Nigerian observer 18 09 2014

The Nigerian

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol . 39 • NO. 080 • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 20 14 •N 100. 0 0 SPOTLIGHT Pages 16-17 Why humans must live with trees

Govt expresses commitment to enhance living standard

By QUEENETH A. OROBEDO BENIN CITY – Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG), Prof. Julius Ihonvbere has reaffirmed the state

government resolve to embrace programmes and policies aimed at enhancing the living standard of residents of the state.

Prof. Ihonvbere gave the assurance

yesterday in Benin City, while declaring open on behalf of the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the consolidated meeting of the State Steering Committee for Niger Delta Support

Programme (NDSP) on water and sanitation being executed by Edo State Government in collaboration with UNICEF and the Continues on page 2

proud, and your family and children should feel even more proud that at this age, you remain a shining example of what a father should be”, he said.

Oshiomhole appreciated Ogbemudia for his selfless role in the development of the state as well as for his fatherly advice and passion for the wellbeing of the people of the state.

He said, “Even as we belong to different political parties, there is no time I spend five minutes with your Excellency without devoting four and a half of those minutes in suggesting to me how and what you think I should do next.

“From what you think I should do for the

Edo immortalises Ogbemudia

MAN AND NATURE Page 27

Little Elemental beings and their works

BENIN CITY - Edo State government has immortalized the two-time Governor of the defunct Mid-West and Bendel States by unveiling a statue in his honour at the stateowned Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin City.

Unveiling the statue contributions to the yesterday, Governor development of this Adams Oshiomhole of great state.”

While eulogising Edo State said: “this on his statue which we have him as come to unveil today, I performance believe captures the Military Governor of State, genuine feelings of Edo Bendel people; a small token of Oshiomhole said, “As formal recognition of a young man, a your unparalleled service factory worker in Kaduna, we were all to our people.

“Allow me sir to proud to call ourselves formally congratulate Bendelites when you, you on the occasion of our father was the your birthday. I am sure I Governor of Bendel speak the minds of state.”

“Today, I am here people of my generation and even the younger feeling very privileged ones who still recall with that I have the honour very fond memories, to sit by you. I think your outstanding you should feel quite

ordinary people in the village which I would never have thought about, to the next most critical road you think we should work on that will bring more relief to more people and even ideas on how we can overcome the financial challenges that confront government.

“So, it is clear to me

from my interactions that you are troubled, not about the wellbeing of your family, but you are troubled about sustaining prosperity, growth and development in Edo State.

“That is a true father. I have drawn so much from your experiences, your wisdom and your Continues on page 2

Army recovers 3 vehicles, 1 APC from insurgents Konduga on Tuesday ABUJA - The Nigerian Army on Tuesday recovered three Hilux vehicles mounted with machine and anti-aircraft guns, one Mowag Armoured Personnel Carrier and other assorted arms and ammunition from insurgents, a statement said.

The statement, issued

by Brig.-Gen. Olajide Laleye, the Director of Army Public Relations, on Wednesday, said the recovery was made when troops engaged the insurgents in a fight at Konduga, Borno.

Laleye said that the terrorists attacked

night in an attempt to regain momentum they lost in the town but were denied the opportunity by vigilant and gallant troops.

“During the fight, several terrorists were killed and those fleeing Konduga with gunshot wounds are being pursued,’’ he said.

The army spokesman said that the troops morale and combat efficiency had remained high and added that further details about the engagement and supporting photographs were being awaited.

According to him, the

TIT BIT

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

- Steve Jobs

renewed morale, fighting spirit and combat efficiency of troops have been boosted by new strategies devised by the armed forces and support of the public.

“Therefore, the Nigerian Army implores the public to continue to support the military and other Continues on page 2

DR. SAMUEL OGBEMUDIA BIRTHDAY: L-R: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Pastor (Mrs.) Clara Ogbemudia, wife of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, Mrs. Amen Ogbemudia-Uhunmwangho, daughter, Mrs. Yetunde Ogbemudia, wife and Samuel Ogbemudia (Jnr.) at the unveiling of a statue in honour of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia at the state-owned stadium in Benin City yesterday.

Looming Fuel Crisis: ABUJA - The House of Representatives Joint Committees on Petroleum (Upstream and Downstream)

Reps summon Deizeani

and Gas Resources on Wednesday summoned the Petroleum Minister, Mrs Deizeani Allison-Madueke over a looming crisis in the sector.

Others summoned are Dr Joseph Thlama Dawah, Group Managing Director of the NNPC and the leadership of Petroleum

and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) was also invited.

Govt has no tribal preference

BENIN CITY –Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said government would

- Oshiomhole

not discriminate against anybody on the basis of tribe or otherwise.

The Governor gave the assurance yesterday in Government House

when he received a delegation of Yoruba community from Ovia South West and Ovia Continues on page 2

This is contained in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Petroleum (Upstream), Mr Muraina Ajibola; P e t r o l e u m (Downstream), Dakuku Peterside, and Chairman, Gas Resources, Mr Bassey Ewa. The statement said that the summon was due to the looming crisis Continues on page 2

News

Govt expresses commitment to enhance Resources, who is also the Continued from page 1 living standard Chairman of the Committee European Union.

The SSG noted that the one-day sensitization forum for key players in the water and sanitation component of the initiative is to enable stakeholders brainstorm towards enhancing the success so far recorded

through the collaboration.

Representative of the European Union, Dr. martin Mbonu and that of the National Planning Commission, Lanre Adekanye in their various comments expressed satisfaction with the progress

so far made in Edo State, adding that it is the only state in the Niger Delta region that has signed the Memorandum of Understanding geared towards providing safe drinking water and sanitation in rural communities.

State Commissioner for Energy and Water

also gave more insight into the partnership.

The State Steering Committee on Niger Delta Support Programme for Water and Sanitation has its members drawn from relevant government ministries, local government councils, civil societies amongst others.

The workers called on the Federal Government to implement the issue of TAM without delaying the Memorandum of Understanding between it and their unions to carry out maintenance on the refineries.

“The government promised to commence the TAM in April, but this is September; we have not seen any commitment from the government on this,” the statement said.

It claimed that NNPC was reluctant to carry out the maintenance of the refineries because it was handling 60 per cent of current importation of petroleum products into the country.

According to the workers, as at now, the management of the NNPC has not called for another meeting to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, the NNPC has appealed to the leadership of the unions to exercise restraint while it met with PENCOM to resolve the pension issues.

The appeal is contained in a statement issued by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Department, Mr Ohi Alegbe on Tuesday in Abuja.

The NNPC Management also urged members of the public not to engage in panic buying of petroleum products, assuring that plans were on to address the pending issues.

Reps summon Deizeani

Continued from page 1 OIL WORKERS VOW TO in the oil and gas sector in the CONTINUE STRIKE country.

It stated that the committees would not allow any strike to cripple the nation’s oil and gas sector.

“The Joint Oil and Gas Committee of the House of Representatives is concerned by the strike as reported in the media by staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“Our concern is driven by the major role oil and gas play in our economy and the enormous damage any disruption in the system will entail for the Nigerian people.

“Alive to our constitutional responsibilities, the joint house committees have decided to intervene in this matter with a view to resolving whatever the issues may be.

“Accordingly, we have invited the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, the affected unions and relevant stakeholders in the sector to a meeting for Thursday, 18th September 2014 at 11: 00 a.m. at the House of Representatives.

“Given the urgency of this matter, it is our hope that the relevant parties will attend this meeting.

“We enjoin the parties to work with us to resolve their differences in the overall interest of the nation.”

HOWEVER, striking oil workers on Tuesday vowed that there was no going back on their action until unresolved issues of the management of their pension were addressed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

This is contained in a statement by Mr Babatunde Oke, the Media and Information Officer of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers embarked on strike on Monday in protest against the seeming refusal of NNPC to address the pension issue.

The statement said that contrary to media reports that NNPC had resolved the issue and other demands of the workers, there was total shutdown at all NNPC offices and locations nationwide since the strike commenced.

“The strike will still continue until there is concrete commitment from the NNPC management to find a lasting solution to the issues.

“The strike has affected all the subsidiaries of the NNPC, including the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and

Port Harcourt Refining Company.

“The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, National Engineering and Technical Company Limited, Nigeria Gas Company, Hyson, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, National Petroleum Investment Management Services, Integrated Data Services Limited and Department of Petroleum Resource are all affected,’’ it said.

According to the statement, the workers are demanding for adequate and regular funding of the closed pension system.

It said that the workers also wanted urgent steps to be taken in carrying out TurnAround Maintenance (TAM) on the four refineries as agreed between government and the two workers’ unions.

The statement said the demand of the workers also included the supply and restoration of crude to the refineries.

It urged NNPC to put machinery in place for automatic funding of the pension system “without any bureaucratic bottlenecks.”

According to the statement, funding has been delayed due to the inability of the board of the NNPC to meet for over a year to approve the proposal for the management for the funding of the pension system.

Continued from page 1 counselling.

“For me, this statue is important, but I believe you deserve much more than this and by the special grace of God, before the end of my tenure, this government must think of something in addition to what we have done to make a statement that Edo

people recognise a genuine person that we have in your person.”

Earlier, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia commended the Governor for his wonderful performance in Edo state and for setting a pace for all to follow.

Ogbemudia said, “For many years to come, many

aspirants who want to be governor of this state will also have to strive to have their names in the sands of time.”

He thanked the Governor and government for erecting the statue, saying, “I express on behalf of ourselves and family, our sincere gratitude to the executive governor of Edo

State for generously contributing seriously to the presence of this sculpture to this site.

“I also want to state that this exercise would never have been possible if his Excellency did not give authority for it to be done and for that, we are all grateful to him”, he said.

described the Governor as a Nationalist who does not have tribal inclinations.

He appreciated the Yoruba community for their unalloyed support for the present administration and assured

them that government would reward them with the provision of social amenities.

Spokespersons for the group, Irene Donald and Ipinlaye Tope of Oyinbogbini camp in Ovia South local

government area said the government has taken the state to greater height of development. He thanked government for the appointment of Yoruba indigenes into positions of authority.

Edo immortalises Ogbemudia

Govt has no tribal preference

Continued from page 1

North East Local Government Areas of the state.

Speaking on behalf of the Governor, the state Deputy Governor, Dr Pius Egberamwen Odubu

Insurgents Kill 15 Persons, Injure 34 KANO - The Police in rifles and magazines Others In Kano Kano yesterday confirmed used by the insurgents. the death of 15 persons, including two suicide bombers, at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Kano.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Aderinle Shinaba, disclosed this shortly after visiting the scene of the incident.

Shinaba said 34 others, mostly students and

lecturers, sustained various degrees of injury during the attack.

He said the suicide bombers had before their arrival to the institution, exchanged gunfire with some security operatives along Kafar Famfo-BUK road.

“After the exchange of gunfire, they emerged at the college lecture theatre

and detonated two explosives.

“There was another insurgent, who was carrying AK 47 rifle and explosives.”

He said that one of security operatives was able to shoot him and the explosive went off and killed him.

“We have been able to recover some of the AK47

“So far, 15 people were dead, while 34 others that sustained injuries are currently receiving medical attention in the hospital,” the commissioner said.

He said security had been beefed up in the area, adding, “we are going to keep our men on ground to enhance security in the school,’’ he said.

Edo restates commitment to fight illegal structure BENIN CITY – Edo State Government has restated its determination to fight against illegal structures across urban centres in the state.

State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Hon Francis Evbuomwan stated this in Benin City while speaking with newsmen shortly after the Ministry demolished illegal structures in various parts of Government Reservation Area (GRA) in Benin City.

Hon. Evbuomwan frowned at the situation where people have taken laws into their hands by erecting shops indiscriminately at various parts of GRA. While noting that the exercise will be a continuous one, the commissioner said it is aimed at correcting the

threats illegal structures pose and ensure that the environment is kept free of unnecessary illegal development.

Arch. Evbuomwan further stated that the State Government through various medium had earlier warned the people to desist from erecting structures like shops, canopies and caravans on the roads, stressing that government would not allow any individual or corporate bodies to build outside their property line.

The demolition exercise was supervised by the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development.

It would be recalled that the State Government had earlier set up a team to get rid of illegal structures across the metropolis which they have carried out at various parts of Benin City.

