Nigerian observer 02 07 2013

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The Nigerian

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PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol . 38 • N O .266 • TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013 • N100.00 NUTRITIONAL HEALTH AND DIETETICS Page 14

How to balance your blood sugar

NUPENG strike: ABUJA - Long queues have again resurfaced in most filling stations in Abuja following a threeday warning strike embarked upon by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers ( NUPENG).

NUPENG started the

Fuel scarcity hits Abuja

strike on Monday to press home its demand for what it termed unfair labour practices by some oil companies toward its workers.

A visit to some major filling stations in the FCT yesterday revealed that chaos was the order of the day as motorists

jostled to get fuel.

At the popular NNPC Mega Station in the Central Area, the queue had resulted in partial blockage of the adjoining road and a horrendous traffic jam.

Some motorists at the filling station had expressed dismay at the

development, with a call on the relevant government agencies to immediately step in to address the situation.

Mr Pius Adejoh, a civil servant at the filling station described the situation as a set-back to Continues on page 2

Non-Implementation Of Agreement, MoU

CMYK

OPINION

Page 23 Relevance of organisational politics

ASUU begins indefinite strike

LAGOS - The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday began a nationwide indefinite strike.

The ASUU National University Ago Iwoye, on President, Dr Isa Fagge, Monday. told journalists of the Fagge told newsmen development at a news that the strike, which took conference via telephone immediate effect, was at the University of “comprehensive, total Lagos. and indefinite’’.

He said that the He said that the action decision to have the was as a result of the strike was reached at the inability of the Federal National Executive Government to Committee (NEC) implement some of the meeting of ASUU held at issues contained in a the Olabisi Onabanjo 2009 agreement it had

STOP OIL BUNKERING

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· · · · · ·

People of Edo State, Government has discovered that inspite of measures taken by security agents in the State to stop illegal oil bunkering, perpetrators of this shady business have continued unabated.

The State Government is warning all those still involved in oil bunkering in the State to, in their own interest, stop this shady and dubious business forthwith as stiffer penalties await them.

Any person or group of persons caught in the illegal business will be dealt with according to the law.

All vehicles and equipment used will be burnt.

Be patriotic, report any person suspected to be in the business of oil bunkering to the authorities concerned.

Join Government to rid the State of enemies of progress.

Edo State must continue to move forward.

This message is from the Edo State Ministry of Information and Orientation

with ASUU. The unionist said that the government had also reneged on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it entered into with the union in December 2011.

“Before now, there has

been this issue of the implementation of the key issues contained in the 2009 agreement we entered into with the Federal Government.

“We have had several meetings and deliberations to let

government understand why these issues must be resolved but it is like the more we meet and deliberate, the messier the issue gets.

“One of the issues that needed to be addressed was basically that of the

Academic earned allowance.

“This earned allowance, and other issues, had dragged on until government then agreed to write an MOU with the union.

Continues on page 2

Ihonvbere at 57, urges transparency, social justice

By QUEENETH AIKHIONBARE OROBEDO BENIN CITY – Secretary to Edo State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere says the only way to attain the desired height in life is to strive for openness, transparency, accountability and social justice.

He stated this yesterday in Government House, Benin City, while Continues on page 2

COURTESY: R-L: HRH Prince Gregory Akenzua, the Enogie of Evbuobanosa, Dr. Dauodu, former CMD of Irrua Teaching Hospital, Prof. George Akpede, CMD and Rt. Hon. (Chief) Boyelayefa Debekeme, Chairman of the Board during a courtesy visit to the Oba of Benin recently. Photo: LUCKY AGIE

No certificate was burnt - Perm Sec

Min of Education fire:

By INNOCENT OMOAKA/WINIFRED OSASOBO BENIN CITY – The Panel of Inquiry set up by the Edo State Government to investigate the fire outbreak at the Ministry of Secondary, Technical and Higher Education Iyaro, Benin City has commenced sitting yesterday.

Appearing before a 5man Panel of Inquiry led

by Hon. Justice R.I.

Amaize (Rtd), the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Secondary, Technical and Tertiary

Education, Mrs. Gladys Idahor disclose that no certificate was lost to the inferno as earlier

reported.

Mrs. Idahor told the Panel that the answer booklets of the recently

concluded Primary Six Examination 2013, reference materials which Continues on page 2

condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary said “News of

the death of Senator Pius Ewherido came as a rude shock. He had served his people with all his resources and Continues on page 2

Oshiomhole mourns Ewherido, Thompson Oliha

BENIN CITY Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has described the death of Senator Pius Ewherido, representing

Delta Central Senatorial District as a rude shock.

The Governor in a

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News

NUPENG strike:

Continued from page 1

the transformation agenda in the oil and gas sector.

“I think it’s really very sad that we are back to those days when we have to queue at filling stations to get fuel.

“The Federal Government needs to step in and meet with the oil unions with a view to finding a lasting solution to this perennial problem.”

Mr Kayode Olagoke, a taxi driver, also condemned the sudden queues at the filling stations and warned that it would lead to an increase in transportation fares if not urgently addressed.

The situation was also not different at the Conoil Filling Station, Central Area, opposite the NNPC Towers as long queues of vehicles were seen around the station.

Ihonvbere at 57, urges transparency, social justice Continued from page 1 speaking at a session with members of staff of his office and some other government functionaries, to mark his 57th birthday anniversary.

Prof. Ihonvbere, who on arrival at the office to resume the day’s official activities was given a surprise reception to mark his 57th birthday anniversary by his staff.

The SSG who said God has been so merciful to him asserted that the only way to fully appreciate him is to always endeavour to extend hands of fellowship to others in dire need, which he noted will make the society better.

Prof. Ihonvbere urged Edo people to continually offer prayers for the Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, in his untiring efforts to make the state better.

Permanent Secretary, Office of the SSG, Alhaji Momodu Abu who led the delegation said Prof. Julius Ihonvbere is a father indeed coupled with his unassuming posture, adding that the forum is their little way to appreciate him on the celebration.

In a toast, General Manager, Edo State Community and Social Development Project, Dr. Gbenga Daodu described Prof.

Ihonvbere as a role model to many, pointing out that his leadership style is unique.

Rector, Edo State Institute of Technology and Management, Usen, Comrade Patience Edomioya attended the session.

Fuel scarcity hits Abuja

The NUPENG President, Mr Achese Igwe, stated that the union had to call for the strike “due to unfair treatment of our workers by some oil companies which include Shell Petroleum development Company (SPDC), Chevron Nigeria Ltd., and Agip Oil Company.”

He accused the oil companies of unfair treatment of Nigerian workers through casualisation and outsourcing of workers, among other matters.

Igwe said that the leadership of the union had directed its members at various depots to

Continued from page 1

suspended its strike two and a half years ago.

Oghenekaro explained that the government had made essential laws on some of the burning issues such as the 70 years retirement age of lecturers as well as the pension commission.

According to him, government, however, is not forthcoming with other pressing demands such as the earned allowance.

He noted that the academic earned allowance was expected to take care of excess work load carried out by the lecturers such as examination officers, deans and supervision of post graduate, masters and other programmes.

“I want to say that not all lecturers are entitled to this allowance, but as we speak,

stop loading of petroleum products to press home its demand.

He warned that the union would embark on an indefinite strike after the three-day warning strike if government and the relevant authorities failed to address its grievances.

ASUU begins indefinite strike

“But as we speak, there has been nothing to show that government was committed to an MoU it also willingly wrote to better the university sector.

“It is in this regard that we are embarking on an indefinite strike,” he said.

Fagge said that having waited patiently for the government to swing into action to no avail, the NEC of the union decided to meet, deliberate and come up with the action.

Dr Karo Oghenekaro, the Chairman of the University of Lagos chapter of the union, told newsmen that government’s penchant for reneging on agreements was not acceptable.

He said that government entered into the MOU with ASUU after the union

not a single lecturer under the aforementioned categories has received any such allowance.

“What we are demanding as the earned allowance is not more than N12, 500 per person, yet government is saying it cannot afford such.

“Government was actually thinking of the cost implication of everything but after much deliberation, government agreed to sign the MoU and said it had set aside N100 billion to take care of all the burning issues.

“However, government came back to us and pleaded for a reduction and we decided to step the cost down to 80 per cent. That not enough, it also appealed for another reduction to 50 per cent.

included the master list result sheet containing names and grades obtained by pupils with the years it was obtained, and a certificate belonging to a primary six pupil who took the examinations in 2005, all got burnt in the incident.

Speaking further, she said, “some of these reference materials which dated back to the 505 can still be recovered from the computer of those who compiled the record to book form.”

The Permanent Secretary also complained of the porous parameter fence in the ministry and inadequate security personnel to provide adequate security to the ministry.

In addition, Mrs. Idahor submitted a memorandum (exhibit A) containing the summary of findings relating to the June 12, 2013 fire incident by the ministry.

In a related development, Alhaji Yunusa Salami, a resident

at No.2, Eweka Avenue, Iyaro, testifying before the Panel said the fire which began around some minutes to 5 am would have been salvaged, if the fire service officials were adequately provided with better equipment.

Other witnesses who appeared before the Panel included the youth leader of Iyobosa Community,, Mr. Emmanuel Oluwatayo Afolayan, Philip Ero, Patrick Eghodaro among others. They all gave eye witness accounts on how the inferno engulfed the ministry building and the efforts of the fire service men to put out the inferno.

The 5 – member Panel which included Hon. Justice Amaize (Rtd) as Chairman, Mrs. P.E. Aziegbemhin as Secretary, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Pukuma T. Mustapher, Osagie Obayuwana Esq and Mr. Stephen Omoruyi as members adjourned sitting to today, 2nd July, 2013.

“This 50 per cent, government said, will be a one off payment; that it was from that 50 per cent that we shall take care of everything, including the earned allowance.

“This did not go down well with us and so we decided to meet and take the decision we have just taken,” he said.

According to him, the Nigerian tertiary education sector is where it is because of inadequate funding.

He said that one of the reasons why there were no foreign scholars in the system was because of the poor wages.

“When we agitate about earned allowance, we are also using it to as a means of attracting foreign scholars so it is not all about our personal interest.

“We are also using it to address the issue of brain drain in the system. As it were, our best brains are all drifting into industries and other sectors that will pay them better, rather than ploughing back into the academic sector.

“To us, it is all about looking at a bigger picture and putting things in the right place,’’ he said.

The union leader said that the decision to embark on the strike was painful but that there was no going back until government took a positive step to address their demand.

evaluation of our contributions in the education sector.

I commiserate with my brother, the Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, the Government and the people of the State on this unfortunate death. I also condole with the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark and other distinguished Senators on the death of their colleague and friend.

I pray the Almighty God to grant the family of the late Senator the fortitude to bear this very painful loss. May He also grant the deceased peaceful rest in His bosom.

Meanwhile, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has mourned

the death of ex-midfielder of the Super Eagles, Mr. Thompson Olisa, saying the state has lost a worthy ambassador.

In a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, Comrade Oshiomhole said “I am saddened by the news of the sudden death of ace footballer, Mr. Thompson Oliha. His death is no doubt a big blow not only to the sports family but to all of us who watched him display intrinsic skills on the football pitch.

“His exploits in the Bendel Insurance Football Club and his quality contributions to the African Cup of Nations winning team

of 1994 are forever etched in our memories. Indeed, Edo State has lost an outstanding son, a worthy ambassador who projected the image of the state on a positive note.

“His death has robbed our state and indeed Nigeria of a patriot who gave his all in his chosen field by bringing honour to the nation.

“Even as we mourn his death at such a young age, we are consoled that he lived a life worthy of emulation and that his contributions to the nation remain indelible.

“We pray for the repose of his gentle soul and beseech God to comfort the family that he has left behind.”

No certificate was burnt

Continued from page 1

Oshiomhole mourns Ewherido, Thompson Oliha Continued from page 1 e nergy and his death

has robbed Delta State and indeed the nation of a bright young mind.

Ewherido truly distinguished himself in the Senate with his incisive contributions to debates and will be sorely missed not only by his Constituents but also by others who have come to love his style.

My last official interaction with the distinguished Senator was during his visit to Edo State, as a member of the Senate Committee on Education which went round the state to access the state of our schools, and gave a very positive report on their

CSOs hold town hall meeting July 9 Teachers strike:

BENIN CITY - Civil Society organizations in Edo state will on Monday July 9, 2013 hold Town Hall meeting to address the ongoing industrial dispute between primary school teachers and Edo State Government.

A press release signed by the Convener, Reverend David Ugolor, the Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice and the co-convener, Comrade Kaduna Eboigbodin, the immediate past chairman of Edo State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the

co-ordinator of Gani Fawehinmi Movement for Good Governance and Social Change, indicates that the Town Hall meeting is scheduled to hold at Urhokpota hall in Benin City at 10:00am.

The group said the meeting would provide the platform for all stakeholders including market women, students, teachers, members of Nigeria labour Congress and the state government to review and put an end to the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Nigeria Union of Teachers.

Elemah underscores need for wealth creation

By VICTOR OMOALU BENIN CITY – One of the major ways by which development can be measured in a modern economy is the amount of wealth created by the economic activities undertaken in that society.

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Chief (Sir) Oseni Elamah gave this assertion while delivering a keynote address on the topic: Role of Taxation in global economic stability during the 2013 law week held in Benin City.

While noting that taxation does not provide sustainable revenue to the government for the running of its activities alone, Chief Elamah, said it rather ensures total transformation/development and places citizens at a stakeholders realm where they can contribute their own quota directly towards national development.

He cited some of the

important roles of taxation towards global economic stability, to include: stimulation of growth in the economy, stimulating local/foreign investment, redistribution of wealth, creation of employment and development of the economy for the overall benefit of the people, amongst others.

He further asserted that the major tools on which the state revenue agency is operating in terms of tax drive were implemented under the law.

The EIRS Chief sued for partnership with the Nigeria Bar. Association on tax education/sensitization which he described as a veritable tool for creating the necessary awareness amongst the people, just as he expressed hope that the forum will help enlighten the people on the various implementation of tax laws, especially as it applies in Edo State.

He said, “Nigerians tax administration can be seen as a veritable tool for providing the dividends of democracy to the people.”

EDHA strikes out 2 petitions

By KEN ABU/WINIFRED OSESOBO

BENIN CITY - Edo State House of Assembly has struck out 2 petitions following the considerations of the reports of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs on the petitions at the committee of the whole for lack of merits.

The 2 petitions which were struck out by Parliament yesterday include “An appeal to save me from victimization by His Royal Highness, George Egabor, the Okumagbe of Weppa Wanno” signed by Mr. Abu Momodu Igbiti and the other petition titled “An appeal for immediate intervention to ensure Equity and Justice written by Edo Club, Benin City” signed by Prof D. E. Agbonlahor on behalf of Mr. C. A. Urubusi, staff of the Unified Local Government Service.

According to the findings of the earlier petition, the petitioner, Mr. Abu Momodu Igbiti who had earlier been sanctioned by the palace,

disregarded the Royal Palace and the Council of Chiefs by refusing to honour the invitation served him by the palace over the land dispute.

It was also learnt from the findings that the H.R.H. George Egabor’s claim over the chairmanship position of Etsako East Ward 1 might not be the correct position while the outcome of the “In-House Settlement” embarked upon by Mr. Abu Momodu Igbiti with the Royal Father is yet to be communicated to the committee.

Parliament, during the consideration of the report on the petition based on the findings of the committee on the allegations contained in the petition resolved to strike out the petition for lack of merits.

Parliament in the same vein struck out the second petition where the findings of the report indicated that the reduction in the rank of M. C. Urubusi from grade 17 to 16 was done in order to regularize the imbalance in the various promotions that were inadvertently carried out at the unified local government service.

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Inside Edo Council Boss Charges Residents On Sanitation IDOGBO –The Executive Court.

Chairman, Ikpoba-Okha While commending the Local Government large turn out of residents Council, Hon. (Mrs.) Mrs. Osahon Ogbeide said Itohan Osahon Ogbeide that very soon, a taskforce has advised residents in will be set up on Ikpoba-Okha Local Environmental Sanitation Government Area inspected during the Area to ensure that their exercise were Oka Market, environment is always kept Ugbekun Market, clean.

Ihinrhinmwin Market at The Council boss stated Saint Saviour and Saint this while monitoring the Saviour Junction where June Environmental some traders were seen Sanitation Exercise. displaying their goods, Mrs. Itohan Osahon Oregbeni Market and the Ogbeide, who was refuse dump site at represented during the Temboga Road. exercise by the Secretary to the Local Government, Pastor Kennedy Osita warned those trading during the environmental sanitation exercise to desist

By ROLAND OSAKUE from the act as the council officials were always BENIN CITY – The Vice around to arrest and round Chancellor, University of them over to the Mobile Benin, (UNIBEN), Professor

Edo State SSG, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (left) receiving a congratulatory card from the Permanent Secretary, Office of the SSG, Alhaji Momodu Abu, on the occassion of his birthday, yesterday in Government House.

VC Explains Why UNIBEN Is Preferred Choice

Admission:

Godwin Osayuki Oshiodin has given insight into the craze for admission into the university.

Professor Oshiodin in a

Momoh Assures FRSC Of Partnership

number plates will cease to be valid effective September 30, 2013.

By ELIAS INAEDE

FUGAR – The Chairman, Etsako Central Local Government Council, Hon. Emmanuel Momoh has assured the leadership of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Auchi Unit Command of robust partnership.

Hon. Momoh disclosed this in Fugar when the leadership of the FRSC paid him a courtesy visit.

He commended the FRSC officials for prompt response to accident victims and called on them to help educate road users on the dangers of disobeying traffic rules and regulations.

The chairman asserted that the council is making plans to provide Zebra Crossing, speed brakes on some major locations in Fugar, the adsministrative headquarters of the council.

He appealed to the management of the FRSC to provide road signs in major roads in Fugar.

On her part, the Auchi Unit Commander, Assistant

Commander Mrs. A.A. Nseobott said their visit was to congratulate the chairman on his victory and to discuss areas of mutual benefit.

Mrs. Nseobott called on the council boss to ensure the training of the council drivers for efficiency, adding that the old drivers licence and

chat with the NIGERIAN OBSERVER in Benin City, said the surge in the number of applicants into the university is a result of the track record of the institution in producing graduates that are doing well in their respective fields in the society.

He cited one Uwa Osamede

Imafidon who graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington, United States of America with a Master Degree in Microbiology with a 4.0 CGPA out of the maximum 4.0 CGPA after bagging a first class degree with a GPA of 4.52 in UNIBEN to emerge the best

graduating student in the Department of Crop Science in 2010.

For the 2013/2014 Academic, session he said the University has placed the cut-off mark for UTME score of at least 200 in all programmes for those who made UNIBEN their first choice.

NGF Crisis, Bad Omen For 2015 Election

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State’s call The former Sole Governor’s speaking with newsmen on the for all the 36 state governors to Administrator of Oyo State and Forum (NGF) which led to state of the nation in a phone apologise to all Nigerians.

Assistant Inspector General of factionalisation is indicative of programme on Delta Rainbow Prince Oyakhire said the Police (rtd) Prince Amen what to expect in the 2015 Television, Warri monitored in election was open and a winner Oyakhire said the crisis of general election. emerged in the process but this Benin City. confidence in the Nigerian He made this known while This is coming in the wake of was not the plan of those teleguiding the election.

“The attitude of our governors is shameful, it tells us what the story will be in 2015.”

“We can see how undemocratic some of our governors are politically; we are in trouble as a nation.”

“These are the people governing us; you can imagine what they did to get power and what they will do come 2015 to retain power,” he said.

According to him, “The crop of leaders we parade are not truthful to those they represent; our leaders should respect and have the interest of the people at heart.

“They should respect the oath of office which place premium on loyalty; they should know they have a duty to perform; The Edo State SSG, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (left) being presented with a birthday card by Rector, Edo State Institute of failure to do this, they will be Management and Technology, Usen, Mrs. Patience Edomioya on the occasion of his birthday yesterday in Government held responsible when they House. PHOTO: QUEENETH AIKHIONBARE OROBEDO leave office.” He added.

By RICHARD EWEKA

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Inside Edo Agric Supervisor Optimistic Of Council’s Achievement FUGAR – An Action Congress of Nigeria Starwalt in Ogbona, Etsako Central local government area and the council’s Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon Oshionor has expressed

optimism that the Hon. Emmanuel Momoh’s led administration would record tremendous achievement.

Hon. Anthony Ogboanor gave the disclosure recently at the council Secretarial while speaking to newsmen in his

office at Fugar. He called on the people of the local government to pray and support the Administration of Hon. Momoh so that the local government can be taking to the next level of development.

The supervisory Councillor

said the people of the local government are privileged and blessed to have Hon. Momoh as the chairman of the council.

He called on the people of the local government to rally round the council boss

so that the needed dividends of democracy can be provided to the people.

On plans by the government to touch the lives of the peasant farmers at the grassroot, Hon. Anthony Ogboanor said the administration of Hon. Emmanuel Momoh is set to boost Agriculture in the locality.

He assured that efforts are being made to ensure that the local farmers are given self loans and incentive in order to increase their productivity. He said recently, a veterinary clinic was commissioned by

the council chairman which was built by a Corp member and it shows the level of commitment the administration has towards Agriculture.

BENIN CITY- The Edo State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism has auctioned some of its obsolete property at a ceremony in the ministry’s premises in Benin City.

Commissioner for the ministry, Hon Aanence Elizabeth Jemitola said the auction was necessitated by the increasing number of such equipments and other unserviceable items of the ministry dating back to be disposed off said through a public auctioneer with the state Ministry of Works and

the Auditor General Office to raise money from waste as part of Internally generated revenue for her ministry.

With the completion of the auction she expressed optimism that the junk in the premises would give way for official of the ministry maternally utilize the premises.

The public auctioneer, Mr. Godwin Osazuwa said the exercise was transparent and devoid of crisis and therefore commended everyone who participated.

Hon. Anthony Oshionor

Ministry Auctions Obsolete Property

The Founder/President, Amen Health Care and Empowerment Foundation, Mrs. Rita Aimiuwu Oguntoyinbo (right), in a handshake with Mr. Momodu Abu who represented the SSG, Edo State at the commemoration of five years collaboraboration with Edo State Government and UBTH to prevent cancer and blindness in Edo State recently. PHOTO: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY

Police Re-Introduces Road Blocks

By JOEL CHUKWUGHONIM EWOHIMI – Police Road blocks have been reintroduced in Ewohimi axis of Esan South East Local Government area of Edo State.

The Road blocks are noticeable in the AgborEwohimi Road and the Ewohimi-Onitsha Road, close to neighbouring Delta State, especially on Ewohimi Market days.

Chairman of Agbor Motorparks in Delta State, Mr. Samson Okunbor said the Road blocks are mounted by police officers attached to the Ewohimi Police Division.

According to him, the police officers from the division extent N200 from each commercial vehicles plying the road including vehicles from the Agbor motorparks.

He said offices from the division had recently visited him to reach a compromise on what they

motorparks are capable of remitting to the division periodically.

Wondering why the practice had continued unabated, he said his members view the development as unpleasant and uncalled for.

When the Nigerian Observer visited the area road blocks were seem mounted contacted for comment, the Ewohimi Divisional Police Officer, declined comment, but however threatened to deal with this reporter, should he go ahead to publish any

report on the allegation.

The Edo State Police Public Relations Officers, Asp Moses Eguavaen was said to be at a meeting when The Nigerian Observer called his GSM telephone line.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishment, Mr. Tomos Idahosa who represented the Head of Service, Mrs. Eliuwa Inneh, standing reading an address during a one-day seminar on Road Safety and Good Human Relation for Drivers in Edo State Public Service, which was held in Benin City recently. Others from right are: Sir Rufus Isane, the Training Coordinator and Felix Ighaguere from Governor’s office. PHOTO: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

Health Supervisor Commends LG FUGAR- The Supervisory Boss Councillor for Health, Etsako Central Local Government Council, Hon. Emmanuel Aludo has commended the visionary and purposeful leadership of the chairman, Etsako Central local government council, Hon. Emma Momoh.

Hon. Aludo made the commendation at Fugar shortly after the ‘Baby Show’ programme held at Unone Maternity, Fugar: He described the council’s boss as a man whose legacies as would chairman would be remarkable.

He called on the people of the local government area to pray and support the administration of Hon. Momoh so that the dividend of democracy could be provided for them.

On the Baby show programme, the Supervisory Council said it was the first of it’s kind since the creation of the local government area where Bicycles and other valuable items were presented to children by the chairperson of the Women Development

Programme, Hon. Angela Momoh.

“You can see that the present administration is doing everything humanly possible to uplift the standard of living of our people and that is why we are calling on our people to join hands with the chairman to take Etsako Central local government area to the next level of development” he said “I can tell you that at the end of this administration, the people will have every reason to give thanks to God for giving them Hon. Emmanuel Momoh” Hon. Aludo added.

Hon. Emmanuel Aludo

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Inside Edo

Owan West To Collaborate With NOA SABONGIDDA ORA – The Chairman of Owan West Local Government Area, Barrister Godwin Aigbodion has promised to collaborate with National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the agency’s re-energising and repositioning process in order to serve the people effectively.

