House correspondents, Chukwu, who said he gave FEC an update on the fight against Ebola in the country as instructed by the president that he should do so in his weekly report, noted that 13 cases had been reported till date in the country.

He said: “Let me just say that I don’t want us in Nigeria to move from panic to euphoria.

The media has been working so well with us and we commend them for that but some of the headlines today (Wednesday) suggest that you may push the public to euphoria which again will be a problem.

“Yes, Nigeria is doing well on containment. Containment is like you have got an animal into a cage but it is not yet dead.

But at least if you know where to now concentrate than when that animal was roaming. That is what we have achieved.

“We now know where the disease is in Nigeria. All of them so far in Nigeria have been traced to Mr. Patrick Sawyer. But we know there is nothing stopping someone coming with a fresh case from anywhere in the world.

“That’s why we say Nigeria has been successful with containment. But have we eliminated the disease? No. Because as we speak, there is a case we are still managing and that case must also have had her own third degree contacts apart from the number of people that are still under surveillance.

“So, until we give a clean bill of health to every contact, we cannot really say that we have eliminated the disease”.

The minister added that by Wednesday, five persons had died including four Nigerians, seven had been managed successfully and discharged while one person remained under treatment.

By George Agba, Abuja, Winifred Ogbebo and Victor Okeke with agency report

Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba during a courtesy visit to LEADERSHIP’s Corporate Head Office in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY PATRICK AMANAMA.

2015 Polls: Nigeria Needs 500,000 Policemen

By CHIKA OTUCHIKERE, Abuja

The acting inspector-general of police, IGP Suleiman Abba, has said that the federal government has approved the recruitment of 10,000 police personnel across the nation.

IGP Abba, who made this disclosure yesterday during his visit to the LEADERSHIP Group headquarters, however, said he wished the figure could be increased to 500,000, stressing that the present figure was inadequate.

“I chaired the 2015 election planning committee and I

made a recommendation therein, that we should have a certain number of policemen recruited ahead of the election.

And we came in and found out that government had approved 10,000 more to be recruited.

“As I speak to you, the funds are getting close into our own hand and the recruitment will begin. So, we are making effort to reach the required number.

We wish we could get up to 500,000 but, then, remember that we are not doing it alone.

There are other services and the other services are helping us,” he said.

The police boss, who vowed to come down hard on violent criminals, disclosed that arrangements were underway to revive the Police E-department, an intelligence arm of the force which was carved out of the police during a reorganisation.

“You would have witnessed what happened to the intelligence department of the police.

We used to have a very, very effective intelligence department of the police. They call it the Edepartment. And you all know what happened. In a reorganisation, it was carved out of the police. Since then the po-

lice force has been struggling to establish that department,” he said.

The IGP urged Nigerians to cultivate the attitude of having the numbers of the control rooms of the police command in their locality, or the numbers of operatives in police stations in their neighbourhood.

Reacting to the reports of inadequate funding of the police, Abba pointed out that though funding for the police was grossly inadequate, it was incorrect to say only about 25 per cent of the budgeted funds gets to the police.

Magaji Dambatta Dies At 83, As Dora Akunyili Goes Home Today

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano and OKECHUKWU OBETA, Awka

Alhaji Magaji Dambatta, a renowned journalist and administrator, died yesterday at the National Hospital, Abuja, at the age of 83.

Dambatta was born to an enlightened Fulani family in the town of Dambatta, Kano State, in 1931. Like all youths in his time, he first had Qur’anic education before enrolling in the Western primary school in 1938.

He then went to the Kano middle school in 1942 for post-primary education, the School of Arabic Studies (SAS) in Kano for further secondary school education and more intensive Arabic and Islamic studies as well as training in Shari’ah jurisprudence between 1947 and 1948.

Alhaji Magaji Dambatta began his career as a reporter with the first newspaper in Kano, the Daily Comet, a paper owned by Dr.

Nnamdi Azikiwe, whose publishing base was transferred from Lagos to Kano in order to provide a political platform for the struggle against British colonial rule.

His experience in journalism and his involvement in the early politics in Northern Nigeria brought him to the attention of the Nigerian Citizen, a bi-weekly newspaper published in Zaria by Gaskiya Corporation.

The then editor of the paper, Mr. Charles Sharp, who was recruited from Britain to give new life to the paper, lured Alhaji Magaji Dambatta and appointed him as the political correspondent in Kaduna.

With the first creation of 12 states in Nigeria, Alhaji Magaji Dambatta was deployed to Kano as the first permanent secretary to the ministry of education. It was also the board of Alhaji Dambatta that initiated the construction of FHA’s Kado estate which today is

one of the largest public housing facilities in Abuja.

He is survived by a wife and four children.

Late Akunyili for burial today; Gowon, Obiano, Obasanjo’s wife, Prof Ike, Mrs Anenih, others pay last respects The late former minister of information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, makes her final journey home as her remains are laid to rest today.

The remains of Akunyili yesterday arrived in her state, Anambra, for her interment today in Agulu, her husband’s town in Anaocha local government area of the state.

The remains of the former director-general of the National Agency for Drug, Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was received at the Women Development Centre, Awka at 2:02pm by the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, other mem-

bers of the state executive council, some members of the National Assembly from the state, state legislators and others.

Other top political leaders included former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, former Anambra State governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife, wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola, former women affairs minister Iyom Josephine Anenih, traditional rulers from the state and a host of other dignitaries. Each paid glowing tributes to the late professor of pharmacology.

In his tribute after a prayer conducted by the Bishop of Awka Catholic Diocese, Most Revd. Dr. Paulinus Ezeokaform, for a peaceful repose of her soul, Gowon said that by Akunyili’s demise, the nation had lost one of her greatest gifts by God and described her a rare woman whose sterling qualities should be emulated by the younger generations.

NEWS 5

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Cameroon Troops Kill 30 Boko Haram One health tip daily Members

LIVING BE BE 100100 LIVINGTOTO

By Abdullahi Umar, with agency report; Donatus Nadi, Lafia; SAM EGWU, Lokoja

Carbonation: Bad for Bones Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which is harmful to calcium metabolism and diminishes bone mass. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis.

Sometimes carbonation occurs naturally,

as in certain spring water, but unfortunately this, too, has high levels of phosphoric acid.

If you’re going to live a good long time, you’ll need healthy bones, so it’s best to choose teas, light juice blends, and flat spring water to quench your thirst.

Divestment: Shell Sells 4 Oil Fields In Nigeria FROM COVER

all that we are seeking to divest,” a Reuters report quoted an unnamed Shell spokesman as saying.

The report however did not give details on the value of the deals signed or when the full process would be completed.

France’s Total and Italy’s Eni are also set to raise revenue from the sale of their 10 per cent and 5 per cent equities in the assets in which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) holds 55 per cent on behalf of the Nigerian government.

Meanwhile, Nigeria has lost about N15 billion to the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and Joint Committee on Commerce (JCC) with the Republic of Benin between January and June this year, Customs area controller, Seme Border command, Comptroller Willy Egbunin has disclosed.

The Financial Times yesterday reported that Shell is close to selling the assets for about $5 billion (3 billion pounds) to domestic buyers.

In March, Reuters reported that Nigerian firms Taleveras and Aiteo made the highest bid of $2.85 billion for the biggest of the four oil fields, OML 29.

Shell, along with many other oil majors, is undergoing a broad process of asset sales across the world in an effort to cut costs and boost profits.

Other companies, including

Total, Eni, Chevron and ConocoPhillips, have sought to pull out of the oil-rich West African country which has been plagued by rising oil spills, sabotage and industrial-scale theft from Nigerian wells and pipelines of up to 150,000 barrels a day.

Last summer, a Shell review flagged the possibility of scaling down operations in Nigeria and the company is now poised to sell four fields and a pipeline for what some believe could be $5 billion.

Despite the planned disposals, however, the Anglo-Dutch group still faces legal cases – including one at London’s high court – brought by local communities seeking financial redress for pollution.

A company spokesman in London confirmed that an agreement on four oil-mining leases and a pipeline had been reached, but said the process had not yet concluded.

The price tag for the full sale of all four fields and the pipeline was estimated at $5.2 billion by two anonymous sources quoted by the FT, but City analysts had presumed in the past that the figure would be nearer $3 billion.

Reacting to the planned sale, London-based oil analyst at Bank of Montreal, Iain Reid, said, “If Shell can achieve this sort of price for these assets, it will have achieved three objectives: firstly reduced its exposure to troublesome onshore ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Cameroonian authorities have confirmed that the country’s military killed 30 suspected Boko Haram militants who attacked areas where 480 Nigerian troops had crossed over to during a battle with the insurgents.

Cameroon’s state radio reported yesterday that the troops beat back two attempts by suspected Boko Haram militants to enter the country’s northern territory through a locality that shares boundary with Nigeria.

Cameroon military spokesman Lt-Col Didier Badjeck told the Voice of America (VOA) that allegations made in Cam- Minimah eroonian media that the incident was a defection were unfounded, adding that they were Death toll hits 30 as particularly careful over the Fulani attack more Eggon presence of the Nigerian sol- communities in Nasarawa diers as Boko Haram militants The violent feud involving could also disguise as a regular Eggon and Fulani communities in Nasarawa State took another army and attack them.

“People should support but dimension yesterday when Fuallow the Cameroon army to lani attackers invaded Tudun handle the situation and fight Adabu, an agrarian town, in the Boko Haram as professional morning which led to hours of fierce fighting leaving casualties soldiers.

“We cannot neglect details in on both sides. a war front and we are conseOne of those who fled the quently examining any poten- area when the Fulani were said tial actions of Boko Haram,” he to have invaded at about 10am, said.

Esla Jatau, said there had been “During a confrontation late rumours since Monday mornTuesday, the soldiers killed 14 ing of the impending attack by insurgents, 16 were killed in Fulani herdsmen, so women an earlier attack on Monday,” and children were evacuated before they struck about 10am. he added.

Unlike their attack on Akunni Meanwhile, the insurgents and Ikposogye where they had have attacked Mirga town, Biu local government area of Borno a field day destroying homes State, and burnt down all com- and property because the resimunication masts. dents of the villages had desertIt was also reported that a ed their homes, the Fulani met Toyota Land Cruiser jeep be- stiff resistance from Tudun Adlonging to APC chieftain Alhaji abu youths who engaged them Modu Kakas had been snatched in exchange of fire lasting sevat gun point by the insurgents. eral hours.

A resident who confirmed the A victim who craved anobloodless attack said, “When nymity said at about 11am Futhese people (Boko Haram) at- lani were seen carrying their tack a place, they leave a trade- dead and the injured heading mark of death. When they towards Obi town. He addcome to your town and did not ed that rampaging youths had kill anyone, then you have to also barricaded Lafia-Obi road thank God and make sacrifice in search of Fulani commuters (sadakka). and, in the process, vandalized “Those living in Borno State many cars. know the magnitude of killings The crisis, which started with meted on the innocent people the assault on a Fulani commuby these people who are claim- nity penultimate Friday, has ing to be doing the work of Al- snowballed into an endless lah.” ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

6 NEWS

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Cameroon Troops Kill 30 Boko Haram Members FROM PAGE 5

cycle of violence in the state where up to 30 people are feared to have lost their lives.

Mallam Abdullahi Shuiabu, from nearby Daddere community, said residents of the area had fled their homes for fear that the crisis may spread into their community which only last week witnessed the killing of four Gwandara men

by Eggon youths.

The president of Eggon Cultural Development Association (ECDA), Mr Chris Mamman, said the series of attacks on Eggon communities was unprovoked, adding that it was not a case of Eggon fighting with Fulani but that of Fulani wreaking havoc on Eggon communities.

However, the secretary-general of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Alhaji Abubakar Husseini, said the leadership of Fulani and Eggon communities in the state had reached an agreement on peace only for the Eggons to renege on the peace deal and provoke the ongoing faceoff.

Speaking on behalf of the Nasarawa State government, the senior special assistant on public affairs, Hon. Abdulhamid Kwarra, said government has made adequate provision for the internally displaced who are currently being camped in Wamba, Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon, Lafia and Obi local government areas.

He denied media reports that the fight was between the entire Eggon nation and the

Jonathan

Fulani, noting that it is only the Ombatse faction of Eggon that was fighting the Fulani.

He called on residents of the state to remain calm and lawabiding , saying reprisal attacks would only fuel the crisis more. The state government, he said, is working round the clock to ensure that the carnage and destruction is halted.

10 perish in boat mishap No fewer than 10 persons were said to have been killed as the boat they were traveling in capsized yesterday in Ebe village, Lokoja local government area of Kogi State.

The boat which carried over 100 passengers from the village, which is the home town of the former speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon.

Obasanjo

Abdulraham Dangana, was said to have sank into the River Niger as a result of heavy turbulence occasioned by alleged clash between the security patrol team and a boat conveying oil thieves called “bunkerers”.

According to a source, the security patrol were said to have chased a boat conveying drums of crude oil which was sighted on the River Niger at about midnight on Tuesday into River Burara.

The source further revealed that the unfortunate incident was as a result of the diversion by the passenger boat from the original channel on the River Niger to River Burara due to the alleged poor dredging of the River Niger by the National Inland Water Ways Author-

ity, NIWA. The passengers were said to be coming to Lokoja market from Ebe village in KubaNorth community in Lokoja.

Efforts to get the side of the general manager, corporate affairs of NIWA, Mr Tayo Fadile, proved abortive. He replied through a text message: “At meeting, will call you later”.

Jonathan, Obasanjo meet over insecurity, other issues President Goodluck Jonathan and former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo have met in respect of the worsening security situation in the country.

The two men met yesterday in Abuja to brainstorm on the issue. The visit was on the in-

vitation of President Jonathan.

This was coming barely two days after the former president commended efforts of the federal and Lagos state governments on the efforts made to check the spread of Ebola virus.

But Obasanjo told newsmen, shortly after arriving in Abuja from Abeokuta, that it was purely on security matters.

“Yes, I can confirm that I met with Mr President on his invitation. In fact, he had wanted to come down to Abeokuta, but as a sign of respect to the Office of the President, I had to go. We had discussion on the country’s security issues and that is all.”

Obasanjo, who appreciated the invitation of the president, said he would continue to make himself available on national issues in the interest of peace and progress of the country.

On the Eggon/Fulani crisis in Nassarawa state, Obasanjo called on the governments of Benue and Nassarawa to ensure that peace is restored to the warring communities.

He said Eggon and the Fulani must understand each other.

“There is no way such will not happen, but the two state governments should come up with lasting solutions. The farmers would want their crops to be protected, while the cattle men will also want their cattle to feed. So, the government should fashion out peaceful means to end the crisis,” Obasanjo stated.

Divestment: Shell Sells 4 Oil Fields In Nigeria FROM PAGE 5

Nigeria; second cut its net capital expenditure spend; and third increased the free cash it can spend on share buybacks and dividends, all of which we believe the market will like.”

However, Shell would only receive a 30 per cent share of any proceeds because it shares the ownership of the assets with the NNPC, Total of France and ENI of Italy.

The Anglo-Dutch group, which says it has done its best to clear up pollution and has blamed past oil spills on sabotage, has been trying to reduce its commitment to the troubled area for years but has only now apparently found local buyers willing to pay the prices it has been demanding.

Shell’s new Chief executive, Ben Van Beurden, who issued a profit warning within days of taking the top job, promised to

improve the financial performance of the business through asset sales and cutbacks.

Nigeria has produced almost a quarter of a million barrels of oil equivalents a day for Shell and at least 80,000 barrels would be lost if the four fields are all sold.

A spokesman for the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) said it would make a formal market announcement when it had successfully completed the sales process, but stressed that the company was not abandoning the country.

“Nigeria remains an important part of Shell’s portfolio, where we will continue to have a significant onshore presence in oil and gas, and which has clear growth potential, particularly in deep-water and onshore gas. Shell has a history of over 50 years in Nigeria and remains committed to the country and to supporting the government

of Nigeria in their plans for the oil and gas sector,” he said.

FG loses N15bn to ECOWAS trade scheme with Benin Republic The ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and Joint Committee on Commerce (JCC) with the Republic of Benin are sub-regional efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to facilitate trade and foster regional integration among member states.

While the ETLS is one of the instruments used by member nations to boost their economies through free movement of goods and services, the JCC is a bilateral agreement in which goods wholly manufactured in Republic of Benin can be imported into Nigeria without payment of duty.

Reviewing the performance of the command for the first half

of 2014, Egbudin however said goods worth N5.3 billion were cleared through the scheme.

According to Seme Customs command boss, ETLS compliant goods with a cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of N5.3 billion were cleared through his command. He said while the revenue loss as a result of the concession to the scheme stood at N15 billion, the 1 per cent comprehensive import supervision scheme (CISS) collection amounted to N37.2 million.

He explained that JCC like the ETLS is a trade facilitation tool as well as an economic arrangement between Nigeria and Republic of Benin.

He also disclosed that as at June 30, 2014, no fewer than 24 factories were listed under the scheme.

According to the Customs chief, their relationship with the surrounding communities, their monarchs, Nigeria and Benin se-

curity agencies are at an all-time high.

“We have improved on the existing cordial tie between the Customs and various communities, as well as agencies in the border area. Besides the periodic visits to monarchs wherein we enlist their support in educating their subjects on the ills of smuggling, we have also been holding meetings with Baales and representatives of various communities,” he said.

He explained that, at various fora and meetings, the focus of the command was to sensitise the youths to avoid any unlawful act like smuggling and arson.

“They are also encouraged to report any infraction or strange movements and developments to law enforcement agencies.

The law enforcement agencies meet monthly at a joint border security meeting to synergise in promoting the security of the nation,” Egbudin said.

news extra 7

Thursday, August 28, 2014

NMA’s Strike Suspension: FG Yet To Be Notified – Minister The federal government said Tuesday, that it was yet to receive any formal notification of suspension of strike by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) days after it suspended its 55-day long industrial action.

The minister of health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, stated while answering questions from pressmen on the possibility of the government suspending its earlier decision to suspend and terminate Residency Programmme and appointment of resident doctors in all government owned hospitals.

“I have seen them (NMA) on television, but they have not communicated us. I am waiting to hear from them.”

Resident doctors remain uncertain about resuming work on account of the standing suspension of the residency programme. Their reluctance comes hours after a nationwide doctors’ strike was called off and despite assurances by the parent Nigerian Medical Association to continue negoBy Winifred Ogbebo and Victor Okeke, Abuja

We’re Watching Ikimi’s Next Move – Edo APC The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said it was watching carefully for the next political move Chief Tom Ikimi would make before responding to the issues he gave for his resignation from the party.

The party said Ikimi would be defecting into the lion’s den by saying he is “running away from the crocodiles in APC”.

The state chapter of the party while wishing its former national leader best wishes said the claims and counter-claims in his resignation letter will be appropriately addressed at the shortest possible time adding that with his “ exit the party will be better organised.”

Edo State APC publicity secretary, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, speaking on behalf of the party yesterday said, “For now the state chapter will not want to comment in details on the decision of Chief Tom Ikimi to leave us. At the appropriate time when he settles down in the PDP where he is obviously going, we will have time to respond to some of his outbursts. We saw a lot of claims and counter-claims in the letter he wrote; we will address them in due time.”

President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd right) flanked by the National Conference chairman Justice Idris Kutigi (right), vice chairman, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi (2nd left) and secretary Mrs Valerie Azinge, during a thankyou visit by the confab’s leadership to the president, at the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

Why They Are After Me – Amaechi

by Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

Rivers State governor and chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has shed more light on why he is the target of opposition from some politicians within and outside the state.

Speaking at a meet-the-people tour of communities in Obio/Akpor local government area of the state on Tuesday, Amaechi said most of the people opposed to him are in the rank of those he assisted one way or another, including contractors who failed to deliver.

At Oro-Igwe, he said, “If you check Obio/Akpor, you will see how many persons that have grown through me. Almost 80 per cent of those fighting me today are people who I have given billions of naira in contracts and they have put the money in their pockets; they did not deliver and they claim they are Ikwerre people.

“I have said that the road at Eneka was given to an Obio/ Akpor son. The internal road at Rumuolumeni was given to a Rumuolumeni son. They gave it to one of Obio/Akpor sons to do. They have not done it. They have no fear, no shame.

You know, the worst money to steal is the money belonging to your people. For me, go and check Ubima road, as an ordinary special assistant to Chief Rufus Ada George, the money he brought, we did the Ubima road and when I became speaker, I got Dr. Odili to do the road and the road lasted until I became governor.”

“I did not touch Ubima money. I did not say, ‘I want to be a big man, contractor, give me N40million first’. The first road to Ubima was N40 million, one kobo I did not see. All the roads in Rumuepirikom(community of Nyesom Wike) were done by this administration. I gave the contracts to your son and paid 100 per cent. But almost all the

roads there have gone bad and they are not major traffic routes.

It is because of greed. As an Ikwerre man, what else can I do?

Please tell me what else you want me to do that I have not done? I just did not do the road, I gave it to Ikwerre people to go and do. If you are not a good contractor, you look for the good contractor to do for you, is it not? Now, you are not a good contractor, you don’t want to go and hire a good contractor, you just buy one pay loader and you begin to scratch the ground.”

He thanked the people of Oro-Igwe for the opportunity of meeting with them and urged them to beware of those who would be dishonest or would betray people for selfish reasons.

“Nobody should come here and lie to you. They are careless at talking. They lie a lot. Ask them, as speaker for eight years, governor for seven years, they should show you my property.

They are buying people’s land all

over, buying people’s properties all over, building houses without fear. Ask them, ‘where did they get the money from?’ If I gave them power, I gave them money, and they couldn’t build road for you, is it when they become governor that they will build it?”

“You know, it’s funny that all the roads we did around here have broken down. The EnekaRukpokwu road, we did it, we gave it to an Obio/Akpor son. I am here making this assurance that I will do it again. I promise that before I leave government, I will do it and by latest October, a contractor will come to do it,” he said.

“I am an Ikwerre son and I am the governor. If you know me, I have two qualities: I don’t compromise; I don’t betray people.

Anybody who says I betrayed him should come forward. I hate dishonest people because I try not to be dishonest. What I can’t do for you, I will tell you I can’t do for you.”

Buhari Set To Declare For Presidential Race

By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja

Barring unforeseen circumstances, General Muhammadu Buhari would declare for the presidential race within the next few days as he rounds off his nationwide consultations, his political aide has disclosed.

The former head of state and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not new in the race as he has been consistently contesting for the presidency since 2003 when he ran against the then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo under the platform of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).

Buhari also contested in 2007

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

and in 2011 against the late President Umaru Yar Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan respectively but lost in the three elections.

With the merger of the leading opposition parties that gave birth to APC, Buhari camp strongly believes that if he could get 11million votes when he ran under the platform of one of the parties that merged, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), then winning next year’s poll is a forgone conclusion.

The party parades prominent Nigerians who are interested in the presidential primaries and some pundits are already predicting another crisis after the presidential candidate of the party

might have emerged.

Speaking with some journalists in Abuja yesterday, one of Buhari’s lieutenants who does not want his name in print for tactical reasons disclosed that as soon as the on-going consultations are over, the former military leader would throw his hat into the ring.

“General Muhammadu Buhari has been making consultations with stakeholders cutting across all the divides over next year’s general elections. Those he has been meeting include politicians, both within and outside the APC, religious leaders, opinion leaders, youths and market women in every state of the federation and the feelers we are getting are encour-

aging.

“We are rounding off with the consultations and within the next few days, General Buhari would publicly declare for the race and it is our hope that he would not only emerge the presidential candidate of APC but would eventually be elected come February 2015.”

When reminded of some bigwigs of the party like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Musa Kwankaso among others who stand on his way. The source dismissed it with a wave of hands.

“If General Buhari declares today, that is where our people would go,” he said.

8 News north-central

Thursday, August 28, 2014

David Umaru Receives 50 Defectors 3 Days To By-election

By Abu Nmodu, Minna

The senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Niger East by-election, Barrister David Umaru, has donated money for the completion of Tunga Malan Mosque while also receiving 50 defectors from PDP to APC in Paikoro local government area of the state.

David, who was on campaign tour of the area, said that his mission was to provide the people the desired change in the Niger East.

He assured the defectors to APC from the PDP in Nikuchi that they would not regret their action and that, if elected, he would make sure that the desired changes get to them.

The APC candidate said that the people of the zone should ensure that he came out victorious in order to usher in the politics of change in the state.

Barrister Umaru, who was also

short news Kwara To Upgrade 59 Monarchs The Kwara State Committee on the Grading of Traditional Rulers has recommended 59 traditional stools for grading and upgrading.

The committee in its report recommended that 10 third class stools should be upgraded to second class while 19 fourth class stools should be upgraded to third class. It also recommended the grading of new 30 traditional stools.

Speaking during the presentation of the committee’s report at the Government House, Ilorin , the chairman, Alh AbdulWabah Issa said the committee also recommended for strong consideration four communities.

By Abdullahi Olesin Ilorin

on campaign tour of Bonu, Kokogbe, Lambata and Gawu in Gurara local government area of Niger State, said that the people should consider a vote for him as vote for change from their present state of neglect.

He said that he had discovered that some villages were yet to be connected to National Grid and that he would make sure that they are connected to it, if elected.

According to him, if given the mandate by the people, he will make sure he accomplishes some of their desires within the time he will spend in the Senate, just as he admonished all voters in the zone to be watchful and make sure that their votes are not tampered with.

Meanwhile, the national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Chris Iyimogu, has said that every local government will have distinct ballot papers.

449 Private Schools Delisted In Kogi No fewer than 449 private schools operating illegally without government approval have been de-listed in Kogi State.

The commissioner of education, Dr (Mrs) Agnes Okhai, who made the disclosure yesterday while submitting the report of their findings to the governor, Idris Wada, described the operation of illegal educational institution in the state as counter productive.

According to her, a total of 999 primary schools, 332 secondary schools and 13 tertiary institutions were captured during the exercise that lasted six months.

Dr Okhai further explained that out of the 1, 331 schools screened, 536 were officially approved, 346 schools are still processing their documents for approval, while 449 were outrightly not approved for operation.

She described the exercise as a giant step by government geared towards repositioning the education sector for effective service delivery and appealed to the governor to accord the report urgent attention to curb the excesses of illegal schools in the state.

By Sam Egwu, Lokoja

short news APC Members Will Defect To PDP – Dep Chairman With the Niger East by- elction a few days away, the deputy chairman of the PDP, Tanko Beji, has hinted that some members of the opposition APC will soon defect to the ruling party.

He alleged in a statement yesterday that irreconcilable differences and scramble for funds among top officials of the APC has forced some to conclude on decamping to PDP. The PDP deputy chairman said already some of the APC chieftains in the state are discussing with the ruling party adding that the move is aimed at saving what is left of their political future.

He said most members of the APC had no genuine interest in the party and that it stood no chance winning next Saturday’s senatorial by-election.

By Abu Nmodu Minna,

Kwara State governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (2nd left), presenting car documents to one of the beneficiaries of Kwara State chapter of NURTW’s car gift to Ilorin South LGA branch chairman of NURTW, Alhaji Mahmud Apabiekun, while the union’s national vice president, Amb. Adegboyega Tomori (left) and its state chairman, Alhaji Aliu Issa Ore (3rd left) and others watch, in Ilorin, yesterday. PHOTO BY BY GBENGA OLAJOBI

Plateau To Release White Paper On Ajibola Commission Of Inquiry

BY ACHOR ABIMAJE, Jos

Plateau State government has said that the draft white paper of Justice Bola Ajibola Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into the November 2008 crisis would be published soon and sold to members of the public just like commissions of inquiries on other civil disturbances in the past in the state.

Commissioner for justice, Edward Pwajok stated this yesterday after the state executive council meeting presided over by Gover-

nor Jonah Jang.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting flanked by the secretary to the state government , SSG , Professor Shedrack Best , commissioner for information , Olivia Dazyem , Pwajok stressed that final touches are being made to ensure that it is made public as soon as possible.

Also speaking earlier the commissioner for information , Oliva Dazyem said the Plateau State Governor’s Lodge and Office would henceforth become the Gbong Gwom’s Palace following

the relinquishing of the office with the completion of the new Government House at Little Rayfield which will be occupied in September 5, this year.

According to her , construction work at the New Government House is at finishing stage and it is almost ready for occupation.

Dazyem said the decision came after careful assessment of the palace of the Gbong Gwom , Jos and government decided to relocate the palace from its present location to the office being vacated by the governor.

Centenary Summit: ‘We’re Not Mobilising Youth For Jonathan’s Campaign’ Ebriku John Friday, Abuja

Organisers of the centenary edition of the National Youth Summit, Golden Heart Foundation have stated that the organisation is not using its forthcoming summit to mobilise support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 campaign.

Responding to questions from journalists yesterday during an international press briefing in Abuja the deputy president of Golden Heart foundation, Mr Norbert

Onaga who stood in for the foundation’s president, Dr. David Ogbueli said the summit was to inculcate values, ethnos and skills required for the nation’s positive transformation in the youth without prejudice.

He said the summit with the theme: “Generational Shift: The Emergency of Transformational Leaders,” will bring over 5000 youths from Nigeria and other African countries together, adding that the aim is to see the transformation of the young generation.

“We are not campaigning for President Jonathan, Golden Heart Foundation is a youth development organisation with the aim of helping them to discover their talent, develop and deploy it.

“Nigeria, is at the verge of the greatest transition it has ever experienced. An understanding that a nation is as strong as its human resource.” He said the formation of national youth summit is to provide leadership education. “We focus on the personal development of the youths.

Nigerians Urged To Unite For National Development

By Igho Oyoyo and Chika Mefor, Abuja

Nigerians have been urged to jettison religious and tribal differences and come together to fight terrorism and bring about development and progress in the country.

Former deputy senate president, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu who made the call during the formal inauguration of the Goodluck Develop-

ment Foundation (GDF) in Abuja, said that despite the challenges faced by the federal government, President Goodluck Jonathan has been very tolerant, describing him as the most tolerant president Nigeria has ever had.

Mantu who is also the chairman of the Council of Elders of Goodluck Support Group (GSG) revealed that the group has started the screening of Goodluck Support

groups springing up, to ascertain those who were genuinely promoting the message of good governance in the country.

Also speaking, the former governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, stated that those who had decided to make the nation ungovernable by throwing bombs and killing people will be disappointed as President Goodluck Jonathan will return to office come 2015.

s

d

news north-East, north-west 9 34 Dead In Kaduna Boat Mishap

Thursday, August 28, 2014

PDP Passes Vote Of Confidence On Shema, Assembly ``

By Muazu Elazeh, Katsina

Katsina State Working Committee of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has passed a vote of confidence on Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema even as it expressed satisfaction with the state House of Assembly for making people-centred legislation.

Speaking when he led members of the committee on a vis-

it to the state assembly, Katsina State PDP chairman, Rabiu Gambo Bakori, said the party was proud to be associated with the programmes and policies of the state government.

Bakori insisted that the administration of Governor Shema had brought “tremendous improvement, growth and indeed, betterment in the lives of the citizenry,” stressing that the

PDP deemed it necessary to pass the vote of confidence as a mark of appreciation.

He said the state has witnessed development in every sector under the leadership of PDP and urged citizens and residents of the state to support the party.

He said the state assembly under the leadership of Yau Umar Gojo-Gojo “had been a source of pride to not just our party but the

good people of Katsina State who elected you because of the way and manner in which you continue to carry on with your constitutional duties.”

Responding, the speaker of Katsina State House of Assembly, Yau Umar Gojo-Gojo said the assembly was able to discharge its responsibilities because of the support it enjoys in the state from leadership of the party.

Acting governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, submitting his nomination form to the PDP national organising secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, at Wadata Plaza, Abuja, yesterday.

short news Ebola: Kaduna Community Rejects Quarantine Site

The down Quarters community in Kaduna South local government area of the state yesterday vowed to use all available means to reject the proposed location of an Ebola quarantine centre within its community.

The chairman of the Down Quarters Association, Mr. James Ojo disclosed this while speaking to newsmen during a protest by the communities of the Kaduna South local government

By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna

Govt Alone Cannot Provide Employment For Youths – Wamakko

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto

The Nigerian government cannot provide employment for all her teeming youths, Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, said yesterday.

The governor, who stated this at the Youths and Sports Development Centre during the formal distribution of working tools to the youths of the state that were trained in Plumbing, Welding and Auto-Mechanic works, said that entrepreneurial skill is very crucial for the nation’s economic growth.

“As we are all aware, it is increasingly becoming impossible to provide white collar job

to our teeming university and polytechnic graduates, not to talk of thousands of school leavers that are being produced year-in-year-out.

“It has become paramount not only for governments but the citizenry to face the reality and embrace alternative programmes that will be used in not just sustaining the teeming youths, but open up windows of opportunities to prosperity and becoming not just-employed, but employers of labour as well,” Wamakko said.

Insisting that such trades were hitherto left in the hands of the resident communities, the governor divulged that the aim of the

training and empowerment was to motivate the youths into embracing trades of various type.

“The distribution of working tools to 1,000 youths trained in Plumbing, Welding and AutoMechanic, that we are witnessing today underscores the importance attached to ensuring that we mobilise and empower our youth to venture into trades necessary for the survival of our people”.

While stating that N10 million would be given to the beneficiaries for their working tools, he advised beneficiaries to make judicious use of the tools for the benefit of themselves, their families and the society in general.

2015: Masari Tasks APC On Unity, Begins Consultations

By Muazu Elazeh, Katsina

Former speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, has tasked members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State to close ranks and work for the party’s success ahead of 2015 polls.

Masari gave the charge yesterday, as he began consultative visits to council areas in Daura senatorial zone preparatory

to launching full campaigns for his much talked about gubernatorial ambition on the platform of APC. Addressing party faithful, he said for the APC to bring about the desired change, its members must be prepared to embrace unity and work insisting that he joined the race for Katsina governor to redefine leadership through positive change.

The former speaker urged

members of APC and the electorate in Katsina State to support his gubernatorial ambition by using his track records of service both in civil and public service.

He appealed for rancour free primaries so as to avoid a repeat of what happened to defunct CPC in 2011 even as he urged support for General Muhammadu Buhari to emerge as the APC presidential flagbearer.

short news Kaduna Gives Overseas Scholarship To 29 Medical Students No fewer than 29 medical students from Kaduna State who were students of the state owned universities were yesterday awarded overseas scholarship by the state government.

Speaking during the flag off of the overseas scholarship awards in Kaduna, the state governor, Alhaji Muktha Ramala Yero said, the overall objective is to reengineer a new transformation of the state.

By Isaiah Benjamin Kaduna

No fewer than 34 inhabitants of Kuturmi communities of Kaduna State have lost their lives following a boat mishap at the Gurara Dam. The president of Kuturmi Unity Development Association, Dikko D. Danlami who confirmed this to journalists in Kaduna, disclosed that the 34 people perished in the dam’s reservoir, due to lack of roads in all the communities hosting the Gurara dam.

The Kuturmi ethnic group disclosed that only N6,000 was given to each land owner as compensation after the federal government took over 5000 hectares from them, adding that, “Some communities were even displaced without compensation paid to them.”

He said the federal government’s inability to construct feeder roads that will serve as a link to all resettled communities caused the death of the victims. He said, “Since the roads were not available, the people resort to using locally made boat to travel or ferry their farm produce which caused their death.”

By Midat Joseph, Kaduna

Confab: Kente Rejects Calls For Referendum The speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon. Joshia Kente, has rejected calls for the report of the recently concluded National Conference be subjected to a referendum.