Govt assures judiciary workers of salary

By ROLAND OSAKUE/ IKPONMWOBA OSAZEE JOEL

BENIN CITY - Edo State Government has assured workers of the State judiciary of the payment of their salary and other wages owed them during the period of their Industrial action in July this year.

The State AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, Hon (Barr) Henry Idahagbon disclosed this yesterday at the interactive session between members of the bench and bar at the beginning of the 2014/15 legal year in the state judicial service.

Hon Idahagbon said workers of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) can now heave a sigh of relief as the government has concluded plans to pay the salary owed them for embarking on strike against the Federal government, which he said was not in anyway concerned with the state government.

At the joint interactive session, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Cromwell Idahosa told members of the bar that the beautification of the surrounding of the High Court would soon be concluded.

He further stated that the High Court had also made a

remarkable achievement in the areas of decongesting prisons in the state, maintaining that such was to ensure that only those found wanting would be arraigned and prosecuted accordingly.

The forum however allowed members of the bar to interact on grey areas, particularly as it bordered on their practice and administration of justice in the state.

Fifteen staff in the state judiciary across the three Senatorial zones in the state received awards from the Chief Judge for excelling in their various areas of work.

Idahagbon used the occasion to express his reservations over the attitude of relations of some kidnapped victims for failing to come to court to witness against kidnappers for fear of being killed, a situation he said had given room for the perpetrators to still continue with the heinous crime in the society.

At the early hours of yesterday, the staffers of the judiciary, the bench and the bar had a road walk to the ever-busy King’s Square and other major roads in Benin City to mark the beginning of the legal year.

Army recovers 3 vehicles, 1 APC from insurgents

Continued from page 1

security agencies engaged in the ongoing operation to rid Nigeria of blood-letting insurgents and ruthless religious extremists,’’ it said.

Meanwhile, Laleye has clarified that the “widely reported Boko Haram attack on troops along Okene-Kabba road in Kogi was clearly not a Boko Haram related incident.

“In reality, the incident was a case of armed robbery attack on troops of 322 Artillery Regiment who were travelling in seven Marcopolo buses to Kontagora for an engagement,’’ he said.

Laleye explained that the robbers mistook the soldiers for normal civilian travellers, who

plied the route.

He said three soldiers, who sustained injuries during the robbery attack, were receiving appropriate medical care and would soon join their colleagues.

“Therefore, the Nigerian Army wishes to reiterate its earlier warning on the danger of publishing unverified reports and attributing all criminal activities to Boko Haram terrorists.

“The inherent danger in this brand of journalism is that it heightens public fear, endangers public safety and creates the wrong impression that Boko Haram is everywhere,’’ he said.

News

Senate Replaces Late Sen Kuta ABUJA - The Senate in Abuja has swore in Dr Zagbayi Nuhu as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District.

Nuhu was elected in a byelection to replace Late Sen. Dahiru Kuta who died while serving at the upper chamber.

In another development, the senate confirmed receipt of four letters of appointment for confirmation from President Godluck Jonathan.

The reports state that the letters seek the confirmation of Chima Nwizu as justice of the Supreme Court.

Others are Capt. Mukhtar Usman (Retired) as DirectorGeneral of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Jonah Madugu as a Commissioner in the Federal Civil Service Commission to represent Benue/Nasarrawa/ Plateau.

Reports state that the last letter is seeking further amendment to the 2014 National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill.

Family Planning Consultant Wants Rural Dwellers Educated

Former Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. Godwin Abbe and Barr. Uyi Ogbemudia, the daughter of former Governor of Midwestern and Bendel States, Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia at a ceremony to mark the 82nd birthday anniversary of Dr. Ogbemudia in Benin City yesterday.

CDA Chairman Advocates Respect For Mothers

By LUCKY EFESE

BENIN CITY – The Chairman of Idokpa Community Development Association in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State, Mr. Nosa Obamwonyi has charged the people of the state to have respect and values for their

mothers, saying it is the capital base of their prosperities.

Mr. Obamwonyi made this assertion in Benin City, during a remembrance ceremony in honour of late Madam Janet Akugueghian Adun, mother of a transporter and a Chief in Benin kingdom, Chief John Osamede Adun, the Ayobahan

of Benin kingdom.

He noted that the supremacy of mothers could not be undermined, especially their challenging nine months pregnancy period.

He thanked Chief Adun for his continuous celebration of his

Edo Host NUJ NEC

By FAITH ISIKHUEMEN

BENIN CITY-The Edo state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is to host the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the union from today, September 18-21, 2014 in Benin City : This was contained in a release signed

by Comrade Desmond Agbama and Titus Aklugbe, respectively and secretary to The Nigerian OBSEVER in Benin City.

The release indicated that the opening ceremony of the programme is slated for tomorrow, Friday September 19, 2014 at the Oba Akenzuwa 11 cultural centre at noon.

No Evil Machination Can Separate Nigeria – Ahmadu Ali ABUJA - The former PDP National Chairman, Dr Ahmadu Ali, has in Abuja said that Nigeria would remain united and prosperous in spite of some evil machinations.

Ali said this at a national rally of more than 7,000 groups under the aegis of Goodluck Support Groups (GSG), organised by the National Coordinator, Prof. Rufai Ahmed.

Ali, who chaired the rally, enumerated the benefits the populace had enjoyed under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“In spite of evil machinations, Nigeria has remained undivided; we shall remain one and ‘we dey kampe’ and the Jonathan administration has provided meaningful, feasible ideas to

sustain democracy.

“He has invested in the youth and developed national consciousness among them.

The nation’s GDP has risen from 169 billion dollars in 2013 to 283 billion dollars today.

“Food importation has reduced from trillions to the region of hundreds of thousands of dollars; Nigeria is the number one destination for foreign direct investment in Africa; our oil is witnessing a projection.

“Come rain, as it has fallen now or come sunshine, we stand behind Goodluck.’’

Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom said “everyone keeps saying I’ve performed well and that there is uncommon transformation in my state. I didn’t do it in a tenure; I am in my second tenure.

The release also stated that the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would declare the NEC meeting open, while his deputy, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu, secretary to state Government (SSG), Prof. Julius Ihonvbere and the state’s commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Louis Odion

are expected to be guests of honour.

It further indicated that the Benin Monarch, His Royal Majesty Oba Erediauwa would be the Royal Father of the Day at the occasion.

The release therefore invite all journalists, Media Executives as well asthe general public to the opening ceremony.

late mother, describing mothers as catalyst for prosperity.

The Idokpa CDA Chairman, posited that late Madam Janet Adun, was instrumental to the success of her son, Chief Adun, while alive and prayed God to comfort her wherever she is.

He described her as an exemplary mother, who usually protected the integrity and dignity of her children, while alive.

According to him, she had always ensured that the best came out of her children’s set goals while urging Chief Adun not to relent in honouring his beloved mother.

Obamwonyi charged other well meaningful people to emulate Chief Adun in honouring their late parents.

In his remarks, the chief celebrant, Chief Adun described his mother as second to none, especially in the area of proper care for the children.

MAKURDI - Mrs Joyce Gemah, a Consultant with ‘The Benue Strengthening Health Outcome in the Private Sector’ (SHOPS), has said that rural people needs comprehensive education on family planning.

Gernah made this known in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi on Wednesday.

She said that the people needed the education for effective child spacing, upbringing, and reduction of stress in raising families.

“Family planning is all about spacing children for the purpose of effective upbringing and not stopping child birth and encouraging prostitution.

“Most rural people, especially the men are seriously against the programme, they think that family planning will stop their wives from giving birth and encouraging prostitution.

“So, these people really need adequate education on the use and benefits of the plan,’’ she said.

She admitted that the plan had negative effective such as commodity failure which sometimes led to pregnancy, some users also experience slight headache due to different body chemistry and unusual menstrual period.

Gernah said that women needed to adopt family planning to reduce the number of possible puerperal psychosis cases during child birth.

She explained that nongovernmental organisation was focused on reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality rates among women of productive age by educating them on family planning.

Former Governor of Midwest and Bendel States, Dr. S.O. Ogbemudia, assisted by his wives, Mrs. Calara Ogbemudia and Yetunde Ogbemudia to cut his 82 years birthday anniversary celebration cake which was held in Benin City yesterday. Photo: OSADEBAMWEN SUNDAY.

News

Late Maria Esene’s Burial Ceremony Begins Today

By OBOH SYLVESTER

UROMI (Edo) - The families of late Pa Matthew Esene and Eboigbe Omodiagbe has announced the glorious exit of their wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and in-law, Madam Maria Edeitughu Esene (nee Omodiagbe).

She passed onto eternal

glory on Wednesday July 30, 2014. She was aged 80 years.

A statement issued on behalf of the family by Mr. Sylvester Esene, described late Madam Maria Esene as a unique and graceful mother as well as peace loving and hardworking woman. He said their mother is a glorious

• Late Madam Maria Edeitughu Esene

Tsav Wants Suntai’s Health Status Investigated

MAKURDI -A former Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav, has urged Taraba House of Assembly to constitute a medical board to determine whether Governor.

Danbaba Suntai is fit to continue in office.

Tsav, who was Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi.

He said that the precarious situation in the state could only be salvaged by the intervention of such a board.

He expressed regrets that some people were using the governor’s ill health to achieve political gains by deliberately concealing his true medical status.

Tsav, therefore, called on the state legislature to intervene in order to salvage the situation by constituting the board.

He also called on those politicking on Duntai’s ill

health to achieve political gain to desist from such acts or face the wrath of God. “Enough of this greed for political power, the Nigerian Constitution is being put to test here, and I urge the Taraba assembly to come to the rescue.

“They should constitute a medical board to examine the mental and medical fitness of Gov Danbaba Subtai to determine whether or not he is fit to continue in office as governor of the state.

“It is unfortunate that such politicians do not care about the governor’s ill health, all they care for is themselves, is it that the governor does not have relatives who will stop this senseless gamble with his health,’’ he queried.

He warned the cabal, using his ill health as a platform to perpetuate their political agenda on the state to fear God by acting responsibly.

woman who was strongly dedicated to the services of God and humanity.

According to the statement, the funeral arrangements will commence today, Thursday September 18, 2014 at 6.00 a.m. with a wake-keep and lying-in state at her residence, Pa Matthew Edewede Esene’s compound, behind Our Lady of Lourdes Girls Grammar School, Idigun, Uromi, Esan North East LGA of Edo State.

On Friday September 19, her body will leave family compound at 12 noon to St. Patrick Catholic Church, Uromi for funeral service.

Thereafter, body will depart in a motorcade to her family residence, Eboigbe Omodiagbe’s compound, Idumagba Quarters, Egbele, Uromi.

There will be entertainment of guests, friends and well wishers on Saturday September, 2014 at 12 noon at Our Lady of Lourdes Girls Grammar School Compound, Uromi.

The burial ceremony will be rounded off on Sunday September 21, 2014 at 7.00 a.m. with an outing and thanksgiving service at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Uromi.

Late Newton Okodu For Burial Tomorrow EWOHIMI (Edo)– The burial ceremony of late Mr. Newton Okodu (aka Fondo) is set to commence tomorrow Friday September 19, 2014 at the family compound, Idumu-Ekhen, Agadaga, Ewohimi, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State. He was aged 55 years.

According to the burial arrangement signed by Osalumhense Okodu, there will be a social wake-keep at 7.00 p.m. till dawn in his family compound, while family rites will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2014.

Late Mr. Newton Okodu

Inside Edo Ogbekile Bags Chieftaincy Title OMOLUA-IGBANKE – A 42 year old entrepreneur from Igbanke, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, Chief Jude Ogbekile has been conferred with a chieftaincy title of Isama of Omekeokwu of otolokpo kingdom, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State.

Conferring the chieftaincy title on Chief Jude Ogbekile, the monarch of Omoluakingdom, His Royal Majesty, Isaac Uwaifoh said that the recipient was worthy of the highly exalted Isama title as a result of his philanthropy, community development and empowerment of ablebodied youths across Edo and Delta States.

HRM said if other well placed sons and daughters of Igbanke could key into Chief Ogbekile’s lifestyle of being their brother’s keeper, in the areas of community development, philanthropy and empowerment of school leavers, the sole dependence on the three tiers of government would have zeroed to minimal degree.

The Monarch who commended Chief Ogbekile over what he described as a plethora of contributions to the community and

humanity, urged him to utilize the title and exploit his ingenuities to redouble his efforts in his vision and mission for humanity, especially in Edo and Delta States.