Aigbodion made the promise through his vice,

Hon. Reginald Okun who represented him when the Edo State Director of the agency, Mrs. Magdalene Umunnah paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman in Sabongidda-Ora. The Council boss urged the director of the agency to carry out series of enlightenment campaign for the people to really know what the agency is all about.

Saying that only little is known about the activities of the agency by members of the public.

He promised the director that the council would ensure that the orientation officers attached to the council are adequately involved in the council’s activities.

In her address, NOA Director, informed the chairman that the agency

serves as a credible and timely feedback channel to government which is designed to enable government have knowledge of public opinion about its programme and policies.

This, she said would enables any responsible government to frame its activities in a manner that could give the people grater sense of belonging.

She said it is the collective responsibility of the agency to bring back to the populace, the cherished values and aspirations of the nation and assured the chairman of the agency’s readiness to collaboration with the local government to ensure the repositioning of state for greater impetus.

Mrs. Umunnah noted that Owan West has become a

reference point among the local government councils in Edo State that support the agency to implement its programmes even at short notice.

She commended the people in the locality for electing one of NOA’s former staff, Hon. Patrick Ikpefan as majority leader of the legislative arm.

Market Women To Get Due Recognition -Commissioner

L-R: Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Dele Ezoba, at the 2013 Ministerial Platform in Abuja recently.

Supervisory Councillor Canvasses Support and I am using this FUGAR –The For Emma Momoh education opportunity to call on Supervisory Councillor for Education, Etsako Central Local Government Council, Hon. (Mrs.) Ibrahim Saffiyat has called on the people of the local government to support the Emmanuel Momoh’s led Administration.

She made the call in Fugar while fielding questions from newsmen.

Hon. (Mrs.) Ibrahim Saffiyat

According to her, for the administration to record huge successes, it requires the support and cooperation of all and sundry.

She described the Council boss as a detribalized and selfless leader who cares about the welfare of the people.

She disclosed that plans are underways to ensure that the education sector is giving a new leaf and therefore called on the people of the local government area to support and join hands with the Council boss so that the dividends of democracy will not elude them.

“When you develop the human capacity, every

other thing will work out fine, that is why we are canvassing for the girl child

parents and guardians not to discriminate against the girl child” she stated.

BENIN CITY –Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Lucky James has assured the State Market Women Association of the state government’s recognition of their skills in trading and their role in the development of the state.

Consequently, he said the government of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole will always put them into consideration in all its policies and programmes.

The Commissioner gave this assurance while receiving the executive members of the state Market Women Association in his office in Benin.

Chief James informed the market women that plans are underway to improve on market infrastructure in the state as the newly

elected council officials have been mandated to build new markets and maintain existing ones with youths employed to carry out everyday cleaning of the market.

The commissioner appreciated the unity among the market leaders and used the occasion to sue for continuous peace and unity among them.

Earlier, Secretary of the Association, Hon. Josephine Omoregie stated that the purpose of the visit was to congratulate and identify with the commissioner on his re-appointment.

She however solicited for the commissioner ’s assistance in brining to the state government’s notice, the need to complete the ongoing construction work in some markets in the state and as well as renovate existing ones.

L-R: Diretor General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr Jide Adebayo, at the 2013 Ministrial Platform in Abuja recently.

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South West Sim Card Registration: Operators Want Deadline Extended LAGOS- The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has appealed to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to extend the deadline of the ongoing SIM card registration exercise which ended on June 30.

Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, the Chairman of ALTON, made the plea in a letter to the NCC, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Lagos.

Adebayo said that the operators, however, acknowledged the fact that the SIM card registration exercise had been ongoing for sometime.

He said that subscribers had embraced the exercise more in the last few weeks because of the June 30 deadline.

According to him, there is the need to extend the deadline in the light of the security situation in the country.

Adebayo also talked about the general logistic problems confronting subscribers, registration agents and ALTON members in meeting the June 30, 2013 deadline.

“We appreciate the effort of the commission on this process and the attendant public awareness campaign over the past few weeks.

“We believe that the exercise will be more successful if an extension of time is considered,’’ he said.

The ALTON chairman requested for a three-month extension of the SIM card registration exercise for its overall success.

It would be recalled that the SIM card registration exercise was flagged-off in Lagos on March 28, 2011 and was scheduled to end on September 28, 2011, after a period of six

months.

The NCC had since then been engaged in the harmonisation and collation of the results of the exercise.

In May 2013, the NCC announced June 30 as the deadline for the exercise and

urged all subscribers, who had yet to register their SIM cards to do so before the deadline.

Mr. Tony Ojobo, the Public Affairs Director of NCC, said that the commission would ban all unregistered SIM cards from the networks of the telecoms service providers.

IJEBU-IGBO (OGUN)-Prof.

Sheriffdeen Tella of the Department of Economics, Banking and Finance, Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun, has urged the judiciary and the media to assist the country in the fight against corruption.

Tella said this in Ijebu-Igbo when he delivered a lecture at a symposium organised by Ijebu North Local Government to mark second anniversary of Gov.

Corruption

Don Tasks Judiciary, Media Ibikunle Amosun in office.

Reports say that the lecturer spoke on the topic, “Institutional Frame Work for a Corrupt-Free Society’’.

He said that Nigerians were

L-R: Commander, Provost Group, 3 DIV., Col. Adekunle Ariyibi, GOC, 3 DIV. Maj.-Gen. Ebiobowei Awala, and Deputy Chief of Staff, Administration, Col. Abubakar Nabasa, at the inauguration of General Court Marshal to try erring Army Personnel in Jos recently.

Gunmen Break Jail, Release 175 Inmates

AKURE-Gunmen on Sunday invaded the Olokuta Medium Security Prison in Akure, setting about 175 inmates free.

The hoodlums, who were fully armed arrived at the prison premises around 12:05 a.m. and shot sporadically into the air.

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen gained entrance into the prison by blewing off the wall leading into the inmates’ cell.

According to reports, an

officer was said to be injured in the process.

Reports also say that the prison which is a kilometre to the headquarters of the 32, Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army , Owena Barrack, was riddled with bullets.

The Ondo State Prison Controller, Mr Tunde Olayiwola, confirmed the incident and

Alleged culprits at the inauguration of General Court Marshal to try Erring Army Personnel in Jos recently.

described the attack as unusual, saying “the prison authority will soon bring the culprit to book”.

Olayiwola dispelled rumor that the attack was masterminded by the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, adding: “we cannot specifically identify those behind the attack, but the attack was unusual.

“One of our officers was injured during the attack and he is in the hospital right now receiving treatment but I am assuring that those behind the attack will be brought to book,’’ he said.

He said the attack was the first of its kind in the history of the prison.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Patrick Dokumor, was one of the early callers, while some government functionaries led by the Attorney General, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, had also visited.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Wole Ogodo, confirmed the attack and said the command had contacted the prison authority.

According to him, the information gathered on the jail break is still sketchy.

“The incident has nothing to do with terrorism. I will like to implore the people of the state to continue with their normal duties.

“I am assuring them that the police will continue to protect lives and properties of the people of the state,’’ Ogodo said.

He also said all security agents within the state were working hand in glove to track the criminals.

suffering in the midst of plenty due to corrupt practices, adding that a credible judiciary and a vibrant media were needed to fight corruption.

The lecturer said the judiciary must always be ready to speed up corrupt cases brought to the courts without compromise.

He said that the media, through its reports, must also be bold enough to expose corrupt practices at all levels.

“I think a credible judiciary, a vibrant and independent media are some of the institutional frame work that we need to fight corruption in the country,’’ he said.

According to him, credible election processes, a vibrant anticorruption agency, highly educated electorate and a legal framework, are also part of the institutional framework for a corrupt-free society.

A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Muyiwa Jimoh, who was represented by Mr. Femi Onanuga, decried the level of corruption in the country.

Jimoh, who spoke on the topic: “Toward a Corrupt-Free Society, The Role of Politicians’’ urged the political class to eliminate corruption from the system.

Chief Laide Oshifeso, the Chairman of Ijebu North Local Government, said the symposium was organised to create awareness against corruption.

Oshifeso said that Nigerians should be ready to do the right thing to eliminate corruption.

Lagos PDP Congratulates Fashola At 50 LAGOS- The Lagos State Chapter of the PDP has congratulated Gov. Babatunde Fashola on his 50th birthday celebration.

Reports say that Fashola clocked 50 years on June 28, 2013.

In a statement signed by Mr. Taofik Gani, the Publicity Secretary of the Lagos State PDP, the party prayed that the Lord would bless the governor with more years on earth.

“We particularly commend the appropriate decision of the governor to have a low-keyed birthday celebration.

“It was an expedient decision to make, in view of the situation and the level of suffering in the state.

“While we congratulate the governor, on his low-keyed 50th birthday, we advise other leaders in the country to emulate our gesture,’’ the PDP said.

The party urged the governor

to, however, use the time left in his tenure to give to Lagosians the Lagos of their dreams.

“We urge the governor to particularly improve on Housing for the Masses; Road Construction and Rehabilitation; School Fees at the Lagos State University (LASU); and Healthcare Services.

“He should also tackle human rights violations by LASTMA and KAI officials and provide alternative opportunities for Okada riders and marketers who have been displaced from their sources of income,’’ the party said.

The PDP also appealed to the governor to order the release of arrested street hawkers in the state, most of whom are underage.

“This group of people who are languishing in cells and prisons in the state can be released, to sin no more,’’ it added.

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AcrossLagos The Nation

AGF Identifies Corruption As Factor Affecting Investment

BY EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU

BENIN CITY- The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke has

identified corruption as one of the factors affecting the needed investment in the country because it places a negative image on the economy.

The Minister made this

assertion while speaking at a seminar organised by the Anticorruption Commission for the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), in Abuja.

Flood: Farmers Abandon Community

UDABA (Edo) - Farmers in Udaba community, near Fugar in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo, have abandoned their farms in search for safer lands for fear of floods.

It will be recalled that farmers in the area were severely-hit by last year’s flood.

Speaking on the situation, the Udaba Village Head, Chief Daniel Utakpe, told newsmen in Udaba that the relocation became necessary following the life threatening experience of 2012.

Utakpe said that the farmers relocated to neighbouring communities of Esan South East, Esan North East and part of highland of Ekperi kingdom in Etsako Central.

He said that the farmers moved in their large numbers,

abandoning the community to a safer place, to continue their farming business.

According to Utakpe, several communities in the council area, including Udaba, have been submerged by flood after the River Niger over flew its bank in September, 2012.

“The flood destroyed thousands of hectares of farmlands, including farms in Udaba, where people major in rice, yam and cassava cultivation.

“We do not really fault their relocation which is only for farming purposes.

“All they are trying to do is to forestall the kind of experience we all had last year. They are merely trying to cut further losses by protecting their investment in farm.

“There was another prediction

Pay $83.4m Education Tax, Appeal Tribunal Orders Mobil ABUJA- The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has commended the decision of the Tax Appeal Tribunal which ordered Mobil, to pay $83.4 million to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The judgment of the Tax Appeal Tribunal represented Education Tax liability of Mobil, an oil giant, to the federation during the year 2008.

This is contained in a statement issued by NEITI’s Director of Communications, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji.

Orji described the judgment as positive development in NEITI’s effort to enthrone transparency in the oil and gas sector.

“NEITI finds this courageous judgment by the tribunal as a fundamental positive development in its efforts to draw national attention to the findings and recommendations on the issues of underpayment and underassessment in royalties,’’ he said.

He said the judgment was also a vindication of the findings of the NEITI 2006 2008 independent audit of the oil and gas sector.

“In that audit NEITI clearly revealed that Mobil owed $83.28 million Education Tax for 2008.

“However, before this litigation and landmark judgment by the tax appeal tribunal, Mobil had insisted that it had no education tax liability to the Federation,’’ Orji said of the $9.8 billion uncovered only $2 billion had been recovered through NEITI

efforts, leaving a balance of $7.8 in the hands of companies.

He said the judgment was a wake-up call for government agencies to rise up to the challenge and engage companies to remit outstanding revenues due to government.

The statement called on all relevant government agencies saddled with collecting mining and oil and gas revenues to join NEITI to recover all outstanding debts owed the federation.

He stressed the need to use NEITI independent audit reports to recover funds arising from underpayments and underassessment of taxes, rents and royalties as a national priority.

of heavy rain which may lead to flood this year; we are all praying not to experience what we went through last year again”.

Utakpe said the people still awaited the promises of rehabilitation for the flood victims by government.

He, however, thanked both the state and federal governments, and those who assisted the people during the challenging period and urged the government to act fast on its promises.

“We have had government officials come to take records of damages and the people affected since last year and we have not heard from them since then.

“In fact, we still receive food and other items from the Red Cross as I speak with you.

“All we need now is for them to redeem the promise of rebuilding our destroyed houses as a form of compensation for farm crops destroyed during the flood disaster,” Utakpe said.

According to him, “no nation can attract investors to drive its economy where the corruption index is not going in the right direction.

He said that the level of corruption in the country places more responsibilities on the judiciary as interpreters of the law.

Adoke, who was represented by Peter Anang, noted that for the judiciary to do so, it must fight nepotism, favouritism and other vices in the judicial system.

Also the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, said that there is need to adopt a holistic approach by all stakeholders so as to combat crime.

He said that corruption is

not only seen in the justice system but everywhere.

He noted that corruption is a cankerworm that is infectious if not tackled by all he therefore advised the judiciary to lead the race in the battle against the menace.

The seminar was put together to proffer practical ways of combating crime in the nation especially in the justice system.

L-R: Executive Director, Centre for Democracy and Development, Dr. Jubrin Ibrahim, former Senate President, Sen. Nnamani and Special Adviser to the President on Interparty Affairs, Sen. Ben Obi at the National citizens’ Forum on Electoral Reform in Abuja recently.

Jonathan Condoles Family Of Late Senator

ABUJA- President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed shock and sadness over the death of Sen. Pius Ewherido (DPPDelta Central).

Ewherido, 51, died on Sunday at the National Hospital in Abuja.

In a statement issued in Abuja

by Dr Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Jonathan condoled

with the family of the deceased.

“On behalf of himself and all members of the executive arm of the Federal Government, President Jonathan extends heartfelt condolences to Sen. Ewherido’s family.

“The president condoles with the Senate President, Sen. David Mark, and all of the late senator’s colleagues in the upper chamber of the National

Assembly.

“The president joins them, members of the Ewherido family and the government and people of Delta, in mourning the distinguished legislator,” he said.

Jonathan said the late senator served commendably as a member and deputy speaker of the Delta House Assembly before his election as the

senator in the 2011 general elections.

He prayed that God Almighty would comfort Ewherido’s family, relatives, colleagues in the National Assembly and all the people of his constituency.

The president prayed that God would in His infinite mercies grant them the strength and fortitude to bear the painful loss.

Delta: Fish Farmers Seek

Govt Assistance

L-R: Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu and Dig (D’Dept.), Mr. Peter Gana at a workshop on Corporate Fraud in Lagos recently.

EKPAN (DELTA)-Mr. Richard Dafiaghor, Chairman of the United Fish Farmers Association, has called on the Delta Government to provide more funds to boost fish farming in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area.

Dafiaghor told newsmen in Ekpan that the money would assist farmers in Ekpan to expand and improve their techniques in the fish farming business.

The chairman commended the state government for releasing N38 million in 2008.

Dafiaghor said that fish farmers got N100,000 each from the funds.

He said that the money was disbursed by the fish farmer’s cooperative society to beneficiaries.

The chairman said that the farmers had also redeemed their obligation of repaying 50 per cent of the amount to government.

He said though the farmers recently secured another N1 million loan from the state micro credit scheme, the money was not enough to meet the needs of 3,000 of them in the area.

He said that the farming population was made up of mostly women and youths.

“As part of our social responsibility, we give scholarships to indigent children in primary and secondary schools in the area.

“This has helped in checking insurgency, violence and conflicts in the Ekpan area of the state,” Dafiaghor said.

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North Ex-ANAN President Tasks FG On Healthcare

LAGOS- Dr Samuel Nzekwe, a former President of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), has advised the Federal Government to provide an enabling environment for the health sector to thrive.

Nzekwe gave the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

He said that such a step would reduce the number of Nigerians going abroad for medical treatment.

It would be recalled that Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said that high level medical tourism had been a major source of the nation’s foreign exchange leakage.

He said that a conducive environment, including the right infrastructure in terms of power supply, security and education, should be provided for the citizenry.

Nzekwe said that many of the equipment used in the health sector were high technology machines that required stable electricity to work effectively.

Officers of 2 Div of the Nigerian Army and other sister security agencies in a joint march in Ibadan recently.

L-R: President, Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Audu Lagre, Acting Chief Judge, Justice Nathan Musa and former Galadima of Adamawa, Alhaji Murtala Aliyu, launching the state new High Court Civil Procedure Rules in Yola recently.

Mark Mourns Senator Ewherido

ABUJA- The Senate President, Sen. David Mark, has expressed sorrow over the death of Sen. Pius Ewherido (DPPDelta).

Ewherido, 51, who represented Delta Central Senatorial district, died on Sunday at the National Hospital, Abuja.

This is contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja.

Mark described the late senator as a forthright, vibrant parliamentarian and a hardworking senator.

He noted that Ewherido had within his short but eventful

membership of the Senate displayed patriotism, commitment and truly distinguished himself as a parliamentarian of a “very high standard’’.

“We have lost a true friend and colleague. We lost a vibrant and a very articulate senator.

We have lost a patriotic Nigerian who stood to be counted when it mattered,’’ Mark said.

The senate president noted that one of late Ewherido’s bills on how to address the issue of manslaughter in the land was

currently undergoing thorough legislative work.

According to him, the deceased should have been alive to see his good works aimed at saving mankind.

He said the Senate would do the ‘needful’ to ensure that the immediate family of the deceased did not suffer.

He condoled with the government and people of Delta, especially the bereaved family, to take solace in the fact that the late senator lived an accomplished life worthy of emulation.

According to him, the major implication of a poor health sector was massive capital flight.

Nzekwe said that the nation was losing its highly-trained personnel to the developed countries due to poor infrastructure.

He said that many of the specialists in the foreign countries were professional

Nigerians who could not practise in the country.

“We are making the economy of the developed countries to be buoyant by patronising them for medical assistance, at the expense of our nation, “ he said.

“A lot of money is going away in the form of leakages through legitimate and

ABUJA- The National Secretary, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Mr Rafiu Salau, on Sunday called on the Federal Government to invest more in education.

Salau told newsmen in Abuja that education remained the major agent for both personal and national socio-economic development.

“Investments in human capital development plays a critical role in the long-term productivity growth of any

nation.

“You can’t do away with education because you must empower the people with education and skills for them to also contribute towards building the nation’s economy.

“Government should know that it will be the major beneficiary if it invests in education,” he said.

On the party’s preparations for future elections, Salau said that the AD was ready to

present young and dynamic candidates.

‘Our plan is to give the nation the best candidates at the local governments to the national level.

“We will also field candidates with integrity and reputation to serve the people better.”

He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its commitments toward delivering free and fair elections.

ABUJA- The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) is collaborating with seven multi-national seeds companies in order to meet the 2013 seeds requirement for the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.

Mr Olusegun Olatokun, the Coordinating Director of the council, made the fact known in Abuja yesterday in an interview with newsmen.

Olatokun stated that the council had also collaborated with the Seeds Technology Centre, Makurdi, to enable the country to have enough and even produce excess seeds by 2014.

He said the centre, located at the University of Makurdi, would commit about 40,000

hectares to seed production. ‘’We are going to have this centre in the northern, western and southern parts of the country and this development will enable the council to become an out-grower for the medium scale and small scale seeds companies,’’ he said.

He said only five out of the 71 registered local seeds companies had what was needed in quality seeds production and processing. ‘’This year, we were late in distributing seeds because of the issue of production.

‘You cannot keep seeds for a long time because they will lose their viability and once viability is lost, what you have left is grains and not seeds. ‘’Most of the seeds that we

carried over last year cannot be pushed out to farmers this year just like that because they will not get the kind of yield they are supposed to get. ‘’If seeds stay for more than five months before being planted, you have to send them back to the laboratory to ensure that the germination percentage, purity and vigour are intact. ‘’Seeds are a living input that are planted by outgrowers, after its harvest on the farm, you have to clean it, purify it, process it and ensure that it is well treated before packaging,’’ he said.

Reports say that outgrowers are farmers trained to produce seeds, adding that the GES is the flagship programme under the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

It is an innovative scheme which seeks to remove the difficulties usually associated with the distribution of fertiliser and seeds to farmers.

The scheme’s approach is to target beneficiaries through the use of an electronic system, known as e-wallet, and also to engage the private sector in the delivery of inputs to farmers.

The conditions for the ewallet stipulates that a farmer registered under the scheme pays 50 per cent of the cost of inputs, while the federal and state governments pay 25 per cent each.

illegitimate means,“ Nzekwe said.

He said that: “The government knows what to do to put the health sector on the right track.’’

Nzekwe, however, advised the government to bring the right medical equipment into the country and build hospitals closer to the people.

Invest More In Education, AD Urges FG

Nigeria Targets Production Of Excess Seeds

89 Ship To Berth At Lagos Ports LAGOS- Eighty nine ship are expected to arrive the Lagos ports from July 1, to July 29, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has said.

NPA said this in its daily publication, ‘‘Shipping Position,’’ made available to newsmen yesterday in Lagos.

It said that 14 of the ships would sail in with vehicles.

The document also indicated that 16 of the ships would arrive with petroleum products, while 29 other ships would sail in with containers.

NPA said that other ships

would sail in with general cargoes, bulk wheat, fresh fish, maize, bulk fertiliser, bulk gypsum, crude palm oil, palm olein, boats, bulk urea, bulk sugar, base oil and bulk salt.

According to the document, six ships are waiting to berth and discharge petrol, while three other ships would discharge bulk malt and bulk fertiliser.

Reports say that 22 ships are currently discharging containers, bulk wheat, steel products, bulk fertiliser, fresh fish and petroleum products.

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Abuja Group To Convene Forum On FG’s Performance

Egypt

Minister Urges Nigerian Community To Remain Calm

ABUJA - Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru has urged the Nigerian community in Egypt to remain calm following the latest violence in that country.

A young American was killed last Friday in Alexandria while photographing clashes between opponents and supporters of President Mohammed Morsi.

Reports say that the protests continued in different Egyptian cities last Sunday with anti government protesters calling on Morsi to resign.

In an e-mailed response to questions by newsmen in Abuja, on the welfare of Nigerians in the country, Ashiru said he had been following carefully the situation in Egypt.

“I am in touch with our ambassador in Cairo. We are watching developments carefully but there is no cause for alarm.

“I do believe that the authorities in Egypt will contain the situation.

“Also the ambassador is in contact with the leadership of the Nigerian community in Egypt on the need to remain calm,” he said.

Already, the U.S. has authorised the departure of its non emergency diplomatic staff and their families, after an American citizen was killed in clashes in the city of Alexandria on Friday.

Also the U.S. and the UK have updated their travel alert on the country, warning their nationals against any visit to Egypt.

It will be recalled that in 2011, the Federal Government evacuated more than 1,000 nationals in Egypt, in the wake of the violent antigovernment protests that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak.

Many of the returnees from Egypt were students, medical patients and visitors, who were stranded in some parts of the country during the revolution that sacked Mubarak.

L-R:Chairman, NBA Anti-Corruption Commission, Mr. Yusuf Ali (SAN), Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar and President, Nigeria Bar Association, Okey Wali (SAN), at an NBA Anti-Corruption Commission seminar in Abuja yesterday.

Army Is Winning War On Terrorism - Ihejirika

ABUJA Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has said the military was winning the war on terrorism.

Ihejirika said this at the Inter-Denominational Service held at the All Saints Military Protestant Church, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, to mark the 2013 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.

He said the military had made tremendous achievements, but a lot still had to be done.

“When I remark that we are winning the war on terrorism, according to a Chinese General Sunzu which says, you know yourself, you know

the enemy then you can fight a thousand wars.

“Wining the war starts from in-house, I am aware of the improved capacity of the units, improved capacity of the officers and men, and this is what gives me the confidence that we will excel.

“And as for the operation itself, the nature of insurgency is such that you will continue to have occasional setbacks because you are dealing with people who disguise as civilians,’’ he said.

Ihejirika said that some soldiers had been ambushed a number of times in the

Education Plan: Commission Wants Out Of

School Youths, Adults Captured

ABUJA - Malam Jibrin Paiko, the Executive Secretary of the National Mass Education Commission (NMEC), has called for the inclusion of out-of-school youths and adults in the current education plan by government.

The Federal Ministry of Education recently said that it set in motion plans to reduce the number of such children between now and 2014, following UNESCO’s declaration that Nigeria had the highest number.

Paiko, however, told journalists in Abuja that the Federal Government’s plan to tackle the issue was in the right direction.

He said the plans should be all inclusive, as there were many adults and youths who needed to be encouraged to enrol in schools.

He said NMEC, on its part, had embarked on a series of programmes to encourage adult and youths enrolment.

