Nigerian observer 11 11 2014

The Nigerian

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vo l . 39 • N O .118 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2 0 14 • N100.00 COUNTDOWN Pages 16 - 19

Second Tenure 2013/2014 Diary Governor Oshiomhole

NUTRITIONAL HEALTH AND DIETETICS

Page 14 Signature principles of plants

Senate postpones resumption date ABUJA – The Senate yesterday rescheduled its resumption of plenary from Tuesday to Wednesday.

This is contained in a statement

issued by the Clerk to the Senate, Mr. Benedict Efeturi, in Abuja.

The clerk requested senators to resume sitting in plenary on Wednesday by 10 a.m.

Though no reason

was given for the postponement, Senate adjourned abruptly on November 4 and 5 and subsequently adjourned sitting till Tuesday, November

11.

This is in connection with internal strife in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), arising from the party’s Ward Congress.

Bomb blast in school Assembly kills 48 children Jonathan condemns attack,

POTISKUM - A bomb in a school in yesterday killed at least 48 people Potiskum, Yobe State a week after Boko Haram denied any ceasefire and ridiculed government claims of a peace deal At least 48 school stu- area pelted with rocks by dents were killed after a locals, who accused suicide bomber appar- them of failing to protect ently dressed in school the area against terrorist uniform detonated explo- attack. sives in a packed assembly meeting.

Around 2,000 students - some as young as 11 were waiting to hear the principal’s Monday morning address when the blast ripped through the crowd. Eyewitnesses spoke of horrific scenes as body parts were scattered all over the school compound. The mood then turned to anger, with soldiers who turned up to secure the

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The bombing took place at the Government Technical Science College in the city of Potiskum, a town of 200,000 in north-east

vows justice

Nigeria’s Yobe state and a regular target of attacks by the Boko Haram

Islamist group. Only last week, a suicide bomb in the same city killed 30

FG urges Nigerians to take pride in nationalism ABUJA – The Federal discord in the name of Government yesterday in Abuja urged Nigerians to take pride in their nationality and discourage overlap between politics and religion.

The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Prof. Rufai Alkali, said this at an inter-faith rally held at the Goodluck Support Group (GSG) headquarters to pray for President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to Alkali, preaching religious

politics is wrong and should be discouraged as it will hinder vital development in the country.

Alkali said: “As people, we have multiple identities everywhere we go; in the hospital we are patients, before a lawyer we are clients but first and foremost we are Nigerians.

“We must take pride in our identities and nationalism as Nigerians and like the former deputy Continues on page 2

TIT BIT “If the world cannot offer you, your expectations, do not prevent others from offering the world their expectations.”

- Kingsley Ogbeide-Ihama

NEWS CONFERENCE: L-R: National Coordinator, Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Assumpta Reginald, Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Prof.

John Idoko and UNAIDS Country Director, Dr. Bilal Camara, at a NACA News Conference on the Presidential Launch of National Operational Plan for the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (eMTCT) in Nigeria in Abuja yesterday.

people taking part in a religious procession of moderate Muslims.

Musa Ibrahim Yahaya, a survivor of the school bombing, spoke from his hospital bed, where he was being treated for head wounds. “We were waiting for the principal to address us, around 7:30 a.m., when we heard a deafening sound and I was blown off my feet,” he said. “People started screaming and running, I saw blood all over my body.”

Aliyu Abubakar, a Potiskum resident, said he heard the explosion when he was dropping off his two sons at a nearby Islamic college. “One of my sons fell down, I came out dragged him in and we drove off back home,” he said.

A morgue attendant said 48 bodies were brought to the hospital and all appeared to be between the ages of 11 and 20 years old.

Hospital workers said the scale of the injuries was so bad that some of the injured were likely to need Continues on page 2

Lawmaker appeals for US Arms to fight Boko Haram

ABUJA – The U.S. Government has been urged to urgently supply arms to the Nigerian military to effectively fight Boko Haram terrorists.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Civil Society and Donor Agencies, Prof Ini Udoka, made the appeal in Abuja yesterday.

He spoke during the signing of 9.2 million dollars grant to 15 Civil

Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria by the U.S. Government.

His remarks came against the backdrop of Monday’s attack on a

school in Potiskum, Yobe by the Boko Haram sect, Continues on page 2

Exhibitors urge FG to lift ban on consumables

LAGOS – Two exhibitors from Cameroon at the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair yesterday urged the

Federal Government to lift the ban on all consumer goods from Cameroon.

The exhibitors told newsmen that the ban was necessary because Nigeria had a large

market capable of boosting the economy of its neighbours.

One of the exhibitors, Mr Genatus Aban, told Continued from page 20

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

News

FG urges Nigerians to take pride in nationalism

Continued from page 1

speaker said, we cannot choose where we come from.

“We must not disparage between Christians and muslims; we are all one. Please preach peace at all times and avoid an overlap between politics and religion.’’

He said he was impressed with the turnout of people who came to pray for the president’s successful declaration and thanked the groups for their steadfast support.

“On September 16, more than 8,000 groups under the GSG were in Abuja from all parts of the World to clamour for President Jonathan’s return.

“I thank you all for your steadfast support and urge that you ignore reports that the president’s declaration has been postponed. It is politically motivated and you are all invited,’’ he added.

Alkali said unlike other parties that rushed to declare after INEC released its time-table, “we felt we must commit our steps to God for a successful process from now till February 14”.

Also, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, a former deputy speaker, in his address said the major problem hindering Nigeria’s progress was ethnicity and religion.

He said Nigerians should strive to rise above using such factors to derail them.

“I have always asked myself why our endowments as a nation have not led to peace and prosperity and I saw that ethnicity and religion are our major problems.

“These two factors have stood between us, our progress

and prosperity. Whether you are Ibo, Hausa or Yoruba so shall you remain till the end of time, you cannot transfer your heritage.

“So why do we allow ethnicity and religion becloud us? We are

all from the same source; we should see ourselves as brothers and sisters. We are all from God,’’ Mantu said.

Reports state that a retinue of Christian and Islamic clerics was at the rally to offer prayers to God.

They thanked God for the successful containment of the Ebola Virus Disease, for the president’s successful declaration on Tuesday, for peace and progress and freedom from insurgency.

and actions.

“My attention has been drawn to the fact that some consider advocacy for good governance to mean disparaging government and aligning with political opposition.

“Your ability to exercise independence of thought, conditioned by international best practices, should engage your advocacy to government personalities and institutions to ensure that expected reforms are undertaken in the country.’’

In a swift reaction, Entwistle said the report in some sections of the media was fabricated.

“The comments he (Udoka) was referring to was at a press conference I gave in Adamawa.

“I didn’t say what was attributed to me; those comments came from an article in the Guardian newspapers which was a complete fabrication.

“We have asked them to retract and they have not.

“We have put out op-ed in almost every newspaper explaining what I actually said, which I think the Chairman (House Committee on Civil Society) didn’t have time to read.

“We have made it clear that my government stands firmly with the Nigerian government in the fight against terror and in the fight against Boko Haram’’, Entwistle said.

The envoy added that Nigeria and the U.S had “a rich military and security relationship’’ and reiterated U.S. commitment “to the non-military aspect of the struggle.

“We are committed to helping the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), we are committed to working with your government to ensure that those displaced by this conflict were not disenfranchised.’’

On the grant, the U.S envoy challenged the recipients to partner with government at all levels to improve the rule of law, reduce corruption and strengthen health and education.

He urged CSOs in Nigeria to set the agenda and advocate issues that politicians need to address in their manifestos in the build up to the 2015 general elections.

The envoy appealed to Nigerians to denounce violence before, during and after elections.

He underscored the key role of CSOs in ensuring political, economic and development success in Nigeria.

He cited the role civil societies played in ending apartheid in South Africa and abolition of slavery in the U.S. Also, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education, asked government officials to stop seeing CSOs as irritants.

Ezekwesili advised civil society groups not to relent in demanding good governance and accountability from the government and those in public positions.

“CSOs in this country must be determined to keep everybody that holds public position on their toes.

“The U.S functions in its democracy because of the power of civil societies; it makes the biggest of difference.

“No matter what laws and agencies you create, until you get effective demand and scrutiny, demand for accountability in the performance of those agencies, they will not transform into institutions’’, she said.

The grant to 15 Nigerian CSOs was awarded under the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) “Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement Project.’’

According to USAID, the grant will support the CSOs’ efforts to promote democratic reforms through greater transparency, accountability and good governance.

Some of the projects will focus on public finance management, local governance reform, youth empowerment and advocacy, among others.

Lawmaker appeals for US Arms

Continued from page 1

i n which several students were killed.

The legislator said it was worrisome that the U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle had been credited as saying that the U.S may not be able to sell arms to Nigeria.

According to Udoka, Entwistle was reported as saying that this was due to alleged human rights abuses by the Nigerian military.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the government of the United States to reconsider the stance on the issue of insecurity in Nigeria.

“This morning, we received very sad news that many students of Comprehensive School in Potiskum have been slaughtered by a suicide bomber during the morning devotion.

“We know that the assistance of the U.S. in combating insurgency in Nigeria would help us to a large extent to curb some of these atrocities.’’

The lawmaker thanked the U.S. government for the grant to civil society groups and challenged the grantees to live up to expectations reposed in them.

He, however, advised that in undertaking the assignment, civil society groups must avoid partisanship in their conducts

Bomb blast in school Assembly Continued from page 1 amputations.

Survivors said the bomber appeared to have hidden the explosives in a type of rucksack popular with students. Nigeria’s military recently reported finding a bomb factory where explosives were being sewn into rucksacks in the northern city of Kano.

While there has so far been no claim of responsibility for the attack, suspicion will fall on Boko Haram, which has carried out numerous bombings and Mumbai-style gun attacks during the five-year insurgency it has fought in its bid to turn an Islamic caliphate in northern Nigeria. The group, whose name roughly translates as “Western education is sinful”, has focused many of its attacks on schools.

In February, gunmen killed at least 40 students after throwing explosives into the dormitory of a government boarding school in Buni Yadi, also in Yobe state.

In July last year, 42 students were killed when Boko Haram attacked dormitories in a gun and bomb attack on a government boarding school in the village of Mamudo, near Potiskum.

Boko Haram’s most highprofile attack on a school came in April, when fighters kidnapped 276 girls from the town of Chibok in Borno state, also in northeast Nigeria.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned Monday’s “dastardly murder’’ of students of Government Senior Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe, by a suspected suicide bomber.

Reports say dozens of

others were injured when a suicide bomber, disguised as a student, detonated an explosive at the school’s assembly ground at 7.45 a.m.

In a statement issued by Dr Reuben Abati, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, quoted Jonathan as promising to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice “no matter how long it takes.

He said “President Goodluck Jonathan sends his heartfelt commiserations to the government and people of Yobe on the death of many students

in a bomb attack on Potiskum earlier today.

“Jonathan also conveys his deepest sympathies to all parents who lost their beloved children in the heinous attack on Government Science Secondary School, Potiskum, which appears to have been carried out by a suicide bomber.

“The President condemns the dastardly murder of the students on their school’s assembly ground as they prepared to begin another week of study in pursuit of a better life for themselves and their families.

Exhibitors urge FG Continued from page 1 to lift ban j

ournalists that Cameroon had the production capacity and that the Nigerian market was very viable for promoting any product.

He said that although officially Nigeria is Cameroon leading importer, with estimates put at 382 billion CFA francs annually, Nigeria should allow all consumables into the country.

Aban said that forging a good agreement by both countries would eradicate the issue of smuggling.

“We want to establish our routes in Nigeria by selling our products in the country through the right channels.

“This will foster the right relationships and curtail the smuggling of goods into Nigeria through the borders,” said Aban.

Another exhibitor, Mr Simia Azur, said that lifting the ban on all consumables would bring more investments into both countries.

Some of the products exhibited by the Cameroonians at the ongoing fair include soap,

spices and artifacts.

Cameroon and Nigeria have a land border of about 1,500 kilometres, which, despite the ban on the movement of people and goods, is still rife with smuggling.

The trade fair, which started on November 7, will end on Sunday, November 16.

Our Error Re: Man Beaten by Soldiers, Demands N5m Compensation OUR attention has been drawn to the above headline and news report, published on Friday, October 24, 2014, issue of The Nigerian Observer.

We have since found out that the facts contained in the report were misrepresented and did not reflect what happened at Urehue in respect

of the ongoing UrehueOmoghum-Nokhua Road project being constructed by EDSOGPADEC. We hereby tender our unreserved apology to the Nigerian Army and the 4 Brigade Benin City over the wrong impression and embarrassment contained in the said report.

- Editor.

AEDC, Police to partner in checking electricity theft, vandalism ABUJA - The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Nigeria Police in Abuja on Monday, agreed to collaborate in tackling electricity theft and vandalism within the company’s area of coverage.

The agreement was reached at a meeting between the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, and the management of AEDC led by its Managing Director, Mr. Neil Croucher.

The agreement is contained in a statement issued by the company’s Head of Public Relations and Media, Mallam Ahmed Shekarau.

According to Shekarau, the proposed partnership is imperative given the critical need for steady power supply for the growth and development of the nation’s economy.

He recalled a similar collaboration between the police and the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), which led to the creation of a joint task force that helped in curbing vandalism.

He said that Abba, who was represented by Mr.

Mamman Tsafe, Deputy Inspector General, Police Headquarters, Abuja, stressed the commitment of the police to the success of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.

Abba, according to him, said that the force will particularly lend its support to the realization of the president’s vision in the power sector.

Shekarau also quoted AEDC’s managing director as saying that the company needed the support of the police in dealing with electricity theft and vandalism.

He solicited the support of the force in providing security for its revenue collection personnel, especially in some hostile communities.

Croucher also appealed for training of AEDC staff on self-defence to enable them deal with unusual circumstances such as armed robbery and aggression by hostile customers.

He assured of the company’s commitment to improved power supply in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its other coverage areas of Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger.

FG threatens to blacklist contractors not registered with BPP ABUJA - President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that any contracting firm not registered and classified in the Bureau for Public Procurement database by 2015 would be blacklisted by the Federal Government.

Jonathan gave the warning at the First National Conference on Public Procurement held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The president, who was represented by the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, said that contractors who default in the registration with the BPP would not be allowed to bid for any job in the country.

He said that the process for new procurement was as important as its tangible outcomes, adding that 24 states in the country had established their procurement authorities.

Jonathan said Nigeria was setting up the first international procurement platform to facilitate an interface among the regulatory authority, procuring entities and service providers.

He commended the World

Bank for approving the utility, saying “I will like to assure our development partners that their efforts are well appreciated by this administration.

“I have been informed that the recent independent service delivery assessment had judged the bureau as the second most outstanding institution in the country“.

He therefore urged state governments which had not established procurement institutions or enacted a law on it to do so and charged those that had passed the law to strengthen it so as to boost service delivery.

The president described the forum as “credible platform to generate ideas, share experiences and improve the understanding of public procurement in nation’s building”.

He expressed happiness in the level of cooperation the bureau had enjoyed and the support it had received from international development partners.

Jonathan commended the bureau for its accomplishments and urged it not to relent.

4th alteration of 1999 Constitution Bill passes second reading in Ondo Parliament AKURE - The Fourth Alteration to the 1999 Constitution has gone through the second reading at the Ondo State House of Assembly.

The house, which was presided over by the Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, said a letter was sent to the house by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, to the state parliament to deliberate.

The two arms of National Assembly, comprising the Senate and House of Representatives, had earlier discussed critical areas of the constitution and made some amendments.

They include autonomy for local governments, separation of office of minister of justice and attorney general of the federation, establishment of House of Assembly Service Commission and independent candidacy.

After thorough deliberation for the proposed amendment, the house set up a five-man committee to look into the proposals and submit its report on November 25 for consideration.

The speaker said the committee was expected to go into public hearing to collate opinions of relevant stakeholders before the final presentation of the report to

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News Lagos Presents Draft Policy On Healthcare Waste

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM LAGOS -The Lagos State Government has presented a draft policy for Healthcare Waste Management at the 8th Lagos Healthcare Waste Management Summit held recently to regulate and inculcate best practices on all frontiers.

The State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, while speaking at the forum, affirmed that the draft policy was in line with the state policy on environmental sustainability and represent part of the communiqué agreed upon at last year Summit.

He explained that the draft policy was one of the State Government’s efforts towards improving healthcare waste management, in addition to its willingness to partner with private investors who are ready to manage healthcare waste treatment facilities across the state on Build, Own and Transfer (BOT) basis.

Bello disclosed that the construction of Transfer Loading Stations (TLS) with the third station ready for management concession under the present investment portfolio through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement is part of the present administration ongoing efforts to effectively manage healthcare waste in the state.

He reiterated that the annual Healthcare Waste Management Summit is Government’s strategy to inform, educate, sensitize the people and devise new ways and methods to address issues of healthcare waste.

The Commissioner averred that the success story of the management of Ebola outbreak will not be complete without mentioning the effort of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) which, under the healthcare waste management programme, earned the state accolades locally and internationally for effectively managing waste from the quarantine centre.

President Goodluck Jonathan in a chat with Ambassador-Designate of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Mathias Haranungarawe, at Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday.

Pa Omoruyi For Burial Nov 14

Ex-Council Boss Advocates LG Autonomy With Increased Allocation

By CLIFFORD AGBAJOR/ BERNADETTE IDIALU BENIN CITY- A former Chairman of Esan South-East Local Government Council, Edo State Hon. Andrew Akhabue has said that local government autonomy without commensurate increment from the present allocation from the Federal Account will amount to little or nothing.

He made the remark while speaking to newsmen in Benin City recently.

Hon. Akhabue who is also the State Assistant Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) noted that the 774 local government councils in the country only get 20 percent from the federation account, stressing that the Federal Government get over 50 percent.

He stated that monthly allocation to local government councils is grossly inadequate saying that, autonomy without necessary adjustment would not achieve deserved result.

While noting that though the issue of local government autonomy is not out of place, Hon. Akhabue however emphasized that priority should be placed on how to increase local government shares from the federation account to enable council authorities carry out their function. Effectively.

On the forthcoming voter’s registration exercise scheduled for November 12-17, 2014 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hon. Akhabue appealed to those who did not register before, those who registered but could not find their names in the register as well as those who have turned 18 years since the last exercise in 2011 to come out enmasse and register.

This he noted would enable them vote for candidates of their choice, particularly in the 2015

general elections.

The former council boss called on INEC to ensure hitch-free voters registration exercise in Edo State, stressing that INEC must be alive to its responsibility, with a view to ensuring that the process is not hijacked by those who do not mean well for the state.

He similarly called on INEC to ensure free and fair election in 2015 so as not to throw the nation into avoidable crisis.

President Goodluck Jonathan receiving letter of Credence from AmbassadorDesignate of the Republic of Serbia Prof. Jovan Maric at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday.

Don Calls For Urgent Nat’l Ideology To Move Nigeria Forward

ABUJA - Prof. Yusuf Obaje, former Chaplain, Presidential Villa, Abuja, has called for an urgent formulation of national ideology to move Nigeria forward from its present critical challenges.

Obaje made the call during the first National Conference on “Community Conflicts and Youth Militancy in Northern Nigeria and the Challenge of Democratic Practice in Nigeria” in Abuja.

He stressed the need for a national ideology that would invoke, inspire, drive and govern the people in the search for national transformation.

“It is that idea or ideology that gives birth to our national dream, our national philosophy and national sense of belonging.”

He recalled that the north, in the early part of Nigerian independence, was a haven of peace and peaceful coexistence, except for dotted instances of ethnic clashes, religious and sectarian violence.

Obaje said the tranquility and progress of the period were largely due to the quality of political leadership.

The former chaplain also traced the peace of that period to effectiveness of traditional institutions and reasonable degree of observance of the law and order in the society.

He regretted that most of the developmental strides in the region were not sustained due to breakdown of ethical, moral centre of the family.

According to him, the turning of politics into commercial venture and abandonment of other measures of livelihood among others also lead to community conflicts and youth militancy in the Northern Nigeria.

He also identified lack of indigenous character of democracy in Nigeria and widespread political illiteracy among others as some of the challenges of democratic practice in Nigeria.

Earlier, Governor Aliyu

Babangida of Niger said that the theme of the conference was well structured to address the contentious security issues of the moment in the country.

Babangida was represented

by Mr Kuta Yahaya, Commissioner for Agriculture at the occasion.