Kente, who stated this yesterday in Jalingo, said that the most appropriate channel for the confab report was the National Assembly, which, he said, represents everybody in the country.

“In my opinion, subjecting the confab report to a referendum will not represent all shades of opinion as it should be.

“The National Assembly is already in the process of ammending the 1999 constitution and thus should be allowed to make use of the wise counsel from the report to come up with an acceptable document for the country,” he said.

Kente noted that it would be better if the National Assembly would study the report and send it down to the state houses of assembly, who he said were also representing the people at the grassroots.

The speaker, who also spoke on the communal crisis in southern and central parts of the state said peace had gradually returned to the affected communities.

“The ethnic and religious crisis that engulfed parts of the state has been tackled by the government, what is happening now is the handiwork of criminals who have taken advantage of the situation to loot people’s properties,” he said.

By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo

10

stories of the Thursday, August 28, 2014

...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE

FAKE PRODUCT: Man Threatens N50m Suit Against Coca-Cola

BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt

A middle-aged man, Mr. Joe Mukoro, who was hospitalised after drinking a plastic bottle of Coca- Cola, allegedly containing some poisonous elements, has threatened to sue the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), makers of Coca-Cola products.

Mukoro, a Port Harcourt-based public relations practitioner, said he purchased a pack of six Coke plastic bottles from a supermarket, located along Ada George Road, in the Rivers State capital, on March 31, 2014.

On the evening of that fateful day, he drank from one of the plastic bottles, only to be admitted later into the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), Port Harcourt, as a result of what was diagnosed as food poisoning after consuming the Coca-Cola drink.

Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, Mukoro said, “I was devastated to observe that there was some debris still left in the small quantity of Coke which l had not consumed. I was forced to take a second look at the entire pack of Coke which I purchased.

“I was shocked to discover that, in yet another bottle of Coke in that pack, there was an object contained therein. I became seriously concerned for my health.”

The victim, who said he later started vomiting and stooling, and had to be rushed to the hospital for medical attention, added that, after recuperating, he consulted his lawyers, Chiabu Onuobia and Associates, who wrote to the branch manager of NBC in Port Harcourt.

He stated that the branch manager later sent one Mr. Sesan Saliu, the Port Harcourt Quality Assurance Manager, and another person to meet with him where Saliu requested for and was given the bottle still containing some foreign elements.

Mukoro stated that upon the inspection of the bottle, the Saliu was said to have confirmed it to be their genuine product and that he did not tamper with it.

He alleged that without any empathy over the harm the product had done, the Quality Assurance Manager launched into some technicalities about the handling of the Coca-Cola products and ended up insulting him by telling him that he would be appreciated with a crate of the Coca-Cola products.

Speaking to newsmen also, counsel to the victim, Onuobia said Mukoro had a straightforward case, saying, “NBC had shown an absolute sense of irresponsibility with the way and manner they are handling the issue. My client suffered food poisoning after drinking from the Coke product. He was admitted at the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital where he was treated for food poisoning and was discharged and the Quality Assurance Manager admitted to the negligence.

We have everything documented.

People queuing up to fetch water from a motorised borehole provided by the MDGS in Bida, Niger State. Photo:

By Patrick Ebi Amanama

BESTIALITY: Tailor Bags 12 Months For Having Sex With Goat

CRIME: My Parents’ Separation Exposed Me To Robbery – Suspect

By Igho Oyoyo, Abuja

A woman suspected to be a leader of an armed robbery gang, Aina Mohammed, has identified her background as being responsible for her present dilemma.

The mother of two told LEADERSHIP that her parents marital separation exposed her to a lot of atrocities.

She said because she lived with her mother, there was opportunity to do some things which were overlooked by her.

She said, “I met one of my old friends (male), who introduced me into the business. After some months, we resumed our interactions most especially on telephone, which led us to another love affair. Unknown to my husband, after I met this man, I became a strong member of the syndicate.

“I always look for buyers for the stolen vehicles, while my boyfriend takes the stolen vehicles across borders,” she said.

She argued that she was not an armed robbery suspect but that she only assisted her boy friend in getting buyers for the stolen vehicles, adding, “until my arrest by policemen, I did not know that my boy friend is an armed robber”.

Speaking, Oyo State Deputy Commissioner for Police (Administration), Sam Okaula, said the woman coordinates the robbery syndicate on behalf of her manfriend who is already serving a jail term in the Nigerian Prisons at Oke-kura, Ilorin, for armed robbery- related offences.

Okaula said the woman robbery suspect also coordinates disposal of any vehicle robbed by the syndicate across the borders in Nigeria, while Rasidi Salami was the main receiver of the syndicate.

He disclosed that the syndicate had snatched a Toyota Corolla with registration number, Lagos AGL 312 BX valued at N1.7 million at gun point.

An Upper Area Court in Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has sentenced a 20-year-old tailor to one year imprisonment for bestiality (having a sexual intercourse with a she-goat).

The prosecutor, Ocheche Samuel, told the court that the case was reported at the police station on August 19, by one Doh Ibrahim, a neighbour of the convict.

Samuel said that Abdul was caught in a bathroom at Sauka Extension having an intercourse with the goat.

He said that when the accused heard foot-

steps approaching where he was having carnal knowledge of the goat, he tried to escape, but was caught and handed over to police.

Samuel said that the offence contravened Section 284 of the Criminal Code.

The accused, Sani Abdul, who resides at Sauka Extension in Kuje, was later sentenced to one year imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of unnatural and indecent offences.

The presiding judge, Mr. Adamu Wakili, however, gave him an option of fine of N15, 000, but ordered that the accused be remanded in Kuje prison for one year if he could not meet the fine condition.

DUPED: Randy Monarch Loses Money To Prostitute

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

A monarch in a community in Asaba, Delta State, has lost perfume worth N40,000 and N30,000 cash to a commercial sex worker.

Reports said the royal father’s penchant for anything in skirt had tarnished his image and integrity as his encounter with women in most cases are followed by mind blowing tales.

It was gathered that the royal father had last Monday in Asaba, left his community to lodge in a hotel along Nnebisi road, where the lover girl who speaks Esan fluently stole his money and the perfume.

Those in the know said while the randy

royal father was having sexual intimacy with her, she was said to have connected her close friend to him, upon his demand, after which he dashed to the lobby of the hotel where the said friend was waiting for him.

However, sources said, the royal father may have made another detour with the lover’s friend, as the lover, having waited for the royal father after what seemed like hours, disappeared with his money and his perfume.

Confirming the story, an aide to the royal father, who did not want his name in print, said the royal father had reported a case of stealing at the A Division police station, Asaba, while the police officers said they were investigating the matter.

Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

STORIES OF THE DAY 11

Thursday, August 28, 2014

day

Photo News

CHILD THEFT: Police Arrest Woman

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

The police in Issele-Uku community, Delta State, have arrested a 46-year-old housewife identified as Joan (surname withheld,) over a missing neighbour’s son.

Sources said the housewife, currently in the police custody, was fond of the baby each time the mother goes to sell in the market.

While her relationship with the child identified as Edward Junior was noticed to be cordial, it was learnt that the housewife had once told the parents of her wish to have the child to be in her custody, a request that was turned down.

Some days later, after the request was made, the child was declared missing DSP Celestina Kalu, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, confirmed that the suspect was arrested on a tip-off few days after wooing the parents for the child’s custody that was turned down.

She disclosed that the whereabouts of the child is still unknown, adding that the police had swung into action to unearth the disappearance of the child.

Sources said the housewife had been married for over 12 years without a child, and the attempts she made to have at least a child had proved abortive after series of consultations with native doctors.

L-R: Ministers exchanging greetings during the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday. From left: Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (finance), Mr Labaran Maku (information), Dr Akinwumi Adesina (agric and natural resources) and Dr Khaliru Alhassan (minister of state, health) PHOTO BY REMI AKUNLEYAN

DEATH: Housewife Electrocuted In Bayelsa OSA Okhomina, Yenagoa

A housewife identified as Mrs. Anne Ede Alakiri has been confirmed dead after a severe electric shock from a standing fan along the Amarata Area of Yenagoa Local Government Council of Bayelsa State.

The deceased, who is a mother of two and a member of St.Patricks Catholic Church, Ovom, was found dead by sympathizers with the standing fan atop her in her home.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the deceased was reportedly killed while cleaning the dusty fan.

While some residents of the Amarata area

claimed the deceased died as a result of electric shock due to the flood she stepped into while entering her home, others said the standing fan may have developed fault and sent live current into the iron- plated cover.

An eyewitness told LEADERSHIP that “the woman was a gentle Catholic woman who just got married three years ago. She would be missed a lot by the Catholic members of Ovom.”

When contacted on the development, the spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, said though details were not yet available, “I will get the details to give you later.”

L-R: Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission, Hon Justice George Uloko, during his commissioning of utility vehicles at the commission’s office in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OKEKE JANE

FIRE OUTBREAK: Many Escape Death As Fire Guts Tanker

BY MATTHEW DIKE, Lagos

There was pandemonium in Apapa area of Lagos State, yesterday, when a tanker conveying AGO, popularly known as diesel, was gutted by fire.

Many people fled the scene when the incident occurred around 6am in front of Saint Theresa Primary School, Marine Beach.

The cause of the inferno could not be ascertained by press time, but sources said that the truck was about to take off from Total petroleum depot and was still parked within the company’s premises when the incident occurred.

A top official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), South-West Region, Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed the story, said it took the timely intervention of officials from both federal and state Fire Service to put out the fire.

Farinloye also said no casualty was recorded but advised tanker drivers to be conscious of inflammable products which they handle on daily bases.

“We have carried out enlightenment campaign for the drivers on the nature of the products they carry daily, but some of them throw away all our advice and this is one of the problems they face,” he said.

Scene of a petrol tanker explosion at Marine Bridge, Apapa, Lagos, yesterday Photo By Nan

BOAT MISHAP: 34 Die In Gurara Dam

BY MIDAT JOSEPH, Kaduna

About 34 inhabitants of Kuturmi community in Kaduna State have lost their lives following boat mishaps inside the multi-billion naira Gurara Dam. The President of Kuturmi Unity Development Association, Dikko D. Danlami, who confirmed this to journalists in Kaduna, disclosed that the 34 people perished in the dam’s reservoir due to lack of roads in all the host communities of Gurara dam.

He said that only N6, 000 was given to each land owner as compensation after the federal government took over 5000 hectares from them, adding, “some communities were

even displaced without compensation paid to them.”

He said that the federal government’s inability to construct feeder roads that will serve as a link to all resettled communities cause the death of their people, adding, “Since the roads were not available, the people reverted to using locally made boat to travel or ferry their farm produce to their local government secretariat, which brought about their death.”

According to the leader of the communities, the federal government had promised to provide road network, portable drinking water, healthcare facilities, schools and other developmental opportunities.

L-R: Representative of Transmission Company of Nigeria, Engr Olisa Okoli; coordinator of Polychlorinated Biphenyl, Dauda Musa and representative of Ministry of Environment, Engr Yunus Abdulganiyu, during a training workshop for journalists in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO BY OKEKE JANE

12

Thursday, August 28, 2014

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, PROBATE DIVISION, ABUJA

WHEREAS THE PERSON/PERSONS whose name are set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column AND WHEREAS the person(s) whose name and address are set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant of Letters of Administration of the personal property.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the said Letters of Administration be granted to such person(s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT” the grant thereof are filed in the Probate Registry of the above named court within Twenty One (21) days from the date of publication.

SCHEDULE 48

SULE EDIBO NIGERIA ARMY KANO (RTD) DIED ON 17TH DECEMBER, 2013

EDIBO JAmES & EDIBO PHILIP UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA TEACHING HOSPITAL ABJ THE SONS

92

ONYE EBULE O. ALEXANDER KUJE ROAD BESIDE ZONAL EDUC. AUTH. DIED ON 2ND JUNE 2014

ONYEGBULE EBERE SONIA GRD TO ONYEGBULE DAVID UGOCHUKWU KUJE ROAD BESIDE ZONAL EDUC. AUTH. G/LADA WIDOW AND SON

49

mARGARET EGEGE ODEY CHOP STICK MAITAMA, ABUJA DIED ON 23RD DECEMBER, 2013

CELESTINE ODEY & IGNATUS ODEY IMANI ESTATE MARARABA ABUJA THE BROTHER

93

UGWA LINUS EJIKE HOUSE 20, 54 ROAD GWARINPA ESTATE ABJ DIED ON 9TH APRIL, 2014

UGWA EVANGELINE OKIWY GRD TO UGWA JOEL OBINNA HSE NO 2,/75 ROAD GWARINPA ESTATE ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

50

HARUNA mUKTAR NIGERIA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY ABJ DIED ON 18TH MARCH, 2013

JIBRIN HARUNA mUSA HARUNA & mRS HALImA HARUNA SHETUKO KUJE ABUJA SON AND WIDOW

94

FATAI SALAWU OLUKOYA 26, POLITICAL ST. FED HOUSING NYANYA DIED ON 17TH JUNE, 2013

SHAmUSIDEEN SALAWU & KAZEEm SALAWU OLUKOYA 26, POLITICAL STREET FED HOUSING NYANYA, ABJ THE SONS

51

PHILIP EGOH NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 5TH FEBRUARY, 2005

DORCAS PHILIP GRD TO EmmANUEL PHILIP CHILA KAKARKO LGA KADUNA STATE DAUGHTER AND SON

95

NNEKA E. CHIKEZIE 621 FED HOUSING ESTATE LUGBE ABUJA DIED ON 17TH MAY, 2014

SUNDAY OKECHUKWU GRD TO SAmUEL O. NO 621, RD FEDERAL HOUSING ESTATE LUGBE ABJ WIDOWER AND SON

52

OGUNYEmI P. OLUSEGUN D.R.T.S ABUJA DIED ON 9TH MAY, 2014

mRS GRACE OGUNYEmI GRD TO DEBORAH O. BLK 4, FLAT 3, PLATEAU STR. AREA 2, GARKI ABJ WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

96

AmEDU OSHIOBUGHIE DAN VACC TECHNICAL LTD MAITAM ABUJA DIED ON 10TH MAY, 2014

AmEDU NENE KATE AND INNOCENT AmEDU BEHIND FIELD IDU ABUJA SISTER AND BROTHER

53

SGT. SUNDAY AYUBA NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED 19TH MARCH, 2014

TImOTHY AYUBA & SARAH SUNDAY NNPC TOWER CENTRAL BUSINESS AREA ABUJA BROTHER AND WIDOW

97

SALAmATU mUSA (AKA) SALOmE O. JOSPHINE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 28TH MAY, 2014

EJAH mOSES ODE AND EJAH KENNETH NBS PLOT 762, INDEPENDENCE AVENUE CBDABUJA THE SONS

54

KINGSLEY C. ANIEGBOGU KING LAND JIWA ABUJA DIED ON 30TH DECEMBER, 2013

mR. LOUIS ANIEGBOGU GRD TO CHIBUZOR ANIEGBOGU KING LAND JIWA ABUJA FATHER AND BROTHER

98

mR. JOHN OTENE NIGERIA EXPORT PROMOMTION COUCIL, DIEDON 7TH FEBRUARY, 2012

ADA OTENE & ALADI OTENE DUTSE ALHAJI ABUJA THE BROTHERS

55

mR. JOHN RAYmOND BI-WATER DIED ON 2ND APRIL, 2014

mRS JANET JOHN GRD TO DANIEL JOH. BLK 6, PEYI VILLAGE BWARI ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

99

mR. RAYmOND I. UWABOR 192, EDDA TR. GBAZANGO EXT. KUBWA AB DIED ON 5TH JULY, 2014

mRS BEATRICE UWABOR GRD TO JESSE OSADEBAME UWABOR SAME ADDRESS. WIDOW AND SON

56

OKE IDRIS ABIODUN FCT FIRE SERVICE, ABUJA DIED ON 5TH FEBRUARY, 2012

OKE AmUDAT GRD TO OKE OWOLABI 160 ALAPO STREET, IJEBU ODE OGUN STATE WIDOW AND SON

100

DR. OBIHAN ANTHONY & OBIHAN IFEANYI BLOCK B SUIT 18, LANDMARK PLAZA MAITAMA THE BROTHERS

mATHEW ABALAKA NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 24TH JANUARY, 2014

mRS mARY ABALAKA GRD TO LUCKY ABALAKA REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD SABORI WIDOW AND SON

57

AVRE ISHAYA & JAmAKA ISHAYA B 22, LUV RD MASAKA NASARAWA STATE THE SON

ODOZI mARY GRD TO ODOZI HENRY BACK OF ISLAMIC SCH. MADALLAH WIDOW AND SON

101

ISHAYA ALUHU NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA 13TH MARCH, 2011

ODOZI IKECHUKWU HENRY BACK OF ISLAMIC SCHOOL MADALLAH DIED ON 20TH MARCH, 2014

mR. OKORO CAJETAN C.C. COMMUNITY ACTION FOR POPULATION PARTICIPATION ABUJA DIED ON 26TH DECEMBER, 2011

OKORO ANTHONY & OKORO FRANISCA GRD TO OKORO FRANCIS PLOT 7, FLAT 1, AKWANGA CLOSE AREA 8, GARKI SONS AND WIDOW

58

CHRISTOPHER mAJIJIY BITRUS & CHRISTOPHER ABIGAL LE.A PRIMARY SCHOOL DUTSE ALHAJI ABUJA WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

mADAKI YAKUBU GARBA SHARIA COURT ABUJA DIED ON 17TH SEPTEMBER, 2013

mURNA JOHN & RITA mADAKI CUSTOMARY COURT ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

102

12

CHRISTOPHER BITRUS KUJE AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA DIED 3RD AUGUST, 2013

ISIAKA SAIDU A. NIGERIA CUSTOM SERVICE DIED ON 5TH JANUARY, 2014

JEmILA ISIAKA SAIDU GRD TO SABIRA SAIDU PLOT 342A KAYARDA ESTENTION KUJE ABUJA WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

59

13

RITA OGABA GRD TO mIKE OGABA MABUSHI VILLAGE FCT ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

CECILIA mATHEW SALINNI NIG LTD. AB UJA DIED ON 16TH NOVEMBER, 2010

DAVID mIRACLE GRD TO mIRACLE DAVID MARARABA BEHIND INTER. MARKET NAS. STATE THE ADMISTRATOR

103

AGBO OGABA MABUSHI VILLAGE FCT, ABUJA DIED ON 22ND SEPTEMBER, 2013

ENGR. KAYODE TOBA BACK OF KARU MARKET ABUJA DIED ON 24TH DECEMBER,

mRS CHRISTIANA YETUNDE KAYODE GRD TO mOJOLALUWA KAYODE BACK OF KARU MARKET ABUJA WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

14

mALACHY UmEHA BLK 57 FLAT 3, WUSE ZONE 2, MAMBULU CLOSE, ABUJA DIED ON 20TH JUNE, 2009

mRS IFEOmA G. UmEHA & mR EBUKA UmEHA BLK 57, FLAT 3, WUSE ZONE 2, MAMBULU CLOSE AB WIDOW AND SON

60

NSEABASI ETUK SAmmY PUBLIC COMPLAINT COMM ABUJA (RTD) DIED ON 4TH OCTOBER, 2011

UNYImE NSEKPA & AWEmKO NSEmKPA AREA F. BLK 75 NYANYA RM, 1, & 2, ABUJA SON AND DAUGHTER

104

SARKI mAGAJI REYNHOLD CONTRUCTION CO. (RCC) DIED ON 19TH JANUARY, 2011

BABA D. mAGAJI & KASUmA mAGAJI ANGWAN DNAPBELL KWALI ABUJA SON AND WIDOW

15

CHARITY NKECHIYERE ANYAOHA HOUSE NO 3, BAUCHI CRES LIFE CAMP, ABJ CAMP, ABUJA DIED ON 3RD NOVEMBER, 2013

SAmUEL CHEKRENWA ANYAOHA HOUSE NO 3, BAUUCHI CRESCENT LIFE CAMP ABJ THE SON

61

EJIKONYE ECHEZONA FCDA ABUJA DIED ON 13TH FEBRUARY, 2014

EJINKONYE IFEOmA GRD TO EJINKONYE CHUKWUEmEKA BLK 4, FLAT 11 RUBOCKI CLOSE AREA 7, GARKI ABJ WIDOW AND SON

105

GEORGE DIKE ISAAC FEDERAL MIN OF FINANCE, ABUJA DIED ON 23RD JANAURY, 2014

PRICILLIA GEORGE GRD TO SUCCESS CHImA GEORGE OLD KUTUNKU GWAGWALDAD ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

16

ALHAJI ADAmU ATTAJIRI FEDERAL CAPITAL DEVE. AUTHORITY DIED 12TH MARCH, 2008

mOHAmmED ATTAJIRI AREA 8, FLAT 6, GARKI, ABUJA THE SON

62

HASSAN ILIYA PHILEmON IKWA-ZUBA G/LADA AREA COUNCIL ABJ DIED ON 14TH MARCH, 2014

SARATU ILIYA HASSA & EmmANUEL ILIYA HASSAN IKWA ZUBA G/LADA AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

106

RASITA NGOZI ISOJE NATIOAN ASSEMBLY, ABUJA DIED ON 11TH NOVMBER, 2013

mONDAY ISOJE & JANE OVAH HSE 94, ZONE 7, LUGBE VILLAGE ABUJA SONS AND DAUGHTER

17

OLADEPO OLAWALE (WALED) OLATUNJI THE NATIONAL NEWS PAPER DIED ON 11TH FEBRUARY 2012

OLADEPO ABIGIEL ALADUNNI & OLADEPO OLAKUNLE OLUmIDE PLOT 796, RD TEAM 7, RD LUGBE, ABUJA

63

SULEImAN DATSE FED. CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ABUJA DIED ON 2ND MAY, 2014

ISAH SULEImAN & mOHAmmED SULEImAN OPP. PRY. SCH. IDDO SARKI PKDA AIRPORT ABUJA THE SONS

107

ESTHER AUGUSTINE AREA 1, ZUBA ABUJA DIED ON 29TH 2012

AUGUSTINE ONWUACHU & AUGUSTINE IYKE AREA 1, ZUBA ABUJA WIDOWER AND SON

18

DENNE KANU AKPANG DANTATA & SAWOE COSNT. CO, NIG. DIED ON 30TH DECEMBER, 2013

JOY AKPANG GRD TO PRAISE AKPANG & DAVID AKPANG CHURCH RD NEW KARU NASARAWA STATE WIDOW, DAUGHTER AND SON

64

mICAHEL NDEm OKORO NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE, ABUJA DIED ON 15TH MAY, 2014

GLORY mICHAEL N. OKORO GRD TO JACOB m.

BLK 123, NIGERIA CUSTOMS QTRS NYANYA ABJ WIDOW AND SON

108

YAKUBU mUSA IBRAHIm NO. 1, IKPORO QUARTERS ABAJI DIED ON 25TH FEBRUARY, 2014

UmAR mUSA & ALIYU mUSA NO. 1, IKPORO QUARTER ABAJI ABUJA THE SONS

19

INSP. mARY ALIYU NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 21ST APRIL, 2013

ALIYU FADAKO GRD TO DINNA ALIYU NAF HOLDING COMPANY 22, NIAMI STR HSE 2, ABJ WIDOWER AND DAUGHTER

65

EKARIKA ESSIEH AKPAN CBAN, ABUJA DIED ON 26TH SEPTEMBER, 2011

mARGARET EKENIKA ESSIEN AKPAN GRD TO GOODNEWS EKARIKA ESSIEN QUALITY ASSURANCE ZONAL OFFICE KARSHI ABJ WIDOW AND SON

109

AUGUSTINE IKUEJAWA GRD TO GABRIEL & mICHAEL UKUEJAWA NO. 16, ALLI BALOGU STREET OKITIPUPA ONDO ST. BROTHER AND SON

20

ABULKARIm BELLO THE PRESIDENCY (OSGF) DIED ON 19TH JANUARY, 2013

ZANAIB ABDULKARIm GRD TO BELLO ABDULKARIm UNGWUWAN DOKA NEW NYANYA NASARAWA ST WIDOW AND SON

UKUEJAWA SUNDAY EPHENUS FED MIN OF EDUCATION ABUJA DIED ON 29TH APRIL, 2011

66

UmUNA OKOLO LUGBE FHA ABUJA DIED ON 14TH MARCH, 2014

mR. WILFRED OKOLO & mRS ATHONIA OKOLO LUGBE FHA ABUJA BROTHER AND MOTHER

ABDULLAHI AUDU NATIONAL POPULATION COMM. ABUJA DIED ON 20TH MARCH, 2007

HAUWA ABDULLAHI GRD TO RABIU ABDULLAHI HSE NO.6, DAKIDA, ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

JULIENT HARRY S. GRD TO mIRACLE GODWIN ROYAL COLLAGE MASKA NASARAWA STATE DAUGHTER AND SON

110

21

KANTOmA KANDE TURU LE.A PRIAMRY S PHASE 2, NYANYA ABUJA DIED ON 30TH JANUARY, 2014

67

mISS UDUAK ImEBOB NIGIERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 16TH AUGUST, 2013

NSIKAN ImE BOB & mAGDALENE ImE TUDUN WAS OPP TOTAL STATION MARARABA BROTHER AND SISTER

ANN ONYINYECHI UKOH GRD TO ISREAL CHUWUEBUKA UKOH KUJE ROAD G/ALDA ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

111

22

UKOH CHIDIEBERE KUJE ROAD GWAGWALADA ABUJA DIED ON 30TH DECEMBER, 2012

IFA JOHSON ENANG DOVE ESTATE BEHIND METOL SHC. KUBWA DIED ON 10TH JULY, 2009

EmILIA O. ENANG & EmmANUEL ENANG DOVE ESTATE BEHIND METROL SCH. KUBWA ABJ WIDOW AND SON

68

BILHATU YAKUBU CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL ABUJA DIED 4TH SEPTEMBER, 2012

mARY YAKUBU & DANIEL YAKUBU & DANIEL YAKUBU NO. 10, ETOPIA ST. BARNAWA LOWCOST KADUNA MOTHER AND BROTHER

ALEX ANEJO & FRED ANEJO NO,24, AHMADU BELLO WAY GRA ILORIN KWARA STATE. THE SONS

112

23

ROBERT ANEJO STATE NIGERIA ARMY DIED ON 5TH SEPTEMBER, 2012

GODE mOHAmmED KANDE LE.A. GWAGWALADA, ABUJA DIED ON 4TH JUNE, 2014

mOHAmmED mAIKASUWA ABDULLAHI GRD TO mOHAmmED ABDULWAHAB JIWA VILLAGE BEHIND CHIEF HOUSE ABUJA WIDOWER AND SON

24

GODSPOWER I. UZAmA & ANTHONY C. UZOmA 76, LATEEF AREGBE ST. AGO OKOTA LAGOS WIDOWER AND SON

69

mRS GRACE SULE BAKO, (ALSO KNOWN AS GRACE ADAmU DUNIYA) FED. CAPITAL TERRITORY ADMINISTATION DIED ON 8TH JUNE, 2014

SULE BAKO GRD TO TAHILA BAKO 47, FLAT 3, FOREING AFFAIRS QTRS KUBWA ABUJA WIDOWER AND DAUGHTER

113

BERNADETTA UZOmA NATIONAL SPORT COMMISSION ABUJA DIED ON 15TH JANUARY, 2014

mUHAmmED ABUBAKAR MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, ABUJA DIED ON 22TH SEPTEMBER, 2011

IBRHAIm mOHAmmED ANGWAN AHMADU OPP. 117, BARRACK KEFFI ABJ THE SON

114

GABRIEL ENAHON MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

VICTORIA ENAHON GRD TO MAXWELL ENAHON 117, FIRST AVENUE EFAB ESTATE LOKOGOMA ABJ

25

ANYANWA VIRGINUS ZONE 2, NO 30, DUTSE ALHAJI, ABUJA DIED ON 17TH DECEMBER, 2012

ANYANWU ROSEmARY UCHENN & ONWUmERE SABASTIAN EMEKA ZONE 3, NO 30 DUTSE ALHAJI WIDOW AND BROTHER

70

26

mUSA AHmED YAKUBU FED. ROAD SAFETY CORPS, ABUJA DIED ON 12TH SEPTEMBER, 2012

mUSA HASSAN & IBRAHIm mUSA NYANYA GWANDARA ZONE A NASARAWA STATE THE BROTHERS

27

PATRICK OGUN SETRACO CONSTRUCTION CO. ABUJA DIED ON 29TH JANUARY, 2012

28

S/N

DECEASED NAmE/ADDRESS

APPLICATION FOR GRANT

1

ROSELINE AmAKA ODOH MOPOL QTRS NYANYA ABUJA DIED ON 5TH MARCH, 2014

ODEY GODWIN OTABA AND ODEY LINUS OGALAGU, ANTY ALICE MARARABA NAS STATE THE SONS

2

EmmANUEL OSAKWE RCC MOUNT ZION, ZONE, AREA 1, MPAPE ABUJA. DIED ON 29TH JULY, 2013

mRS ROSEmARY OSAKWE & EmmANUEL O. OSAKWE RCC MOUNT ZION ZONE, AREA 1, MPAPE, ABUJA WIDO AND SON

3

mR. NWAKWO E. ICHO JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC, ABUJA DIED ON 15TH NOVEMBER, 2013

NWANKWO EBUKA A. CHImEZE & NWANWO U. EmmANUEL BLK 37, JULIUS BERGER CAMP KUBWA ABUJA THE SON.

4

FATI E. GHEDO PREMIUM PENSION LTD, ABUJA DIED ON 14TH FEBRUARY, 2011

JOSHUA AGHEDO NO. 24, SOKODE CRESENT EXT. ZONE 5, ABUJA THE SON.

5

OmEJE THANKGOD L.E.A AMAC, ABUJA DIED ON 14TH FEBRUARY, 2011

IFEANY OmEJE GRD TO THANKGOD EmEJE LUVE ROAD MASAKA KARU, NASARAWA STATE. WIDOW AND SON

6

NJOKU CHIDImmA CHIOmA AREA 8, SEC 1, BLK 8, FLAT 3, GASHUA CLOSE, ABUJA DIED ON 20TH FEBRUARY, 2012

MISS LOUISA C. NJOKU & MR. AUGUSTINE C. NJOKU AREA 8, SEC 1, FLAT 3, GASHUA CLOSE ABUJA SISTER AND BROTHER

7

HAmZA A.Y. KAURA KWAL AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA DIED ON 9TH FEBRUARY, 2014

AISHA HAmZA, HALImA HAmZA GRD TO SALEEN HAmZA AGWAN ZAMFARA KWALI, ABUJA DAUGHTER, WIDOW AND SON

8

CHINWEDBI NWAOHA JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC, DIED 11TH DECEMBER, 2013

NGOZI NWACHA & RAYmOND NWACHA NO. 2, ANYAWAGU CLOSE NIGER STATE WIDWO AND SON

9

mOHAmmED ABDALLAH KING NIG. EXPORT PRODUCT PROLE ZONE AUTHORITY, ABUJA DIED ON 2ND JULY, 2011

SHAmSUDEEN A. AHmED 36, TARAUNI QTRS MAIDUGURI ROAD KANO THE BROTHER

10

mISS OBIHAN BRIDGET BLK B, SUIT 18 LANDMARK PLAZA MAITAM DIED ON 10TH MARCH, 2014

11

DEID ON 4TH APRIL, 2014

WIDOWE AND SON

115

TITUS OKEY OKOLO FED. MIN OF AGRIC (RETIRED) DIED ON 30TH JUNE, 2012

mRS ANASTASIA NWIJE OKOLO & mR. JUDE OBI GREG JUDE OKOLO 49, KHATOUM STRT. WUSE ZONE 5, ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

116

LUKE AGBO ALI MINISTRY OF MINES AND STEEL DEVELP. DIED ON 9TH MAY, 2013

mARIA ALI GRD TO ANNA AGBO KABAYI MARARABA NASARAWA STATE WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

117

CHUDU KWAGHNA JACOB NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED 8TH JULY, 2011

CHUDU FLORENCE GRD TO CHUDU ANGELA DOUFAN TARAKU GER LGA BENUE STATE SON AND WIDOW

118

AUDU SALEH ABUJA ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION CO. DIED ON 11TH MARCH 2014

AKILU YAKUBU SALEH STATE HOUSE ABUJA THE BROTEHR

119

AUDU ALHASSAN STEPHEN NIPRD ABUJA DIED ON 17TH JULY, 2013

AUDU mONDAY & AUDU SUNDAY IDU OPP POLICE POST ABUJA THE SONS

120

OKOBI FELICIA IFEOmA FED MIN OF TRADE INVESTMENT ABUJA DIED ON 28TH JANUARY, 2014

HELEN EKENE NWAKANmA & BUBUKA TAKADI JOY NAT. COMMISSION FOR MAS LITERACY GARKI ABJ THE DAUGHTERS

DANLADI YAKUSAK NUWALEGE VILLAGE BEHIND NAF BASE AB DIED ON 10TH APRIL, 2013

HELEN DANLADI GRD TO GIFT DANLADI YAKUSAK NAUWALEGE VILLAGE BEHIND NAF BASE ABJ WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

71

JEFFREY OCHUmA OTEKPA B2, NPI ESTATE GADUA DISTRICT ABUJA DIED ON 19TH JULY, 2010

OTOKPA OGEZI SUNDAY & OTOKPA ESTHER B2, NPI ESTATE GADUA DISTRICT ABUJA BROTHER AND SISTER

NGOZI OGWU GRD TO EmEKA OGWU BERGER CAMP KUBWA, ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

72

DANLADI LUKO KUJE AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA DIED ON 12TH MARCH, 2014

DAVID DANLAmI & mRS KANDE mAKAmA DANLAmI LAIKUTA DIKKO GURARA LGA NIGER STATE SON AND WIDOW

CHINYERE DIm HOPE FED HOSPITAL GARKI, ABUJA DIED ON 8TH MARCH, 2012

DIm JUSTINE E. ST. ANTHONY CATHOLIC CHURCH KUBWA, ABUJA THE WIDOWER

73

CPL EZEKIEL AVEZANG NIG. POLICE FORCE ABUJA DIED ON 4TH FEBRUARY, 2014

HAPPY EZEKIEL GRD TO VICTOR EZEKIEL TRADE FAIR ROAD OLD AIRPORT SOKOTO WIDOW AND SON

29

mUHAmmAD YAU NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 20TH MAY, 2014

BUHARI mUHAmmAD & BINTA mUSA GRD TO NURA mUHAmmAD SON AND WIDOW

74

30

mR. SAmUEL CHINENYE FED. MINISTRY OF FINANCE, ABUJA DIED ON 3RD NOVEMBER, 2012

GEOFFREY OGBONNAYA NWACHUKWU & mRS JOY OLUCHI LEWEKE NEW NYANYA DOUBLE, ABUJA SON AND DAUGHTER

PILLI ALI NYONLEYA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ABUJA DIED ON 1ST JUNE, 2012

mARY JOSEPH GRD TO BASHEBA J. PILLI & BILKOYA A. PILL % CRCN NYANYA ABUJA WIDOW, DAUGHTER AND BROTHER

75

31

CPL mOHAmmED USmAN NIGERIA POLICE FORCEM ABUJA DIED ON 17TH APRIL, 2014

HULERA mOHAmmED GRD TO SADIQ mOHAmmED NO 5, TRITON STREET KUCHIKAU KARU NASARAW WIDOW AND SON

IBRAHIm DISI SAKABA NO. 52, 3, AVENUE EFAB ESTATE, MBORA DISTRICT, ABUJA DIED ON 22ND NOVEMBER, 2013

SAKABA RHODA DEPTE & JOSHUA UWEKE SAKBA NO. 52, 3, AVENUE EFAB ESTATE MBORA DISTRICT ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