“We are presently collaborating with UNESC0 for the Revitalisation of Adult and Youth Literacy (RAYL) project to educate millions in this group who also need to be literate.

“We are scaling up our

ABUJA -A civil society group, the Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG), says it will organise a forum to review President Goodluck Jonathan’s midterm report.

This is contained in a statement issued by the group’s Executive Director, Dr Chima

facilitators’ training and have developed a manual to that effect.

“We will start the training of 111 facilitators from each state, including FCT, from the middle of next month,” he said.

On the issue of the Almajiri education, Paiko called on government to do more in terms of carrying capacity.

He said the schools built were not adequate to cater for the millions of “Almajirai” that were roaming the streets.

“If the Federal Government wants to succeed, then it needs to do more also in terms of marrying together the various models of the Almajiri system of education.

current operation, adding that it was made possible by the fact that the insurgents disguise as civilians.

He said as such some of the soldiers might not be on their best guard.

Ihejirika said attitudinal change was one the most important attribute that had helped to drive his vision to “transform the Nigerian Army into a force able to deal with contemporary challenges.

He said officers and commanders in the field now adopt positive attitude in carrying out their duties and no longer “sit on the fence’’.

According to him, a lot of initiatives were coming out of the field, some of these initiatives, include repair of equipment that would be on display on July 6, 2013.

“There are some officers and commanders; we have lost out of dexterity and zeal to their jobs, my heart goes to those officers and their families.

“So, with these change in

L-R: Senior Special Assistant to the President on ethics and value, Mrs. Sarah Jibrin, National Coordinator, Proactive Gender Initiative, Esther Uzoma and Legal Practitioner, Heptagon and Associates, Mrs. Ogechi Chinyere, at a NBA seminar on anti-corruption in Abuja yesterday.

attitude, we have taken a quantum leap,’’ Ihejirika said.

Mrs. Olusola Obada Minister of State for Defence, said the event calls for celebration as the army and the entire armed forces had come a long way to see to the unity and peace of the country.

Obada also said the armed forces had been instrumental to the oneness of the country, noting that in spite of the security challenges, “we have course to celebrate and be happy.

“The Army is doing its very best as our officers and men are among the very best in the world.

“There is no doubt about it because they are well-trained and they are on top of their work and their contribution to international peace-keeping under the UN was commendable,’’ she said.

Obada said the contribution of the army in the internal security challenges was “highly’’ commendable.

In his sermon, Rev, Fr. Charles Iroegbu, Director Nigerian Army Chaplaincy, said it was good to take some time to reflect on our failures and setbacks.

Iroegbu, a colonel, said it was time to repent from those failures and to resolve to live a better life and put them into practice.

“Humility is given free of charge and anything given freely, there is a corresponding responsibility.

“If God had given us what we do not merit, it is expected that we should use whatever given to us to achieve a better Nigeria and a better army and a better armed forces.

The inter-denominational service is to marked the 150 years of Army existence.

Amadi.

The statement said the forum, slated for July 8 in Abuja, would feature prominent discussants from civil society groups, scholars and critics.

It explained that the forum would use its own “vaunted benchmarks” to assess the claims of achievements by the administration.

According to the statement, “the strategy will be to critique the presentation of the various ministries and see if the achievements so listed correspond with the realities on ground”.

It said the forum would also ascertain if the activities of the administration during the period under review met the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

“Participants shall Xray the various reports presented by the administration in the following sectors at the first instance: education, health, agriculture and transportation.”

It said the discussants would include the National Coordinator, Transition Monitoring Group, Hajiya Zainab Mohammed; and Project Executive, Feed Nigeria Initiative, Adeola Soetan.

It will be recalled that Jonathan, on May 29, presented the mid-term report of his four-year transformation agenda, with a call on critics of his administration to be objective.

Jonathan made the presentation on the occasion of the 2013 Democracy Day celebration held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

THE

NIGERIAN

10

TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

North 2 Women Arrested With Weapons, Explosives MAIDUGURI- A youth vigilance group, popularly called “the Civilian JTF’’, said it apprehended two women attempting to smuggle assault weapons into the Monday market in Maiduguri on Sunday.

Eyewitnesses told newsmen

Adamawa To Fine Owners Of Strayed Animals GIREI (ADAMAWA)The Adamawa Government on hasexpressed concerns about the continuous presence of stray animals in Yola and environs.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mrs. Arziki Sawa, made this known during a sensitisation tour in Girei Local Government Area of the state.

Sawa said government had imposed N5, 000 fine on owners of any animal found straying on major streets.

She said the measure was part of government’s efforts toward enforcing sanitation laws in the state.

The commissioner said that government was sending environment officers as part of its stray animal control policy to put an end to the problem.

“The state government has directed the environmental task force to prosecute residences, who do not keep their surroundings clean,’’ she said.

She urged residents of the state to join hands with the ministry to rid the state of stray animals.

Sawa also urged the local government chairmen to constitute sanitation committees in each of the ward to monitor and supervise the weekly sanitation exercise in their respective areas.

According to her, the ministry has created dump sites within and outside the state capital for easy evacuation of the refuse by the sanitation officials.

that the women, who concealed the weapons in their dresses, were nabbed at the Bulabulin entrance gate of the market.

One of the witnesses, Malam Modu Bulama, a trader, said that they were in the market when they heard noise from the gate.

“We rushed to scene, but on getting there, we saw two women in veil with assault weapons,’’ he said.

Bulama said that each of the women concealed an AK 47 rifle, a pistol and some items believed to be Improvise Explosive Devise (IED) in their veil.

A member of the vigilante, Malam Usman Ibrahim, corroborated Bulama’s claim, adding: “we were on a routine checking at the gate when these women came with heavy veil.

“At first we did not bother to look at them, but we realised that one of them was shivering, we said something must be wrong,’’ Ibrahim said.

He said that when they were searched, “we found that each of them concealed an AK 47 rifle, a pistol and IED in their veil.

“We were surprised at the discovery, so we took them to officials of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore Order (ORO) for investigations,” Ibrahim said.

The JTF spokesman, Lt.Col. Sagir Musa, could not be contacted for comment, but a senior military officer, who spoke on condition anonymity, confirmed the story.

The official said the JTF was already investigating the case.

Sokoto Acquires 150 Tractors

Transition Committee Chairman, Musawa Local Government Council of Katsina State, Alhaji Tanimu Kira, receiving a sourvenir from representative of Women Right Advancement and Protection Association (WRAPA), Hajiya Ramatu Abdullahi-Mahuta (left), over his support to Women Empowerment Programmes in his area at a reception in Malumfashi yesterday.

Environmental Violation: A towing van (right) which fell into a ditch while trying to pull out a car on the Kaduna-Kachia road in Kaduna.

Environmental Violation

Warehouse Sealed Over Environmental Violation

KANO- The Kano State government has sealed up the

Mangal Warehouse along Sani Abacha Way in Kano for its

He expressed regrets that the council experienced flooding last year in some parts of the council due to blocked drains.

The chairman said that several houses and food items were destroyed due to flood, hence the need to take steps in preventing future occurrences.

He explained that proactive measures had been put in place to prevent flooding through proper

mobilisation of the people on the need to dispose their refuse properly.

Abdullahi said that the council had also dialogued with traditional rulers and development associations on the need to sensitise their people to desist from dumping refuse in water ways.

He said active participation of the royal fathers would help in checking indiscriminate waste disposal.

Council Moves To Advert Flood

SOKOTO -Alhaji Hassan Abdullahi, Chairman Sokoto North Local Government, has directed councillors in the council to mobilise their supporters on the need to desist from indiscriminate dumping of wastes in drains, to check flooding.

Abdullahi told newsmen that the exercise would help to clear drains for the smooth passage of water during the rainy season.

SOKOTO- Alhaji Arzika Tureta, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, said on Saturday that government spent N950 million to buy 150 tractors in 2012.

Tureta told newsmen in Sokoto that all the tractors had since been distributed to both large and small scale farmers on loan basis.

He said this was done to ensure a massive production of food in the state.

The commissioner said that the exercise was aimed at modernising farming methods through the employment of modern agriculture technology.

He said government would continue to use the available land at its disposal to boost dry season farming in the state.

Tureta said the establishment of the College of Agriculture, Wurno, was also aimed at preparing youths for modern farming techniques.

He said it was also aimed at training highly skilled manpower for the state’s agricultural sector.

“We are blessed with vast land needed to produce various crops and we will use all the available technologies in the farming sector to meet the set objectives,” he said.

Tureta also called on farmers not to hesitate to report any outbreak of epidemics during and after the rainy season for necessary action.

failure to observe the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

The state’s Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, confirmed the action to newsmen in Kano at the end of the exercise.

Abbas, who was at the head of the monitoring committee for the monthly exercise, however commended members of the public in the state for participating in the programme.

“I urge Kano residents to continue with the cleaning of drainage and their

environment even after the end of the monthly sanitation exercise,’’ he said.

The commissioner also commended security agencies and the media for supporting the exercise in the state.

He said such support should be sustained to ensure a clean and healthy environment.

In addition to the warehouse closure, the monitoring committee’s mobile court also found the Nigerian Spinners and Dyers Company Ltd. Guilty of non-compliance.

The company was subsequently fined N200,000 by the court.

THE

NIGERIAN

11

TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY(01/07/13) Stocks

Open

Close

Change

Deals

Units

Value

LIVESTOCK

5.45

5.11

-0.34

70

3,342,425

17,205,026.29

7UP

53

53

0

9

9,536

505,408.00

MANSARD

2.02

2.03

0.01

21

812,178

1,660,794.75

ABCTRANS

1.01

1.11

0.1

33

2,263,047

2,511,982.17

MAYBAKER

2.74

2.78

0.04

28

1,064,674

2,846,525.03

ACADEMY

2.04

2.04

0

3

21,514

42,548.00

MBENEFIT

0.5

0.5

0

2

50,000

25,000.00

ACCESS

10.9

10.6

-0.3

153

6,052,772

64,639,448.46

MCNICHOLS

1.74

1.74

0

1

48,700

76,946.00

AFRIPRUD

1.85

1.85

0

30

433,711

808,309.63

MOBIL

107.1

107.1

0

29

36,035

3,914,235.20

AGLEVENT

1.4

1.53

0.13

9

373,506

529,720.34

MRS

17.8

17.8

0

7

16,700

303,485.74

AIICO

0.92

0.9

-0.02

51

12,329,590

11,041,221.82

NAHCO

7.27

6.66

-0.61

48

572,358

3,907,012.63

12.65

12.65

0

46

311,280

3,870,497.50

AIRSERVICE

4.5

4.5

0

7

69,000

309,700.00

NASCON

ARBICO

6.91

6.91

0

1

490

3,047.80

NB

156.1

156.5

0.4

131

1,072,528

166,518,227.20

ASHAKACEM

24.35

24.35

0

20

160,684

3,844,360.34

NCR

18.7

18.7

0

1

200

3,366.00

ASOSAVINGS

0.5

0.5

0

1

18,000

9,000.00

NEIMETH

1.37

1.4

0.03

15

360,747

498,091.65

BERGER

11.38

11.38

0

1

260

2,665.00

NEM

0.76

0.76

0

32

1,589,983

1,206,889.03

BETAGLAS

9.5

10

0.5

4

493,615

4,936,150.00

NESTLE

960

936

-24

60

61,571

57,636,553.29

CADBURY

57

57

0

55

131,955

7,155,332.54

NIGERINS

0.5

0.5

0

1

14,883

7,441.50

CAP

53.91

48.52

-5.39

42

259,340

12,623,792.60

NNFM

26.5

26.5

0

4

10,706

284,242.76

1.08

1.08

0

5

184,669

186,974.86

CCNN

10.66

10.66

0

4

14,400

149,880.00

NPFMCRFBK

CHAMPION

6.43

6.43

0

2

32,500

229,775.00

OANDO

13

12.92

-0.08

282

4,150,648

53,874,578.53

CHAMS

0.5

0.5

0

2

70,000

35,000.00

OKOMUOIL

48

48

0

55

308,567

14,805,517.66

CONOIL

23

23

0

8

7,834

186,905.80

PAINTCOM

1.67

1.67

0

1

29,000

52,200.00

CONTINSURE

1.22

1.23

0.01

17

1,271,200

1,428,270.00

PORTPAINT

4.47

4.5

0.03

29

1,511,394

6,829,152.00

CORNERST

0.5

0.5

0

3

200,000

100,000.00

PRESCO

40.89

38

-2.89

46

303,633

11,654,349.42

COSTAIN

1.55

1.55

0

18

209,000

325,135.69

PRESTIGE

0.57

0.57

0

1

4,083

2,286.48

COURTVILLE

0.8

0.78

-0.02

14

421,000

338,020.00

PZ

39.8

39.8

0

50

145,772

5,687,170.90

4.8

4.99

0.19

20

408,350

1,998,145.50

CUSTODYINS

1.57

1.57

0

5

92,264

143,422.12

REDSTAREX

CUTIX

2.02

1.85

-0.17

11

387,743

783,299.97

RESORTSAL

0.5

0.5

0

1

2,000

1,000.00

DAARCOMM

0.5

0.5

0

1

1,000

500

ROYALEX

0.58

0.58

0

9

51,870

29,951.66

DANGCEM

182

180

-2

56

768,285

138,310,928.00

RTBRISCOE

1.52

1.55

0.03

35

906,174

1,376,149.28

DANGFLOUR

9.25

9.25

0

42

128,713

1,193,846.00

SKYEBANK

4.78

4.7

-0.08

72

1,323,062

6,240,084.65

DANGSUGAR

11.41

11.45

0.04

75

2,549,637

29,141,179.27

SOVRENINS

0.5

0.5

0

1

45,600

22,800.00

DIAMONDBNK

6.05

6.1

0.05

59

1,881,050

11,547,959.92

STACO

0.5

0.5

0

1

157,000

78,500.00

DNMEYER

1.45

1.34

-0.11

4

55,408

74,236.14

STANBIC

15.5

15.5

0

11

52,043

796,242.70

2.65

2.65

0

32

3,402,106

8,979,432.08

DUNLOP

0.5

0.5

0

2

1,004,000

502,000.00

STERLNBANK

ETERNA

3.15

3.4

0.25

22

400,378

1,355,887.42

THOMASWY

1.32

1.32

0

1

738

878.22

ETI

14.9

15

0.1

49

988,013

14,637,442.11

TOTAL

150.1

150.1

0

10

14,600

2,256,830.00

ETRANZACT

3.47

3.47

0

1

3,000

9,390.00

TOURIST

4.08

4.08

0

2

1,000

4,080.00

EVANSMED

2.68

2.68

0

7

193,894

519,635.92

TRANSCORP

1.28

1.29

0.01

107

176,406,576

225,803,390.27

FBNH

17.9

17.54

-0.36

350

6,319,994

110,945,915.13

UAC-PROP

14.51

14.81

0.3

7

78,450

1,163,315.00

FCMB

4.73

4.75

0.02

34

1,746,290

8,296,279.04

UACN

57

54.12

-2.88

38

251,966

13,659,415.27

FIDELITYBK

2.99

2.98

-0.01

85

3,496,569

10,312,891.40

UBA

8.1

8

-0.1

198

9,011,889

72,690,287.22

1.25

1.25

0

54

2,240,968

2,777,017.98

FIDSON

2.17

2.17

0

28

592,440

1,292,132.12

UBCAP

FLOURMILL

85

80

-5

88

538,532

43,777,070.57

UBN

12.44

12.44

0

55

327,867

3,976,641.33

FO

17.02

17.02

0

25

159,166

2,894,282.19

UNILEVER

58

58.2

0.2

49

223,175

12,987,165.41

GLAXOSMITH

62

62

0

27

231,175

14,319,770.00

UNITYBNK

0.62

0.65

0.03

58

5,316,394

3,281,191.44

GNI

0.5

0.5

0

3

244,000

122,000.00

UNIVINSURE

0.5

0.5

0

3

47,000

23,500.00

GUARANTY

24.3

24

-0.3

372

21,745,145

522,361,934.14

UPL

5.5

5.5

0

11

34,400

173,132.00

GUINEAINS

0.5

0.5

0

1

16,000

8,000.00

UTC

0.6

0.66

0.06

3

59,350

38,445.00

GUINNESS

251.07

251.71

0.64

47

123,401

31,089,142.48

VITAFOAM

4.7

4.65

-0.05

26

256,161

1,180,695.70

84

84

0

44

167,339

14,028,531.74

HONYFLOUR

3.5

3.33

-0.17

28

546,780

1,846,025.20

WAPCO

IHS

2

2.1

0.1

3

345,889

733,161.35

WAPIC

0.89

0.89

0

6

31,982

27,964.70

IKEJAHOTEL

0.9

0.9

0

2

110,000

99,000.00

WEMABANK

1.22

1.18

-0.04

18

18,309,166

21,965,968.94

INTBREW

26

26

0

37

304,895

7,797,148.73

ZENITHBANK

19.8

19.71

-0.09

237

2,601,046

51,384,896.98

IPWA

0.68

0.68

0

1

533

341.12

JAPAULOIL

0.54

0.53

-0.01

39

2,947,042

1,559,271.16

JBERGER

66.49

66.49

0

18

130,312

7,960,118.35

JOHNHOLT

1.43

1.43

0

2

10,000

13,020.00

JOSBREW

1.1

1.1

0

4

6,000

5,950.30

LASACO

0.5

0.5

0

1

2,000

1,000.00

LEARNAFRCA

1.78

1.78

0

1

1,000

1,660.00

LINKASSURE

0.5

0.5

0

3

131,000

65,500.00

TOP 10 GAINERS Stock GUINNESS BETAGLAS NB UAC-PROP ETERNA UNILEVER REDSTAREX AGLEVENT IHS ETI

Close 251.71 10 156.5 14.81 3.4 58.2 4.99 1.53 2.1 15

TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS Gain

Stock

Close

Loss

0.64 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.19 0.13 0.1 0.1

NESTLE CAP FLOURMILL PRESCO UACN DANGCEM NAHCO FBNH LIVESTOCK GUARANTY

936 48.52 80 38 54.12 180 6.66 17.54 5.11 24

-24 -5.39 -5 -2.89 -2.88 -2 -0.61 -0.36 -0.34 -0.3

THE

NIGERIAN

12

TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

MORE than any other issue in Nigeria today, the greatest concern has been the security condition of the country.

ALMOST on a daily basis, there are accounts of several security threats arising from armed robberies, assassinations, armed militancy and banditry, kidnapping, bombings and of recent, the blood-let from a religious sect called the Jaamatus Alhus Sunnah Lid Daawatis Wal Jiliad (otherwise called Boko Harm) who say they are opposed to Western education and are ready to attack every vestige of western civilization.

INDEED, the rate of crime and criminality, as exemplified in the high incidence of kidnapping, bombings and other organised crimes has sadly moved from the realm of security threat to an area of real and present danger.

THE frightening security condition in Nigeria has not only been a source of worry, it has also dented Nigeria’s International status.

FOR instance, on August 26, 2011 the terrorist group, Boko Haram bombed the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in Abuja, the nation’s Federal capital city. The consequences of that attack, as of today, are yet to abate.

IN the wake of the UN building attack, Nigeria, lost her hosting right of the global food security meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAQ) which was moved from Abuja, to Senegal. The meeting was an assemblage of experts and food administrators all over the globe.

ASIDE the UN building bombing on August 26, 2011 that claimed 23 lives including 11 UN personnel, local Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, had until late, been orchestrating series of isolated attacks predominantly in Northern Nigeria.

THE

NIGERIAN

Security And Intelligence Sharing The sect is believed to be targeting centres of international attraction, especially in the Federal Capital Territory.

CURIOUSLY, the presidential committee on security challenges in the North East Zone has identified security lapses, inter-service rivalry and lack of collaboration as factors that have encouraged the proliferation of security crises in the Northern part of the country. It also blamed the security breaches on high level of poverty, unemployment and other social ills.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER is however of the considered opinion that serious security collaboration and intelligence sharing must be urgently evolved to arrest security breaches and this needs to go beyond the shores of the nation. The federal government must build inter-agency cooperation through diplomatic channels/pacts, and international intelligence to ensure that crime of whatever scale is nipped in the bud.

MOST importantly, there is the overriding need to promptly move to demilitarize the Nigerian society and reduce the heavy influx of arms and ammunition in the country which have unfortunately gone into the wrong hands.

TO this extent, the Customs and Immigration Services, in tandem with the Ministry of Interior should work round the

clock to protect the porous Nigerian borders.

SOMETHING fundamental equally needs to be done to reduce, if not totally eliminate the existence of private militias that were established, funded and used by politicians and individuals who later dumped them after having been trained to handle arms.

ALSO, the various security agencies, beside the need to be technologically equipped and funded to carry out their assigned tasks, would need to be restructured. The structure and duties of our security agencies must be revisited so as to ensure that each organ very well knows its specific roles and function, while the laws establishing these agencies must be made clear on who does what.

THE government at all levels, particularly the federal government, urgently needs to carry out reforms in the security sub-sector to eliminate inertia created by inter-agency rivalry and react decisively to security threats with dispatch.

ON their part, the citizens must cooperate with the security agencies by supplying them with prompt, useful and relevant information on likely security breaches. This can be facilitated by the existence of a wellcoordinated biometric database of Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike indicating where people live, their nature of jobs and background. This will assist in fishing out the bad eggs in the society.

DECISIVE steps should be taken to cripple Boko Haram Sect and their operations as well as end their menacing reign. If anything, a safe, secure and peaceful environment is what the present democracy needs to be strengthened and sustained, as such the government and people of Nigeria cannot afford to leave this to the whims and caprices of miscreants.

THE

NIGERIAN

13

TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

Education

Why Edo NUT Must End This Strike The issue of on-going teachers’ strike in Edo state has become an embarrassment not only to the government but also to the teachers, pupils and entire citizens of the state. It was hardly expected that the strike called by the Nigeria Union of Teachers to press for the payment of 27.5 per cent special teachers’ allowance would drag on for this long.

This is because unlike other states the implementation of the allowance had commenced in Edo state. The seventeen per cent being paid in Edo was negotiated between the NUT and the state government based on the resources available to the government. The balance ten per cent was to be implemented when improvement was recorded in state finances.

It must be conceded that the teachers have a right to press for the implementation of the balance of the allowance.

However, agitation for a right does not necessarily have to end in a strike action.

Dialogue, engagement and negotiation can, and indeed do, achieve better results than a strike action. Secondary school teachers in Edo state refused to join in the current action by the NUT, preferring, instead to negotiate with the state government. The result of that negotiation is the approval given by the Comrade Governor for the implementation of the 27.5 per cent special teachers’ allowance with effect from July 1, 2013.

In approving the allowance for secondary school teachers, Comrade Oshiomhole said: ‘’ I want to thank you for trusting me and accepting the students under your care as your own children and refusing to do anything that would adversely affect their academic calendar. By your conduct you have shown that you recognize and are committed to upholding the noble values that shape the attitude of the average teacher.

You have demonstrated that you see yourselves not just working for salary but because you believe in teaching’’.

As pupils roam the streets and their teachers are tired of idling away at home, parents are worried that the future of their children and wards is

being jeopardized by a needless strike action. The NUT should follow the lead of the secondary school teachers by calling off their strike today and return to the negotiating table in the interest of our children. This will also show their commitment o the revitalisation of the education sector already begun by the Comrade Governor.

Soon after he won reelection for a second term on July 14, Governor Adams Oshiomhole had said on a Radio Nigeria Bronze FM interview programme that one of the areas which would receive his government’s attention in his second term is human capital development.

And Comrade Oshiomhole ‘’hit the ground running’’ by the way he started to tackle the many vices which have tended to hold the public school system down. These vices include lateness and deliberate absenteism, indolence and unwillingness to work which has become almost legendary. If school teachers, primary and secondary, were in their duty posts at all they were there not to teach but to trade or make enquiries about the next pay.

While inspecting on-going construction work at New Era College, Benin City, Comrade Oshiomhole was confronted by a student who commended him for the new status of the school as a model school with modern facilities and also requested him to ask their teachers to do their job. This courageous student may be all the impetus the state needed to begin the cleansing required to position Edo state for increased development and efficient utilisation of its human capital resources.

Since then, Comrade Oshiomhole has paid unscheduled visits to several public primary and secondary schools across the state to check the teachers’ level of attendance as well as punctuality.

The development of human capital as a cardinal policy objective of the Oshiomhole administration must commence from the grassroots level of the education system, the primary school level. The Comrade Governor’s inspection visits have revealed the rot in the school system requiring that drastic measures must be

By NASAMU JACOBSON taken to redeem education in the state.

Aside the provision of modern buildings, furniture and other learning and teaching aid, all schools must be adequately staffed with trained and dedicated staff willing and ready to work.

While many of the primary and secondary schools in the state have been renovated and some reconstructed and furnished, about 300 NCE teachers have been recruited and deployed to teach Edo language in the primary

just a few of such schools recording an average of 80 per cent. Even though enrolment was was not as high as it is now, teachers and pupils were dedicated and hardworking.