The governor stressed the need for conflicts prevention and resolution as a device that would ensure peace and integration in the country.

Contributing, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Hassan Garbai, commended the President of Al-Mustapha Peace Unity and Development Initiative (APUDI) for organising the conference.

The traditional ruler expressed optimism that ideas garnered at the occasion would go long way in solving the security challenges in Borno and other dark spots in the country.

Garbai, who was

represented by the District Head of Khaddamari, Waziri Zanna, said that the conference theme was timely and very important.

Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, the founder of APUDI, said the initiative came into being barely a year.

He said that the initiative had healed the pains of victims of security challenges, especially in the northern part of the country.

According to him, besides the conference, APUDI is also collaborating with some associations to address some fundamental issues bordering on conflict and youth militancy.

“Our younger ones, particularly the youth in most cases at a season like this are tools to be used, enticed, contracted and directed for such conflict.

“There is never a better time to understand where we are and tell them the truth for peaceful co-existence as a nation,’’ he said.

BENIN CITY - The families of Omoruyi Edekere, Adun and Ohonba have announced the burial arrangement for the Late Pa V.O. Omoruyi who died recently at the age of 85 years.

According to a statement signed by Mr. Stanley, Omoruyi for the family, there will be service of songs and Holy mass at his residence, No 13, Faith Street, off 2 nd Cemetery, off Owina Street, Uzebu Quarters Benin City on Thursday, November 13, 2014 at 4pm.

On Friday, November 14, 2014 at 7am pa Omoruyi body will be taken from God’s Care Hospital Mortuary Ekehuan Road for a brief stop over at hiss residence before a funeral mass at St, Francis Catholic Church, College Road, Off Ekehuan Road, Benin City at 11 am Interment follows thereafter at his residence.

On Saturday November 15, 2014 there will be social dance entertainment of guests at Grrick Memorial Secondary School Compound, opposite UNIBEN, Ekehuan Road Campus, at 1 pm.

The burial ceremony will climax on Sunday November 16 2014 with a thanksgiving mass at St Francis Catholic Church, College Road, Off Ekehuan Road Benin City, beginning at 9 am.

Late Pa V. O. Omoruyi

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Business & Economy Association Urges Film Makers BIRNIN KEBBI- The To Uphold Values National President of the Arewa Film Makers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdullahi Sani, has called on the entertainment industry to uphold cultural and religious values of their communities in their profession.

Alhaji Sani, who made the call in Birnin Kebbi at the inauguration of officials of the Kebbi State chapter of the association, also urged members to create employment opportunities.

“All societies value their cultural and religious values and we cannot conduct our activities in negligence of these values but rather propagate such rich values for others to emulate.

The state Director of Youths, Ahmad Bunza, urged the association to propagate the relevance of unity and peace in the societies.

He said that film industry

had gained acceptance that needed to be made relevant and consolidated for the develpment of the society.

Alhaji Nasiru Gwandu was elected Chairman; Nasiru Umar, Vice Chairman; Mallam Hamza Samaila; Secretary; Alhaji

Mohammed Kamba, Public Relations Officer and Habiba Manga, Welfare Officer.

The new chairman said the association would ensure high level of moral conduct and adherence to law and order.

LAGOS - The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has prevented hawking by exhibitors at the ongoing 28th Lagos International Trade Fair ground.

Alhaji Remi Giwa, Board Member, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) made this known to newsmen at the TBS, Lagos, venue of the fair.

Giwa said that officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) had been authorised by

the chamber to arrest hawkers. ‘’The marketers are not authorised to hawk outside their company’s pavillion.

“KAI is empowered by law to arrest and sanction offenders and that is why we invited them. ‘’We are making effort to meet international standard when it comes to trade fair business.

“In other countries, you do not see hawkers inside the fair. ‘’We have foreigners participating in the fair and we must leave a good impression, that is why there are stand-by cleaners and mobile toilets everywhere,” Giwa said.

According to reports youths employed by exhibitors to market their products were arrested by KAI officials.

Mr Kayode Lawal, a KAI official, who arrested some of the hawkers, told newsmen that the marketers were not allowed to hawk outside their pavilion. ‘’Nobody is allowed to hawk product outside his stand.

“The marketers can beckon to customers in front of their stand but they are not allowed to hawk their products,” Lawal said.

He told newsmen that 20 hawkers were arrested last Saturday and their goods confiscated.

According to him, the hawkers would have been released later.

LCCI Prohibits Hawking At Fair Ground

Traffic Control Exhibitors, Visitors Laud Police, LASTMA LAGOS - Exhibitors and visitors at the ongoing 28th Lagos International Trade Fair have lauded the Police and the Lagos State Management Authority (LASTMA) for efficient traffic control around the fair ground.

The fair is taking place at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.

Unlike the 2013 edition, Police and LASTMA officials ensured free flow of vehicular movement in the adjourning streets to the fair ground.

Dr Michael Olawale-Cole, Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) said that adequate measures had been put in place to avoid hitches.

He said that adequate

infrastructure and manpower such as enough sanitary personnel had been employed to ensure a memorable trade fair.

A LASTMA official, who spoke on anonymity, said that the organisers had recruited many security officials to ensure free flow of traffic and safety of people.

Mr Joseph Ebelima, Director, Joemecs Cosmetics, an exhibitor, said that it was not difficult entering into the fair venue. ‘’Although, today is the second day of the trade fair, one needs to praise the organisers for the strategies put in place,” Ebelima said.

The fair, which started on November 7 will end on November 16.

SILAME (Sokoto) - The Chairman of Sokoto State Zakkat and Endowment Committee, Alhaji Lawal Maidoki, has urged physically-challenged persons in the state to utilise judiciously, the N6,500 monthly allowance being given to them by the state government.

Maidoki, gave the advice at the commencement of payment of the monthly allowance in Silame, headquarters of Silame Local

Government of the state.

He explained that payment of the allowance was one of the steps taken by the State Government to eradicate street begging.

He therefore urged the beneficiaries to support the state government’s initiative to eradicate street begging, by investing part of the stipend.

Maidoki also called on members of the committee, to discharge their duties with the fear of God. Speaking earlier, a member

Utilise Allowance Judiciously, Physically Challenged Urged

of the committee, Sheikh Maude Abubakar, commended the state government for assisting the less privileged members of the society.

In his remarks, Chairman of the committee in Wamakko zone, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, thanked the government for bestowing its confidence in him and other members He promised that they would continue to do their best to justify such confidence.

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South-West Police Arrest 26 Murder Suspects LAGOS – The Lagos State Police Command yesterday arrested 26 suspects in connection with the murder of a 25year-old man, Sikiru Ogboye.

The commands’ Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed to news men in Lagos that Ogboye was killed on November 9 while reportedly monitoring the collection of Permanent Voters Card in Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.

The deceased was said to be monitoring the process in the area on behalf of the PDP. “Ogboye was killed in a suspected clash between supporters of different political parties.

“One pump action gun and a live cartridge were recovered,” he said.

Nwosu also said investigation was continuing, adding that the political parties involved in the clash would be known after the process was concluded.

INEC officials sorting out materials for collection of Permanent Voters Card, at Ijero Municipal School, Ebute Metta, in Lagos yesterday.

Oshiomhole Aide Receives Award Of Excellence

BENIN CITY – The Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Edo State Rapid Response Agency, Hon. Austin Braimoh has been honoured with a Golden Award of Excellence by the Nigerian Print Journalism Development Organization.

The Award was presented to him in Benin City by the editor in Chief, Mr. Theodore Omoh.

In a congratulatory message, the organization remarked that it was very important to promote the recognition of every Nigerian who work and accept responsibilities without grudge and applying full strength gladly to accomplish difficult tasks.

It observed that Austin Braimoh’s commitments to service demonstrates the kind of commitments that could move Nigeria a step closer to its greater promises.

The organizers praised the outstanding qualities of the recipient, in patience, dedication to service and shaping better tomorrow for Edo State and the nation at large.

Past recipient of the Award included, Professor Osayuki Godwin Oshodin, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin; M.D. Abubakar, the former Inspector General of Police; Major General Henry Ayoola, the Commander of STF Jos; Honourable Justice Cromwell O. Idahosa, Edo State Chief Judge; Professor M. Ibadin, Chief Medical Director, University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

Honourable Braimoh was

the former Chief Press Secretary to the Late Chief of General Staff, Vice Admiral Okhai Akhigbe, a former Editor at the Nigerian Television Authority, the Concord Newspaper; Satellite Newspapers, Daily/ Sunday Mail, Financial Telegraph as well as at the Africa Independent Television, Abuja.

He was also the chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Adams Oshiomhole Campaign Organization in 2007.

Some of the Ebola containment vehicles inaugurated in Abuja yesterday.

Govt Urged To Encourage Vigilante

By MORRISON HAYBLE

AUCHI - Edo state government has been urged to further encourage the Vigilante groups by giving recognition to their operations in the security of lives and property through enactment of the enabling law.

Chairman, Uzairue.

Vigilante outfit, Comrade Agbobuare Yusuf made the plea when he led his group on a thank you visit to the Medical Director, of a private hospital which freely treated and discharged one of his members who was shot during a gun battle with armed bandits.

He reasoned that the official recognition given to the Neighbourhood Watch should. also be extended to cover the Vigilante outfits as this would enable them work confidently with other security agents.

While describing the role of the Vigilante as quite relevant and complementary to the

success of security agents, Comrade Yusuf noted that the vigilante groups were closer to the people and could identify the criminals and as a result, simplify the job of the police and others.

The Uzairue Vigilante Chairman used the medium to thank the state government for assisting the vigiante groups with operational vehicles and appealed for public support to the security agents in the effort to seek peace as this would boost their strength to succeed pointing out that the business of security was everybody’s concern.

Comrade Yusuf noted that people could support the security agents in one way or the other with their vocations just as the doctor did to offer free medical service adding that there would be little problem if others accepted to give helping hand. In a remark, Medical Director, Jey - M - Jey

Hospital, Dr. (Chief) Cyprian Nzewi while thanking the group for reciprocating the gesture explained that he decided free treatment for the

vigilante groups in the area as a means of encouragement for their selfless humanitarian services to the society.

Dr Nzewi.who is the

proponent of “It gives joy to help someone succeed in life” disclosed that he had also extended the same free medical service to the vigilante groups at Auchi and South-Ibie.

Mixed Reactions Trail Dangote Cement Price Cut

ILORIN - Distributors of Cement and block makers in Ilorin have expressed mixed feelings about the new prices of Dangote cement in the country.

Dangote Cement Plc, recently announced a reduction of the prices of its cement products.

According to the company, the Dangote 32.5 cement grade was pegged to N1, 000 per 50kg bag, while the higher 42.5 grade was reduced to N1, 150 per 50kg bag.

Alhaji Ahmed Folorunsho, a distributor of Dangote Cement in Ilorin, told journalist that he had not sold his old stock of the cement and so, it would be difficult for him to sell at the new

prices.

“The price of Dangote cement in my store has not changed because there is no way I will sell at the new price as I did not buy it at that price, I bought it at N1, 650,” Folorunsho said.

He said that the slash in price had negative impact on his business as the sale of the product had drastically reduced.

Mr. Michael Opeyemi, a distributor at Lafarge cement depot in Ilorin, also lamented that sales had dropped since the announcement of the new price regime.

“People are taking their time in buying cement now since the

announcement, I think they are waiting for the new price to take effect; I do not know how we are going to dispose of the old stocks now,” Opeyemi said.

However, Mr. Muyiwa Oladipo, a block maker, commended the price slash and urged distributors to comply with the new prices.

“It is a good development. The price reduction might lower the prices of blocks and make the commodity more afordable to people.

“It will also mean that people could build more houses for rent and private use, and that will boost our business,” Oladipo said.

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Lagos Shareholders, Operators Commend NB Consolidated Breweries Proposed Merger LAGOS – Some capital market stakeholders yesterday said that the proposed business consolidation between Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc and the Consolidated Breweries Plc would enhance shareholders’ return on investment.

They said in separate interviews with newsmen, in Lagos, that they were in support of the merger following its projected contribution to the economy and national employment profile.

Alhaji Gbadebo Olatokunbo, founding member of Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association, said that the business consolidation would increase the Nigerian Breweries’ market share of the nation’s brewery market.

Olatokunbo, who commended the merger, said that the company’s cost of business would be minimised and impact positively on profitability.

According to him, the merger will ensure the company has adequate capital to fund all investments required to operate competitively.

He said that the company should ensure enhanced dividend to the shareholders during the post merger era to compensate them for their support.

Olatokunbo, however, urged other companies listed on the nation’s bourse to emulate the Nigerian Breweries and Consolidated Breweries initiative to upscale their growth.

Mr. Bayo Adeleke, General Secretary, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), described the merger as part of the expansionist policy of NB. Adeleke said that the merger would enable the company to gain more market share and become a dominant player in the breweries sector.

According to him, the minority shareholders are in support of the merger because of its overall positive impact on the economy and investors.

Mr Boniface Okezie, President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), said that the merger would bring a lot of benefits to the shareholders.

Okezie said that the larger entity would enhance investors’ dividends and drive higher capital appreciation of the equity.

“The two giant breweries are going to increase the market share in terms of production which will make the products available all over the country,” Okezie said.

According to PSAN boss, the issue of non availability of products will be a thing of the

past and it will also help check proliferation in the beer market.

Also speaking, Mallam Garba Kurfi, the Managing Director, APT Securities and Funds Ltd., said that the merger was part of expansion programme of the company to consolidate in the industry.

Kurfi, who described the merger as a welcome development, said that it would inject new life in the general operations of Consolidated Breweries.

He also urged most companies listed on the exchange to emulate the business approach of Nigerian Breweries by ensuring resuscitation of other moribund companies in the market and economy.

The proposed merger, according to the Court Ordered Meeting (COM) obtained by newsmen, showed that the scheme if approved by shareholders on December 10 would be completed in January 2015.

The scheme of arrangement revealed that both companies would continue to operate as separate entities until they obtain regulatory approvals.

It added that the proposed merger would create value for all key stakeholders, enhances operational efficiencies, increased access to capital, liquidity for shareholders and increased market capitalisation.

It would be recalled that Heineken Group International, the core investors in Nigerian Breweries in 2005 acquired a controlling stake in Consolidated Breweries Plc.

The Group had earlier said that the merger of the two companies was to take advantage of Nigeria’s growing beer market and malt drinks.

Meanwhile, the shareholders of both companies would on December 4, 2014 take a decision on the merger proposal to be tabled by two companies’ board in a Court Ordered Meeting.

Under the scheme of arrangement, as proposed by the two companies’ boards, five shares of Consolidated Breweries would be exchanged for four of NB shares.

Lagosians waiting for INEC Officials to bring their permanent voter cards at St. Peter’s Anglican Nursery/Primary School at Alausa in Ikeja recently.

PVC: Ikuforiji, Pitan, Dissatisfied With Distribution

LAGOS – Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, has expressed dissatisfaction at the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the state.

Ikuforiji told newsmen in Lagos that he collected his PVC on Saturday at a distribution centre opposite the Police College in Ikeja.

He said that he could not obtain the PVC on Friday when the exercise was scheduled to commence due to absence of INEC officials.

“It is not only sad but totally unacceptable.

“It was not funny at all; first, INEC said it would distribute the PVCs to only 11 out of the old 20 local government areas of our state for three days.

“At the end of it all, it was confusion all the way,’’ he said.

The speaker said that patriotic citizens of Lagos State had trooped out to collect their cards on Friday but were disappointed.

“Nigeria can definitely do better than this at this time,’’ he said.

Ikuforiji appealed to Lagos residents to remain patriotic and be ready at all times to discharge their civic

responsibilities.

The speaker advised INEC to be more effective in the PVCs distribution to ensure that no eligible voter would be disenfranchised during the 2015 general elections.

Dr Leke Pitan, a former Commissioner of Health in the state, said that the state was populous and deserved special preparation for PVCs

100-Computer ICT Centre, Classrooms representing Epe EPE (Lagos State) – Two Inaugurated lawmaker Constituency ll in the State projects, an ICT skills acquisition centre and a threeclassroom block with staff room were inaugurated in Epe, Lagos State.

The ICT centre equipped with 100 desk top and lap top, computers and the classrooms built at Agbowa and Ilara-Epeare were part of

People checking for their names at the card distribution point in Ikorodu, Lagos State recently.

the constituency projects executed by Rep. Lanre Odubote.

Inaugurating the projects, the traditional ruler of Ilara, Oba Akeem Adesanya, and Oba Aderibigbe Asummo of Odu-Ayandelu, lauded Odubote’s contributions to education in the area.

“It is a testimony to the agelong saying that he that opens a school gate has closed the gates to the prison.

“The lawmaker has done so well in uplifting education in the area ... his impact will be felt even many years after he might have left office,” Adesanya said.

In his comment, Asuumo urged political leaders to look well before choosing the people to represent the various constituencies.

Another monarch, Godfrey Adekoya Odusanya, the Olofin Ajaye of Orugbo, also commended Odubote and the

Group Calls For Framework

To Protect E-commerce Patronisers: LAGOS – The Consumer Advocacy Forum of Nigeria (CAFON) yesterday urged governments to establish structures that would protect potential consumers that trade online.

The President of the Forum, Ms Sola Salako told newsmen in Lagos that the massive risk involved with online trading made it imperative for those involved in it to be protected.

Online trading is very

interesting, but there is a massive risk involved. Governments should put in place good structures that will protect the consumers.

“Consumers are actually running at a big risk because when one pays online, he is at the risk of not getting what he paid for and the means of tracing the product is not available,” Salako said.

distribution.

Pitan, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleged that some areas such as Ikeja, Agege, Eti Osa, Epe, Ibeju Lekki were not effectively handled by INEC. INEC has extended the PVCs distribution in the state by a day.

The three-day exercise which began on Friday, will now end on Monday.

She said it was interesting that e-commerce had thrived in the country, in spite of the many challenges, especially in the area of infrastructure.

She also said that lack of credit and thrust in the nation’s ecommerce were drawbacks to the system.

Salako said that the source to verify the financial strength of the business owner and to

authenticate the genuineness of the seller should be established by the authorities to protect consumers.

“The fact that one can sit at home, trade and the goods brought to your doorstep, is a welcome development and Nigerians have imbibed such idea, `` she said.

Electronic commerce, otherwise known as e-commerce, has positively influenced the buying and selling of goods and services in the country.

House of Assembly, Segun Olulade, who was also present at the event, for executing populist projects.

“Odubote and Olulade have proved that certain things are possible.”

Speaking on behalf of students of the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, where Odubote had earlier donated an e-Library with 110 laptops, the Student Union President, Olusola Akinwande, also commended the lawmaker for his contributions to education in the area.

Also speaking, an APC leader in Epe Alhaji Seriki Akanni- Bamu, urged the youths and pupils to make a good use of the facilities provided.

Earlier, Odubote had said his passion for education was hinged on his belief that the only thing that could take a people out of poverty is quality education.

Odubote said he had provided free JAMB questions and answers from 1978 to 2012, 400 school benches and chairs and 20 desk and chairs for teachers in Agbowa Junior High School.

The Epe Federal Constituency representative urged the people to continue to defend democracy for more dividends.

Odubote promised to continue to provide quality representation and attract more development to the area.

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Across The Nation Lawmaker Constructs 14-Bed Community Hospital ICT Centre ZARIA (KADUNA STATE) - Rep. Abbas Tajuddeen of All progressive Congress (APC) has constructed and inaugurated a 14 bed-space community health and ICT centres worth about N75 million in Zaria Local Government, Kaduna State.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony at Kwarbai Ward in Zaria, the lawmaker said the projects were meant to fulfill his campaign promises.

Tajudden, who represents Zaria Federal Constituency, said the health facility was initiated and

APC Members Call For Zoning FUGAR – All Progressive Congress, (APC) members in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State led by Chief Friday Abdulazeez Musa has urged the leadership of the party in the area led by Chief J.B. Aloye to ensure that democratic principles are upheld in the party primaries.

Chief Musa who is also an exofficio of the party in the state made the appeal after an enlarged meeting of the Concerned APC members of the party in Fugar, the administrative headquarters of Etsako Central Local Government.

He said the members protest the marginalization of the people of Etsako Central as regards the zoning of political positions in the area.