76

32

JImOH AYOADE ADEKUNLE 34, SOKODE CRESCENT WUSE ZONE ABUJA DIED ON 19TH NOVEMBER, 2013

JImOH mOHAmmED TAJUDEEN & ISIAKA ADEWALE ADEKUNLE 34, SOKODE CRESCENT WUSE ZONE 5, ABUJA THE SONS

SHIRI NUHU S.C.C NIGERIA LIMITED DIED ON 9TH APRIL, 2012

CHRISTIANA JAmES & FRIDAY SHIRI USHAFA VILLAGE BWARI ABUJA SISTER AND BROTHER

77

AHmODU ALI GAmBO FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY COMMISION ABJ DIED ON 20TH FEBRUARY, 2009

ZAINAB ALI GRD TO ABDULmALIK ALI NASARAWA STATE WIDOW AND SON

IBRAHIm A. ISmAILA FCDA RECREATION CENTER ABUJA DIED ON 4TH FEBRUARY, 2014

mAImUNAT IBRAHIm GRD TO KHADIJAT IBRAHIm AND mARYAm IBRAHIm GAURAKA TAFA L.G.A. NIGER STATE WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

CHIEF SIR ANDREW m. ONUEKWUSI PLOT 6, ABAJI CLOSE AREA 2, SEC 2, GARKI ABJ THE WIDOWER

121

33

mRS. BEATRICE UZOR ONUEKWUSI PLOT 6, ABAJI CLOSE AREA 2, SEC GARKI DIED ON 19TH JANUARY, 2013

78

34

ODEDE HILLARY AND ODEDE CHRISTOPHER B1, CEMENTARY ROAD GWAGWA FCT, ABUJA BROTHER AND FATHER

SGT ABDUL mUSA NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 25TH JUNE, 2014

AmINA mUSA & RAmATU mUSA LAMBATTA GURARA LGA, NIGER STATE WIDOWS AND DAUGHTER

122

ODEDE JULIANA COURT OF APPEAL ABUJA DEID ON FEBRUARY, 2014

SAIDU mOHAmmED NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ABUJA DIED ON 19TH OCTOBER, 2008

LAWAL SAIDU & RABI ADAmU NO. 1, SAIDU ADEJO STREET, ANKPA KOGI STATE SON AND WIDOW

79

OGBAJI EUNICE OKOR 96, SARKIN YAKU KANO STATE DIED ON 23RD DECEMBER, 2013

mARIA OGBAJI & DERRICK OGBAJI 96, SARKIN YAKI KANO STATE MOTHER AND BROTHER

123

ADEBUSUYI FUNmILAYO GRD TO OSUmmESE ROBO & JEREmIAH O. MOUNTED TROOP BARRACK IKEJA LAGOS

35

mARGARET ETUKNWA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE ABUJA DIED ON 11TH FEBRUARY, 1994

EKATTE ETUKNWA OLOD CUSTOM QTRS NYANYA ABUJA THE DAUHGTER

80

JEREmIAH BITRUS SCC QUARRY ABUJA DIED ON 25TH APRIL, 2013

HADASA JEREmIAH GRD TO RAFIEL JEREmIAH NEAR ECWA CHURCH SABON GARI BWARI ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

CPL. EDDY ROBO NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 10TH MARCH, 2007

124

36

CAPT FRANCIS KENNETH NIGERIA ARMY DIED ON 16TH JANUARY, 2013

JOSIAH FRANCIS ONUBAH & OBIANUJU IJEOmA FRANCIS ONUBAH 7, GUARD BATTALION LUNG BARRACK MOQ/1/13, A BROTHER AND WIDOW

81

PATRICK AJIJIE NIGERIA ARMY ABUJA DIED ON 1ST NOVEMBER, 2010

JOSEPH AJIJIE & LINDA AJIJIE NO. 4, mADEmA mAITAmA ABUJA SON AND DAUGHTER

NWOKEDI B. CHIBUZOR NIGERIA NAVY ABUJA DIED ON 7TH AUGUST, 2011

BLESSING NWOKEDI GRD TO FAVOUR NWOKEDI EGBEDA STREET, LAGOS WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

125

37

mRS. AZETU IBRAHIm BELLO HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICE, FCT, ABUJA DIED ON 21ST DECEMBER, 2013

YAHAYA BELLO & BELLO KALO FCT ZONAL EDUCATION OFFICE ABUJA SONS AND WIDOWER

82

EPHRAIm CHUKWU OZUOKO UPSTAIRS VILLAGE JABI ABUJA DIED ON 5TH MARCH, 2014

TOCHUKWU CHUKWU OZUOKO & DANIEL DANIEL UPSTAIR VILLAGE JABI ABUJA THE BROTHERS

mUSA KURmI IDO NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 6TH JUNE, 2013

mATHEW mUSA KURmI MASAKA NASARAWA STATE THE SON

38

ADEWUmI THEOPHILOUS L.E.A. AMAC ABUJA DIED ON 5TH MARCH, 2013

ADEWUmI ABIODUN ADEYEmI GRD TO ADEWUNmI SAmUEL ANGWUWAN DOGO FADAMA OROZO ABUJA BROTHER AND SON

83

RUTH mUSA NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 5TH APRIL, 2014

EmmANUEL EJIGBO GRD TO ESTHER EmmANUEL ADO GRA PHASE 2, NEW KARU NASARAWA STATE WIDOWER AND SON

126

JONATHAN ABOI KWASAU KWALI AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA DIED ON 4TH JANUARY, 2014

NAOmI K. AUDU GRD TO JEmImAH JONATHAN & JOSEPH JONATHAN KWALI AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA WIDOW , DAUGHTER AND SON

39

ADAmU AJANAH ABDULLAHI GOVT GIRLS SEC SCHOOL DUTSE ABUJA DIED ON 2ND JANUARY, 2013

RABI SANI ADAmU GOVT GIRLS SEC SCHOOL STAFF QTRS DUTSE ABJ THE WIDOW

84

mOHAmmED BASHIRU FED. ROAD SAFETY CORPS, ABUJA DIED ON 23TH DECEMBER, 2010

IBRAHIm mOHAmmED & FATImA m. BASHIRU NO. 6, ONE WAY SABO GARI, GUSAU ZAMFARA STATE, BROTHER AND WIDOW

127

OJALE mATHEW NIGERIA POLICE FORCE , ABUJA DIED ON 23RD MARCH, 2012

GRACE mATHEW GRD TO mOSES mATHEW METHODIST CHURCH, OGWULE, KADUNA AGATU WIDOW AND SON

40

mR. JOHN YUSUF AGBONIKA GITTO CONSTRUCTION GENERAL NIG LTD DIED ON 7TH SEPTEMBER, 2008

mRS CHARITY AGBONIKA J. YUSUF ST PHILIP/ABAGANA STREET, MARARABA NAS. THE WIDOW

85

mRS ROSELINE ENEH UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA TEACHING HOSPT. DIED ON 10TH APRIL, 2014

mRS ANGELA CHImE GRD TO CHINYERE ENEH BLK 43, FLAT 2, PHASE 2, PW KUBWA, ABUJA SISTER AND DAUGHTER

128

COmAS C. OKAFOR NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE, ABUJA DIED ON 2ND DECEMBER, 2012

CYNTHIA CHINELO OKAFOR OKECHUKWU IGNATUS OKAFOR BHD AGUMA PLACE PARK ABJ THE ADMISTRATOR

41

PASTOR ONIFADE mOSES CAC CHURCH OKEIYIN OPP. GSS KARU ABJ DIED 14TH JANUARY, 2014

ONIFADE ELIZABETH OLADUNSI & ONIFADE EZEKIEL TOLUWASE CAC CHURCH OKEYIN OPP GSS KARU ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

86

GARBA ALIYU LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY G/LADA DIED ON 6TH MAY, 2011

mUmUDA GARDA RAmATU GARBA GRD TO SAFIYANU GARBA KONOKLE – GWAKO G/LADA ABUJA SON AND WIDOW

CPC EmmAUEL OCHIGBO NIGERIA POLICE FORCE, ABUJA DIED ON 26TH MAY, 2014

mRS ADA BEATICE OCHIGBO GRD TO DAVID OCHIGBO GALADIMAWA AVENU GWAGWA ABUJA WIDOW AND SONS

ABAH RAHmmAN SULEImAN & YUSUF S. ATOGIJO MPAPE BACK OF MARKET THE BROTHERS

129

42

HARUNA mUHAmmED MPAPE BACK OF MARKET ABUJA DIED ON 2ND SEPTEMBER, 2013

87

VERONICA ADE ABUO FED. MIN OF WATER RESOUCE ABUJA DIED ON 7TH OCTOBER, 2009

NTENOCHUWE ABUO & FAITH ABUO CALVARY CHURCH MARARABA NASARAWA STAT SON AND DAUGHTER

STEPHEN A. IGOH NIGERIA ARMY, ABUJA DIED ON 15TH APRIL, 2014

mR. SUNDAY S. IGOR & ANTHONY STEPHEN BLOCK R ROOM 23 ARMY BARARACL ONISHA THE SON

BLESSING AGADA GRD TO PAUL AGADA MPAPE BEHIND ESTRA CARE ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

130

43

AGADA THOmAS R.C.C. ABUJA DIED ON 15TH AUGUST, 2012

88

44

CHIZELUOKWU CHUKWUDI GRD TO HOPE CHUKWUDI KWALI ANGWAN KACHEW ABUJA WIDOW AND SON

TAIYE OSHOBUGIE A AND K CONSTRUCTION LTD KADO ABUJA DIED ON 24TH JANUARY, 2013

KEHIND OSHOBUGIE & HELEN TAIYE IKWA VILLAGE ZUBA ABUJA BROTHER AND SON

131

CHUKWUDI DONATUS RCC KWALI FCT ABUJA DIED ON 24TH NOVEMBER, 2013

OLUFEmI OLOWODE WILSON FCT SECONDARY EDUC. BOARD ABUJA DIED ON 24TH JUNE, 2014

TEmILOLA ABIDEmI OLOWODE WILSON GRD TO OLUWANIFEmI RACHEAL OLOWODE WILSON PLOT 1010, KUKAWA STREET, AREA 11, ABUJA. WIDOW AND DAUGHTER

45

OVEVURE ANNNE EJIRO FED. MIN OF INFORMATION RADIO HSE ABJ DIED ON 23RD JANUARY, 2014

OGODO EDIRIN GREATmAN & OVEVURE JOSEPH AKPOmODAYE 125, EZEAG STREET OJO ROAD AJEGUNLE LAGOS THE SONS

89

CYRIL UDO EYOP AREA 1 SEC 2, DARAZO ST. BLK 7, FLT 1, GARKI, ABUJA DIED ON 22ND DECEMBER, 2013

EYOP CYRIP AND GRACE CYRIP EYOP BLOK 7, FLAT 1, AREA 1, SEC 2, DARAZO STREE GARKI, ABUJA SON AND WIDOW

46

JAmES UNODIAKU UNODIAKU RUGA AWUTA NASARAWA STATE DIED ON 28TH SEPTEMBER, 2013

mRS FELICAI UNODIAKU & FREDRICK CHIDUBEm UNODIAKU RUGA AWUTA NASARAWA STATE MOTHER AND BROTEHR

90

JOSEPH m. ADUE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, ABUJA DIED ON 16TH AUGUST, 2013

SIMON VERSHIMA MBATSAU AND ANDREW M. LOCAL GOVT EDUCATION AUTHORITY BENUE THE SONS

47

ISP. HARUNA PANPE GUmUESH BASE 5, ALKU VILLAGE NASARAWA STATE DIED ON 21ST OCTOBER, 2010

AFORDIA HARUNA GRD NANRIBET HARUNA BASE 5, AKU VILLAGE MARARABA NASARAWA WIDOW AND SON

91

JOSEPEH NWAGBOGU UZOR NIGERIA PRISON SERVICE, ABUJA DIED ON 16TH NOVEMBER, 2013

SOLOmON OKECHI AND BARNABAS OKECHI SUCCESS VILLAGE MPAPE, ABUJA THE SONS

DATED AT ABUJA THIS 28th AUGUST, 2014 SIGNED:

BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ. FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR

Thursday, August 28, 2014

13

14

Thursday, August 28, 2014

business news Flour Mills Explains Profit Decline In 2014

By OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) has attributed its profit decline in the financial year that ended on March 30, 2014 to the low performance of Golden Sugar Company Limited, FMN’s wholly-owned subsidiary.

Speaking at the company’s facts behind the figures on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), yesterday, the group managing director, FMN, Mr Paul Gbadebo, said, “The group’s financial performance declined due to the anticipated negative impact of the first year’s operations of Golden Sugar Company.”

On the company’s performance in 2014, he noted that the profit-after-tax declined by 28.8 per cent to N5.37 billion from N7.54 in 2013, while, revenue grew by 10 per cent to N332.14 billion from N301.94 billion in 2013.

“In view of improved results,

the board has recommended a dividend of 210 kobo per share and a bonus of one for every 10 shares held as bonus,” he said.

In April 2013, FMN successfully commissioned a 750,000-metric ton per annual sugar refinery built at a cost of $250 million.

Gbadebo said that in pursuit of the its long- term business model and growth strategy, FMN has recently embarked on group restructuring, strategic business acquisitions and investment in its core food business and backward integration programmes.

He pointed out that 2014 is a year of transition and steady progress as expected, saying that Golden Sugar and the packaging business were well positioned for future progress.

“The group is generating strong cash flow from operating activities and is comfortably positioned for future growth,” he said.

Arik Air, Emirates Sign MoU

By NKEM OSUAGWU, Lagos

Emirates, a global connector of people and places, and Arik Air, West Africa’s leading airline, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop and expand their existing commercial relationship and explore further areas of cooperation.

Emirates and Arik Air currently have a one-way interline agreement whereby Emirates passengers are connected throughout Nigeria and West Africa via Arik Air’s current domestic and regional network.

The MoU was signed yesterday by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president, Planning, Aeropolitical and Industry Affairs, and Chris Ndlulue, Arik Air’s managing director, at Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai.

“Both Emirates and Arik Air have expressed interest in exploring ways to expand on our existing commercial relationship and to look at different areas in which we can cooperate that will be mutually beneficial to both airlines, including seamless connectivity for our customers on our respective networks. We also intend to explore the potential

of code share arrangements as passenger traffic flows mature between both parties’ networks,” said Kazim.

“Arik Air is delighted to partner with Emirates. Both airlines share a similar vision of convenience and safety for our customers.

While Arik Air is happy to open its network in Nigeria and West Africa to Emirates passengers, we are excited at the vast worldwide network of Emirates being made available to Arik Air’s passengers.

The invaluable cooperation between the two airlines offers a lot of synergy to both airlines in achieving their objectives,” added Mr Ndlulue.

Emirates and Arik Air will also explore other areas of cooperation for the future, including frequent flier programmes, passenger and cargo handling.

Nigerian Arik Air is the largest airline in Western and Central Africa and has developed and successfully operate an extensive domestic route network in Nigeria, and regionally across Western Africa from its twin hubs in Lagos and Abuja, and to Johannesburg in South Africa and intercontinentally to New York and to London from its Lagos hub.

Stock Transactions Record 117% Increase

By OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos

Stock market transaction recorded an increase of 117.25 per cent despite decline in other market indices.

Investors on Tuesday staked N3.94 billion on 387.602 million shares in 4,795 deals as against the 178.411 million shares worth N2.03 billion traded in 4,522 deals on Tuesday.

Access Bank emerged the most traded equity, accounting for 187.16 million shares valued at N1.84 billion. Dangote Flour came second on the activity with 33 million shares worth N247.44

million, while AIICO Insurance accounted for 32.75 million shares valued N26.22 million.

Transcorp traded 23.08 million shares worth N26.22 million, while FBN Holdings exchanged a total of 13.17 million shares valued at N185.3 million.

The NSE All-Share Index declined by 114.13 points or 0.28 per cent to close at 41,121.12 as against the 41,235.25 achieved on Tuesday. Similarly, the market capitalisation fell by N38 billion or 0.28 per cent to close at N13.578 trillion from the N13.616 trillion posted on Tuesday.

Forte Oil led the losers’ chart

by N11.56 to close at N220.55 per share. Conoil and Dangote Cement trailed with a loss of N3.50 each to close at N68 and N225 per share respectively.

MRS depreciated by N2.94 kobo to close at N55.96 , while Total dipped by N1.98 to close at N180.02 per share.

Conversely, Seven Up recorded the highest price gain of N7.22 to close at N134 per share. It was followed by Beta Glass, which gained N1.74 to close at N18.85, while Guaranty Trust Bank appreciated by 82 kobo to close at N28.88 per share.

Minister of agriculture and rural development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina (middle); managing director/CEO of Nestle Nigeria, Dharnesh Gordhon and staff of the company, during a courtesy visit to the minister’s office in Abuja.

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Owed N1.2bn In Nasarawa

BY DONATUS NADI, Lafia

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), under its Lafia business unit, is owed over N1.2 billion by its customers.

The manager of Lafia business unit, AEDC, Jonah Maha, disclosed this on Wednesday at the first quarter 2014 customers’ consultative council meeting held in Lafia.

He said the huge debt profile was making it difficult for the company to effectively cope with the demand of meeting the power supply need of the state, stating further that the company had within the last nine months, injected 20 transformers to boost the supply in the area as well as the mapping and rehabilitation of 11 KV and 33 KV feeders.

Maha noted that the power supply situation in the state has improved tremendously

in recent months, adding that the company had taken measures to sustain the tempo.

He also said the company has improved on its billing system to effectively tackle some of the complaints from customers,noting that too many cases of vandalism and illegal connections posed serious challenge to the company resulting in blackouts often experienced by customers.

He charged customers to always challenge staff of the company for proper identification whenever they were seen around electric installations in order to guard against vandalism even as he attributed the epileptic power situation in Lafia and environs to acute shortage from the main source as well as obsolete distribution line from Akwanaga to Lafia.

According to the business manager, the power distribution line from Akwanga to Lafia, which was constructed 35 years ago, had been over-stretched, adding that the shortage of power supply in Lafia would only be resolved when the on-going 330 KVA substation at Akurba village in Lafia was completed.

On the issue of arbitrary billing raised by customers at the forum,Maha said the company had concluded arrangement to provide prepaid meter to customers in the area and appealed to members of the public to desist from harassing staff of the company when carrying out their official duties.

He also charged customers to pay their electricity bills promptly for the company to serve them effectively.

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/business

Thursday, August 28, 2014

15

16 NEWS/BUSINESS

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Dangote To Produce 29m Ship Traffic At Ports Up By 12% In Q1 Tonnes Of Cement By Sept

By Samson Echenim, Lagos

By Abubakar Salihi, Kano

The chairman of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said that his cement company would

by September this year, be producing 29 million tonnes of cement to meet the demand of the generality of buyers.

“Nobody will experience any shortage of cement supply in the country, even in the dry season,” said Dangote.

He made this known during a customer forum session with the cement dealers from the northern part of the company, held at Grand Central Hotel, Kano.

Dangote also promised that his cement was going to be the best in Africa.

He added that the new cement of high quality that was never produced in Africa would soon reach Nigeria’s market, saying he has procured machines to that effect.

Dangote solicited for the advice of cement dealers on how to improve

on the existing business relationship and to continue to deliver effectively and efficiently.

He said he would support his customers in cement business in ensuring that the price of Dangote cement was less than any other cement in the country.

He further stated that has cement companies in 14 African countries and all were prospering very well, adding that his cement was the highest quality one could get anywhere in the world.

Responding on transport challenges, Dangote further highlighted that he has over 600 long vehicles out of which 250 were condemned in this year alone, promising to do something about the difficulty of transporting goods his customers has been facing.

Aliko noted that the forum was quite a relieve as he received not fewer than ten complains which was normal in business and would do what it takes to solve them amicably.

FG To Establish Seaports In Delta, Badagry

By Evelyn Okoruwa, Abuja

The minister of transport, Sen Idris Umar, has said efforts were ongoing by the federal government to establish seaports in Badagry, Delta and other coastal towns in the country.

He made this known when a delegation of traditional rulers from south-south and south-east geo -political zone paid him a courtesy visit In order to identify with the creation of the Calabar seaport.

Umar said the country has suffered enough neglect of its coastal waterways which was supposed to be a veritable means of economic transformation. He said the dredging would pave way for economic activities and also be a source of massive employment opportunities.

He further added that the dredging Calabar Ports was part of its deliberate efforts to boost economic

activities of the south-south and south-east geo- political zones of the country.

The minister also disclosed that the creation of more ports in the country was in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, even as he added that a maintenance company has also been established to manage the Calabar channel and urged the private sector to fully tap into the inherent economic advantages.

He further commended the visiting traditional rulers for coming to express their gratitude to the President for the approval of the dredging of Calabar channel.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, King Edmund Dakoru, stated their mission to the ministry which he said was to identify with the creation of Calabar seaport and the dredging of the channel.

A total of 2,719 ships with cargoes called at Nigerian ports between January and June, 2014, a statement from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said yesterday.

According to the port authority, the figure represented an increase of about 12 per cent over the 2013 figure of 2,427 vessels.

The statement signed by NPA’s assistant general manager for Public Affairs, Mr Musa Iliya, also said that the total gross registered tonnage (GRT) of the vessels was 70,659,820 metric tons, which also indicated an increase of 17.8 per cent over the corresponding 2013 first half GRT of 60,096,179 metric tons.

Expectedly, the Lagos Port Complex maintained its lead,

accounting for 727 out of the 2719 vessels that were handled by all the ports.

Lagos port of Apapa also accounted for a GRT of 17,367,180 metric tons, showing an increase of 7.2 per cent over the 16,189,825 gross tons it achieved in 2013.

“Tin Can Island Port recorded a gross registered tonnage of 23,493,612, indicating an increase of 0.1 per cent over 19,666,634 gross tons recorded in the corresponding period of 2013. A total number of 892 ocean going vessels were handled within the period “Rivers Port Complex recorded a total gross registered tonnage of 3,676,757, showing 7.6 per cent growth over 3,418,309 gross tons achieved in the corresponding

period of 2013. A total of 228 ocean going vessels were handled within the period under review,” the authority said.

It further showed that, “Onne Port Complex recorded a GRT of 19,769,896, reflecting an increase of 12.4 per cent over 17,586,716 gross tons recorded in the corresponding period of 2013 with 425 vessels handled within the period.

Calabar Port Complex recorded a total GRT of 2,011,358 showing a rise of 50.3 per cent over 1,337,475 gross tons of 2013, with 137 Ocean going vessels handled in the period under review.

Delta Port Complex recorded 70,659,820 gross tons, showing an increase of 17.6 per cent over the 2013 figure of 60,096,179 gross tons, with 2,719 vessels handled.”

L-R: Executive director, Public Sector, North, FirstBank, Dauda Lawal; Ag. inspector- general of police, Suleiman Abba and the GMD/CEO, FirstBank, Bisi Onasanya, during a courtesy visit to the IG’s office in Abuja recently.

Marginal Field: DPR Grants Energia Enhanced Production Access

By Chika Izuora-, Lagos

Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has given a local marginal field producer, Energia, the ‘technical allowable production’ of eight thousand and fifty barrels of crude oil per day (8,050 bpd) from the Ebendo field in the Niger Delta.

This follows Energia’s claim that it has achieved ‘producibility of 10,300 barrels of oil daily’.

By this development, the DPR, which regulates the oil industry, has, therefore, granted Energia the permission to produce up to 8,050 bpd, based on the delivery of the reservoirs during drill stem tests.

The producibility of a field is always higher than what the DPR ‘technically allows’ but if a reservoir flows at a certain rate during test, the DPR, using the

test results and other parameters, approves a production volume lower than the ‘producible’ rate.

Felix Amieyeofori, chief executive officer (CEO) of Energia, said the company already has daily production capacity of 6,472 bopd, out of seven strings.

“We have eight (8) strings that are connected. We have one more string that requires water shut off operation, which should add another 1,000 bpd, bringing field producibility to about 11,300 bpd and a possible technical allowable of 9000 bpd,” he disclosed.

These figures are, however, way higher than what Energia is able to pump to the market.

Energia was only able to inject 3,420 bopd of crude into the evacuation system this August 9, due to the constraints imposed by Agip, the local subsidiary of ENI, which owns the facility but on

July 31, Energia injected 2,852 bopd.

Ebendo was awarded to Energia and Oando, in a 55 per cent/45 per cent equity split, with Energia as the designated operator in the 2003 Nigerian Government/DPR Marginal Field rounds.

Energia brought Ebeno online in 2009 and the company later constructed 25 million standard cubic of gas a day (MMscf/d) gas processing plant on the field.

“We plan to resume drilling operation in 1st quarter 2015, and hope to achieve end of year production of 15-17,000 bpd.

“We are also working on conceptual mini refinery project of 10,000 bopd to increase the total value chain and to ensure uninterrupted production of our assets in the face of pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering,” Amieyeofori assured.”

Thursday, August 28, 2014

BUSINESS/AGRICULTURE 17

Mechanisation Agenda Opens Up Private Sector Business Of Tractor Hiring The imperatives of food security, job creation and modernisation of agriculture, under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), led to the initiation of Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprise (AEHE), an idea that was meant to ease land preparation and enable farmers to increase their farm sizes, thereby producing more food for the populace. AEHE has received the blessing of the federal government as exemplified, not only in the flag-off of the initiative on Monday, but also in the presidential directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the creation of a N50 billion mechanisation intervention fund.

The directive, announced during the event in Sheda, Kwali local coucil of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), by the vice president, Namadi Sambo, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, was to support the provision of a low cost financing facility to enable private sector acquisition of tractors and other agricultural machineries through the Bank of Agriculture (BoA). AEHE is a responsive innovation that is expected to reduce the drudgery involved in land preparation, reduce time wasted in accessing mechanisation support as well as cut down the cost borne by the beneficiary farmers.

In other words, farmers can now have a timely, costeffective and sustainable access to land preparation equipment.

This is a departure from the decades of practices involving so much money spent by governments for purchasing tractors and giving them out to farmers either in form of loans or hire. Hitherto, tractor hiring service operated by government has been fraught with a number of constraints, which did not make the programme worth the while.

These constraints include low level of farmers’ access, non-affordability of services by poor farmers, non-reliability of services due to frequent breakdown of tractors, selective and subjective access to service and undue influence over the equipment by government officials, poor maintenance of the tractors and other

agric focus

associated equipment, leading to short useful life span, and low depreciation values due to improper records. Overall, the government-operated

By Olukayode Oyeleye tractor hiring units, mostly run by states, have proved to be unviable, uneconomical and poorly managed. These are good reasons to embark on private sector-operated system, an initiative typified by AEHE. The new way of doing tractor hiring services will use a value chain approach that brings benefits to all players along the chain. According to the remarks of President Jonathan on Monday, the AEHE initiative “is one of the innovative capacity building programmes which would improve the private sector, equipment manufacturers, service providers and the banks in a publicprivate partnership (PPP) arrangement intended to end years of inefficient and corrupt mechanisation programmes in the nation’s agricultural sector.”

The programme will ultimately be owned by the private sector. But, in the meantime, forces of demand and supply will interplay to Adesina decide when government will exit and hand it over completely to the private sector away through from tradition, into business players while it concentrates BoA. The N50 billion fund is taking shape under on regulatory roles. The project is expected to accelerate the mechanisation intervention partners under the PPP that full establishment of 1,200 of the President Goodluck set up AEHEs are the Federal private sector-driven AEHEs, Jonathan’s administration.

Ministry of Agriculture and to be spread across various Under the PPP financing Rural Development, BOA parts of Nigeria. The AEHE arrangement, the key and development agencies, private sector-driven centres beneficiaries, namely the financial institutions, will provide value added agro-machinery vendors agro-machineries vendors services, such as leasing/ and the service providers, and manufacturer’s hiring out of various kinds are expected to provide 10 representatives, service of agricultural equipment for per cent and 20 per cent providers and operators land preparation, harvesting (farmers, farmers’ cooperative, commitment respectively, and post-harvesting, repair while the government and the individuals and NGOs). and maintenance of such Bank of Agriculture provide The AEHE scheme equipment and as an incubator represents a form of policy and 35 per cent each. To boost this for training of personnel scheme, banks have committed institutional support provided within farming communities.

N19.5 billion of private sector by the government that would Farmers can walk into an “increase farmers’ productivity, funds. The mechanisation AEHE centre and lease or support grant, to be extended improve the nation’s food hire agricultural machines security and drive the national to farmers, will enable them purchase or hire equipment for to mechanise their farm agenda of making Nigeria a operations for a fee without use. leading player in the global necessarily owning such The federal government’s food and agricultural markets machines. mechanisation support within the next few years.” This The increasingly popular grants to farmers will be is a bold attempt at overcoming Growth Enhancement Support implemented through the N50 one of the fundamental Scheme (GES) will be used as billion intervention fund to be problems associated with food a platform to deliver services created. A N4.5 billion fund is security challenges in Nigeria. to end-users (particularly the also expected to be accessed Transforming agriculture,

poor farmers) through the e-wallet system, for subsidised electronic mechanisation support vouchers to farmers.

These will be used by farmers to pay the AEHEs, which will in turn provide mechanisation services for the farmers on their farms.

GES started with seeds and fertiliser distribution, linking beneficiaries through mobile phones. Now, mechanisation support services will be done through linking the farmers via mobile phones.

Nigerian farmers who are registered under the national farmers’ database will benefit from mechanisation subsidy to mechanise their operations.

The mechanisation subsidy is targeted at small scale (subsistence) farmers with farm holdings ranging from 0.5 to 4 hectares, who have the desire to mechanise their farm operations. Under the arrangement, government will pay certain percentage of the cost of land preparation to mechanisation service providers on behalf of farmers through the e-wallet system.

This will enhance farmer’s productive capacity which will subsequently transform them from the subsistence farmers (using crude implements) to commercial farmers in line with the 2015 target of ATA. Since land preparation is key to expansion of farmland for cultivation, it goes without saying, therefore, that this AEHE intervention will go a long way “in boosting Nigeria’s food production capacity,” improving the “efficiency in the value chains of crop production, processing and market access, with the attendant positive implications for the country’s socioeconomic transformation on a massive scale,” as explained by the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, at the event on Monday.

The Minister observed that “the high cost of land clearing is a major disincentive for the expansion of the cultivated area, especially in the southern parts of the country due to the dense vegetation, while the high cost of mechanisation from plowing to harvesting pose great challenges to farmers across the country.”

18

Thursday, August 28, 2014

energy news 2014 WAPIC To Explore Strategies For Enhanced African Electrification

By Juliet Alohan, Abuja

This year’s West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) programme will focus on unveiling comprehensive strategies for enhanced electrification throughout the African region, WAPIC’s programme director, Irene Ochem, has said.

The Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, is expected to head a high-level list of power experts who will address the 2014 WAPIC in Lagos in November. In a statement from Ochem yesterday, the event, which is the 11th edition, will attract governments, consultants and investors to discuss the challenges of local markets, capacity building and investment in the power sector.

“We are addressing such current challenges as the lack of effective financing structures for power projects and infrastructure, insufficient gas to power generation, regulatory and capacity-building issues, exploiting alternative and renewable energy resources, rural electrification and energy efficiency,” she said.

AEDC Installs 140 Transformers, Assures Of Quality Service

In line with its commitment to improve service delivery, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) says it has acquired and installed 140 transformers at the cost of over N200 million to replace faulty ones.

Consequently, the company has assured its customers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of improvement in the quality of

electricity supplied to their homes and business premises.

Executive director, Commercial Services, AEDC, Ernest Mupwaya, disclosed this while making a presentation at a Customer Consultative Forum held Tuesday in Abuja for electricity consumers in Apo, Lugbe, Kuje and Gwagwalada districts.

He said additional 200 transformers with a combined capacity of 80MVA

and an estimated value of N260 million are in the procurement process.

Mupwaya, who represented the company’s managing director, however, listed weak and obsolete infrastructure, lack of willingness by some customers to pay their electricity bill, theft of energy and vandalism as some of the post privatisation challenges facing the company.

Nigeria To Partner African Nations On Energy Sustainability

By Juliet Alohan, Abuja

The minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, has expressed government’s determination to provide regular electricity supply in Africa through subregional collaborations.

Nebo, who spoke yesterday when the under secretary general and special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Dr. Kande Yumkella, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, said this will bring about cooperation from countries in the region, drawing on their areas of strengths for the collective good of the entire continent.

The minister said that the African Energy Leaders Group championed by

the UN is a welcomed development as it is targeted at the transformation of the region.

He further stressed the need for the group to give renewable energy a boost to ensure that communities that are far flung from the national grid are adequately powered with electricity with a view to promote the citing of small scale industries in such African communities.

Earlier, Yumkella said he had come to intimate the country on the need for the African Leaders Energy Group, an initiative borne out of the vacuum observed from the Millennium Development Goals, with focus on social development.

The Group, he said, aims at providing universal access to energy by 2030, improve energy efficiency and double the share of renewable energy mix in the global reach.

According to him, Nigeria which is a case study for other African countries to emulate, because of the success of its power sector privatization exercise will head the West Africa sub-region of the Group.

He further said that consultations were ongoing with financial conglomerates such as Bank of America, Brazil and other stakeholders to produce some of the instruments that would facilitate the provision of regular electricity to Africa.

NGA Builds Capacity On Fundamentals Of Gas Project Management

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Vice- chairman, Senate Committee on Commercialisation and Privatisation, Sen. Olugbenga Obadara, receiving a gift from the MD, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Mrs. Funke Osibodu, during the committee’s assessment of the distribution company’s operations in Benin, Edo State capital recently. With them are officials of BEDC.

Oando Records Five Accident-free Years

By Chika Izuora, Lagos

Oando Energy Services Limited, an indigenous operator of swamp drilling rigs services, has successfully achieved five years of continuous operations without Lost Time Injury (LTI) on its flagship rig, ‘OES Integrity’.

The ability of the ‘OES Integrity’ crew to maintain five years of operations without witnessing an LTI is a reflection of Oando’s commitment to service excellence to both its internal and external stakeholders.

LTI is a measure of injury sustained on the job, capable of preventing a worker from performing or continuing a task or resulting in operational downtime.

It is an oil and gas industry benchmark that evaluates adherence to safety and environmental requirements in the course of operations.

As a result, LTI is a critical Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for Oando’s conformity with best practices within the oil and gas industry.

Commenting on the accomplishment,

Oando Energy Services Limited CEO, Mr. Bandele Badejo, said, “This exceptional achievement is a validation of the safe work culture on our rigs. I commend the commitment, dedication, and effort of the ‘OES Integrity’ team in maintaining its focus on operational excellence, in spite of the downturn in the service industry.

With this milestone we have convincingly demonstrated that we can consistently operate our rigs incident free with the proactive implementation of our EHSSQ and operational processes.”

The Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) is making bold attempts at building skills and capacity in the Nigerian gas industry.

To achieve this, the association would today (Thursday) commence a 2-day definitive training on Fundamentals of Gas Projects Management in Lagos.