Parents too, took interest not only in the educational progress of their children and wards but also in the affairs of the schools. Regular meetings were held between teachers and parents with a view to monitoring the school system. School inspection and supervision was taken seriously.

that take-over except, of course, that policies now came from one source: government.

With the take-over of schools, government had bitten more than it could chew. Soon, our endemic illness of lack of maintenance culture set in with many buildings collapsing without repairs. Pupils soon began to go to school with their chairs and desks while teachers, whose reward was still then in heaven, looked on helplessly while other civil servants working in the ministries helped themselves to the national cake under the supervision of the military

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State schools Also, more technical colleges are to be established while existing ones are resuscitated and strengthened to provide skill acquisition facilities to the large number of youths presently roaming the streets.

These efforts are geared towards building a strong, well trained middle-level manpower not only for the state but also for the nation as only a well trained and motivated workforce can drive economic progress. But these laudable efforts will not be fully appreciated unless our discerning population takes a close look at the past juxtaposed on our present situation and situate it against the Oshiomhole administration’s goals.

It was indeed common place for primary schools in the Midwest Region, later Bendel State and then Edo and Delta States, to score 100 percentage performance in the First School Leaving Certificate examination. Most of our secondary schools also scored 100 per cent in WASC and GCE examinations with

It is, however, not too difficult to see where and when the system failure occurred. Since about 1973 when schools were taken over from their voluntary agency/ mission owners things have not remained the same. It was an era of oil boom and the general language in the country was ‘’THE PROBLEM IS NOT MONEY BUT HOW TO SPEND IT’’.

The take-over was aimed at standardisation of policies, access to affordable education as well as ease of monitoring and evaluation. It is arguable if anything was achieved by

junta. Disillusionment set in across all cadre of the school system as teachers and those assigned to supervise them began to seek alternative ways of making ends meet. Are you surprised to find that almost all teachers in Edo State primary schools are women?

All the male teachers had to abandon the profession with some fleeing abroad to seek the proverbial greener pastures.

This was the situation when Edo State was created (or is it carved or excised?) from Bendel Sate in 1991.

Unfortunately, no

government, military or civilian, took bold, practical steps to stem our collective slide into educational backwardness. The public school system became neglected and abandoned.

Instead, it became fashionable for administrators of education in our state to establish elitist schools whose only attraction for most parents was the ‘’wonder’’ results that came out of their WASC and GCE examination ‘’special centres’’ at the end of each school year. There are stories of how many graduates of private secondary schools with ‘’brilliant’’ results are unable to measure up in the university.

Interestingly, this is the area in which the Oshiomhole administration first focussed its drive to redeem education in the state. All such schools that operated only as ‘’examination special centres’’ have been closed down and their patrons forced to look elsewhere. The new phase of the war to reclaim education in Edo State has just begun with the monitoring of teachers and their inspectors.

It must be pointed out that the prosecution of this phase of the war is not the responsibility of the Comrade Governor alone. The fact of Comrade Oshiomhole moving from school to school inspecting and monitoring attendance of teachers is as a result of failure on the part of the relevant administrators to accept and perform their assigned roles as officers of government. There must be concerted effort on the part of teachers, their unions, education administrators and parents to assist government in putting education on ‘’winning ways’’ again in Edo State.

Nasamu Jacobson, a Public Affairs Analyst, wrote from Benin City.

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Nutritional Health And Dietetics

How To Balance Your Blood Sugar A good number of people have chronic low blood sugar also, known as hypoglycemia which may cause you to get dizzy when you stand, can also, cause irritability, headache and inability to concentrate. This could be as a result of when meal is late or skipped and when you start powerful crawing for sweet.

Another group of people may be diabetic or be at the borderline diabetic and experience classic symptoms of high blood sugar, such as, excessive thirst, fatigue, sugar crawing and poor circulation which causes any cut or wounds to heal slowly.

You too can address these symptoms through key changes in your eating habit.

If you suspect you are diabetic, you will be adviced on testing your levels of insulin and blood sugar.

The food solutionDiabetic needs - to reduce or eliminate fruit and other whole food carbohydrates.

They are advice to concentrate on lots of protein, low carbohydrate and good fats.

Eat salad and other low carbohydrate vegetables like asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cabbage and chad, topped by not restrict fat except fried food and junk fats like margarine and eat general portions of protein like turkey and chicken, lamb, chops, cracked crab and salmon, steak and beans, averter them or anything else.

Protein helps to keep blood sugar stable-your hard worn blood sugar balance can be kept in balance or stable by protein.

Foods High In ProteinTrigger - the release of glucagons, hormone that helps provide balance when excess carbohydrates trigger excesses of insulin.

Glucagons stimulate fat burning instead of fat storage, sheets down

cholesterol over-production and discourages water retention, among other things, protein alone or together with fat. Most tight protein, foods like meat, eggs and fish contain fat as well as protein stimulates glucagons activity, (fat alone has no effect either way).

Carbohydrates trigger the release of insulin which results in the conversion to fat and low blood sugar crawing. But don’t get glucagons fixated. What you want is levels blood sugar.

When your insulin and glucagons are both normalised, blood sugar stays level.

Fat is Innocent - Fat by itself does not raise insulin.

Only carbohydrates do. Fat really is innocent when it comes to most weight gain.

Fat can be converted into blood sugar if necessary but slowly, not in bursts that over stimulate insulin release. And fat actually keeps the carbohydrate in your meals from hitting you too hard.

It also makes you feel satisfied, so that, you know when to stop eating. Eat some far at every meal. It helps to stop carbohydrate cravings.

The body yearnings for fat and won’t stop eating until the fat arrives. You don’t have to eat gobs.

Vegetables are vital – Along with protein and fat, vegetables are of primary importance. They should become your primary source of carbohydrates. Even low carbohydrate, green vegetables contain some slow acting carbohydrates that won’t spike insulin but

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will fill you up, if you eat enough of them. You will need to make peace with vegetable preparation, washing, chopping, dressing and cooking.

Make vegetables your friends. Aim at four cups a day of coloured vegetables.

Vegetables not only contain vitamins and fibre, they also,

protein shake, eat plenty of food at least, 25 perfect of your day’s intake within an hour after your wakeup if you possible can, it gets easier quickly.

Lunch – If you can tolerate wheat, a sandwich loaded with protein can be okay.

Otherwise salad with chicken, beans, vegetable,

apply with cheese or salmon or turkey jerky, between meal protein smoothie.

Legumes – Try putting more legumes – beans, peas, lentits and others into your diet. They are actually the highest fibre food which keep your digestive tract healthy and fairly high in protein and other nutrients.

Fruit – It is because it is

or avoid fruit for a while, until it does work for you.

Do not skip meals if, you do, your blood sugar will crash and spike.

Liquid – Sweet juices and sodas including diet soda of any kind are sugar monsters, drink filtered or spring water with squeeze of fresh lemon, lime or grape fruit.

Diabetics have been told to

contain crucial minerals and particularly, in the raw state, many digestive enzymes, if you have hard low blood sugar for years, you are low or even out of all four kinds of nutrients.

Eating Ideal Breakfast – If you don’t break that fast that has been going on since, you ate last night, your blood sugar will just keep dropping until you will grab the first dish that breaks your night long fast with protein, egg, healthy sausage, high

avocado and dressing or beans, lettuce or big bowl of chilli and a mixed vegetable salad.

Dinner - Try fish, chicken with vegetable and baked potato with butter or have a stirred vegetable soup.

Snacks - If your blood sugar has a great tendency to drop, you will need to share yourself up with mid morning and mid afternoon and may be bedtime snacks that are strong in protein peanut butter and celery and

the only food loaded with fibre, vitamin, minerals and vital enzymes, fruit is loaded with fruit sugar (fructose).

You may find that fruit is too sweet for you, causing you to have a blood sugar dive up to two hours afterward.

Fructose does not tend to cause the immediate spike and dive of other sugar but if you find yourself feeling tired and craving sweets after eating an apple as a snack, then next time be sure to eat it with nuts or cheese

stay away from sugar and sugary foods because, they can cause a surge in their already high blood glucose level. The truth is that diabetics must eat a balance diet or meal that includes some protein, fat and sugar in moderation.

Refined sugar is believed to cause hyperactivity, especially in children. It reacts in the body which then releases adrenaline into the blood stream, resulting in feelings of anxiety, excitement and problems with concentrating.

Research has it that many children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder may just be reacting to sugar or their sugar reactions are making the disorder worse.

Thanks for reading.

“Fat by itself does not raise insulin. Only carbohydrates do. Fat really is innocent when it comes to most weight gain. Fat can be converted into blood sugar if necessary but slowly, not in bursts that over stimulate insulin release. And fat actually keeps the carbohydrate in your meals from hitting you too hard.”

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TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

Levels Of Truth In Dialogue MY article, “THE VALUE OF TRUTH IN DIALOGUE”, published in the Sunday Trust and Pilot newspapers of June 16, 2013 have attracted some questions and reactions that call for the need to clarify some concepts like natural truth, moral truth and religious truth”. This is important given that the media has given us a platform for dialogue in addition to the usual seminars and workshops.

Natural Truth: There are some religions that are simply called “natural religion” or “religion of nature” because they believe that God, the soul, spirits, and the supernatural are not separate from nature. They do not bother much about extraordinary visions and revelations like Frank Lloyd Wright who said: “I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.”

The history of natural religion can be traced to Aristotle hylomophism that reduced the world to matter and form.

Monotheism in the past thought that heaven and hell were physical places, locating heaven in the sky and hell in everlasting fire. The new age and some ethnic religions today practise natural religion in the context of what is made available to the senses. Some African Religions arrived at the concept of “Almighty God” through observation of nature and natural occurrences. The oriental religions approach God through nature. Although some naturalist could end up in pantheism, wherein God is seen as part of every physical thing, it should be recognised that some monotheistic religions arrived at the unity of God through natural events.

Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century relied heavily on nature to explain how God is perceived without reference to special revelation or religious experience. From nature he was able to propose the five ways (Quinque viæ) to prove the existence of God from the arguments of the unmoved mover, the first

cause, from contingency, from degree and the teleological argument. These arguments are expounded in Summa Theologica (ST, Ia, q.

2 a. 3 co) and Summa Contra Gentiles (SCG 1.13). This argument can also be true of the belief in the one God of Sikhism, Vedantic and Bhaktic Hinduism. Natural truth enables people to hold conversations as natural human beings in search of truth without seeking conversion to a particular religion but conversion to the supreme good (Summum Bonum).

Moral Truth: In Kant’s 1785 Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, (3rd edition, Hackett p. 30), he says that human beings occupy a special place in creation, and morality can be summed up in one ultimate commandment of reason, or imperative, from which all duties and obligations derive.”

Hypothetical imperatives define a certain end of an action. For example, “if I wish to quench my thirst, I must drink something; if I wish to acquire knowledge, I must learn. On the other hand, a categorical imperative justifies an end in itself such that you “Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time will that it should become a universal law”. That is to say, act in such a way that every body want to behave like you or be like you. Let no one encounter you and regrets meeting you. Kant viewed the individual as a rationally self-conscious being with “impure” freedom of choice to “do or to refrain from doing as one pleases”.

Naturally, a person should know what is good and what is evil in the quest for happiness. For instance, no religion accepts adultery, murder, violence, stealing as morally right. Moral truth is acceptable to every rational person irrespective of religion. From a person’s actions it can be judged whether he or she loves God whose essence is “good”.

God identified Cornelius in

his natural life. His only credentials were the things he was doing morally outside any of the recognised religions. He was a centurion of the Italia cohort stationed in Caesarea. He had a united and happy household, devout and God fearing. He was generous and prayed constantly to God (Acts 10, 12). Although Cornelius was not a Jew and an adherent of Judaism, God noticed him and told Peter about him. His respect for human beings was

manifested in his reception of Peter. “As Peter reached the house, Cornelius went out to meet him, fell at his feet and did him reverence. But Peter helped him up. Stand up he said, I am only a man (Acts 10, 25-26). Through the actions of Cornelius, Peter came to another awareness of divine truth. “I now really understand, he said, that God has no favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him“(Acts 10, 34-35). The natural law from where moral truth is derived is infused in the human person.

Consequently, God can be

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found in the good activities of the human person. The life of Cornelius was acceptable to the Christian community.

Peter only confirmed what was already evident through baptism. The Muslim can identify with Cornelius because his almsgiving, prayer and fasting are part of

that makes others believe what you say.

Religious Truth: A Muslim friend told me recently that the only religion that will exist in heaven is Islam. Critically, we can say that the truth of this statement is that in heaven, there may be no organized religion except life

“Trinity” means “Three Gods” whereas, for Christians, God the father does not imply a biological father as if God has a wife that gave birth to Jesus. Some Muslims have been asked why God talk in the plural “we” in the Qur’an. Why do we still pray for the peace of

the pillars of Islam.

The truth about a person does not depend on certificates and what the person claims to be. The certificate ought to certify the actions, performance, skills and capacity of a person. If a person cannot perform the duties in accordance with what the certificate says then the person is not true to himself or herself. The moral truth about a person can be captured in key performance indicators. Jesus said, even if you do not believe in me; believe in the works that I do (John 10, 37-38). Moral truth makes a person credible. It is who you are and what you are

in peace and love with God for those who have naturally and morally submitted to the will of God. When the Catholics say, “Outside the Church, there is no salvation”, the implication is that the Church has all that is required to lead one to heaven. My life as a Catholic priest should defend the truth of the Catholic faith. It is not enough for me to be a priest if my actions do not uphold natural and moral truths. I should be seen to do the work of God. It is those who do the will of God that share in the gift of salvation that is abundant in the Church.

Nothing has divided the world more than arguments on religious truths. This is why doctrinal issues are sometimes avoided in interreligious dialogue. In discussing religious truths, concepts could mean different things to different people. In the middle ages, a term like “substance” almost rocked the Church. For the Muslim,

Allah to be upon the prophets who are already enjoying the peace of God in heaven?

Religious truths make religious issues sensitive and delicate hence natural truth and moral actions explain religious truth better than all philosophical and theological arguments. The report in some news papers and ttp:// www.jackophite.com that a “man surrenders Boko Haram son to JTF in Maiduguri” is seen by so many people as a practical way of teaching the true tenets of Islam. If we accept the dignity and value of the human person, we shall forever live in peace here and hereafter.

“The truth about a person does not depend on certificates and what the person claims to be. The certificate ought to certify the actions, performance, skills and capacity of a person. If a person cannot perform the duties in accordance with what the certificate says then the person is not true to himself or herself. The moral truth about a person can be captured in key performance indicators. Jesus said, even if you do not believe in me; believe in the works that I do (John 10, 37-38). Moral truth makes a person credible.”

Fr. Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua is the Director of Mission and Dialogue of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja and Consultor of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C.R.R.M), Vatican C i t y . (comonokhua@hotmail.com)

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Perspective Being a Keynote Address delivered by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu on the occasion of the Leadership Conference and Achievement Award 2013 organised by EDO POLITICAL FORUM on the 8th Day of June 2013 at Best Western Homeville Hotel, Benin City.

Continues from last week

. THE moribund College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi; and College of Education Igueben were resurrected and made functional. A new College of Technology was established at Usen. · Handing over of mission schools like Baptist High School (BHS) and Immaculate Conception College (ICC), both in Benin City to their original owners restored the lost glory of those schools. · Also a new modern hospital, built and furnished with state of the art equipment in Benin City, was commissioned by the then President and named Stella Obasanjo Women and Children Hospital. · The Edo House Abuja was also successfully completed and commissioned. · Edo State regained its lost glory in the area of sports, the Sam Ogbemudia Sports Complex was massively renovated to host the 13th National Sports Festival, which was won by Edo State. · Several electrification projects were successfully completed and they include the 33/415 KVA Ewohimi / Iyagun electricity scheme in Esan South East; the 11/415 KVA Uhen project, Jagbe electrification project in Etsako West, the 33/415 KVA Ikpekhi and Somorika electrification projects in Akoko Edo and the 11/415 KVA Idogbo electricity scheme with a network to Oka, Egba, Obazagbon, Uteze, Ulegun and Ukhirin 2 in Ikpoba Okha Local Government area amongst others. · Many roads were rehabilitated but unfortunately, without proper drainage. Interlocking tiles were used in the construction of Igun and Evbareke Street. The cry of poor infrastructure in the State had to do with roads, and all blame was heaped on the State Governor, notwithstanding whether the roads in question belonged to the state, local, or federal government. Whenever the State Government pleaded paucity of funds, the people got even angrier.

Another area where the administration really received public condemnation was the mass retrenchment of workers in the year 2000. Govern-

ment unable to cope with salary payment was misled to believe that downsizing the workforce will reduce the huge wage bill and give Government some respite. When I learnt of this plan, I pleaded passionately with the Governor not to implement it because of the consequences that lay ahead. Apart from the trauma to be suffered by those prematurely retired, and the unpopularity the action would bring to the Governor, I knew government could not at that time pay the gratuity and pensions of those affected. I was however overruled by the then Attorney General, who surprisingly had both the support of the then Head of Service and the Chairman, Civil Service Commission. The Governor believing that he had gotten expert advice implemented the plan, and like I feared, the outcome was disastrous. Thousands of workers lost their jobs and when they demanded for their gratuities or even monthly pensions, government was unable to pay. Naturally, they laid siege at Government House and everyday became one demonstration or the other.

The Governor, to be fair to him, later apologized to Edo people confessing that the decision was a mistake but the damage had been done When the administration announced the launch of a vigorous campaign against human trafficking, and the then First Lady, Mrs Eki Igbinedion formulated it into her pet project; there were loud voices of resistance, claiming that the government had come to deny people of their means of sustenance, since they were dependent on the remittances from Italy.

Considering the pervasive ignorance of the wider implications of human trafficking, and on the culture of Edo people, the resistance was understandable. But it produced many other consequences. It conditioned people to resist, and to at the least opportunity attack the state government, and in particular, the Governor. There were snide remarks then, that the Governor had not flushed out those in the red-light district opposite his father’s house, across the road from a well-known hotel, yet

Political Governance In Edo Sta

he was concerned about those abroad, who were “feeding” those at home.

The government was not deterred. A law was passed against human trafficking; an aggressive reorientation programme was launched throughout the State, while skills acquisition centres were established to train returnees, and also equip others, so they could fend for themselves, rather than trade their bodies.

Today, far fewer Edo girls are involved in international prostitution than was the case in 1999. Although some of the girls routinely arrested and repatriated these days claim to be from Edo State, on more rigorous interrogation, they are found to be impostors, from elsewhere other than Edo. In any event, Edo families no longer wear it as a status symbol that they are sending, or have sent, their daughter to Italy, or anywhere else for that matter, to go and earn money with their bodies.

The administration equally ventured into industrialisation, although I will admit that, in the end, the outcome was not satisfactory. The administration at the time evaluated the economy, and reached the conclusion that, rather than being primary producers, it was imperative to have value-addition, in order to mark-up the value of goods.

That way, instead of wholesale reliance on importation, we could have some finished products in our local economy. Towards this end, the administration took the equitable decision of establishing one industry in each of the three senatorial districts in the state.

A Fertilizer Blending Plant was established at Auchi; a Cassavita Plant at Uromi; and a Fruit Juice Factory at Ehor.

In deciding on the ventures, the guiding principle was to demonstrate what is possible, and not necessarily for the government to begin to run businesses, at a time when the vogue was privatisation. The government intended to set up the industries, run them for a while, and then put them up for sale. Regrettably, owing to poor feasibility and execution, the policy did not yield the intended beneficial results.

On industrial harmony, it is

By PASTOR OSAGIE IZE-IYAMU

useful to note that by the time of the administration’s exit in May 2007, the NLC and JNC, the Industrial Unions in the state organised a send-forth event for the state Governor, showering him with praise for his worker-friendly policies, including the prompt payment of salaries and allowances, as well as the payment of gratuities and pension benefits. This was in stark contrast to the years when workers and pensioners wielded placards and blocked highways in the state capital, because their demands were unmet by the State Government.

On the pursuit of social peace as a priority by the administration, it is important for us to recall some of the deadly incidents that threatened the nation’s fabric in the early years of the Fourth Republic. There were frequent Inter-ethnic clashes that were as bloody as they were deadly. Towns and villages in some neighbouring states were evacuated while the wars lasted; businesses closed; oil companies scaled down their operations drastically. But Edo remained an oasis of peace, because the government worked assiduously to ensure that peace reigned. In fact, it was while other states were set ablaze by inter-ethnic conflict, and Edo was a safe haven, that a number of businesses fell for the lure of setting up in the state. Since then, they have remained and grown.

What has however made it difficult to defend the past administration is the silence of the former Chief Executive himself to correct false and malicious accounts of his stewardship. The Former Governor has always been a man of few words but silence is not always golden. In the world we live in, silence can easily be misconstrued.

Edo people have however come to see a new style and level of political governance since Oshiomhole came on board, after upstaging Professor Osunbor at the Court of Appeal. It has become very clear that personality, political dynamics and availability of resources all combine to define the different era of po-

“It is important for me to state that despite my political activism and involvement in the administration, I was initially not among those appointed to serve in the government when it came on board in 1999. It is on record that I was only appointed, when the pioneer Chief of Staff, Hon Victor Ebomoyi, was made a commissioner.”

litical governance in the State since 1999. Oshiomhole’s administration has opened up the three senatorial areas in the state with quality roads and massive renovation of primary and secondary schools, shut down the influence of political godfathers and expanded the tax net to improve internal resources and attract funds to pay contractors executing projects statewide. The success story has been tremendous, the feelings of Edo people profound and the impact on Edo political equation very definitive as the governor was voted massively back into office for a second term earlier this year.

It is important for me to state that despite my political activism and involvement in the administration, I was initially not among those appointed to serve in the government when it came on board in 1999. It is on record that I was only appointed, when the pioneer Chief of Staff, Hon Victor Ebomoyi, was made a commissioner.

Yet, a lot of political pundits and media practitioners have repeatedly described me as very powerful in the administration. The answer is yes and no. First, I would declare no, because I had no ministry or parastatal under my supervision or powers to award contracts in any form, and my advice was subject to the discretion of the Chief Executive.

But I would humbly concede yes, to the extent that I deployed the goodwill in the offices of Chief of Staff and SSG to help resolve knotty problems for the Administration and ensured improved labour relations with Government. I ensured the regularity of payments of the backlog of the salaries and allowances, assisted to resolve issues on promotions of civil servants, and became the frontline officer in Government to trust by stakeholders, traditional rulers, students and even market women in negotiations. The labour unions later gave me an award for outstanding service at the end of my tenure.

Besides, I deliberately utilized the goodwill in both political offices to jointly initiate, with the then Commissioner for Health, Late Pharmacist Ovbiagele, the construction, equipping and commissioning of the magnificent state-owned Stella Obasanjo Women and Children Hospital, off Sapele Road, Benin City:

· I was the Chairman of Edo College rehabilitation committee that raised funds from public spirited persons for the complete rehabilitation of Edo College, the premier secondary school in Edo State, which incidentally I also attended and which was in a deplorable state and supervised the utilization of the funds realized in the renovation of the college;

bein Th peop this: tian, ters “Wh offic tion infra of th simp cour

Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu · I also championed the construction of an imposing library complex in Benin City, equipped with internet facilities and well stocked with books, journals and literature.

The complex was also able to accommodate the office of the Stock Exchange in Edo State, while one of the floors was leased to a bank for commercial purposes.

I confess that I deliberately made the offices of the Chief of Staff and SSG very accessible to all, because I realized that political office holders added to the public negative impressions of politicians by shielding themselves from the electorates with security aides and overzealous political hangers-on. This public accessibility was widely acknowledged and brought me and the office to political prominence, which pundits and the media misconstrued when they perceived me as

runn poli be re the poli cent in N Stat hone min rent num mak to th Le my denc me poli PDP whi with “Gr clara is G to c part in st gula

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TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

Perspective

1999 Till Date

ng very powerful. he two questions most ple have often asked me is : “What are you, a Chris, doing in the murky waof Nigerian Politics” and hy didn’t you resign from ce when the administran was not meeting the astructural expectations he people”? My answer is ple: If God-fearing and rageous Christians keep

swept through Edo State as a political revolution that caught the PDP godfathers by surprise, and the declaratory slogan spread like wild fire, drawing admirers and disciples in large number across the entire state.

For daring the status quo and seeking fundamental change, my life was threatened, and only God saved me from many assassination at-

ning away from partisan tics, how can the system eformed and purged of all dirtiness that have made tics so unattractive to det people? Partisan politics Nigeria, especially Edo e, yearns for God–fearing, est and strong politically– ded men and women. Curtly, we are too few in mber and in positions to ke any remarkable change he political tide. et me state here that it was Christian faith and confice in the Lord that made to confront the dreaded itical godfathers and the P status quo in the state le in office as the SSG, h the formation of the ace Group”, and the deatory slogan of “No man God”. The sole mission was confront the autocracy in ty politics and dictatorship tate governance. This sinar courage I displayed

tempts from the political class. But I found boldness in the inner conviction that I was serving the public good. The Grace Group as a popular pressure group was so widely accepted that it formed the platform of opposition elements for the emergence of a new political party – the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) – in Edo State. The first test of the ACN as an alternative political mechanism for power, and a credible vehicle against political autocracy, was clearly shown in the victory of the ACN governorship candidate, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, at the elections in 2007 which the PDP faced with imminent defeat attempted to falsify the outcome using INEC but to the Glory of God, the Election Tribunal and Court of Appeal restored the mandate.