Other dignitaries who spoke at the occasion, were the monarch of Otolokpo kingdom, HRM Pastor Collins Alioma Ezenwali I; Professor Paul Erie of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma who hailed Jude, adding that Jude deserved honour.

The duo of Prof. Erie and HRM Ezenwali urged Ogbekile to see the honour bestowed on him as a motivation for more contributions towards community and human development.

Receiving the honour, Chief Ogbekile thanked HRM Uwaifoh for considering him worthy of the Isama chieftaincy title.

He assured the Enogie of support in his reign over his subjects, adding that the honour would re-energise him to do more for the Enogie and the community.

Speaking on behalf of members of Ika Nation Traditional Chiefs’ Forum who accompanied him from his Omekeokwu palace at

Boji-Boji Owa, Delta State to Omolua-Igbanke, Edo State, Chief Lawrence Efedi, the Chairman of the forum gave Jude a pat on the back for the prized contributions towards human and community development which, he said, have won him the double honours.

Chief Efedi urged the Isama to see the honour as a motivation towards more efforts towards the upliftment of humanity and community at large.

The highlight of the ceremony was the conferment of Oriuwe chieftaincy title on Chief Jude Ogbekile’s wife, Chief (Mrs.) Beauty Ogbekile.

Chairman, Ovia North-East Local Government Council, Barr. (Mrs.) Lucy Omagbon (left), receiving a souvenir from Edo State Women Leader of the APC, Dr. (Mrs.) Aisosa Amadasun during a courtesy visit to the Council Secretariat in Okada.

Union Faults FG’s Planned Privatisation Of Housing Estate Authority BENIN CITY – The 2014

By VICTOR OMOALU

West Zonal Council retreat of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE) was held yesterday in Benin City, with the union expressing its position on Federal government plan to privatize and downsize the Federal Housing Authority in the country.

The union’s position was

made known by its President, Comrade Adelegan Solomon while delivering a keynote address at the retreat.

Comrade Solomon who described as unacceptable the plan by the federal government to privatize the Federal Housing Estate Authority, wondered why the federal government should come up with such decision.

Solomon queried the central government to explain what has happened to other

The traditional ruler of Omolua-Igbanke Kingdom Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, HRH Isaac Uwaifo (right) confering a chieftaincy title on the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Jopek allied Ventures Limited, chief Jude Ogbekile at a ceremony in Omolua-Igbanke.

LG Boss Reaffirms Commitment To Infrastructural Devt

By KEHINDE OSAGIEDE

OKADA – The Chairman, Ovia North/East Local Government Council, Barr.

(Mrs.) Lucy Omagbon has reaffirmed her administration commitment to infrastructural development of the council area.

The Council boss gave the

assurance when she received a group of All Progressives Congress (APC) women leaders who commenced their tour of local government areas in Edo State.

The Chairman who vowed to fully revitalize the council,

disclosed that her second year in office programme will focus on rural electrification; schools’ infrastructure; expansion of the council’s transport line among others while also expressing her readiness to build a befitting council secretariat before 2016.

She thanked the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for creating the enabling environment as well as the women leaders for their support and understanding during the trying period of her administration.

governments’ parastatals that have been privatized in the past.

He reiterated the union’s commitment towards opposing any government’s policy that would deprive workers’ wellbeing, urging the federal government to brace up to its responsibility with a view to looking into the role of housing estate and shaping it towards serving the country better.

The Edo State Commissioner for Special Duties and Establishment, Comrade Didi Adodo who represented the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, asserted that it was only the union that could ensure the desired change in the society.

Comrade Adodo eulogized the leadership qualities of the state governor, saying that as a former union leader in the country, Governor Oshiomhole has brought his wealth of experience to bear in Edo State as evident across the nooks and crannies of the state.

He urged participants at the retreat to always stand by their veterans and leaders to succeed.

Edo State Chairman of AUPCTRE, Comrade Julius Erhauyi described the retreat as apt, especially at a critical time in the nation’s history.

He expressed optimism that the retreat would help address some of the challenges, including political, ethnic, insurgency as well as the Ebola disease threatening the nation’s core values.

On his part, the Zonal ViceChairman of the union, Comrade Emma Ademokun stressed the need for the sustenance of the retreat for the purpose of leadership training, growth and improvement.

Ademokun who is also the State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) expressed hope that the retreat, with the theme: “leadership And Team Building for Sustainable Growth” will no doubt impact positively on the participants drawn from eight states.

He used the forum to extol the leadership virtues of the state governor, declaring that the phenomenal transformation in the state has set a pace for other states to emulate.

Edo Pensioners Hold Political Forum Tomorrow

BY PIUS O. ABAH

BENIN CITY – The South-South Geo-political Forum of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners has been scheduled to hold tomorrow, Friday, September 19, 2014 in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

A statement signed by the State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Edo

State council, Comrade I.I. Omoragbon and the State Public Relations Officer (PRO), Comrade V.O. Aigbodion indicated that the meeting is expected to kick off at 10 a.m. at ISNO Hotel Limited, No. 17, Ikpokpan Road, GRA, Benin City.

According to the statement, high level government officials and other invited guests will be in attendance.

Lagos Sign Disability Bill, Foundation Urges Jonathan

LAGOS A NonGovernmental Organisation, Mac Arthur Foundation has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to sign into law the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill, 2014, as passed by the Senate.

Mr Dayo Olaide, the Deputy Director of the foundation, made the plea at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Disability Awareness Week.

It was organised by the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), an NGO, in Lagos, with the theme: “Insecurity in Nigeria and the Plights of Persons with Disabilities”.

He said that the bill, when signed into law would reduce the pains and agony of People With Disabilities (PWDs).

Reports state that the Senate had on March 27 passed the bill which would legally protect persons with disability from discrimination.

The bill sponsored by Sen.

Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman (PDP-Kogi), “seeks to integrate such persons into the society and establish a commission for persons with disability.

“It prescribes a fine of N1 million Naira for corporate bodies and N100,000 or six months imprisonment or both for an individual who contravenes the law.

“The bill has a lot of inherent advantages that will help mitigate, if not totally eradicate the challenges currently being faced by the community of PWDs. “If sign into law, the bill will serve as an important gateway to effective participation of PWDs in public life.

“Also, it will shut the door against their treatment as outsiders in policies and governmental activities,’’ Olaide said.

He urged Nigerians to stop discriminating and stigmatising

against PWDs as no one was immune from becoming a member.

“But, beyond that there is need to change our attitude and have right attitude to these people, as it can be anyone today because everyday more people are joining the community of PWDs. “Even, if you are not the direct victim, you may become a care giver in the entire process; so we must have the mindset to have a social inclusion in all that we do,’’ he said.

Mr David Anyaele, the CCD Executive Director, also urged the federal government to take appropriate steps to protect PWDs in line with the international norms.

Permanent Commissioner for Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Kasim Ibrahim (left), congratulating a newly enrolled pupil into primary one at Bagi Central Primary School, during the 2014/2015 State wide School enrolment drive in Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi State recently

LASU Don, Onifade, Slumps, Dies At LASUTH

LASGOS - A professor of Sports Psychology, Prof.

Ademola Onifade, of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

Onifade, who had been receiving treatment at LASUTH, after he slumped at his FESTAC residence on September 12, died on Monday night.

Dr Adekunle Idris, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LASU chapter, confirmed his death to newsmen in Lagos.

Reports state that until his death, Onifade, in his late 50s, was a professor in the Department of Physical and Health Education.

Idris said: “The late Prof.

Onifade slumped at his Festac residence on Friday night and had since been admitted at LASUTH until he died on Monday night.”

He said that the union was still in a state of shock as the late professor was hale and hearty, and did not show any sign of sickness before the sad incident.

“We were on the field together for sports about 10 days ago, as he jogs and exercises himself regularly.

“He was also seen in the campus last Friday and was full of life.

“LASU branch of ASUU had lost a rare gem and will miss late Prof. Onifade as he was a true comrade and a great scholar of repute.

“He was a past secretary of ASUU at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, and an elder at the ASUU-LASU chapter.

“Late Onifade is a man of

truth and selfless ASUU fighter.

“He advises ASUU-LASU on the road to trail and always hit the nail on the head, even when others do not,” Idris said.

He said Onifade was expected to commence his sabbatical leave at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Oct. 1, adding that he concluded the official arrangement two weeks ago.

“He was a director, Centre for Environment, Science and Education; former chairman, LASU Sports Council; former Dean and Head of Department.

Traffic jam on Abuja Zuba Expressway at Kagini Railway crossing in Abuja recently.

Synagogue Tragedy: Group Wants Implicated

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM LAGOS - The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) has compelled the Federal and the Lagos State Governments to, within 48 hours, account for the identities of the helicopter and the strange plane that flew low over the collapsed building at Synagogue church four times within 24 minutes, their mission and those responsible for them.

In a statement issued and signed by the committee’s National President and National Treasurer, Comrade Sunny Enenuvwedia and Deji Adebowale respectively said that “failing, which we call on the African Union and the United Nations to as a matter of urgency compel the Federal government to do so”.

The statement read that consequent upon it findings on the cause of the tragedy that befell the country and others foreign countries, “We deem it necessary to demand that the

Helicopter Investigated

Lagos State Government should conduct investigation into the structural cause (if any) of the collapse of the building as a matter of urgency”.

“That the Federal government of Nigeria should, within 48 hours, account for the identities of the helicopter and the strange plane that flew low over the building 4 times within 24 minutes, their mission and those responsible for them failing which we call on the African Union and the United Nations to as a matter of urgency compel the Federal government to do so”, it read.

It also read further, “That the authority of the Synagogue Church of All Nations should cooperate with appropriate authorities to get to the root cause of the unfortunate incident and that every person and institution in Nigeria should be more security conscious”.

According to the statement, “In view of the ramification of

this event, the CDHR has set up a committee to follow up on the above demands and fully investigate the entirety of the incident and produce a full report later”.

The committee noted that immediately after the incident, it has commenced investigation into the incident by contacting its members living in the area and have received information from them as to their account and observations of what happened on the day.

“We also visited the site of the collapsed building and interviewed some resident of the Church. We also viewed a CCTV record of the situation of the environment before and up to the time of the collapse of the building”, it added.

It also observed from the findings that the compound of the Synagogue Church of All Nations housing the collapsed is located on Segun Irefin Street,

Ikotun-Egbe, Nigeria on Latitude 6.54679N and Longitude 3.27261E. The location is far from any approach to the Ikeja or any airport in Lagos hence it is abnormal for any plane to head for the location at all. Every plane approaching the Ikeja airport to land always approach from the direction of IjokoSango-Ota axis. Even planes that have not been given permission to land by the control tower of the airport in Ikeja always hover above the Papa-Lanto road and the Redemption camp on Lagos Ibadan Express way. Such planes have never been known to hover around the Ikotun-Egbe area based on the fact that the location is far from the approach to the Ikeja Airport.

“The mission of the helicopter to the residence of Pastor T. B. Joshua, the spiritual head of the Church at about 8 am is very

suspicious and it appears it was there to confirm the location of his residence for unknown reasons and the mission of the strange plane that flew and circled the collapsed building four times within 24 minutes also is very suspicious and is a cause for concern.

It emphasized, “We know that only the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Air Force has the authority to permit or command any kind of plane to fly over any part of the Nigerian Airspace for whatever purpose hence only the Federal Government can account for the identity and mission of both the helicopter and the plane”.

“The collapse of the building has resulted in the violation of the right to life, privacy and property of the victims and the Church hence we believe such terrible incident should never be allowed to pass without proper investigation to ascertain those responsible for the incident as the true cause is still in the realm of conjecture”, it remarked.

Across The Nation Enugu Airport To Airlift Muslim Pilgrims

Some internally displaced persons (IDPS) taking refuge at the NYSC orientation camp in Maiduguri recently.

Masking Of Vehicle Number Plate Unlawful - FRSC

MINNA - The lamination of vehicle number plates by motorists is a traffic offence, Mr Ogochukwu Ugboma, the Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has said.

Ugboma made the statement in an interview with newsmen in Minna adding that plastic lamination made it difficult to identify the markings on the plate.

“It is a traffic offence for unauthorised person to cover the number plate of his

vehicle,’’ he said.

Ugboma said that anyone covering his number plate without authorisation would be made to face the wrath of the law.