In the last 15 years the NGA, a chartered member of the International Gas Union (IGU), has provided learning solutions to gain comprehensive insight into the Nigerian gas sector, enabling beneficiaries to develop a greater understanding, interest and appreciation of how a typical gas project is organised and the roles and responsibilities of all members of the project team.

The certificated course/training is an enhanced and updated modules whose technical importance include and not limited to: ability to clearly define project phases and to effectively estimate project timelines; conceptual engineering techniques and project execution strategy; fabrication and construction to materials and equipment selections.

Other areas which the training will cover include project commissioning and start-up including management of project/technical risks and providing mitigations to challenges in project execution plan.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

19

20 INTERVIEW /BUSINESS What is your assessment of the LEADERSHIP report on the recent Nairobi symposium on United Nations Resolution 1325 (women, peace and security)?

The Nairobi symposium which was organised by the Institute for Inclusive Security based in Washington DC and Cord Aid was essentially to allow African stakeholders to exchange ideas on their implementation of UN security council resolution 1325 which was the very first resolution by the UN on women, peace and security. It was felt that women were not participating equally in peace and security issues inspite of them, along with their children, being the most affected.

Nine years after, it was felt that much progress was not being made and another resolution, 1888, was passed which sought to strengthen resolution 1325 and to also develop indicators by which we can monitor the progress because everything had been left open-ended previously.

So the Nairobi symposium was to follow-up with member states which have developed their National Action Plans (NAPs) on 1325 to see what progress they were making with monitoring and evaluation and to build Iheme their capacity in that respect.

What LEADERSHIP published was basically the personal views of the eleven Nigerians that participated in that symposium.

I think it was an accurate account of their view of what happened; the engagement in terms of building capacity for monitoring and evaluation .LEADERSHIP was the only Nigerian newspaper that I know which reported the Nairobi event. The report created the much needed awareness about women, peace and security among its readers.

But there was an error of attribution?

Yes. There was an error. Comments by another participant who said she was new to resolution 1325 were wrongly attributed to me. I was a bit uneasy with the impression that I was coming into contact with resolution 1325 for the first time. This could not be having worked at the National Centre for Women Development for nine years and having been working at ECOWAS Commission on peace and security since 2001.

What exactly were your comments on the Nairobi symposium?

I noted that a lot of work and mobilisation had been done since the internationalisation of the gender agenda by the UN in the early seventies. I observed that although there had been progress,

Thursday, August 28, 2014

interview

Implementation Of UN Resolution 1325 Will Promote Economic Devt – Mrs Iheme

Mrs Florence Iheme is the acting director of Conflict Early Warning Directorate at the ECOWAS Commission, Abuja.

In this interview with WENESO OROGUN, she explains that change needs to occur at three levels for Nigeria to fully implement UN Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.

Although FMWA has the mandate to lead the implementation of NAP, it needs to be back-stopped by the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Finance and the National Assembly as critical stakeholders

this had been measured and varied from one country/region to another In addition, I stated that it was the Nairobi conference on women in 1985 that drew the linkages among women, peace and development, and that 15 years later; we had the first resolution on women, peace and security.

I said that while this was far reaching, a major shortfall of that resolution was the absence of an accountability mechanism.

I said that the just concluded symposium was significant in trying to familiarise practitioners with some accountability tools adding that gathering evidence was one of the easiest ways to measure what had been done against the good intentions of the various NAPs. Also, I stated that my experience working in the broader peace and security agenda showed the power of localising action where possible, while engaging at other levels for complementarity (i.e think globally and act locally). I pointed out that most normative frameworks on peace and security around the world stressed the essence of subsidiarity, complementarity and comparative advantage and this was highlighted in the break-out session on a regional approach, especially given the enormous resource challenges of most West African countries. I suggested that regional economic communities

(RECs) should, among other roles, bring coherence and mobilise resources for member states’ NAPs. What is your takeaway from the current two-day workshop on implementation of Nigeria’s National Action Plan (NAP) on UN Resolution 1325?

I have the privilege of representing ECOWAS on the NAP Steering Committee which recently approved the current workshop to engage different sectors---civil society, private sector, government and the academia—on implementation of the Nigerian NAP under the auspices of the federal ministry of women affairs (FMWA). Although FMWA has the mandate to lead the implementation of NAP, it needs to be back-stopped by the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Finance and the National Assembly as critical stakeholders.

For me personally, effective change needs to occur concurrently on three distinct but overlapping fronts.

First is the level of the law.

This has been facilitated by the UN through its adoption of Resolutions 1325, 1888 and five other related resolutions. The last one which was adopted in October 2013, tasked stakeholders including member states to engage and report on progress made.

The second level is at the structural level because you need appropriate structures to ensure that whatever normative

frameworks that exist are implemented. In the case under discussion, the lead structure is the FMWA with important supporting roles by all the MDAs, CSOs and International partners represented here and of course, the Regional Organization, ECOWAS. The final level is to effect a change of attitude in the populace to ensure that the changes of the law are internalised in order to facilitate implementation by the relevant agencies. This workshop can be seen within that framework What are your current duties at ECOWAS? In the last 13 years I have been working in the Conflict Early Warning Directorate which basically is a directorate that monitors pre-determined indicators on human security within all 15 ECOWAS countries.

What would you say are the achievements of the Early Warning Directorate so far?

The directorate monitors the political, economic, environmental and human rights situation in all member states to highlight the risks of conflict or the dangers of escalation but the second part of that work which is done by some other sister directorates is the response.

One of the achievements in the last three and half years during which I have been acting director is the fact that we are working very closely with other directorates because there used to be a situation where the “warning” was completely divorced from the “response”. We are also working with member states and international partners in the exchangie of information and also responding together on issues of conflict. Secondly, we have carried out a number of studies so that we are sure that whatever we are doing is evidence-based.

When the Conflict Early Warning Directorate was initially set up, we had a number of open conflicts in West Africa. For example, in Liberia back in 2001, soon after that in Cote d’ Ivoire and Sierra Leone was still on.

So, the directorate was not able to, at that initial stage, do some of the basic reference work to find out what the baseline for each country was. The situation in the region has become a bit more stable and we have had a chance to carry out some studies. One of them interrogated the conflict system within the region to find out the neighbourhood effect; why for example, a conflict in one country quickly spills over to another country as in the case of some of the countries mentioned above. We have also published a 10-year assessment of the Conflict Early Warning System to sift out lessons learned and ensure global best practices etc. This has helped us to tweet the work that we are doing. One of the things that emanated from that work is the need to further work with member states.

21

Thursday, August 28, 2014

ENERGY REPORT Electric power lines

NEMSA Bill: Avoiding Regulatory Conflict In Power Sector STORIES By Juliet Alohan, Abuja

The commission has put in place several regulatory instruments to address technical and safety issues arising from across the electricity supply chain

Nigeria’s Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is not lacking adequate technical regulation ,which the proposed Nigeria Electricity Management Services Authority (NEMSA) bill seeks to cater for, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has insisted.

This position is however, contrary to the views of the proponents of the NEMSA bill, which is currently before the National Assembly.

The controversial NEMSA bill seeks to convert the existing Electricity Management Services (EMS) into an authority that will be saddled with technical regulation of NESI, a responsibility NERC says is statutorily covered by it as spelt out in the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSR) 2005.

But the advocates for NEMSA have argued that NERC lacked the capacity to regulate technical operations in NESI, hence, the need to have NEMSA work sideby-side with it in regulating the sector and closing “perceived regulatory gaps.

The Bill, which has passed first and second reading at both the House of Representatives and the Senate, is sponsored by the chairman, House Committee on Power, Patrick Ikhariale. If it becomes law, NEMSA will work with NERC as a parallel regulator of Nigeria’s electricity market.

Managing director of the EMS, Engr. Peter Ewesor, has argued that the NEMSA bill was imperative to create an independent entity saddled with the task of closing the technical gaps observed in the industry at present.

He said countries like Ghana,

India and the United Kingdom have separated commercial regulation from technical regulation. Ewesor said while NERC oversees commercial regulation, it was imperative to enact the NEMSA Act to give it power to carry out technical regulation and enforce standards in the industry.

But the chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, said during the formal presentation of the Commission’s health and safety code that such claims of technical shortfall in NESI were untrue considering the number of technical regulations and codes it had developed for the market.

According to him, Nigeria’s emerging electricity market was not ready for such unhealthy development adding that such are attempts to derail the regulator from its responsibilities to the sector.

He said, “The National Electric Power Policy (NEPP 2000) and EPSR 2005 which are the guiding spirit for the power sector reform unambiguously mandate the commission as the sole and independent technical and economic regulator of the NESI. “At this point, I must correct the wrong impression being created by some people that there is no effective technical regulation of the NESI.” Speaking further he said, “I would like to categorically state here that there is no gap whatsoever in technical regulation in the NESI as being alleged. The Commission has put in place several regulatory instruments to address technical and safety issues arising from across the electricity supply chain.”

He further noted that the development of an effective and

efficient electricity market that would provide safe, adequate, reliable and affordable electricity to Nigerians is hard work which requires commitment, competence, doggedness and focus.

Amadi explained that apart from the just commissioned health and safety code which seeks to push for a zero accident rate in operations within NESI, NERC has also developed codes for operation of the grid and distribution networks as well as metering code, regulation on embedded generation and the soon to be launched Nigerian Electricity Supply and Installation Standards (NESIS) regulations.

He further pointed out that the transparency and independence of the regulator has earned the sector its inherent level of confidence which is boosting large inflow of local and foreign investors.

Meanwhile, in his presentation, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Amb Godknows Igali, pointed out that section 8 of the ESPR Act provided for the creation of other bodies to take care of new areas of need in the sector which led to the creation of the EMSL among others.

He said the ministry is consulting within the sector to create clear demarcation and avoid conflict of roles, while insisting on the need to build strong institutions.

He said, “The ministry, as the sector leader, will do its best to ensure that this process is resolved. I will like to say that this body was not established by the present leadership of the ministry. My job as a Permanent Secretary is to put things in order for the body to function.”

Why FG Is Prioritising Renewable Energy – Minister The Federal Government has said it is prioritising the deployment of renewable energy for electricity generation because of its environmental advantage and as a way of bridging the gap in the nation’s energy needs.

Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil, disclosed this in his office recently while playing host to a delegation of the Renewable Energy Centre of the Economic Community of West Africa led by its executive director, Mr. Mahamah Kappiah.

Wakil said renewable energy was adopted by world leaders at various fora as a way of addressing sustainable energy development questions, stressing that “our peculiar needs to add other sources of electricity to the conventional routes has informed this position.”

He continues, “Nigeria after successfully privatising the power sector is set for another landmark achievement by fast tracking development of renewable energy sources.

“The wind farm in Katsina is under technical audit before commissioning, the Zungeru hydro dam is under construction.

Mambilla hydro dam is already approved and the Kashambilla evacuation project has also been approved and several renewable energy projects are all in the pipeline.”

He also informed that government is working on the creation of a presidential initiative on renewable energy which is designed to create a focal coordinating point as well as provide the needed political backing for implementation of renewable energy projects.

“President Goodluck Jonathan is personally committed to drawing all these to a logical conclusion as he has also signed the resolution of ECOWAS Heads of Government on renewable energy policy among others,” Wakil said.

As a way of fast-tracking Nigeria’s adoption of the renewable energy policy, the minister said Nigeria will soon hold a validation workshop for the ratification of the national policy on renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In his response Kappiah commended the federal government for her emphasis on renewable energy, saying it is in conformity with global trends.

The ECOWAS energy chief added that the power sector reform is the best option for the country’s energy sector, noting Nigerians would soon begin to reap the fruits of the reforms.

22 BUSINESS/mines & steel

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Minister of Mines & Steel, Muhammed Sada

mines & steel REPORT Miners at work

Miners Anticipate Better Era With New Leadership The Nigerian mining sector has suffered much neglect from government ineffective policies and a general lack of interest through poor funding.

This has led to several challenges for the very few Nigerians interested in mining. But with the election of a new leadership recently, miners anticipate change for the sector. Ruth Tene Natsa reports.

Doubtlessly, Nigeria is rich in mineral deposits, which are found in almost every state of the federation, with some states having multiple solid minerals deposits. But the sector contributes less than 5 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

However, illegal mining has continued to erode whatever contribution the sector should make to the economy.

Organised mining was said to have started in Nigeria between 1902 and 1903 following the commissioning of the Northern Protectorates Mineral Surveys by the British colonial government, but then with the discovery of oil in 1956 and the commencement of exploitation in 1958, government’s attention in mining was dwarfed and relegated to a near moribund Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), the recognised body for the nations mining activities, has been at the forefront of protecting the interest of the nation’s miners and has been said to keep the sector alive despite the neglect and poor policy guiding the sector.

Recently, MAN had its election where its former President Alhaji Sani Shehu re-emerged unopposed to steer the activities of the Association for the next four years. Other members of the national executive elected include 1st vice president, Edward Danladi; 2nd vice president, Kanayo Chris; national secretary, Deacon Dele Ayamleke; assistant secretary, Nuhu Wiya; treasurer, Ibrahim Danyaro; financial secretary, Abdul Usman, and public relations officer (PRO), Mr A. Amason.

Shehu, while presenting his manifesto, assured that the MAN was set to unfold better programmes. “I promise to continue the good work as we have been adjudged to have performed beyond average and we promise to continue from where we stopped.”

He noted that despite the challenges “as operators in the sector, there is good news on solid minerals and there are minerals before now that were considered useless such as ‘rare-earth’, but which are set to become the most popular minerals.

He appealed to government at all levels and other stakeholders to collectively do the best they can to move the sector forward given the numerous opportunities in the mining industry.

“We promise to perform better than what we did in the past in view of the fact that you can notice reorganisation in the executive council, the aim of that is to bring back people with high records to the development of the nations mining sector and what I intend to do is to expand the scope of operations through the setting up of various committees where all state chapters will be captured,” Shehu said.

This, he said, is to ensure that all parts of the country have representation and are fully captured in the activities of the new government Representing the chairman Senate Committee on Solid minerals, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, commended the miners for the conduct of responsible fair and free elections, saying that if not for their efforts mining would have been long forgotten in Nigeria “ because you are keeping

it alive and keeping the activities of mining and fighting individually and collectively towards creating enabling laws to improve mining in Nigeria.”

Recalling that he joined mining in 1982, he said, “I feel a sense of duty and responsibility to the mining association of Nigeria which is an old occupation even as it continues to remain new with the efforts of the MAN.” Also, speaking chairman House Committee on Solid Minerals, Alhaji Tafida Isa Hassan, bemoaned the lack of interest in the development of the sector, compared to its counterpart oil, which, he said “would in no doubt dry up within two or three decades”.

“We need to look inward and concentrate on our solid minerals right here, but unfortunately what is happening in Nigeria is that the budget dispensation is not done in the democratic way.

The budget is all for you, but you look at some small organizations that have just been created such as the Fire service and NIMET under aviation and others under woks and housing, their total allocations could be almost ten times higher than the whole solid minerals allocation for the year.

Now, for goodness sake how do we move forward?”

Chairman of the electoral committee, Chief S.A.T Olugbele in his remarks described the election as excellent and without rancor. “In actual fact, if government would stand to give a helping hand to Nigerian miners, petroleum will not be able to withstand minerals, because of the rich mineral resources the nation has,” Olugbele said.

We need to look inward and concentrate on our solid minerals right here

Anticipated Projects For 2014 The nation’s mining sector has been characterised by poor funding and poor enforcement of policies and as 2014 dives into its last half, stakeholders are worried that like the years gone by, the sector’s needs will remain as uncompleted as they had always been.

The solid minerals sector, spearheaded by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in its 2014 proposed budget said it is looking to reclaim and rehabilitate 100 high risks critical abandoned mine sites in the country from 2007 to 2015 while also looking to create 3 new ones. This will not only ensure a means of revenue to the sector but will ensure the creation of jobs for the Nigerian teeming youths and illegal miners.

It is also to establish extension services to performing artisanal and small scale miners (ASMs) operations while stimulating and promoting activities of downstream in the metal industry in 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

The ministry also promised to procure equipment to upgrade and update the nation’s steel data bank while seeking to ensure the completion of the installation of a super concentrate production line at NIOMCO, Itakpe, Kogi State.

Still for 2014, the federal government, through the ministry, also promised to generate geoscientific data in five priority minerals including coal, iron, gypsum, Barites and tantalites as well as being set to host the first international exhibition of Nigeria’s 44 commercially viable minerals.

Other project that were slated for the year included the production of 3, 200 copies of Metallurgical Act and Regulations to ensure proper regulation of the steel sector, while also hosting the 3rd National Steel Summit.

Other programmes proposed by the ministry and to be carried out by the Council of Nigerian Engineers and Geosciences was to ensure the establishment of continuous professional development training programmes, establishment of data banks and e-library for professionals, while ensuring the monitoring and evaluation of the nation’s extractive industry that employ and practice geosciences in the 6 geo-political zones.

However, none of the projects promised by the ministry has been carried out. LEADERSHIP checks revealed that lack of funding has been the main reason for the failure to implement any of the projects. Some ministry officials who spoke to LEADERSHIP said that budgetary allocations have not been forthcoming and the mnistry cannot mobilise enough funds from outside government circles.

The mining industry, which has the capacity to generate financial and employment benefits to Nigeria, has been tethering on the edge of collapse due to negligence by governments at all levels.

23

job search Thursday, August 28, 2014

INTERVIEWS NETWORKING PERSONAL BRANDING JOB SEEKER PROFILES

6 Ways To Beat Networking Stigma Networking is not limited to selling oneself – in fact that outlook is its demise. There is depth to networking that goes beyond meeting people. It’s about connecting, building relationships and listening to the pulse of individuals who make up your network. It’s about listening and the art of inquiry. Below are a few coaching tips on how to connect, build lasting relationships, and brand yourself as a leader who people remember as someone who made them feel acknowledged, respected and heard: 1 Listen, listen, listen If you are aware of the monologue in your head, you are not present to the dialogue in front of you. For example, if you are practicing your elevator speech while you are talking with someone, you will miss plenty of opportunities to authentically connect with this person because you will not hear what they are saying.

2 Ask questions and inquire into their interests and activities There is power in asking a great question that came from having listened. Often you will find that by listening closely and being present, you’ll find yourself becoming curious about what this person is talking about; what they do; and who they are. Curiosity begets questions begets inquiry begets connection begets stronger networks.

3. Find a natural opening to share about yourself

Ways You CAN Beat the Networking Stigma

When you are listening and coming from a place of being connected you will find many natural openings for sharing about yourself. For example, if you’re talking to someone who builds greenhouses for a living and you are a webinar facilitator a natural opening would be to say, “Hey I have an idea.

We could create something great by teaming your knowledge on how to build a greenhouse by developing a webinar that people pay to listen to online.” This opens up a new conversation, complements their skills and demonstrates that you were listening and connecting ideas on how to move this person and your relationship with them forward.

4 Be sincerely interested in what you are saying Be excited about whom you are and what you are up to – confidence is a great branding

tool. If you have a tendency to downplay what you do, who you are and how you present yourself, the people listening to you may not be inspired to listen or connect.

This isn’t license to be arrogant, demonstrative or patronizing, it’s an opportunity to enthusiastically share with someone about what you have to offer as a person and as a network relationship. The more authentically, humbly and confidently you share the more drawn to you they will be.

5 Follow-up quickly Follow-up with someone you connected with and especially mention the part of the connection that struck you most. If the person said something that interested you about themselves or what they do, mention that in your follow up communication. For example, “Cheryl, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you at the Women of Influence Awards banquet and

was quite impressed with the book you are writing. I would love the opportunity to have lunch with you soon and learn more about what inspired you to write about that topic.”

6 Network with intentionality Become known as someone who listens, acknowledges and connects with people. People seek out those who are leaders.

Be an intentional leader; humble, engaged, interested and in demonstrated inquiry with the people with whom you are connecting.

Building relationships is about listening, talking and communicating. It’s an important part of your brand and who you are for not only the people with whom you network, but with everyone in your communities. The real key to all of this? When you’re intimately connected with yourself, you’re connected to everybody.

1 Listen, Listen, Listen If you are aware of the monologue in your head, you are not present to the dialogue in front of you.

2 Be Sincerely Interested In What you are saying Be excited about whom you are and what you are up to – confidence is a great branding tool.

3 Network with Intentionality Become known as someone who listens, acknowledges and connects with people.

Interviews 5 Tips For Dressing Your Best For Interviews

First impressions stick. How you look when you walk through the door to your interview will create a lasting impression. Make it count! Here are five tips for dressing your best for interviews: 1 Add a touch of personality A smart skirt and shirt combo

always works well. Add a blazer and you will look like dynamite. Include a splash of colour with accessories to give some personality to your outfit and to help make you stand out from the crowd. Personalizing your attire is always a good move as it creates interest, making you someone the interviewer wants to find out more about, but be careful not to overdo it.

2 Look the part Like it or not, your appearance will definitely affect the hiring decision. You need to look the part. The person conducting the interview need to able to visualize you in the role. Perception matters.

You may be very qualified for the

position but if you are not dressed appropriately the interviewer may well decide you do not have an understanding of the role and what is required.

3 Show you’re serious Your attire should imply that you take the interview process seriously. You need to appear confident and professional.

While you may not need to wear a business suit, depending on the position for which you are applying, avoid appearing too casual. Appearing informal may send the wrong message to the interviewer, saying that you have a casual attitude towards work.

Being well dressed indicates

that you have respect for the interviewer.

4 Pay attention to details Make sure clothing is well pressed, scrupulously clean and ensure there are no scuffs on your shoes. It is a worthwhile investment to have your outfit drycleaned. It will give you that extra edge. Your bag or brief case should be well ordered and any paperwork you take must be placed in a folder.

5 Do your research It’s a good idea to research the culture and dress code of the industry for which you are applying. Know what the appropriate standard of dress is

and raise the bar about half for the interview. Even if the dress standard is very casual, dress up for the interview. It is always better to err on the side of being overdressed.

What to avoid Avoid short skirts, heavy makeup and overly high heels.

A job interview is not the place to display your cleavage or to overdo the perfume. Wear neutral coloured nail polish rather than bold colours. Don’t wear too much jewellery or overly large or chunky accessories. Never wear jeans or thongs.

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

24 JOB SEARCH

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Career Advice 4 Tips For Maintaining A Healthy Work-Life Balance In this age of digital technology and growing economy, everyone works hard to be able to achieve success in their careers and businesses. They spent most of their time working, doing meetings, negotiating, writing proposals, and so on, to reach all the goals that they have set for themselves and for their businesses.

If you know how to apply balance in your career and personal life, then you know how to work smarter not just harder.

They say knowing your priorities, having good time management, and having strong drive to reach all of your goals are all the things that you should do in order to achieve work-life balance. Yes, these are all important in having a wellbalanced life. But aside from these common or usual tips, there are more things that you can do to avoid experiencing job burnout and have an extra time to do other activities. Here are a few tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance: 1. Refocus your priorities Each of us has our own priorities. In the workplace, some people focuses on getting a lot of benefits from doing a job well. Their main priority is to earn money, more money, and get a promotion. If this is the main reason why you are spending most of your time in the office or in your business, then you are leading into a wrong path. No matter how hard you work, or how much time you invest in your job or career, if your intention or purpose is not good, it will eventually lead to failure and job burnout.

2. Make your career your friend You chose to venture into the business or field you’re in now because it’s where your skills fit and you love to do it, right? This may sound as an old cliché, but it’s one thing everyone should

always remember: doing what you love will never feel like work.

The reason many employees or workers hate their jobs is because they treat it as their enemy. They don’t enjoy doing it and they complain every time things aren’t going their way. If you don’t like this exhausting and stressful lifestyle, then you should treat your job as your friend. Seek out tasks and discover new things.

Enjoy everything about it because if you do, you will never feel tired and stress.

3. Don’t let work dictate your level of commitment Some people depend their level of commitment to the amount of work that they’ve accomplished.

This should not be the case.

As a professional, you must learn to set some boundaries between work and social life.

Your job is not forever, but your relationships with people and things will last a lifetime. Don’t give all of your time to your clients or customers. Your family and friends also deserve at least some of your precious time.

4. Respect your “me” time Respect your private time in the same way you respect your clients or co-workers time. If you set a time for yourself or for your family, try your best not to take home work. Give yourself enough time to rest and sleep.

You need it in order to become more productive and focus in things that you do.

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

Top 50 FRANCHISEs IN 2014 (5)

21. Liberty Tax Service The company changed its name to Liberty Tax Service and now offers franchises throughout the United States and Canada.

22.The UPS Store The UPS Store locations provide packaging, shipping, copy and print services, mailbox services, computer time rentals and more for small businesses and individuals.

23. Vanguard Cleaning Systems Vanguard Cleaning Systems was founded in 1984 and began franchising the same year. The private company is based in San Mateo, California.

Vanguard offers a master franchise program for experienced businesspeople and a unit franchise program for beginning entrepreneurs.

24. Snap-on Tools Snap-on Tools offer over 22,000 products, including hand tools, power tools, diagnostic tools, tool storage and shop equipment, but the way they sell is much the same.

25. Midas Int’l.

Corp.

Midas has expanded to offer repair and maintenance services on shock absorbers, brakes, tires, batteries, radiators, and heating and cooling systems.

The Most Important Part Of Your Resume What’s the most important part of your resume? It’s a given that the average employer will invest only a few seconds—literally—in his or her initial resume scan. So, it’s critically important to your candidacy to ensure that the part of your resume in which he or she is willing to invest five seconds of attention grabs—and keeps—their attention. So, where is the employer’s attention going first… and how can you make the most of that section of your resume?

The First third of your resume is the most important The top third of your resume is where the employer will direct the bulk of his or her initial resume scan. So what you put here is vitally important. If it’s boring, too text-dense, or doesn’t speak to the position they’re trying to fill, you’re sure to be passed over.

What should you put in this critical section?

The top third of your resume should contain the most dynamic, persuasive, and noteworthy information about yourself and your career. Top load your resume with accomplishments, successes, and quantifiable results that are the most applicable to the position you’re applying for. Here are some critical areas: The contact information Include links to your LinkedIn profile, career blog, or professional Web site.

Direct the hiring manager to places where he or she can find more engaging information about you.

The job target title Use a job target/job title at the top of the resume to make the mental

connection between what you do and the position the employer is filling.

Include a branding statement A great one-line branding statement that communicates your relevancy as a candidate for the opening. Remember… the employer has a need they’re trying to fill, and if what you are known for meets that need, you’ve just become very employable.

A career summary that isn’t all fluff Don’t create a career summary full of generic statements that are vague and speak nothing to who you are or what you can bring to the table as an employee. This is the time to set yourself apart as a candidate. Use specific keywords and quantifiable achievements.

Accomplishments and career highlights are a must Create a section that speaks to your most notable career achievements and that are quantifiable. Employers want to see results, and they want to know what you’ve accomplished in the past.

Having a friend or family member look over your resume and then provide an opinion is nice when it comes to proofreading and pointing out errors within the resume—but someone who knows you and has a vested interest won’t be able to really tell you in an unbiased way if your resume is boring. Try to have an unbiased third party give you some feedback on how engaging they consider your resume.

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

JOB SEARCH 25

Thursday, August 28, 2014

J0BS NEWS

Sack Of 170 Unity Bank Workers Followed Due Process – ASSBIFI

Top 10 BUSINESS SCHOOLS(1)

IMD ➊ IMD business school is located in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is one of the world’s premier business and management institutions. It offers the world’s best MBA program according to [Forbes] ranking in 2011, 2013.

Insead ➋ INSEAD is a graduate

business school with campuses in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

INSEAD offers various academic programmes including a full-time Master of Business Administration programme.

SDA Boc➌ coni SDA Boc-

coni School of Management was founded in 1971 as the Business School of Bocconi University. SDA Bocconi offers executive, custom and MBA programs, as well as specialised masters, and regularly takes on research projects on commission.

LONDON ➍ BUSINESS SCHOOL

The London Business School is the most geographically diverse school on our list, drawing at least 8% of the 2014 class from 6 different continents. The school is located in the heart of London, but over 90% of its students come from abroad.

IE Busi➎ ness School

IE Business School is a graduate school located in Madrid, Spain. It was founded in 1973 under the name Instituto de Empresa and since 2009 is part of IE University.

6 Ways Recent Graduates Can Stand Out As Professionals So, you are a recent college graduate. You keep hearing about the lack of available jobs and that recent graduates are taking jobs that do not require a degree. You don’t think you can stand out from the crowd.

And, the worst part is that your parents, relatives, and friends are asking what you plan to do with your degree. Yes, this is quite depressing. Yes, this does not make you feel good about starting a job search. Perhaps you are even asking yourself why you bothered to get a degree in the first place.

Stop! Stop the negative self-talk!

Because, there is good news for you!

Finding work is a challenge for everyone, especially recent graduates who have less professional experience than others. However, you are still employable and can be successful.

Remember, you have the power to take charge and build a strategy that will help you get noticed in the professional world. Take a look at these six strategies that will help recent graduates emerge from the crowd and stand out in the professional arena.

1 Get a mentor Hang out with people smarter and more experienced than you.

Identify a professional in your field who is a few steps ahead of you. Let this person mould you, teach you, advise you, and support you. You will learn tons from them that will help you

stand out from the crowd.

2 Know your industry What are the trends? What is working well? What is not working well? And, identify where and how you fit in. What skills and qualities are most needed in this industry right now? Are there areas you need improvement on? Identify how you plan to best utilise your skills and qualities in your industry.

The more you know, the more your passion and purpose will begin to emerge.

3 Get excited about your industry Once your industry knowledge increases, you will begin to identify where you fit in and will see the paths you want to take.

This is where passion and purpose emerge, and you become excited about what is to come. You will start to “wear your purpose.”

Enthusiasm and energy will flow through in the words you use, the way you hold yourself, the work you do, and the relationships you build. Wearing your purpose will make you stand out. Why? Well, there is nothing more contagious than enthusiasm.

4 Build professional relationships This used to be called networking. In Reid Hoffman’s book The Startup of You, he describes networking as a genuine relationship between

professionals.

These are relationships that have give and take. They are not one sided.

Think about what it means to be a good friend. This is a genuine relationship. These are the types of relationships that form alliances and strong professional connections. These are the relationships that will help you stand out.

5 Use social media strategically Gene Krantz said, about the strategies used to repair equipment on the Apollo 13 space mission, “I don’t care what anything was designed to do. I only care what it CAN do.”

This is how to use social media strategically. Your strategy should focus on how you can leverage LinkedIn, Twitter, online portfolios, and blogs. These are the social media platforms that will build your network, best highlight your brand, and show the professional world what you plan to contribute.

6 Find your professional voice The more you converse through social media and networking, the more credible your professional brand will become and the more you will be seen as a prime candidate for a professional position.

Finding and articulating your professional voice will help you stand out.

The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has cleared the air over the sack by the management of Unity Bank of Nigeria of 170 workers, saying “Unity Bank Plc management followed due process.”

Speaking with National Daily over the issue, ASSBIFI President, Comrade Sunday Salako, stated that the sack was followed by the normal process, “We are not reacting over the sack because it was done in the normal way without shortchanging or cheating of any of the worker.”

It would be recalled that Unity Bank, one of the commercial banks in the country recently sacked over stating that the move was part of efforts aimed at repositioning it for effective service delivery.

Although some people expressed their displeasure based on the recent recruitment of some workers just as the sack of the 170 workers took place, but the management of the Bank, however, in that statement, stated that the new 300 recruited staff were mostly at the entry level.

The exercise, explained the management, was in a bid to “right size” its workforce and position, it for sustainable quality banking services across the entire branch network.

The statement read in part, “Unity Bank Plc has announced the disengagement of over 170 members of staff and has also recruited over 300 new ones, mostly at entry level and experienced hires. The exercise is in a bid to right size its workforce and positions the bank for sustainable quality banking services across its entire branch network.

Compiled by Olujide Olusola

26

Wholesale Executive in ESAfrica Ltd, Niger BSc, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/364969 Or send your CV to: 347b9@jbng.me Our client is a multinational textile company, specialising in the production of high fabric across West and Central Africa.

The company is recognised and respected for its unique design, colours and wax effects combined to creating an inspiring fashion statement.

Job Summary: The job of the Wholesale Executive entails working outside the office environment sourcing potential customers and maintaining current customers to maximise the revenue of the company in the short & long run. Plan and execute Sales activities towards achieving the agreed business plan. Manage brand and customer portfolio in a sales territory according to agreed country business plan and functional strategies for all company’s brands.

Responsibilities: Sales: • Customer prospecting and recruitment • Maintenance and growth of existing customers • Achieve sales targets of own territory per brand and product group • Prepare prescribed reports and statistical data • Channel landscape development, ownership and maintenance.

• Deliver Cost-Volume-Profit(CVP) per customer channel, segment and individual accounts • Account Planning • Identify growth opportunities per brand and product group, in line with consumer and channel trends • Provide input into country key account plan to seize opportunities • Segment and maintain customer base according to channel segmentation model for the sales territory • Develop call plans according to channel segmentation model (call frequencies per account) • Provide input into customized CVP per customer channel, segment and individual accounts • Plan account call activities and customize within the prescribed CVP model per customer channel per account • Plan & agree key account plan, customized to sales territory dynamics (brand, product group and channel mix), for the sales territory with Wholesale Manager • Agree sales territory resources (budget, and standard POSM) with Wholesale Manager and review on quarterly basis • Account Execution • Deliver the CVP per customer account, according to call plans and account activity plans • Execute the key account plan for the sales territory, within the budget and resources provided • Offering marketing support by managing and distributing standard POSM and trade marketing materials including logistics and distribution within sales territory budget • Communication: • Keep customers updated about company’s strategies, brand & channel initiatives and explain implications with their CVP matrix

Thursday, August 28, 2014

• Communicate opportunities about local market trends and report successful programs/activations to Wholesales • Strong planning and management skills Requirements: • Graduate with 1-3 years minimum commercial expertise gained across Sales/ B2B (Trade) Marketing or Sales Management.

• Good people management skills.

• Good track record in sales and marketing.

• Presentation, negotiation and influential skills • Good communication skills –written and verbal • Good skills in Microsoft office package • Have a strong knowledge in the industry • Be able to work with financial reports and statistics • Fluency in English language and the local dialect (Hausa) • Strong planning and management skills

Sales Representative in Bakan Gizo Nigeria Ltd, Katsina BSc, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365517 Or send your CV to: 349dd@jbng.me BAKAN GIZO NIG. LTD. is a fast growing indigenous Pharmaceutical Company with its head office in Abuja.

We are currently recruiting for a suitable qualified candidate for the post of a Sales Representative in Kastina State.

Responsibilities • Organising appointments and meetings with community and hospital-based healthcare staff • Identifying and establishing new businesses and negotiating contracts • Presenting products to healthcare staff including doctors, nurses and pharmacists • Undertaking relevant research.

• Meeting both the business and scientific needs of healthcare professionals • Maintaining detailed records and reports.

• Attending and organising trade exhibitions, conferences and meetings • Managing budgets and reviewing sales performance • Arranging appointments with doctors, pharmacists and hospital medical teams.

• Servicing existing customers, obtaining orders, and establishing new customers by planning and organizing daily work schedule to call on existing or potential sales outlets and other trade factors.

• Selling of medical products and services to hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices, pharmacist and other healthcare professionals.

Skills • He/She must be good at sales and negotiation skills.

• He/She should also be good in planning and should be able to overcome challenges.

• He/She should be confident to relate well with people.

• He/She should be aware of commercial and business changes and a good understanding of it.