I thank God for the im-

mense infrastructural transformation of the State by the Comrade Governor, who believed in the philosophy of the Grace Group, bought into it and courageously elevated that philosophy to the mantra of one-man-one-vote that has made the godfathers become irrelevant. It is that courage, and conviction to pursue the public good that have bonded the Comrade and I, and accounted for my elevation to the position of National ViceChairman (South-South zone) of the Action Congress of Nigeria, the progressive platform for the development of our state. I am presently a member of the National Merger Committee of ACN, ANPP, CPC, APGA and DPP that is working towards the registration of a new national political party called the All Progressives Congress (APC) which we believe would be able to defeat the ruling PDP and rescue Nigeria from its present state of decay I was the Chairman of the Committee that the Comrade Governor set up to organize his first year anniversary in office in appreciation of my role in his emergence as Governor of Edo State. I have continued to support him and was appointed as the Director General of his re-election campaign in 2011 and I am eternally grateful to God who gave us a resounding victory in all the eighteen Local Government areas of Edo State.

The Governor also honoured me by inviting me to chair the committee to organize his second term inauguration as Governor of Edo State.

On the second question, I could not have resigned from the administration, when God was using me to challenge and checkmate the excesses of ungodly men. As mentioned earlier, I used my office to effectively influence some positive developments in and across the State, in spite of the constraints and difficulties of that period. I am by nature not a quitter and believe the saying that “tough times don’t last, but tough people do”.

I would not shy away from addressing the issue of corruption in political governance of Edo State during the

period under review. It is wrongly assumed that every public officer that served in that administration must be corrupt and needs to be punished. I served as Chief of Staff and SSG during the administration, and petitions were written against me by political opponents especially from the PDP. I was thoroughly investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and given a clean bill, exonerated, and never indicted for any wrongdoing. This is largely because I strongly guided my actions in government with the word of God as stated in Proverbs 22:1 that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Definitely, politics cannot be a sine qua non for corruption, as the personality make-up of a public office holder, especially his value system, will define most of his actions and decisions, in political administration.

The structure of power relations in Edo State is now reengineering the style of political governance in Edo State, in these past five years, led by the incumbent Governor of the State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. He has re-jigged the political consciousness of Edo people; taken courage and hardwork to a new level of admiration; realistically ensured the spread of infrastructural facilities and development across that state as a do-able venture; sustained populism through open and intense confrontation with the selfish political elite and godfathers who arrested the development of the state over the past two decades; and showcased the dividends of tax payment by the citizenry.

I am proud to be part of this political and developmental landmark of our dear state, and a strategic player in the re-modeling of our body politics to be people-oriented and development-focused.

The fact is that the incumbent Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has taken Edo State to a higher pedestal in developmental indices that was even acknowledged by the World Bank.

Definitely, Edo people cannot

accept anything less in the political credentials of those aspiring to that exalted office, as retrogression in development and lethargy in governance are now antithetical to the expected quality of political governance in Edo State.

Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, the political challenge that stares us in the face is this: what future lies for Edo State after the incumbent Governor has concluded his second and last term in 2016?

Governance is always an unfinished business. Every government in power can only strive, through commitment and focus, to generate and utilise available resources, to deliver on its mandate. No one administration can solve all of a state’s problems during its tenure, which at its maximum is eight years. There will always, therefore, be work to be done: old and new challenges to confront, new frontiers to explore, and new benchmarks to be established. I believe that even the most incurable cynic will acknowledge that, in a positive sense, Edo State has moved from the dark shadow of itself at the dawn of democracy in 1999, to a newer and more hopeful profile. The progress has not been a sudden quantum leap. As I have indicated in the course of this Lecture, the progress has been gradual but unstoppable.

We cannot at this stage of our development have too much of investment, whether by indigenes or foreigners.

We are in need of investments that will create stable jobs, and generate wealth. We are in need of investment in transport infrastructure, in agriculture, in manufacturing, in tourism and hospitality, in education, in health, and just about any productive sector you can think of. But attracting investments, boosting the skills of our youth, and empowering our people, are not matters alone for the Executive Branch. It calls for synergy among the arms of government, as well among the tiers of government. It calls for learning from past mistakes, and it calls for learning from the success stories of others.

The incumbent Governor is laying a strong infrastructural foundation that must be improved upon to take the state to its economic and industrial

level that would empower the citizens and improve their welfare.

In this regard, Edo people cannot afford the political blunder of electing a second class politician, not well versed in the internal dynamics of power in Edo State; not courageous enough to keep the hawkish and greedy godfathers from the public till; not God–fearing enough to do what is right to all manner of men and women; not transparent enough to be trusted based on his political antecedents; not strong enough to implement peopleoriented developmental projects; and without initiative that could drive the economy, especially the informal sector, and ignite the industrial development of the state.

Edo State needs a grassroot political leader with a compassionate heart to connect with the suffering citizens and the under-privileged; a youthful face to reach out to the teeming youngsters seeking hope for tomorrow; a deeply religious politician as righteousness exalts a people and brings down the blessings of God; experienced enough to wisely dissect the counsel of the elderly in the political class, and popular nationally in the party to attract economic investments to Edo state.

As a people bonded by the socio-cultural affinities and economic circumstances, the stakes are too high for us to lose in 2016 the hard-won political freedom; midwifed by the Grace Group philosophy and courageous battle, to overcome the vice-grip of political godfathers and commence the dogged pursuit of infrastructural transformation of the state. We must move forward and pursue our dream of sustained development of the human capital and public assets in order to make life easier for Edo citizens with the high quality of the robust political governance of our state. We cannot afford to fail.

I sincerely thank you for your attention and pray earnestly that God would answer our prayers.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is the South-South Vice Chairman of the Action Congress on Nigeria (ACN).

“We cannot at this stage of our development have too much of investment, whether by indigenes or foreigners. We are in need of investments that will create stable jobs, and generate wealth. We are in need of investment in transport infrastructure, in agriculture, in manufacturing, in tourism and hospitality, in education, in health, and just about any productive sector you can think of. But attracting investments, boosting the skills of our youth, and empowering our people, are not matters alone for the Executive Branch. It calls for synergy among the arms of government, as well among the tiers of government.”

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The Osazua

Ivbaze Column

08188922449

“There should be no lesser punishment for murderers, they deserve to die if found guilty. What we should be asking for is that the accused in their defence should be allowed to exhaust all their rights known to law. Once this is guaranteed, the prescribed punishment should be allowed to express itself.”

TWICE I have been a victim of armed robbery attacks. First time was in 1985 on Benin Lagos Road.

I left Benin in a Chidi Ebere Luxury Bus at about 6.30pm on the calculation that between 9.30 – 10pm I would arrive Lagos.

Shortly after Ijebu Ode we had a flat tyre on one of the front wheels. The driver asked everyone of us to come down to reduce the weight on the vehicle. As we waited for him to replace the punctured tyre with a spare one, we heard gunshots and in a whiff five heavily built men emerged from the bush and ordered all of us to lie down with our faces to the ground.

We were all robbed and mercilessly beaten up. They didn’t see much to take from me as I was still an applicant and was going to Lagos for an interview. A young woman in her early twenties who was nursing a threemonth old baby was raped.

Even the wailing of her baby could not stop these heartless men from having their turns.

Second time was in 2011. I had just relocated from Lagos to Benin and was temporarily staying with my elder sister. One night, at about 1pm I was woken from sleep by gunshots which rang out at the front of the house.

When I peeped through the narrow openings of window, I saw three armed young men.

The shouts of “open the door, open the door or we kill you” frightened me beyond what I can describe. As they were breaking louvers and trying to force the main door open, I took “cover under the bed, praying to God that if they succeeded in getting in, they should not find me.

After about 15 minutes, they got the back door broken and entered the house. Two of them came straight to my room and put on the light. In few seconds I thought about my wife and

children who were still in Lagos. I imagined how they would react to the news that I had been killed by armed robbers. I felt like urinating even as I was soaked in cold sweat. As my heart pounded faster than normal, one of them said “raise that bed somebody is there”. They saw me and ordered me to stand up. They carried guns, axes and cutlasses.

Meanwhile, the other robber was mercilessly torturing my sister, hitting her with the back of a cutlass.

To cut a long story short, they made away with N70,000.00.

We were thankful to God that they spared our lives. My sister had to go for medical treatment as a result of the injuries she sustained. I was lucky. I was not beaten. They just asked me to lie down even as they covered my head with a blanket while they ransacked the house.

Let us be frank with ourselves. What kind of prayer would you offer these agents of death and sorrow if you were in my shoes.

Not long ago, a senior private secretary to Governor Oshiomhole, Comrade Oyerinde was killed by armed men. Uptill now they are yet to be fished out let alone brought to book.

Similarly, those who killed Bola Ige are yet to be found.

Now the question is: What would be position of Human Rights activists if these killers are found tomorrow, tried, convicted and executed. Would they protest?

It will be recalled that civil society groups and students led by ANEEJ Boss recently protested the execution of convicted men whose death warrant was signed by the Comrade Governor.

The right to protest is very fundamental to democratic governance. That cannot be disputed. But in protesting, the higher interest of the society must be borne in

David Mark, Senate President

Mohammed Abubakar, IG of Police

They Deserve To Die mind. Those who delight in killing others must pay with their lives. They have no right to live after they have killed innocent souls.

Do some of us imagine the pains victims undergo in the hands of murderers.

Now, here is the story of the four men whose death warrant was signed by Governor Oshiomhole. The story was told by Henry Idahagbon Commissioner for Justice and nobody has come out to fault him.

One Daniel Nsofor in company of two others traveled with a lady, Maria Imariagbe. At Ehor, she alighted from their vehicle at about 7.15pm. She was strangled to death and her money stolen. Then, enter Chima Ijiozor, a spare parts dealer. He was said to have impregnated a girl. At about 21/2 months old the young man visited mother and child and asked the mother to go buy him coke. Before she returned Chima poisoned the baby. Reason.! he said he

never wanted any child outside wedlock. The third, one Osareminda Aigbokhan, claimed he shot a deer but while dissecting it he discovered it was a human being. But an autopsy report showed that the man was butchered as there was no gunshot on his body. That of Richard Igagu was a robbery case. He was a member of a gang that robbed a man of his possession after which they raped his wife. They pushed a bottle into the raped woman’s private part. She bled to death. Horror!

Horror!!

I am pained that some groups or group of persons would be asking for the abolition of capital punishment as it concerns murderers. The Holy Bible says thou shall not kill. Those who rob and kill their victims are taking lives that they did not give. Life is given by God and only He has the right to take it. Life can also be taken in execution of judgment as was the case with those

whose death warrant was signed by the Comrade Governor.

The clamour for the abolition of capital punishment is a Western idea which must not be allowed to have root here. Just like the ungodly same-sex marriage which has been accepted as a way of life over there, we must ignore those calling for the abolition of capital punishment.

Nigeria is not and can never be United States of America or Britain. We have a right to make our own laws that suit our peculiar circumstances.

In countries like Cuba and China, corruption is a capital offence. Anybody found guilty pays with his/her own life. Go to these countries you will marvel at their levels of development. In most Islamic countries drug business is punishable by death.

There should be no lesser punishment for murderers, they deserve to die if found guilty. What we should be asking for is fair hearing.

Anybody charged with killing should have right to defend himself/herself and the process should be very clean and fair. Once this is assured, then there is no problem.

The issue is not whether capital punishment can stem the tide of crime; but that those who kill their fellow human beings do not have a right to live. So many families have been thrown into mourning by hired killers and armed robbers.

And we are here asking for the abolition of death sentence as it relates to murder and robbery.

There should be no lesser punishment for murderers, they deserve to die if found guilty. What we should be asking for is that the accused in their defence should be allowed to exhaust all their rights known to law. Once this is guaranteed, the prescribed punishment should be allowed to express itself.

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TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

Drumbeats

How To Prepare For One’s Death (3)

Evaluate Your Life Positively And Negatively FOR you to die gracefully and joyfully, then you need to daily evaluate your life positively and negatively.

Always ask yourself, have I lived the way I ought to live today, this week, month and year. If your heart and conscience condemn you of your daily and weekly activities in the sight of God and man, then you need to restrain your step and life from those negative things you are doing and shun those things that retard your positive impact in the society.

He who lives for himself lives for nothing, but he who lives for others lives for everything.

What have you done today that have added positively to the lives of the less privileged in our society? What positive impact have you made to aid the growth of your family, friends, church and government? If you fail to always evaluate yourself positively and negatively, them your desire to die peacefully will elude you.

If I may ask, who have you offended by your conduct and words? If such action does not excite you and generate your peace, then you need to change your ways of communication and the way you handle personal issues and the things that concern others.

I have learnt by experience that if I must move from one level of success to a path of significance in life and the gracefully, then I should as a matter of urgency learn to evaluate myself positively and negatively as often as possible.

Friends, if I may ask, if the rapture takes place now are you sure you have lived a well deserved life that will qualify you to be raptured by God Almighty?

It is very easy to deceive others, but the fact remains that we cant deceive God and ourselves, Every attempt to deceive ourselves will meet with shift resistance from our spirit. Our conscience will never permit us to lie to ourselves. It tells us when we are wrong and right. Our actions and words in private places are not hidden from our conscience. Just as we cannot run away from God, we cannot also run away from our conscience as long as we live on earth.

Don’t stop using your conscience to evaluate your activities on earth positively and negatively if you want to lived a fulfilled life and die joyfully.

Upset God’s Debt Someone maybe wandering by asking; I m I indebted to God? Our indebtedness to God is greater than our indebtedness towards our fellow brothers and sisters in our society.

For you and I to die joyfully and peacefully then we must urgently upset our indebtedness to God. God will hold everyone of us responsible for failure to use our human and material resources to enhance his kingdom on earth.

Suffice it to say that majority of us hardly invest in God’s house financially to enable missionaries to embark on God’s work faithfully. Their complain is that Pastors, Priests and Bishops are the ones that will use the money to build mansions and buy expensive cars and planes for themselves.

You may be right or wrong but the truth is that a true and a faithfully provisionary missionary will invest in God’s kingdom and allow God to bless him and punish who ever misuse His resources and funds entrusted into their cares.

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say wherein have we robbed thee?

In tithes and offerings.

Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Bring ye all the tithes into the store house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now here with, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the Lord of hosts.

And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delight some land, saith the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 3 v 8 12.

If God deems it necessary to demand tithes and offerings from you, do you think He will not hold you and I accountable for failure to fulfill his obligation concerning his house?

You that is reading this book now are you sure you don’t have enough money in your account to build God’s house? If all we are living for is how to amass more wealth and fame and live God’s house unattended to, then we are of all men most miserable.

With Apostle Dr. Raphael O. Ayemere 08035459593

You may be poor and lack the financial capability to enhance your goals and dreams in life. Please note that God also requires your contributions in his house at your level to enhance his kingdom on earth.

Let us as a matter of urgency fulfill our responsibility and indebtedness to God so as to free us from the guilt and condemnation of standing in God’s presence and weeping for things we ought to do in his house, but failed to do so because of sentiment and

debts to humanity nobody is indispensable. We need each other’s hell) and assistance.

Were it not for the help of God, your parents or friends do you think you would have been in that position or acquired the wealth and riches which you enjoy today’?

I will urge you to give help or assistance to as many as you can in your family, neighbourhood, state, nation and the world in general If we know that God will demand of our stewardship on earth as regards our indebtedness to our fellow brothers and sisters in our society who have no means of sustenance or survival, then

answer him, saying, Lord when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? Or thirsty and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed the? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the king shall answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying verily, I say unto you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal”.

Matthew 25 v34-46.

Friends, from the above passages of the scripture you will discover that God will demand of our stewardship to the poor, those in prison and the

people’s opinions and some pastors negative attitude towards people’s donations towards God’s project on earth.

The Way Out Now that we still live on earth and have the opportunity to fulfill our obligation towards God’s house let us as a matter of urgency respond to it faithfully so as to die joyfully and peaceful.

For you and I to die joyfully and peacefully then we must as a matter of urgency upset our

we should be careful of ho\ we use our resources which God gave us mercifully.

“Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat, I was thisty and ye took me in, naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick, and ye visited me. I was in prison and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink.

I was a stranger and ye took me not in, naked and ye clothed me not then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked or sick, or in prison and did not minister

less privileged in our society.

Please shun any act or bad attitude towards your neigbour that will lead to your regret after death The best time and period to practice our Christianity and stewardship on earth is now and not after our death.

Take time to learn and emulate people who give generously to the poor and needy in your society and do as they do.

“I will urge you to give help or assistance to as many as you can in your family, neighbourhood, state, nation and the world in general If we know that God will demand of our stewardship on earth as regards our indebtedness to our fellow brothers and sisters in our society who have no means of sustenance or survival, then we should be careful of ho\ we use our resources which God gave us mercifully.”

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Political

Platform

Politics Of Individualism Vs Colonial Nationalism

COLONIALISM in Nigeria as well as in other places where European presence were felt was due to the desire to secure economic fortunes for the development of their homeland through exploitation of raw materials for their industries aboard and providing market outside Europe for their finish goods, which they sell exorbitantly to Africans, with resources repatriated back to Europe. This was why European activities in Africa was liken to a one sided coin. By implication colonialism was not intended to better the lives of Africans, but rather to exploit them of their Godgiving resources for the overall interest of their countries in Europe.

It may be quick to enumerate some of the achievements of the colonialists to include the construction of roads, as well as railway lines, but in reality it was intended to ease the movement of goods from the interior where it was produced to the point of evacuation (sea shores), where it is shipped to Europe. This was the fate of Nigeria and other colonized countries, as it was left underdeveloped and deprived resulting in the clamour for self determination by Africans, with most African countries attaining .independence in the 1960’s from their colonial masters. Nigeria gained her independence from the British on 1 st October 1960.

Nigeria’s independence was intended to put an end to British nationalism which encourages the underdevelopment of Nigeria for their homeland (Britain). The hope and aspirations of Nigerians were high, as it afforded them the opportunity of transforming their country economically, politically and otherwise. But this was not the case as we are, after more than fifty (50) years of independence unable to develop true nationalism as witnessed in the case of the British, for the development of our country, resulting in abject poverty and all forms of criminality as can be seen in youth restiveness, prostitution, robbery, fraud etc.

There have not been any conscious efforts to bring about meaningful development of our country, despite our huge human and natural resources. Our claim of being the giant of Africa is no longer valid with respect to economic transformation.

Our leaders over the years have not been able to guarantee the welfare of the masses that are deceived to queue up and vote during elections.

Many Nigerians especially the youth, who. should have contributed immensely to the development of our country, seek refuge in foreign land: initially in Europe but now find comfort in African countries, which once looked on us as big brother.

Ghana, South Africa etc

ideological framework on how the country should be governed to attain economical and t e c h n o l o g i c a l advancement. They claim to represent the people who they no nothing about

and embezzlement of huge resources devise means possible to remain in power for as long as possible, to continue to squander the wealth of the nation without any attempt at improving the wellbeing of the masses. The poor becomes a tool in the hands of politicians to achieve their selfish interests. Dangerous

the show of shame displayed by some governors during the election of the Nigerian Governors Forum, where defeat could not be accepted in good fate but rather seek to polarized the polity. A lot of questions has arose as to the 2015 general election, if an election of just thirty five persons could result to

(hope and aspirations). In public, they accept the status of a servant, when in reality they are the masters or how can one explain a situation where servants enjoys so much privileges, while the masters who arc in majority live in abject poverty.

They (politicians) because of the privileges

weapons are made available by politicians to the already deprived youth, with which they use against any perceived oppositions. This is adduced for the increase in crime rate especially the Boko Haram insurgency in northern Nigeria.

The greed for power/ influence is responsible for

such level of acrimony victimization, in a forum that was suppose to be an ordinary parley.

With elections still far off, the system is already overheated and it is expected to get hotter in the months ahead to the 2015 general elections as more personal interests are declared.

By OLUYOLE OMOTOLA

now playing host to many Nigerians who have gone there to seek greener pastures.

‘Politics which was suppose to be a service to the nation is now an avenue to amass wealth,

power and influence for personal aggrandizement.

This is why politicians now see it as a do or die affair, resulting in assassination of political opponents throughout the country. Those who ordinarily could not secure other means of livelihood become politicians over night without any

“Our leaders over the years have not been able to guarantee the welfare of the masses that are deceived to queue up and vote during elections. Many Nigerians especially the youth, who. should have contributed immensely to the development of our country, seek refuge in foreign land: initially in Europe but now find comfort in African countries, which once looked on us as big brother.”

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IssuesPoint View Cremation Act In Lagos: EVER since Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State assented to the Cremation Bill on June 10, opinions are divided on the suitability and desirability of the law.

Some cynics scream that cremation of bodies negates traditional African beliefs and the fundamental principles of all the major religions in the country.

Nevertheless, the state’s Attorney-General, Mr. Adeola Ipaye, argued that cremation, as stated in the new law, was voluntary.

He stressed that a person might signify interest to be cremated after his or her death, adding that a member of the deceased’s family, who was 18 years and above, could also decide to have the body cremated The law, however, empowers the state government to cremate unclaimed bodies in its mortuaries after a period of time.

Nonetheless, the law stipulates that cremation can only be done in the crematorium provided by the state or by licensed funeral homes.

At the ceremony which marked the signing of the bill into law, the bill’s sponsor, Mr Suuru Avoseh, the Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, had many questions, arising from the controversies surrounding the law, to answer.

However, Dr Anthony Omolola, the National President of the General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, said that the Cremation Act was in order, adding that cremation was a globally acceptable practice.

Also speaking, Dr Francis Faduyile, the Chairman of the Lagos State Chapter of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), lauded the governor for signing the bill, saying that the action signified that the state was willing to adopt beneficial global practices.

On the other hand, several religious leaders and lawmakers, who witnessed the signing ceremony, kicked against the law on the grounds that it was anti-religious and anti-cultural.

Alhaji Moyashau Abolaji, an Islamic scholar, vehemently rejected the approval of cremation of bodies, saying that the innovation was not supported

by Islam.

Days after the emergence of the cremation law, mixed reactions have continued to trail the law permitting the cremation of corpses.

A cleric, Pastor Femi Adejuyigbe, said: “I cannot imagine being burnt in an oven after my demise; we were meant to go six feet below, period.’’

Sharing similar sentiments, Mr. Segun Ibironke, an accountant, said that the cremation of bodies was against the culture of most Nigerians.

Ibironke suggested that more lands should be allocated for the construction of more cemeteries in low density areas across the state, while the families of nonindigenes should be instructed to take the bodies of their kin to their hometowns for burial.

Mrs. Joy Ihimodu, a school teacher, was, however, indifferent to the notion of cremation, insisting that since cremation was not compulsory under the law, the residents could choose what to do with the bodies of their loved ones.

All the same, Mr. Yinusa Wusu, a vault attendant, believed that governor could have been compelled to sign the cremation bill into law because of the rising cases of theft of bodies from cemeteries.

Wusu noted that most of the cemeteries in the urban areas of the state did not have enough space, adding that most of the bodies buried therein were also not interred deep enough.

Matters Arising

By OLUWATOYIN ONIGBANJO “During the rainy season, some skeletal parts of buried corpses come to the surface and float; posing health hazards to the people living in the neighbouhood,’’ he added.

Mr. Ifakayode Ahmed, an Ifa (a Yoruba deity) worshipper, said that even though cremation had been legalised in Lagos State, the people still had an option of

body decays,’’ Ahmed said.

All the same, Mr. Tunji Okusanya, a funeral undertaker, stressed that cremation had been the preferred option of burial for some Nigerians and foreigners living in the country even before now.

He said that the cremation law would not reduce the demand for caskets and other

to church and viewed before cremation.

“Cremation, as many people think, is not done haphazardly; it is done in a crematorium, where a special oven-like machine powered with gas is pre-heated and the dead body is placed in it to burn in the presence of family members.

“For about two hours, the body burns neatly and the ashes are presented to a

Gov Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State choice.

He particularly advised religious leaders not to be unduly sentimental about the new law.

“I have studied the Holy Book of Christians and my mother is a Muslim; I don’t think it is written anywhere that the dead must be buried this way or that way.

“What we know is that we will return to dust and your soul will go to back to God; it does not matter how your

burial accessories in any way.

Okusanya, however, conceded that due to some cultural and religious factors, it could take about a century or more for cremation to be widely accepted in the country.

“Cremation is accepted by some families, though not many, because of its benefits.

It does not prevent the family from performing the usual funeral rites on the body, as the corpse could still be taken

“He, however, underscored the need to review the aspect of the law which authorised the cremation of unclaimed bodies by the state government, adding that the review should be done in concert with law enforcement agencies, as it had the potential of complicating security issues.”

representative of the family immediately; it does not cause any pollution to the environment,’’ he said.