“It is only some individuals and organisations that are allowed to cover their number plates because of security reason,’’ he said.

He explained that the number plate of every vehicle on the road was supposed to

be identified easily from a distance.

“The security challenges we are having now is part of the reason why number plates should not be covered,’’ he said.

The sector commander warned vehicle owners, especially commercial vehicles, to desist from the act.

He said that anyone found culpable would prosecute.

He advised motorists to

always use their seat-belts while on the road.

“Usage of the seat-belt has reduced road traffic crashes across the country by 50 per cent,’’ Ugboma said.

LAGOS - Luck ran against an unidentified transformer vandal who was electrocuted while stealing some feeder pillar units from an electric transformer at Lonlo Bus Stop, along Iju Road, Fagba, Lagos State.

The victim, who was in a pair of jeans and black T– Shirt, had succeeded in removing one feeder unit, but ran out of luck while he was trying to remove another one from the Mitchell 500KVA when electricity supply was suddenly restored.

The corpse of the deceased, who was believed to be from the northern part of Nigeria, was discovered by a 13-year old boy, Segun Adedokun, who was going to fetch water in the area and raised alarm that attracted residents of the area to the scene of the incident.

When our correspondent visited the area, some residents who had gathered at the scene, were seen using their cell phones to take photograph of the

electrocuted young man, while cursing him for attempting to steal the feeder units.

Among the residents in the area, one Mr. Egunjobi Samuel, said that vandals had been tampering with their transformer for a long time, adding that luck ran out on the victim because God wanted to expose one of them.

“We have been experiencing this thing for a long time. Some people will just come and remove some parts from this transformer.

God decided to expose one of them today. It serves him right,’’ Samuel said.

Majority of the residents who were abusing the victim also pointed accusing fingers to cart pushers from Abattoir in Agege Lagos of being behind the vandalization of the transformer, adding that the electrocuted man was one of them as he came with his cart which was parked beside him.

When our correspondent visited the police at Red House Division in Iju, Lagos,

a police source confirmed that the case have incident at the station, saying that some policemen have been sent to the scene for necessary action.

Officials of the Lagos State Government and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Iju Ishaga Station, were already at the scene of

successful.

“For the first time, the Muslim faithful from the zone will be transported from here,” he said.

He said that the command was appreciative of the management of the airport for establishing a pilgrims’ camp, where pilgrims could relax on arrival from the holy land.

Ismail said that immigration activities at the airport had been active since it gained international status in 2013.

He said that no fewer than 16, 488 people had passed through the airport on international flights.

“This has been a great achievement with just one airline, the Ethiopian airline,” he said, adding that there were still other nonscheduled private flights that operated in the airport.

2014 International Day Of Peace

NGO Urges Media Support ABUJA - Universal Peace Federation (UPF), an NGO, has called for support from the Nigerian media in the dissemination of information on the

Transformer Vandal Electrocuted

By RAHEEM IBRAHIM

ENUGU - Intending Muslim pilgrims from the South-East for the 2014 Hajj in Saudi Arabia will be transported from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Mr Bashir Ismail, has said.

Ismail, who is the Comptroller, Nigeria Immigration Service, Enugu State Command, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Enugu.

He said that the exercise would be a milestone in the history of the airport as that would complete the cycle of transportation of pilgrims.

The comptroller said that the command had put all necessary measures in place to ensure that the exercise was successful.

“We had our first experience last year and early this year with the Christian pilgrims who are even larger in number and it was

the incident, while the Ikeja Distribution Company (IKEDC) officials were seen trying to disconnect the high tension cables.

It was also gathered that similar feeders were reinstalled at Tokotaya, Agbado Crossing, Iju, Lagos last week after the transformer at the area was vandalized by the same set of people.

activities marking the 2014 International Day of Peace.

Dr Raphael Oko, the Secretary-General of the NGO, in a statement in Abuja, noted that UN has set aside September 21 every year to mark the event annually was set aside by the United Nations to mark the event.

Oko identified music, prayers, speeches, seminars, and community service programmes for young people, among others as activities lined up to mark the event.

“This unique opportunity

each year calls us to focus as one human family on our shared goal of peace on earth.

“As you are aware, the media, the voice and sight of the people, has special role to play in making this day known all over the world.”

According to him, the contemporary situation in Nigeria demands that the message of peace be spread to all corners of the country, adding that the theme for this year is “the Right of People to Peace’’.

Some internally displaced persons (IDPS) taking refuge at the NYSC orientation camp in Maiduguri recently.

News

Education, Catalyst For Sustainable Development MINNA - Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state said that education was a catalyst for sustainable development, liberation from oppression and exploitation in any part of the world.

Aliyu made this known when he received members of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in his office in Minna.

He said that education was regarded as a tool for socioeconomic empowerment of people across the globe.

“Education is a cornerstone for the realisation of vision 20:2020, that is why we are investing substantially in the education sector.

“We have introduced a number of policies and initiatives to realise our aspirations for the sector,’’ he said.

The governor said that for the past years, Niger government had introduced free compulsory basic education for the girl-child in the state.

He added that the state government had also reintroduced payment of bursary awards to students studying within and outside the country to encourage them to acquire western education.

Earlier, JAMB Registrar,

- Gov Aliyu

Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, had said that the 2014/2015 academic session admission would be made on the second choice print outs issued to institutions.

Ojerinde said that the 2015/

2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) would be a Computer-Based Test (CBT) for all those sitting for the examinations.

He said that admissions for the 2014/2015 academic session would be conducted

Ebola: UNILORIN To Screen ILORIN - The ViceStudents Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdu Ganiyu Ambali, says all students will be screened for the Ebola Virus Disease before entering the campus.

Ambali stated this while unveiling preventive kits worth N1.2 million at the university’s health centre.

“The procurement of the anti-Ebola kits is part of the university’s preparedness to tackle the epidemic headlong,” the vice chancellor said.

The kits, he said, included face masks, boots, hand gloves, automatic soap dispenser, infrared thermometer and disposable bed spreads.

The vice-chancellor commended members of the institution’s Ebola Response Committee for their foresight and prompt response.

Ambali, however, charged the university’s health workers to be alert and follow laid down procedures in the case of an outbreak.

The university’s Director

of Health Services, Dr Mary Ajiboye, who presented the equipment to the vice chancellor, said the kits were for the protection of staff and students. “ The committee would place the hand sanitisers in strategic locations on the campus such as the Senate Building, faculties, walkways and Unilorin FM station,” she said.

President, National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Benin 1 Zone, Fred Ailonge distributing stickers to motorists in Benin City during the associations awareness/sensitisation campaign on Ebola virus recently.

GOMBE - The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Gombe State has said that 450 cooperatives would benefit from the state government’s N600 million loan during the 2014 harvest season.

The AFAN Secretary, Alhaji Gambo Sarkin-noma, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Gombe.

Sarkin-noma said the loans already in the coffers of the union would be disbursed to

farmers through the societies in the 114 wards of 11 local governments in the state.

“Everything about the loan is now ready as the money is currently in the bank ready for disbursement to the beneficiaries,’’ he said.

He said the loan, which would be interest-free for one year and with a six-month grace period, would be revolving loans to enable it go round other members.

He said the loans would assist beneficiaries in the

at the board’s national headquarters in Bwari, Abuja.

He stressed that the admissions would be ongoing till October 31.

The registrar appealed to the state government to build more CBT centres in the state’s three senatorial districts to make it easy for candidates sitting for UTME. “Presently, we have four CBT centres in Niger and all of them are in Minna and Bida.

“Our latest investigation shows that Niger State College of Education, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University and the state polytechnic are state institutions that can be equipped for this purpose,’’ he said.

Ojerinde enjoined corporate organisations to partner with the board so as to provide adequate CBT centres that could accommodate candidates in the subsequent UTMEs.

AFAN Receives N600m Loan harvest of their farm produce and other farming activities on time as some farmers were already experiencing financial challenges arising from this year farming activities.

“We are in the middle of the season and most of our members who had spent A lot of money on their farm land are now in hardship finding it difficult to cope.’’

He said most farmers in previous years sell their farm produce at very low price to

A cross section of participants at the 2014 West Zonal Council Retreat of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Service Employees held in Benin City yesterday.

be able to meet other needs.

Sarkin-noma, however, said the loans would come in handy and assist farmers to complete everything about harvest on time and also plan for the next planting season.

He, therefore, advised beneficiaries to use the loans judiciously and strictly adhere to the terms and conditions of the loan for its continuity.

Accord Party ’ll Win Oyo ISEYIN (Oyo State)State - Ladoja Former governor of Oyo state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, has predicted victory for the Accord Party (AP) in the state’s 2015 governorship election.

Ladoja, who is also a national leader of the AP, gave the prediction in Iseyin during the official defection of Sen. Gbenga Babalola, to the party.

He said that the AP had done enough to convince the people of the state to vote for its candidate in the 2015 general elections.

“We welcome Babalola into Accord Party; I want to assure you on behalf of other members that you will enjoy your stay with us.

“I also want to assure you that you have equal right with those that have been in the party before now, we’ll not discriminate against you and other people you are bringing in,’’ he said.

The former governor, who

promised that the AP would rule with different touch and run an all inclusive regime, claimed that the party’s manifesto would address the yearnings of the citizenry.

He also admonished party faithful who had yet to register with INEC or collect their permanent voter cards to do so in their respective local government areas.

Also speaking, Babalola, a senator who represented Oyo North under the PDP between 2007 and 2011, said he opted for the AP because of its unique programmes for the masses.

He promised the party’s leadership and the followers that he would do his best to garner support for the party in the Oyo North senatorial district.

The reports state that hundreds of party loyalists were at the Aseyin’s palace in Iseyin where the defection took place.

Across The Nation Empowerment: Expert Urges Youths To Exploit Agriculture ONITSHA (Anambra) Mr Chukwuemeka Ilouno, Interim Chairman of the Anambra Land Acquisition Committee for Agricultural Transformation Scheme, has urged youths to key into agricultural programmes of the federal and Anambra Governments.

He told newsmen in Onitsha that this was a means of creating employment and wealth, noting that mechanised farmers were among the wealthiest people in the world.

Ilouno said that the federal and state governments had been supplying farmers with inputs such as fertilizers, improved seedlings, pesticide and weedicide, cash crops and lands at a subsidised cost or free of charge.

“So what determines the orientation of the youths is what obtains in the society, so I am not blaming them.

“But thank God we are now having them re-orientated in their value system so that they would understand the need to follow certain things that will help them grow.

“Many people did not know that a farmer can wear white shirt, white jean to enter the farm and still come out white.

Yes, you can.

“If you are doing mechanised agriculture, most of the things are mechanized, so you are able to farm without necessary making yourself dirty and when you do that kind of farming you come out have bountiful yield

that would give you a lot of money.

“Farmers are very wealthy people and they eat well, and they eat healthy foods and they last longer, they live longer.

“So, there must be something that would attract the youths; it is by doing it and they will see it.

“Thank God for (Gov.) Willie Obiano, who is going into mechanised agriculture, when he does that; the youths would say - ahhh!, so we are been misled, so agriculture that is money in it.

“You see them switch over without anybody talking to them. So I believe that very soon our youths would be begging to be absorbed into the farms,’’ he said.

The chairman urged leaders, elders and mentors to engineer the minds of youths to take into small businesses, especially agriculture and agro-allied ventures, where God had blessed the country richly.

He added that farmers had the advantage of a healthier life because “they eat well, feed on healthy foods and live longer since most of their fears and worries are borne through support from government and other organisations”.

The Land Acquisition Committee has already acquired more than 300,000 hectares of arable farm lands as well as tens of large bodies of water for fish farming in Anambra ahead of the kick-off of the programme.

Soldiers displaying one of the captured armoured vehicle from insurgents in Maiduguri recently. The vehicle was among those captured when they repelled an attack in Konduga, headquarters of Konduga LGA of Borno.

IFAD Wants Agricultural Transformation ABUJA - The International and see what we can bring Agenda Sustained Fund for Agricultural forward and take a look at the and made a sustainable Development (IFAD) has said that the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) should be sustained because it has become a beacon of hope for Africa.

The Country Programme Manager, Ms Atsuko Toda, made this known on the sidelines of the inauguration of the ATA Policy Working

we would achieve our collective objectives when we discharge our duties effectively,” he said.