He emphasised that the House of Representative position before now has equitably been rotated amongst the three Local Government Areas that make up Etsako Federal Constituency since 1999, Etsako East 19992007, Etsako West 2007-2011, again Etsako East 2011 till date while Etasko Central is marginalized in the zoning method. He pointed out that it is now the turn of central to produce the next candidate for the House of Representative come 2015.

According to him “it is the turn of Etsako Central to produce the next House of Representative member, we call on every like minds to queue behind the struggle”.

Chief Musa further added that adhering strictly to the laid down zoning method is the only thing that will bring about harmony in the area as they have been supporting others from Etsako East and West and it is their turn now to support Etsako Central.

While commending the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for his developmental stride across the state, he appealed to the governor to intervene to ensure that the people of Etsako Central are given equitable treatment in the political structure in the state.

executed to address community health problems in kwarbai and its neighbouring wards.

He said nine health workers had been employed to render health services at the hospital.

The lawmaker also inaugurated an ICT centre at Rimin-Doko in Kaura Ward and attended formal graduation ceremony of students on skills acquisition at TudunWada.

Tajuddeen had also laid the foundation stone for the constructions of three blocks of classrooms for Quranic studies at Anguwan Juma Ward.

Tajuddeen said,” I have completed my mission within my tenure, I have executed various projects that touch on the lives of the citizenry in 13 political wards of Zaria Local Government.

“The ICT centre at Nurul Huda in Tudun Wada had, from inception last year, graduated unemployed youths who acquired skills in various fields with a view to cushioning the scourge of unemployment,” he noted.

He s tressed the need for electorate to rethink and cast their votes wisely to ensure continuity for more democratic dividends in their respective areas.

Earlier, Rep. Datti Mohammed (APC Sabon-Gari) had lauded the efforts made by the member through meaningful projects execution that had direct bearing to the lives of the citizenry.

According to him, Zaria is blessed with a true democrat who has his people at heart, and called on APC delegates in Zaria Local Government to consider Tajuddeen for another chance in 2015 in view of his laudable achievements.

Responding on behalf of Kaura community, Alhaji Abdullahi VIO thanked the member for what he described a wonderful gesture, and promised to do everything possible to dislodge other parties come 2015.

He said Kaura Ward would not relent at ensuring rain of votes to APC, “because they have always been attending to our needs therefore, we shall continue to support APC at all levels.”

He said the ICT centre was first of its kind in the history of Kaura Ward, assuring that they would do everything possible to take good care of the c entre and ensure proper utilisation and safety of the facilities.

2015: APGA

Reassures Aspirants Of Free, Fair Primaries

INEC resident election commissioner for Adamawa, Mr. Kasim Gaidam, displaying political parties primary Elections Time Table at a stakeholders meeting continuous voters registration in Yola recently.

Governor Jonah Jang (right) of Plateau, congratulating the newly sworn-in commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Abubakar Mohammed during the swearing-in in Jos recenlty.

FG Begins Review Of Agreements, MOUs Between Nigeria, Other Countries ABUJA – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commenced review of the status of implementation of all agreements and MOUs signed between Nigeria and other countries.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, made this known yesterday in Abuja at the opening of a two-day meeting on the review of the agreements.

Wali said the review had become necessary as some of the Agreements had become obsolete and not in tune with Nigeria’s foreign policy emphasis on economic diplomacy.

“It may interest you to know that Nigeria has signed Agreements and MoUs with many countries of the world over the years.

“While many of these Agreements are active and have

yielded positive results, some have become moribund for lack of implementation and effective follow-up mechanism.

“There are also several countries with which Nigeria does not have such vital mechanisms of cooperation and partnership,’’ he said.

The minister observed that Nigeria had established several Joint and Bi-National Commissions with many countries to expand economic cooperation.

He reminded Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of their different roles in implementing the various agreements between Nigeria and other countries.

According to him, the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to facilitate the signing of the

Kwankwaso Collects PVC, Urges INEC To Correct Lapses

KANO - Governor. Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State has collected his Permanent Voter Card (PVC) at the Kwankwaso Malamai Primary School in Madobi Local Government Area of Kano State.

Kwankwaso told journalists after collecting his card that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should correct the lapses recorded during the ongoing distribution of PVC in the

state.

He said the state government learnt that in local governments like Dawakin Tofa that had 10 wards, only two wards had their cards ready for collection.

The governor added that there were reported cases of hitches in Gezawa and Nassarawa Local Governments, as there was lack of cards in some of the polling units.

He noted that the Resident

Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state had assured the state government that the Commission would correct all lapses recorded during the exercise, including the extension of the PVC distribution up until tomorrow.

He thanked the Kano Emirate Council and religious leaders in the state for sensitising the people, which led to the large turnout of electorates to collect their PVC.

agreements and MOU between Nigeria and other countries.

He said the National Planning Commission was vested with the responsibility of ensuring, monitoring and assessing as well as coordinating the implementation of all approved or ratified agreements.

AWKA - The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has reassured its aspirants of a free, fair and level playing ground during its primaries to elect candidates for the 2015 general elections.

The Deputy Chairman of the party in Anambra, Chief Ifeanyi Udokwu, gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Awka yesterday.

According to him, all the primaries to be conducted by the party will be transparent, free and fair and perfectly in order and accepted by the people.

The deputy chairman also stressed that the party had not endorsed any aspirant as sole candidate as being speculated or rumoured in some quarters.

“The party has not endorsed anybody, I can assure you; we have not even conducted our delegate elections and primaries, so how can we endorse someone before these processes.

“APGA has been careful about the procedures because if anything or action is questioned by the party faithful, it might cause a revolution,” Udokwu said.

He disclosed that more than 160 aspirants obtained the party’s nomination forms for House of Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate seats in the state.

There are three Senatorial, 11 House of Representatives and 30 House of Assembly seats to be vied for by aspirants in the state.

The party had fixed its primaries for November. 18, November. 24 and November. 28 for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and the Senate respectively.

PVCs: No Extension In Plateau -REC JOS - Plateau Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Habu Zarma, ruled out the possibility of extending the distribution of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in the state.

The three-day exercise ended, has seen many voters yet to access the cards.

The exercise was characterised by lots of confusion as many polling units were not even open for the activity.

Mr. Timothy Golu, Plateau House of Assembly Chief Whip, on Sunday called for the extension of the exercise and premised his stance on the confusion that had trailed it.

But Zarma, who reacted to the complaints, declared that the distribution had been closed and advised voters yet

to access their cards to visit the INEC offices in their respective local government areas.

“What we have resolved to do is to send uncollected cards to INEC offices in the local governments.

“We have also directed our local government offices to remain open and assign an officer to deliver the cards to voters on presentation of the temporary cards,’’ he said.

Zarma said unregistered voters should participate in a fresh registration between November. 12 and 19.

The commissioner however, commended voters for their orderly conduct throughout the three-day exercise, and particularly expressed satisfaction at the enthusiasm shown by all.

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THE constitution of any nation, is the aggregation of laws, precepts and basic principles by which a state, country or an organization is governed.

ALL human societies are always in a constant state of flux, in line with the principle of the dynamics of nature. So, are the peoples who make up these human communities that are governed by this body of rules.

IN view of the fact that man has to keep pace with the constant changes as dictated by nature for his survival such rules and basic principles which are used to regulate society, need also be made fluid, so as to be able to provide desired answers to new questions and emerging novel needs of the people.

NIGERIA is a country that cannot be exempted from the above compelling effects of the dynamism of nature on both people and environment by allowing some form of fluidity to reflect current realities and practices.

ABOVE, and so many other compelling socio-political and economic reasons, have made the current urge for a constitutional review and amendment in Nigeria, a must do; as many have identified the lack of it, as the principal factor responsible for our present state of degenerate and political stagnancy, economic backwardness and social maladjustment.

AS a corroboration of this widely held view about the state of inertia which Nigeria has found itself in the new

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014 THE NIGERIAN

Confab Outcome And Constitutional Amendment millennium, it is apposite to point out that since our romance with democratic government, particularly dating from 1999, such moves at constitution review should be something that we cannot shy away with when it becomes inevitable.

CONSEQUENTLY, concerned Nigerians and other stakeholders like the NonGovernmental Organization (NGOs), Civil Liberties Societies, Political groups and professional bodies such as the Nigerian Barr Association, have individually and collectively warned all concerned, to get it right by doing the right thing and by taking cognizance of public opinion. This will save the country from imminent confusion arising from the multiplicity, of inadequacies the obvious lacuna and the amended 1999 constitution.

FOR example, vague and fraudulent provisions of section 308 of the constitution, which confers an unbearable immunity on political office holders like the President and Governors, while in office. Ordinarily, these people are supposed to be the peoples’ servants as they are elected by them. There are also other vexatious provisions in the

same constitution, the intendment of which citizens have viewed with circumspect over the years and which have culminated in the present call for review of the document.

NIGERIANS, no doubt, are all at one that there is need for a continuous constitution amendment.

TO this end, The NIGERIAN OBSERVER salutes all those who participated in the national constitutional conference for articulating various opinions and views that would help address the multi-faceted problems and shape the future and destiny of Nigeria.

ADDITIONALLY, other contentious issues of true and fiscal federalism in which the different states would have greater say and authority in the control of the resources in their area; issues of states and local government creation; joint account between states and Local Governments; Proper devolution of powers amongst the three tiers of government, with states and local government wielding enough authorities to control their own police, resources and lots more should be addressed. Most of these contentious issues have been addressed by the National Constitutional Conference.

NOW that the National Constitutional Conference has ended and appropriate recommendations made, we call for the passage of the final outcome into law to replace the 1999 constitution by the National Assembly before the 2015 general elections.

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Opinion IT is of importance to understand the nature and types of fraud as that will be of great assistance to organizations in checkmating and combating it. Generally, fraud is categorized on the basis of its perpetrators. This way, it could be internal, external or mixed. Internal perpetrators of fraud are staff under the employment of the organization either as directors, management staff, officers, supervisors or other employees while the external ones are those outside the organization.

Mixed perpetrators are those involving members of staff of an organization colluding with outsiders to carry out their fraudulent activities.

Another way of classifying fraud is on the basis of methods employed in perpetrating it. Given the sophistication, inventiveness and ingenuity of fraudsters in devising ways to carry out their trade, it will be practically impossible to list and discuss all of them.

However, the most important and common ones are highlighted hereunder.

Theft Theft involves the removal of cash or assets to which fraudster is not entitled. Any business asset can be stolen by staff or other parties. The nature of theft may vary according to the asset being misappropriated and identity of the perpetrator. The most common types of theft in our system are: i) Direct theft of cash or any asset of the business, e.g. stock, computer equipment, stationary intellectual property, price lists or customer lists, etc. ii) False expense claim which can be anything from claiming for private entertainment expenses to large scale projects. iii) Payroll fraud involving

the diversion of exemployees or fictitious employee payments to the benefits of perpetrators. iv) Rolling debtors’ receipts that is misappropriating debtors’ receipts and substituting subsequent receipts. v) Payments against fictitious jobs or supplies. vi) Inflation of contracts.

False Accounting The main aim of false accounting is to present the results and affairs of an organization in a better light than the reality. Frequently, these are deliberate decisions to report an unrealistic level of earnings. Whatever the purpose, the features that are common to all cases of false accounting are the window- dressing or falsification of records, alteration of figures, and in some cases, maintenance of multiple records.

The reasons for all these include: i) to obtain more financing from banks and creditors; ii) to manipulate share prices; iii) to improve results over the year-end and generate performance related remuneration to which the perpetrator would not otherwise be entitled; iv) to cover up a theft; v) to attract customers by appearing to be more successful than in reality; and vi) to prevent or delay intervention by supervisors/ regulators.

Advance Fee Fraud (“419”) This is a very popular type of fraud in our environment.

It is internationally referred to as “Nigerian scam”. A method of perpetrating this type of fraud is for

Nature And Types Of Fraud numerous letters to be sent to unsuspecting individuals by fraudsters soliciting for assistance to transfer large sum of money belonging to them but which is being held by government. The assistance requested will be in the form of advance fee which will be used to induce government officials and the details of the off-shore foreign accounts of such individuals.

Computer Fraud

Computer fraud includes: 1) Disguising the true nature of a transaction by manipulating input and or data including tampering with programme. ii) Hacking into an organization’s computer system to steal or manipulate information. iii) Unauthorised electronic transfer iv) Posting of business

By GANIYU ADEWALE OGUNLEYE

opportunities on the internet to defraud the public. v) Theft of intellectual property, e.g. engineering drawings, trade secrets, ebooks, music, etc.

Foreign Exchange (FX) Fraud Foreign exchange transactions have been, veritable source of fraud as a result of sharp practices involving banks or their customers. The most

foreign exchange documents, such as import duty receipts, shipping documents, Clean Report of Inspection and attested invoices. It can be carried out with the objective of transferring foreign exchange for nonexistent transaction or by way of over invoicing. iii) Travellers’ Cheque (TC) Fraud - This is done by illegal purchase of TCs

common types include: i) Round Tripping - This arise in a situation where banks obtain foreign exchange through official sources at a cheap exchange rate for qualified transaction and simply sell to autonomous users at a black market exchange rate. ii) Documentary credit fraud - This can be quite varied and will involve forgery of

which are then sold in the black market.

Loan Fraud Loans and other forms of credit extensions to business and individual customers constitute the main function of financial institutions. In the process of credit extension, fraud may occur at any stage, from the first interaction between the customer and the bank to the final disbursement of the credit. Diversion of loan for other uses different from that for which it is given constitutes fraud. Also, there are instances of credit fraud whereby credit facility approved for one customer is diverted to the credit of another who is often unrelated to the first customer. That is to say, a credit facility for a customer

“The main aim of false accounting is to present the results and affairs of an organization in a better light than the reality.

Frequently, these are deliberate decisions to report an unrealistic level of earnings.”

“A” yet to be drawn down is diverted to a customer “B” for utilization.

Cheque Fraud Cheque fraud is now common involving billions of naira annually. The most common cheque fraud involves those that are stolen, forged, counterfeited, altered or cloned.

Money Laundering Fraud This is a means to conceal the existence, source or use

of illegally obtained money by converting the cash into untraceable transactions.

The cash is disguised to make the income appeal legitimate. Fraudsters are known to employ various means in order to launder their money. These include using illegally-obtained money either to purchase stocks in the capital market, or to acquire real estate.

Identity Fraud This type of fraud is committed by individuals who assume names and identities of others living or dead with a view to gaining employment or using their stolen credit or value cards to secure some monetary benefits.

Insurance Fraud Continues on page 15

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Nutritional Health And Dietetics

Signature Principles Of Plants

THE doctrine of plant signature indicates that when a particular substance looks exactly like a structure that is to be healed in the body that substance would work directly on it. Professor Oyekole, stated that for example, the slimy substance that comes out from cissus populnea looks like sperm from a man. So, it is assumed that, it will work directly and of course, it is working. When a man takes it, it boosts sperm maturation and the output of the testes.

This invariable improves the sperm count. Once the sperm count is improved, the chance of conception taking place is high, there are other herbs nature provides to take care of impotence. There is a proverbs that fire hardens and softens things. Cissus pupulnea is also, used to hasten labour in pregnancy.

When a woman is at the ninth month of pregnancy, the herb is used to prepare a special soup for her to take to ease labour. Many plants exist that can be used to boost sperm count and even treat premature ejaculations. For more counseling the writer will be of help to you. Man, become indigenous, it is never a mistake that you are born in a particular zone or tribe.

The doctrine of signatures dating from the time of Discurindes and Gaden states that, herbs that resemble various parts of the body, can be used by herbalists to treat aliments on that part of the body. Paracelsus developed the concept, writing that Nature marks each growth according to its curative benefit.

According to Bohme )15751624) the doctrine of signatures suggested that God marked objects with a sign or signature for their purposes.

Plants bearing parts that resembles human body parts, animals or other objects were thought to have useful relevance to those parts,

animals or objects.

The concept of signature is replaced in the common names of some plants whose shapes and colours reminded herbalists of the parts of the body where they were though to do good, as for example.

Woundwort is used to treat infections, it has antiseptic qualities.

The lungwort is used for lung and pulmonary infections.

Toothwort is used for tooth ailments.

Eyebright for eye. It was reasoned that the Almighty must have set his sign upon the various means of curing diseases which he provided thus, the shape, colour and habitant all can be used to determine the uses of plant, in addition to the appearance.

According to the signatures, plants and nuts and vegetables that resemble a human body part in organ must be divined

by God to treat said limb or organ.

For thousand of years before modern medicine, choosing plants that not only would not kill you but could cure you of ills was an exercise in trial and error. To help humanity, God in His infinite mercy dropped hints as to which ones were good for human body hence, the words. “Doctrine of signature.

The doctrine of signatures, actually developed with remarkable frequency, all around the world, from culture to culture plants meant to heal certain organs and body parts like liver or the eye must show a certain “signature” by resembling the things they treat.

So, the bloodroot with its red extract, was theorized to fix problems with blood and saxifrage which breaks apart rocks as it grows, must relieve kidney stones. Alkanet’s viper –shaped seeds help for snake bites and the colid shoots of

the herb Scorpios will take care of that scorpion string lickety –split. Even using plants that grow in the same area where a disease like malaria prevalent can be used as cures.

Eyebright, according to the doctrine of signatures, resembles the human eye and must therefore, be effective at treating eye infections.

The doctrine of signatures, when properly applied has in

of herbs and roots, but, it intuitively perceives at once their signature”.

The 16th-century physician Paracelsus wrote extensively on the doctrine of signatures.

During the 16 th and 17 th centuries the doctrine of signatures was ubiquitous in the west.

According to Bennett, the view was a decidedly theological one God, in all His benevolence, shapes certain plants to resemble human organs as a clue and we need to take the hint. And if you

fact, been for some cultures an indispensable tool in medicine. The doctrine was first mentioned in the writings of pliny the Elder, the brilliant. Roman naturalist whose imagination nevertheless often outpaced his grounding in reality. In the 1500s, German-Swiss physician Paracelsus wrote at length on the topic, claiming that “the soul does not perceive the external or internal physical construction

don’t take the hint, well God will force it on you.

Therefore, the doctrine of signature states that the physical form of plant gives a clue as to its healing purposes.

While humans suffered in olden times from innumerable maladies and diseases they experiment with plants cures.

But how would they know what plants to use? Out of frustration, probably developed the concept, of the plant signature”. Religious

“Eyebright for eye. It was reasoned that the Almighty must have set his sign upon the various means of curing diseases which he provided thus, the shape, colour and habitant all can be used to determine the uses of plant, in addition to the appearance.”

With

O.C. Madu GSM: 08056379608 people taught that God provided visual cues, because, plants were placed on earth for the good of mankind.

Research shows that the key to human use of plant hidden in the form signature of the plant itself, so, look closely for label from God that permits us to recognize and utilize these plants for the benefit of life.

Signature plants were

upon the earth was erected for the sake of mankind.

Each plant had magic (power) either to benefit or to destroy us.

Many vernacular names of temperate plants tell us how plants were once used to cure human ailments, such uses were fueled by fertile imagination. In general, long-lived plants were used

probably first recognized in ancient China, where there was a classification that correlated plant features to human organs.

Yellow and sweet-spleen.

Red and bitter-heart Green and Sour-Liver Black and Salty-Lungs Aliments of the Upper half of the body were treated with upper parts of plants.

Yin (primitive female) was associated with plants having moderate action and those with bitter, sour, salty and sweet parts of the body were treated with belowground plant parts.

In the western cultures signature plants emerged for medical uses during the Middle Ages, when people believed that human destiny was determined by the starts (astrology) and everything

to lengthen a person’s life and plants with rough stems and leaves were believed effectively to heal diseases that destroy the smoothness of the skin. Plants with yellow sap were cures for jaundice and roots with jointed appearance were the antidote for scorpion bites.

Flowers shaped like butterfly became cures for insect bites. Examples are” Snakeroot antidote for snake venom.

Adder’s tongue cure for wounds and inflammation from snake bite.

Lungwort –Cure for pulmonary diseases.

Toothwort-relieves toothache and so on.

For more counseling, the writer will be of help to you.

THE NIGERIAN

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Opinion

... Types Of Fraud Continued from page 13

In this type of fraud, insurance agents sell policies to clients and refuse to deliver premium collected to the insurance companies, or stage-manage accidents in order to replace old or defective vehicles, or causing mysterious incidents after previously removing choice items of value for the purpose of making undue claims from the insurance companies.