• As a Sales representative, He/She should be able to adapt with frequent changes in product and healthcare systems and their policies & terms.

• He/She should be well dressed and appear neatly.

• He/She should be a go getter and have a good attitude to work.

• He/She should be self – motivated, versatile, and dedicated to work.

• He should be able to perform tasks assigned to him by management.

Qualification • A Bachelor’s degree. (bachelor in science, preferred) • Strong clinical skills.

• Strong sales ability.

• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

• Strong convincing power.

Head teacher in Youth Star International School, Kaduna NCE, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/364926 Or send your CV to: 3478e@jbng.me Youth Star International Nursery, Primary and Secondary is a training ground for young minds where we educate, develop and groom the mind, body and spirits of our children and wards equipping them to become the shining stars of our world.

Its located at CD4 Mamman Dawai road, Badiko, next to 44 barracks, Kaduna, Kaduna State Summary Run the day to day Administration of the School.

The candidate must have: • Minimum of NCE qualification • At least 1 – 3 years of experience • Be ready to relocate to the School environs.

Photographer in Entertainment And Media Studios, Kaduna OND, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/356910 Or send your CV to: 3283e@jbng.me Entertainment And Media Studios, a film production company requires the services of a qualified candidate for this position.

Job Summary: Capturing Images and setting up equipment.

Qualifications and Requirements: • A minimum of OND in a relevant field • 2-3 years of experience

Video Editor in Entertainment And Media Studios, Kaduna OND, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/356916 Or send your CV to: 32844@jbng.me Entertainment And Media Studios, a film production company requires the services of a qualified candidate for this position.

Job Summary: • Assembling recorded raw materials into finished work.

• Reordering and tweaking the content to ensure the logical sequencing and smooth running of the film/video.

Qualifications and Requirements: • A minimum of OND in a relevant field • 2-3 years of experience

Sales Engineer - Electricals/ Renewable Energy in Somotex Nigeria LImited, Kano BSc, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/364860 Or send your CV to: 3474c@jbng.me A firm in the retail/wholesale industry requires the services of a qualified and experienced candidate for this position.

Job Responsibilities • Identifies business opportunities by identifying prospects and evaluating their position in the industry; researching and analyzing sales options.

• Sells products by establishing contact and developing relationships with prospects; recommending solutions.

• Maintains relationships with clients by providing support, information, and guidance; researching and recommending new opportunities; recommending profit and service improvements.

• Identifies product improvements or new products by remaining current on industry trends, market activities, and competitors.

• Prepares reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information.

• Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards.

• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; benchmarking state-ofthe-art practices; participating in professional societies.

• Sales and installation of Sukam inverters/servicing.

• Sales of Electrical - Havells products • Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed Qualifications • A good degree in any related discipline • At least 3 – 5 years of experience • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Sales Engineer in Recruitment Agency, Kano BSc, 3 - 5 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365195 Or send your CV to: 3489b@jbng.me Our client, a FMCG firm requires the services of a qualified and experienced candidate for this position Job Summary As a sales engineer, the candidate is required to combine technical knowledge with sales skills. The balance depends on the level of technical knowledge and understanding he/she need to sell the product the company is offering and to respond to clients’ queries Job Description • For new clients who could benefit from your products in a designated region • Travelling to visit potential clients • Establishing new, and maintaining existing, relationships with customers • Managing and interpreting customer requirements • Persuading clients that a product or service will best satisfy their needs

27

Thursday, August 28, 2014

• Calculating client quotations • Negotiating tender and contract terms • Negotiating and closing sales by agreeing terms and conditions • Offering after-sales support services • Administering client accounts • Analysing costs and sales • Preparing reports for head office • Meeting regular sales targets • Recording and maintaining client contact data • Co-ordinating sales projects • Supporting marketing by attending trade shows, conferences and other marketing events • Making technical presentations and demonstrating how a product will meet client needs • Providing pre-sales technical assistance and product education • Liaising with other members of the sales team and other technical experts • Solving client problems • Helping in the design of custom-made products • Providing training and producing support material for the sales team Qualifications and Requirements: • Candidate must be a graduate.

• Candidates that have worked in inverters, panels, switches will have an added advantage.

• A degree in electronic engineering may be an added advantage.

• 3-5 years of experience in Sales

Makeup & Skincare Specialist in Be Better Consulting, Kano BSc, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365224 Or send your CV to: 348b8@jbng.me Vacancies exist in beauty (luxury) retail store with branches in major cities across Nigeria. Our client is seeking to bring on board 11 Makeup, Skincare and Perfume Consultants for the sale of their luxury brands in their Abuja, Kano and Enugu branches.

Qualifications and Requirements: • Minimum of a degree in any field • A certificate in the art of Makeup or Skincare will be an added advantage • Minimum of 1 year professional experience in any of the three areas • Must be passionate about selling • Must have excellent customer service skills • Must have excellent communication skills • Must be creativity • Must be pleasant and amiable • Must possess a good sense of style and fashion • Qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews immediately.

English Teacher in Wamy International School, Kano NCE, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365299 Or send your CV to: 34903@jbng.me A school is seeking a competent applicant to fill this position Job Description • Preparing and delivering lessons to a range of classes of different ages and abilities; • Marking work, giving appropriate feedback and maintaining records of students’ progress and development; • Researching new topic areas, maintaining up-to-date subject

•

•

• •

• •

•

knowledge, and devising and writing new curriculum materials; Selecting and using a range of different learning resources and equipment, including podcasts and interactive whiteboards; Undertaking pastoral duties, such as taking on the role of form tutor, and supporting students on an individual basis through academic or personal difficulties; Preparing students for qualifications and external examinations; Managing student behaviour in the classroom and on school premises, and applying appropriate and effective measures in cases of misbehaviour; Supervising and supporting the work of teaching assistants, trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers (NQTs); Participating in and organising extracurricular activities, such as outings, social activities and sporting events; Participating in departmental meetings, parents’ evenings and whole school training events;

Requirements • Should have a minimum of an NCE • Should have 1-3years experience • Must be resident in Kano

Finance Manager in HReade, Kwara BSc, 5 - 7 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365508 Or send your CV to: 349d4@jbng.me HReade, a consulting firm is recruiting to fill this position.

DIVISION/DEPARTMENT: Finance REPORTS TO CEO Job Description: Responsible for overseeing and directing accounting functions including general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, fixed asset and cost accounting. To prepare periodic reports, reviews and reconciles data and participates in the development of specialized financial data. Oversees and prepares entries and adjustments to Company records, files and statements.

Assist with financial and variance analyses and budget preparation. Provide mangers with information necessary for decisionmaking. Directs, trains, supervises and appraises accounting personnel.

Responsibilities: • Ensures that accounting functions and duties are accurately and promptly completed.

• Prepares journal entries and balances work in more complicated accounting areas.

• Oversees the preparation of regulatory and governmental reports. Reviews financial information needed to ensure an accurate statement of the Companys financial position to various regulatory agencies.

• Oversees the Companys fixed asset portfolio. Prepares depreciation schedules and catalogs furniture, fixtures and equipment.

• Researches and resolves accounting errors and discrepancies.

• Assists with budget preparations and formulation of 1, 3, and 5years projections and financial analyses.

Monitors costs and expenses.

• Undertakes quarterly and periodic reviews, assess and adjust forecast in accordance with financial analyses.

Monitors costs and expenses.

• Completes consolidation of divisions.

• Manage financial income, including

•

• •

•

• •

management and admin fees on rental recoveries, commissions on new or renewed leases and interest earning.

Manages financial expenditure, including running costs, staff expenses, admin costs, VAT & CIT, levies, taxation.

Prepares regular reports and statements for management.

Ensures that accounting functions are completed in accordance with established procedures and applicable regulations.

Control of various financial functions including Balance sheets, creditors and allocation of funds received ex-debtors, check and authorise payments from accounts.

Manage and control various book keeping duties and functions.

Produces various management reports.

EDUCATION: • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or numeric field.

• Master’s degree in Finance is an added advantage.

• ICAN and ACCA qualified.

Skills: • Leadership Skills.

• Good oral and written communication skills.

• Decision and initiating action.

• Analytical skills.

• Presenting and communicating information.

• Planning and Organizing.

• Interpersonal skills.

• Excellent problem solving skills.

Qualification and Requirement: • Minimum of 5 years work experience.

• At least 2 years of experience in a supervisory role.

products.

Responsibilities include: • Growing the market portfolio of the company.

• Relationship building to facilitate sales of the company’s products • Cold calling to arrange meetings with existing/potential customers.

• Representing the company at trade exhibitions and other events.

• Any other duties as assigned • The applicants must be resident in Abuja or its environs.

Sales and Marketing Executive (Automobile parts) in PROFORCE LTD, Abuja 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365495 Or send your CV to: 349c7@jbng.me The Company is a fully owned Nigerian into total defence solution and personal mobility.Due to ongoing expansion of our market, we seek applications from suitably qualified candidates for the following roles in an expansive company dealing in manufacturing of Armored Vehicles partnering with a foreign company: Responsibilities include: • Growing the market portfolio of the company.

• Relationship building to facilitate sales of the company’s products • Cold calling to arrange meetings with existing/potential customers.

• Representing the company at trade exhibitions and other events.

• Any other duties as assigned • The applicants must be resident in Abuja or its environs.

Manager in Goustec IT Solutions, Plateau

Travels & Tours Operations Manager in Future Of Africa Travels And Tours, Abuja

OND, 3 - 5 years Visit: http://jbng.me/364849 Or send your CV to: 34741@jbng.me

HND/BSc, 10 - 15 years Visit: http://jbng.me/363613

Dukes is a new health and beauty company based in Jos. Various services are rendered from barbing and beauty services to spa services.

Applications are hereby requested for the position of manager in a new health and beauty company in Jos. Responsibilities: • Recruit stylists for the outfit • Submit a monthly financial report to CEO • Ensure the smooth operation of the company Qualifications and Requirements: • Applicants must possess a minimum of OND from a reputable tertiary institution • 3 years of working experience in managing a top outfit in the health and beauty industry.

Sales and Marketing Executive in PROFORCE LTD, Abuja 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365493 Or send your CV to: 349c5@jbng.me The Company is a fully owned Nigerian into total defence solution and personal mobility. Due to ongoing expansion of our market, we seek suitable, qualified, experienced and good looking females as Sales and Marketing Executive for our

Future of Africa Travels and Tours (FoAT&T) is part of an Abuja based start-up group of Companies. FoAT&T specializes in consulting and arrangements for customized and packaged Business and Event Travel, but handles all aspects of Travel & Tours including Value Added Services such as assistance with travel Documents. FoAT&T is currently recruiting a very experienced, handson, dynamic, creative, highly effective All Rounder and self-starter Travels & Tours Operations Manager. The person must have an outgoing personality, excellent organizational and computer skills with the ability to work completely independently.

Objectives • To develop, promote and sell Travel Products, Services and Value Added Services to • Individuals and Corporate Clients and provide excellent customer service.

Education Skills and Experience: • HND or Degree in Hotel, Travel and Tourism or any related subject • Not less than 10 years of ticketing, reservations and tour experience in a Travel Agency or an Airline • At least 2 years of proven managerial experience in the travel/airline industry • Ability to use Ms Office Applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access; Internet based Applications, Social Media and Networking

28

• • • • • • • • • •

Applications such as Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook Ability to maintain a Database Knowledge of travel applications such as Amadeus, Galileo or Sabre Excellent written and spoken English including ability to draft letters and marketing material Excellent knowledge of World Geography Excellent telephone manner and other customer service Skills Basic knowledge of Bookkeeping Public Speaking and Presentation Skills Strategic Planning and Mobilization Event Marketing Brand and image management

Added Advantages: • Ability to communicate (read, write and speak) in French and or any other widely spoken European languages such as German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese • Ability to speak multiple Nigerian Languages including Pigeon and particularly 2 or more out of Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba • IATA training in fares, reservations and ticketing • Ability to edit a Website • Proven experience of brand and image management • Proven experience of organizing marketing and briefing Seminars • Experienced and Competent Driver with a current Driving Licence • Proven experience of working with diverse alliances and interacting with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds Method of Application • Qualified and interested Candidates should apply and an application letter should be included on the first page of the CV. • Your application letter should mention how this vacancy first became known to you and provide answers to the following questions: • Why you are the best fit for the position, giving the top three factors that make you an outstanding candidate for this position?

• Give examples of how your competencies can successfully accomplish the goals and requirements of the position?

• Why you are passionate about the position?

• The file name should be your names and the words CV for FoATT Ops Manager, e.g. Bill Clinton CV for FoATT Ops Manager Job. Closing Date: 17th August, 2014. However we will keep searching until we find the right person.

The Recruiter, Grass-Root Systems Limited, Abuja, FCT.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Manager is administration of the day-today insurance operation: client and policy information, customer service, billing, process management, billing, compliance, etc.The Branch Manager manages all work related activities, operations and staff for a branch office of the company.

Job Description: • Manages the daily activities of the branch office, such as claim processing, marketing and auditing, loss prevention, and underwriting.

• Responsibilities also include hiring new insurance agents and providing updates to the regional manager regarding operating results, insurance trends, and competitor methods.

• May provide guidance on more complex issues.

• Relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.

• Leads and directs all branch staff.

• Typically reports to the regional manager.

Qualification and Requirements: • A bachelor’s degree with at least 7 years of experience as a manager in the field.

• MBA/MSc. in a related field is required.

• Membership of a professional body is an added advantage.

• Must be familiar with a variety of the field’s concepts, practices, and procedures.

Chief Operating Officer in 555 Consulting, Abuja BSc/HND, 5 - 7 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365553 Or send your CV to: 34a01@jbng.me Our client is a prestigious company in the Food & Beverage industry envisioned to bring world-class standards to the café business in Nigeria.

Specialization: Operations Management Job Summary: • Plans, directs, and coordinates the operations of the business.

• S/he is responsible for ensuring and improving the performance, productivity, efficiency and profitability of departmental and organizational operations through the provision of effective strategies, processes, and procedures.

Job Specification: • BSc/HND in any social science field.

• MSc. in related field would be an added advantage.

• Relevant professional membership in credible associations/bodies would also be an added advantage.

• Vast Experience in leading teams in a Food & Beverage or Hospitality firm is mandatory.

Secretaryin D’Lord Maseli & Partners, Abuja

Branch Manager in MasterMindsHRSG Consulting/ CEMAR, Abuja

1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365265 Or send your CV to: 348e1@jbng.me

BSc, 10 - 15 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365542 Or send your CV to: 349f6@jbng.me

D’Lord Maseli & Partners is seeking a smart applicant to fill this position

MasterMindsHRSG Consulting/CEMAR requires the services of a qualified candidate for this position Job Summary: The primary responsibility of the Branch

Job Description • Answering phone calls in a polite and cookouts manner • Maintaining dairies • Arranging appointments • Taking messages • Typing and word processing

• Filling • Organizing & servicing meetings (Producing agenda and taking minutes) • Managing databases • Prioritizing workloads • Handling correspondence • Coordinating mail shots ad similar publicity task • Implementing new procedures & administrative systems.

• Drive, motivation and enthusiasm • The ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure • Confidence and persuasiveness, for ‘selling’ your ideas • Over friendly, charming and captivating personality • Highly self-motivated with a sense of urgency

Marketing and Sales Executive in Charis Bakery, Abuja

Requirements • No experience required • Must speak English

BSc, 3 - 5 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365271

Estate Surveyor in D’Lord Maseli & Partners, Abuja

A growing confectionery company that renders variable of services in the food industry is looking to hire an experienced sales and marketing executives.

1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365279 Or send your CV to: 348ef@jbng.me

Responsibilities: • Prepare, implement and compile data for the strategic marketing budget, forecasts and other reports as directed/ required • Conduct and attend daily business review meetings, weekly strategic sales meetings, management meetings and other meetings as required/ requested • Manage all advertising, public relations and promotional activities • Prepare communication plans to ensure that all new initiatives are executed effectively • Create and implement a Marketing Strategy for Food and other services • Assist in the execution of any and all marketing initiatives in marketing plans.

Skills and Qualification: • Must have excellent marketing and sales skills • Should be resident in Abuja • Minimum qualification is B.Sc. 3-5 years of experience verifiable

Marketing Executive in Futuretronics Global Services, Abuja Experience: Does Not Matter Visit: http://jbng.me/365277 Or send your CV to: 348ed@jbng.me Futuretronic Global Services is seeking extraordinaire individuals that are selfmotivated, enthusiastic and full of energy as Marketing Executives.

Job Summary Someone that is able to plan and execute their sales strategy with a goal oriented approach. We are looking for a competitive and strong minded character that can interact with customers. This is a critical role as we build Futuretronic Global Service Ltd into a formidable national company. Your achievements will be recognized and rewarded by our company, giving you the confidence to develop and build your own marketing team in the organisation that will enable the company to reach its future growth plan.

Job Description • Meeting new customers • Tracking sales record • Prepare daily field reports • Skills • Great spoken and written communication skills • Creativity and problem-solving skills • First rate organisational skills and attention to detail • The ability to work alone and as part of a team

D’Lord Maseli & Partners is seeking a smart applicant to fill this position Job Description • Responsible for delivering correspondence and picking up correspondence from client on time.

• Call clients to verify delivery address • Filling of delivered acknowledgements from delivered correspondence • Other errands and administrative roles as may be required • Good communication Skills with good fluency skills in English • Highly professional and able to work independently • Ability to adhere to deadlines and work under pleasure • Must be polite and able to get with people • Organizational and time management skills

Field Consultant/Marketing Executive in MovingShop Solutions Limited, Abuja SSCE, 1 - 3 years Visit: http://jbng.me/365320 Our organization seeks a qualified candidate for this position.

Responsibilities: • Will post adverts of client’s products, businesses and services or talents on the movingshop platform (website or Applications) • Will choose the area of concentration and report to the office once a week for pickup of materials for marketing which includes fliers, forms, stickers and Advert/Quote cards.

• Will choose to be paid either monthly or weekly Qualification and Requirements: • Must be eloquent and smart looking to carry out a target driven job with extra benefits to grow in the company.

• Must be passionate about marketing a unique product(technology).

• Must be using any of these devices: Android, Ipad or an I phone before consideration can be given.

• Minimum of SSCE. • Minimum of 1 year experience • Have good communication skills • Must be able to pay attention to details • Must be resident in Abuja N.B: Will receive salary plus a 30% commission on any Banner advert brought in.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

29

30

Thursday, August 28, 2014

THE

ELECTABLES On August 30th, 2014

Who

Makes The List?

The best among Nigeria’s politicians; the best among those who aspire for political and elective office; the most popular candidates; the traiblazers; Nigeria ‘s most presentable candidates and those who have the vision and sense of mission to lead.

This is a must read!

08063443131

YAHAYA

A

ABIODUN

08034109698

JOSHUA

08032083633

07033076858

SPECIAL PROJECTS PUBLI CATION

education

31

Thursday, August 28, 2014

100

teachers to receive training on ICT in Lagos

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

Students during a competition

Mass Exam Failure: Reading Culture May Be The Solution

By Kuni Tyessi, Abuja

Nigerian children can hardly read up to 10 words per minute

“It’s never too early to read to your children even if they can’t understand a single syllable.”Anonymous There have been many stories about why students fail, why they cannot provide correct answers to questions given even in exams, and why they can also not understand the questions given.

Researchers have been able to understand and unveil the fact that the problem is not far from the fact that many of our pupils and students do not know how to read and so it becomes a case of no reading, no understanding.

Research made available by USAID is of the opinion that reading must be made functional between classes 1-3.

They also state that one can develop speech naturally but cannot read and write naturally until the individual has been taught, and it is often expected that 45 words per minute should be the minimum for minimal understanding of what has been read.

Nigerian children can hardly read up to 10 words per minute.

Apart from this, the reading culture is unarguably low and as such, students do not read and cannot understand and as such, the possibility of passing is lamentably low.

It also records that the best persons to teach a child how to read remains the parents at home as the teachers can hardly have sufficient time for each pupil even though, thankfully enough,

it is in the Nigerian educational curriculum.

Listening to a parent’s voice and looking at pictures helps children with bonding and development as well as aiding children’s literacy and brain development, imagination and stimulated curiosity as research is saying the earlier the better.

Reading to children creates lovely bonding moments when children sit outside in the moonlight or in the comfort of their sitting rooms as the case may be while listening to the voice of the adult and or looking at pictures as this is said and believed to make them successful later in life, especially when they are learning to read as this will help with their language and sounds development, learning

colours, animals, letters and words.

Teaching children listening skills by reading to them will improve their listening skills and train them in the art of active listening.

In fact, teaching children listening skills is one of the most important traits. As adult human beings, we can help them develop for many different reasons, ranging from academic and real world success to becoming a friend and experiencing true friendship.

Think about if we aren’t talking or reading, we most likely are listening. We listen to the radio, television, friends, family, and our co-workers. But listening is something we have to do actively because “listening to” something

32

32 EDUCATION/NEWS

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Insurgency: FG Trains Northern Youths On Entrepreneur Skills

short news Lagos Trains 1000 ICT Teachers

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

BY NAJIB SANI, Bauchi

As part of efforts to surmount the spate of insurgency, violence and crises bedeviling the North eastern part of the country, the federal government under the ‘Presidential Initiative for North East’ has selected hundreds of youths from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states that constitute the region for training on how to seal and package grains into sacks with the use of machines.

The program which was in collaboration with the international firm ‘LINTEX International Limited’ has trained the beneficiaries to become professional sealers and packagers who can work in any food production company within and outside the nation.

Speaking yesterday during the closing ceremony of the training in Bauchi, the Chief Executive Officer of LINTEX International, Alhaji Bashir Dantata represented by Mr Adeagbo Sultan explained that the program was aimed at mitigating the rate of poverty and youths restiveness which make them to perpetrate crimes or indulge into insurgency activities.

He disclosed that the firm has so far trained 160 youths from Bauchi and Adamawa states respectively whom have been able to package and seal over 500, 000 bags of rice during the seven days the training lasted assuring that the program will soon be extended to the other states of the zone. ‘’ We gave the beneficiaries daily allowances of N1, 500 each and all of them were also given sealing machines free of charge at the end of the training so as to enable them start the business on their own as a source of livelihood.

Members Of National Youth Service Corps (Nysc) Batch ‘B’ on parade to mark the end of their three weeks orientation course at Kubwa Camp, Abuja, yesterday. Photo By Oyedele Omokagbo

Waec To Train Teachers To Enhance Candidates’ Performance

By Bernard Tolani Dada, Uyo

The Management of West African Examination Council, (WAEC) at the weekend said that it would soon embark on training of teachers across the country to improve the performance of its candidates.

The outgoing Head of Test Administration Divisions, Mr Kester Ekekwe, made the statement in Uyo during the Test Administration Division Planning and Coordinating Committee (TADPCC) meeting in Uyo. Ekekwe said that the training was aimed at enhancing the performance of candidates of the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations

(WASSCE).

He said: “The training will also go a long way in empowering teachers in secondary schools with requisite skills and knowledge in marking of examinations.

“WAEC is the only organization in the whole world doing this and we collaborate with anybody who wants to improve on examination performance in the country.

“We also hold seminars on anything that will impact positively on education and as an examining body we cannot do much but we have what we call Chief examiners report which make available to schools.”

The Head of Test Administration Divisions, however, called on government at

all level to reciprocate its efforts by employing qualified teachers and also improve facilities in schools.

Speaking also, the incoming Head of Test Administration Divisions of the council, Mr Onyemuche Nzeh, assured to improve on the legacies left behind by his predecessor.

“Our major concern is that we will do whatever is in our powers to ensure that we conduct credible examinations.

“We will also continue to ensure zero tolerance to examination malpractice.” Nzeh added.

Nzeh who was the Abuja Zonal Coordinator of WAEC, added that his administration would ensure the decentralization of marking venues for early release of results.

Mass Exam Failure: Reading Culture May Be The Solution

31

and “hearing” something are two very different concepts. This is why teaching children listening skills is so important.

Sounds of refrigerator, microwave, barking of dogs, cries of babies, and sounds of cars are fortunate enough to break out of the rat race so that we can even enjoy the sounds of nature like birds chirping, a brook babbling, the wind blowing, or leaves rustling. But just because we have heard these sounds doesn’t

mean they have registered in our brains.

The passive nature of hearing is very different from the active nature of listening. Take, for example, watching the evening news on NTA or AIT or even the international news.

Listening skills are developed, and the more we practice the more skilled we become at teaching children listening skills. Reading to children is not only a way of teaching children listening skills,

it forces them to practice listening skills and it is a well known fact that children are engaging their active listening skills because of how many times older children and adults have corrected them.

We hear, “You skipped a page.” Or sometimes if I play word games with my nephews and nieces and say, “Beep!

Beep! Elephants in a jeep . . . “ while reading Sheep in a Jeep.

I immediately hear, “It’s not elephants, aunty. It’s sheep.” So

again, I know they are actively listening to the story being read to them. So, it stands to reason that the more time we spend teaching children listening skills by reading to them, the more they practice their active listening skills and the better they become at it. In a nutshell, teaching children listening skills by reading aloud to our little ones improves their listening skills, and more importantly, their active listening skills.

Lagos State Government has organised training for no fewer than 1000 of its secondary school teachers in the effective use of ICT across the education curriculum.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye said at the opening of the workshop in Lagos that it was the beginning of a series of many capacity building interventions and activities for teachers in the state public secondary schools which the state government was putting together.

She described high quality education as one of the major planks of national development, saying developed nations across the world paid great attention to their educational service delivery as they did not only invest in physical infrastructure but also in the human infrastructure at all levels.

33

Thursday, August 28, 2014

SCHOOLS REPORTS

FCE Yola Matriculates 2,025 Students

by Bashiru Abdullah, Yola

The Federal College of Education, Yola Adamawa State has matriculated a total of 2,025 students into the NCE one programme for the 2013/2014 academic season.

In his speech on the occasion at the weekend, the provost of the college, Prof. Abdulmumin Sa’ad, congratulated the newly admitted students and called on them to work hard so they could be admitted into the newly introduced college degree programme to further their studies.

He said, “with the introduction of degree programme in affiliation with the University of Maiduguri, our central message to you today is that the Federal College of Education, Yola, is well on its way to becoming a world class university of education that we will be proud of.

L-R, Minister of education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Mac john Nwaobiala and deputy governor, Anambra State, Mr Nkem Okeke, during the meeting of the minister with Forum of Commissioners of Education in Abuja, Tuesday. PHOTO BY OKEKE JANE

NOUN Trains Facilitators In Kaduna

BY ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in collaboration with Fiztman Education Consult and Schulportal Technologies has organized a 2-day workshop on Information Communication Technology (ICT)-enabled facilitation for facilitators of the open university in the northern zone.

The workshop which is part of the vision of the vice chancellor, Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe administration’s drive to ensure NOUN is not left behind globally in using the latest technology available to open and distance education (ODL) in transmitting quality and accessible education in Nigeria held at the NOUN campus in Kaduna State with over 50 participants from across the northern zone of the country in attendance.

In his address, the resource

person, the director open and distance learning of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Dr. Suleiman Ramon Yusuf, said the objective of the workshop was to ensure that facilitators of the NOUN were made to understand their roles as facilitators, so as not to confuse facilitation with lecturing as most of them do on several occasions.

He emphasized the need for facilitators to have less face to face interaction with the students and endeavour to make their course materials as simple as possible.

The director, however, tasked the facilitators to be conversant with the use of ICT as some of the software would make teaching and learning very interesting as is the trend globally.

Also speaking, the general manager, Schulportals Nigeria

Limited, Mr. Ibukun Ayanwale emphasized the need for NOUN to ensure that similar workshops were held on a regular basis so as to get the facilitators equipped with modern forms of technology. He said audacity, Facebook and twitter which participants were thought to use could be very interesting as they could use the software to create their own blogs, upload their lectures, and even get feedback from their students, and also get all the students to interact at the same time.

Responding shortly after the close of the workshop, some of the participants who spoke to newsmen said the exercise was very enriching, and had helped to give them a better understanding of how to interact with their students and how to use the software to make learning and teaching easy for them.

Kaduna SUBEB Bags National Certificate Of Credence

BY ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna

Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) was at the weekend awarded the certificate of credence by the Centre for Ethics and Self Value Orientation, an international non -governmental organization for its outstanding qualities in the administration of primary schools in the state.

Presenting the award to the executive secretary of SUBEB in the state, Mr. Ishaya Dary Akau at the SUBEB head office, the executive director of the NGO, Prince Saleh Musa Yakubu said after a careful appraisal of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDGs) in the 23 local government areas of the state, SUBEB was

adjudged to be very outstanding in all ramifications of its primary assignments.

“Kaduna SUBEB has been found to have a transparent and effective quality control mechanism in contracts awarded, school administration; we also found out in our investigations that SUBEB is the most ethically responsible agency in the state.

“We are engaged in giving the public ethical education and value orientation, we do not patronize criminals in public offices, but while we go after corrupt individuals with the intent to expose their corrupt activities, we compensate it by researching Nigerians found to be doing the correct thing without their consent. We do so

by going down to the interior, meet traditional rulers, students, teachers, conduct opinion polls, visit projects, raise questionnaires, draw an objective conclusion before awarding an individual or organization found worthy,” he said.

Yakubu explained that his organization was self-funded primarily through membership subscriptions, unsolicited support from individuals who are happy with what they are doing in exposing corrupt leaders.

“SUBEB has demonstrated transparent leadership qualities under the leadership of Mr. Ishaya Dary Akau as the executive secretary and we found him worthy of the award,” he reiterated.

VC Tasks Nigerian Scholars On Proffering Solutions To Socio-economic Ills

By Aliyu Yusuf, Zaria

The vice-Chancellr, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria Prof.Abdullahi Mustapha has challenged Nigerian scholars to provide practical and workable solutions to the lingering socio-economic ills threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.

He gave the challenged at the 30th Annual Conference organised by Social Studies and Civic Educators Association (SOSCEAN), ABU chapter in collaboration with Department of Arts and Social Science Education held at the institution’s main campus, Samaru, Zaria on Tuesday.

Mustapha said, “There is the need for scholars to redouble efforts on how Nigeria and Nigerians can eliminate these socio-economic predicaments threatening the corporate existence of our dear nation.

“Scholars should provide appropriate strategies that can empower the youth so that they become selfreliant and play their proper roles as matured patriotic citizens toward the progress and development of Nigeria,” he pleaded.

Ncce Takes Administrators, Educators Through New Curriculum

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

To ensure conformity with international best practices, the National Commission Colleges of Education (NCCE) recently organised a 3-day workshop on the new Nigeria Colleges of Education (NCE) curriculum for both educators and administrators.

Speaking on what informed the workshop, acting director, academic programme of NCCE, Abuja, Mallam Sani Aliyu, told newsmen Nigeria was operating an out-dated curriculum and stressed the need to review it.

The workshop which took place at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Otto Ijanikin emphasized the need to restructure NCE and other vital issues.

34 OPINION

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Why PDP Must Beware Of Ribadu

By Nwokoma Messiah

The news of the decision of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples democratic Party(PDP) came as a rude shock to a lot of people, not with the way he had condemned the PDP and its leader, Goodluck Jonathan since he decided to join the political firmament some years back. It actually did not come as a shock to many of us that are aware of his desperation for power.

Since his voyage into politics, Nigerians have come to know him more for who he is. This is why his decision to abandon the APC from where he got the presidential nomination from one of its component parties (Action Congress of Nigeria ACN) raised a lot of concern for the future of ideology in our democracy considering the fact that his acerbic criticisms in the course of satisfying his former party gave a lot of people cause to tow his line then, especially his admirers.

Politics as they say, is a game of interest and I do believe that the decision of Mallam Ribadu to dump the APC boils down to an interest which is very glaring to Nigerians.

As a person and through my

Ribadu

organisation which I represent as the national coordinator, the Niger Delta Renaissance Organisation, I have persistently supported the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and it will be wrong to see an impending danger and keep quiet. This is why I must not fail to voice my suspicion about Ribadu’s rumoured interest for the governorship race for Adamawa State and to also alert the party to beware of his interest and not to give in to his antics.

I remember the way he was

Inside Out

KUNLE SOMORIN Feed back: kunlesomorin@yahoo.co.uk 08023339626 (SMS only)

hounded and chased out of the country after the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo whom he diligently served as anti corruption Czar. The likes of James Ibori whom he haunted took the fight to another level by ensuring that he seeks refuge outside the country. It took the intervention of President Jonathan to bring him back to the country. As soon as he came back, the gratitude he showed to Mr. President was to follow the likes of Bola Tinubu and the then Action Congress of Nigeria to consistently criticise the ruling PDP and its leader. The dividend he got for this betrayal was the party’s nomination ticket to vie for the presidency. His decision to join the Peoples Democratic Party must be well appraised otherwise he will come back to become a thorn in the flesh of the party if he is allowed to contest the forthcoming governorship election in Adamawa State. Mallam Ribadu is a desperate politician who does not give a hoot about his credibility. All he is after is to be relevant in the system. This kind of character is dangerous and must not be allowed to have his way.

– Messiah wrote in from Port Harcourt

Boosting Agro-allied, Manufacturing Sectors: Issues At Stake

By Ofem Uket

Agriculture became the major source of revenue earning in Nigeria several decades ago, and the National budget of the country was predicated on revenue from palm oil, cocoa, groundnut, palm kernel, leather and other notable agricultural produce.

The country exported major cash crops to other parts of the world to serve as raw materials for the production and manufacturing of some major import commodities from Europe, Asia and other super power Nations in industrialization.

The nation gradually lost its major investment in the Agricultural sector which led to the collapse of major industries in the country with a drop in production capacity of essential commodities and forced the country to rely more on exports.

The absence of location and localisation of industries which determine the supply of needed raw materials from the agricultural sector has adversely affected the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation and placed it

on a consuming scale than production.

However, the Nigerian Export Import Bank has in recent times made various efforts to revamp the sector through its four core areas of development in its initial mandate which, of course, will complement the efforts of other development finance institutions like the Bank of Industry and others.

The managing director of the bank, Roberts Orya, said NEXIM Bank has, in the last five years, focused on the manufacturing, agroprocessing, solid minerals and services sectors. A lot of the bank’s commitment and lending in these sectors have aimed to de-risk the sectors, provide information support and funding for businesses to enhance export growth and prosperity of Nigerian exporters. “By this, we have lent support to the brightening of our sectors of focus.

He noted that the link between good policies and realisation of their targeted outcomes is disciplined execution. “This essential policy success factor has not

always been very evident on the Nigerian policy landscape.

As such, disciplined execution was something we appreciated because of what difference we thought it would have made, as opposed to the power of its presence, and as the strong link between good policies and the realization of their targeted outcomes.”

He did note that in recent years there have been momentous changes which have brought about a learning paradigm. “Our understanding of what works is no longer predominantly influenced by what didn’t work or what might have been. Nigerian policymakers and policy observers now see the influence of persistent execution of policy strategies in the realization of the outputs of public policies.”

The turning point would be when, 15 years ago, Nigeria opted for a democratic system of government.

“Public expectations on good governance and the accountability requirement of democracy put more demand on a representative government and, more generally, on policymakers.

It was for this reason that the successive administrations we have had since 1999 embraced the need to deliver the ‘dividend of democracy’ to Nigerians. In other words, a governance framework that is result-driven and that is validated by positive policy outcomes is what is now afoot in Nigeria, notwithstanding the challenges we face.”