Obayemi said that the command would continue to use churches, mosques, schools and other avenues to disseminate information to the public on the need to obey traffic regulations.

“They help us in enlightening the public to shun over speeding, overloading, careless driving, dangerous overtaking, making calls while driving and drivers who take alcohol while driving, among others.

“We should also intensify our patrols to educate the public to ensure the functionality of their tyres and wipers among others, especially during this rainy season.

He solicited the assistance of special marshals and road safety clubs among others, in the task of properly enlightening the public to obey traffic regulations.

“The task of ensuring safety on our roads is a collective one

policy.

“All over Africa, ATA had been recognised; it has become a beacon of hope for other African countries.

“It had brought a new approach to Nigerian agriculture and its policies, the execution and institutions of the ATA must be sustained.

“Now is the time to look at the lesson that had been learnt

policy and institutional reforms we need to sustain.

“Development partners, including IFAD are behind the sustainability of ATA,’’ she said.

She said budget commitment and fund releases for development programmes were extremely important to ensure the success of ATA to move forward.

N447m Projects Abandoned At FUTO

OWERRI - Mr Moses Chukwu, an official of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo, has attributed the stoppage of work on N447 million projects at the institution to unavailability of funds.

FRSC Zonal Commander Urges Officers To Improve On Zone’s Rating

ABAKALIKI - Mr Samuel Obayemi, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC ), Zone 9 Zonal Commanding Officer,Comprising of Ebonyi,Abia and Imo state has urged officers under his command to work hard in order to improve on the command’s annual rating.

Obayemi gave the advice in Abakaliki, when he addressed officers of the Ebonyi sector command during his familiarisation tour of the command.

According to him, the present 7th position of the zone out of the 12 zonal commands in the country was unacceptable, as the officers are expected to redouble their efforts to reverse the trend.

“We are expected to be the best among the zonal commands in the country, as the zone would continue to reward committed and dedicated officers while punishing erring ones.

“All officers, from the most junior to the sector commander are assigned responsibilities, as

Group in Abuja on Monday.

“IFAD believes that the vision of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the value chains and linking producers to market should be imbibed and sustained.

“We believe that the vision of the ministry, the value chains and linking producers to market should be imbibed

that involves all stakeholders, as we must all work together to achieve this goal, especially during this rainy season,” he said.

Chukwu made this known while conducting a project monitoring team of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) round projects being executed by the Federal Government in the institution.

He said that work on the projects, numbering five, stopped about four years ago due to non-release of funds by the government.

“Government has not been appropriating enough funds for us to complete these vital projects.

“These are important

projects that will promote learning in this institution and it saddens us to see them this way,” he said.

Chukwu, who is the university’s Chief Engineer, however, disclosed that the management of the school used part of its internally-generated revenue to complete one of the projects and got another near completion.

“We really need help to get these projects completed,” he stated.

He also blamed contractors handling some of the projects

Maiduguri residents hailing Nigerian soldiers over their victory against insurgents in Konduga LGA recently.

for the problems with the jobs, saying “even when money was released, they did not act with dispatch.”

In his reaction, the acting Chairman of FRC, Mr Victor Muruako, who led the verification team, urged the management of the institution to follow up issues on the projects to ensure that they were completed.

Describing the projects as “very important”, Muruako advised the management to appeal to relevant institutions that could help the university to get more funds appropriated for the completion of the projects.

“It is sad to see projects that could revolutionise and transform the education sector of this country be in waste.

“Imagine that the Centre for Energy and Power System Research, School of Environmental Technology, School of Health Technology, and Research and Technical Assistance for Development Scheme projects, all going to waste.

“Something needs to be done and we will help you once we get all relevant documents on the projects,” he said.

He also advised institutions not to be afraid to do away with contractors that were not performing.

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY (17/09/2014) Stocks

Open

Close

Change

Deals

7UP

134

134

0

0

ABCTRANS

0.7

0.7

0

0

ACADEMY

1.55

1.48

-0.07

0

ACCESS

9.59

9.59

0

0

Value

MULTITREX

0.5

0.5

0

27,389

4,042,661.97

NAHCO

5.21

5.1

-0.11

0

1,428,347

7,372,341.93

3,321,857

2,313,296.70

NASCON

9.35

9

-0.35

0

888,433

8,073,977.68

105,000

155,400.00

NB

175

176.05

1.05

0

384,368

67,476,174.19

4,213,216

40,404,741.44

NEIMETH

1.03

1.07

0.04

0

207,683

221,227.79

0.77

0.8

0.03

0

2,972,045

2,374,302.65

Units

0

2,960,237

1,480,119.10

AFRIPRUD

3.14

3.16

0.02

0

1,425,967

4,482,826.46

NEM

AFROMEDIA

0.5

0.5

0

0

10,000

5,000.00

NESTLE

1010

1010.6

0.6

0

136,951

138,425,816.60

AGLEVENT

1.45

1.38

-0.07

0

189,030

260,861.40

NEWGOLD

1953

1960

7

0

25

49,000.00

AIICO

0.82

0.83

0.01

0

2,874,562

2,335,969.23

NIGERINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

72,460

36,230.00

21.99

21.99

0

0

1,070

22,470.00 2,500.00

AIRSERVICE

2

2

0

0

27,200

56,300.00

NNFM

ASHAKACEM

33.29

32.48

-0.81

0

387,328

12,468,122.25

NPFMCRFBK

1

1

0

0

2,500

BERGER

8.6

8.6

0

0

21,804

188,652.56

NSE30

1850.75

1852.91

2.16

0

122,226,6742,508,002,655.00

BETAGLAS

19.4

18.85

-0.55

0

306,190

5,728,962.55

NSE50

2004.51

2007.44

2.93

0

146,430,5832,653,237,695.00

CAP

39.4

39

-0.4

0

521,287

20,364,779.73

NSEASI

40648.16

40729.49

81.33

0

195,988,5502,800,928,377.00

CAVERTON

4.7

4.7

0

0

72,600

342,294.00

NSEBNK

427.61

425.38

-2.23

0

74,573,0901,109,150,579.00

CCNN

14

14

0

0

270,068

3,705,832.85

NSECNSMRGDS

990.03

991.61

1.58

0

9,825,845

497,283,090.70

2675.64

2712.78

37.14

0

3,055,203

308,400,535.90

CHAMPION

8.7

8.7

0

0

74,700

665,520.00

NSEINDUSTR

CHAMS

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,000,000

500,000.00

NSEINS

142.17

142.48

0.31

0

14,197,071

11,062,007.88

CILEASING

0.5

0.5

0

0

31,948

15,974.00

NSELOTUSISLM

2651.19

2667.51

16.32

0

8,364,496

672,933,087.20

CONOIL

50.51

47.99

-2.52

0

284,803

13,672,733.32

NSEOILGAS

448.87

443.49

-5.38

0

4,370,275

210,422,502.30

CONTINSURE

0.98

0.97

-0.01

0

1,394,000

1,364,120.00

OANDO

24.79

24.2

-0.59

0

3,151,463

76,094,315.83

CORNERST

0.5

0.5

0

0

3,044,604

1,522,842.00

OKOMUOIL

33.98

34

0.02

0

776,271

26,161,323.23

COSTAIN

1.02

1.01

-0.01

0

530,250

535,143.75

OMATEK

0.5

0.5

0

0

10,000

5,000.00

1.6

1.6

0

0

250

420

COURTVILLE

0.56

0.57

0.01

0

66,400

37,848.00

PAINTCOM

CUSTODYINS

3.99

3.93

-0.06

0

1,039,371

4,093,305.89

PORTPAINT

5.34

5.34

0

0

10,000

53,400.00

CUTIX

1.76

1.84

0.08

0

66,666

122,665.44

PREMBREW

4.65

4.88

0.23

0

50,111

244,541.68

CWG

4.8

4.8

0

0

1,000

4,800.00

PRESCO

36

37.5

1.5

0

353,625

12,822,888.10

34.95

34.98

0.03

0

633,780

21,609,295.69

DAARCOMM

0.5

0.5

0

0

300,000

150,000.00

PZ

DANGCEM

230

222

-8

0

891,908

196,194,188.20

REDSTAREX

4.63

4.4

-0.23

0

1,019,500

4,528,033.50

DANGFLOUR

7.25

7.25

0

0

181,193

1,283,427.81

RESORTSAL

0.5

0.5

0

0

250

125

DANGSUGAR

8.35

8.2

-0.15

0

781,979

6,445,557.71

ROYALEX

0.53

0.53

0

0

148,728

78,845.84

DIAMONDBNK

6.47

6.23

-0.24

0

2,355,153

14,624,765.70

RTBRISCOE

0.89

0.9

0.01

0

199,119

177,851.92

DNMEYER

1.1

1.1

0

0

75,490

85,814.50

SEPLAT

675

675

0

0

112,033

75,535,498.90

DUNLOP

0.5

0.5

0

0

5,000

2,500.00

SKYEBANK

2.76

2.76

0

0

9,853,715

27,115,397.92

30

30

0

0

958,588

28,757,640.00

ETERNA

3.84

3.8

-0.04

0

325,805

1,237,101.26

STANBIC

ETI

19.2

19.2

0

0

3,736,340

71,768,375.30

STERLNBANK

2.2

2.17

-0.03

0

1,704,856

3,720,157.46

FBNH

14.6

14.5

-0.1

0

11,052,765

160,934,240.70

STUDPRESS

2.4

2.4

0

0

200

456

FCMB

4.15

4.18

0.03

0

7,600,131

32,235,343.07

TANTALIZER

0.5

0.5

0

0

3,000

1,500.00

180

175.1

-4.9

0

226,619

40,205,027.35

FIDELITYBK

1.95

1.95

0

0

11,094,561

21,666,528.31

TOTAL

FIDSON

3.28

3.33

0.05

0

253,070

842,736.80

TRANSCORP

5.99

5.96

-0.03

0

25,573,694

153,317,895.80

FO

221

218

-3

0

323,650

71,461,232.69

UACN

59.9

56.91

-2.99

0

1,282,077

73,018,454.95

FTNCOCOA

0.53

0.51

-0.02

0

2,564,625

1,315,873.65

UBA

7.03

6.8

-0.23

0

7,961,216

54,770,873.18

GLAXOSMITH

63

65

2

0

270,435

17,448,956.58

UBCAP

2

2.05

0.05

0

5,466,580

10,987,500.13

GNI

0.5

0.5

0

0

210,000

105,000.00

UBN

10.21

9.71

-0.5

0

763,594

7,461,591.31

GUARANTY

28.45

28.61

0.16

0

16,061,490

459,984,217.90

UNHOMES

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,000

500

48.05

48.2

0.15

0

698,744

33,868,864.84

GUINEAINS

0.5

0.5

0

0

30,000

15,000.00

UNILEVER

GUINNESS

172

171

-1

0

563,996

96,961,496.87

UNITYBNK

0.5

0.5

0

0

484,026

242,013.00

HONYFLOUR

4.03

4.02

-0.01

0

1,104,175

4,448,830.43

UNIVINSURE

0.5

0.5

0

0

75,000

37,500.00

IKEJAHOTEL

1.71

1.79

0.08

0

5,802,666

10,386,692.14

VETGRIF30

18.43

18.48

0.05

0

10

184.8

4.3

4.1

-0.2

0

1,007,208

4,146,186.60

INTBREW

28.41

28.13

-0.28

0

2,794,795

79,135,735.39

VITAFOAM

INTENEGINS

0.54

0.52

-0.02

0

3,934,444

2,046,144.21

VONO

1.2

1.26

0.06

0

140,650

177,219.00

JAPAULOIL

0.5

0.5

0

0

1,061,188

530,594.00

WAPCO

120

123.75

3.75

0

579,702

69,573,512.34

JBERGER

63.99

64

0.01

0

371,048

23,356,215.61

WAPIC

0.72

0.72

0

0

2,037,240

1,466,912.80

JOSBREW

2.46

2.46

0

0

55,000

128,700.00

WEMABANK

0.91

0.94

0.03

0

2,641,384

2,470,428.19

LAWUNION

0.5

0.5

0

0

3,800,000

1,900,000.00

ZENITHBANK

24.2

24.25

0.05

0

16,828,949

407,633,930.60

LEARNAFRCA

1.6

1.6

0

0

21,890

33,272.80

LIVESTOCK

3

3

0

0

189,020

566,855.40

MANSARD

2.5

2.5

0

0

505,880

1,264,640.00

MAYBAKER

1.42

1.4

-0.02

0

650,590

926,507.40

MBENEFIT

0.53

0.54

0.01

0

1,221,280

659,491.20

MOBIL

180

180

0

0

39,042

6,796,707.62

MORISON

1.82

1.82

0

0

150

273

MRS

56

56

0

0

18,893

955,384.22

TOP 10 GAINERS

TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS

Stock

Close

Gain

Stock

Close

Loss

NSEASI NSEINDUSTR NSELOTUSISLM NEWGOLD WAPCO NSE50 NSE30 GLAXOSMITH NSECNSMRGDS PRESCO

40729.49 2712.78 2667.51 1960 123.75 2007.44 1852.91 65 991.61 37.5

81.33 37.14 16.32 7 3.75 2.93 2.16 2 1.58 1.5

DANGCEM NSEOILGAS TO TA L FO UACN CONOIL NSEBNK GUINNESS ASHAKACEM OANDO

222 443.49 175.1 218 56.91 47.99 425.38 171 32.48 24.2

-8 -5.38 -4.9 -3 -2.99 -2.52 -2.23 -1 -0.81 -0.59

TERROR groups in Northern Nigeria have, since the inception of the Jonathan administration unleashed mayhem on innocent citizens in most parts of the region with security agencies and the presidency promising almost on a daily basis to deal with the insurgence with out any headway till date.