Measures to Guard Against Fraud The best defences against the risk of fraud in any organization are proactive measures.

For an organization to create a corporate environment that prevents, deters and timely detects fraud, it needs to understand why fraud occur, types and methods of perpetration as well as identify its business areas that are at risk and implementing appropriate procedures to address them.

It is a well established fact that before fraud can take place there must be: i) an item worth stealing; ii a potential perpetrator willing to steal; and iii) an opportunity for the crime to take place.

It follows therefore that successful prevention of fraud in an organization lies in the isolation of the perpetrators from the assets and from the opportunity and knowledge required for access. In other words, walls of policies, procedures, devices and controls need to be erected to surround and isolate each factor in the equation to combat fraud. It is for this reason that the system of internal control is identified as very critical in minimizing the incidence of

fraud in any business organization.

Management has overall responsibility for ensuring the security and integrity of the assets of a business by putting in place appropriate controls and review procedures. However, it needs to be emphasized that the controls required for each business will be specific to that business, depending on the way in which departments or processes function, the systems in place, the number of personnel and so on. That is to say, every organization needs to assess and determine the area in which fraud could occur and implement the controls that are considered necessary to mitigate it. Some of the direct controls that need to be considered include: i) Timely and periodic reconciliation of bank accounts, cash in hand, inventory and other items of value. ii) Dual signatories and authorization limits. iii) Segregation of duties. iv) Management review.

Other Organizational Measures Other measures that should be adopted in the fight against fraud are those relating to the attitude and culture of the organization and the way in which it deals with fraud. These are indirect controls which convey the message that fraud will be detected, that action will be taken and that the repercussions could be severe. Some of these measures include: a. Physical Security/ Access Controls Operating effective access controls is essential, be it within the premises

themselves, particular departments or offices, computer systems, database, bank accounts or other areas critical to the business. The role of security tags, which allow someone’s movement around the building to be monitored, CCTV cameras or other surveillance equipment, should not be underestimated. Particular attention should be paid to access controls over

should have enough resources to carryout its functions, that it is focusing on the most important risk area of business, that it is independent and free to establish the scope of its activities without let or hindrances by management, and that it is reporting fully and directly to the highest authority ideally the board of directors or its audit committee. Internal auditors should be given

computer systems, which should include the rigorous use of passwords, firewalls and/or other measures to prevent or detect hacking into the system. b. Effective Internal Audit An effective internal control functions is very critical in managing fraud risk in any organization. For maximum effectiveness, internal audit department

comprehensive training in fraud prevention and detection. c.

Pre-employment Screening The fight against fraud should start even before a new employee joins the organization. There should be an effective recruitment policy which ensures that employees are recruited based on their capabilities, competence and integrity.

“The motivation for internal fraud is often employee dissatisfaction. A favourable working environment would ensure that employees are not placed under undue duress and that they are not intimidated by supervisors or superior officers.”

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

References must be obtained from previous employers. Background checks should be conducted on employees to assure of their integrity. d. Conducive Working Environment The motivation for internal fraud is often employee dissatisfaction. A favourable working environment would ensure that employees are not placed under undue duress and that they are not intimidated by supervisors or superior officers. There should be a culture of

should be communicated to employees, while care should be taken to avoid d e f a m a t i o n .

Communication of the outcome reinforces in employees the organisation’s zero tolerance for fraud. g. Fraud Training Organisations should promote fraud training. All new employees should be provided with the organisation’s fraud policy statement. Fraud deterrence, prevention and detection programs that deal with practical issues should be

openness, transparency and trust as against that of secrecy, mistrust and autocracy. e. Fraud Policy There should be fraud policy in organizations.

Fraud policy is a formal, written statement recording the organization’s attitude to fraud. It may be part of general ethics statement or code of conduct that records the way in which the organization deals with its customers, suppliers and staff. In particular, the policy should make it clear that fraud is unacceptable and that all instances of suspected fraud will be investigated with dispatch. f. Fraud Resolution When fraud occurs, it should be resolved promptly and effectively. Resolution

included in induction and continuous career training. h.

Whistle-blowing Policy Employees and third parties should be encouraged to report their suspicions of fraud or other irregular activity without fear of reprisal. To encourage reporting, whether anonymous or not, an E-mail or telephone fraud hotline can be implemented.

The existence of such facilities should be well publicized and their roles in deterring or de fraud should be made known to all.

Information should be treated on a confidential basis to reassure whistle blowers, and management should b seen to be fair and just in handling such confidential information.

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Countdown Continued from yesterday

December 2, 2013: A widow Mrs. Joy Ifijeh, whom some members of the public accused the Governor of making uncomplimentary remarks to at Mission Road while on inspection of projects in Benin Metropolis – was a guest of Governor Oshiomhole at Government House, Benin. He apologized to her for the said remarks at an interactive session in which she participated over breakfast.

Also, he used the event to dole out N2m to her; offered her automatic employment; and co-opted her into the government’s campaign against street trading. In addition, he gave scholarship to one of the sons of the elated widow.

Governor Oshiomhole said on the occasion: “Government is more than ever before ready to get rid of street traders in Benin City. Government cannot sit back and watch some people whether widow or widower turning the roads and walkways into a platform for street trading.

If government does not enforce laws there will be confusion in the society”.

Mrs. Joy Ifijie was accompanied to the Government House by her son, Bright, an ex-student of Evbareke Secondary School, her elder sister Mrs. Omolegho Patience Ajayi; and her landlord Hon. Omobude Osakpamwan: She hails from Eme-Ora in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

Following the suspension of the chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Council of Edo State along with his vicechairman, secretary and councilors for travelling abroad without formal authorization by government, Governor Oshiomhole swore in Mr. Iyobo Igharo as a sole administrator of the council.

Edo FADAMA Office disbursed N500m to beneficiaries in Edo State.

Also, on this day (December 2, 2013) Edo House of Assembly began deliberation on a bill by Edo State Government seeking legislative approval of 33.37m dollars required for government’s shares in BEDC, a power distribution firm in the zone. The money would be deducted at source from the federal allocation due to the state. In November 2013, the federal government formally handed over power distribution in the zone to the firm after it successfully bidded for it during the privatization and unbundling of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

December 3, 2013: Ms

Omorede Osifo, Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Mobilization announced in her speech at Maria Goretti Grammar School, Benin that the state government had plans to fully revive interhouse sports in all public schools in the state after 10 years of neglecting them by past administrations.

Governor Oshiomhole played host at Government House to the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi; and Dr. Jamila Shurana, Permanent Secretary/Special Duties in the office of the Secretary to the Federation. While exchanging views with them, he disclosed that federal government’s agencies, parastatal and departments were owing Edo State Government a tax debt of N2 billion. He urged the Head of Service of the federation to ensure the debt was settled without delay.

December 4, 2013: Prince Kassim Afegbua, Special Adviser for Media and Public Affairs to Governor Oshiomhole handed Mrs. Joy Ifijeh, the widow who had breakfast with the Governor, a letter appointing her a Special Assistant to the Governor with effect from December 3, 2013.

She expressed gratitude to Edo State Government for the job offer, restating that she had long forgiven the Governor for his uncomplimentary remarks he made to her because of her Christianity.

She revealed that the PDP offered her N250,000. But she rejected it on grounds of principle, advising the political party to give the money to other widows in need.

Mrs. Joy Ifijeh’s husband died in 2012 while serving in the Nigeria Police Force.

December 5, 2013: Edo State Government appointed new members to the Civil Service Commission. They are: Princess Ekiuwa Inneh, former Head of Service, Edo State (Chairman); Mr. Tony Oshonebo; Prince Mathew Ogedengbe; Chief Lugard Aimiuwu; and Mr. Jim Akhimien. * Members of Medical and Dental Consultants Association, Edo State Hospital Branch were guests of Governor Oshiomhole at Government House. In a speech on the occasion, he thanked them for shunning the strike action of organized labour in Edo State.

According to him, they had

Second Tenure: upheld their Hippocratic Oath of office and demonstrated a feeling of empathy for the health of the people through their exemplary behavior.

Later he stated government position on the strike: “As a labour man in government since I assumed this office, I tried to be honest and faithful about issues in matters relating to labour. But they don’t seem to understand. In agreement entered into with organized labour in July 2011, over 70% of their demands have been met”.

He went on to stress that the issue of Teachers Special Allowance for teachers was not a state government matter

2013/2014 Diary O

- Edo State Government would give priority attention to meeting the Medical and Dental Consultants Association’s demand for a 20% salary increase in the 2014 state budget.

Earlier on Dr. Okundia, chairman of the association, commended the Governor for the ban on motor-cycles within the Benin Metropolis; as well as for other achievements of his administration. Thereafter, he listed challenges of the health care institution, staff remuneration, inadequate personnel and infrastructure as they affect their

By MICHAEL ODIGBE

consistent and dogged comrade.

- He fought to make a worker become a governor in Edo State.

In the course of his speech, Governor Oshiomhole announced plans to immortalise the name of Iyayi. To start with, the governor said that the college in the community would be renamed Festus Iyayi Memorial Grammar School, Ugbegun. Secondly, a water scheme would be constructed at Ugbegun which would bear his name.

The letter informed the house of government’s intention to present the 2014 Budget on December 11, 2013 – although the date was rescheduled to the next day.

Also, the letter asked the assembly to confirm the nomination of Commissioner – nominee Didi Adodo (Esan West) as a Commissioner as well as approve the membership of Edo Civil Service Commission chaired

by Princess (Mrs.) Ekiuwa Inneh.

December 10, 2013: A delegation of Nigeria

Expe billi

Ongoing road construction but a national one. He added that: - In abeyance to organized labour’s demands, he had put in place plans to constitute Edo Civil Service Commission so as meet labour’s request for promotion of eligible civil servants and employment of new hands into the civil service.

- To reposition local government councils to enable them meet workers’ demands, verification of teachers were undertaken in these councils to clean them up. The case of Ovia North East Local Government Council was worthy of mention, the Governor said. Following the exercise in this council, about 240 teachers in the council area were to be redistributed to other local government council areas in the state. This was after it was discovered that Ovia North-East Local Government Area was overstaffed with teachers. Hence, the council was finding it difficult to pay its workers’ emoluments.

gove sect con work indu he p supp the s Ea helm gov dele to a body addi supp stat patr com expl whic now emp fede ove emp it. H take so a othe fede De Gov pres Bud Hou BUD HOP high N15 N5.0 that ……

association.

December 7, 2013: On December 6, 2013, a commendation service was held at UNIBEN for late Prof.

Festus Iyayi during which Governor Oshiomhole promised to build a secretariat for ASUU at UNIBEN in fulfillment of Iyayi’s dream of having such a monument in the University. A day later, on December 7, 2013, Governor Oshiomhole was at Ugbegun, Iyayi’s country home for his burial. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Oshiomhole noted: - Iyayi lived for and died in the struggle to free the common man in Nigeria from poverty, disease and oppression. The struggle was his life.

- God used him and his ASUU colleagues to work for the improvement of education and human capital in the country for which he paid the supreme sacrifice.

- He was a committed,

The occasion was graced by Dr. Nasir Fagge (President of ASUU). Prof. Attahiru Jega (INEC Chairman); Drs. Oladipo Fashina and Abdullahi Sule-Kano (two former ASUU President); Senator Odion Ugbesia; Hon. Peter Akpatason (Representatives); as well as other ASUU chairmen and members across Universities in Nigeria.

December 9, 2013: Edo State Government sent a letter to Edo Assembly, authored by Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Secretary to Government.

Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) led by its Managing Director/Chief Executive, Alhaji Umar Abubakar called on Governor Oshiomhole at Government House. While receiving the delegation, he observed: “I think one of the major problem I see is that there is not enough communication between NSITF, the state and local governments on this particular aspect of employee compensation.”

Based on this observation, he called on the body to embark on a sensitization campaign of state

A the road the billi next N15 for and prot N10 heal Agri Urba and alloc and resp Go

“While exchanging views with federal government’s agen departments were owing Edo debt of N2 billion. He urged th federation to ensure the debt w

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Countdown

Of Governor Oshiomhole

ernments and public tor unions while centrating more on kers in the processing ustries. On a final note, promised to lend his port towards expanding scope of the scheme. arlier on, the NSITF msman told the ernor that his gation was in Edo State acquaint him with the y’s new products in ition to seeking his port in wooing other e governors to ronize the employees mpensation scheme. He lained that the scheme ch began in July 2011 w had over 10,000 ployers including the eral government and r one million ployees contributing to He urged Edo State to e the lead in the scheme as to show the way to er states of the eration. ecember 11, 2013: vernor Oshiomhole sented the state’s 2014 dget proposal to Edo use of Assembly. The DGET OF RENEWED PE had the following hlights: The total budget of 59.213 billion was 08 billion higher than of 2013.

Capital Expenditure ………. N85.595 billion (53.76% Recurrent enditure………..N73.617 on 46.24%) detailed breakdown of budget showed that d projects would gulp lion’s share of N24 ion. Education was t with an allocation of 5 billion. The budget flood/erosion control environmental ection came third with 0.295 billion while the lth sector, as well as the iculture and Housing/ an planning are fourth fifth respectively with cations of N8 billion N1.5 billion each ectively. overnor Oshiomhole

explained that plans were afoot to complete and equip the new Accident and Emergency 200 – bed Ward Complex at Central Hospital, Benin in the budget proposal.

Similarly, he stated that there were provision in the budget to complete and furnish the second and third floor of Block D of the new Secretariat Complex.

He further said: “The policy objective of the 2014 Budget for the next fiscal year would be the creation of an economic friendly environment; development of agriculture; generating and improving the delivery of the capacity of personnel to enhance governance.”

December 11, 2013: The Nigerian Observer on this day reported that Governor Oshiomhole called on the Federal Government to integrate Polytechnics into its transformation in a speech delivered on his behalf by Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon (Chief of Staff to the Governor) at the 21 st convocation ceremony of Auchi Federal Polytechnic, Auchi. The governor argued that only such a policy would promote the development of technical and vocational education in Nigeria.

Also on this day, Governor Oshiomhole delivered a lecture at the 9th convocation of Benson Idahosa University Ugbor in Benin. In the lecture titled EDUCATION AND N A T I O N A L DEVELOPMENT he stressed that unless leadership eschewed arrogance of power, shunned corruption and stopped the attitude of always giving excuses for failure to meet popular expectations, educational institutions in Nigeria would never attain world standards.

The Governor was represented at the convocation lecture by Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Secretary to Government.

Edo State Government received a World Bank’s grant of N100m, under the State Employment And Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) Project.

The grant would assist in retooling the technical colleges

h them, he disclosed that ncies, parastatal and State Government a tax he Head of Service of the was settled without delay.”

in Benin City, Afuze and Igarra; as well as scale up facilities at the College of Agriculture, Iguoriaki and the Skill Acquisition Centre, Aduwawa – Benin. It is expected that the grant would boost the output of artisans and middle-level manpower.

The grant is the first instalment of grants for SEEFOR Project in Edo State – whose co-ordinator is Mr. Taiwo Akerele. Barrister Washington Osifo, Higher Education Commissioner and the Commissioner for Agriculture and National Resources, Hon. Abdul Oroh

Development, made the presentation of the gift on behalf of the government.

Each of the homes got two bags of rice and ten litres of vegetable oil. She explained that the gesture was to ensure that the recipients enjoyed themselves during the festivity like every other Nigerian.

Chief (Dr.) T.O. Omon Oleabhiele, President of the Traditional Lunatics Healers, thanked the governor for the Christmas gift to the mentally – ill patients. He promised that the items would be used for the intended purpose.

the statement was a list of the schools that were being bided for by contractors. Barr.

Washington Osifo, Higher Education Commissioner signed the publication on behalf of Edo State Government.

Mrs. Blessing Maigida, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development – in the company of top government functionaries – received relief materials from Nigeria Emergency Management Agency for distribution to victims in local government areas of Edo State. She assured the agency that the materials would get to the beneficiaries on or before, December 20, 2013.

Thereafter, he declared that as from January 2014 pension funds would be funded in line with the amended Pension Law to give room for the 71/2% contributed by employers and the 71/2% by employees to the scheme that would be managed

by Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

December 19, 2013: At a meeting with the Association of Resident Doctors Medical and Dental Consultants at Government House, Governor Oshiomhole described the nation-wide warning strike by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) as misplaced. His words: “If you have any grievance you are obliged by law, you are obliged by tradition, you are actually

December 16, 2013: Comrade Didi Adodo was sworn-in as Commissioner for Establishment and Special Duties by Governor Oshiomhole. This was a second coming of Didi Adodo to the governor’s cabinet. He was a former Commissioner For Special Duties (labour) during the first tenure of the governor.

During the swearing-in, he was described by the governor as a labour leader with unparallel credentials.

Edo State Government published on the page 9 of The Nigerian Observer a tender calling for bids to renovate/reconstruct 117 listed schools in the state. The publication read: “The Edo State Government in continuation of the transformation of educational institutions in the state invites competent and reputable contractors to submit prequalification bid documents and if qualified to tender for the transformation of the underlisted project. “Beneath

December 18, 2013: Chairman of Edo State Council of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Mr. Ikponmwosa Omoragbon led members of his union to Government House for a meeting with Governor Oshiomhole. Mr. Ikponmwosa went there with a demand list for: - Payment of 6% pension increase of October 2003 and 15% pension increase of January 2007.

- Harmonization of pensions so as to reduce the disparity between the retirees of the 1990s and the new ones.

In his response, Governor Oshiomhole promised the payment of the pension increase of October 2003 would begin as from the second quarter of 2014. He explained that the debt overhang of pensions and gratuities left behind by past PDP governments had remained a difficult problem to resolve despite the huge monthly allocation by the state government to pay them since his tenure as governor.

compelled by your own oath not to abandon your patients as if there is pleasure in doing so.

The facts are not in dispute because doctors in the employment of Edo State Government are not staff of the Federal Government.

“The Federal Government has no hand in your employment, no hand in your promotion and they have no hand in your posting. How we find the money to pay, the Federal Government has no hand in it. So, I believe, therefore, that even if we are to talk in the context of employer-employee relationship you are obliged by law to state the particulars of your grievance to your employer….. There is nothing in the convention of the law that allows you to simply walk out of your job…”

Having said this, the Governor read a riot act to the striking doctors in the state government’s employment. He declared that they should go

Gov Adams Oshiomhole – accompanied by their counterparts in the Ministries of Women Affairs/Social Development; as well as Arts, Culture and Tourism were at the ceremony where the grant was released.

December 12, 2013: Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Barr. Mc Donald Obasuke issued a statement in which all beneficiaries of the joint Edo State / Bank of Industry Micro Credit should pay up or face legal action.

The statement explained that the credit facilities was a revolving one which sustenance, therefore, depended on repaying all the loans taken.

December 15, 2013: Sunday Observer on this day reported that Edo State Government donated Christmas food items to 14 traditional healing homes approved by government for managing mentally – ill persons in the state. Mrs. Blessing Maigida, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social

Continues on page 18

THE NIGERIAN

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Countdown ... 2013/2014 Diary Of Governor Oshiomhole Continued from page 17

back to work or be prepared to forfeit their salaries during the strike in line with the NO WORK, NO PAY existing law in Edo State.

Barr. Donald Osikhena-Boih, Commissioner for Land and Survey went on an inspection visit to the former Army Barracks, Ikpoba Hill, Benin recently handed over by the military authorities to Edo State Government. He informed occupants of the premises vacated by soldiers that it had been officially returned to the state government which was now putting modalities in place to convert it to appropriate development use. Additionally, he used the visit to reiterate government’s resolve to reclaim all its land within Edo State.

Edo State Government dissolved the caretaker committee of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Edo State Branch.

The dissolution was announced by Hon. Omorede Osifo, Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Mobilization in Benin during the formal inauguration of an investigative panel to probe the crisis rocking the council. She said that the caretaker committee’s dissolution became necessary because the constitution as well as the proceedings of its management meeting on November 2013 breached the law establishing the National Youth Council of Nigeria. She directed all aggrieved parties of the council to channel their grievances to the panel investigating the crisis. Also, she declared that all properties in the possession of the dissolved caretaker committee members should be handed over to the panel chairman Barr. Austin Odigie with immediate effect.