Indeed, the commitment of government to addressing the challenges is evident; whether we look at the investment commitments that are being made in infrastructural development, efforts to continue to brighten the investment outlook of Nigeria and programmes that target improvement in citizen’s welfare.

These efforts are long-term commitments. However, some of them have begun to produce results that have stayed with us as a country and as a market.

For instance, continuous reform of the fiscal space has ensured macroeconomic stability; Nigeria is no longer a jurisdiction that is marked by volatility arising from unsound fiscal management.

– Uket wrote in from Abuja

Ebola To The South, Boko Haram To The North

C

all him a terrorist or mad man, the truth is that the late “importer” of Ebola virus into Nigeria, Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian/American, who died over a month ago, has impacted Nigeria’s socioeconomic spheres.

If we disagree on the census of the 13 cases of EVD including the index case or the fact that only one victim is left with the virus, it will be difficult to forget that it took away amiable Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh and thrust up First Consultants Clinic, Obalende, Lagos as an avant-garde private healthcare facility.

It made the President crazy and thrust up new stream of income for those in isolation business and the international economic relations of Zmapp and pharmaceuticals generally. The Ebola also exposed a little about our inter-governmental relationship.

While Lagos shone like a diamond in the bleak lake of riddle with clueless leadership, we saw how within weeks N1.9bn could be spent on ‘an ailment’.

Hidden superstitious superstructure also tasked our overt religiosity. Professors and top bankers swam with salt and the conventional Holy Communion took a twist as the brethren can no longer drink from the same cup as prescribed in the Scriptures. Handshake and camaraderie went atrophied and ministers and lawmakers wore gloves and devised new methodology for exchanging pleasantries.

Worse still, while the minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, was euphoric about the successful containment of the infected 129 people who were under surveillance and had completed the 21-day observation incubation period and only one person was found to be symptomatic, minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau cannot vouch for the integrity of his pronouncement.

Shekarau corralled all 36 state commissioners for Education and ordered that schools should not resume on September 8 but October 13.

Like Ebola, the question of insurgency that started as a small muster seed has become an oak. The Boko Haram will not allow the North to have peace. While Boko Haram moves swiftly to annex and expand its real or imaginary “Islamic Caliphate” in Gwoza, Damboa, Buni Yadi,Garkida, Madagali and Gamboru spanning the three states under emergency rule, one wonders who to believe on the ‘fleeing and disarmed’ 480 Nigerian soldiers the Cameroonian Army Spokesman, Lt Col Didier Badjek, said were in Cameroon following fierce fighting with Boko Haram insurgents or Defence headquarters that said they were on ‘tactical manoeuvre’ But one thing is worrisome, like BrigadierGeneral Idriss Bello Dambazau, the snail speed with which we are handling these breaches. Girls have been abducted, boys slaughtered, women raped, men shot. Fighting insurgents like Boko Haram requires adequate preparations.

The truth is that in fighting al Qaeda ideology and methodology, it is no longer possible for conventional military offensives to control them.

They have been around for a while.

Just like the ISIS, Boko Haram has also declared a caliphate of its own. It is clear that our military is finding things a bit difficult. Like Ebola that requires international assistance, the foreign forces in Nigeria should swing into actions beyond logistics.

35

issues Thursday, August 28, 2014

By Chandran Nair

Europe used to rule the world and now seeks to perpetuate that order with the leader of the pack – the United States of America.

The glory of sharing in the West’s global leadership has a price for Europe – subservience to the US. An element that holds the West together is its shared military might represented by NATO. The West seems wedded to its insecurity, rooted in centuries of dominance, privilege and entitlement. The governments of the West are all connected by their European heritage and culture.

They are an exclusive club of the minority who used to rule the world and now continue to seek to perpetuate that order with the leader of the pack being the United States.

For the Europeans, this is also convenient in many ways. First and foremost, it allows them to continue to enjoy all the privileges of dominance without having to spend heavily on a military.

Meanwhile, not least owing to overstretched public budgets and having learned bitter lessons from the Second World War, they maintain a veneer of pacifism.

This is true — except perhaps for the British. Having been victorious in the Second World War, but then losing all their colonies, they still hang on to some notion of retaining military might, not least by clinging to the coattails of the mighty U.S. military that much harder.

But ultimately, the “glory” of sharing in the West’s global leadership has come at a price for the Europeans — that of subservience to the United States. Even if there has been the occasional ruckus within the ranks of the Western tribe — for example, concerning the illegal invasion of Iraq — the tribe so far has always reassembled and stuck together.

This has been painfully evident in the West’s positions in the events that have led to the unfolding disasters in Syria, Libya and Egypt (not to mention Afghanistan) — all of which it is conveniently washing its hands now.

Europeans may have had an idea that much of the American rhetoric was just hollow, selfserving and ultimately futile. The fact remains that they did not take the logical step — of denying the United States followership into a series of impending disasters.

Not just Europe fell for it This narrative of the West’s inherent moral superiority that was carefully crafted to conceal a centuries-old appetite for global

The West And The ‘Rest’ dominance has been so well spread through sophisticated propaganda in the post-colonial era that even the formerly oppressed have bought into it, mainly its elites.

Even so, now that the emperor’s clothes are slowly but surely being stripped away, the ‘Rest’ wakes up to the lies.

For non-Westerners, it is clear that the glue that so obviously creates the notion of the West is not its much trumpeted values (after all, all societies have different values), but its ties through race, religion, ethnicity and a shared history.

The other key element that holds the tribe together is its shared military might, as represented

by NATO. There is no other group of nations or regions that even vaguely resembles this type of organisation — an unmatched ability to unleash organised violence against all deemed to be non-compliant or a threat.

And if other nations do try to set up similar military alliances, they will be challenged with military threats disguised as moral arguments about the need to protect global peace. This is often done in the grand old tradition of imperialism — divide and rule.

The West’s group thinking and loyalty to each other, at the expense of everyone else, is a trap of the West’s own making and its Achilles heel. This is unfortunate, as the West has a great deal to offer the world in the 21st century. But it seems wedded to its insecurity, rooted in centuries of dominance, privilege and entitlement. That ultimately is what does not allow it to come to terms with sharing power with its former subjects.

The western alliance coming apart?

The events of the past few weeks and months have put into sharp focus the shallowness of Western group think, the nature of its tribal mentality and how oblivious it is to global opinion.

The events have made it clear once more that the West intends to carve a geopolitical position that pits it against the ‘Rest’ to maintain its dominance and it is being led by the United States.

This is an especially acute issue for Europe. Many citizens and an increasing number of leading politicians there have a growing sense of unease about the strategic direction and acumen of the U.S. government. This applies regardless of its respective political stripes. Democrats and Republicans evidently don’t differ

Obama

And if other nations do try to set up similar military alliances, they will be challenged with military threats disguised as moral arguments about the need to protect global peace. This is often done in the grand old tradition of imperialism — divide and rule much on foreign policy.

In this context, consider the disastrous events that appear to be leading to the breakup of the Middle East as we know it. The West, led by the United States, is trying hard to wash its hands off the sad breakup of the state in Iraq, Libya and Syria — as if it had nothing to do with it.

And yet, the evidence is clear for all to see. All one has to do is to surf the internet and search for pronouncements by Western leaders going back a couple of years — and one will see how engaged they were in de-stabilising these countries.

All we have now is silence or lectures about how Arab governments are incompetent (which is true), how Arab unity is essential for peace (sadly a toohard-to-deny indictment of the Arab world) and that Arabs should learn to live with each other and resolve their differences.

Alas, many of these differences have also been exacerbated by decades of Western — especially U.S. and UK, but also French — interference.

Western interference is not new This is not a new phenomenon.

From Iran to Iraq to Egypt and for well over 100 years, Western nations have used sectarian differences to interfere in the right to self-determination of these nations, with the last half century being the worst period, given the pursuit of energy.

There are other painfully shortsighted double standards in play. The West, both openly and covertly, supplied arms to all and sundry regimes in the Middle East, including corrupt and ruthless governments. These arms exports resulted in the deaths of thousands.

The shooting down of MH17 over Ukraine resulted in outrage in the West and the tightening of sanctions against Russia, which was deemed to be responsible.

There was no similar outrage in 1988 when the United States shot down an Iranian passenger plane resulting in the deaths of over 250 Iranians.

At the same time, the West — led by the United States — has been the main supplier of arms and much more to Israel. The same week that Shaymah died, the U.S. Senate agreed to resupply weapons to Israel and approved further funds for its Iron Dome project to the tune of $250 million.

In case anybody wonders, these are the same weapons that killed little Shaymah and 1,000 other Palestinian civilians. There has not been a single European government that has called for war crimes proceedings — as has been the case with Russia. Why? To call for war crimes against Israel is to break the sacred code that holds the Western tribe together. It would be a case of supporting the argument for a member of the tribe and the tribal leader, the United States, to be potentially taken to the ICC (even if it is not a signatory).

To do this is to betray the pack leader and would be seen as ungrateful to the United States, not least for its help in rebuilding Europe.

And lastly, the Europeans — especially the Germans, who have far greater reservations about militarist attitudes than most other large European nations — dare not risk taking any such step for fear of being accused as being anti-Semitic. Meanwhile, the silence in the Chief Prosecutor’s Office at the ICC in The Hague is deafening.

To the Chief Prosecutor the message has to be clear: “Mr. Prosecutor, in the interest of the international community, not just the West, please proceed to take action immediately to bring a case against all parties implicated in war crimes in Gaza — even if they are not signatories.”

Holding all sides accountable This would send a strong message to all countries, especially Western powers. Taking this step would free the court from the longstanding claim that it is mostly a convenient Western tool to deal with war crimes in Africa.

From the perspective of the ‘Rest’, not the West, it is really quite easy. Ensure the case is built to hold all sides accountable (IDF and Hamas) as well as those responsible for supplying the weapons of war.

This continuing silence on the part of the West has sent a chilling reminder to the ‘Rest’ that the West is duplicitous, despite all its pious preaching.

The present state of affairs only reinforces a growing belief that the same sense of impunity and arrogance that led the West to dominate so many countries around the globe for so long continues to have a firm foothold in its psyche.

With one big difference: That superiority now mostly exists just in moral narratives which it continues to relentlessly spread through its control of key global media platforms, backed by military might.

36 ISSUES

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Ebola Virus: A Threat To Public Health And Development By emojevbe mary omene

In the wake of the latest victim of the Ebola virus in Nigeria, there have been a lot of discussions among Nigerians on the ability of the Nigerian authorities to effectively contain and reverse the spread of the virus. With the mounting rumors of incidences in Abuja, Anambra and Ibadan, there is an ever growing state of concern and uncertainty on what exactly is being done to ensure the Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia Ebola experience does not become our reality.

On the 8th of August 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) noted the incidents and spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa as the most severe outbreak yet recorded with respect to the number of human cases and fatalities. WHO declared the situation, as “an international health emergency” requiring coordinated international response to stop and reverse the spread of the virus.

To date there has been a total of 2,240 cases of infection out of which a total of 1,229 have been fatalities, with a large proportion of these victims being women as they are the primary care givers (and nurses) of people infected with the virus.

The Ebola virus has no cure or specific treatment. Currently in the United States of America, the FDA has allowed the trial drug ZMapp, to be administered to the two US citizens who contacted the virus in West Africa and they are showing signs of dramatic improvement.

There have been debates about having this trial drug provided to the affected West African States in a bid to curtail the spread of the virus; however the provision of a drug/ vaccine is just one aspect of

control and prevention.

As with most tropical and communicable disease in Sub Saharan Africa, the underlying issue for prevention lies primarily in the effectiveness of the health care system in place as well as level of hygiene and sanitation mechanisms and practices being employed .

In Nigeria, between 70-75 % of the population is situated at the grassroots. At this level, assess to quality primary healthcare as well as water and sanitation mechanisms are grossly inadequate.

With the entry of the Ebola virus into Nigeria comes the daunting realisation on just how ill-prepared we are as a nation in the event of a serious outbreak of the virus, in particular at grassroots level.

The information received on the prevention, care and treatment of patients affected with the virus focuses on the importance of hygiene. Information, education and communication material are constantly honing in on the importance of hand hygiene, standard precautions for health workers and regular surveillance of communities for incidence of the disease.

In Lagos State where the first incident of the virus was noted, the authorities have taken the necessary steps to contain the spread of the virus by providing isolation units and centers, personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and monitoring the general population, especially health workers that have been in contact with victims of the virus.

Other states in Nigeria are also on high alert; some state hospitals have even gone to the extent of prohibiting the entry of dead bodies into their mortuary.

Recently, the United Nations

Chukwu

With the entry of the Ebola virus into Nigeria comes the daunting realisation on just how ill-prepared we are as a nation in the event of a serious outbreak of the virus, in particular at grassroots level made a case for making available the trial drug ZMAPP to the affected West African states.

Liberia has already made their request to the United States and will be one the first recipients of the drug. The drug will however not be available in the near future to Nigeria because of the insufficient quantity. Until the drug becomes available, the Nigerian authorities focus will be on isolation, screening and prevention.

From an environmental point of view, prevention of the spread of the Ebola virus and indeed

other tropical and communicable diseases, lie in • the availability of effective environmental laws and regulations, • availability and access to sanitary facilities and • effective systems that prevent, monitor and control pollution and the spread of infection; and provides an enabling environment for healthy living WHO has noted that person to person transmission of the virus is via contact of blood and the bodily fluids of an infected person; WHO

advocates for strict adherence to standard precautions of health workers to all patients especially as some of the initial symptoms of the disease are similar to other tropical diseases like malaria. Handling and disposal of infected material and waste is critical in prevention and control of the spread of the virus.

The environmental concerns will typically be on the controlled management and disposal of • Human waste; ie fecal waste, urine and corpse, • Material that have been in contact with the bodily fluid of an infected person including disposable medical equipment and lab samples.

Effective waste management and sanitary infrastructure are crucial to public health especially in times of war and disease outbreak. With the outbreak of the Ebola virus, concerns arise in the effective management of corpse, laboratory samples and contaminated medical and non medical devices used for care and treatment of victims.

Conducted research shows that the corpse of an infected Ebola victim is highly infectious, even more contagious than the living Ebola patients. After death is a particularly dangerous time for Ebola infection and requires a controlled system for management and eventual disposal of the corpse.

The burial rites of most African cultures are in conflict with the standard precautionary measures of WHO for handling the corpse of Ebola victims, and create increased risk of transmission and spread of the virus. WHO recommends prompt cremation of the corpse especially during an outbreak to minimize further transmission.

– Omene is an environmental and waste management professional

Obi Destroying APGA Bridge After Crossing It?

BY IBRAHIM GARBA CAREFOR

I shed tears when I heard that the elected National Assembly members on the platform of our party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) citing fictitious crisis in the party.

This action is a clear case of selfish interest bare-facedly exhibited now simply because we are close to 2015 election year. It is an open secret that virtually all of them were cajoled by the immediate past governor of Anambra State and until few days ago APGA Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman, Peter Obi, to destroy the party that brought them, including

Obi, to limelight.

We also know that they have chosen to defect to the PDP having failed to remove APGA national chairman, Chief Victor Umeh and his secretary Alhaji Sani shinkafi from their respective offices.

Shortly after Obi resigned his BoT chairmanship position given to him by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party at a meeting in Awka, Anambra State after his tenure ended as governor of the state, I have no doubt in my mind that he quit the position in order to accomplish his mission of making sure that APGA dies having completed his eight years of two-term tenure as

governor of Anambra State.

He fueled series of crises in the party by using the party’s deputy national chairman (North) Alhaji Sadiq Ibrahim Masalla to break the ranks of the party’s leadership which he failed. He then used our deputy national chairman (South) to carry out the same hatchet job and he failed too after which he enlisted the services of a non-APGA member, Maxi Okwu by making sure that he (Okwu) dumped his political party and joined APGA in order to claim the national chairmanship position through the courts but he also woefully failed.

After Okwu’s failure, I was also used to file a suit against the

genuine leadership of the party which I eventually withdrew in order for APGA not to lose the Anambra governorship seat in the court.

What baffles and pains me is why the electorate lack the courage to stand their ground whenever party leaders have interest that is contrary to the party manifesto.

You can imagine how our Yoruba brothers developed their political party that covers their geopolitical zone and later extended to other parts of the country.

Alas! APGA, a political party that I joined before Peter Obi became a governor has not been able to record electoral victory beyond Anambra

State since its formation despite the fact that we have so many capable individuals across the nation that can contest and win elections in the party. The latest unfortunate developments in our party as championed by Obi and others can best be described as a situation of destroying a bridge after crossing it.

I am using this medium to call on the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do something to regulate this type of carpet-crossing by selfish politicians in the country who cry wolves where there is none.

– Carefor is APGA’s deputy national youth leader

Thursday, August 28, 2014

37

38

Thursday, August 28, 2014

POLITICS TODAY 39

Thursday, August 28, 2014

PDP Is United In Abia – Abaribe Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe is the chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs. A two-term senator who was deputy governor of Abia State in the Orji Kalu administration, he speaks on his aspiration to govern the state come 2015 in this interview with select journalists. Uchenna Awom was there for LEADERSHIP. What are the problems the next governor of Abia State will inherit from the outgoing governor?

That another person has done something and you have to ignore that one he has done, to me, does not help in developing a state. We need to develop our state and we are really in a big hurry to catch up

Let me say that the challenges of development in every state in Nigeria will also be exactly the same that you will have to confront if you are in Abia – underdevelopment, massive unemployment, infrastructure that is not up to par with what you need for a 21st century economy and then of course, the basic ones of education, health, environment and agriculture.

Basically, what I think is the biggest challenge you will to have to face will have to do with all the young men and women who are coming out of schools without a job. First, we will need to deal with how to produce people that are functional in our state at the moment. Abia stands at a very good vantage position being at the top of the whole Niger Delta region and all the ancillary industries in the Niger Delta, the oil and gas and all the other things that go with it and Abia will provide manpower, provide skill set that is already burdened on the ground.

Usually, when people want to do anything within the Niger Delta region, they can come to Aba to get it. For specific reasons, all the while, Abia has always had, through Aba, an industrial set up with skilled people, artisans and managerial skilled people who have been doing things locally.

Now, what we need to do is to move their skills up and also to be able to train them enough to fit into the manpower needs within the oil and gas region. We think that as a matter of policy, you must be able to move people away from the grammar school literary type education to technical based education now and that you will have to do if you are governor of the state.

Secondly, you must also start to seek newer ways of funding things and you must have to get better ways of doing both internally generated revenue and what comes from the federal purse. For internal generated revenue, what happens today as we have seen, in fact the governor recently, in an interview, also bemoaned the fact that it was so low and there was so much leakages within the system. That means that you will have to deploy technology to reduce leakages and you also now have to find new and innovative ways of doing things and make

sure that counterpart findings for the things that come from both multilateral agencies and from federal government, that if you do that, then there are of course other areas that you have to deal with, especially the city of Aba. If you need to increase internally generated revenue, you must have to go to the place where there are industries and where there are people doing business that can pay their taxes. To do that, you have to also show them that what you are doing is in their own interest and for their own benefit. Therefore, you are able to provide for them, physical evidence of what you are doing and get them to buy into it.

Then you will get their support and it is that support that Governor Mbakwe used when it was the old Imo State to develop Imo and most of the funding came from Aba actually. So, we are going to have to make Aba a test case for a new government and private sector enterprise.

Of course, I think that given time, you will always have to make your mark and when you make your mark, that is what you go with. That another person has done something and you have to ignore that one he has done, to me, does not help in developing a state.

We need to develop our state and we are really in a big hurry to catch up. So, a state where you get N4 billion and you have to compare it with a State where you get N16 billion or N25 billion or N23 billion per month, it means that when you have to do something, you do it in a way that you will get the best value for your money. Of course, you will also have to cut your clothe according to your size.

So, the grandeurs projects that are being done in those areas, you may not want to venture into that.

How about the issue of zoning? Has the governorship been zoned to your area? Did consider that before you decided to contest?

As I said, I started my consultations in April; so, between April and May, we went all over the state and concluded it with the party in the state. Ultimately, by the time we completed the consultations in May, June had passed and it was in July that the state party now took the decision to zone the governorship fortuitously to my zone – Abia South zone. So, I could not have come because of the zoning. Actually, I would want to think it was because we

Abaribe

had sufficiently told the party the reasons they needed to that made it zone it to Abia South.

There is talk about the governor installing his successor...

Let me say this very unequivocally that at the time when we heard some people making claims of being anointed or so by the governor, I contacted him. I called a meeting of Abia South Senatorial zone, being a political leader of the area, that we needed to deal with that matter. The governor told me that I should please tell the people when I meet with them that he has never anointed anybody and that he didn’t have any intention of anointing anybody. Subsequently, the government of Abia also went on air, on radio and disowned any such statement. I’m sure those statements died down but people who do not have anything to sell themselves with usually try to do reflected glory of saying this man is bringing me. I just call it reflected glory because that means you got nothing yourself to offer when you now have to wait for somebody else to do so.

Also recently, when the governor swore in the transition chairman, he made the same statement and said he was not going to influence anybody; that what he is going to do is to ensure that the field is made in such a way that everybody will have an equal chances of being able to emerge as governor and he said it very clearly that the person who will become governor will be made by three persons – the first person will be God himself because everything that we do as human beings, its only when God wills it; secondly, that he himself as the incumbent

will also have a say on how the process is done; thirdly is the party apparatus, that is those within the party who will eventually be the delegates to the congresses that will bring out the nominee.

We have seen from past experiences that the big wigs in Abia find it difficult to work together when the chips are down. It happened in 2003 when we saw divergent views even though they all claimed to be in the same party. The same thing happened in 2007 and it’s been the bane of the party all along. How are you, the leaders of the party, addressing these circumstances as we move closer to 2015?

I think that that matter has already been settled and dealt with by the incumbent governor, T.A Orji. Since 2010 when he came back into PDP, he has been able to weld everybody together; he has been able to bring the different factions of PDP together. So, what we have seen really is that that syndrome of disunity has actually been permanently buried by the way that Governor T.A. Orji has handled everybody. Let me tell you that between 2003 and 2010, for example, several of us never went to Umuahia, not to talk of going to Government House in Umuahia, even though we were senior members of the party. Even though somebody like me was Senator in 2007, we never went there because of the way that the previous incumbent scattered everybody. But today, you can see that anytime there is anything that brings us together, everybody goes to show that disunity has now been permanently buried.

40

Thursday, August 28, 2014

tribute 41

Thursday, August 28, 2014

A Tribute To Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh

By Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa

Courage, selfless commitment and an unwavering belief in a cause are three essential but rare qualities of truly great leaders. Sometimes, these leaders exhibit an uncommon commitment to a cause and go as far as laying down their lives for a purpose they truly believe in.

History will forever revere the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Obafemi Awolowo amongst few others as heroes.

Our dear Dr. Adadevoh has certainly stamped her feet in the sands of time as one of Nigeria’s heroines who fought like a true warrior the battle against the Ebola Virus Disease and deserves to be commended, applauded , celebrated and immortalized by Nigeria and Nigerians.

Dr. Adadevoh’s actions were extremely courageous. She upheld in every sense of the word her Hippocratic oath despite intense media generated trepidation, rejection of patients by hospitals and even reluctance in volunteering of some of her medical colleagues. Dr. Adadevoh was selfless in the face of trials putting her nation before herself. She refused to grant the now late Mr. Patrick Sawyer access outside the hospital despite extreme pressure (even getting physical in the process). In a statement she cosigned after the entire episode, it is clear that her goal was one; preventing the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (and subsequent deaths) in Nigeria. Below is an excerpt from the statement co-signed

by Dr. Adadevoh after the incident; “We hope that by our action of preventing this gentleman from being extracted from our hospital and traveling to Calabar we have been able to prevent the spread of EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE in Nigeria.”

To answer you posthumously my dear Doctor, yes you have! And we the Nigerian people are extremely grateful for your selfless display of courage in the face of adversity. We truly appreciate your efforts in stemming the tide of this epidemic that was once raging our land. It is a shame that the jaws of death chose to snatch your type through this Ebola Virus Disease. One thing is sure; Nigerians would forever remember, celebrate and be thankful to you for the significant role you have played in keeping our land at peace.

The closing part of the Hippocratic Oath reads thus; “If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come;” Our dearest Dr. Adadevoh , truly upheld that oath and fulfilled it beyond expectations. Though she may not be alive to “ enjoy life and art” , she will long live in our hearts and be remembered by all in the present and even in the future as one of Nigeria’s greatest ‘Medical Warriors’ who saved thousands, possibly millions of lives.

Thanks — Hon Abike Dabiri Erewa

The late Stella Adadevoh

42 news south-west Ekiti Varsity Workers Protest Unpaid Allowances Non-academic Staff Unions of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti yesterday staged a protest over irreconcilable differences with the institution’s authorities.

The protest, carried out by members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union(NASU) and the Nigerian Association of Academic Technologists(NAAT) saw senate members of the institution locked out from the Senate Chambers.

A senate member, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the vice chancellor, Prof Oladipo Aina and his deputies were the targets of the action. NASU members, it was learnt, were having running battle with the institution’s authorities.

By Alo Abiola, Ado Ekiti

Monarch Plans Refinery For Ugboland The Olugbo of Ugboland, His Royal Majesty, Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan has wooed foreign investors, saying that he has put all necessary machinery in motion to establish a refinery in his kingdom.

The monarch stated this while welcoming a prospective investor, Mr. Witold .W. Gerlicz and his team, to his palace yesterday, and urged the Poland government to come and invest in the country .

Akinruntan who is also the chairman Yoruba Obas Conflict Resolution Committee said, “Nigeria is a good country that is very accommodating.

“We don’t discriminate here. I have travelled to many countries, not because I’m a Nigerian but I must confess to you, Nigeria is one of the best countries to invest.”

By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

Osun PDP Legal Adviser Dumps Party For APC The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost its legal adviser, Prince John Abolarinwa Abidoye, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Abidoye hinged his defection to the APC on the outstanding performance of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

He said the result of August 9, governorship election in the state was a true reflection of the people’s wishes and aspiration.

According to him, the people spoke with one voice across the state saying they wanted continuity under Aregbesola.

He described Aregbesola’s government as people-oriented, and asserted that there was nothing to fear about PDP’s boast that it would reclaim victory through the tribunal.

By Joshua Dada, Osogbo

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Restriction Of Freedom Poses Danger To Democracy – Aregbesola

By JOSHUA DADA,Osogbo

The governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday, said democracy cannot thrive where freedom is fettered.

Aregbesola made this observation at the Government House, Osogbo, when the governing council, management and staff of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomosho, paid him a courtesy visit.

The governor said what makes any democracy functional is the latitude of freedom offered the people under such system.

He argued that freedom is so central to democracy to the extent that its absence takes meaning out of that democratic system.

He said, “Freedom is so important in any democracy. In fact, it is superior to all other ingredients that make democracy functional.

“Therefore, there is no democ-

racy where there is no freedom.

What separates democracy from other forms of government is the latitude of freedom it gives to the people.”Aregbesola lamented what he termed the partisanship of some security agencies in the governorship election in the state.

He noted that a situation in which the nation’s constitution is brazenly subverted creates danger for democracy and federalism.

short news We’re Ready For Ebola Patients – FMC Owo

The chief executive officer and medical director of Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, Dr. Olufemi Abiodun Omotoso, has said the hospital was already preparing to handle ebola cases across Ondo State.

He made the disclosure yesterday while inspecting wards in the hospital following the resumption of doctors after suspending their two-month-old strike.

Olufemi said the hospital was in the process of procuring protective equipment that doctors, nurses and other medical personnel would wear while treating ebola patients.

According to him, the hospital management is already talking with the federal government with a view to having isolation ward in the medical centre.

Representative of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr Olujonwo Obasanjo, member of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria,

By Tope Prof Oyinade Olurin and chairman, Board of Trustees, Dr Seinde Akinsete at the 39th annual general meeting (AGM) and Scientific Fayehun, Akure Conference of Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

Feud Between Alaafin, Ooni Will Soon End – Olugbo Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan

The chairman, Yoruba Obas Conflict Resolution Committee and the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom in Ilaje/Ese-Odo local government area of Ondo State, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, has disclosed that the rivalry between two prominent rulers in Yorubaland will soon be resolved.

Speaking with newsmen yesterday, the monarch said that both the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba

Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi and the Oni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade would soon sit together at a peace meeting to be convened by the committee.

He disclosed that appreciable efforts had been made at the committee level to ensure unity and harmony among the monarchs in Yorubaland.

“Everybody is coming to the understanding and appreciation of the fact that we the traditional rulers in the South-West geo-po-

litical zone must come together and speak with one voice in order to get our share of national recognition.

“We are now all aware of the marginalisation of the Yoruba in the affairs of the country which the president, Goodluck Jonathan has just been addressing.

It is as a result of lack of unity among us the traditional rulers and we are addressing it.

“Very soon, all the principal characters in the conflict will sit

together by the grace of God and everything will become a thing of the past. Fortunately, there is nothing fundamental in the issues causing conflict among us which is making our job at the committee level easy”, the Olugbo stated.

He called for the recognition of traditional rulers in governance for peace to reign in the country, stressing the need for rulers to be involved in governance.

Osun: Tribunal Grants APC, PDP Leave To Examine Election Materials

By JOSHUA DADA,Osgbo

Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal yesterday granted the double motion ex-parte filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking for the release of the election materials used during the voting exercise of the August 9, elec-

tion in the state for examination.

The tribunal’s panel of judges led by Justice I. M. Bako during their first sitting yesterday at Osogbo granted the applications of the parties seeking for the inspection of the election materials in the custody of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Counsel to APC, Mr. Kunle Adegoke had prayed the tribunal to move outside the prehearing session, the election materials used during the poll for thorough inspection and examination.

Adegoke informed the sitting that the motion for the court to grant the party leave to inspect the election materials in the custody of INEC

was supported with a 20-paragraph affidavit and a written address in compliance with relevant sections of the electoral law.

APC’s counsel said the motion was brought pursuant to Section 151 of the Electoral Act, paragraph 47 of the first schedule, noting that the action was “intended to move the ambit of justice.”

Thursday, August 28, 2014

El-Rufai Lauds Amaechi’s Performance Former minister of the Federal Capital Territory and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has lauded Rivers State governor and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for the stunning performance and innovations of his administration in improving the wellbeing of the people of the state.

El-Rufai gave the commendation on Monday at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, shortly after an inspection tour of some of the development projects embarked upon by the Amaechi administration in Port Harcourt.

The former minister visited some road construction projects, model primary schools, primary health care centres and the ultra-modern Obi Wali International Conference Centre.

news south-South south-East 43

Ebola Scare: Rivers Probes Death Of Health Worker

By Anayo Onukwugha, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State government has said that it is carrying out an investigation into the possible cause of the death of a health worker in the state, who recently died of fever and diarrhoea.

The state government said the investigation is being carried out by experts from the state Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Federal Ministry of Health, and a United States-based group, the

Elizabeth R. Griffin Foundation.

The state commissioner for health, Dr Sampson Parker, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital, yesterday, insisted that the state is yet to record any case of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), and pleaded with the people to stop peddling rumours, which according to him, have caused panic in the state.

Parker also cautioned hospitals and clinics to stop rejecting patients with fever and diarrhoea,

pointing out that such persons should only be handled with high degree of caution and suspicion.

The commissioner further warned the public to stop unnecessary body contacts with people for the time being as a preventive measure.

He said: “There have been rumours making the rounds which have led to panic and patients being rejected in hospitals. Let me make it clear that no patient should be turned back from any hospital but utmost safety precautions

and protocols should be observed in any case of high fever and diarrhoea.

“We are aware of the death of a health worker who had fever and diarrhoea. However, tests and investigations are being carried out by a team of experts from Rivers State Ministry of Health, WHO, FMOH in charge of Emergency Ebola Operations (EOP) and Elizabeth R. Griffin, Research Foundations, USA. I urge you, as a precautionary measure, to refrain from unnecessary body contacts.”

short news Federal Poly Workers In Bayelsa Set For Strike Over Unpaid Allowances

By Anayo Onukwugha, Port

INEC Created Units In Favour Of North – SDP, AP National Secretary of Accord Party (AP), Samson Isibor and a national leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Frank Ukonga, yesterday opposed the newly created polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying it was lopsided in favour of the North.

They, therefore, threatened to institute legal actions against the commission.

Ukonga, a presidential aspirant of the SDP, said INEC’s action was a plan to manipulate next year’s elections.

On his part, Isibor wondered why INEC should release the new polling units on the eve of the 2015 general elections without consulting the stakeholders.

By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City

2nd Niger Bridge: Delta Community Protests Inadequate Compensation The people of Oko-Amakom community in Oshimili South local government area of Delta State have protested against the failure of the federal government to pay adequate compensation to residents of the community who were affected by the construction of the Second Niger Bridge.

Motorists plying Asaba-Onitsha Expressway had a hectic time as placard-carrying residents of the community demonstrated along the busy road.

The chairman of the community, Chief Jideofor Anosike accused a consultant to the federal government, Mr Mark Ugorji of using the police to force the poor villagers out of Asaba to collect meager monetary compensation.

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Workers of the Federal Polytechnic in Ekeowe, Bayelsa State, yesterday declared their readiness to embark on a strike action on the 1st of September, 2014 over unresolved issues of unpaid promotion arrears L-R: Former vice president, Alex Ekwueme and wife, Beatrice; representative of Enugu State government, Dr Jude Aku- by the institution’s builo and NAFDAC director of operations in Enugu, Mr John Okwori, during a requiem mass in honour of the late Prof management.

Dora Akunyili at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN The workers, who declared their intention through the Joint Union made up of the Academic

By Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri Okorocha lamented that the on- against the conference, which Staff Union of slaught, which had been on for were signed by the acting pubPolytechnics Imo State governor Rochas two weeks, was meant to dis- licity secretary of the party in the (ASUP), Senior Okorocha has descended on credit his person and cost the state, Chief Barrister Enyinnaya Staff Association the state chapter of the Peoples state government the hosting Onuegbu, the party never told of Nigerian Democratic Party (PDP) over its right. the world why it did not want Polytechnics alleged verbal attacks on the onThe governor recalled that the the conference to hold in Owerri.

(SSANP) and the going Nigerian Bar Association PDP earlier came up with the ex“It only talked about the rule Non-Academic (NBA) conference hosted by the cuse of an Ebola outbreak in the of law which it said Governor Staff Union of state government, saying the state if the event was allowed to Okorocha had breached by not Polytechnics criticism was targeted at frus- hold there, but when that did not paying the appointees of the for(NASUP), said staff trating the hosting of the event prevent the event from holding, mer governor, Chief Ikedi Ohapromotion has in the state. it resorted to image laundering, kim their entitlements, which been withheld According to a press statement accusing him of withholding the they could not be paid. All these since 2013. issued by his senior special as- entitlements of past political ap- only explain the pitiable state sistant on media, Sam Onwue- pointees. the PDP in Imo State has degenBy Osa Okhomina, meodo, in Owerri, yesterday, “In all the media publications erated into,” the release stated.

Yenagoa

Okorocha Chides PDP Over Plans To Derail NBA Confab

2015: Uduaghan Charges Guber Aspirants On Issues-based Campaigns

By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba

Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has charged all gubernatorial aspirants in the state to sell their programmes and policies to the people, rather than scheming on how to disqualify fellow aspirants.