LITTLE wonder then that the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Mr. Peter Voser raised the red flag that security situation in Nigeria had worsened in the last two years. Voser in a speech posted on the company’s website noted “the stealing and sabotage of crude oil intensified during the year under re view thereby threatening its multi-billionaire-dollar business” and opined that Shell alone cannot tackle the issues. THE Company’s chief executive recommended a multi-stakeholder approach as they have pushed for several years which has gone unheeded by the Nigerian authorities.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER, is disturbed over the security situation in the country as the United States of America recently raised alarm over escalating insecurity of lives, property and businesses necessitating in its restricting the movement of its citizens within some states in Nigeria.

WE are even more worried over the implications of corporate citizens’ perceptions of our security on larger businesses and in particular, growth and development of the country.

Unfortunately, efforts by Nigerian security to address the challenge have not yielded the desired results.

THE NIGERIAN

Going Tougher On Terror Groups IT is an incontrovertible fact that there could be no meaningful development in any society where security of lives and property is heavily under threat. Shell’s expose reveals of colossal sums of money lost through oil theft by criminals who, in our view act in concert with powerful and well connected Nigerians including even some unscrupulous officials of the nation’s security organisations.

THE sad situation the nation finds itself is an attestation of the lack of political will by government over the years to deal decisively with the various security challenges that have arisen with one leading to the other, some of which now have ethnic, and religious colourations.

Kidnap ping of multinational oil workers in the Niger Delta went on for too long unaddressed until it metamorphosed into kid nap of innocent low income earners, a situation which speaks volumes of our unpreparedness to tackle the menace of kidnappers until the mother of the Finance Minister and Head of the economic team of Mr. President was kidnapped by hoodlums to the utter embarrassment of the whole nation.

CLEARLY, the Nigeria Police Force have failed woefully to live up to its responsibility as from every indications, the police themselves, including the high authorities are either involved in criminal activities or are pre-occupied in shielding perpetrators of criminal offences.

THE political class have equally not helped the situation as most of them are involved in arming youth groups to do their political billing who in turn go back to the trenches with such arms to perpetrate criminality against the people and the state.

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER is strongly of the view that if Nigeria must attain its national goals and objectives, the present administration must take proactive steps to tight insecurity in the land and restore hope and confidence amongst all stakeholders, BUT in all, we believe the President needs to exercise the political will to make this happen. Mr. President needs to throw away ethnic, sectional and other sentimental gaits and wear his nationalistic apparel to deal with insecurity in the country.

GOING forward, we join shell Petroleum Plc to recommend a well organised, multistakeholder approach to dealing with insecurity in the country. The Nigerian Army, Navy, Air force, Department of State Security Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigerian Immigration, Nigerian Customs and most importantly, the Nigeria Police Force need urgent over haul. All outfits need better coordination to arrest the situation and make the country safer for all.

Issues 2015:

Corruption And Tenacity Of Power

“I define tenacity of office as a political Monstrosity whose characteristics are an Inordinate and shameless love of power For its own sake and a morbid tenacity for public Office even when all the legitimacy for continuing In such public office has completely disappeared” CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO (VOICE OF COURAGE)

POWER has a scandent and transilient potential, but it brings out the theriomorphic proclivities in man. Hence, realizing the transitoriness and ephermerality of power, the Sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo in his allocutus delivered on 11th September, 1963, when Justice Sowemimo declared him guilty on charges of treasonable felony, said: “But after darkness comes the glorious dawn. It is therefore, with a brave heart, with confident hope and with faith in my unalterable destiny that I go from the twilight of power into darkness, unshaken in my trust in the providence of God that the glorious dawn will come on the morrow”.

Power has the instinctual edacity, gourmandising and ambrosial trait of insatiety in the life of its holder. In Homer’s Odyssey the Lothophagis, a people living on the northern coast of Africa lived a life of indolence and forgetfulness induced by eating the fruit of the lotus: some of Odyssus cotravelers in search of the Golden Fleece ate with them and forgot their friends, homes and native land. So too are the mental escapades of those in power.

Power is authority and dominance. It has a perceptive, cognitive and volitional nature.

It is the right to control, command and enforce obedience. It comes in hydra and protean formats. It could be political, economic, domestic, social and traditional format etc.

It could have democratic, despotic, monarchical, hegemonistic and plutocratic colourations. But in whatever template it comes it has a tendency to be intoxicating, unputdownable, the chameleonic faeces syndrome and tantalizing on most people.

Hence, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

In the light of the approaching 2015 elections in Nigeria, power is currently undergoing political osmosis, social calculus and strategic dynamics. All with a view to appropriating power to various interest groups and individuals.

The question therefore arises, Will President Goodluck Jonathan contest the 2015 presidential election? Does he have a constitutional right to

By BOBSON GBINIJE

contest? What are his chances?

Will the PDP stand by him if he chooses to contest? Will the miasmatic and multidimensional cleavages of the North stand by him and will the totality of the Niger Delta and the South–South Geopolitical Zone, his major constituency stand in a political Indian file behind him?

Any law, edict, provision, ordinance, statute and decree etc, barring President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan GCFR from contesting the 2015 Presidential election is not known to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is therefore free as the wind to contest the 2015 Presidential election. Indeed, this is rooted in the 1863 Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address that “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

LEADERSHIP is an esteemed position of service, demanding high standards of discipline and integrity.

Leadership demands selfdenial, self sacrifice. It requires a vision and a mission in service. It must be able to combine administrative astuteness, political shrewdness with moral uprightness.

In Richard Nixon’s Profile and reminiscences of men who have shaped the modern world, he said “Great leadership is a form of art, requiring both force and vision to an extraordinary degree, the leader necessarily deals to a large extent in symbols, in images and sort of galvanizing idea that both persuade and move them. The manager thinks of today and tomorrow, but the leader thinks of the day after tomorrow. The leader represents a direction of history”.

But plinthed on the Aristotelian groundnorm of leadership and service, which is the pursuit of the greatest good for the largest number and the groundswell of good and altruistic governance can President Goodluck Jonathan say he has the moral, political, socio-economic justification to contest the presidential election in 2015? There will be as many opinions in this matter as there are individuals. But I know that his PDP bedfellows, tribesmen and women, co-political travelers and bootlickers etc will descend upon me with their verbal pyrotechnics, grammatical and Machiavellian sledge hammer, as I dare say that “President Goodluck Ebele Azikwe Jonathan has no leadership credentials (I do not

mean a PHD from the University), verve, élan and moral locus to re-contest the presidential election come 2015”.

Nigeria is a Nation formed as a result of the agglomeration of different heterogeneous groups of people locked in the parenthetical placidity and horrendous cesspit of psychotic corruption. Corruption is the cancerous bane forestalling the growth and development of the

Machiavellian leadership style has precipitated religious schism, political mélange and social topsy-turvydom in most states in the federation. So much so that the peace, security, unity and progress of Nigeria is now being compromised and in tatters. I must make it clear that these views are my honest and candid opinion without prejudice to political coloration and bias as I have no personal grudges against President Goodluck Jonathan, but against his lack luster governing formula, under achievement, leadership style and lackadaisical governance

empowering women, promoting gender equality, ensuing environmental sustain ability and effecting structural revolution across this country etc. Jonathan has not been able to do any of these things.

The level of corruption and lack of transparency in the Jonathan administration is so proverbially unprecedented that it cannot be swept under the carpet and wished away, if Nigeria must take its rightful place in the comity of Nations and make reliably tangible impact in terms of political, socio-economic progress. The hallmark of corruption has seen the Lawangate, Uduahgate, Pension-scam, Oil Subsidy scam, reckless and fraudulent pardon of the doyen

initiative.

Some have argued that since Jonathan is from the Niger Delta, he must be given a ‘Second Term’ because this is the closest and first time we as Niger Deltans have gotten close to the zenith and apex of political power in Nigeria. And that by political strategy and leadership permutation we deserve a second term. They further opined that by power calculus the power of incumbency which we now wield must be put to good use and advantage.

These are no doubt beautifully laudable arguments.

But is Goodluck Jonathan still a good material to represent the Niger Delta in the light of his colossal and obvious failings?

The common denominator of good government is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, reducing child mortality, improving internal health, controlling HIV/AIDS, malaria, cholera and other diseases, achieving freed quality education at all levels,

of corruption Dipreye Alamieyeseigha etc. His audacious assertions of “I don’t give a damn”, I don’t bother about criticisms and so on shows that, it is clear the Jonathan cannot rule this country after 2015.

President Jonathan cannot do a rethink and renaissance in terms of constructive ideas and implementational bravura because he has crowded and appointed weird people into his cabinet. The Guardian Newspaper of Thursday, September 12, 2013 aptly said “the overriding consideration of these power mongers is the political patronage which this portends. It is after an opportunity to nominate only those who are rabidly, loyal and subservient to them regardless of their suitability for the office.

The primary mandate of such a nominee is to feather the nest of his patron to whom he is beholden and who he perceives as his god father.

More often than not, such appointees are mere mediocres,

President Goodluck Jonathan

Nigerian Nation right from independence till date (1960 – 2013) and the political cabal have apotheosized corruption and made the fight against prebendalistic graft and corruption antediluvian history.

President Jonathan has shown by his ludibrastic passivity, cluelessness, planlessness and leadership inertia that he is not the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is not in control, but only fronting for clandestine political cabals and goons. In the fight against corruption, in the education sector, in the provision of shelter, good roads, water, light (Discos and Gencos power anarchy), security (Laughable), peace, medicare, transportation, etc, we have very infinitesimally little to write home about. Indeed, there is consummate and cardinal infrastructural decay and poverty has become the grandiloquent body guard of 90% of Nigerians. What a shame!

His Nero-like and

clueless and inept, ill equipped for the enormous responsibility of nation–building. The nation undoubtedly gets a raw deal when the wrong people get into offices. Even if their age is no problem, what about the age of their ideas. Nigerian leaders and citizen (my addition) at all levels currently must have a sense of shame. They owe it a duty to fish out patriotic and right- thinking citizens to man positions of responsibility. The stature of a leader is not diminished but enhanced by appointing those that are better and bigger than themselves into public offices. He takes the glory at the end of the day for a job well done. Above all, he leaves his name on the sand of time. Of course, it takes character to be such a leader and yet that is what this nation needs today (I concur 100% with the Guardian Editorial).

I must however add that Enough is Enough of President Goodluck Jonathan’s political antics and that of his surrogates.

The south- south/ Niger Delta must present a new candidate to represent its interest in the 2015 presidential election. The Ijaws of the Niger Delta/South-South Geo-political Zone have the materials who through their charismatic positivity, lebensraum, zeitgeist, cerebral virtuosity and constructive positivity can give Nigeria great leadership come 2015. The fascistic despotic use of Gestapo-like political security institution and apparatchiks against perceived enemies is an insult to democracy. The predilection for skullduggery has impacted negatively on all his perceived enemies, the handling of the Amaechi Debacle, Amnesty Programme, East West Road, Dredging of the Calabar Port etc.