Okusanya said that some Nigerian families, having adopted the lifestyles of Indians and some foreigners, preferred cremating their dead family members because the ashes could be kept inside jewellery boxes, photo frames, and bronze containers for as long as they wished.

He, however, frowned at the section of the law which empowered the state government to cremate unclaimed bodies after a period of time.

According to him, no dead should be termed unclaimed because of the state of insecurity in the country where murder, kidnapping and loss of persons are rife.

“Cremating so called ‘unclaimed’ bodies would

only complicate issues surrounding many murder and kidnap cases, as it would not give ample room for further investigations and legal action,’’ he added.

Mr. Dare Peters, the Sales Manager of Omega Funeral Homes, Lagos, said that legalising cremation would go a long way in reducing environmental hazards, as existing burial vaults would be decongested.

He said that people might begin to freely consider the cremation option in order to save the cost of securing a vault space and other expenses needed for elaborate burial.

He, however, underscored the need to review the aspect of the law which authorised the cremation of unclaimed bodies by the state government, adding that the review should be done in concert with law enforcement agencies, as it had the potential of complicating security issues.

Mr. Murtala Busari, a Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners, nonetheless, said that it was not a wise decision to use the available land in city suburbs across the state to build cemeteries.

“While we are trying to develop the small towns for agricultural, housing and industrial projects, some people are now suggesting that the government should use them for cemeteries.

“The law has not enforced cremation on anyone; instead, it will promote liberty and freedom of choice, as Lagos is a land of many cultures, including foreigners who cremate their dead,’’ he said.

Mrs. Bisi Bright, the Country Representative of Live Well Initiative, said that in addition to legalising cremation, the state government should also strive to advise residents against burying their dead in their homes.

She said that the burial of bodies in residential areas would be inimical to the people’s health, as it could provoke outbreak of epidemics and diseases.

Bright said with the law now in place, many residents would embrace cremation, while the tendency for people to bury their dead within the precincts of their homes would considerably reduce.

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Leadership Personal Leadership: Key

To Organisational Growth

WHAT did Winston Churchill, Lee lacocca and Bill Gates have in common?

Certainly they were great personal leaders who knew what they wanted and how to get it.

However, they didn’t succeed because they had great personal leadership qualities. They succeeded because they understood the importance of hiring managers who also possessed personal leadership skills.

These leaders built an environment in which

leadership qualities flourished in all employees.

As each employee reached new heights of achievement so did the organization, ensuring that the individuals and the organization outperformed the competition.

Leadership is an elusive trait. The typical CEO and senior management team have little formal training in effective leadership and base their style on trial and error.

This style will not work.

CEOs cannot lead others if they cannot effectively lead themselves. They must develop personal leadership in themselves and their management team.

Changing Attitudes toward Leadership Anyone, whether CEO or supervisor, can develop personal leadership and make it a dynamic force in his or her life.

Changing attitudes is difficult. Each of us has two things in common, the present and the future. During our present, we program our future. The program we set today determines the results

the world and generate great personal success.

Even those not in management positions must begin to think like a leader, Position is unrelated to responsibility. Everyone who exhibits effective personal leadership and believes in themselves can become a leader and a positive role model.

The key leader attitudes are:

we get tomorrow. If we desire to create a future that is different from our present, we must change our actions and the way we think today.

We exhibit personal leadership when we take responsibility for leading ourselves to reach our personal vision by changing our lives so that we will reach new heights of achievement and lead a life that is positive and fulfilling.

The Most Important Leadership Attitudes The key to developing personal leadership is to believe in yourself first. Once you know you can accomplish anything you desire, you are ready to tackle

I Be a great role model.

Forget the old adage, “DO as I say, not as I do.” Your actions, not your words, are the most important messages that you send to others.

2 Maintain a great attitude about people.

Believe that your people are self directed and will work for personal growth and

increased responsibility.

Expect your staff to exhibit personal leadership and help them to continually grow to new levels.

3 Be personally motivated. Think of yourself as a thoroughbred that runs to win. You act to meet your personal needs and desires. Motivation is internal, not external.

Inspire people to build their internal motivation by building motivation in yourself and by challenging everyone to be the best.

Improve yourself even just 1% a month, a tiny amount.

Through the miracle of compounding, you will double your effectiveness in less than 5 years. This powerful motivator gives you control over your life and can double your effectiveness several times over during your career.

With Bamidele Michael

08064496136

“Even those not in management positions must begin to think like a leader, Position is unrelated to responsibility. Everyone who exhibits effective personal leadership and believes in themselves can become a leader and a positive role model.”

Finally, work for yourself.

Once you discover the great truth that your employer is paying you to work for yourself, you will realize that work is a blessing, not a burden. The better you hone your personal leadership skills, the more success you will bring to yourself.

Steps To Develop Personal Leadership The following proven, simple but sometimes difficult to follow steps will help you develop more success through personal leadership. Develop the conviction and courage needed to accomplish change. You can make personal changes although these changes will take time and effort. Take these steps: Write your goals down.

Know yourself and your present condition so you can be realistic about where you are going. Writing your goals crystallizes your thoughts and forces you to be realistic and logical. You are able to build a solid foundation.

Develop an action plan. A large dream can be overwhelming so break your goals into manageable pieces and define the steps necessary to accomplish them. Then put the steps into a logical sequence.

Do the most important step of all: Schedule your action steps, Make appointments with yourself to accomplish your action steps so that your busy life and the many competing demands on your time do not derail you. When you plan, you will take the steps necessary to create future success.

Track and measure results so you know where you are. Items you track and measure get accomplished.

When you make steady progress, you are much less likely to experience personal doubts. As you track your success you can enjoy your accomplishments.

Summary Personal leadership, whether at the CEO level or at the supervisory level, will bring you great personal rewards. You, as an effective personal leader, will develop a strong success attitude that gives you: I The freedom to choose your own path to success.

2 The confidence that you are following the life plan that is right for you.

3 The elimination of confusion and frustration that come from trying to please others.

4 The challenge and excitement of developing all of your own potential.

Strong personal leadership also gives the organization a competitive advantage in today’s compressed, highly competitive business cycle.

Effective CEOs take the attitude for themselves and their management team that “If you don’t grow, you go.”

They understand that when they exhibit personal leadership as they strive to evolve the organization to the next level, they also provide a role model for their employees, who must accept and lead change.

In the resulting culture, employees meet their personal goals by helping the Organization meet its goals.

Personal growth translates into organizational success.

Robert Schuller provided us with a great personal vision statement that you can use in your 1% growth plan when he said, “Whatever you do today, do it better tomorrow.”

“Inspire people to build their internal motivation by building motivation in yourself and by challenging everyone to be the best. Improve yourself even just 1% a month, a tiny amount. Through the miracle of compounding, you will double your effectiveness in less than 5 years. This powerful motivator gives you control over your life and can double your effectiveness several times over during your career.”

THE

NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

Healthy Living MOTHERHOOD is a thing of joy, but the reverse was the case with a four year old Paul Maku’s mother who was terrified when she notice that her four year old son was bleeding through the nose.

She placed pillow behind his bed, the flow solely slopped but the method worked for a short time as it took two years later for little Paul to be free from the condition as it continued to occur because the pillow solution was not effective and permanent in putting and end to the problem.

According to medical News Today’s website; the medical term for nosebleeding is called epitasis other wise known as nasal hemorrhage.

Also, Merck manual online medical library said that “most people bleed from the front of the nose.

The bleeding may be a thin trickle or blood that can be alarming.

In many cases, a smelt nosebleeding inside the nose can be recognised when blowing the nose and seeming reddish or dark blood mucus.

Apart from children, adult too experience nose bleeding. A 37 year old Segun Olarenwaju still suffers bleeding through the nose. According to him, “I experienced it twice some months back it started suddenly I had gone out to work somewhere in Lagos with out any strange feeling. But when I got back to my office, my nose started bleeding the bleeding was much. My shirt was stained with blood. My colleagues had to rush me to the hospital.

My doctor said the bleeding was triggered by stress, I never knew that stress causes nosebleeding.

Olarenwaju, who said he was distressed with the condition, advised mothers not to allow their children

Coping With Nasal Hemorrhage

place their heads on pillows “I was advised by my doctor not to place my head on pillows as this would cause a backward flow of blood into the brain” he said. There are just a few cases of both children and adult who have battled with nosebleeding According to medical experts “the human nose and those of many animals are rich in blood vessels, because of the position of the nose right in the middle of the face and all its blood vessels, most of us will have had at least one nosebleeding at some time during our lives.

Nosebleedings are seldom a cause for alarm but can be life threatening in rare cases. Spontaneous nosebleedings are fairly common, especially in children. When the mucous membrane (a mucus – secreting tissue) in side the nose dries crusts or crack (the skin splits open) and is then picked, it is likely to bleed because the nose is full of blood vessels and is inconveniently situated in the middle of the face, any minor injury to the face can cause the nose to bleed profusely.

Also nosebleedings are also common in people taking anti-coagulants (bleed-thinning medication, such as Aspirin), as well as in older people whose blood may take longer to clot if the patient is taking anticoagulants, has hypertension (high blood pressure), or a bloodclothing disorder, the bleeding may be harder to stop and could last over 20 minutes.

Another website, first aid web explained that nosebleeding is divided into two types depending

By WINIFRED OSESEBO

on whether the bleeding is coming from the anterior (front of the nose) or posterior (back of the nose).

Further more, “anterior nose bleeds make up more than 90 percent of all nosebleeds, the bleeding come from the blood vessel at the front of the nose. The

seven people will develop a nosebleed at some time.

Nosebleeds tend to occur during winter months and in dry cold Climates. They can occur at any age but most common in children between age two to ten years (2-10 years) and adult age 50 to 80 years.

anterior nosebleeds are usually easy to control either by measures that can be performed by a doctor.

Posterior nosebleeds, they tend to occur more often on older people. The bleeding come from the an artery in the back part of the nose. At times is complicated and requires admission to the hospital and managed by an laryngologist cancer, nose and throat specialist.

A media report from the United States that “every

A medical doctor Dr. Shabi Abidemi said that adult who suffer nosebleed may have hypertension “Nosebleed in children could be as a result of trams or tumor, but in adult the likely cause is hypertension, especially when there is no injury in the nose. He said that nose bleeding occur when people experience disorder, which is called hemophilia.

This means that the blood doesn’t clot because of its

deficiency in children it could be as a systematic illness, infection, tumour or metabolic disease.

However, for children, he said the commonest cause is trauma.

Children who pick their nose with sharp object can also experience nose bleeding. This is because the nose isn’t properly

moisturised.

The commonest home remedy according to Dr Abidemi is for the mother to pinch the anterior part of the nose. This will apply pressure on the nose. Then, the child should be made to lean forward and not backward. The mother could also apply an ice pack on the bridge of the nose. These are just home remedies, if the bleeding persists, the child should be

“Nosebleedings are seldom a cause for alarm but can be life threatening in rare cases. Spontaneous nosebleedings are fairly common, especially in children. When the mucous membrane (a mucus – secreting tissue) in side the nose dries crusts or crack (the skin splits open) and is then picked, it is likely to bleed because the nose is full of blood vessels and is inconveniently situated in the middle of the face, any minor injury to the face can cause the nose to bleed profusely.”

taken to the hospital immediately.

Another medical expert, Dr Tosin f rom a hematologists point of view said that a child or adult that suffers from nosebleed would require some test to unravel the possible cause. The cause of this condition can range

from a vascular disorder or platelet disorder.

However, this kind of problem requires a multidisciplinary approach with an ear, nose and throat surgeon, including a neurosurgeons once performed their skilled tasks on an individual, and they deem the person as being ok then a hematologist can assist in the further tests she said.

Adeyemo said that it can be treated based on what the primary problem is for example, a nose picker should be discouraged from the act for deeper problem such as the platelet disorder, the individual will benefit from replacement therapy. When an individual notice nosebleed, he or she should seek medical attention immediately, they said.

THE

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TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

Environment Climate Change And Environment: AS a country, Nigeria has its fair share of ecological challenges. The most obvious indicator is that there are in each of the six geo political zones evident manifestations of the devastation which is more or less threatening to overrun a huge chunk of the country’s landscape. In particular while the North is contending with an unprecedented challenge despite having a tougher landscape with greater level of resistance, the more erosion prone South East and South - South are having their very existence threatened by the menace.

The case with Edo state is, for several reasons, very peculiar.

Situated along the country’s slow lying belt, he state has had its fair share of the destructive impact.

However, for reasons of the much talked about rise in global temperature, which resulted in warmer climate, it became one of the recipients of a massive volume of rainfall that recently inundated not just its coastal belts but also a number of areas in the hinterland hitherto free from erosion. Thus, the state has had to contend with attendant challenges that left a number of communities’ previously conversant mild erosion becoming so ravaged that residents were forced to relocate to safer grounds. Whereas the state was in the past able to handle the challenge, the scale of the challenge under review was so overwhelming that it practically put the state on its kneels. This is evident in case of Queen Ede, in Ogbesanwan quarters, within Benin City, the state capital.

Determined to find a lasting solution to the

By ERNEST OMOARELOJIE

menace, the government set aside the sum of N500 million to fund a rescue project. However, due to the fact that the amount is grossly inadequate for the project, it began the search for a viable partner counterpart with the ability to provide counterpart funding. It approached the federal government with an appeal to have the project bankrolled with counterpart funding from the ecological funds. But like many of its other requests, the federal government turned it down.

The state governor, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, made this point while receiving officials of the bank. According to him, “We have also talked with the federal government to draw from the ecological fund to deal with it. Again that has not been successful.

Our final hope now is the bank. We are hoping that you sill help us out and have it fixed.”

Next, the state went in the direction of the World Bank, the global financial institution not known for giving consideration to frivolous administrations.

Thankfully, the bank received the request with open hands and as a mark of its readiness to do the needful, sent its assessment team to Benin City, the state capital, with a view to ascertaining the required level of assistance. So far, if the team’s timeous visit, inspection of the affected areas and comments made thereafter are anything to go by, it appears clear that the state’s request for assistance is not only receiving prompt and favourable responses, hope is rising that at last, succour may be on its way.

Interestingly, the

The Edo Option

partnership interest shown by the global financial institution may not be unconnected with its conviction that the state government is genuinely committed to carrying out development programme with direct impact on the lives of the people. Not least important is the seriousness with which the governor has undertaken the search for a viable partner. Put mildly,

assistance, it can be deduced that both factors played important roles that swayed the bank into declaring its readiness to assist the state.

According to Bosque, “Edo state is among the first runners. You are doing your bit. There are still a few steps to be taken. I am sure that soon most of the state level actions would have been taken by ensuring that full management of the state would be in place and the effectiveness condition

reassuring gifts the people of Edo state can hope for in terms of real time governance. It is doubly assuring because in accepting to assist the state government, the global financial institution is passing another important vote of confidence on the comrade governor ’s administration, further reinforcing the widely held belief that in terms of impact, the state under his leadership has witnessed the

generator. You need to carry out proper study before you can start to address the problem. There is no overnight solution.”

The governor ’s determination to find a viable partner goes a long way in proving that his commitment to delivering quality development services to the people is limitless. This is a position in which many observers of the state’s development evolution are united. In the

both qualities are no doubt the stuff required to instill confidence on discerning partners.

Given the statement made by Benoit Bosque, leader of the bank’s visiting team that the state has proven its seriousness by being one of the few to seriously approached it for

would be met very soon. We expect that next week, Edo would receive the first installment of the preparation advance and finally, the cash will start flowing from Washington to Benin City.”

Such comment cannot but be seen as one of the most

greatest number of real time people-oriented development projects.

Indeed, the expectation now is that besides upping the ante in the governor ’s confidence vote, the expected assistance will provide a permanent solution to the gully that is threatening to drive Queen Ede and its environs into extinction. Certainly, the task will not be an easy one but as the governor puts it, the task is before the bank.

“I have come to show them the problem and they are coming to carry out a full study. This is not like putting up PHCN or

main, they have often likened his performance to that of Chief Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, the man given the credit for laying the foundation for the present Edo state. Until his coming, they observed, those who held democratic leadership positions simply chose to pursue selfish interests rather than build on the legacies of the former military administrator as the comrade is doing. Indeed, his decision to solicit the assistance of the World Bank is another proof of his resolve to make the state the cynosure of all eyes in terms of real development.

“Interestingly, the partnership interest shown by the global financial institution may not be unconnected with its conviction that the state government is genuinely committed to carrying out development programme with direct impact on the lives of the people.”

THE

NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

International

Compiled by

OKHUELEIGBE FAITH

China State Media Blames Syria Rebels For Xinjiang Violence

BEIJING - Chinese state media yesterday blamed Syrian opposition forces in unusually specific finger pointing for training Muslim extremists responsible for the deadliest unrest in four years in China’s far-western region of Xinjiang.

China has traditionally blamed violence in Xinjiang, home to Muslim Uighurs, on Islamic separatists who want to establish an independent state of “East Turkestan”.

This appears to mark the first time Beijing has blamed a group in Syria and fits a common narrative of the government portraying Xinjiang’s violence as coming from abroad, such as Pakistan, and not due to homegrown anger.

Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over a forum in Beijing last Saturday on maintaining stability in Xinjiang. Paramilitary police have flooded the streets of the regional capital Urumqi after 35 people were killed in two attacks last week, which China has blamed on a gang engaged in “religious extremist activities”.

Many Uighurs in Xinjiang resent what they call Chinese government restrictions on their culture, language and religion.

The Global Times, a tabloid owned by the Communist Party mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, said that some members of the East Turkestan faction had moved from Turkey into Syria.

“This Global Times reporter has recently exclusively learned from the Chinese anti-terrorism authorities that since 2012, some members of the ‘East Turkestan’ faction have entered Syria from Turkey, participated in extremist, religious and terrorist organizations within the Syrian opposition forces and fought against the Syrian army,” the newspaper said.

“At the same time, these elements from ‘East Turkestan’ have identified candidates to sneak into Chinese territory to plan and execute terrorist attacks.”

Authorities had arrested a 23-year-old “terrorist”, known in Chinese as Maimaiti Aili, belonging to the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the report said, adding that he had taken part in the Syrian war.

Dilxat Raxit, the Swedenbased spokesman for the exiled World Uyghur Congress, called the report unrealistic.

“Uighurs already find it very difficult to get passports, how can they run off to Syria?”

Raxit told Reuters by telephone.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying declined to directly answer questions on whether Syrian rebels had joined forces with the East Turkestan movement.

Hua only said at a regular briefing that China has “also noted that in recent years East Turkestan terrorist forces and international terrorist

Egypt Streets Quiet, Political Standoff Goes On CAIRO - An outpouring of popular anger that put millions of Egyptians on the streets subsided yesterday but the country’s leaders seem no closer to ending a political stalemate that has left some looking to the army to break the deadlock.

Literally under fire overnight, as its national headquarters were set alight, President Mohamed Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood remains besieged by liberals and others who want Mursi to resign. Even some fellow Islamists say he must make concessions.

Cairo’s Tahrir Square, which saw crowds greater than any since the revolution of 2011, was quiet as the working day began. Only a few hundred were camping out. The same was true across the country. But at the Brotherhood compound in Cairo, guards continued to shoot at youths in the streets around.

Late on Sunday, Mursi’s movement said the building, on a hill overlooking the capital, was surrounded by dozens of men firing shotguns and throwing rocks and petrol bombs. Reuters journalists saw flames in parts of the building and exchanges of fire between those inside and outside.

Yesterday morning, a Reuters journalist saw two young men hit by gunfire outside.

Brotherhood leaders complained that police failed to appear to protect their headquarters - a mark of the movement’s difficulties in controlling the security services since Mursi became Egypt’s first

freely elected leader a year ago on Sunday.

No police were present yesterday morning. Staff at a nearby hospital said two people had been killed and 45 treated for gunshot wounds from the incident overnight. Yesrterday morning, at least a further six people had been wounded, medics said.

The demonstrations, which brought half a million people to Tahrir Square and a similar crowd in the second city, Alexandria, were easily the largest since the Arab Spring uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak two and half years ago.

Mursi, stayed out of sight throughout the protests but acknowledged through a spokesman that he had made mistakes, adding that he was working to fix them and was open to dialogue.

Senior Brotherhood official Essam El-Erian sounded upbeat on Facebook: “There was no civil war, as the liars advertised ... and there will be no military coup as the losers want.

“There is no alternative to unconditional dialogue to reach an understanding about forthcoming parliamentary elections.”

An aide to Mursi outlined three ways forward: parliamentary elections, which he called “the most obvious”; national dialogue, which he said opponents had repeatedly rejected; and third, early presidential elections, as demanded by protesters.

But that, he said, “simply destroys our democracy”.

Russia to go on trial in China.

“They are definitely more dangerous, these people, we can call them desperados. They are highly trained and not ordinary

organizations have been uniting, not only threatening China’s national security but also the peace and stability of relevant countries and regions.”

Officials in Xinjiang and China’s ministry of public security were not immediately available for comment.

Pan Zhiping, a retired expert on Central Asia at Xinjiang’s Academy of Social Science, said it was possible that the attackers in Xinjiang were involved in the Syrian war, citing members of the East Turkestan movement who had taken part in the Chechnya war, and were extradited by

CAIRO - Protesters stormed and ransacked the Cairo headquarters of President Mohammed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood group early yesterday, in an attack that could spark more violence as demonstrators

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

OMOH – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoh Maria and Miss Akhamiemona Maria now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edobor Iyamu Maria. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities, Edo State Rapid Response Agency (RRA) and the general public should please take note.

AIGBORUAN – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aigboruan Jane and Miss Aigboruan Jane Emily now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ofeimun Jane Emily. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities, Edo State Rapid Response Agency (RRA) and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ESUME – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Evelyn Nkechi Esume now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Evelyn Nkechi Igberaese. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities, Edo State Rapid Response Agency (RRA) and the general public should please take note.

OHIKENA – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ohikhena .E. Susan now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Ohikhena Victory Emohi. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities, Edo State Rapid Response Agency (RRA) and the general public should please take note.

Protesters Storm Muslim Brotherhood HQ Egypt:

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE EDO STATE OF NIGERIA PROBATE REGISTRY BENIN CITY WHEREAS the person whose name is set out in the first

column hereunder died intestate on the date and at the place stated in the column: AND WHEREAS the persons whose names, addresses and claimed relationship to the deceased are set in the second column hereunder have applied to the Probate Registrar, High Court of Justice, Edo State of Nigeria for a grant of Letters of Administration of the real and personal property of the deceased.

NOTICE IS BY THIS GIVEN that Letters of Administration will be granted to such persons unless a NOTICE to prohibit the grant is filed in this Registry within Twenty-One (21) days from the date of the publication of this notice.

NAME MRS. KATE NGOZI EZELI, Late of Awka – Etiti, Idemili South L.G.A., Anambra, who died on the 8th day of October, 2012 in Texas, U.S.A.

citizens,” Pan said.

The report by the Global Times follows attempts by China to take a more proactive role in solving the crisis in Syria. China, a permanent member of the U.N.

PED/546/2013 Mr. Patrick Ezeli and Barr.

Franklin Ezeli of No. 6, Idubor Street, G.R.A., Benin City, widower and son respectively of the deceased.

DATE THIS 28TH DAY OF JUNE 2013 Signed: H.I. ENEMAKU ESQ. PROBATE REGISTRAR

gear up for a second day of mass rallies aimed at forcing the Islamist leader from power.

Organizers of the protests, meanwhile, gave Morsi until 5 p.m. today to step down and called on the police and the military to clearly state their support for what the protest movement called the popular will.

Security Council, has been keen to show it is not taking sides and has urged the Syrian government to talk to the opposition.

Police in Xinjiang have detained 19 people for spreading online rumors that triggered Wednesday’s attack in northern Shanshan county, state media said yesterday.

RECONCILIATION OF NAME

I, Erhabor Michael is the same person as Erhabor Jackson. It should be known therefore that I am properly known and addressed as Erhabor Michael. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities, Edo State Rapid Response Agency (RRA) and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ABALEKE – I, formerly known and addressed as Abaleke Ezekiel now wish to be known and addressed as Ovwigho Ezekiel. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

IDEHEN – I, formerly Pius Idehen now wish to be known, called and addressed as Godwin Ogbodu. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

IHEGWORO – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Ihegworo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eboh Blessing Akuziri. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities, Post Primary Eduation Board (PPEB) Edo State and the general public should please take note.

AKPAN – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Emem Akpan now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Emem Isikhuanele. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities, NYSC and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

OKOH – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okoh Chigoziem Anthonia is now known and called Mrs. OkoroEmmanuel Chigoziem Anthonia. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

IDEHEN – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Idehen Rose Imuetinyan now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rose Imuetinyan Eghomwanre. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities, Edo State Rapid Response Agency (RRA) and the general public should please take note.

RECONCILIATION OF NAME

RECONCILIATION OF NAME

I, Amadasun Ann Ireyuwa is the same person as Amadasun Ann and Uwadiae Ireyuwa as appeared in my Primary School Leaving Certificate.