Governor Uduaghan who has been evasive on his likely successor noted that neither he nor any

level of scheming could determine the candidate that would take over from him in 2015, adding that the final choice is in the hands of God. Dr Uduaghan spoke at an Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service held at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter’s (Anglican Communion), Asaba to mark the 23rd anniversary of the creation of Delta State yesterday.

He cautioned the aspirants to stop running around, trying to disqualify their opponents because it is whoever God wants to give power that He will give, adding, “even if you disqualify somebody at the screening stage and God wants that person, the person will succeed.”

The governor recalled that in the build-up to the Peoples Democrat-

ic Party (PDP) primaries in 2006, he was disqualified by a screening committee in Port Harcourt before an appeal panel cleared him to contest the polls.

“As an aspirant who wants to take over from me, tell the people what you want to do; let us have a clean electioneering campaign. It is who God wants that He will put in office,” Dr Uduaghan said.

44 news Lagos

Lagos Assembly Moves To Incorporate Private Sector In Sports Funding Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday held a stakeholders’ forum on the proposed amendment for Lagos State Sports Trust Fund Bill to attract the involvement of private organisations in raising money to upgrade the standard of sports generally in the state.

Speaking on a Bill for a Law to Provide for the Establishment of the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund and a Board of Trustees to manage the fund, Hon Babatunde Ayeni, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Sports said it was important to incorporate the private sector in funding sporting activities in the state.

He said it is becoming difficult for the state government to continue to solely fund sports, adding that the state needs to shore up its fund for sports development as it is one of the best ways to engage the youths and promote healthy living.

The commissioner for youths, sports and social development, Mr Enitan Oshodi added that the bill when passed into law will encourage the private sector to support sports activities.

By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

Group Offers To Monitor Confab Recommendations’ Implementation Some concerned delegates under the aegis of National Consensus Group (NCG), who participated in the just concluded 2014 National Conference have vowed to adequately monitor and ensure the implementation of the resolutions reached at the conference.

The group which has members in the six geo-political zones disclosed that its members are drawn from youth groups, academia, lawyers, politicians, civil society organisations (CSO), religious bodies, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Diaspora among others.

The interim coordinator of the group, Barr. Remi Olatunbora, said the decision to fervently monitor the implementation of the National Confab report is aimed at contributing their quota to the process of consolidating the gains of Nigeria’s centenary.

Other reasons, according to him, are to campaign vigorously for gender mainstreaming and intergenerational justice as required by the 21st Century politics, and to develop a framework for the emergence of an alumni of the confab as the broadest convergence of Pan-Nigerian constituent groups.

By Christiana Nwaogu, Abuja

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Ebola: Commissioner Denies Rumour Of Rejection Of Patients Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, Lagos

Lagos State commissioner for health, Dr Jide Idris, has debunked the rumour in the social media that certain health volunteers refused to assist some Ebola patients in

the state.

Briefing journalists in Lagos, the commissioner said the rumours and false stories being disseminated via the social media continue to pose a difficult challenge in the government’s

effort to contain the deadly virus.

He said the government is doing all it can to avoid further spread of the disease, adding that only two suspected cases are presently being monitored in the state.

On volunteers working at the

Isolation Centre, Idris said eight doctors, nine nurses and other volunteers working in various capacities are fully involved in tending to patients.

He said government has a special life insurance cover for them.

short news CPD, ISA Accredit Peacock College

L-R: General manager and head, Listing Sales, Nigeria Stock Exchange, Taba Peterside; president, Oscar Onyama; group managing director, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Mr Paul Gbadebo and chief finance offier, Jacques Vauthier, at the Stock Exchange in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN.

TUC Expresses Worry Over Discord Among Security Personnel

By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has expressed worry over the increasing rate of disagreements among officers and men of state security agencies.

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

The congress urged the new inspector general of police, Mr Suleiman Abba, to call his erring officers to order and ensure that they conform to government’s agenda on security and economic transformation.

He said, “The latest incident involving officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was reported to have happened at Owutu area of Ikorodu where a committee that included the commandant general of the corps, Mr Ade Abolurin, and his men along with officers of the Nigerian Army, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, and some other persons was said to have been on an inspection and assessment tour of

disposable forfeited items, only to find themselves being threatened at gunpoint by a police inspector and his men who claimed the territory was theirs.”

“We vehemently insist that no policeman or other security officer has any right to shoot or even point a gun at another who has not violated any law of the land. Any act to the contrary must be checked, as it is criminal and portends grave implications for the society; and all culprits should be promptly apprehended and punished to deter others from treading the same unholy path”.

Peacock College, UK has received the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and ISA certifications in order to upgrade professionals through effective academic and professional programmes.

Speaking at the event, the chairman, Governing Board, Chief Olusegun Phillips said it is important for institutes of learning to position themselves towards imparting knowledge needed by professionals to achieve and sustain excellent practices.

He stressed that the two accreditations had positioned and empowered the college to continuously upgrade professionals throughout their life careers.

“CPD is becoming increasingly more mandatory in professional career development and it varies significantly to suit various business and individual requirements,” he said.

By Taiwo Ogunmola

Fair Play, Honesty Key For Good Governance – Fashola

by GEORGE OKOJIE, Lagos

Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola has said that fair play and honesty are the basic tenets for good governance.

He made this remark yesterday while fielding questions from Lagosians during a question-andanswer session that was facilitated by the Spirit of Lagos Initiative on twitter.

Fashola said, “I value fair play,

honesty and admire people that keep their word; I think those are the basic values for good governance and the Spirit of Lagos campaign is all about having the proper values especially because a good momentum has been built in Lagos over the last four years, and if more people join in the campaign with the right attitude and values, Lagos can only get better.”

The governor who stressed

the relevance of youths’ participation in bringing about the needed change, and performing the required social responsibility initiatives towards a better Lagos, added that the government cannot work without the support of the masses, especially the youths.

He said, “Young people have the biggest role to play. They need the right values, skills and must resolve to get involved in activities aimed at improving the state

by obeying the law, paying taxes and contributing to the development of their respective communities, because the success of the people is also the success of the state.”

On the outbreak of the Ebola virus in the state and efforts made to nip the situation in the bud, Fashola lauded all health workers who have displayed remarkable courage and unflinching honesty in grounding the virus.

news NATIONAL 45

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Ebola: Jonathan Urged To Name National Hospital After Adadevoh

President Goodluck Jonathan has been called upon to immortalise the late Dr. Stella Adadevoh, the senior consultant physician and endocrinologist at First Consultants Hospital in Lagos State, who found out that the late Liberian Patrick Sawyer was carrying the deadly Ebola virus disease.

Otunba Dino Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives and the present executive secretary of the Anti-Corruption Network, made this call yesterday at a Candle Night he organised in Abuja with members of the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) Group present to honour Dr. Stella Adedevoh and other Nigerians who died as a result of the deadly Ebola virus.

According to Melaye, he knew nothing about Dr Stella Adadevoh before her death, but as a Nigerian, he believed that anyone who lived a life of sacrifice ought to be celebrated and honoured by the people and government, which was why he organised the candle night to honour the Nigerians who had lost their lives to the virus.

By Igho Oyoyo, Abuja

Manpower Devt Key In Railway Rehabilitation, Says SSACTAC The Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporation (SSACTAC) has said the provision of railway infrastructure should not be done at the expense of staff welfare.

SSACTAC national president, Comrade Muhammed Yinusa, while briefing the press on the outcome of its National Executive Meeting (NEC), disclosed that for a train to run about 90 per cent of the railway, the members of staff need to be on duty either directly or indirectly; yet their welfare is constantly being neglected by the federal government.

“If the government is talking about transforming NRC today by investing a lot of money in rail infrastructure, it also has to look at the welfare of the staff who are working there.

“We are saying that instead of being on the regular civil service salary scale, you can, for example, put the NRC under a training institute,” he said.

He explained that as the railway corporation is not allowed to charge any money as it deems fit, the implication is that the organisation cannot generate enough funds to raise staff salary.

On the issue of NITEL liquidation, he said the guided liquidation must be carried out transparently, including the settlement of all outstanding labour-related matters.

By Evelyn Okoruwa, Abuja

NSCDC Calls For Increased Fight Against Pipeline Vandalism

By Christiana Nwaogu, Abuja

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said the incessant vandalisation of petroleum pipelines and other critical infrastructure across the country is costing the nation several billions of naira that, if channeled otherwise, would impact positively on the national economy.

The Corps, in line with its mandate of fighting oil theft, oil bunkering and vandalism of public in-

frastructure, said it had resumed fresh partnership with major stakeholders to enable it win the war against the crimes.

The Corps’ Commandant General, Prof. Ade Abolurin, explained that the menace of pipeline and power infrastructure vandalism was taking an increasing toll on the nation’s revenue and said, as a lead agency in the protection of critical infrastructure and national assets , it must be supported by sister agencies to win the war.

He vowed that the Corps under his administration will not relent in mobilizing to areas affected.

“Although these vandals attack our prsonnel who are usually on hand to monitor and effect repairs on vandalised government assets, I make to say here that this trend of attacks will not deter us from carrying out our mandate,” he said.

This is even as he expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation and synergy between the

Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Nigerian Navy, Armed Forces and the DSS whom, he said, had continued to show unalloyed resolve to eradicate vandalism and bunkering from the country.

“Of recent, the JTF arrested some vandals and handed them over to the Corps for further investigation and prosecution. Likewise, the Nigerian Navy in Delta and Bayelsa states respectively arrested oil thieves and handed same to us,” he said.

short news 2015: Group Condemns Ultimatum To Jonathan Over Chibok Girls The Youths Initiative for Better Governance of Nigeria has berated the ultimatum by some northern elders for President Goodluck Jonathan to produce the Chibok girls or lose their support in 2015.

The group’s national coordinaL-R: Globacom’s head of Corporate Sales, Mr Kamaldeen Shonibare; vice chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali; tor, Barr Osadolor Globacom’s chief commercial director , Mr Prabhat Aggarwal and head of public sector, Mr Tunde Amunikoro, when the vce chancellor Isioma, in a stateled a team of principal officers of the university to Globacom‘s corporate headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday ment yesterday, said although the abduction is regrettable, ‘’It is objectionable that any person or

By Vanessa Akuboh, Abuja agency, needed to be adequately structuring and Rationalisation group of persons provided for in the nation’s bud- of Federal Government Parastatwould rely on the The Teacher’s Registration getary allocations. als, Commissions and Agencies.”

Chibok saga to desCouncil of Nigeria (TRCN) According to the statement, The Committee on Education’s ecrate the office of has declared its resolve to pro- the White Paper stated that gov- chairperson, Dr Oko, stated that the president and test the federal government’s ernment would stop the funding “If TRCN is the only regulatory attempt to threaten White Paper on education re- of TRCN from 2015, but will con- agency that would be self-fundMr President not structuring. tinue the funding of other pro- ing amongst the several other to exercise his The TRCN made this known fessional regulatory agencies. professional bodies in the counconstitutional right in a statement signed by the “The Council intends to pro- try, the teaching profession is by contesting the TRCN’s head of information, test this issue with relevant au- too important and education next presidential Ojewuyi Olamuyiwa, and made thorities to correct the anoma- as a whole is in comatose, then, election 2015 if he available to LEADERSHIP, in lies observed in the government we need to do everything within so desires.’’ which they said that the Coun- White Paper on the report of the our capacity to bring TRCN out cil, being an emerging regulatory Presidential Committee on Re- of this problem.”

By Millie Ibe, Abuja

FG White Paper: TRCN Protests Funding Withdrawal

Group Decries Fintiri’s ‘Back Door’ Plot For Adamawa Gov’s Seat

By Pembi David-Stephen, Abuja

A group, the PDP Technocrats Forum, has called on the party national leadership to call an emergency meeting to address the issue of the party’s candidature for the upcoming Adamawa governorship election, saying the acting governor’s entry into the race raised ethical questions.

In a statement released in Abuja

and signed by the director-general, Mr. Etinosa Onaiwu, the group said it was necessary to address what it described as the moral deficiency in the decision of the acting governor, Alhaji Umaru Fintiri, to join the race.

Mr. Onaiwu noted that while the acting Governor Fintiri had the right to contest the PDP primaries, it would, however, lay a bad precedent that a speaker of the

state House of Assembly could instigate the impeachment of a governor and his deputy in order to take their job, and contest the resultant election as the acting governor.

“The tradition has always being for the speaker to act as governor upon the impeachment of a governor and return to his job as speaker once a new governor is sworn in.

“Alhaji Fintiri can test his popu-

larity by resigning as acting governor now and dedicating his time to campaigning instead of using state resources to arm twist support for his aspiration.

“We think this loophole should be blocked with either a constitutional amendment or the party can tweak its constitution to prevent future occurrence of this backdoor entrance to the state house,” the statement said.

46 news NATIONAL Akwa Ibom: Centre Advocates Reconciliation Over Civil War Injustices The Centre for Policy and Human Rights Issues has urged the government of Akwa Ibom State to establish by law, the Akwa Ibom Truth and Reconciliation Commission as an avenue for its citizens who are aggrieved by the events of the Nigerian civil war to reconcile bottled up issues.

In a press statement signed by its director general, Mr Mbet Okpongate, the centre argued that “it is necessary that processes be put in place for such healing and reconciliation to be achieved through patriotic steps”.

“Although the incident is about five decades today, the effect of the injustice and sense of loss still lingers on. The centre also notes that the victims of human rights abuses during the Nigerian civil war were mostly leaders of NCNC and NPC who were falsely accused and petitioned by Action Group leaders. These were arrested and murdered in Akwa Ibom State in a manner which could be described, in the least, as a crime against humanity and/ or a war crime”, the statement said.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Adamawa Guber: Stalemate In PDP Over Waiver For Ribadu, Others

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

The raging controversy over the propriety or otherwise of the waiver application by former chairman of the EFCC Nuhu Ribadu and two others took a new turn as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday failed to take a decision on the matter.

Aside Ribadu, others who applied for waiver in the race to the Adamawa governorship are Mohammed Buba Marwa and Markus Gundiri who recently defected to the PDP. Following disagreements during the marathon sessions of meetings,both at the presidential villa and the party national headquarters, PDP finally resolved to

shift screening for aspirants from today to Saturday announcing also that the report of the waiver committee will Mbe released on Friday as well as the list of the screening panel.

The meetings were prelude to today’s aborted screening for aspirants of the PDP ahead of the party’s primaries billed for September 6 and the by-election

which comes up on October 11.

Briefing newsmen at party’s national headquarters, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, chife Olisa Metu, after a meeting of the NWC which ended at 8:17pm disclosed that a sub committee has been setup by the NWC to look into the waiver issue and that the screening has been postponed to Saturday.

short news UN Envoy Applauds Nigeria’s Ebola Response

By Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

Labour Minister Lauds NURTW’s Identity Card Initiative The minister of labour and productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu has commended the vision and wisdom of the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for the launch of its official Identity Card.

Speaking during the official launching of the initiative in Abuja, Chief Wogu said that the decision of the union’s leadership to commence the database identification cards for its members was laudable and called on other trade unions to emulate the NURTW’s noble move.

He said, “This giant stride would enable NURTW verify it members nationwide. I commend the leadership for embracing the transformation agenda embarked upon towards transforming union activities to meet up with the global challenges and calling on its members to key into the laudable programme which has multiple gains.”

In his address, the president of the union, Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin said that the identification cards would assist in identifying genuine members of the union and in setting up a world-class database for its members.

By Tunde Oguntola, Abuja

Cross section of youths trained as motor mechanics, at the distribution of working tools in Sokoto, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN

PDP Youths Allege Campaign Of Calumny Against Mu’azu

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Youth Vanguard yesterday raised the alarm over alleged plots to instigate campaign of calumny against the national chairman, Dr Adamu Mu’azu.

The PDP group said it was reacting to a publication by another group called National Democratic Frontiers, which had picked holes in the administrative style of Mu’azu among other complaints.

But according to PDP National Youth Vanguard, the aim of the sponsors of the faceless group “is to truncate the peace we presently enjoy in the party with the emergence of our national chairman, the Game Changer, Ahmadu

Adamu Mu’azu.”

The group said in a statement signed by its national secretary, Amb. Bala Aboki, that all the accusations against Mu’azu are baseless, biased, and unpatriotic.

Part of the statement reads: “All right thinking PDP members and Nigerians in general will recall the state of the party before the emergence of the current chairman, Mu’azu, who is now recognised by admirers as the Game Changer. He has steered the ship of the PDP in the direction where instead of the hurricane of defection from the PDP to other political parties, many PDP members have returned in their numbers and many are now joining the party from the opposition politi-

cal parties.

“Our victory in Ekiti State in the South West is another milestone of the Game Changer in PDP. The South West since 2011 has been the den of the opposition, but the PDP penetrated the South West, defeating an incumbent who had to congratulate our elected candidate, Ayo Fayose because of the overwhelming victory of the PDP in the state.

“The PDP today has regrouped and repositioned in Kano, Sokoto, Rivers, Adamawa and Kwara states where we lost to the opposition and is already taking over some states like Adamawa that will fully become a PDP state after the re-run gubernatorial election in October 2014.”

Dr David Navarro, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Ebola, on Wednesday applauded Nigeria’s handling of the outbreak of the Ebola Virus disease.

Navarro, who gave the commendation at a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, told State House correspondents that the government and the entire Nigerians performed excellently in their response to the disease.

He said he was in Nigeria in continuation of his tour of the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, which are affected by the virus.

By NAN

Hon Gusau Bags Exceptional Service Award From 3 Student Bodies MILLIE IBE, Abuja

Engr. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, PDP member representing Gusau/ Tsafe federal constituency of Zamfara State, has been conferred with an Exceptional Service Award by the Students Union Government (SUG) of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State.

Performing the ceremony in Abuja, the SUG president, Abdu-

lateef Shobanke stated that the award was a joint product of the SUG Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Joint Campus Committee of all the tertiary institutions in the state and the Zamfara State student associations, which came together to honour the lawmaker for his laudable support to the indigenous students of the state and his achievements in the House of Representatives.

Shobanke explained that the

award was to spur him to do more for not only the people of his constituency but also for the entire state.

According to him, the three student bodies set up a committee to monitor those that have performed well at the National Assembly and Gusau was found to top the list, which informed the decision to give him the award.

He urged the lawmaker to do more than what he has done, add-

ing that the SUG is always behind him.

Receiving the award, the lawmaker said he did not expect the award from the student bodies because he never knew that they beamed their searchlight on him on what he has been doing for the people of his constituency.

He, however, said the award would strengthen him to do more, and dedicated the award to Almighty God.

THE NATION’S CAPITAL 47

Thursday, August 28, 2014

FAHIS Promises Gwagwalada Residents Affordable Healthcare Delivery

By Igho Oyoyo

The Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FAHIS) has reaffirmed the commitment of the FCT authority to provide affordable health delivery to residents of communities in Gwagwalada area council and other councils of the FCT. Coordinator of Community Base Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS), Dr Grace Aganaba, who made this known while distributing health insurance cards and drugs to residents of Ibwa 1 Community in Gwagwalada, said that the residents that are yet to register for the scheme and make use of the opportunity availed them by the FCTA to access health care with N1, 800 a year.

According to Aganaba, the health of the people is of paramount importance to the administration of the FCT; that is why the minister of state for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, is doing everything within her power to ensure that residents of the area have access to affordable and qualitative health care.

“The administration of the FCT is committed to giving affordable and qualitative health care delivery to everybody in the council; that is why this scheme has been put in place, [so] that with just N1800 [for registration in a year], that person can have unlimited access to free health care.

“During this period, drugs will be provided at every designated health centre where the operators of this scheme will be assigned to and any health centre that is not below standard will have to be improved upon.

I will continue to appreciate the minister of state’s relentless support to ensure that community-based health insurance comes to stay in Abuja.

“Like we always say, health is wealth and it is good for us to always stay healthy; that is why I want to use this opportunity to advice residents of the Abuja’s rural communities to keep their environments clean during and after the rains, in order to avoid any outbreak of sickness and diseases,” she said.

The Hakimi of Ibwa 1, Chief Abubakar Dikko, who could not hide his gratitude over the scheme, described the scheme as “the first of its kind since the community came into existence”.

Pray For Nigeria, Cleric Urges FCT Residents

By Igho Oyoyo

The president of Kingdom Life Global Mission, Evangelist Omoroje Egbule, has called on residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the nation’s populace to pray with determination for peace, unity and development for Nigeria.

Egbule, who made the call yesterday at a press conference in Abuja, said that the ministry has declared a 40-day prayer and fasting to mark the first 100 years of the nation as a single political entity and for the 2015 general elections, beginning from today.

He said that, contrary to some people’s declaration that Nigeria will be a failed state in 2015, there will be no crisis and Nigeria will not disintegrate, but will remain as one nation. Egbule, therefore, urged Nigerians to pray for the leaders to be led by God in the right direction, in order to make Nigeria great again.

According to him, based on the revelation he got, Nigeria is 20 years behind where she is supposed to be and that Nigerians need to pray hard and have faith in God to lead the leaders to develop the country.

He advised Nigerians to shun religious, political and ethnic differences and come together as one, in order to fight for the good of the country.

“As a people, let us imbibe the fear of God and a renewed spirit of national patriotism, among the leaders and the led, in order to enhance the social-economic and ethno/geo-political stability, transformation and growth, as we match to become a global economic player by the year 2020,” he said.

A woman grinding dry yam at Aleita yesterday photo by ogoh Oyoyo

Groups Kick Against Ebola Centre In Kuje

By Igho Oyoyo

The Traders Union in Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has kicked against the move of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to establish an Ebola surveillance centre within the grounds of the Kuje General Hospital.

The chairman of the union, Alhaji Unusa Isah, while speaking with journalists at Kuje, said the issue had nothing to do with citing the centre in Kuje. However, he pointed out that siting it in the heart of town was very unfair to the people of the area.

“We wish to express our dissatisfaction that we, the Traders Union, have rejected every plan

of designating the Kuje General Hospital as an isolation centre for the Ebola virus.

“Considering the contagious potentials, social and psychological effects and other health hazards it may unleash on the people of the area; we reject the move in its entirety. The general hospital is the only health facility serving the whole of Airport Road area, military and police barracks, as well as the adjoining rural communities,” he said.

The coordinator of the Kuje Concerned Youth Forum (KCYF) Okibe Ajaero, also reiterated that erecting the Ebola Treatment Centre in Kuje was not a problem, but siting it in the midst of the council-centre was unacceptable to the people, adding that failure by the FCTA to reconsider

the move will force the people to embark on a peaceful protest.

“Testing, screening and treatment of suspected patience to such virus should be sited in a remote and isolated area, away from the general populace. Failure by the FCT minister to reconsider this unethical and public health abuse will force the people of Kuje, especially the women and youths to go for a protest,” he said.

Ajaero reasoned with the FCTA, calling on it to locate the centre in the outskirts of the council, where the risk of contracting the deadly disease will be minimised. He also appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health to reconsider the plan in the interest of the council’s residents.

WAEC Mass Failure: Educationist Proposes Return Of Boarding Schools

By Chika Mefor

Following another mass failure in the annual results released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), head of human capital management, Premier Academy, Lugbe, Dele Onakoya, has proposed the conversion of all schools to boarding schools, as it will help promote better reading habit among students, thereby reducing mass failure.

Speaking in an interview with LEADERSHIP, Onakoya explained that experience has shown that boarding students are far more disciplined and better at time management than their day counterparts.

“We are concerned about the mass failure in the WAEC results for this year.

If you look at the education system, you will see that most public schools are day schools. In the past, when you look at the benefit of boarding schools to the education system, you will find

out that the children [who are boarders] are more disciplined and turn out to be better at a number of things,” he said.

Onakoya stated that boarding schools have become important these days, as nobody controls the children when they come back to school, due to the busy schedules their parents have, adding that, in the hostels, students are controlled and guided for their progress.

“The reverting to the day-system is not really helping. Even though the WAEC recorded mass failure, most of the students who did well are students of private schools, especially those who have boarding facilities. They were able to manage the time of the students towards activities that will make them pass the exams,” he said.

Onakoya advised that while creating hostels, school authorities must concentrate on making it conducive, so that the students can ably concentrate on their studies, adding that the

approach has been tried and tested by his school – a factor which has made them perform excellently in WAEC over the years.

“In Premier Academy, all the students are in the hostel. The other thing which helps us is proper hostel management; we take note that the hostel is a home away from home, so we make it conducive while getting the students to focus on their studies. They are not actually missing home and yet they have ample time to study. If schools are doing that, I think we will have better result,” he said.

Onakoya commended the government for returning most of the schools to the original owners for better management and also called on parents to help the teachers in instilling discipline in their children and avoid over-pampering them. issues to ensure that their interests are brought to the fore at all levels of government.

48

Thursday, August 28, 2014

DEFENCE FOCUS 49

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Military Under Fire Over Plight Of Troops defence focus

T

he last few days have been very tough for the military, as critics all over, have subjected the leadership to a barrage of criticism over what has been happening in the counterinsurgency operation of recent.

It was the BBC that first came in with a report of alleged mutiny when a faceless ‘soldier’ lamented the problems the troops were allegedly facing in the war, but the military disowned the ‘soldier’.

“That degree of cowardice is not in the character of a real soldier of the Nigerian Army.

The series of lies contained in the alleged responses of the faceless person referred to as a soldier confirms the whole arrangement as another step of the mischief makers working for terrorists.

No soldier has been sent on any mission without being armed.

Each soldiers answers for his action in terms of discipline.

“Anyone who knows the military reward for mutiny will not join another person to try it. The overwhelming majority of the Nigerian soldiers remains as brave and disciplined as ever. They will certainly not join any renegade, coward, deserter or those trying to incite mutiny in the military to betray the nation at time like this, in a way that impostor told his interviewers. His claims are false.

“Certainly soldiers are not being sent to die. We may not have everything now, but we are improving on weapons and equipment rapidly,” the military authorities stated on its blog.

Then came the reports that some 480 troops had been arrested in Cameroun after allegedly escaped from the ‘superior’ fire power of the terrorists but again the military faulted the report and ‘set the record straight’.

According to reports, the troops clashed with the terrorists in the border town of Gamborou Ngala which led to a fierce fighting and this allegedly forced the troops to run to the neighbouring country.

“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 maneuver. Eventually they found

themselves on Camerounian 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.

“Following necessary discussions between Nigerian and Camerounian 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 incidence as a defection is therefore not appropriate considering the discussion between the two countries’ military leadership and the series of contacts with the soldiers who have confirmed that they are safe,” the Defence Headquarters explained.

The Defence Headquarters has confirmed that troops who returned from Cameroon were today addressed by the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Major General Zaruwa as they embark on another mission in the Counter Terrorism campaign.

According to the military, “All the soldiers are in high spirit with all their weapons and equipment intact”.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as an unprecedented national embarrassment the increasing seizure of Nigerian towns by the terrorist group Boko Haram and the reported fleeing of 480 Nigerian soldiers to Cameroon during an attack on a military base in Gamboru-Ngala on Monday.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party called on President Goodluck Jonathan to urgently address Nigerians on the worsening security situation in the northern part of the country that has allowed Boko Haram to proclaim its rule over a part of the nation’s territory.

It said in the face of the biggest threat to Nigeria’s unity and territorial integrity since the country’s civil war, President Jonathan must also put partisanship aside and rally the nation against Boko Haram, which by all indications seems to be getting bolder and stronger, to such an extent that the group is

By BAYO OLADEJI

Jonathan

Badeh

now hoisting its flag over parts of the nation’s territory.

APC also restated its call for an urgent national stakeholders’ conference on security that will cut across party lines to help fashion a solution to what has now become a clear and present danger to the survival of Nigeria, while pledging its unalloyed support for any sincere effort by the Federal Government to end the insurgency as quickly as possible. ‘’There is no way to spin what happened on Monday, when 480 Nigerian soldiers escaped to Cameroon. The Ministry of Defence called it ‘tactical manoeuvre’, but did not explain how soldiers fighting insurgents along Nigeria’s border with Cameroon will foray 80 kilometres into Cameroon!

Also, if the Nigerian troops’ foray into Cameroon was in the spirit of the cooperation between the two countries in the fight against the terrorists, as some spin doctors have said, why were the Nigerian soldiers disarmed and then herded into schools in Maroua, 80kms from the Nigerian border?”

Meanwhile, residents of Madagali town have said said Bokom Haram insurgents told them to defy the 24-hour curfew imposed on the area by the state government.

Acting state governor, Umar Fintiri, had, on Sunday, announced the curfew after Boko Haram fighters invaded the town, close to the boundary with Gwoza.

Madagali, according to investigations, is the town where Fintiri hails from. Other PDP bigwigs who are indigenes of the town are former Deputy Governor to Murtala Nyako, Bala Ngilari, and former Political adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Gulak. The Minister of Youth and former governor of Adamawa state, Boni Haruna hails from the neighbouring Michika.

Apparently not satisfied with these new development, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah has stated that the Nigerian Army will soon be reorganised to enable it effectively carry out the task of protecting the territorial integrity of the nation.

Gen Minimah said the reorganisation has become very necessary because the Nigerian Army intends to stop at nothing in riding the nation of terrorists and their activities.

The COAS stated this on Friday in Calabar during his familiarization visit to army formations and units under the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.

Addressing officers and men of the 13 Brigade Nigerian Army in Calabar, Cross River State, Gen Minimah said, “The army is ready to defeat terrorism and insurgency in the country.

“First and foremost, we will reorganise the army, renew our doctrine and then do our training with the new equipment we have”, he said.

Profile: Flight Lt Akweke Junior Nwadiale

Nwadiale

The late Flight Lieutenant Nwadiale was born on 22 March, 1985. He hailed from Ndiakwu Otolo Nnewi North Local Government of Anambra State.

Junior Nwadiuale was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on 29 September, 2003 as a member of Regular Course 55. Winning laurels, Nwakile successfully completed his cadet military training fourt years later with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics. He was the best graduating officer cadet in the Department of Physics and the best graduating Air Officer in the Air Force cadet of NDA Regular Course 55. He was commissioned a Pilot Of-

ficer in the Nigerian Air Force on 29 September, 2007 and later promoted to the rank of Flying Officer in September 2008 and Flight Lieutenant in September 2012.

He was a squadron pilot at 305 Flying Training School, Enugu and 97 SOG Special Operation Group, Port Harcourt where he also served as an Instructor Pilot. He also participated in the African –Led Intervention Force in Mali (AFISMA) as a squadron pilot and later in the Joint Task Force Operation Zaman Lafiya in North Eastern Nigerian until his death on 21 July, 2014 in the ill-fated NAF Helicopter at Bama.

In a related development, the International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS), Nigeria/West Africa chapter, has asked the Federal Government to direct its military to go all out in the fight against Boko Haram and other insurgent groups and restore peace to the country immediately.

Chairman of the chapter, Air Vice Marshal Muhammad AuduBida (retd), said this in Abuja, on Tuesday, while disclosing the outcome of a meeting of the executive board of the society held on Monday.

Audu-Bida said the board members considered the worsening humanitarian situation in the North East as well as adjoining states and neighbouring countries and concluded that it was time that all be set aside to wrest the area from rampaging insurgents and restore peace.

Audu-Bida said that this cannot be allowed to continue because humanitarian aid agencies are unable to reach these displaced people for fear of being attacked or kidnapped by terrorists, who have no respect for rules of engagement in their operations.

He lamented that the insurgency had been allowed to fester for too long and things had got out of hand, especially with the recent sacking of the Police mobile training institution in Gwoza, Borno State. With this, the insurgents will become more emboldened, unless decisive action is taken immediately to wipe them out.

“For the good of millions of Nigerians, the military should take decisive action now to stop further displacement of Nigerians, destruction of farmlands, lives and property as well as occupying our territory, a situation which has become very embarrassing to Nigerians, government and the armed forces.”

He noted that fighting insurgency and restoring peace have never been a piece of cake in any clime and cited the instance of the United States of America, which refused to yield to Islamic State terrorists, who demanded ransom in exchange for the captured American journalist, but rather, continued to rain heavy sorties on the insurgents in northern Iraq.

Top 3 DEFENCE STORIES ➊ Fleeing Nigerian Troops Return Home-DHQ ➋ Nigerian

Soldiers’ Foray Into Cameroun National Embarrassment- APC

➌ Nasarawa Accused Of Harbouring Fulani Insurgents

The army will be reorganised- Minimah

50

Thursday, August 28, 2014

world

news ➌ ➍➏ ➋ ➐ ➊

➎

➎ Life Returns To

Gaza As Truce Holds

An open-ended ceasefire in the Gaza war was holding as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced strong criticism in Israel over a costly conflict with Palestinian fighters in which no clear victor

emerged.

On the streets of the battered, Hamas-run Palestinian enclave, people headed to shops and banks, trying to resume the normal pace of life after seven weeks of fighting.

The United Nations has accused the Islamic State group of committing war crimes including amputations and public executions, sometimes

in the presence of children.

The world body also said it believed the Syrian government had used chlorine gas in combating its enemies.

One of Colombia’s most notorious hired killers, John Jairo Velasquez, has been released from prison after serving 22 years of his 30-year sentence for murder, police and judicial sources have

said.

Velasquez, better known by his nickname “Popeye,” was paroled on Tuesday evening after helping prosecutors convict a former justice minister.

➊ Rebels Push Into ➋ Kiev Says

Ukrainian Coastal Russian Army In Ukraine Town Of Novoazovsk AEast massive convoy of Russian tanks

Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have pushed their way into the port of Novoazovsk, threatening to open up a new front in the war.

The mayor of the town on the Sea of Azov confirmed rebels had entered, as jubilant rebel supporters shared photos of advancing tanks on social media.

and heavy weapons have crossed into Ukraine, travelling towards a government-held town in the restive east, Ukraine’s army has said.

A statement published by the military on Wednesday said a convoy of “up to 100” tanks, armoured vehicles and rocket launchers was seen travelling on a road toward Telmanove, a town about 80km south of rebel stronghold Donetsk and 20 km from the Russian border.

MOBILE SUBSCRIPTION AND PENETRATION percentage represents mobile penetration each year

29%

31%

2007

2008

42%

57%

➏ UN Accuses Islamic State Group Of War Crimes

61%

NIGERIA 2009

2010

2011

SUBSCRIBERS SUBSCRIBERS SUBSCRIBERS SUBSCRIBERS SUBSCRIBERS 40,011,296 53,935,985 65,533,875 81,195,685 90,566,238

➌ Afghan Vote Audit ➍ UN Council Passes Restarts Without Libya Resolution Candidates’ Observers

An audit of votes from Afghanistan’s disputed presidential election has restarted without observers from the camps of either candidate.

Candidate Abdullah Abdullah had withdrawn his observers after raising concerns over fraud.

The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution on Libya on Wednesday that calls for an immediate ceasefire and includes sanctions for those involved in violence there.

The Security Council’s move came amid worsening conflict in Libya.

➐ Notorious

Colombian Drug Hitman Released

WORLD NEWS 51

Thursday, August 28, 2014

IMF Chief Lagarde Questioned In French Fraud Probe said by telephone, adding that his client, who was due to return to IMF headquarters in Washington later on Wednesday, had no plans to resign.

In a statement earlier in the day, Lagarde said the decision was “without basis”.

“After three years of proceedings, dozens of hours of questioning, the court found from the evidence that I Kalama Devi receiving treatmnet after her duel with a leopard committed no offense, and the only allegation is that I was not sufficiently vigilant,” she said.