December 20, 2013: The government directed that colour code enforcement date for commercial vehicles in the state should begin on January 1, 2014. Transport Commissioner Orobosa Omo Ojo warned that he would join his officials on the road to ensure a strict monitoring of vehicles’ compliance with the colour code. Earlier on, the enforcement date had been fixed for December 25, 2013before it was shifted to January 1, 2014. Since 2010, the government has had several postponements of the date and a running battle with recalcitrant motorists who refused to comply with the colour code directive by government.

December 21, 2013: Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Managing Director/Chief Executive of Dangote Group of Companies Commissioned a mobile clinic van he had donated in honour of late Edo State’s first lady, Mrs. Clara Oshiomhole, for providing quality, free health care to the less privileged. He stressed that he made the donation to sustain her legacy as a caring, motherly person. He promised to donate additional two mobile clinic vans in future.

Eldest daughter of Mrs. Clara Oshiomhole, Dr. (Mrs.) Winnie Adams Owumi, in her speech, said that the van would help expand the outreach of Clara Oshiomhole Foundation (aka Health Foundation For Maternal and Child Care) established to deliver free, life enhancing medical services to people in need in the three senatorial district of Edo State.

She noted that before the commissioning event, the foundation had partnered with NAWOJ, Edo State Chapter to provide health services to Ewohimi Community as well as neighbouring towns and villages using Okaigben area of the community as a hub of its operation. She revealed that 1600 benefitted from the exercise which lasted for a week.

In his address on the occasion, Governor Oshiomhole commended Alhaji Aliko Dangote for donating the mobile clinic van to his late wife’s foundation. He thanked his daughters and the chairman of the foundation, Mr. Victor Eboigbe, for their untiring effort in running the foundation as well as organizing the event.

December 23, 2013: New members were sworn into Edo State Civil Service Commission by Governor Oshiomhole.

At the ceremony, he observed that the appointment of Princess (Mrs.) Ekiuwa Inneh as chairman of the commission was based on her achievements as the immediate past Head of Service in Edo State. He emphasized that as a tested and trusted Edo citizens he believed that she would justify the government’s confidence in appointing her to the office. He charged her to: - Inject new blood into the civil service with emphasis on critical areas of need;

- Change the negative orientation and unproductive work ethics of civil servants; - To be fair and just in job recruitment in all the eighteen local government areas of the state; - Put sentiments aside in the discharge of the commission’s duties; and - Base promotions in the civil service not necessarily on length of service but on merit. * Governor Oshiomhole and his deputy Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu paid homage to Oba Erediauwa during Ugie-Ewere, reported The Nigerian Observer. On this same day, Edo State Government flagged off a Metropolitan Parking System (MPS) in Benin City. The Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Orobosa Omo Ojo, who under took the flag off on Forestry Road explained that the initiative is private-driven by a company called ICON NET Technologies Limited. He explained that the newlyintroduced system would effectively and efficient manage traffic flow as well as control indiscriminate parking of vehicles in Benin metropolis. According to him, the exercise, which costs

- Said mistakes of his last five years in office should not be held against him because they were not deliberate; - Affirmed that the unity of Edo State was not negotiable; - Stressed that APC party members should remained formidable and pointed out that registration of new party members would not be favour-driven but based on merit and locality to the party; - Declared that his administration was building a mass movement rooted on the basis of popular participation; - Advised APC faithful to disregard rumours of deregistration of some members because politics is a game of numbers; and - Commended Edo people for their tolerance and support; and promised to improve on service delivery to them.

December 28,2013: Governor Oshiomhole’s flag car was involved in a serious road accident at Ewu on the Benin-Auchi Road at about 9.45am while he was on his way from his country home Iyamho to Benin City. The Governor, his driver and aide-de-camp who were in the vehicle escaped from the

Governor Adams Oshiomhole inspecting the ongoing storm water project in Benin City. a token to motorists begins at 7am and ends at 6.30pm, daily. * 836 public primary school teachers’ names were removed from December salary vouchers shortly after Edo State Government’s ICT Department conducted a staff verification exercise for all primary school teachers under its employment.

Teachers whose names were removed from the vouchers were alleged to have overstayed in service; falsified their age and credentials; or were physically blind and mentally unstable. Yet, they were on government payroll.

December 27, 2013: Edo State Government distributed free small and medium-scale business items to 660 widows drawn from all the local government areas across the state using the office of the first lady. The items included sewing machines, hair dryers and grinding machines. Governor Oshiomhole urged the widows to put the items to judicious use at the presentation ceremony. He explained that the government’s Widow Empowerment Scheme, which began in 2012 wasn’t a political game plan; nor a reaction to the PDP’s widow endownment programme. During the event a Christmas gift of textile materials were given out to the widows.

Also, the office of Edo State First Lady organized an end-ofyear party for all women in the state. At the party, Mrs. Maimuna Momodu, Executive Director of the Office and Special Adviser to Governor Oshiomhole urged women to be standard bearers of society. On her part, Edo State Deputy Governor’s Wife, Mrs. Endurance Odubu pleaded with women to train their children in the ways of God. Governor Oshiomhole held an end-of-year luncheon party in Benin for APC party members. In his speech at the well-attended event, the governor: - Gave assurance that he would learn from his past mistakes so as to be a better steward in Edo State and a good party man;

accident unhurt. A statement issued by Prince Kassim Afegbua, Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the State Governor, explained that a Peugeot J5 Bus marked XB 355 loaded with tomatoes and plantains lost control while overtaking an articulated vehicle and then collided with the governor’s car. He disclosed that the accident had been reported to Ewu Police Stateion, Ewu. Commenting on the accident, Governor Oshiomhole observed: “The Almighty God is always on the throne and will surely protect his people. I thank God. We are all fine.

Glory be to Jesus and honour to Mary.” * NTA Benin reported that Edo Inland Revenue Service (EIRS) held a sensitization workshop in Benin for stakeholders.

Former Chief Executive of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mrs. Ifueko Omogui Okauro, was one of the speakers at the workshop. Later in an interview with NTA Benin, she pointed out that all governments in the federation should justify taxation by going beyond showing off general dividends of democracy like roads, electricity, etc to also providing specific dividends of democracy in the immediate environment of the tax payers.

December 30, 2013: Edo State Government, reported Independent Radio, Benin rescinded its demand for three years of tax clearance before vehicle number plates are issued to prospective applicants due to popular request. Chief Oseni Elemah, Chief Executive of Edo Inland Revenue Service, made the change in government policy known to members of the public. He averred that the earlier policy was in the best interest of motorists as well as the state and Federal Governments.

According to him, the policy was aimed at preventing fake Continued on page 19

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Countdown

... 2013/2014 Diary Of Governor Oshiomhole Continued from page 18

registration of vehicle and also improving compliance with tax payment. * NTA Benin reported that Edo State Government was host to a four week long workshop attended by local and international stakeholders including the World Bank in Benin.

They reviewed designs submitted by the state government for tackling the gully erosion menace at Queen Ede, Auchi and other places in Edo State “Specifically, Hon. Clement Agba, the Commissioner for Environment and Public Utilities, said that what the workshop did was to scale up all the design to meet international and World Bank standards. He added that N500m had already been earmarked in the state’s 2013 Budget for two of the gully erosion site in Edo State, in the first instance.

December 31, 2013: Governor Oshiomhole assured Edo Inland Revenue Service of government’s support to ensure the service continues its interface programme with members of the public. According to the governor, it was only through this exercise he noted that the agency’s services could be improved. He made these pronouncements while declaring open a two-day stakeholders’ sensitization workshop and management retreat held in Benin by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, Chief of Staff to the State Governor, stood in for him.

January 1, 2014: Governor Oshiomhole told Edo people and Nigerians at large to expect brighter days in 2014 in a New Year message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okiria. Also, he assured Edo citizens of remaining focused in his style of governance so as to continue to make a difference in the state and reposition Edo as the focal point and cynosure of all eyes in the country. * In The Nigerian Observer published on this day, Edo State Government held a one-day seminar on leprosy for health providers in the state under the Ministry of Health’s Tuber culosis and Leprosy Control Programme. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Aihanuwa Eregie, at the seminar restated the state government’s commitment to the eradication of the two diseases. She was represented by Dr. Peter Ugbodaga, Permanent Secretary, in the Ministry. * Governor Oshiomhole condoled with Prof. Wole Soyinka over the death of his daughter, Iyetude, at the age of 48.

January 2, 2014: In a special public statement on NTA Benin news programme, Edo State Government announced that competency test for primary school teachers would hold on January 11, 2014 in the three senatorial districts. The venues are: Ugbowo/UNIBEN (Edo South); Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma (Edo Central); and Auchi Federal Polytechnic, Auchi (Edo North). Time is 7.30am. The statement emphasized that the test is not by proxy and is compulsory. All the teachers were directed to come with their biometric slips and identity cards.

January 4, 2014: Edo State Ministry of Transport began trial enforcement of colour code for commercial vehicles in the state. EDSTMA Officials of the Ministry accompanied by policemen were visible in all parts of Benin Metropolis monitoring compliance with the colour code.

Hon. Orobosa Omo Ojo, Commissioner for Transport, briefed the press on the enforcement operations. Highlights of his briefings: - An erring EDSTMA official allegedly apprehended receiving a bribe of N15,000 from a non-compliant motorist was suspended.

- 44 commercial buses which violated the colour code regulation were impounded by EDSTMA. - All commercial buses and cabs impounded for noncompliance with the colour code directive would be branded in the colours by EDSTMA. The owners would then be asked to pay N40,000 and N60,000 respectively (to cover administrative and painting costs) into an official dedicated govt. account before the buses/cabs were released.

Additionally, any driver arrested for colour code violation would be fined N10,000. Depending on the circumstance, his vehicle would be detained for 90 days after rebranding in the state’s colour code. If the vehicle isn’t reclaimed within this time frame, it would be auctioned in public in line with the 2010 Edo State Traffic Management Agency’s Law

establishing it.

- All commercial vehicles are expected to bear red number plates; as well as colour numbers to indicate their parks of origin.

- The final deadline for all commercial vehicles to comply with the colour code order was December 25, 2013. The trial enforcement date was January 4, 2014 while January 6, 2014 was the date fixed for the full enforcement of compliance.

- 330 bus stops in Benin Metropolis have been designated in selected places to avoid indiscriminate parking of vehicles on the roads. All motorists and commuters should use them.

January 6, 2014: The Government of Edo State held its first executive council meeting of the year. Governor Oshiomhole, who looked hale and hearty, debunked the rumour making the rounds that he was fatally wounded in an autocrash of December 28, 2013 involving him and was flown abroad for treatment. Also, speaking while presiding over the meeting, he explained that he was on his way from his country home Iyamho to Benin when the accident occurred at Ewu in

Failure to abide by this order, according to the public notice, would result in the billboards being removed at the owners’ risk/expenses. * Over 317 contractors openly bidded for about 200 public schools in the three senatorial districts of the state. At the close of the event, the chairman of the State universal Education Board (SUBEB) observed: “The process is to ensue due process and transparency in the contract award. Hence, the bidding was in the presence of stakeholders in the construction and building industry.”

He announced that SUBEB would set up a committee to evaluate and analyse all the biddings and prepare a final report for SUBEB’s consideration. * The Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Orobosa Omo Ojo, issued a special public announcement banning the sale of alcoholic beverages and intoxicants of any kind in and around the premises of motor-parks. The announcement warned that anyone apprehended for flouting the order would be prosecuted and his/her drinks confiscated and destroyed without

One of the road projects executed by Edo State Government.

Esan Central Local Government Area.

He continued: “The Vice-President, Namadi Sambo was on a private visit to Uromi to attend Anenih’s birthday. Even though, he was on a private visit I am obliged by protocol to receive him. That was why I was heading for Benin….. Bad news spread fast. As you can see, inspite of God’s mercy people prefer to spread false story and construct what they imagine.

It is only God who defines who we are and our future.”

From rumours of his going abroad for treatment after his autocrash, he moved on to outline his developmental agenda for 2014. He said: “2014 marks the beginning of my sixth year in office and obviously we have learnt a lot from the past six years. Edo people should expect we have perfected the game and the quality of service delivery should improve.”

Then, in concrete terms, he promised to deliver to Edo State: a cleaner, greener environment; permanent light; and flowing, unblocked drains; as well as commence work on a number of roads across the three senatorial districts. In addition he stated that he would “redouble effort to complete the Central Hospital which suffered as a result of an unfortunate incident and have it commissioned; build more primary and secondary schools in addition to paying attention to state-owned tertiary institutions.

Furthermore, he stressed: “We will deal with the problem of pensioners retiring and not getting their pension. This would become a thing of the past.”

This wasn’t all. He equally spoke on the murder of Mr. Friday Ewansiha, a director in the state’s cabinet office, gunned down by unknown assassins. A minute silence was observed in his honour after he vowed that his killers would be tracked down.

Finally, he cautioned politicians in government who had started campaigning for elective office to stop the act because it was too early to do so.

January 7, 2014: The Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities issued a public notice directing all owners of unauthorized bill boards to remove them and come to the Ministry for permits to erect new standardized, approved ones.

compensation. All these action, noted the statement is “to ensure accident – free motoring in Edo State.” * Far-reaching decisions were taken at a stakeholders’ meeting on education in Government House. At the meeting, it was resolved that: - A committee of persons should be set up to work out the content and mode of the competency test for public primary school teachers in the state.

Also, the state government agreed to take a second look at the case of 836 public primary school teachers sacked in Ovia North-East Local Government Council Area after a verification

exercise by the state’s ICT Department. * Hon. Orobosa Omo Ojo, Commissioner for Transport, while fielding questions from press reporters, revealed that the state government was planning to bring out 300 commercial taxi – cabs in partnership with the private sector to ameliorate the trauma faced by both banned “Okada” riders and commuters in Benin Metropolis.

In addition, the Commissioner informed the journalists that since he assumed duty in the Ministry of Transport, he had sacked 30 EDSTMA for gross misconduct. * Governor Oshiomhole embarked on his first inspection visit of Benin Metropolis in 2014. Specifically, he wanted to see the level of public compliance with the state’s law on sanitation and street trading after the Christmas/New Year celebration. His visit took him to New Benin, business districts, Oba Ovonranmwen Square and other areas of the metropolis.

He expressed satisfaction with all he had seen in the places he inspected: Engineer David Olukoga, chairman, Edo State War Against Indiscipline; and Hon. Orobosa Omo Ojo, Commissioner for Transport accompanied him on the visit.

To Be Continued tomorrow.

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Political Platform THE fact that a given society is shaped by the texture of their political and economic status is a position that cannot be over emphasised when it has to do with basic aspects of development in such geographical location.

By extension, the world revolves around politics and economics. Political finance is that meeting point between economics and politics that shapes every social order.

According to Marcin Walecki, “political finance is influenced by, and influences relations between parties, politicians, party membership and the electorate. Money matters for democracy, because much of democratic political activity simply could not occur without it”.

Therefore those who control the means of production also determine the prevailing political system in every society following the Marxian school of thought. This is achieved through financing of political parties that struggle for political power to allocate societal values and its economic resources.

This piece intends to draw the relationship between the nature of our economic development and the political finance regime, showing how the latter had negatively impacted on the nation’s match to economic prosperity.

Since 1999, the pattern of political competition has shown that incumbent Chief Executives, Presidential and Governorship candidates mortgage everything at their disposals during electioneering campaigns to get to political office in Nigeria’s current democratic order.

This is the situation because of the prevailing zero-sum game of politics and the rentseeking character of Nigeria’s political elites. Every effort is made to intimidate the opponent and win the contest at all cost. Most times, the wellbeing of the common people and the future of generations yet unborn are sacrificed.

For instance, when professor Pat Utomi was the Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Mega-party, at a policy Dialogue for presidential candidates organized by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation during the 2011 election campaigns, he said that president Goodluck Jonathan spent 100 million naira of public money everyday on his campaign.

The then Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) now APC equally alleged that the Jonathan/Sambo campaign gulped the sum of N178 billion. Aljazeera Television reported on April 13, 2011 that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had spent about $2 billion for electioneering campaigns for the April 2011 presidential elections.

Although, these claims were

Financing Political Campaigns

Effect On The Economy

not independently verified, the Jonathan campaign team’s defence was that they had enough Nigerians who believed in their cause and who donated generously to their campaign. Uptil today, there still do not exist a comprehensive record to that effect, regarding how much those individuals the president’s men referred to, donated.

In view of the above claims and counter claims, one is persuaded to believe that even if public resources were not spent at the campaigns, the relevant political finance laws were violated and the Nigerian economy endangered by the extent of compromises that may have been made.

A close look at the Fund Raising Committee appointed to source for funds for the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign for Presidency at the 2011 elections, shows a litany of big shots in the Nigerian economy, business and politics. The members were Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group, Femi Otedola, chairman, Zenon oil, Mike Adenuga, a multi-billion business mogul, Tony Elumelu, immediate past Managing Director of United Bank for Africa and Jimoh Ibrahim, who chairs the board of many corporations in Nigeria.

Others were Emeka Offor, Kassim Bukar, Sayyu Dantata, Jim Ovia, Dahiru Manga, Abdulsamad Rabiu and Kola Salako, including the chairman the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oba Otudeko, Atedo Peterside, Aigboje AigImoukode, Funsho Lawal, Bola Shagaya, Tukur Mani, Tony Onoh and Funsho Awoyemi.

These are the men who control the nation’s business and economy and most of them had before and after the election in 2011 bought one public corporation or the other under the controversial privalisation programme of the Federal Government of

By BODE ALAKE

Nigeria at give-away prices.

They and their organizations certainly made donations in violation of the constitution of Nigeria, the companies and Allied Matters Act and even the guidelines for political

reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.

So when the cream of the

parties financing in the 2010 Electoral Act. For instance, chapter 2 of the constitution of the Federal Republic section 16 subsections 2, states as follows: The state shall direct its policy towards ensuring (a) the promoting of a planned and balanced economic development. (b) that the material resource of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good, (c) that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group; and (d) that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food,

Nigerian economy and business community are appointed to serve in a committee that will raise money for the funding of Mr. President’s campaign and election, we consider this a violation of the letter and spirit of this section of the constitution, considering that the contest is among citizens who want to lead the country, who have presented themselves for their fellow citizens to make a free choice at the elections through their votes.

When the best the country and the economy had to offer in terms of resource generation are persuaded to raise money for the president against other candidates, then we consider it lopsided and abuse of state and

“The unemployment plaguing the country is a function of infrastructural decay and weak productive capacity of the economy.

These cannot be rehabilitated or revived when huge revenues that are accruable to government are lost to cronies in political patronage.”

administrative resources.

There are also issues to raise concerning whether these men limited the amount of contribution made to the extent the law permitted an individual to make, and if the corporate bodies they headed did not make contribution to the campaign and the

before the 2007 elections; to mention but a few, the House of Representatives Committee on customs and Excise stated publicly that Nigeria lost over N380 billion in import duties which were waived by the Federal Government to its political associates in import

implications of their contributions on the economic policies of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the subsequent years.

Section 38 subsections 2 of the companies and Allied matters Act prohibits corporate bodies from making contributions to political parties. The Act specifically in section 38 says that: A company shall not have or exercise power either directly or indirectly to make a donation or gift of any of its property or funds to a political party or political association, or for any political purpose and if any company, in breach of this subsection makes any donation or gift of its property to a political party or political association or for any political purpose, the officer in default and any member who voted for the breach shall be jointly and severally liable to refund to the company the sum or value of the donation or gift and in addition, the company and every such officer or member shall be guilty of an offence, and liable to a fine equal to the amount or value of the donation or gift”.

The democratic nature of Nigeria have reflected how the Federal Government grants waivers to individual businessmen and companies that supported their campaigns

business. These are huge resources when the size of Nigeria’s economy and its infrastructural deficit is put in perspective.

The unemployment plaguing the country is a function of infrastructural decay and weak productive capacity of the economy. These cannot be rehabilitated or revived when huge revenues that are accruable to government are lost to cronies in political patronage.

Fiscal polices that should resuscitate the economy will not be coherent and result oriented when political considerations take precedence over fiscal prudence in the management of the nation’s economy.

That is why, all stakeholders in the Nigerian project, the good governance experts and advocates have to increase the tempo of the campaign for electoral reforms and a political finance regime that will not further endanger our weak economy.