Henceforth, I now wish to be known, called and addressed as Amadasun Ann Ireyuwa. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

I, Ogie Thomas wish to bring for the information of the general public that I am the same person as Igbinadion Denis as appeared in my various documents. It should be known therefore that I am properly known and addressed as Ogie Thomas. All former documents remain valid. Concerned authorities, Edo State Rapid Response Agency (RRA) and the general public should please take note.

THE

NIGERIAN

26

TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

International

Compiled by

OKHUELEIGBE FAITH

Don’t Lecture Us On Human Rights Kazakhstan Tells Britain

ASTANA - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said nobody had the right to lecture his country after British Prime Minister David Cameron raised concerns about human rights in the former Soviet state.

In Kazakhstan on a brief visit which saw 700 million pounds ($1.06 billion) of business deals, Cameron, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Nazarbayev, said he had discussed “at length” allegations about government repression.

Nazarbayev was stony faced, underscoring the political risks of Cameron’s strategy of broadening Britain’s trade links to include emerging economies, such as Kazakhstan which sits on a wealth of oil reserves.

Cameron says Britain needs to diversify such links at a time when its economy is in the doldrums. But activists have accused him of putting trade before human rights, while the countries he is trying to court bridle at criticism of their rights records.

“I discussed for instance the letter written by Human Rights Watch, and the concerns in that letter,” Cameron told a news conference in the Kazakh leader’s presidential palace.

“It’s very important we have a frank dialogue.”

In the letter, which was sent recently, New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch said it was worried about credible allegations of torture, the imprisonment of government critics, and tight controls over the media and freedom of expression.

It urged Cameron to tackle Nazarbayev on the

subject.

Nazarbayev, a former Communist party apparatchik who has ruled Kazakhstan for more than 20 years, responded coldly.

“Thank you very much for the recommendations, for the advice, but nobody has a right to instruct us how to live,” said Nazarbayev, who turns 73 this week and enjoys the official title of “The Leader of the Nation”.

While activists say the rest of Central Asia has much harsher autocratic leaders than Nazarbayev, they say his refusal to tolerate opposition or dissent shows few signs of easing.

In particular, they say they are concerned about the case of Vladimir Kozlov, a jailed opposition leader of Kazakhstan.

An outspoken critic of Nazarbayev, Kozlov was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in October for colluding with a fugitive billionaire in a failed attempt to rally oil workers to bring down the government. Kozlov denied

the charges.

Nazarbayev, who was a member of Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s last Politburo of the Communist party, said Westerners often viewed his country through a distorted prism.

“People from your island see the post-Soviet space as being in the middle ages whose residents ride camels and horses.”

Kazakhstan needed time to develop democracy, he added.

“British parliamentary democracy is 600 years old.

It won’t take us that long of course. Democracy for us is not the beginning of the journey but the end of the journey. We’re moving forward.”

pounded Sunni Muslim rebels in the city of Homs with artillery and from the air, the second day of their offensive in central Syria, activists said.

They said rebels defending the old center of Homs and five adjacent Sunni districts had largely repelled a ground attack on Saturday by Assad’s forces, backed by guerrillas from the Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah, but reported clashes and deaths within the city.

Mohammad Mroueh, a member of the opposition “Homs Crisis Cell” said at least 25 loyalist troops including four Hezbollah fighters had been killed in Homs in the previous

24 hours. Such reports are difficult to verify in Syria, where independent media cannot usually report freely.

The opposition Syrian National Coalition said in a statement that it feared that Assad’s forces will use chemical weapons on the city “after the regime’s campaign on Homs failed to achieve any important results.”

The offensive follows steady military gains by Assad’s forces, backed by Hezbollah, in villages in Homs province and towns close to the Lebanese border.

Opposition sources and diplomats said the loyalist advance had tightened the siege

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gestures a greeting as he arrives to make opening remarks at the US-ASEAN

Kerry Presses China, Southeast Asia To Ease Tensions

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pressed China and Southeast Asian nations yesterday to make progress on a plan to ease tensions in the South China Sea,

reminding the region that Washington had national interests at stake in the disputes.

Kerry, who made the

Lebanon and to army bases in Alawite-held territory near the Syrian coast, the main entry point for Russian arms that have given Assad an advantage in firepower.

At least 100,000 people have been killed since the Syrian revolt against four decades of rule

by Assad and his late father erupted in March 2011, making the uprising the bloodiest of the Arab Spring revolutions against entrenched autocrats.

The Syrian conflict is increasingly pitting Assad’s Alawite minority, backed by Shi’ite Iran and its Hezbollah ally, against mainly Sunni rebel brigades supported by the Gulf states, Egypt, Turkey and others.

Sunni Jihadists, including al Qaeda fighters from Iraq, have also entered the fray.

comments as he arrived in Brunei for a regional security meeting, was speaking a day after China said it would hold formal discussions with Southeast Asian nations over the maritime disputes later this year.

While marking a move forward, the talks are not seen as a major breakthrough in protracted efforts to bring China into a binding agreement over the energyrich ocean, where Beijing’s assertive claims have sparked rising tensions.

“We have a strong interest in the manner in which the disputes of the South China Sea are addressed, and in the conduct of the parties,” Kerry said in opening remarks at the conference in the oil-rich sultanate.

“We very much hope to see progress soon on a

substantive code of conduct in order to help ensure stability in this vital region.”

China said in a joint statement with the 10member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Sunday that it agreed to hold “official consultations” on a proposed Code of Conduct (CoC) governing naval actions at a meeting with ASEAN senior officials in China in September. Thailand’s foreign minister hailed the step as “very significant”.

China, accused by the Philippines on Sunday of causing “increasing militarization” of the sea, stopped short of saying that the meeting would mark the start of actual negotiations.

China has shown little urgency in initiating substantial talks over the proposed code.

BAGHDAD - The number of people killed in militant attacks across Iraq reached 761 in June, lower than the multi-year high hit the previous month, the United Nations said yesterday.

More than 1,000 people were killed in violence in Iraq during May, making it the deadliest month since the height of sectarian bloodletting in 2006-07.

Violence is still well below the level it was then, but al-Qaeda’s Iraqi affiliate and other Sunni Muslim insurgents launch attacks on a daily basis, seeking to undermine the Shi’ite-led government and provoke wider confrontation.

The vast majority of

casualties in June were civilian, with 131 policemen and 76 members of the Iraqi security forces also killed, the United Nations said in a statement.

The worst-affected region was Baghdad, where 258 people were killed and the death toll in Salahuddin, Diyala, Nineveh and Anbar provinces each exceeded 100, the statement said.

Shi’ite Muslims attend Friday prayers in Baghdad’s Sadr City, June 28, 2013.

REUTERS/Ahmed Saad Yesterday, police discovered the bodies of eight former members of a government-backed Sunni militia who had been killed execution-style and dumped near the town Tarmiya, 25 km

(15 miles) north of the capital.

Sectarian tensions in Iraq and the wider region have been inflamed by the civil war in Syria, where mainly Sunni Muslim rebels are fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Shi’ite Iran.

A decade after the U.S.led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, a stable power-sharing compromise is yet to be found between Shi’ites, Sunnis, and ethnic Kurds who run their own autonomous region in the north.

Last year, a total of 4,471 civilians were killed in what rights group Iraq Body Count described as a “low-level war” with insurgents - the first annual climb in the death toll in three years.

Syrian Forces Battle To Tighten Control Of DAMASCUS - President and secured a main road Central Syria oflinkHoms Bashar al-Assad’s forces to Hezbollah strongholds in

Iraq: Violence Kills 761 In June

Syrian crisis: An injured person in hospital bed.

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Security

BY most accounts, the Boko Haram insurgency constitutes a serious threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty, akin to the situation during the 30-month Nigerian Civil War. Political analysts contend that even though Nigeria had faced serious security challenges in the past, including the Niger Delta militancy and the kidnappings in some parts of the country, none could be compared to the Boko Haram insurgency, which once assumed alarming dimensions.

As part of efforts to tackle the security challenge, the Federal Government called for dialogue and offered amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect, while declaring a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in order to safeguard the people’s lives and property.

While some concerned citizens commend the government for the measures so far taken to contain the insurgency, they, nonetheless, advise that every action of the government ought to be based on the national interest.

Alhaji Balarabe Musa, a former governor of Kaduna State, said that the security challenge should be tackled dispassionately, devoid of sectional or personal inclination Musa, who is also the National Chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), urged political office holders to adopt strategies that would be consonant with the overall public interest in dealing with problems.

“During our time, public interest was primary and self-interest was secondary; and we

Addressing Nigeria’s Security Challenges

registered some progress in security concerns; some of which are still visible.

“Let us, therefore, have a system based on public interest first before considering enlightened self-interest,’’ he said.

Musa reiterated that public interest must always override personal interest in matters of governance, adding that the adoption of such approach would enable Nigeria to move forward in the right direction.

Prof. Daniel Saror, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said that more fundamental steps must be taken in efforts to effectively tackle the security challenges facing the country.

He particularly underscored the need to tackle the menace of corruption in the country decisively, adding that tangible efforts should be made to eliminate corruption.

Saror said that the government should also look at ways of arousing national consciousness and patriotism among the citizens, stressing that such efforts would earn the government the citizens’ goodwill and trust.

“The Nigerian populace has to have some measure of confidence that the government is able and willing to act to ensure the security of lives and property because it is the primary responsibility of government to ensure the security and safety of the citizens,’’ he said.

Saror, who voiced support for the declaration

By HUSSAINA YAKUBU of state of emergency in the three northern states, however, said that there were systematic violations of human rights and judicial killings across the country which remained unresolved.

“These acts of impunity by certain individuals, who were never found and

the government should convince Nigerians that it had the capacity to tackle the current security challenges facing the country.

He, nonetheless, bemoaned the high level of corruption in the country, unemployment and poor salaries paid to workers,

prosecuted, has given room for more persons to take government for granted and do whatever they like.

“Of course, the security issues are multidimensional; some are local in content and some appear to have foreign influence.

Whatever it is, the government needs to do more to contain the security challenges,’’ he said.

Saror emphasised that

including security operatives.

He urged the government to improve the workers’ conditions of service, while creating employment opportunities and reorganising the security agencies for effective service delivery.

Nevertheless, Saror appealed to Nigerians to respect and support security agencies with the necessary

“All the same, the general consensus of opinion is that the current security challenges facing Nigeria could be overcome if adequate measures are put in place to improve the citizens’ living standards, including the creation of employment opportunities.”

information that would enable them to carry out their functions effectively.

“If all of us assume the role or duty to be each other ’s policeman, we would go a long way in efforts to stop the shedding of the blood of innocent Nigerians,’’ he said.

However, Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, the

level of cooperation between the security agencies and the public, adding that the development was not healthy.

“In advanced democracies, government and the police track criminals with the cooperation of the civil society.

“Today, Nigerians no longer respect security agencies. Imagine the killings in Nasarawa State; the policemen lost their lives because the people no longer respect members of the security services.

National Secretary of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), said that serious measures should be taken to address the current security challenges facing the country.

He, however, stressed that the fact that several people who had committed crimes were not adequately punished tended to promote criminal tendencies in the society.

“If the people who commit crimes are not made to pay dearly for their crimes, the issue of insecurity will continue to escalate in the country.

“Until the issue of criminality is addressed head-on, insecurity will continue to pose problems in this country,’’ he added.

Besides, Galadima noted that there was low

“Amnesty has been offered to Boko Haram; amnesty was also offered to militants in the South-South and they were compensated as if criminality is an accepted way of drawing government’s attention to the people,’’ he said.

All the same, the general consensus of opinion is that the current security challenges facing Nigeria could be overcome if adequate measures are put in place to improve the citizens’ living standards, including the creation of employment opportunities.

The security agencies should also cultivate friendly relations with the people so as to widen the scope of collaboration in security matters, some observers said.

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Confederations Cup Fallout

Brazil Embarking On New Path

BRAZIL Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari insisted his side were still a work in progress despite their Confederations Cup masterclass against world champions Spain.

“It was fantastic to hear Scolari, the architect of Brazil’s last World Cup the crowd singing ‘the victory in 2002, was the champions are back’ but a proudest man in the long path stretches ahead Maracana on Sunday as his of us. Yet I am sure people remodelled team will now respect Brazil a overwhelmed the fabled little more.”

“In the past 30 days we Spaniards 3-0 courtesy of two goals from Fred and a have beaten four former sublime effort from world champions in France (in a pre-event tune-up), Neymar.

With the World Cup on Italy, Uruguay and now Brazilian soil less than 12 Spain,” he remarked matter months away, it was a of factly.

Brazil began the result which will infuse Scolari’s team with belief tournament with the words that a record sixth World of Pele ringing in their ears, Cup crown is there for the with the legendary No.10 whether taking if all goes to plan questioning Scolari’s team were good next year.

A delighted Scolari enough to prevail.

Almost as important as however was more circumspect when asked to the level of performance on discuss the significance of the pitch was the rehis team’s mesmerising bonding of Brazil’s team with their fans, Scolari display.

“We are still not a team that is complete, we know that we have a good group SPAIN looked forward to a but we still have to prove a chance for World Cup revenge lot. But today, we Monday after Brazil hammered the embarked on the path to world champions 3-0 in a 2014,” said Scolari, humiliating Confederations Cup final at the Maracana Stadium. reappointed seven months Spain were swept away by the ago for a second stint in more powerful Brazilians and must now learn the lessons of their defeat charge.

Says Scolari

said.

“My team pay from the bottom of their hearts. We will now be working with a little bit more trust knowing we

have the capacity and maybe rise above the level even of today’s match,” he told reporters, explaining he just wants “to set up a competitive team which can go for the title

Scolari

at the World Cup.” “I think we are improving, there is more trust and the supporters give it back and that is very nice. When we come together we become strong.

“Apart from the quality of all of our players we had the crowd behind us and I believe

that is very important, that unity, that spirit.

The extent to which Brazil now can use the intervening 12 months to oil an even leaner machine in time for their first World Cup hosting since 1950 will be of fascination to students of the international game.

ITALY boss Cesare Prandelli praised his team after clinching third place at the Confederations Cup as they defeated Uruguay on penalties.

Prandelli’s men ended the match locked at 2-2, but came out on top following a tense shootout, leaving the coach to hail the spirit and effort of his players.

“It is a more than positive tournament because this team showed great character. On 30 June after a long season these lads were so generous,” Prandelli told Sky Sport Italia.

“We deserved this result with some good performances and have been getting more

consistent as time went on. For the first time in my career I couldn’t figure out what to do, as eight players wanted to be substituted.

“We suffered, stayed in the game and then the penalties are always a bit of a lottery.”

Buffon saved three spot-kicks during the shoot-out, including one from Walter Gargano which sealed victory for the Azzurri.

“In Italy people say so many ridiculous things. Penalties can be saved or not, but the problem is that people assume it’s easy to save a spot-kick,” continued Prandelli.

“Gigi is a great goalkeeper who again proved tonight how much he cares about the shirt.”

Despite his individual heroics, Buffon opted to share praise with his team-mates as they ended the tournament on a positive note.

“It’s a moment for us to be proud, because we did well in a very difficult match,” he said.

“It would’ve been harder if we didn’t show this type of character on the pitch. We suffered a lot during the match, but this outcome made it worthwhile and I was able to give my best for the team.

“We honoured our place in the football world the best way we could. It’s a miracle we’re here now. We managed not to lose, and this is very positive.”

Prandelli Hails ‘Positive Tournament’

Spain Vow ‘We ’ll Return’ After Brazil Loss

Marcelo Fourth Real Player To Win Confed Cup

MARCELO has become the fourth Real Madrid player to win the Confederations Cup while at the club.

The previous Los Blancos players to have the competition are Michael Laudrup, Roberto Carlos and Ze Roberto.

Laudrup guided his Danish side to victory in the second Confederations Cup, held in Saudi Arabia in 1995. The now

Cavani

Swansea manager’s squad beat Argentina 2-0 in the final.

Roberto Carlos and Ze Roberto played their part in the Selecao’s victory two years later in Saudi Arabia. Roberto Carlos played in four of the five matches including the final against Australia, which the Brazilians won 6-0.

Ze Roberto on the other hand only played the opening match against the host team.

if they are to stop Brazil running away with the World Cup they will host in 2014, the Spanish press said.

“We will be back,” vowed the front page headline in Spain’s biggest sports daily Marca.

Brazil raced into a 1-0 lead after only two minutes through Fred’s first of the night, then made it 20 just before half time with an unstoppable left-footer by Neymar. Two minutes after the restart Fred made it 3-0 with a low drive wide of keeper Iker Casillas’ outstretched arm.

“Spain sink in the Maracana and make a date for Brazil in the 2014 World Cup,” said Marca, over a photograph of Neymar celebrating his spectacular goal.

“Everything went wrong for Spain,” the paper said, from an attempt to equalise when 1-0 down that was blocked on the line

by Brazil’s David Luiz, to a missed penalty by Sergio Ramos in the second half.

Piling on the pain for Spain, Gerard Pique was sent off halfway through the second half for a professional foul on Neymar.

Marca praised Brazil’s superiority in concentration, speed, intensity, physical strength and football. But the paper also criticised the referee’s lax attitude to Brazil’s “continual fouls”.

“Brazil will be the favourites in the next World Cup,” said the paper’s football analyst Santiago Segurola.

“But it will be hard to improve on yesterday’s level,” he added.

Spain had come back from a Confederations Cup defeat to win the last World Cup, he warned,

Isco

predicting that the return of Xabi Alonso to Spain will fix many of the side’s problems.

Rival sports daily AS ran the same defiant front page headline: “We will be back.”

Spain were made up of midfielder Andres Iniesta “and 10 others”, said an opinion piece by AS’s Alfredo Relano.

He criticised Spain’s defence, bemoaned a lack of “miracles” from keeper Iker Casillas and added that the competition had not gone well for Xavi Hernandez.

Brazil’s Neymar, who joins Barcelona from next season,

emerged as a “world class figure”, however, he said.

“We have a year to find out if this team has further to go or if it already needs a shake-up,” Relano said, noting that a World Cup gives teams more time to prepare.

“It just remains to congratulate Brazil and start to prepare right now, calmly, for the World Cup within a year.”

Barcelona’s two main sporting papers, Sport and Mundo Deportivo, highlighted the dazzling performance of Neymar, the new star signing for Barca.

“Neymar is crowned,” declared the front page of Mundo Deportivo.

“Brazil and a dazzling Neymar outplay Spain who were without their game,” the paper said.

We Honoured The Jersey

GIANLUIGI Buffon believes that Italy ‘honoured the jersey in the best possible way’ after they claimed the bronze medal in the Confederations Cup. The Azzurri triumphed 3-2 on penalties after the match ended 2-2 after the 90 minutes and extra time to secure third place in warm-up to next year’s World Cup. Buffon believes Italy did well to beat the critic’s expectations by honouring the jersey.

“Great pride from everyone, because today it was truly tough.

It would’ve been even tougher if we didn’t have this character,” the goalkeeper told Rai Sport.

“We struggled during the game, but fought to the end and seeing as against Spain I couldn’t give my teammates joy, I did it today – albeit a bit late.

“It would’ve been disappointing not to win, as playing after two days in this heat it was so hard, but we had the

- Buffon

right spirit and once again honoured the jersey in the best possible way.

Gianluigi Buffon

“Today was difficult to judge, as the fact we walked on to the pitch rather than crawled was a miracle in itself. Managing to win shows just what our potential really is.”

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Neymar To Have Throat Operation

Clashes As Curtain Comes Down On Confed Cup PROTESTERS hurling petrol bombs clashed with riot police as the curtain came down on the violence-plagued Confederations Cup with host nation Brazil downing world champions Spain in the final.

A fiesta of football inside Rio’s iconic Maracana Stadium saw Brazil triumph 3-0 over Spain to seal their third title in a row, but the last day of the tournament saw no let-up in the protests that have taken place throughout the event.

More than a million Brazilians had taken to the streets during the tournament, venting anger at the estimated $15 billion being spent on both the Confederations Cup and World Cup while bemoaning the South American country’s public services.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff — who was booed when she appeared alongside FIFA President Sepp Blatter at the opening game in Brasilia two weeks ago — declined to attend Sunday’s final at the Maracana.

Instead Rousseff, whose popularity has plunged since the start of the unrest, issued a congratulatory message to the victorious Brazilian team.

“In this memorable campaign, our athletes showed joy, creativity, team spirit and unity which conquered all Brazilians and they offered the world a great spectacle.

“Today I joined all Brazilians in celebrating this great victory,” said Rousseff.

Before kick-off outside the stadium a small group of hooded protesters, some armed with screwdrivers and slingshots, lit a fire in the street and hurled stones at police who responded by firing tear gas and rubber bullets as helicopters circled overhead.

“Unfortunately, the incidents were started by protesters who hurled makeshift bombs and stones at police,” Henrique Guelber of the Center for the Defense of Human Rights, told the G1 news website.

More than 11,000 police and troops were mobilized to ensure security for 78,000 fans at the Maracana as protests continued.

“We are against the privatization of the stadium and forced housing displacement, linked to the 2014 World Cup and the (2016 Rio summer) Olympics,” said Renato Cosentino, a spokesman for one of the groups sponsoring Sunday’s protest.

Hundreds of demonstrators also rallied in the Tijuca district, about one mile from Maracana, dancing and chanting: “FIFA, pay my (bus) fare” or “Maracana is ours.”

“I am here in an act of patriotism, for more education, health, transport — and less football,” said 69-year-old Nelson Couto, wearing the green and yellow colors of the Brazilian flag.

Police invited the country’s Bar Association as well as federal and state prosecutors to monitor their security deployment following charges

of police brutality during earlier protests.

“Stop the genocide of Indians” or “political asylum for (WikiLeaks chief Julian) Assange,” read some of the placards held by demonstrators.

Many protesters complain the government has found billions of dollars to build brand new stadiums for 12 World Cup host stadiums while transport, education and health remain underfunded.

Some of the demonstrations have been marred by sporadic violence and vandalism.

The mass protests were the largest in Rio where they brought 300,000 people into the streets on June 20, when they degenerated into violence and looting.

Despite the social turmoil, which began in Sao Paulo in early June over the rising cost of public transport, polls show more than two-thirds of Brazilians support their country hosting the World Cup for the first time since 1950.

Neymar

Neymar Lives Up To Hype

IT could be the legend truly began here. Brazilian starlet Neymar has had to put up with the billing “the next Pele” almost since he made his debut for his country in 2010 in the unlikely surroundings of East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Needless to say, the man born a superlative goal on the stroke Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, of half-time before a wonderful scored and, in a country which dummy allowed Fred to apply demands footballing heroes, the coup de grace.

And the way the 21-year-old expectations soared.

“We played even better than dismantled an admittedly expected,” beamed Neymar below-par Spanish backline after Sunday’s Confederations suggests the youngster does Cup demolition job on world have the self-belief to at least to aspire to the Pele mantle. champions Spain.

The man himself said before “I am really happy. We made a lot of people happy, but we the event that the current squad must keep our feet on the “are not good enough” to win top prizes, but with such ground,” said the star.

Pele may have set the bar outlandish talent at their impossibly high - one thing disposal the Selecao will now Neymar can never do is win a start as favourites at a home World Cup winners medal at World Cup next year.

By then he will have tasted the age of 17 - at that age he was just breaking into the side the hard school that is La Liga with Barcelona, where he will at Santos, Pele’s old club.

And he also was unable to start alongside Lionel Messi in help the auriverde break their a pairing that, if it works in Olympic duck at last year’s tandem, will scare the living daylights out of everybody else London games.

Yet as of Sunday, the young in Spain and across Europe.

Despite signs of a suspect starlet born in Mogo Das Cruzes in Sao Paulo can point temperament early in his career to an international winners - and a tendency to go to ground medal after a pulsating showing too easily, a criticism made only against Spain where he scored last week by Uruguay’s Diego

Lugano - Neymar has been maturing rapidly and in the past two weeks has slipped into the playmaker’s role with some aplomb.

He arrived at the event on the back of a nine-game goalscoring drought but then delivered a tremendous finish inside the opening three minutes as the hosts started off their campaign with a 3-0 success over Japan in Brasilia.

Another goal and an assist duly followed against Mexico before a belter of a freekick against Italy.

By then it was clear that some alchemy was in the air as his at first glance unlikely partnership with bustling centre forward Fred - much loved of coach Luiz Felipe

... Hails Brazil Victory

BRAZIL’S star forward Neymar admits the hosts

No Excuses From Beaten Spain

SPAIN’S players refused to make excuses after their 3-0 Confederations Cup final defeat by hosts Brazil in the Maracana on Sunday.

“We never arrived,” said Xavi, whose ineffectual performance was one of the big surprises on a lacklustre night for the Spaniards, who had Gerard Pique sent off.

“They were more intense, they pressured more and there was more rhythm to their game. They were just better.”

His words were echoed by coach Vicente del Bosque who, after voicing irritation with Brazil fouls disrupting his side’s flow, was quick to acknowledge that “they were better than us and they deserved the title”.

Golden boot winner Fernando Torres said Spain’s feeling of “inferiority” and “inability to find any solutions” was hard to take, and something he and his World Cup and European Championship-winning teammates were not used to.