Lagarde In French law, magistrates place someone under official when they The fight is said to have lasted a about 10 a.m. Sunday as Devi, Christine Lagarde, the chief of awarded $531m in arbitration investigation the International Monetary to settle a dispute with the believe there are indications of half-hour and pitted a leopard who had been cutting grass with Fund (IMF), has been placed now defunct, state-owned bank wrongdoing, but that does not against a woman armed only with a sickle, walked through a field in always lead to a trial. under formal investigation in a Credit Lyonnais. a farm tool in an isolated field in the village of Koti Badma, in the Largarde’s lawyer Yves The inquiry has already India.

Rudraprayag district of Uttaracorruption probe that dates back Kalama Devi, at 54 years old, khand. to her days as France’s finance Repiquet told the Reuters news embroiled several of Sarkozy’s agency that Lagarde was this cabinet members and France won.

It fractured her left hand first, minister. chief executive Devi, a widow and mother of so with her right hand clutching The inquiry relates to week questioned by magistrates Telecom allegations that tycoon in Paris for a fourth time under Stephane Richard, who was an one, has been telling her story the sickle she repeatedly hit the Bernard Tapie, a supporter of her existing status as a witness aide to Lagarde when she was from a hospital bed in Srinagar, animal -- for about 30 minutes. finance minister.

She said she kept pounding the Conservative former president in the long-running saga. in Uttarakhand state, where she’s “We are appealing it,” Repiquet —Al Jazeera being treated for fractures, swell- leopard until she ran out of enerNicolas Sarkozy, was improperly ing, scratches and cuts to her skull gy, then, exhausted and bleeding, that have required 50 stitches. limped one kilometer to a nearby “I held the leopard with my village to seek help, Dr. Abdul Rahands, it then bit my hand and hul at the HNB Base Hospital in then left it. ... Both my hands are Srinagar told CNN. in immense pain and I am not able Villagers found the leopard dead recent gains have come on low volume, suggesting investors to lift them up,” she said. when they went to the scene of the are wary of jumping in at current levels.

According to the doctor who’s reported attack, the doctor said.

Still, the S&P’s price-to-earnings ratio is within historical —CNN treating her, the leopard pounced norms, suggesting stocks are not overvalued, though further pronounced gains may be a challenge, given a dearth of positive catalysts.

“Earnings are good and rates are low, which creates the kind of environment that will keep pushing up markets gradually,” A seven-year-old Indian girl who cries to the middle of a cane field said David Kelly, chief global strategist for JPMorgan Funds in was allegedly buried alive by rela- where he found the soil moving.

New York. “I’m not concerned about valuation yet, especially tives in the northern state of UtPolice allege the girl’s uncle and compared to fixed income, but I see a yellow light instead of a tar Pradesh has been rescued by aunt had promised to take her to a green light.” a villager. fair, but then strangled and buried US stocks were flat yesterday as investors found few reasons to The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 5.35 points or Police say relatives first tried her near the village of Semri Gauextend a rally that has taken indexes to repeated records, even 0.03 percent, to 17,112.05, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 0.09 to strangle her and then left her ra where she lives. though market valuations were not seen as unduly stretched. point or 0 percent, to 2,000.11 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC to die in a shallow grave.

It is un“When the girl became conThe S&P 500 closed above 2,000 for the first time on added 1.06 points or 0.02 percent, to 4,571.70. clear why. scious, she began to remove the Tuesday, while the Dow Jones industrial average also ended A mere 4.54 points separated the S&P’s high and low on The man who found her in Sita- soil on top of her and clambered near a record high. Both indexes have risen in 10 of the past 13 Wednesday, making for the narrowest one-day trading range pur district alerted police - she was out of the shallow grave. Then she sessions, and the S&P has closed at a record 30 times this year, since July 2. taken to a hospital and is said to sat there and cried loudly when according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Tiffany & Co (TIF.N) rose 1 percent to $101.79 after reporting be doing well. the villager spotted her,” Sitapur The gains have come without any correction since 2012, second-quarter revenue that topped expectations and raising Police are looking for her moth- police chief Rajesh Krishna told prompting analysts to call for a pullback, especially given such its full-year profit view. Chico’s FAS Inc (CHS.N) fell 3.1 percent er, uncle and aunt who they say BBC Hindi. potential headwinds as a reduction in Federal Reserve stimuto $15.53 after its results. have fled.

“There are strangulation marks lus and the tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Much of the —Reuters The villager who rescued her around the girl’s neck.” followed the sound of muffled —CNN

Indian Woman, Armed Only With Farm Tool, Fights Off Leopard

STOCK MARKET: Wall Street Flat At Record High

Indian Girl, 7, Survives Being Buried Alive

500,000 Farmers To Benefit From Nigeria/US Partnership TERRORISM: US Man ‘Fighting For innovations which would help their enterprise.

According to him, “Agriculture must work not as a IS Group’ Dies In Syria The US Agency for International Development way of life, but as a business.”

By Ugochukwu Iroka, Abuja

(USAID) and Syngenta Nigeria, a leading agrocompany, have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) to train more than 500,00 farmers and agro-dealers across multiple states and crops.

The MoU seeks to ensure that the best available agricultural technologies are readily made available to Nigerian farmers, in order to boost their productivity.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwunmi Ayo Adesina, who witnessed the signing of the MoU in person in Abuja yesterday stressed the importance of technology in agriculture and the need for Nigerian farmers to move past crude tools and fully integrate modern processes in their practices.

He assured that efforts would be made to ensure that farmers can access any new technologies or

Dr Shachi Sharma, Syngenta’s country director said, “We are delighted about the signing of this MoU and believe our collaboration will be a catalyst for transforming agriculture in Nigeria. We are looking forward to working with USAID to bring together smallholder farmers and accelerate the development of a retail network as well as lay the foundations for providing advanced agricultural training to hundreds of thousands of farmers across Nigeria.”

Deputy Chief of Mission of the US embassy in Abuja, Maria Brewer reiterated the commitment of the US government to not only teach farmers how to plant, but also how to run successful businesses.

Syngenta and USAID will also cooperate on identifying employment opportunities in the agricultural sector for participants of President Obama’s Washington Fellowship, also known as the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)

A US citizen suspected of fighting alongside Islamic State group fighters, who have seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria, has been killed in Syria, a US official has said.

The White House late on Tuesday confirmed the death of Douglas McAuthur McCain, 33 - a onetime aspiring rapper and basketball fan from California.

McCain, who converted from Christianity to Islam about a decade ago, was killed in fighting against the al-Nusra Front, an alQaeda-linked group blacklisted

by Washington, US media reports said.

“We were aware of US Citizen

Douglas McAuthur McCain’s presence in Syria and can confirm his death,” US National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement.

“We continue to use every tool we possess to disrupt and dissuade individuals from travelling abroad for violent jihad and to track and engage those who return.”

A national security official who asked not to be named told the Reuters news agency that the FBI was investigating McCain’s death, and a State Department spokeswoman said officials had been in contact with his family and were providing “all consular assistance”.

52

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Enyeama Wants Lille Stay Nigeria captain Vincent Enyeama is calm about his future, despite rumours that Lille could look to offload him after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

The likes of Rio Mavuba and Salomon Kalou have been linked with moves away from Les Dogues after being knocked out of the play-offs by FC Porto.

The Super Eagles goalkeeper says that although a switch is possible, he is not worried after becoming the latest key member of the squad to be in the transfer rumour mill.

“Leaving Lille? I can’t rule it out,” Enyeama told beIN Sports, in a response about a question about his future.

“I like Lille, the club, the city.

“If the club decides to sell me, that is their choice. Personally, I am not particularly looking to leave the club. I’m happy where I am.

“But if the club woke up and said, ‘Vincent, you have to go’, I would thank them for what they have done and I will.”

Giwa Resumes Office As NFF President

.He is occupying office illegally Chekwuemeka

By SALIFU USMAN, Abuja

The new president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Christopher Giwa has resumes in office in the chattered Glass House, Abuja. Giwa was on Tuesday elected as president of the NFF with 27 votes, ahead of Chief Mike Umeh who got only two votes.

Also resumes in office yesterday at the Glass House were other elected board

When we had contact [with Barcelona] and knew of their interest, I did not hesitate for a moment because it was my dream, my desire CLuis Suarez, Barcelona new

boy

members including first vice president, Obinna Ogba and chairman of chairmen, Effiong Johnson.

The new president after took a formalising tour of the office, went into a close door meeting with the staff and also held marathon meeting that last for four hours with member of the his board.

Speaking to newsmen on his arrival at the Glass House, the new president promised to bring all the stakeholders together to move Nigeria’s football forward.

He said his immediate task

is to put the house in order in ensuring that the football prospers in the country. He added that he will move the secretariat of the NFF to the new permanent head office, Sunday Dankaro House at the package B of the Abuja National Stadium.

“First, I have to put the house in order and make the game of football prosper in this country. We have move out of this place immediately to the new permanently secretariat at the Stadium.

“Apart from the incident that took place here, it has being my desire that when I get to the office, in less than

two week the secretariat would move to the permanent site. One of the top most of our priorities to make sure that the secretary operate in a befitting place,” he said.

He said he will ensure there is a united and one house in Nigeria football, insisting that he won his election genuinely and FIFA will not upturn his election as alleged by the general secretary of NFF, Musa Amadu. “As a board we will make sure that we have one house. I want to say clearly that I don’t believe we have a divided house.”

I Turned Down Other Offers To Join Barcelona – Suarez Luis Suarez has revealed that he did not even consider the other offers on the table before agreeing to join Barcelona because it has long been his “dream” to play with Lionel Messi and Co. at Camp Nou. The Uruguay international completed an €81 million move to Catalunya from Liverpool earlier this summer, even though it appeared for a long time that the forward was more likely to end up

at Real Madrid.

However, Suarez has explained that he has been watching Barca and their recent title successes from afar for some time now.

“When we had contact [with Barcelona] and knew of their interest, I did not hesitate for a moment because it was my dream, my desire,” he stated in an interview with Barca Fans. “I rejected other options because my

2014 World Cup Superstars: EMENIKE

Emenike

Aminu Maigari, former NFF President

Name: Emmanuel Emenike Date of Birth: May 10, 1987 Place of Birth: Otuocha Club:Fenerbahce World Cups: 1 Appearance: 4 Goals: 0 In 2008 Emmanuel Emenike was a Nigerian amateur, walking for 90 minutes just to attend training sessions, just six years later, he has graced the top flights of both Russian and Turkish football.

Emenike made a few professional appearances in South Africa in 2008-09 before being picked up by Turkish second-flight side Karabukspor, where his 16

goals in 2009-10 helped to secure the club promotion, Despite running squabbles with the press, in his first season in the Super Lig he scored another 14 goals, earning him a move to one of Turkey’s biggest clubs, Penerbahce.

Six weeks later, Emenike was arrested in connection with a major Turkish sport eo ruptio scandal, and Fenerbahce offloaded him t Sparta Moscow, without him having played a sin le match, In two years at Spartak, he scored 1 goal in 42 games, In April 20 13, the Turkish charges against him were thrown out of court, and at summer he returned to Fenerbahce .

dream was to play here.

“After many years in Europe, first at Ajax and then Liverpool, my career had been growing and now it has reached its pinnacle by being at the best team in the world.

“I want to win the titles that [I watched Barca win] from a distance for years. I always enjoyed watching the players here, who are now my team-mates.”

Suarez

Arsenal Offered Contract To Zigic, Says Agent Arsenal have offered a contract to Nikola Zigic, according to the Serbian forward’s agent.

The Gunners could be in the market for a new frontman after Olivier Giroud picked up an injury that is expected to keep the France international out of action for up to four months.

Zigic’s representative, Milan Calasan, has now claimed that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger wants his client as a replacement - but added that Zigic could yet shun Arsenal and move to Turkey or Switzerland instead.

When asked about Arsenal’s reported interest in the tow-

ering striker, the agent told SPORT: “It is true. Wenger called me on Tuesday afternoon and told me that he wants to bring Zigic to Arsenal.

“It is clear that you cannot reject an offer like that. But Zigic is the one who must decide. He must say what he wants.

“But Wenger was clear, he is offering a contract until the end of the season with the option for another 12 months.

“I know that Arsenal are in a hurry, but Nikola also has offers from Turkey and Switzerland.”

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

sports 53

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Gov Yero Peace Cup Enters Semi-final

By ONJEWU DICKSOn, Abuja

Danagogo

Danagogo Sits On N1.8bn Sports Federations’ 2014 Appropriation Go and develop other sports, NFF board member tells minister

By ONJEWU DICKSOn, Abuja

As the crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation lingers, other sports are left unattended to with the Sports Minister/Chairman National Sports Commission, Tammy Danagogo sitting on over N1.8 billion meant for sporting activities for the year 2014 captured in this year’s Appropriation Act yet to get to the federations, LEADERSHIP Sports have learnt.

This is coming as most federations have very important engagements that bother on Olympic Games qualification. It was also gathered that since he assumed office he is yet to meet with the federation presidents on any issue on their programmes but engrossed with football activities even after stating on assumption that he will not be a minister of football but sports.

For this year, the National Assembly appropriated the over N1.8b while N570m was earmarked for specific federations to guarantee some level of finan-

cial independence and take care of sporting activities in those federations. The amount was allocated by the lawmakers to federations that have demonstrated commitment and promise to deliver good results for the country in international tourneys and aimed at further opening opportunity for other federations to be included directly on the national budget to ensure success in all national and international programmes. It was also according to them to further demonstrate the federal government’s commitment and promise to deliver in the area of sports development.

But checks reveal that the nation is on the last lap of the 3rd quarter with no dime released to any federation except football. A member of the Nigeria Football Federation Board who craved for anonymity said the minister should do the needful and look at ways of developing other sports rather than kill himself and time on football. “Why is the sports minister not doing the needful and allow other sports develop like football than channeling all his energy on one sport to the detriment of others. When he came on board he promised to be minster of sports not football, but he is directly the opposite so far. Why are other federations be-

ing allowed to suffer when there is the seed money lawfully appropriated to them to ensure that the objective they were set up is met?

I am aware that majority of the federations are being owed by the NSC and that anything appropriated by the National Assembly and accented to by the president has become law and any attempt by anyone to sit or divert that money by whatever purpose will be brought to book. Since he came on board, the top hierarchy of the NSC has been unable to sit and give the desired attention to other sports except wanting to know what is happening in football.”

The aggrieved NFF board member called on the minister to rather address the frosty relationship between him and his director general, Gbenga Elegbeleye and other directors which according to him is affecting sports development instead of exerting all his energy on football politics. For him, the National Assembly has to step in and investigate whether the funds appropriated to the federations for their 2014 programmes through the NSC on the performance of the 2014 sports budget with specific reference to the performance of projects and disbursements to federations have been carried out.

Glo Hails Oshoala, Praises Falconets

By ONJEWU DICKSOn, Abuja

Nigeria’s national telecommunications carrier Globacom, has congratulated the Falconets for what it called an outstanding performance at the just concluded U-17 female World Cup in Montreal, Canada.

Globacom said that even though they lost the cup, the girls made a good showing and gave a good account of themselves. To qualify for the finals, the Super Falconets had defeated New Zealand and North Korea in the

Quarter and Semi-finals respectively.

According to a statement issued from Globacom’s headquarters, “the Falconets, in spite of the loss to Germany in the finals of the competition, put up a stiff competition against the highly-rated German team. But for certain technical anomalies, the Falconet would have picked the trophy. They displayed the Nigerian can-do spirit and high-level patriotism.”

Globacom applauded the handlers of the team for their dedi-

cation to duty, determination to excel and for making the nation proud at the mundial.

“We at Globacom are proud of the Falconets and the coaching crew for distinguishing themselves as the best in Africa and officially, second in the world. We will continue to support our national teams in every way possible,” the statement added.

Globacom also extolled top scorer, Azeezat Oshoala’s sterling performance which earned her the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards.

The match for glory continues in the Kaduna State Governor Yero Peace and Unity Soccer Cup Competition with some interesting games today at the Kaduna Township Stadium.

The last four teams standing after two rounds of encounters, the remaining four local government teams were different from last edition’s semi-finalists, which indicates that there is going to be a new champion in this edition.

Hon. Babami Abdullahi, the North West zonal coordinator of Grassroots Sports Federation (GRASOF), organizers of the annual competition said “you can see from the last four teams standing we are really professional, determined to instill fairness with open and transparent organization .”

“The organizing committee is perfectly ready to continue to give out value for the peaceful conduct of our dear state as well as the support and confidence our committee enjoys from His Excellency and I must also thank

the 23 local government areas for their cooperation in the state project. ” A total of 119 goals were scored in the first and second round of the tournament, 111 in the group stage and 8 goals from the quarter finals. In the semi-finals pairing indicated that Kaduna North Local Government battle Birnin Gwari LG whereas Kaura square up against Giwa LG in the second match.

Director competition, Grassroots Sports Federation, North West Zone Hon.Usman Abubakar Shaba commended the conduct of the officiating officials for the professional way they handled the matches so far and also revealed that budding talents were noticed and can be of great benefit to the state and various league clubs across the state.

Hon. Shaba assured of more discovery in subsequent editions and called on football stakeholders to come and see for themselves as well as support the development of the talented youth.

Jonathan

President Jonathan Hockey: IGP Flickers Spoil Edo Fun

By ONJEWU DICKSOn, Abuja

IGP Flickers showed superiority yesterday at the Murtala Square, Kaduna, where they humiliated Edo 4-1 in the on-going President Goodluck Jonathan Hockey Championship.

Flickers dominated the game from the blast of the whistle till the end, leaving no chances to Edo, who were lucky to have escaped with only four goals at the back of their net.

Another Flickers, this time from Niger, also scored four goals to beat Bauchi 4-0, Ybe

beat Plateau Tigers 3-0, FCT fell to Borno 0-4, Benue received 0-9 bashing from First Bank and Kano beat Nagwamatse 3-1.

In other matches played, Nasarawa played a 2-2 draw with Gombe, while Police Machine also played a 1-1 draw with Kaduna.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP Sports, President of the Hockey Federation, Senator Abdul Ningi said that standard of play has increased at the championship.

‘We are impressed that as the championship progresses, the standard of play is also improving,” he said.

54 sports

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Diamond League: Gemili, Dasaolu Set For 100m

Van Gaal

Louis Van Gaal Tough To Work With - Klose Former Germany striker Miroslav Klose claims his time spent playing under Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was the hardest of his career.

The 36-year-old striker scored only 12 goals in 60 games under Van Gaal at Bayern Munich before leaving in 2011.

“It was a tough time, particularly working with Van Gaal,”

By SALIFU USMAn, Abuja

Another fresh angle has been added to the lingering crisis in Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as Federal government is planning to quash Tuesday’s election by one faction that produce Christopher Giwa as president and a new road map being adopted by another faction to put in place a sole administrator to run Nigeria’s football.

The new administration to be

put in place by the government if the two faction in the NFF crisis fail to sheath their sword and put their house in order, we gathered will be headed by a renowned football administrator and the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria 2009, Mainasara Illo.

Source close to the National Sports Commission (NSC), said the Presidency is not happy about the prolong crisis in NFF and it is ready to dare FIFA’s consequence

to sweep away all the worry factions to put a sole administrator, pending when they are able to resolve their difference. “Presidency is not happy about this crisis and it became embarrassment to the government.

“Government have tried to resolve this crisis, it appears they are not ready to sheath their sword and allow peace to reign.

Government have a lot of issues to deal with and it can’t to add football crisis to it,” he said.

Chelsea, Milan Target Destro The agent of Roma forward Mattia Destro claims his client is currently locked in talks with Premier League title hopefuls Chelsea and Serie A rivals AC Milan.

The 23-year-old has long been linked with a move away from the capital club and it appears he could soon be on his way, according to the player’s agent.

Milan are seeking a replacement for the recently-departed Mario Belotelli, while it was

claimed last week that the Blues were lining up a swap deal involving much-maligned Spaniard Fernando Torres.

However, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho recently ruled out the possibility of allowing Torres to leave, seemingly paving the way for Milan to make a move to secure Destro’s signature.

Claudio Vigorelli, Destro’s agent, told alfredopedulla.com: “I cannot deny he is at the cen-

Commonwealth champion Kemar Bailey-Cole and fellow Jamaican Nesta Carter are set to compete.

Britain’s European bronze medallist Harry AikinesAryeetey, American Michael Rodgers and Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Thompson, the fastest man in the field this year, complete the 100m line up.

The men’s 800m also promises to be an exciting race, with Olympic champion David Rudisha and Commonwealth gold medallist Nijel Amos going head-to-head once again.

Olympic champion Sally Pearson, European champion Tiffany Porter and London 2012 silver medallist Dawn Harper Nelson feature in the women’s 100m.

In the men’s 400m, newlycrowned European champion Martyn Rooney will test himself against world champion Lashawn Merritt.

cord a Premier League victory in opening games against Swansea and Sunderland and crashed to a 4-0 Capital One Cup defeat to League One MK Dons.

After leaving Bayern for Italian side Lazio, Klose has scored 41 goals in 101 games in Italy and broken Gerd Muller’s scoring record for his country on his way to winning the World Cup last month.

said Klose, Germany’s all-time leading scorer with 71 goals.

“I didn’t feel free. It was difficult for me to fulfil his expectations.”

Talking to Germany’s Die Ziet newspaper, Klose added: “He was asking me to make runs I just couldn’t see - I gave it all I could, but sometimes it just wasn’t enough.”

Since taking over at United, Van Gaal has so far failed to re-

FG Plans Sole Administrator For NFF

Britons James Dasaolu and Adam Gemili are set for a 100m showdown at Thursday’s Diamond League in Zurich.

European 100m champion Dasaolu, 26, and Gemili, 20, the European 200m gold medallist, return to the track where they made their international breakthrough just weeks ago.

The Britons will race against former world-record holder Asafa Powell and former world champion Tyson Gay. Six-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt withdrew from the event on Sunday.

The Jamaican, 28, whose year has been hampered by injury, decided to end his season early to focus on next year’s World Championships.

Even with Bolt absent, training partners Dasaolu and Gemili will face a quality lineup.

As well as Powell and Gay, who both returned from drugs bans this summer,

tre of some important situations that could develop.

“More Milan or Chelsea? The market is unpredictable. These are two interested clubs.

“Jose Mourinho admires him, while Milan could make some important steps forward very soon.”

Destro, who is valued at £20m by Roma, counts Siena and Genoa amongst his former clubs and has represented Italy on five occasions.

Gemili

Hull Closing In On Palermo Striker Hernandez Hull City are in advanced talks with Palermo striker Abel Hernandez.

The Tigers are willing to pay €12 million for the Uruguay international as Steve Bruce seeks to fill the attacking void left by Shane Long, who joined Southampton in a €15.9m deal earlier this month.

Hernandez has previously been linked with Sunderland and recently snubbed the chance to join Portuguese giants Benfica, but is now set for a move to the KC Stadium.

Hull were keen on signing Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes, but talks broke down over Rovers’ €15.9m valuation of their star man.

“Jordan Rhodes is not going to happen,” Bruce told reporters earlier this week. “It is disappointing for everyone concerned, but even more disappointing for someone like Jordan.

“We are close to one or two things and are very close to one in particular, which would be a fantastic addition for us if we can pull it off.”

Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports

sports 55

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Eto’o Will Give Everton Fear Factor – Martinez

Xabi Alonso Retires From Spain Duty

Samuel Eto’o will give Everton an unpredictable “fear factor” according to manager Roberto Martinez.

The 33-year-old Cameroon striker, who was a free agent after being released by Chelsea, has signed a twoyear contract with Everton.

Martinez could hand Eto’o his debut against his former club on Saturday.

“When you see him on the team sheet you know the unpredictable play he has. Now we can enjoy the talent and that fear factor from Samuel,” Martinez said.

Martinez said that Eto’o made a “football decision” to join Everton even

Xabi Alonso has announced his retirement from international football after earning 114 caps for Spain.

The Real Madrid midfielder was a key component in the side that made history by winning three successive major tournaments: Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012.

Alonso’s Roja career appeared to end on a low, with the country having suffered a shock first-round exit at Brazil 2014 this summer, but the 32-year-old insists that he has nothing but found memories of his time with the national team.

“I want to report that I have finshed my time with Spain national,” the Basque wrote in an open letter published on Sefutbol.com.

“The hardest part is knowing when to say goodbye and, after much thought, I think that time has come.

“I end with a glorious national team career that began over 11 years ago, having

though he had other options which might have been more lucrative.

“His emotional state and mental focus was impressive,” added Martinez.

“There is a real desire and hunger to achieve. He’s desperate to create good moments in the British game.”

Eto’o refused to be drawn on his relationship with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who questioned the player’s official age in private conversations broadcast on French TV. But the forward insisted he was “physically and mentally in top form” and had “not felt better” ahead of a potential debut against his old club.

Seedorf Didn’t Play Me In My Best Position – Poli Andrea Poli has thanked new AC Milan boss Pippo Inzaghi for playing him in his best position, admitting that he felt that was moved around too much by former coach Clarence Seedorf.

The Italy international joined the Rossoneri from Sampdoria last summer but failed to nail down a regular starting berth, either under Massimiliano Allegri or his predecessor, Seedorf.

Consequently, with Inzaghi seemingly having decided that Poli will be his first choice on the right-hand side of a threeman midfield, the 24-year-old cannot wait for the 2014-15 Serie A campaign to get under way this weekend.

“Coach Inzaghi has put me back in my

favourite position,” the former Inter man told reporters after training on Wednesday.

“I like to attack and defend and a 4-3-3 formation allows me to be more dangerous in front of goal and I hope to score more goals this season.

“With Seedorf I was switched between roles, but this year it’s more suitable.”

Poli admitted that he is hoping that regular football this term might lead to a recall to the Italy set-up under new boss Antonio Conte, who visited Milanello yesterday.

“The meeting with the Conte was very pleasant,” he explained. “He is a winning coach and Italy needs a coach like him.”

been part of a historical generation that has fulfilled the dream of millions of fans, doing something as unique as winning a World Cup and two European Championships in four years.

“Since April 30, 2003, when I made my debut at just 21, I have experienced only good times, so I have only words of thanks to all those with whom I have shared more than a decade.

“I want to thank all my coaches, teammates and the millions of fans who have always shown me kindness and respect.

“Inaki Saez, the unforgettable Luis Aragones and Vicente del Bosque are figures that I will always carry with me for having helped me grow professionally and personally.

“I could not list all the colleagues with whom I have shared this shirt, but I want to thank each and every one of them for all you have shown me and taught me during this memorable period of my life.”

AC Milan Make Bid For Torres AC Milan have made a bid to take Chelsea striker Fernando Torres on a seasonlong loan.

The Serie A giants are looking for a striker following Mario Balotelli’s £16m move to Liverpool.

“Torres is certainly an important forward and we will see if we can sign him or another player,” Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani told the Italian club’s website.

Milan have also made an offer for Torres’ team-mate Marco van Ginkel.

Marco van Ginkel lasted just 10 minutes of his full Chelsea debut after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament.

Galliani added: “We will see if we are

able to acquire an important forward.

This is our main aim.”

On Chelsea’s 21-year-old Dutch midfielder Van Ginkel, Galliani said: “It’s possible.

“We have written to Chelsea and are awaiting a response. We are optimistic.”

The Blues paid Liverpool £50m for Spain forward Torres in 2011, which was then a British record.

However, the 30-year-old has not been a success in west London and his chances have been further limited by the arrival of countryman Diego Costa. Last season Torres played in 28 Premier League matches and scored only Alonso five goals.

Joshua To Fight Airich On Quigg Undercard

Torres

Anthony Joshua will face German Konstantin Airich on the undercard of Scott Quigg’s WBA super-bantamweight title defence in Manchester.

The British heavyweight, who took gold at London 2012, won his first seven professional bouts by knockout and will face his next opponent on 13 September.

Airich, beaten by Briton Danny Williams in 2008, has 21 wins from 35 fights.

The Kazakhstan-born fighter also reached the Prizefighter International Heavyweights semi-finals in May 2011.

Joshua’s task in Manchester represents a step up in class, according to the Watford fighter’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.

“This fight signifies the first real step up for Anthony,” said Hearn. “Airich has plenty of experience at the top level, he’s a lively competitor and can punch.

“Anthony is fresh from his visit to spar Wladimir Klitschko and fans in Manchester can expect an explosive performance.”

Joshua

GOMBE JEWEL HOTEL, ABUJA Plot 20 Ndjamena Street Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja. Website: www.mihamdihotels.com Email:gomhotabj@mihamidhotels.com GSM:08130755139, 08056356236, 09-8766790

GOMBE JEWEL HOTEL, KADUNA

AMUSEMENT PARK YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO LOOK THIS CHEAP

SERVICES RENDERED

GOMBE JEWEL HOTEL

•Business services available (fax, copiers) •Laundry services • Banquet space • Restaurant •Large asphalted/ interlocked parking space •Constant electricity supply with 500KVA gen. set •Good water supply, backup with borehole •Conference halls (1) of 500 people capacity •Syndicated rooms •Also in Gombe & Ashaka

www.mihamdihotels.com email:gomhotabj@mihamidhotels.com

28.08.14 www.leadership.ng

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY

hile tribal jingoists and religious bigots like Femi Fani-Kayode as well as anarchists and clowns like Dokubo Asari are busy fanning the embers of disunity and hatred among Nigerians, it is very gladdening to read and hear voices of reason and moderation from the same south at this most critical of times. I am referring to an article written in online paper Premium Times recently by Dr Femi Aribisala entitled “Nigeria Cannot Do Without the North”.

In this era of irrational arguments and irresponsible utterances by otherwise reasonable people, Dr Aribisala is turning out to be one of the few voices of caution against the advancing forces of disorder. Among those supporting President Jonathan, he stands out as one who likes to argue with facts, to accommodate other views, to appreciate others for what they are and what they represent and to know clearly that provocative acts, insults and verbal assaults will only help to further alienate the Jonathan administration from an important constituency as depicted by Aribisala in this article.

President Jonathan has turned out to be not a strategist who first charts a long-term course and then pursues it steadily and systematically; he tends to wait upon events, to rely on some of the worst aides who are sectional and ignorant of the country except their clans; and to make decisions on the hoof. His choice of ministers and advisers has exposed him as a bad judge of character as most of those he selected turned out to be colourless or corrupt or both. Consequently, his conduct of both domestic and foreign policy over the last over-five years has not always been consistent or coherent.

If the president is being deceived that the fresh air he promised is now available, he should be reminded that the atmosphere is full of odour. His officials told

THURSDAY

w

GOMBE JEWEL HOTEL

No. 2,247

N150

www.mihamdihotels.com email:gomhotkad@mihamidhotels.com

Voice Of Reason 08052407030 (SMS only) abba@leadership.ng

Abba Mahmood

Take the north out of the Nigerian equation and there can no longer be any black country in the world that can possibly attain the status of a major power in the world

SERVICES RENDERED •Business services available (fax, copiers) •Laundry services • Banquet space • Restaurant •Large asphalted/interlocked parking space •Constant electricity supply with 250KVA gen. set •Good water supply, backup with borehole •Conference halls (2) of 40 and 250 people

— Dolly Parton

The Thursday Column

W

NO 7, Ex-Minister’s Quarters, Off Rabah Road, Near NDA Officers Mess, directly opposite Arewa House.

Tel: 062-837235, 08061699406

us that there is telecommunications revolution in Nigeria, but since the PDP came to power there is no landline in Nigeria anymore. They said our economy is growing so much that it is the largest in Africa, yet there is no power to run industries; no employment for millions of graduates; and over 89 million people are living below the poverty line.

And now the Ebele era will be remembered for Ebola: disease ebola, poverty ebola, security ebola, PDP ebola, and judicial ebola.

We don’t know which other ebola will come next. Jonathan may be humble and amiable but he has turned out to be ineffective and ineffectual.

It is a pity that the current Jonathan crowd consists of opportunists, extremists and demagogues as well as bibulous nonentities whose chief attribute is a desire to avoid responsibility, and who continue to use religious, ethnic and sectional fault lines to divide the country. It is not surprising therefore that the government is confused and illcoordinated while the officials are corrupt, non-performing, unreliable, and pusillanimous. No wonder this government will be remembered for its failure to provide effective leadership when it is most needed as well as its failure to project and protect the interests of Africa when it is most desirable and even inevitable in the emerging new global economic and diplomatic power configuration. Dr Aribisala’s piece is so timely, critical and relevant that I decided to reproduce it verbatim below. Happy reading: Nigeria Cannot Do Without the North, by Femi Aribisala In 2005, Goldman Sachs Investment Bank forecast that Nigeria will be the 20th largest economy in the world by 2025 and the 12th largest by 2050, ahead of Italy, Canada and South Korea. Having identified Brazil, Russia, India and China as four emergent powerhouses of the world economy referred to

as the BRICS, it included Nigeria among “the Next Eleven” countries of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, and Vietnam.

At the U.S.-Nigeria Trade and Investment Forum organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation of the Americas (NIDOA) in Washington, DC, in 2012, President Barack Obama of the United States acknowledged Nigeria not only as a strategic centre of gravity in Africa; he went further to proclaim the country “the world’s next economic giant”.

Early this year, with the rebasing of the country’s GDP, Nigeria emerged as the biggest economy in Africa, surpassing South Africa.

Manifest Destiny It is no secret that Nigeria is a country of great potential, even if that potential is yet to be appreciably realised. One of the strengths of the country is its large population. Currently estimated at 170 million, Nigeria is the seventh largest country in the world. By 2050, Nigeria’s population is projected by the United Nations to reach 389 million, rivalling that of the United States at 403 million. By the end of the century, the U.N. projects that Nigeria’s population would be between 900 million and 1 billion, nearing that of China which would then be the second most populous country in the world after India.

Nigeria’s economic size is a blessing in disguise. It means the country will have a ready domestic market for its eventual industrial growth. It means it can envisage economies of scale not possible in smaller countries.

Even now, Nigeria offers alluring returns for investors. Says Charles Robertson, global chief economist at Renaissance Capital: “We know it’s not risk-free, but look around the world and find another economy with 160 million people growing at 7 per cent with such potential. It’s a strug-

gle to find them.”

Countries go to war to acquire the kind of real estate that is Nigeria. This makes it all the more ludicrous that there are noises coming out of southern Nigeria demanding that the country should be divided. The most ethnically jingoistic of these is the insistence that Nigeria would be better off without the north. It would appear that some southern Nigerians have been intoxicated by oil. Since there is no oil in the north, they conclude that the north is no more than an albatross on the neck of the south and castigate it as a region defined by dependency.

This view is nothing short of idiotic. No serious-minded country relinquishes a region as rich and as resourceful as northern Nigeria. Without the north, Nigeria’s much-vaunted potential would vanish. Without the north, Nigeria would be nothing more than yet another balkanized and insignificant African country, or group of countries. Take the north out of the Nigerian equation and there can no longer be any black country in the world that can possibly attain the status of a major power in the world. Without the north, Nigeria and Nigerians would be reduced to nonentities.

GHANA MUST GO Jonathan’ll lose South-East without us

— APGA

You mean APGA-PDP?

LEADERSHIP (ISSN 0331-328X) is published in Abuja by LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, 27 Ibrahim Tahir Lane, Off Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Way, Utako District, Abuja. Advert: 08107181220 (Abuja), 08033257681 (Lagos) News: 08111811228 P. O. Box 9514, Garki II, Abuja. Lagos Office: 34/36 Adegbola Street, Anifowose, Off Oba Akran, Ikeja. E-mail: info@leadership.ng, advert@leadership.ng, newsroom@leadership.ng