2015 general elections is by the corner, every aspect of constitutional and other statutory provisions should be properly and strictly adhered to in a bid to establish justifiable claims by any political party as regards to fund raising, so that it will not affect our economy in future.

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Tourism Issues FOR mile after mile as you travel south of Mexico City in the state of Morelos, the sun beats down on bleached and dusty fields, tired from centuries of squeezing out beans and corn. Shabbily dressed peasants in faded cotton pass by under large loads or balancing on the flanks of donkeys. The fierce heat is wasted here; there is little moisture to be sucked out of the earth. But as you come to an ancient hacienda near the little town of Chalcantzingo the fields are green; the landscape comes alive. The huge dome and towers of an old church look down on a small colony of buildings with whitewashed walls, red bricks and tiles.

Under a huge tree at the entrance to the hacienda an Indian woman and her young son are retrieving fruit with a long pole. This is Montefalco, a centre where members of Opus Dei are working with the rural poor. Originally a prosperous sugar business, Montefalco was burnt to the ground during the revolution of 1910 by the troops of Emiliano Zapata. Local members of Opus Dei joke that Zapata was the first Mexican co-operator of Opus Dei thanks to him the modern owners gave the hacienda’s ruins to them in 1949.

In the beginning the gift was more of a liability than an asset. The buildings were crumbling and infested with jungle and the local Indians, the Campesinos, were wretchedly poor. But, after years of work by many volunteers- Montefalco is a place of beauty, a rich contrast of colors and textures, of old and new. The main square, the size of a football field, is surrounded by two retreat houses, the old church, a guest house and two schools.

The second challenge at Montefalco-helping the area’s impoverished peasants-was as demanding as the building renovataions, When Montefalco was a sugar business, canals brought water from the snow caps of the Popocatepelt volcano. But a town up stream decided it had a greater need for the water and cut the flow to the Amilpas Valley. Why did the

people of the Amilpas not do something? “We did,” a campesino explained, “we complained. And when we complained they gave us a choice. They said; ‘Do you want water or do you want bullets?’ The other town was a big town with many bullets….” The only supply of water left to the farmers around Montefalco was a short, four-month wet season.

Thus the Amilpas valley became one of the most crime ridden in all of Mexico.

During the long eight-month dry season the men spent too much time riding bulls and drinking tequila, and many family feuds broke out.

But there was another side of the people of the Amilpas Valley-the strong faith which helped many survive the poverty around them. One of the priests at Montefalco, Father Jose Adolfo Martinez, told a story of an incident that happened soon after he arrived in the early 1960. The villagers had come and asked him to lead a procession to pray for rain. It was the wet season, but it had not rained for three months. They had with them what they called “the cross of the old lady”, a huge image of the crucified Christ. Father Martinez reluctantly agreed to go along, but warned if God did not want it to rain it would not rain. “No father,” the Indians protested. “If we do the pilgrimage it will rain.”

Father Martinez said he felt foolish leading a ragged band of pilgrims through the parched streets under a cloudless blue sky, each covered by sheets of plastic in readiness for the expected rains. A non-believer sitting on his front door step as they passed broke into laughter and called out: “Whatever water falls, I will drink it.”

“Of course, no sooner was the procession finished when it came down in buckets,” Father Jose said. “It was the kind of praying that frightens you.” On the way back to town, as they were passing the house of their sceptical friend, the pilgrims called to him with great satisfaction in the pouring rain: “Drink it! Drink it!”

Mexico: Working With The When Opus Dei members first moved into Montefalco, the local campesinos were suspicious. But some farmers became curious about the crops being grown there. A few accepted an invitation to study agricultural techniques.

Thus, El Penon, now a full secondary school with an emphasis on modern agriculture, was launched with a modest class of five Students. At El Penon they taught the locals practical things like the use of fertilizer and how to make the most of the rain before the dry season set in; even how to write their names. The campesinos had only two crops: corn and

beans. At El Penon they taught them to grow tomatoes, onions and carrots and they taught the local people how to eat them so there would be a market. Then came lessons in raising chickens and pigs and instruction on how to start up a cooperative for buying and selling.

One farmer who lives near Montefalco, Juan Garcia, used to produce a meagre annual crop of beans and corn.

In 1969, after his son had been to Montefalco, he began

Rural Poor

By W. J. WEST

poultry farming with 3000 chickens a year. Juan, dressed in clean new overalls, showed me his poultry sheds which now turn out about half a million chickens a year. “That is how we can afford the truck and the running water and the bathroom,” he explained.

Between 1961 and 1965, 40 students passed through El Penon. In 1971 the secondary school was started. In 1965 they began a 3-year diploma course. In 1971 the governor

of its former students have established a clothing factory which supplies retail outlets in Mexico City.

One farmer, Miguel Angel Senedo, who was married with three children, finished his studies at El Penon in 1974. With his father and brother, he had started to raise livestock, chickens and pigs, grew peanuts and tomatoes, and had replaced his oxen and donkey with a tractor. We chatted in his modern grain

of the state paid a visit, was impressed and initiated a joint course on livestock. Today El Penon is one of Mexico’s leading TV secondary schools, a school which combines live teaching with educational programmes on television. A girls’ school, started in 1959 with classes in home economics, has introduced the local women to dressmaking, new cooking techniques, ironing, modern dressmaking, hygiene and the principles of good diet. Some

shed. Next to the crop dusters hanging on the walls and the radio playing pop music was a framed picture of the Sacred Heart. Miguel said life was good now but a few years before his family had problems. His father, a heavy drinker, became sick. The family was falling apart. Noone talked. But things began to change when Miguel started to put into practice what he had learnt at El Penon about raising chickens, pigs and crops. The family began to work together and his father joined in too; he began to reduce his drinking and eventually cut it out altogether.

“At El Penon I also learnt about spiritual things,” Miguel said. “I try to live the way they taught me. When I work I tell God it is for him.

When I sow my crops for

“Miguel said life was good now but a few years before his family had problems. His father, a heavy drinker, became sick.

The family was falling apart. No-one talked. But things began to change when Miguel started to put into practice what he had learnt at El Penon about raising chickens, pigs and crops.”

instance. Just now I received some new chicks to be fattened and I offered the work I would do with them to God and I asked God that all would go well. Sometimes your mind wanders away from God for a long time, maybe for a whole day, especially when everything is going well or when you get tired of work. Sometimes I get lazy and say to myself: ‘From now on I am not going to work hard. I am going to take it easy.’ But then God sends you a problem and that sort of makes you come back to him and say: ‘don’t forget me’.

“Some days I get very tired from my work and I come

home and I don’t want to talk to anyone. But then the next day I start to try again and I ask God for help. At Montefalco they spoke of struggle for the sake of the others and that is what I try to do.”

Marcos Torres is a member of Opus Dei, a farmer who raises crops and breeds chickens in the town of Jonacatepec. It was dusk and the front door of his house was open. As he spoke children played outside and tractors rumbled in the narrow street on their way back from the fields. He said Opus Dei had taught him that apostolate meant being a good friend.

You had to start with people from the bottom, he said; not the ones who went to mass on Sundays, but the kind who got paid on Saturday and Continues on page 22

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Tourism

... Working With The Rural Poor Continued from page 21

afterwards went to the canteena and spent all their money on tequila. “Some of my friends spend all their money there,” Marcos said.

“After they have done it many times they lose their shame, even if it means they have to go to a friend and ask for money to feed their children.

Sometimes they just go out to someone else’s land in the night and take what they need.

They know the other man has worked hard to grow the food, but they do it anyway.”

Marcos said he had a friend with this problem, as well as a problem with women. He came from a Catholic family, but they had never lived their religion. His father, taught him to gamble on cock fights, to ride bulls and to go to the canteena. “This man has had two illegitimate children,” Marcos said. “But he is still a good man. He is a farmer and he has been responsible in his work. And I think he has begun to straighten out his life. You see he used to speak about his problems. I used to go to the bull fights with him and have a drink with him but I never got drunk. He knew that I lived a clean life and did not have a lover. After a while he asked me how I could drink but not take enough to get drunk. I told him it was not so hard when you tried. He is a man who loves his daughters and he wants them to have good life. So I asked him once if he continued to live the way he was how could he give his daughters advice about how they should live. I did not preach to him; I told him things slowly, over a long time. Now he has quit drinking and there are no more women. He is closer to his wife and sometimes he goes to Mass.”

Margarita Barranco lives near Montefalco in the town of Chalcantzingo. Her home consists of one room separated by a curtain, a bamboo wash house and a small enclosure for cooking tortillas. She was widowed early in her married life when her husband was shot dead just outside a little stone church opposite their house.

The murderers had mistaken him for another man. So

Margarita was left to raise three girls and a boy, all under six years of age. To support them she raised some pigs and chickens, made clothes and baked tortillas and worked part-time at Montefalco. At Montefalco, she said, they taught her “how to take care of the vegetables, how to take care of the cows and how to take care of the children”.

“I tried to teach the children about the important things first by living them myself, things like going to Mass,” she said. “I tried to teach them how to be organised and how to treat other people. I taught them what they said at Montefalco: to be happy even though you have problems.

And to help people live who don’t have enough money.

When I wake up I offer the day to God and during the clay I offer all the things that are difficult. I offer the things that maybe other people don’t think are important, things like keeping each thing in its place.”

After the death of Margalita’s husband some of his relatives collected a large sum of money to hire a gunman to track down his killers. It is the usual thing in the Amilpas Valley. When she heard of it Margarita went to her relatives and pleaded with them not to take revenge.

“But we have already paid our money,” argued the relatives. “We cannot get it back.” ‘Then you will have to lose your money,” Margarita replied.

A friend who told me the story commented: “She is such a meek little woman, but on this occasion she made a firm stand.”

Bernardo Heredia had been going to Montefalco for several years. He was well-off by local standards, employing 20 workers on his farm, but before he came into contact with Opus Dei he thought he was not wealthy enough to become a member. “I was told by a friend that Opus Dei was only for people of culture and means,” he said. “But then my wife started to go to talks by Opus Dei priests and I realised it was for ordinary people after all and I started to go to talks as well. I found it was a serious atmosphere, organised

and inviting reflection on one’s life,” he said. “I believe God does not make mistakes and I came to feel he had chosen the founder, Monsignor Escrivá, to make this way for the sanctification of the lives of ordinary people.

You see man is like the land, full of rocks and boulders, and it is hard to get anything to grow. But when you clean up the rocks, then you are able to plant. For me, Opus Dei has been good for cleaning up the rocks.”

Bernardo said one of the things he had learned in Opus Dei was the danger of

said it had been a valuable animal and the meat had been worth a great deal. At first he had been determined to sell it, but then he decided his workers needed the meat more than he needed the money.

There was nothing of self praise in the story. He said he was just grateful to God for helping him to see things that he had not seen before.

The Indians of Mexico have always occupied a special place in the Church. Many Catholics believe they were the reason for the Mother of God appearing as Our Lady of Guadalupe in the 16th Century

centuries beyond its usual life span. The image is now venerated by Catholics all over the world and the Indians proudly point out: “God has done this for no other country.”

The Church has been carrying out social works with the poor of Mexico for centuries. Religious orders in particular have done a great deal to further the cause of social justice amongst them.

Members of Opus Dei consider the work they are doing as part of this tradition.

One project is being carried out high up in the mountains

becoming “Sunday Catholic”: “I have learnt about this thing of unity of life, that you do not have to do strange things to be holy, but that your religious obligations do not stop when you leave the church after Sunday Mass.” For instance, even though he went to Mass he used to look down on his workers because they were poor. “But Opus Del has made me realise this attitude is wrong,” he said. “It taught me to treat my workers better, with a spirit of service. Now I feel I understand them. We are like a family. We are at ease with each other.” Bernardo mentioned a recent incident in which one of his prize bulls was accidentally killed. He

soon after the Spanish first arrived. At the time Indians had been resentful and suspicious of the traders who came to their land and the efforts of missionaries to convert them to Christianity had failed. When the Virgin Mary appeared to a poor Indian named Juan Diego she left her image on the white cloth of his mantle. It was accompanied by a series of symbols which carried a clear message for the Indians.

Within months millions converted. Among the unusual features of the image of Guadalupe is the longevity of the cloth it is impressed on: it has remained intact for

to the west of Mexico City beyond the city of Toluca at a hacienda called Toshi. This building was also given to Opus Dei members by an old Mexican family. Although it was in better condition than Montefalco, it also required renovation. Among the services it now offers to the local Indians are lessons on cooking and hygiene and a club for girls.

It was Sunday and Indian women were streaming in from all directions to buy food and clothing. The food was free, the clothing cheap, and there were doctors and nurses for anyone who needed attention. Some women came barefoot in their full skirts with babies strapped to their backs. Maria Gardunio, Juna Flores and Margarita Pacheco had walked for two hours. They came for milk and cheese for their children. Julian

“The Church has been carrying out social works with the poor of Mexico for centuries. Religious orders in particular have done a great deal to further the cause of social justice amongst them.”

Carmona, an old man with a rough, lined face was almost blind. He was being led along on a donkey by his young granddaughter, Alicia. His wife, Leonor, said she came to Toshi regularly to learn to read and pray. Today she would also buy trousers for her husband.

Pascuala Martinez de Mejia, 69, a mother of 10, was a member of Opus Dei. She said she first came to Toshi to get milk for her baby back in 1960. At home she crushed corn, baked tortillas and took care of the cows and sheep and a donkey. At lunch time she took food to her husband in the field where they planted corn and wheat.

“Opus Dei has taught me to offer all of these things to God, to do them well and to pray,” she said. “All of this was new for me. Before I went to Opus Dei, I only knew how to make the sign of the cross.

“I learnt to do apostolate too. In these hills many people drink too much Pulque. They drink sometimes four bottles a day or more. They get drunk and they fight. They fight with their friends and their children. And then they don’t make up. I try to teach them that they should not drink so much. And when they meet people they have had a fight with they should be polite with them and talk. They change a little bit, especially the ones who pray. They change and on-one knows why.”

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Gender Issues DO you sometimes feel like you are speaking English and he is talking Latin? Well, after a talk with some couples, and inspired by relationship Guru Mrs. Victoria Odigie, wife of the former Governor of Edo State, who has been married for over 30 years, with these secrets you need to become conversant with men.

Would this sound familiar to you? Your partner hears criticism when you are actually teasing him affectionately or does not ask about your job, and you feel hurt by his lack of interest. Now, would this mean that you are dysfunctional couple?

No, just different genders According to Alison Armstrong, author of ‘Making Sense of Men: A Woman’s Guide to a life time of Love, Care and Attention from all Men’ (Pax Programs, 2008), “women look at men and see a hairy, misbehaving woman. And their response is to train him, punish him or keep a distance from him.

‘Again he says that women are “frog farmers” who: unwittingly turn princes good guys - into “frogs” by trying to change them.

Her conclusion: you cannot change men, and once women accept their fundamental nature, their relationships can improve. We don’t need to dis-empower men; we have enough power of our own. That’s what’s really cool. It’s the “what-do-Ineed-you-for?” attitude women often pop up that keeps men at a distance.

Here are Seven (7) Common ‘Men Mistakes’ Women make. According to Feelers Out There Mistake 1: Seeing men as misbehaving women “Women take everything personal, “says Eyisan, a Nurse. When a man doesn’t do what we want, we think he doesn’t love us, care about us or respect us. But men are more forgiving than women. “We allow for

mystery with women and find it fascinating” Mistake 2: Reading into his words. “Take men literally. If he says he’s busy Saturday night, it means he is busy Saturday night. It does not mean he is tired of you, bored with you or wants to break up with you Says Ty, Video artist Mistake 3: Expecting his time to be yours.

Expecting him to sync up into your daily planner just because you have started a relationship is more like a problem.

According to Thomas, a Benin based businessman, “men have whole lives. They don’t consider that they owe you all their tithe, married or not. But they know that they owe you their best effort to make you happy, and to love and respect you”.

Mistake 4: Interrupting when he’s speaking. You have asked your man an important qu estion, he starts to answer and you butt in. That is how women mistakenly end up thinking men are shallow.

When interrupted, a man will just stop talking. Why not listen to what he says? And when he is finished, listen some more. That’s when the best nuggets often emerge.

Mistake 5 Thinking a man can multi task Women are biologically designed to multi-task.

We watch TV and do the laundry, we drive and plan our day, we are on the phone while checking email. Men don’t, why? “Because they are hunters, “Armstrong says, they have to be single focused to keep their eyes on the target”.

Mistake 6: Believing a man is ignoring you he’s not. You have probably accused your guy of ignoring you while he is driving or watching TV. He really isn’t. He just can’t do two things at once. “If I’m

Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make!

Saving Your Relationship:

By BARBARA IBRAHIM

watching TV or dressing, I’m just watching TV or just getting dressed, “says Kalu, a photographer..

Mistake 7: I have trained my daughters not to hit dad up about anything until we are on the express way,

says Mrs. Odigie, wife of the former Governor of Edo State. “It’s all about getting the mission on track”. Same thing goes when a man is immersed in a new business venture and less available. All his

energy is going into this

thing that he is sure is going to provide for his family. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking he would make more time for you if he cared more.

“It’s not about you. And forcing me to pay attention to you when

am running after this project will just be excruciating for me, “concludes Ehi, an event manager.

But relationships are not a one-way street. Men need to understand women too. It is healing for both sexes.

Words On Marble 1 Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t. Richard Bach.

2. If you never want to see a man again, say “I love you, I want to marry you. I want to have children...” They leave skid marks. Rita Rudner.

3. My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment. Oprah Winfrey 4. The consuming desire of most human beings is deliberately to plant their whole life in the hands of some other person. I would describe this method of searching for happiness as immature.

Development of character consists solely in moving towards self sufficiency. Quentin Crisp.

5. Since I was twenty-four there never was any vagueness in my plans or ideas as to what God’s

work was for me. Florence Nightingale 6. Do not do unto others as you would that they should to unto you. Their tastes may not be same George Bernard Shaw.

7. The heights that great men (and women)reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they while their companions slept were toiling upward in the night. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

8, When the eagles are silent the parrots begin to jabber. Sir. Winston Churchill 9. The way you activate the seeds of your creation is by making choices about the results you want to create. When you make a choice, you mobilize vast human energies and resources which otherwise go untapped. Anonymous.

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Reflections

The Force Of Hope

WHAT is hope? Romans 8:24, for we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope, for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? Therefore, hope, is a short or long term expectation of anything, either physically or spiritually.

Hope is the belief or expectation that something wished for can and will happen. Hope is been assured of a positive end in the midst of uncertainties and unsuitable situations (Rom 4:18).

Hope is looking behind the challenges and seeing a beautiful prospects, and celebrating (Titus 2:13).

Hope is hanging on to the blissful promise, in the face of unfavourable outcomes (Rom 4:20). Hope is waiting for a favourable end, while running the race. Hope is the virtuous desire for future good. The beauty of hope is that it doesn’t not disappoint or make any ashamed.

Christianity is only ran by hope, because it cannot be seen but it is certain.

Hope: A virtue to be desired Heb. 6:18 – That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

Hope is a godly virtue, to be coveted, exercised dependent on how well you trust God. Hope is a divine deposit and it’s exercised in God. Hope is such a virtue that should be held by all Christians. It keeps you going in the face of all disappointments and uncertainties. It gives a sense of a peaceful sailing and

By IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE JOEL

arrival of destination, even when the tides seems turbulent.

We have been told about life, that it is not a bed of roses; also Christianity is not a call to eating, merriment and drinking. You will come across some adversity along your journey, your hope virtue for a blessed end is what will keep you from committing suicide and the common self inflicted vices we experience in the society today. The way to acquire this virtue is by studying God’s word, thereby gaining experiences in the with God and learning to trust God more.

Hope: As a person (Jesus Christ). – I Tim 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; Hope is a person or thing that is a source of hope. Christ the only hope and source of our hope. He is the hope of the living and the dead (I Thes 4:13). Having Christ is having hope, no wonder, Paul says Christ in me the hope of glory (Col. 1:27); this to say, no matter how ugly your present state is, or bad possible outcomes could appear, with Christ you can stand sure and secure and boldly declare my tomorrow is glories and my end is blessed. Imagine, he offers hope to even the dead. He is also the source of hope (Acts 4:12) having him as a saviour, Lord, brother and friend is having hope.