Finally, in Walter Lippmann’s (1889 -1974) book “Roosevelt Has Gone” he said “the final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on” and in Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece” he said “o opportunity, thy guilt is great!

Tis thou that executed the traitor’s treason; thou set’st the wolf where he the lamb may get; whoever plots the sin thou point’st the season” and Sir Winston Churchhill said “politics are almost as interesting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times” “I count him braver who overcome his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is the victory over self”. Aristotle (384-322bc) President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, your political escapades are over.

Jonathan Go!!!

CHIEF BOBSON GBINIJE MANDATE AGAINST POVERTY (MAP) WARRI. 08023250378

Ajuwaya “Although prison is not a home for us but the prisoners are not suffering, they are living an averagely comfortable life, the environment is so neat and a lot of trainings are going on there.”

NYSC Charity CDS Visit To Oko Prison

CHARITY can be defined as the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing. It is an unconditional love, unlimited love, kindness and voluntary giving of help to those in need.

Charitable giving is the act of giving money, goods or time to the unfortunate, either directly or by means of a charitable trust or other worthy cause.

Charitable giving as a religious act or duty is referred to as almsgiving or alms. In Islam, this is called ZAKAT, and is one of the five pillars upon which the Muslim religion is blessed.

Charity CDS is one of the CDS group in NYSC Scheme. As we all known, each corps members is entitle to join one particular CDS as part of serving their fatherland and as part of contributing to their host community. Community Development Service (CDS) is one of the main segments of NYSC scheme.

As the name implies “Charity CDS”, this CDS is all about sharing and caring for the needy. As we all known each and everyone of us needs care either directly or otherwise. A lot of people are out there crying for help,

By LATEEFAT O. MOSHOOD

fighting for care and dying to be love.

Because of these, charity CDS now came in as one of the scheme to eradicate this problem in our society. It came in to feel the gap which is too open to be neglected by giving alms, sharing love and caring for the needy.

On Wednesday, 10th of September, 2014, charity CDS group as one of their duty paid a visit to Oko Prison, to meet and show care and love to the prisoners with the words of encouragement and a lot of goods, both eatable and wearable.

Hmmm!!! “Why Prison”?

Although this might surprise and sound funny but it is one of our duty as a caring unit

to visit the people who needs us the most.

We arrived the prison at exactly 10am and we were welcomed by Mr. Ikpea J.A, the gateman.

A brief history of the prison was given by Mr. Frank. He said: “ it was established in 2nd of March, 1988 with 608 inmate lockup capacity but as at present the inmate has grown to 1212”.

We were walked around the cell by Mr. Ikhelowa Sanusi, with the general provost of inmate Mr. Chinedu.

The prison is divided into three segments; The Convict, Lifer and Trial…

“The convicts” are the people that were found guilty of their crime and

they were sent there to serve their punishment. Some of them are still with hopes that they we leave the place one day because their punishment is just temporary while some are to serve and spent their lifetimes there, depend on how huge the crime they committed is.

“The Trials” are those that still have their case pending in the court. They have not got their final judgment but are kept in the prison for further notice.

“The Lifer” they are the prisoner that has been condemned, they have been pronounced guilty of their offences and the only judgment for them is to be hanging to death. This type of prisoners are only counting seconds, not even minutes or hours because their eradication letters can be arrive at anytime.

Although, they might have

done something so terrible before that judgment can be passed on them but notwithstanding as human I really felt so sad.

Mrs. Juliet Adingupe O. the officer in charge of the female inmate said, “we have only 24 female inmate, 4 convict, 1 lifer and 19 trials” she said.

Some prisoners were met in chapel. The chapel was built by Augustina Ugbana Onyinye an ex-charity group corps members from Idakoka Etiti Idemili L.G.A Anambra state, dedicated by Arch-bishop Eboseri Patrick Ekpu on the 1st of March, 2003.

Although prison is not a home for us but the prisoners are not suffering, they are living an averagely comfortable life, the environment is so neat and a lot of trainings are going on there.

They have skill acquisition training for both male and female inmate for them to learn like; Hair dressing salon, tailoring, knitting, Barbing salon e.t.c They also have carpentering and carving workshops where chairs, bed, stools and other things are made.

The computer room of 13 laptops and 5 desktops is also there for the prisoner to learn and library for the educated ones.

The chairs in the computer room are also one of our charitable works which was donated by charity CDS group in 2010.

“Charity CDS group does not limit its duty to Oko prison alone. As of May, 2014 a visit was also paid to Edo Orphanage home, where a lot of gifts were presented and love and care were shown to the children.”

The health of the inmate is also in control. According to Mr. Tolahi “I takes care of the inmate medically, doctors comes every Tuesday to check on them. And also a psychiatric doctor comes once in a month to check on them too. Female inmates are also catered for, when they are pregnant, the baby can be with them for a year and six month and after that the family of the inmate can come for the child or they will take the child to an orphanage.” He said.

Mr. Ovie F.E, the Prison Service Deputy Controller, said “Oko prison is a place where crimes is fight outside the community by involving the inmate in vocation activities for them to learn one or two skills “The purpose of the skill is to make the inmate useful to themselves and the society when discharged “A lot of prisoners have been neglected and abandoned by their families because of their disgraceful act “Mr. Osehingie Julius, the welfare officer has been able to cement the relationship between the inmate and their families by inviting them offer.

“The skill acquisition training was also established to fill the enmity gap between the prisoners and their families” he said.

Charity CDS group does not limit its duty to Oko prison alone. As of May, 2014 a visit was also paid to Edo Orphanage home, where a lot of gifts were presented and love and care were shown to the children.

Distributing of goods and items to the street beggars is still one of the works that was carried out by charity cds group. Visiting of hospitals to check on the welfare of the sick’s is also one of the great deeds that have been performed by charity CDS group.

Child Health & You Exclusive Breastfeeding: IN a previous presentation in the Weekly Thursday Feature in the Nigerian Observer, ‘CHILD HEALTH AND YOU’, we reviewed some benefits of Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) and Optimal Breastfeeding (OBF) beyond mother and child; specifically, the benefits to the family and the hospital were exhaustively discussed. We will, in this presentation, elaborate on some other such related benefits of EBF and OBF. BENEFITS OF EBF AND OBF TO THE NATION Optimal Resource Utilization With successful practice of EBF and OBF, and the implementation of all the essentials of the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), babies will be fed with only breastmilk for the first six months of life and, thereafter, commenced on complementary foods which are largely and preferably prepared from locally available foodstuffs in the homes while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years or beyond where feasible. The protean economic implications for the country are enormous. The scarce foreign earnings of the country will not be spent to import unnecessarily infant and young child foods. Also, the foreign earnings will not be channelled towards the importation of feeding bottles, teats, sterilization units and the needed chemicals. Energy generated and consumed for sterilization of feeding utensils will be greatly minimized.

Where the fuel for sterilization is from the fetching and hewing of firewood, there will be grave implications for the nation’s environment which will be discussed further later in this presentation. Since EBF and OBF guarantee optimal health for the infants and young children, there will be reduced prevalence of the common childhood morbidities including, among others, Diarrhoeal disorders, Acute Respiratory Infections, Measles, Malaria, Malnutrition and Neonatal disorders. The resultant national health burden, including national health bills on drugs, hospital admissions and loss of manhours by the parents of the sick children, will be greatly reduced by optimizing the practice of EBF and OBF. The national cost implication of packaging and distribution of the large volumes of infant and young child foods, the feeding utensils and sterilizing adjuncts will be virtually eclipsed. Successful practice of EBF and OBF will ensure that only the absolutely needed commodities, and these will be much smaller than currently obtains, will imprint their toll on the national budget.

The PPE Spiral: EBF and OBF as Antidote It has been largely suggested that the bane of developing countries is the dangerous, vicious and downward PPE Spiral: Poverty, Population Explosion and Environmental degradation. Through EBF and OBF practised by an increasing

proportion of the populace, the cumulative impact on child survival, health and development will be the emergence of a healthy productive workforce for the nation with an assured increase in the country’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP) and the Gross National Product (GNP). The optimal utilization of the accruing foreign earnings, dealt with in the preceding segment, will assure a positive Balance of Trade (Trade Surplus) for the country with a salutary implication for the nation’s wealth; increased wealth will eclipse national poverty!

For the individual families, EBF and OBF guarantee a costeffective control of the number and spacing of the children in each family. The national aggregate of this child-spacing effect of EBF and OBF is a controlled expansion of the population; the antidote to uncontrolled Population Explosion. With assured child survival, health and development, the pressure for increased number of children per family, to offset the impact of the high childhood mortality, is greatly reduced and cumulatively has a determinant control effect on the national population trend.

Breastfeeding, particularly EBF and OBF, has been reported by the author of this presentation as ‘Baby-and EnvironmentFriendly’ in his unique imaginatively innovative contraption: ‘Baby-and Environment-Friendly Initiative (BEFI). The ecological implications of EBF and OBF have also been reported by other scholars. The impact of EBF and OBF on the environment will be discussed further in this presentation. The strict and successful implementation of the BFHI, and the practice of EBF and OBF, is a low-cost highimpact antidote against the dangerous PPE Spiral and a guarantee for sustainable national development.

Development Status of a Nation In the World Economic Order, nations are ranked to reflect their Development Status. There are several Development Ranking Tools or Parameters which include, among others, GNP or GDP, GNP per capita or GDP per capita, Under-fives Mortality Rate (U5MR), Life Expectancy and Human Development Index (HDI). By optimizing the practice and benefits of EBF and OBF, childhood mortality is greatly reduced with enhanced child survival and reduced U5MR. The U5MR has been used extensively for the Development Ranking of nations and is particularly thought to be development-sensitive. This author has also been advancing the role of EBF in reducing the predisposition to the induction of some adult diseases through the influence of breastfeeding on pre-pregnancy states of women/ mothers which ‘programme’ the body composition of their foetuses/ babies in the womb (i.e. a new ‘Pre-FOAD Hypothesis’

Further Benefits Beyond

Mother And Child (2)

By PROF C.O. EREGIE

being disseminated by this author: where ‘FOAD’ means ‘Foetal Origins of Adult Diseases’). It is thus suggested that EBF and OBF may contribute to increasing Life Expectancy and improving a nation’s development ranking status through a reduction in the prevalence of such adult disorders as Diabetes, Obesity,

reduced faeces and other wastes for disposal.

With successful EBF and OBF, there will be reduced demand for Baby Foods. This translates to a reduced pressure on the industries for the production of baby foods. The cows that are reared for the baby milk production release anal emissions into the environment

implications for the forest as the source of the packaging raw materials and the pollution burden from the industrial package production. We have only exposed some aspects of the environmental burden of not breastfeeding exclusively and optimally.

BENEFITS OF EBF AND OBF: THE INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

Hypertension and Ischaemic Heart problems just to mention but a few! Breastfeeding is therefore a low-cost high-impact intervention strategy for guaranteed national development and an intervention for a nation’s positive development status shift.

Considering this benefit of breastfeeding, it has been canvassed by the author of this presentation, and some other scholars, that ‘Breastmilk’ should be regarded as a Nation’s Natural Resource to be tapped and optimally utilized for national development through the practice of EBF and OBF through faithful and diligent implementation of the BFHI. BENEFITS OF EBF AND OBF TO THE ENVIRONMENT The more EBF and OBF are successfully practised, the less infant and young child foods are purchased and used for infant and young child feeding. There is reduced generation of wastes for disposal into the environment. The empty cans of the infant and young child foods will not add to the burden of waste disposal. Also, washing of the leftovers and residua and the feeding utensils and the attention to the sterilization units all lead to further generation of wastes to be appropriately disposed of with implications for the environment. Breastmilk is the best food for the infants and young children with the highest bioavailability with resultant

which accumulate to pollute and create pockets of defects in the normal ozone layer in the atmosphere which protects the earth from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays (‘Ozone Holes’ in the atmosphere) thereby allowing the ultraviolet rays of the sun to penetrate to the earth’s surface with consequent over-heating and the dangerous global warming and ‘Climate Change’. As the vehicular and animal anal emissions and other gases pollute the atmosphere and its clouds, they combine with the rains to form ‘acid rains’ that destroy buildings, trees, leach the soil, damage crops and farmlands and also compromise aquatic life through pollution of the earth’s bodies of water (‘Eutrophication’ with increased nutrient concentration and dangerous reduction in aquatic oxygen levels). The grazing of the cows also compromises the earth’s surface, and its ‘greens’, with resultant erosion and flooding from the rising water levels due to the global warming.