However, Sergio Ramos, who missed a second half penalty, said: “We’re not machines - this day had to come eventually.”

“It’s helpful to lose now and again - it reminds you that you’re not unbeatable,” Del Bosque said, while Iker Casillas was already looking a year ahead, saying: “At least now we know

Scolari - began to pay handsome dividends Life was tougher for the spikyhaired Neymar in a seat-of-thepants semi-final win over Uruguay but Fred and Paulinho assumed the goalscoring responsibilities that day and then against Spain Neymar and Fred dovetailed superbly.

In the process he bamboozled men such as Andres Iniesta and Xavi, who will be teammates at the Nou Camp next season.

“I repect and admire them very much. But today I was representing my country and family and had to give them a hard time!”

Neymar says starring in La Liga could take him to a higher level.

BRAZIL striker Neymar, who won the Golden Ball for being named the best player at the Confederations Cup, will have minor throat surgery before he joins up with new club Barcelona.

Neymar, 21, completed a +57 million move to the Spanish champions before the Confederations Cup, which the Selecao won on Sunday with an emphatic 30 triumph over Spain.

Neymar scored in the match, played at the Maracana, and afterwards received his accolade as the competition’s best player ahead of future team-mate Andres Iniesta, with fellow Brazilian and Tottenham Hotspur target Paulinho third in the running.

The former Santos forward, who is due to move permanently to Spain next week, will have an operation in Brazil on Friday.

“It’s a problem that I have, my throat always bothers me, so we’re going to operate to resolve it once and for all,” he told reporters, adding that it was not a serious issue.

Neymar scored four goals in the Confederations Cup, but was beaten to the Golden Boot by Spain striker Fernando Torres, who scored five and claimed an assist.

Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar won the Golden Gloves award as the tournament’s best goalkeeper, while Spain picked up the FIFA Fair Play Trophy.

exactly what to expect in 2014.”

In the Spanish press, AS reported that Spain had been “devoured” at the Macarana, while Marca rated each Spanish player out of ten, with nobody receiving a mark higher than five.

But the Catalan press took the opportunity to heap praise on new Barcelona arrival Neymar, with El Mundo Deportivo saying he had single-handedly “crushed” Spain.

Reports, though, pointed out that no nation has ever won the World Cup after lifting the Confederations Cup, and Casillas said: “This isn’t the World Cup.”

played beyond expectations as they defeated world and European champions Spain 3-0 in the Confederations Cup final.

Neymar scored once, while strike partner Fred netted a brace to secure victory for Brazil at the Maracana.

Indeed, the home side dominated large portions of the game, creating numerous chances en route to their triumph.

The Barcelona forward says the team’s third straight Confederations Cup title was a dream come true.

“The team played very well tonight, even better than we were expecting,” he explained.

“This is a day that is making us very happy, we have no idea but we know this was a very important win.

“We had this goal and we ended putting the icing on the cake. All players like decisive games, special

ones, even more so against the best team in the world, we are happy.

“We dream of something that is impossible for most, but nothing is impossible, they might be for the men, but not for God.” Meanwhile, Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque was left to rue his side’s missed opportunities as they spurned a penalty shot and had Gerard Pique sent off in the second half.

“They maybe were a little bit lucky with their goals at the start of the first and the second halves,” Del Bosque stated.

“But I will not make excuses for our loss. Brazil are the deserved winners and we have to congratulate them.”

“I think that we have done a good Confederations Cup, except for today obviously.

Brazil were simply better, nothing more,” he concluded.

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Ghana U-20 Paid US$9,000 Qualification Bonus

B/Ball League:

Union Bank Thrash Warriors

COACH Chris Okoh of Union Bank Basketball of Lagos, has described his club’s 94-80 victory over city rivals, Dodan Warriors, as its best, so far, in the ongoing DStv/Premier league.

Okoh told newsmen shortly after the Atlantic Conference match.

He said the victory was his team’s best result because Warriors were currently the best in the league.

Union Bank had earlier in their first match on Friday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium Lagos, also defeated Warriors 70-53.

However, reports that in spite of the two losses, Warriors are still topping the eight-team league table with 14 wins from 20 matches, while Union Bank is closely behind with 13 wins.

“The two teams, during the match, lived up to expectation as the two top teams in the conference. We gave our spectacular performance to the delight of the fans that came to watch the match.

“However, my players were astonishing and such performance was the best they displayed so far in the league.

“I am very happy about how they rose up to the occasion against Dodan Warriors.

“We had to come out strongly this way, having dropped two games in our previous match against Lagos Islanders a week ago.

“I congratulate every player on my team and we know we just will take every game as it comes, and hopefully, be disciplined in our objectives,’’ Okoh said.

Louis Edem, Union Bank forward, said that it was a good win as the team changed its attitude towards winning, having lost to Lagos Islanders a week ago.

“We knew we had to pick this win and we had to come out and play hard and also knowing about Dodan Warriors physical style of play.

“We played very well and we are happy at what we achieved at the end,’’ Edem said.

Reacting to the losses, Coach Peter Ahmedu of Dodan Warriors said that it was a great lesson because his players were becoming over confident.

“My players lost the match because they were becoming over confident, having recorded some good number of victories. So, the loss was a good lesson for us,’’ Ahmedu said.

Police Baton of Lagos, also on Saturday, proved they were still good enough for the league as they defeated visiting and defending champions Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt 64-52.

Royal Hoopers had defeated Police Baton 63-59 in their first match on Friday.

EACH Ghana U20 player has been paid US$ 9,000 for qualifying to the round of 16 at the FIFA U20 World Cup. The Black Satellites advanced to the knock-out round as one of four best third-placed finishers from the Group stage.

Ghana’s progress was aided by Egypt’s 2-0 win over England in their final Group F match played on Saturday.

But Sellas Tetteh’s side had put themselves in a qualifying position after thumping USA 41 last Thursday.

The 2009 champions lost two matches in Group A and finished behind leaders Spain and France.

Ghana will face Portugal on Wednesday in Kayseri for a place to the last eight of the tournament.

BRISTOL City have turned down a bid of £850,000 for Ghana international Albert Adomah from former Premier League side Wigan Athletic.

But even though Wigan’s offer topped £1 million after various add-ons were taken into consideration, it still fell short of City’s asking price.

New Wigan manager Owen Coyle has targeted the winger

as a as a potential replacement for Callum McMananam as he plots the Lactics return to the top-flight.

Wigan could return with an improved bid if McManaman departs the DW Stadium in the coming weeks.

Also, newly-promoted English side Crystal Palace are still interested in the 25year-old.

The London club made two unsuccessful bids for Adomah

in the United States of America.

He played for Bendel Insurance Football Club 1985 to 1987.

Others were Iwanyanwu Nationale of Owerri 1989 – 1991, African Sports in Cote d’Ivoire 1992 to 1993, Maccabi Ironi Ashodud

1993 to 1994, Antalyasper FG Turkey 1995.

Thompson Oliha died in a private hospital in Ilorin on Sunday morning after complaining of malaria.

Prior to his death, he was working as a coach at the Kwara Football Academy.

in January and are expected to test City’s resolve before the transfer window closes at the end of next month.

Eagles boss Ian Holloway sees Adomah as an affordable replacement for Wilfried Zaha, who joined Manchester United this summer Crystal Palace are prepared to offer in the region of £1m.

Adomah’s market value will fall if he remains at Ashton Gate beyond the end of this summer.

Bristol City could come under pressure to cash in on their biggest player asset as they battle to balance the books.

Adomah has made no secret of his desire to play in the Premier League and Crystal Palace are playing a waiting game, hoping that by the time they table a bid, probably in August, City’s board will be under intense pressure to sell with the transfer deadline looming.

... Bristol City Reject Wigan’s Bid For Adomah

Late Thompson Oliha

Osifo, Obasuyi Shock Over Oliha’s Death

By NICHOLAS EBOIGBE/KEHINDE OSAGIEDE

REACTIONS of sadness and disbelief yesterday trailed the news of the sudden demise of former Super Eagles midfield ace, Thompson Oliha aka ‘Midfield General’.

Edo State Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Mobilization, Lady Omorede Osifo described the death of the former Super Eagles midfielder, as a huge loss to his family, the state and the nation.

Commissioner Osifo said she received the news of Thompson Oliha’s death with rude shock as he died at a time his contributions were needed most.

She prayed God to grant him eternal peace and comfort those he left behind.

Similarly, former Green Eagles star and Head Coach Edo State Sports Council, Emmanuel Obasuyi has expressed deep shock and sadness over the death of Super Eagles Midfield ace, Thompson Oliha.

Obasuyi fondly called ‘Shakara’ by his fans explained that the country has lost one of

its great stars that offered immense contributions to the growth of the game.

“I am indeed short of words! What can I say?

Thompson Oliha died too young at the age of 44”. He said the demise of the soccer star happened at a time when the country needed him most.

“You know he was a coach in Kwara Football Academy.

He had reached the peak of his career as he was building the lives of other Nigerians by coaching them in the game of football”.

As a result of his exploits, Oliha was nicknamed ‘Midfield General’ by his colleagues in the 1994 squad of the Super Eagles that won the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

The ‘Midfield General’ contributed a great deal to Nigeria’s qualification in 1993 for the 1994 Nations Cup and 1994 World Cup held

Keshi Moves To Get Back Anichebe

NIGERIA’s coach Stephen Keshi has moved to get Everton striker Victor Anichebe back for a World Cup qualifier against Malawi in September.

Anichebe has made it clear that his English Premier League club comes before the country after he was overlooked by Nigeria when he suffered a long-term injury while playing for the Super Eagles in 2011.

MTNFootball.com can specially report that Keshi is bothered about his team’s lack of firepower at the FIFA Confederations Cup and has thus initiated moves to get Anichebe to rescind his decision to stay away from the national team.

A top official told

MTNFootball.com: “Keshi has met with some NFF top officials and has asked that everything be done to convince Anichebe to return to the Eagles.

“This move may even involve Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi talking to the player to put the past behind him and come back to the team.”

The 25-year-old Anichebe featured for Nigeria at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China after he made his debut for Samson

Siasia’s team against South Africa in Abuja in March 2008.

He has won 11 full international caps and scored a goal.

A shin injury prevented him from making the final squad to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The big centre-forward has struggled with injuries, but last season he was virtually free of such complaints to finish with his highest ever tally of eight goals in 32 matches for Everton.

Uche Kalu Passes Medical INJURY-troubled Nigeria striker Uche Kalu has passed a medical to rejoin newly promoted Turkish club Rizespor.

Kalu failed to make the Super Eagles final squad to the recent AFCON in South Africa due to a major knee injury, which also forced Rizespor to cancel his first contract.

The former Enyimba striker was certified fit for the new season after he passes Rizespor Football club medical at Bakirkoy Acibadem Hospital, according to the club’s official website.

A comprehensive test which included blood, eyes, ears, nose and throat for the player has been

completed, announced the club.

Kalu has sealed a four-year contract with the Turkish side Rizespor who will campaign in the top-flight Super Lig after they won promotion from Lig 1.

He played for the team on a year’s loan deal last term and scored nine goals before injury sidelined him.

Victor Anichebe

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Cavani To Wait For Talks On Future NAPOLI striker Edinson Cavani will discuss his future with the club once he has returned to Italy after taking a break following the Confederations Cup. Cavani, Serie A’s top scorer last season with 29 goals, is attracting interest from top European clubs including Manchester City and Chelsea.

The 26-year-old Uruguay international, who scored a brace against Italy in the Confederations Cup’s thirdplace play-off on Sunday, said now was not the right time to discuss his future.

He will hold discussions with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis in the coming weeks and told Rai Sport television.

“We know that whatever I say will be misinterpreted, so I’ll talk [about my future] further down the line.

“For now, I send the city of Napoli and all Neapolitans my greetings - Forza Napoli!”

De Laurentiis has said Cavani will be going nowhere unless a release clause in his contract, reported to be +65 million, is met. “If nobody should reach that, then Cavani will happily stay at Napoli,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport last week.

He tweeted his congratulations to the player for his goals against Italy, describing them as “great” and adding: “Well done Edy!”

Wenger Rests Carzola, Nacho ARSENE Wenger rests Spaniard’s Nacho Moreal and Santi Cazorla for Far East tour after their 2013 FIFA Confed Cup outing.

According to The Sun newspaper, the Spanish duo is both expected to report back to London for pre-season training early next month.

Both players were on the bench in Sunday night’s 3-0 loss to host Brazil in the Confederations Cup final in Rio De Janeiro.

However, Cazorla faced Uruguay and Tahiti while Nacho appeared just once, in the 10-0 thrashing of Tahiti.

Meanwhile, Arsenal report back for pre-season on July 4 before embarking on their fourstop tour of Asia.

Arsenals face Indonesia Dream Team on July 14 before playing Vietnam on July 17.

The Gunners will then travel to Japan to face J League side’s Nagoya Grampus and Urawa Red Diamonds on July 22 and 26 respectively.

Arsenal also has pre-season dates against Serie A side Napoli on August 3 and Galatasaray of Turkey on August 4.

City are the only club to have made an official approach for the striker, who has scored more than 100 goals for Napoli in just three seasons - but De Laurentiis said their offer was “insufficient”.

Cavani’s contract with Napoli, whom he joined from Palermo in 2010, runs until 2016, although he said earlier this summer that he would be tempted by a fresh challenge. “I’m ready for a big club,” he told Marca.

John Obuh

FIFA U-20 World:

F/Eagles, Uruguay Clash Today

IT will be a clash of third-bests when Nigeria clash with Uruguay in a FIFA U20 World Cup Round of 16 game today. second time that Nigeria will be Nigeria’s Flying Eagles playing inside the Ali Sami finished third at the African Arena, the home ground of top Youth Championship in Algeria Turkish club Galatasaray, while in April and Uruguay also placed it will be a first for their South third in the South American American foes. version of the qualifiers.

Uruguay have also had to And at Turkey 2013, both endure a trip from Antalya to teams started out on a losing note Istanbul leading up to this match, before they rallied to two straight while Nigeria stayed back after wins to finish runners-up in their the win over South Korea to respective first round groups. sample more of the joys of Tuesday match will be the Turkey’s commercial capital city.

Los Charruas, as Uruguay are known, best performance in this competition was when they reached the 1997 final, where they lost to hosts Argentina 2-1.

They finished third in 1979, fourth in 1977 and have reached the last eight on three further occasions.

However in their last three appearances, they twice crashed out in the Round of 16 and exited the 2011 edition in the first round.

Uruguay’s qualification for the 2013 tournament was boosted by a 3-2 win over world champions Brazil, who as a result are not in Turkey to defend their championship.

They parade several players from overseas like striker Bentancourt from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven and Amores, who is on the books of EPL side

Liverpool.

“They are a dangerous side,” warned Nigeria assistant coach Jurgen Press, who watched them outscore a more organised Uzbekistan in their final group game to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition.

“But we want to be the team that will be in Bursa for the quarterfinal on Saturday.”

Mali coach Moussa Keita, whose team played out a 1-1 draw with Uruguay before the World Cup, has warned of a dangerous strike force led by

Diego Rolan but added that the South Americans struggle with high crosses launched into their goal area.

Both teams clashed at an invitational tournament in 2011 in South Korea with Olanrewaju Kayode and Philemon Daniel getting the Flying Eagles goals in a badly tempered 2-2 draw.

A lot more is at stake on Tuesday night and there must be a clear winner this time.

Kick-off time is 7pm Nigerian time.

CHELSEA’s officials have predicted future success for the club and voiced confidence that the Blues are in a strong position to build on recent glories under the ownership of Roman Abramovich.

Since Abramovich took over in 2003, Chelsea have won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, a Champions League and a Europa League.

However, Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said he felt those successes represented only the beginning of the story

for Chelsea.

“It has been a hugely successful decade for Chelsea Football Club since Roman Abramovich took control, with an unprecedented number of trophies in the last ten years,” he said.

“The club has also taken great strides off the field in that time, adapting to meet the challenges of football’s changing landscape.

“Mr Abramovich’s early investment in playing staff paid dividends in creating a team admired around the world, but to keep Chelsea among the elite we have always known we must produce our own world-class talent.

“We are beginning to see the benefits of our academy, which will help us meet our long-term objectives for Financial Fair Play.

“As we prepare for the next ten years, I feel we are wellpositioned to continue the success we have so far enjoyed under Mr Abramovich, and everybody here is determined to build on that progress we have made.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck hailed Abramovich as the man who had forever changed the fortunes of the club.

“What came through to me loud and clear in those early days was the new owner’s passion for the game and the potential he saw for what Chelsea FC could achieve, both on and off the pitch,” Buck wrote in The Times.

Chelsea Chiefs Predict Bright Future

United ’ll Maintan Success Under Moyes - Giggs

RYAN Giggs says there is no reason Manchester United cannot continue their success under new manager David Moyes.

Sir Alex Ferguson retired this summer having won a total of 38 trophies - from Charity Shields to Champions League - to leave his successor with a tough task to follow.

Many believe it is unrealistic to expect the 50-year-old Scot to be able to maintain his countryman’s golden streak at Old Trafford.

But Giggs, who has won 25 major honours and played more than 1,000 matches for club and country, believes there is no reason why anything should change.

“I think it is a challenge and as a player you always want challenges,” said the Welshman as he prepares for an unprecedented 24th season at Old Trafford, albeit his first without Ferguson.

“First and foremost, there are great players there and we have just won the league, so everything is in place for it to carry it on.”

Giggs, who turns 40 in November, signed a new oneyear contract in March and

admits thoughts are turning to what he will do when he finishes playing.

The former Wales international is currently attending the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Turkey as part of his UEFA Pro Licence course.

It seems more than likely he will remain in football in some capacity but he has yet to figure out exactly what his involvement will be.

“It’s quite tough. I am sort of

... Moyes Starts Job

DAVID Moyes yesterday officially started his job as manager of Manchester United, taking over from Alex Ferguson, who resigned in May after 26years in the post.

The 50-year-old former Everton boss drove into the United’s Carrington training ground in a sponsored Chevrolet at just after 8:00 am, stopping briefly to wait for security barriers to be raised before heading into work.

In a sign of the changes

underway at Old Trafford, within minutes of Moyes’ arrival the club confirmed another regional partnership - with leading

David Moyes

Thai telecommunications company True Corporation Plc. True will be an associate match sponsor for United’s opening tour match against Singha All Stars in Bangkok on July 13 Moyes’ first in charge.

Club officials also confirmed the appointments of Steve Round as assistant manager, Chris Woods as goalkeeping coach and Jimmy Lumsden as coach..

an intense person so when I am still playing I’m concentrating on that,” Giggs toldthefa.com.

“But also, I have got to start thinking that it is near the end. I have to start thinking about what I am going to do afterwards.

“I am in the process of doing that and obviously coming on this course has helped me speaking to other people, listening to what the coaches or tutors say, and just trying to get little bits that can help you.

Jose Mourinho

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F history truly repeats itself-without bias to geographical space or socio-political differences, then I believe one of the most obvious proofs of the dictum may soon present itself in Nigeria.

As the politics of the 2015 presidential election heats up, there is every possibility that the advantage could still swing in any direction. If we were hoping to hinge the outcome solely on the advantage of incumbency, it would be wise to learn from the experience of the Americans, whom we so willingly make reference to on all issues political.

For those who have read a bit of American political history, the Lyndon B Johnson experience is food for thought.

Just like Johnson’s fateful assumption of the presidential seat in 1963, after the death of President John F Kennedy, President Jonathan became president after the death of his superior, though surmounting immense challenges the likes of which Johnson would never have imagined in a well structured democracy like the U.S.A. Their assumption of the presidential office had been determined more by constitutional demand than by their public appeal or political craft. Beyond similar circumstances that created the opportunity to lead, the experiences in office reveal obvious similarities also: both men rode on the prevailing public sentiment that welcomed them into office to build strong bases for their future political designs; they had both secured the support of their parties to run for full first terms as president, fighting tough battles with political opponents who appeared strong enough to surmount the advantage of incumbency. Even their campaign strategies for their first attempts at winning the presidential seats had an uncanny similarity: Johnson’s campaign warned of a possible nuclear war if his Republican rival, Barry Goldwater, is elected, with TV ads that had the effective imagery of a little girl’s playful flower picking and counting to ten, suddenly superseded by a baritone voice mimicking the countdown to a nuclear launch.

Jonathan’s campaign handlers, on the other hand, seemed bent on selling the possibility of an open conflict between religions if his strongest opponent, retired General Buhari, won the elections. While in office as elected presidents, however, they had become enmeshed in conflicts that seemed to have slowly eroded the public support

TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013

lic distrust. In response to the criticisms, Johnson’s team claimed that wages were the highest in U.S history, unemployment was at a 13-year low, and corporate profits and farm incomes were greater than ever. And so it seems that some leaves have been reaped from the Johnson experience in countering the challenges of public dis-

Between Presidents Johnson And Jonathan

Learning The Right Lessons

they had garnered previously.

The similarities do not end there. With victory at the polls came even greater challenges for both men: with Johnson, it came in the guise of the Vietnam war; a raging conflict that saw Johnson fighting a tougher battle at home than in Vietnam; with Jonathan, it is the anti- terror campaign in northern Nigeria that has swelled the numbers of his critics who question the methods and aims of the federal government.

Unlike Johnson’s experience, there has been no national demand on President Jonathan to withdraw our troops from the battle, but there have been widespread criticism of the way the anti-terror war has been fought so far. During president Johnson’s term in elected office, signs of his imminent unpopularity were usually played down by his supporters and spokesmen; such predictions were usually blamed on the antics of cynics and a media that was determined to see the collapse of the government. To Johnson’s team, the reasons for this alleged media attack was anything but the obvious failings of government policies. Juxtapose this with the claims by our presidential spokesmen when the policies of this administration are criticised.

When the signs became clear that Johnson would run for a second term in office, public assessment of his achievements became more vehement. It was clear that the second term attempt would not be easy for him, judging from public opinion trends. At some point, Johnson had been warned that he would lose some states by 100,000 votes. For many, frustration over the war in Vietnam and too much federal spending had inspired pub-

President Goodluck Jonathan satisfaction with the policies of this administration.

First, the response to public dissatisfaction has been to blame the press for a morbid dislike of the president for no clear reason; then to present facts- a la Mid-Term Report- of growth in the same areas that the Johnson government chose as evidence of success; drop in unemployment and wage increase.

However, like the Johnson administration, while these successes are being bandied, there has been total ignorance of a failure in directing the benefits to those who need it the most; the teeming population of poor and unemployed. In Johnson’s time, a 4.5 percent jump in consumer prices seemed like nothing to worry about, as was the rise in interest rates. In Nigeria, it is a jump in consumer prices and the absence of necessary serv-

ices.

Even more telling of the similarity between both men is in the manner they broached issues that questioned their popularity. Once asked to explain why he was unpopular, Johnson responded, “I am a dominating personality, and when I get things done I don’t always please all the people.”

For some reasons, he blamed everyone but himself for the challenges that he faced; how much this same approach resonates in Nigeria.

Where the juxtaposition of both leaders gets really interesting is the glimpse the experience of one offer into the possible outcome of the other’s ambition.

When Johnson initially indicated his interest in the 1968 election campaign for a second term, no prominent Democratic candidate was prepared to run against a sitting President of the Democratic Party.

However, when one candidate decided to throw his hat in the ring, he exposed Johnson’s weakening support base and the over hyped myth of incumbent power. When the results came in after the primaries in one of the states, Senator Eugene McCarthy won 42 percent of the primary vote to Johnson’s 49 percent, a strong showing against someone whom no one had wanted to stand against and whose support base had been considered very strong. Four days later, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy of New York entered the race. If that result was bad, it seemed to be getting worse: internal polling by Johnson’s campaign team in another state showed that he was trailing badly. It was clear by this time that Johnson had lost control of the Democratic Party, the party had also split into four factions, each competing for supremacy. I guess the juxtaposition here is obvious: We have witnessed the growing opposition that president Jonathan faces

within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the potential problems this may pose for his re-election bid. If President Johnson’s experience is anything to go by, President Jonathan’s battle for control of the party is a battle of wits that may prove his undoing.

There are several opinions about the factors that led to Johnson’s surprise decision to finally pull out of the race for a second term in office: some say he wanted out of the race but also wanted vindication; when the indicators turned negative he decided to leave; others suggest that Johnson had neglected the party, was hurting it by his Vietnam policies, and underestimated the strength of his opponents until the very last minute, when it was too late for him to recover; some others say Johnson realised that he needed to leave in order for the nation to heal. While others believe that Johnson had no other meaningful domestic goals, and realised that his personality had badly damaged his popularity. I guess the narrative exposes the insinuation.

The Lyndon Johnson experience may just be a warning that, while winning a first term election as president may prove easy for vice presidents who assume office on the back of constitutional legitimacy, a second term is not so easy to obtain.

“There are several opinions about the factors that led to Johnson’s surprise decision to finally pull out of the race for a second term in office: some say he wanted out of the race but also wanted vindication; when the indicators turned negative he decided to leave; others suggest that Johnson had neglected the party, was hurting it by his Vietnam policies.”

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