Come to him in open heart surrendering your life to him, and obtain a blessed hope that won’t put you to shame.

Hope of Glory (Col 1:27) – To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentles; which Christ in you, the hope of glory.

There is nothing as valuable as being certain of a prospective future, this is the major rejoicing in the heart of every believer. This is the backbone and secret behind our being ever joyful (Rom

hope is what will take you to glory. Remain ever hopeful.

Hope Until The End (1 Pt 1:13) – Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, so sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Hope is a very powerful virtue in Christianity that always of necessity brings and delivers that which it is exercised over eventually.

Therefore we are advised to hold our profession of hope

12:12), because of the full assurance of hope for a glorious end; therefore we despair not at the present to produce the future. We are confident of a blissful future on earth and a glorious one after life (I Tim 4:8; Job 8:7).

Our hope never puts us to shame; but brings quickly our expectations.

Are you despair, or loosing it? Brace up your self your

to the end.

Hope is hope when what is hoped for is not in view (Rom 8:24). Thus hope doesn’t end until the “hoped for” is achieved. Are you thinking of giving up, encourage yourself with the truth, hope doesn’t put its client to shame, God reserves the best for the last, those that wait, on him are renewed, though thy

“We have been told about life, that it is not a bed of roses; also Christianity is not a call to eating, merriment and drinking. You will come across some adversity along your journey, your hope virtue for a blessed end is what will keep you from committing suicide and the common self inflicted vices we experience in the society today.”

beginning was small thy later end shall increase greatly. He is too faithful to fail you.

Keep hope alive, for in the appointed time, it will speak and not lie, though it tarry, hope on still, it will not tarry but it will come to pass.

Sustenance of Hope (Ps 78:7) – That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the work of God, but keep his commandments.

Hope being a virtue that doesn’t proffers instant response, is thus necessary to be sustained. Hope is sustained by some keys factors examined below.

Hope is primarily sustained

and produce it’s desires.

Please intimate and discretely maintain a healthy by constant and continuously communicate in prayers and word study.

Steadfast hope (2 Cor. 1:7) – And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation steadfast hope is a fixed or unchanging hope, in which we patiently and unwaveringly await the crown of every work done, trials overcome and decision taken in life.

Apostle Paul, after finishing

by an intimate relationship with God, who is the source of all true hope (I Tim 1:1).

Hope stands stronger with respect to the strength of intimacy, and hope produces it’s dividends quicker by virtue of the relationship strength. Experiences are the main programs that helps sustains or destroy hope.

When retaining a good relationship with God, it produces some encounters, which gives you a reason to hope on still.

Romans 5:3-5, says “we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience, and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed. Any experience encountered with God in fellowship, builds your hope to stand strong

his race here on earth because of the steadfast hope he officially and openly declared the awaiting of his crown. Hope is not to be shaky, but firm (Heb. 6:19).

A shaky hope will not receive anything from God (Jam 1:6-7). To be steadfast, you must sustain hope by an unending fellowship, this, you must carry on steadfast to the end, to attain glory at last, which is only through a personal and genuine encounter with Christ, the source of all hope, this we should do daily and earnestly pursue, so your expectations will manifest. Every living creature, living by hope, walk by hope and invest in hope. Never give up, never loose hope but be steadfast for the result is at hand.

God bless you.

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Nsimbe Denies Move To Tanzania’s Azam FG KCCA FC head coach George Nsimbe has denied rumours linking him to a move to Tanzania’s Azam FC. “I have never been contacted

by Azam FC to take up the position of assistant coach. But it is good to hear my name linked to a big club like Azam FC,” Nsimbe told MTNFootball.com on Monday.

Last week media in Tanzania linked the former Cranes midfielder to work with Azam FC’s Cameroon born Coach John Omog whose assistant is reported to have gone for further studies in Europe.

When asked whether he could consider the move if contacted, Nsimbe cautiously replied.

“It depends but I can only

Hazard

make a comment on the move depending on the talks.” Nsimbe is in his second stint as KCCA FC coach and has already won two consecutive League titles and the 2013 Mapinduzi Cup. Although KCCA FC started poorly in the 2014/2015 Uganda Premier League (UPL), the team has lately improved and moved to fourth place. SC Vipers lead the log, while SC Villa are second.

Simeone

Simeone: It Was

A Good Day To Loose

Hazard: I Don’t Want To THE Belgium international continues to be linked with a move to Madrid, while reports also claim that the Spanish club are willing to offload Gareth Bale next summer in order to fund the transfer.

Hazard, who has five goals and two assists in 15 appearances for Chelsea this term, has denied suggestions that he is targeting a move to Madrid and maintains he is only focused on performing for Jose Mourinho’s side.

“I made the choice to join Chelsea because I knew I was going to play,” Hazard told Canal+. “This is my third year here. I don’t know if I’m the main asset of the team, but I can take pleasure by playing in this team.

“I have no nostalgia when I watch Ligue 1, I think about the future not the past.

“Paris [Saint-Germain] have huge players, but

Join Real Madrid

Chelsea have more experience and more players in certain positions. And we also have a better experience in the Champions League.

“I never said that if I left Chelsea it will only be for Real Madrid. The only club

that makes me dream is Chelsea.”

George Nsimbe

How Eto’o Inspires Me

EVERTON striker Steve Naismith has hailed the impact that Cameroon star Samuel Eto’o has had on his form and career this season.

After playing at clubs like Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea Eto’o is an ideal striking role model for the likes of Naismith to follow.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez’s free transfer move for Eto’o is already paying off in terms of his impact on the field, but the benefits can also be seen by his impact on Naismith and Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku.

Naismith and Lukaku both have four goals each in the Premier League this season while Eto’o has netted three.

-Naismith

Naismith told the media in England: “Without a doubt he (Eto’o) has impacted me. It’s not like you are sitting down chatting to him and analysing the whole way he has played throughout his career.

“It’s just watching what they do on a day-to-day basis. There might be some sessions when Samuel is scoring a lot of goals, so you are picking up on how he is getting into the positions to score. Watching him is definitely helping me.”

Everton next play West Ham United on November 22.

Mario Mandzukic had given the Spanish champions an early lead but Carlos Vela soon equalised before Imanol Agirretxe completed the shock turnaround late on.

However, with Valencia and Sevilla also dropping points, the Argentine believes that minimal damage will be sustained from the Anoeta defeat - despite victories for both Barcelona and Real Madrid.

“I’m happy because it’s a good day for us,” he is quoted as saying

by AS. “Sevilla and Valencia both drew, so in that regard the defeat came at a good time.

“It was an entertaining, fastpaced game and we started well.

Real responded well and then there was the [Guilherme Siqueira] sending off.

“Real played with more intensity in our half and they got their goal.”

Atletico now sit fourth in La Liga, though only four points separates them from leaders Real Madrid.

Sagna Calls For City Imperovements CITY’S 2-2 draw with QPR on Saturday, combined with Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Liverpool, saw Manuel Pellegrini’s side fall eight points behind the leaders after 11 games.

Samuel Eto’o

Palace Sympathy For Speroni As Hero’s Rare Slip Cost The Eagles At United

JULIAN Speroni looks on dejected after he let Juan Mata’s shot slip past him during Crystal Palace’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday.

Even heroes have off days.

There are some times when Superman just can’t be bothered or Batman would rather just sit at home reading a book. And as Palace lost 1-0 at Manchester United on Saturday, it was down to a rare error from the Eagles’ goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

The four times Player of the Year probably should have done better with a Juan Mata shot in the second half which he flapped at, resulting in the winning goal.

Mata’s shot took a deflection and this almost certainly made it trickier to save but “Jules” probably should have got more

With Valencia and Sevilla both dropping points on Sunday, the Argentine feels his side’s defeat to Real Sociedad will not prove too costly Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes his side’s 2-1 loss to Real Sociedad on Sunday came at an opportune time.

of a fist on it.

But he’s been such a hero for so long for the Palace faithful that it’s difficult to feel angry towards him. In fact there’s no real point because knowing what a proud and passionate player he is, he probably feels enough anger towards himself right now anyway.

He loves Palace as much as the fans do and losing hurts him like it does any of the 2,000 or so Eagles supporters that made their way to Manchester on Saturday (and again gave the home fans a lesson in singing for your team).

Speroni has been at Palace for so long and dug the team out of a hole so often is doesn’t matter if

he has the odd slip up. In fact, he could score 100 own goals in one match and Palace fans would still love him.

He’s already earned the team points this season with some great saves. Take the Burnley game at home where Palace struggled to break down the worst team in the league and were heading for a goalless draw when the Clarets were awarded a penalty in the final few minutes.

Scott Arfield stepped up but Speroni was equal to him, beating the ball away with a wrist so strong it could have been made of iron.

Though energetic, Wayne Rooney was unable to find the

finishing touch against Palace.

Jason Puncheon struggled for Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday.

That iron wrist was missing at Old Trafford on Saturday and it turned out to be the decisive moment of the game which United went on to win 1-0. That tells you much about the game; it wasn’t a walk over, Palace were always in it.

Palace’s wingers also had an off day. Yannick Bolasie and Jason Puncheon have the ability to be deadly but they were below-par.

It meant striker Fraizer Campbell had an afternoon of just running and running without much reward.

With just one win in their last six matches in all competitions City are in danger of seeing their season collapse around them, something Sagna knows they need to address quickly.

Sergio Aguero rescued City with a double at Loftus Road to take him to 12 league goals this season, and his French team-mate says the rest of the squad to need to raise their game to the striker’s level.

“We all need to rise up - we are all good players,” Sagna is quoted as saying by the Manchester Evening News.

“There is a reason we play for City. We want to show everyone we can play for this team and succeed. We have plenty of games left and we want to keep our heads up.

“As long as Sergio scores, that is good, but we have a lot of good players who can do it.

“He is the one who changed the game. He scored twice - but we have many players who can do

it.

“As long as he keeps pulling the team up, and we want to show we can raise our game and succeed.”

Swansea City are next up for Pellegrini’s men after the international break, followed by the visit of Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, with City needing a positive result to stay in contention of qualifying from Group E.

Baeary Sagna

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Pellegrini Unfazed

By Defeat MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists his side can handle the pressure of trying to sustain a successful defence of their Barclays Premier League crown.

City slipped to third after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at West Ham, but they are only six points off leaders Chelsea after Robin van Persie’s dramatic stoppage time equaliser earned Manchester United a 1-1 draw against them on Sunday.

After a midweek Capital One Cup tie against Newcastle, City will host rivals United next in the league at the Etihad Stadium.

Pellegrini stressed it is too early to talk about who will win the title and said his side will just carry on in the manner which saw them hunt down both Liverpool and Chelsea over the run-in last season.

“The pressure is to win the title, the pressure is to retain the title.

My pressure, I think, is the best pressure for me,” the Chilean said.

“We are in the third position of the table in this moment. We must continue playing as champions.

“Nothing happened (was decided) today (at West Ham), in a game where we had four, five clear chances to score.”

Pellegrini believes his side face no different challenges this season, despite the fact that they represent an even bigger scalp now they are defending champions.

“It is always hard to play in the Premier League,” he said.

“To defend the title, to try to win the title it is always very hard because all the games are very tough.

“We must continue working in the same way we are doing in the last year-and-a-half.

“At this moment we are defending better than at the same moment last season, but I think we must improve because we are conceding in this game one or two goals, which I think is too much.

“When I am talking about defence, I am talking about the whole team, I am not talking about one individual player.”

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Tennis: Murray Wins Valencia Open ANDY Murray saved five match points against Tommy Robredo for a second final in a row when he fought back to win 3-6 7-6 (7) 7-6 (8) at the Valencia Open on Sunday and secure valuable points for his World Tour finals bid.

The gruelling battle at the off five match points against the cathedral-like Agora arena, at Spaniard on the way to a 5-7 7-6 three hours and 20 minutes the (9) 6-1 success.

A wildcard at the Valencia longest final of the year on the ATP World Tour, was a repeat of indoor hardcourt event, which he last month’s Shenzhen Open won in 2009, third seed Murray showpiece, when Murray fought produced an erratic display

against unseeded Robredo but had just enough in the tank to claim a 31st career singles title.

After thumping a backhand winner to seal victory, the Scot, who squandered a match point earlier in the third set, collapsed to the floor and barely had enough strength to get to the net to greet his equally exhausted opponent, whose unconventional approach to the

post match handshake at the net drew smiles.

So much so, it even had Murray’s mother Judy tweet about it: The win earned Murray, playing his 20th match in five weeks having also won in Vienna this month, a further 200 points and lifted him to fifth in the race to secure a spot at the season-ending eight-man Tour finals in London.

Along with Kei Nishikori, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych, Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov, he will be looking to secure one of the four remaining berths at this week’s Paris Masters.

“I played well at the right moments,” Murray told reporters.

“I know it was an incredible match,” added the 27-year-old.

“The tennis at the end and in the

second set was high level.”

After an intense first set with Robredo in the ascendancy, Murray upped his game in the second before failing to convert three break points on the Robredo serve that would have given him a 5-2 lead.

The Scot then played a woeful game to hand a break back and home favourite Robredo had two match points in the tiebreak that would have given him a 13th career title.

However, Murray dug deep to take the match to a third set and after missing his chance to seal victory with Robredo serving at 4-5 managed to come through the deciding tiebreak by fending off a further three match points.

Bundesliga: Lahm Content With Stalement BOTH sides maintained their unbeaten record in the Bundesliga as they played out a stalemate at Borussia-Park on Sunday.

Germany internationals Max Kruse and Andre Hahn each found themselves one-on-one with Manuel Neuer, but the Bayern keeper stood firm to preserve a seventh consecutive clean sheet in the league.

Bayern are four points clear of Hoffenheim, Gladbach and

Andy Murray

Wolfsburg after winning six of their first nine matches and Lahm was content with the outcome on Sunday.

“It’s a good result for us. We didn’t create that many clearcut chances but we had the match under control.” Lahm told the club’s official website.

“We came here to win, and everyone could see that, even at the end. We’re four points clear so everything’s okay.”

Seun United Wins Okpameri Cup

SEUN United Football Club of Ibillo have won the maiden edition of Okpameri Gold Cup Football Competition after defeating Super Starlets of Ikiro-Ile in an epic final decided at the weekend.

The only goal of the match was net.

After the goal, keepers from scored by Seun Adurojaiye of Seun United via a penalty-kick in both sides made several brilliant the twenty third minute of first saves in the thrilling encounter to prevent their opponents from half of the encounter.

The spot-kick was a fallout of scoring amidst cheers from a wrong tackle by Friday football fans who thronged the Adelakun of Super Starlets of venue of the match in their Ikiro-Ile which brought down numbers to watch football Asamie Balogun of Seun United artistry.

Speaking shortly after the thereby halting his seemingly match, the sponsor of the football goal bound move.

The best of super Starlets’ goal competition and member keeper, Odio David was not good representing Akoko-Edo one enough to stop Seun Adurojaiye constituency in Edo State House from converting the spot-kick to of Assembly, A Kabiru Adjoto a goal as the ball hit back of the said the essence of the

Hon. Adjoto Kabiru, member representating Akoko-Edo 1 Constituency, Edo State House of Assembly and Chairman House Committee on Information, Youth and Sports and his wife during this year’s Okpameri United Gold Cup competition sponsored by the lawmaker at Ibillo recently. Photo: GODWIN ISEGUAN.

tournament was to discover talents from the grassroots and unite the people of Okpameri.

Alhaji Adjoto who is also the house chairman, committee on Youths, Sports and Information said through his supervision of sporting events organised by the State Assembly, about seven football talents plying their trade in overseas had been discovered.

He equally stated that a German technical team had picked three players from the tourney, assuring that international passports of the successful players would be ready very soon to enable them travel abroad to continue their

football career.

Thirteen teams including Amazing Boys of Ikare from Ondo State participated in the competition; the winner, Seun United Football Club went home with fifty thousand naira, runnersup, Super starlets of Ikiro-Ile got forty thousand naira while the team which finished third received thirty thousand naira.

All the participating teams got football kits; socks, boots, jerseys as well as footballs, meaning all the participants were winners.

The competition later turned carnival-like as the visibly elated teeming crowd danced through the streets of lbillo town in solidarity with the sponsor of the tournament, Alhaji Kabiru Adjoto

Addressing the football fans, the sponsor assured them of continued sponsorship of the yearly event.

Some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion including the fans promised to continue to support the lawmaker in his quest to realize his political ambition for qualitative representation in Edo State House of Assembly.

In an unusual characteristics, both runners-up in the competition as well as other teams that 1st out in preliminary stages were full of gratitude of Alhaji Adjoto for uniting them and aiding them to actualise dreams.

Hon. Adjoto Kabiru, member representating Akoko-Edo 1 Constituency, Edo State House of Assembly and Chairman House Committee on Information, Youth and Sports (right) presenting the Okpameri United Gold Cup to Seun Adurojaye the captain of Suen United football club the team that won this year competition shortly after the match. Photo: GODWIN ISEGUAN.

THE NIGERIAN

30

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Jose Mourinho Hails Chelsea Mental Strength Offer Liverpool Win Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho hailed his team’s ambition in a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield.

Jose Mourinho hailed his Chelsea players’ mental strength after the Blues continued their unbeaten run at the top of the Premier League table by notching their ninth win from 11 games against Liverpool this weekend.

Coming from behind to claim a 2-1 win with goals from Gary Cahill and Diego Costa against the Reds, Mourinho was asked in his postmatch news conference what had made the difference and simply tapped his temple.

Asked to elaborate, he added: “It think it’s the mentality. It’s not in the legs because players who did not play during the week have more energy in the legs than people who played. That’s obvious. So I think what makes the difference is inside.

“I was a champion in different

countries with different clubs and there are points that are always present. I had it at Porto, at Inter Milan and at Real Madrid. I had it here in my first spell and I’m having it now,” he said. “It’s something that you have to have always — people who are always ready to sacrifice themselves for their team, people that push to help. I’m so pleased about that.”

Liverpool spent 40 million pounds more than Chelsea this summer, but the Blues have been unstoppable with Costa netting his 10th goal in the league.

Indeed, Mourinho insists that his business in the transfer window was one of the reasons why the team have progressed.

“We got players to improve the team, not the squad,” he said.

“The team had an evolution in everything from last season, they have learned a lot. They know each other well, they are adapted to my personality, I am adapted

to them, they are getting experience — we are a better team.”

Mourinho also hailed midfielder Nemanja Matic who, according to teammate Cesar Azpilicueta led the prematch team talk and “said that if we wanted to be champions we had to come to these sort of stadiums and win.”

“At this moment he’s a giant, not for his size but for the way he plays,” Mourinho said of the Serbian. “The man is a giant.”

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has thanked club owner Mike Ashley for his show of faith after the Magpies recorded their fifth straight win.

Ayoze Perez’s sublime opener and Fabricio Coloccini’s header gave the visitors a comfortable 20 victory at West Brom on Sunday.

Pardew looked to be on the brink of losing his job two months ago with fans calling for his sacking but has launched a revival to take them into the top eight of the Barclays Premier League.

Ashley had been quoted in The Independent at the end of September saying Pardew had

Jose Mourinho

Mourinho Hails Matic

He Is The Best Player Arsene Wenger

Wenger

No Side Can Catch Chelsea The Blues have made an unbeaten start to the campaign, with Saturday’s win over Liverpool their ninth from 11 matches, leaving them four points clear of second-placed Southampton.

Reigning champions Manchester City are a further four points adrift while the Gunners are 12 points behind following their 2-1 defeat at Swansea City.

Liverpool and Manchester United are even further adrift, and Wenger does not believe that, in current form, anyone will stop the Stamford Bridge outfit from lifting the trophy.

“At the moment Chelsea are on course for 100 points this season,” he told reporters. “If you look at the number of points they have, if they keep that up nobody will catch them, that’s for sure.

“There doesn’t look to be anybody capable to challenge them at the moment.

“They had a good start, and we have gone through that [in the past], as long as you don’t lose,

you don’t question yourself, there is a little bit extra spirit in the team that, when it is tight, [that] gets them through.”

Goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Bafetimbi Gomis secured victory for Garry Monk’s side over the Emirates Stadium outfit as Wenger’s team allowed a lead to slip away from them for the second time in a week.

On Wednesday, Arsenal allowed Anderlecht to come back from 3-0 down to claim a draw in the Champions League, and after the Swans turned the game on its head following Alexis Sanchez’s opener, the former Monaco boss admitted his team had suffered a poor few days.

“We had a very disappointing week, considering the performances we produced and the end result we got it’s very disappointing.

“We were 3-0 up against Anderlecht and 1-0 up today and in the end we lose two points against Anderlecht and three points today.

“I think it’s very disappointing because you have to be capable, once you are 1-0 up and a big team, to win the game.”

The Chelsea boss says the 26year-old midfielder is a “giant” for his side and hails the way in which he adapted to his second spell at Stamford Bridge The 26-year-old rejoined the Blues from Benfica in January and has been an almost everpresent for the west Londoners and picked up the man-of-thematch award in the Premier League leader’s 2-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday.

Mourinho was effusive in his praise for the Serb’s efforts in the past 10 months, telling reporters: “He is the best player.

“He was signed in the most difficult market. Which is for the players who are coming in midseason, so the last half of the season was for him to improve, not adaptation, as he was a Chelsea player before, but to improve.

“At this moment he is a giant, not for his size but for the way he plays. The man is a giant.”

Mourinho also hailed the mentality of his side, likening them to the championshipwinning teams he has coached around Europe and says they remind him of the Chelsea outfit he forged in his first spell at Stamford Bridge.

He added: “I was champion in different countries, with different clubs. And there are points which are always present.

“I had it in Inter, Porto and

Madrid and I have it here. I had it here in my first spell and I have it now, and this is something that I always have, people who are willing to sacrifice for the team, people who are willing to push, push to help, so I am so pleased with that.”

Pardew Thanks Newcastle Owner For Support one more game and if he lost at Stoke he would leave.

Ashley’s lawyers maintained it was a tongue in cheek response, humouring a reporter, after the owner was approached on a night out in London.

Pardew survived and believes Ashley’s support during a difficult start to the season has been key.

He said: “Everyone was pulling at him when we weren’t winning and he stuck with me and was very supportive, especially after the Southampton game (a 4-0 defeat). You have to have that as a manager. It bought me just enough time.

“I particularly want to thank my staff. You need them to be loyal, especially when you are under fire. They trusted me and I feel the rewards and so do they.”

Pardew started Perez with Papiss Cisse struggling with a knee injury and he now has three goals in his last three games.

His backheel flick opened the scoring just before the break and Pardew believes they have found a gem.

“He was courted by some big clubs, in particular Porto, and Porto don’t sign anyone unless they are a good player,” he said.

“That underlined what we have seen and he has been a great buy for us.

“He genuinely loved the way we were so determined to bring him and 54,000 Geordies every week, the third biggest supported club in the country is a big magnet.

“He was highly regarded. We worked hard to bring him to the club. We thought his physicality could be an issue but he has such technical quality you hope it will see you through and it has. That goal was worthy of winning any game. It is difficult to play him on his own but he really worked hard.”

In contrast, Saido Berahino was subdued just days after earning his first call up to the England senior side.

He was denied once by Tim

Krul in the first half but faded as the Baggies failed to hit back following Perez’s goal.

And West Brom head coach Alan Irvine admitted his eightgoal top scorer struggled to hit his previous levels.

“He probably had his poorest game but people have poor games,” he said.

“Everybody, including myself, will probably go away asking ‘Is it because of what has just happened to him during the week?’

“But of course you can have a poor game any time.

“I would like to think what happened during the week has given him a massive boost and maybe it didn’t happen for him today for whatever reason.

“Give Newcastle credit, we probably didn’t play as well as we needed to do.”

Albion never recovered from going behind and although Irvine gave Perez credit he insisted the Baggies should not have let him score.

“It was a brilliant bit of finishing from Newcastle’s point of view but we made some poor decisions on a positional basis,” he said.

“There were a number of players who could have made different decisions to make us a bit more solid - we were a bit ragged.

“Full marks to Newcastle they took full advantage of that but we certainly have several things to look at from that.”

Alan Pardew

Chelsea Have Mental Edge Saturday’s 2-1 victory over last season’s runners-up Liverpool ensured Chelsea will go into the international break four points clear of Southampton at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, their other title rivals Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United have all stuttered this term, with Manuel Pellegrini’s side - the closest of that trio - eight points back after being held by QPR at the weekend.

And Azpilicueta believes Chelsea’s close-season acquisitions have helped improve their squad both technically and mentally, which gives them a clear advantage.

“I think we are stronger mentally now,” said the Spain international. “The players who came have given us another dimension as well.

“I think you saw that [against Liverpool]. When the team was losing we were still really strong mentally.

“The whole squad know we have to fight together. Some players have more talent, some score goals, and sometimes we have to defend for them - but the main thing is we do it all as a team.

“Over the last few games maybe we haven’t played our best football and the scores have been tight but over the whole season you know that everyone can’t keep playing very well and winning easy.

Last year we were so close to winning the title and this year we

Azpilicueta

-AZPILICUETA

know it will be tough but that’s what we want.

“We will see in May. We’re on top of the table but that’s a long way off, but we want as few problems as possible up to then.”

THE NIGERIAN

31

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

Emen Eduok Targets More Goals For Super Eagles The Dolphins attacking prodigy has said his best is yet to be unearthed as he dreams of reaching legendary status with the national team Striker Emem Eduok, has told Goal that his potential is yet to be seen as he aspires to become one of Nigeria’s best ever forwards.

Akwa Ibom-born Eduok scored the match winner against Ghana’s U23 national team with a glancing header in the inaugural game of the new 30,000 capacity Akwa Ibom Stadium in Uyo last Friday.

The former Akwa United and Akwa Starlets star has 20 goals

for Dolphins with the record six goals in his club’s 6-0 win over Nembe City.

The young sensation was included in the list of 23 players invited by returning coach Stephen Keshi for Nigeria’s two remaining Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games in November.

The 20-year-old said he was no way under any tension to deliver in front of his kinsmen and home fans, insisting his utmost desire was to help the team win against Ghana.

“I was very happy to play on my home ground for the Super Eagles. It was also a special occasion for me scoring in front

of my President and state governor and most importantly the winning goal,” Eduok told Goal.

“I was not under any pressure, though it was my quest to showcase myself in front of my

home fans. I’m excited by the opportunity of playing for the Super Eagles.

“I want to keep improving on my game as my best is yet to come. I will continue to do my best at club level to establish myself in the

Raheem Lawal

the title we won last year.

“I’m aware of the tough task that lies ahead of us against Congo in Pointe Noire, but I’m sure the rest of my teammates are aware of this and we are going there to ensure we secure maximum points before plotting the fall of South Africa in Uyo.” Head coach of Congo national team, Claude Le Roy had boasted that his side would ruin Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations when they visit Pointe Noire this weekend but the former Flying Eagles star has dismissed the Frenchman’s threat.

“He is the head coach of the Congolese and definitely he would hope his side come out tops but the game will be decided after 90 minutes and not by what anyone says.

When asked about his view on coach Stephen Keshi’s return to lead the squad after his dismissal following the last game against Sudan, Lawal stated: “Having coach Keshi back as the national team gaffer is a very great news.

“This is a morale booster as we approach the crunch games of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

“We are ready to play for him towards ensuring his stay as Nigeria handler for years to come,” he concluded.

Congo and South Africa this weekend.

“I promise Nigerians that we will qualify for the Nations Cup. We will win in Congo and Uyo. I will do my best to score if given a chance to play,” he concluded.

Eagles’ Camp Opens For Congo Cracker Eight players have arrived the Super Eagles Bolton White Apartment camp in Abuja ahead of this weekend’s Afcon make or break clash against the Red Devils Nigeria national team camp is beginning to bubble ahead of preparations for this weekend’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Congolese senior national team.

According to a report from the Eagles camp, eight players from the Nigeria Premier League have arrived for the make or break fixture in Pointe Noire.

Top the list of the home based players are Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves), Solomon

I’ll Spill My Blood For Afcon 2015 Ticket -Raheem Lawal The Turkey-based midfielder has stated his readiness to help Nigeria secure a place at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations when they come up against Congo and South Africa this weekend Nigeria midfielder Raheem Lawal has vowed to do all it takes to ensure the Super Eagles feature in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles are third in Group A of the qualifying rounds and must win their remaining two games against Congo and South Africa to stand a chance of defending their title in next year.

The African champions face Congo in a make or break encounter in Pointe-Noire on November 15.

According to the Eskisehierspor player, getting an invite to represent the country is a great honour for him and he has promised not to let the team down.

“I always feel proud representing my country and I want to assure Nigerians of my best in the games against Congo and South Africa,” Lawal told Goal.

“My ambition is to play at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and I’m ready to spill my blood to ensure we get a ticket to defend

national team. I also want to be a legend too,” he said.

Meanwhile, Eduok has urged Nigerians to keep calm as the Super Eagles seek nothing short of victory in their crucial qualifying games against

Emem Eduok

Romao Out, Adebayor On His Own Afrique du Sud), Segbefia Prince (Zorya Lugansk, Ukraine), Koami Papa Awounyo (Al Karkh Club, Irak), Atakora Lalawele (AIK, Suède).

Forwards: Peniel Mlapa (Nuremberg, Allemagne), Serge Gakpe (Nantes, France), Ayite Jonathan (Alanyaspor, Turquie), Adebayor Emmanuel (Tottenham, Angleterre), Abraw Camaldine (Free State Stars, Afrique du Sud).

Kwambe (Sunshine Stars), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Emem Eduok (Dolphins), Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United) and Kingsley Sokari (Enyimba), Tony Edjomarigwe (Nasarawa United) and Christian Osaghuna Ighodalo (Rangers).

Rwanda Coach Constantine Unhappy Stephen Constantine, Rwanda’s head coach is unhappy that the FA is not organizing many build-up games for the team.

Constantine lamented that lack of exposure has hindered his plans for preparing the Amavubi for the 2016 African Nations Cup (CHAN) that will be hosted in Rwanda.

“The last time Amavubi played a game was on August 2 (against Congo Brazzaville) so for three months we have not had any international game and this is not good for the team,” said the Englishman.

Constantine, who signed as head coach in May, started off on a high note with a 3-0 win against the reigning CHAN champions Libya in the first round of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Leekens Leaves Out Some Big Guns Emmanuel Adebayor

Emmanuel Adebayor will lead the attack for Togo without the suspended Jacques Alaixys Romao for their Afcon 2015 Qualifier against Guinea. But Romao will be back for the Ghana clash a few days later.

Togo face Guinea on Saturday and Ghana four days later.

The Sparrow Hawks are second in Group E on 6 points while Ghana lead on 8. Guinea and Uganda are both on 4 in what is a very competitive group.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Adebayor will be ably supported

by Dove Wome as Togo go in search of qualification.

Wome is part of a three-man contingent in the Togo squad who play in South Africa.

Wome, of SuperSport United, is joined by AmaZulu centre back Sadate Ouro-Akoriko and Camaldine Abraw (Free State

Stars).

TOGO SQUAD: Goalkeepers: Agassa Kossi (Reims, France), Djihani N’Guissa (Dyto, Togo), Nouridine Yacoubou (Semassi, Togo), Sodeke Tidjani (Paray le Monial, France).

Defenders: Alban Sabah Kodzo (Dresde, Allemagne), Akakpo Serge (Hoverla Uzhhorod, Ukraine), Tawali Magnima (AS Douanes, Togo), Mamah Gafar (FC Dacia, Moldavie), OuroAkoriko Sadate (Amazulu, Afrique du Sud), Donou Kokou (Maranatha, Togo), Mawouna Kodjo Amevor (Go Ahead Eagles, Pays-Bas), Nouwoklo Kossivi Martin (Maranatha, Togo), Djene Dakonam (Alcordon, Espagne).

Midfielders: Jacques Alaixys Romao (Marseille, France), Ayite Floyd (Bastia, France), Dossevi Mathieu (Olympiakos, Grèce), Wome Dove (SuperSport United,

Tunisia coach George Leekens has shown a willingness to look to younger players as his side prepares for their upcoming 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Botswana and Egypt.

Leekens last week named a 27-man squad in which neither of experienced attackers Issam Jemaa and Sami Allagui made the cut, with the tactician opting for a blend of youth and experience.

Both Jemaa and Allagui have been asked to focus on their club form for the moment, with the latter returning to full fitness after recovering from injury.

“We must give more chance to the young. Those who have played have given the best of themselves, without producingthe best football. We think of power by the first team players of the Olympic selection, “said the Belgian.

The Carthage Eagles need only a draw in their first match in Botswana on Saturday to secure qualification, but Leekens insists they are aiming for a full haul of points from the remaining two matches.

“We have prepared as if we needed six points. There is no

question of playing for a draw.

We will always be playing to win,even if it does not happen every time.

“We leave [for] Botswana to win and do not wait until the last match against Egypt, who have come from behind. InGaborone this will be the biggest game and the most difficult.

“It then sends a clear message to his players: ‘This will be our final’. There will be no room for euphoria. A point will be enough to qualify, but we want to win.”

Tunisia’s 27-man squad Goalkeepers: Moez Ben Cherifia, Farouk Ben Mustapha, Aymen Mathlouthi.

Defenders: Mohamed Ali Yaakoubi, Alaeddine Yahia, Aymen Abdennour, Rami Bedoui, Syam Ben Youssef, Maâloul Ali,Hamza Mathlouthi, Yassine Mikari, Bilel Mohsni.

Midfielders: Jamel Saihi, Stephane Nater, Houcine Ragued, Ferjani Sassi, Nidhal Saied, Wissem Yahia, Yassine Chikhaoui,Youssef Msakni, Wahbi Khazri.

Forwards: Heithem Jouini, Fakhereedine Ben Youssef, Amine Chermiti, Saber Khalifa, Ali Mohamed Moncer, Hamza Younes.

CMYK THE NIGERIAN

32

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2014

PDP Ward Congresses As Coup d’ etat THE last is yet to be heard of the crisis that has engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since its last ward congresses held November 1, 2014 nationwide. The party is currently boiling across the country. In almost all states where they exist, the ward congress was a complete wholesale purchase of delegates by either the sitting governors (working in agreement with President Jonathan) or “anointed” stooges of the President. The will of members of the party was not only rendered inconsequential, it was ruthlessly and shamelessly trampled upon in all the states.

This sad development has already pitted the Senators against Mr. President as they vowed to flush him out of Presidential Villa before the Presidential election in 2015. The Senators had began immediate compilation of impeachable offences against him and were willing to work with the opposition parties to actualise their threat. Afraid of impeachment as planned, the President on Thursday November 6 convened an emergency party caucus meeting at the Presidential Villa. The meeting produced yet another agreement that has further widened the cracks within the party.

The PDP had offered automatic second-term tickets to all its incumbent first term governors. They are those of Bayelsa, Gombe, Kaduna, Kogi and Kebbi States.

The implication of this offer is that all other PDP governorship aspirants have been shut out of the race.

Strangely too, all PDP governors who are completing their second term were in like manner offered automatic Senatorial tickets to the senate. All current senators and other aspirants alike were by such decision shut out of the contest. Expectedly, the incumbent senators are fighting back. They say they would not vacate their seats for the governors wanting to take up their positions at all cost in compliance with the intra-party abracadabra.

This led the Senate to abruptly adjourn sitting and vowed that they would show Goodluck Joanthan the way out of the Presidential Villa.

Their action is to pay back for the open cheques given to the governors to choose their preferred candidates for elections into the legislature, both at the federal and states level

which the current lawmakers view as an affront in a party they are supposed to be stakeholders. By every imaginations and thought they are right in their views because if the Presidency and the governors are allowed to carry on with their selfish desires, experienced

Governor Aliyu said despite the decision of the Presidency, the most important factor is the will of the people. Only the wish of the electorate will prevail. The Governors threatened that “no agreement reached anywhere with anybody can in any way threaten governors’ ambition

• President, Goodluck Jonathan lawmakers would all be flushed out to accommodate the neophyte governors who are hell bent on becoming senators after their tenure as governors. It shows the greed, and selfishness in them. Their intensions, from all indications is not borne out of the desire to serve but to amass and protect that which they have amassed.

However, the reality on ground is that the PDP Governors and Jonathan stooges in states not controlled by the PDP already have an upper hand. During the ward congress their factions produced the ward delegates who would influence what will happen at the local government and eventually the states and national levels. The senators only realised lately after the coup d’ tat against them had been successfully hatched.

The so-called agreement between President Goodluck Jonathan with members of the PDP in the Senate has again dogged Mr. President against the governors, some of whom are already up in arms against him. Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, stated through his spokesperson over the weekend that “the clash of interest between the governors and senators in the PDP would be resolved by the electorate.’

for the senate.”

It is heart rending that the PDP is playing politics on a platter of sentiments or bargained with value of market commodity. In a most political bizarre manner, President Goodluck Jonathan was before even the ward congresses adopted as the PDP sole candidate for the 2015 presidential election shutting the door for every other presidential aspirants in the PDP. The National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee and several caucuses endorsed him as the party’s sole candidate, even when he hadn’t indicated interest to seek re-election.

While the national working committee went on to declare President Jonathan, as its sole candidate, some presidential aspirants who had openly

expressed their willingness to contest the election had launched massive protests to express their disgust of what has become the PDP. One of such aspirants, Dr. AbdulJhalil Tafawa- Balewa criticised the endorsement of Jonathan and said “the country has become the legendary ‘Animal Farm’ where some animals are more equal than the others. He frankly advised the PDP to look very closely at other democracies in the world. In

MATTERS IN FOCUS WITH DAN OWEGIE forms. The bank tellers indicated they had lodged N22million into the account of PDP with Zenith BankN20million as nomination fee and another N2million for the expression of interest form. Is this the party that Nigerians want to commit their future into their hands? Good enough, Nigerians want a

• National Chairman PDP, Adamu Mu’azu his words: “We cannot say we have democracy and then we go communist at the same time; whereby we say this is the one that we choose; but only a few people do that and not the rest of the country; everybody wants his or her vote to count.” Now, instead of heeding this positive and candid advise, the leadership of the PDP were busy casting aspersions at him.

Undaunted with the illegalities and impudence in the party, both TafawaBalewa and Prof. Akasoba Duke-Abiola in a rare display of courage approached the national secretariat of their crisis-ridden party with their teaming supporters in Abuja on October 28 to purchase the forms but were turned back even when they presented bank deposit tellers for the purpose of purchasing their

quick change.

Barefacedly, President Goodluck Jonathan purchased the form after he had been declared the sole candidate of the party! Who then is fooling who?

Already, the crisis rocking the PDP has become very tense and heightened in several states like Abia, Rivers, Enugu, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Bauchi, Plateau among others.

Different factions at war with each other and the only lie you have to tell to want to be relevant is that you support President Jonathan’s reelection.

What about the ignoble role of the so-called Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), an euphemism for sycophancy of unimaginable proportion.

TAN merely reminds Nigerians of the “who the cap fits” era of the late dictator, General Sani Abacha. If one may ask? Where is the source of funding of TAN? Why is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corruption and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) not investigating TAN and its leadership.

Nigerians would like to know their sources of funding. All any desperate Nigerian need to do now to get quick money is that he is the coordinator of one Goodluck Jonathan NGO or something. This is an absurdity, TAN and such related groups are mocking the very principles of democracy which is inclusiveness and popular participation.

The PDP actors have become a big burden for Nigeria. Is this democracy?

Are these the characters that we want to commit the next four years of our national life into their hands-people who play boju boju with the lives of over 180million Nigerians?

Would Nigerians fold their hands and watch all these glaring plot against our collective patrimony to stand? My answer is an emphatic no. We must kick the PDP out of power at the center. We must enthrone an alternative party for a positive change that we all desire and yearn for. The All Progressives Congress provides that alternative and Nigerians should support our collective wish to flush the PDP out of power to bring a glorious end to several years of corruption and mindless thieving, insecurity and insurgency, massive u n e m p l o y m e n t , infrastructural decay and abject poverty amongst majority of our citizens.

Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Edo State.

“The PDP had offered automatic second-term tickets to all its incumbent first term governors. They are those of Bayelsa, Gombe, Kaduna, Kogi and Kebbi States. The implication of this offer is that all other PDP governorship aspirants have been shut out of the race.

Strangely too, all PDP governors who are completing their second term were in like manner offered automatic Senatorial tickets to the senate. All current senators and other aspirants alike were by such decision shut out of the contest”.

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