The heavy industrial machinery involved in the baby milk production also result in heavy atmospheric pollution with the pollutants accumulating to also create more ‘Ozone Holes’.

Worse still, the transportation burden of distributing these baby foods adds to the global warming through the ‘green house gases/ effect’ of the vehicular emissions. The industrial production of the packaging for the baby foods also has

Breastfeeding and Agenda Linkage Strategically, the world has used the platforms of the Agenda of various formal gatherings to link breastfeeding and breastfeeding-related issues to World Conferences, Conventions and Summits. This has offered opportunities for the Protection, Promotion and Support for EBF and OBF. Reciprocally, this strategy of ‘Agenda Linkage’ has also allowed the global and united front of world leaders for breastfeeding to be used to muster and galvanize worldsupport for the thrusts/ themes of the various Conferences/ Conventions/ Summits such that the campaign for EBF and OBF dovetails into campaign and benefits for these international agenda/ programmes/ issues.

The global support for breastfeeding has been phenomenal and unequalled and hence the strategy of its being linked to other, sometimes quite contentious but equally globally important, issues relating to different facets of human development. A few examples of Conferences/ Conventions/ Summits will more than suffice to make this point: The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) 1979, The Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC) 1989, The World Summit for Children (WSC) 1990, The World Conference on Environment and

Sustainable Development (The Earth Summit) 1992, Earth Summit + 5 in 1997, Earth Summit + 10 in 2002, the very recent Rio + 20 in 2012, The International Conference on Population and Development 1994 and The International Convention on the Rights of Women (Beijing Conference) 1995. Thus, support for EBF and OBF has been harnessed to support and benefit the world campaign to project and promote other critical issues with global implications for mankind.

International Code on Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and International Benefits In 1979, the world adopted an instrument to facilitate the regulation of the Marketing Practices to distribute, sell, purchase and use Breasmilk substitutes in order to protect and promote optimal infant and young child feeding for improved child survival, health, protection and development.

This subject was very well discussed in a previous presentation of the Weekly Thursday Feature: ‘CHILD HEALTH AND YOU’. Article 11 of the International Code deals with ‘Implementation and Monitoring’ and how nations can request the Technical Expertise of the United Nations Systems to build their capacity in the knowledge, skills and techniques necessary for the strict and successful implementation of the Code. This involves building capacities in the development of the Legal Instrument for Code Implementation and Enforcement, Monitoring to recognize Compliance and detect Violations and the application of appropriate Sanctions. In the effort to enforce the Code to protect and promote EBF and OBF, nations benefit from further development of their human resource capacity; a hidden benefit of breastfeeding.

This presentation reviewed the protean benefits of EBF and OBF to all components and segments of the polity/ society beyond the usually appreciated benefits to mothers and their children. The populace, with a greater understanding of EBF and OBF, should increase their commitment to protect, promote and support this low-cost highimpact intervention for the benefit and good of ALL: Child, Mother, Family, Hospital, Nation, Environment and International Community.

PROFESSOR C.O.EREGIE, Professor of Child Health and Neonatology, Institute of Child Health, University of Benin Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist, University of Benin Teaching Hospital ’CHILD HEALTH AND YOU’, a Weekly Thursday Feature in the Nigerian Observer, is a collaborative initiative between the Institute of Child Health, University of Benin, and the Bendel Newspapers Company Limited (BNCL), Benin City.

Spotlight

THE importance of the emergence of trees before the creation of man, according to historical records on creation, as enshrine in the Holy Bible, is not unconnected with contemporary science which has made it explicit that there would be no production of oxygen without trees; and without which the existence of man on earth would have been totally obliterated.

Nigeria is endowed with a large expanse of arable land, particularly in the North, that has over the years proved a vital resource for agricultural production and other economic activities.

However, a lot of damage has been done to the country’s land through deforestation, which is contributing immensely to desertification. This occurs in the form of tree felling for energy, bush burning and overgrazing by herdsmen.

In the same vein, the sahara desert is advancing South wards in to the country at the rate of 6.0 percent every year.

As a result, environmentalist say Nigeria loses about 350,00 – 400,000 hectares of land annually to desert encroachment.

This unfortunate development has led to displacements of communities across II frontline states in the North. These frontline states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kastina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.

Thus, millions of people are facing threats of hunger and economic problem due to present scale of desertification.

It is against this backdrop that Nigerian government has embraced the tree planting campaign across the country in such that not only the Northern States should be involved, but that every state across the nation, should be equally affected by this exercise. This goes to create awareness on the dangers of desertification and deforestation in Nigeria.

It is very amazing that even though there exist a wide range of disparity between human and trees, they still cannot survive independently. Man needs oxygen which tend to be produced as the waste product of trees, on the other hand, trees also needs carbon monoxide which is also a waste from humans, in order to survive.

In Nigeria, there is still poor fusion between the government and the entire

citizenry on the issue that bothers on planting trees. The composition of citizens as concerning this issue goes to show that there is still no interest by the general public concerning this pressing issue, and that evidence have shown that there still do not exist in all ramification any considerable adaptive capacity by citizens on the efforts that the government have invested so far.

Government have invested millions of naira to plant trees and encourage same, through adverts on print and broadcast media. Whereas, people still engage in the habit of cutting down trees, including fruit trees that can serve as food supplement. Sometimes, when people do not cut down these trees, they apply other methods like driving a 9 inch nail into the body of the tree and leaving it there as a sign of traditional ways of killing a tree, or they set it ablaze as a simple way of getting rid of it.

The importance of trees and its usefulness according to scientific proven illustration, has it that trees could be very resourceful as the first defensive measure against global warming because they absorb the carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere, and replenish the air with oxygen and also contribute immensely to aesthetic of the environment.

Trees also prevent erosion and stem the tide of windstorm by serving as wind breakers.

They are also brilliant cleansers, they remove other pollutants through the stomates on the leaf surface. Trees act as what some call a carbon sink, storing the gas in the branches, trunk, leaves, etc, instead of leaving the gas to become free floating and further polluting the atmosphere.

In this natural function, trees directly reduce the growth of the Greenhouse Effect and Counteract Global Warning.

They also serve the purpose of overall air quality enhancer, and a much needed one at that.

Trees provide natural habits for small and large creatures, and reduce the temperature by providing shades. In times of heavy rain, trees roots help solidify the soil. Trees are not just beautiful creatures standing amongst the many phenomenal picturesque settings of this world, it is a powerful and vital tool that directly ensures our survival.

Why Humans Mus

By OMEIZA ROBINSON OFUJE

The campaign to encourage planting of trees has been a very good attempt to better the earth. However, there should also exist a corresponding action, involving everybody across the nation, thereby making it a continuous and sustainable practice among citizens, on grounds of not taking the critical phenomenon of climate change for granted.

Though some people may not consider tree planting as less expensive, and something of common knowledge, as a means of tackling the threat of climate change, but the fact remains that there has to be a unifying universal approach to handling this issue. Ironically, as simple as it may be to some people, a good number of people in Nigeria pay little or no attention to it. Suggestively, the importance is still not clear, or we are waiting for a time when we would be confronted with strong opposition that would require the existence of trees as the lasting solution.

Most Nigerians, including political leaders, lack the attitude to take proactive measures in anticipation to an impending doom. Rather, we wait until we are badly hit before we begin to consider possible solutions in a hurry. It may be easy though to blame government for poor health care facilities, weak educational conditions and poor infrastructure, it should be worthy of note that climate change challenge is a collective responsibility.

Tackling the problem of tree planting should involve every segment of the society. The initiative to start and mobilize other stakeholders may rest on the shoulders of a responsive and responsible government.

It is on this note that the world commemorated this year’s tree planting day on Monday, July 14, with the theme: “life is better with threes”.

As part of efforts by the Edo State government to maintain the position of encouraging tree planting, Edo State government warned against illegally felling of trees as it would be firm in dealing with people who contravene the law.

Governor Adams

Oshiomhole of Edo State stated this at the Tree Peace Planting Exercise at the Ehor Forest Reserve in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of the effect that government would adopt pro-active measures on tree planting, environmental cleanness, erosion and flood control in the state.

Oshiomhole in his statement said “I like to use the occasion to warn that government would be more firm in dealing with all those involved in illegal felling of trees. We must use the method of carrot and stick.

If you are caught felling trees recklessly in a manner that has not been authorized in clear violation of our laws and our commitment to protect the forests, government will not only step in, but ensure you are severely punished”.

In 2013, while the Governor flagged off the tree planting campaign, supported by the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Nigeria, Mr. Bert Ronhaar said.

“It is important to begin not only to talk tough but act even tougher. We must recognize that it does not make sense to fell ten trees and then plant two to replace them. I invite all of you to be genuine stakeholders.

Don’t see the forest as a place to be devastated. The government and the people must work together to protect the forest”.

Oshiomhole also said: “In recognition of the role the forest plays in the environment, government recently revoked 109,000 hectares of de-reserved lands with a singular view to regenerating them. I like to mention that as part of our 2013 tree planting campaign, my government has released 50,000 tree seedlings for planting in Ehor Forest Reserve”.

He added that “we have now planted over 750,000 trees between 2009 and 2012 with the first tree planted by my wife Clara Oshiomhole, of blessed memory and I have given a new target of two million trees seedling capacity for our Nurseries and I am confident that this would be achieved before the end of my

“Most Nigerians, including political leaders, lack the attitude to take proactive measures in anticipation to an impending doom. Rather, we wait until we are badly hit before we begin to consider possible solutions in a hurry.”

second term”.

The peak of that exercise was the planting of the peace trees in memory of Edo first lady,

by Governor Oshiomhole and the Dutch Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ronhaar who planted trees in memory of the victims of the 9/11 September 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre in the United States of America.

In Lagos State, as part of efforts to encouraging planting of trees, there has been a manifestation of the greening

The state government has also been able to bring the corporate organization and individuals into the project as partners.

Private individuals were also encouraged to plant trees around their houses while it is now unlawful to fell trees in Lagos without written approval from the Ministry of the Environment.

In 2009, the state government conducted a tree tagging, enumeration and identification exercise which included trees in Ikeja GRA, Apapa and

e e th ab o p to a p p

re to fa p

Forest and beautification of open spaces, decrepit loops, verges and medians across the state and of course the creation of LASPARK. The Fashola administration is unrelenting in redeeming its promise to bring back as much greenery as possible to Lagos.

For instance, on September 2, 2008, over 250,000 trees were planted state-wide. During that occasion, the governor set a mark of planting 1 million trees in four years and declared July 14 of every year as commemorative day for tree planting exercise.

By 2009, the state government had already planted 1 million trees, and then went further to raise the target to 5 million trees in another four years. As at the first half of year 2014, over 4.3 million trees have been planted. In addition, the state has over 170 parks and gardens across the state.

Ikoyi. At the end of the exercise, 3,558 trees were counted in the three zones and they were tagged with botanical and local names as well as usefulness which included aesthetics and medicinal purposes.

The exercise has been extended to cover the entire state. This will also assist in determining areas that require replenishment and how many of such trees should be planted to stem degradation. Another unique area where the state government is leading in the tree planting campaign is in launching of climate change clubs in schools as part of actions taken to sensitize the younger generation on climate change and its impact on the society.

The institution of conservation and climate change clubs in school is aimed at making our pupils and students imbibe the love of the

c st h

d p d w e sh th In o an m e n

th in G S S K tr s a d d

Spotlight

t Live With Trees

nvironment. This would also nhance the development of heir intellectual creative bility toward the development of environmentally friendly products from the food we eat o the materials we fabricate, nd the development of other protective measures of preserving the environment.

There has been encouraging esults from schools that goes o prove that this initiative so ar, has been effective as the popularity of the climate

hange theme song in the tate’s public schools is soaring high across the state.

Since every tree makes a difference, every person that plants a tree also makes a difference. It is advised that, if we must achieve the friendly nvironment that we desire, it hould be adopted as a tradition hat everyone must embrace. ndividuals, corporate organisations, religious bodies, nd all well meaning Nigerians must key into the tree planting xercise as well as its numerous advantages.

At a well attended ceremony hat was held at Bandirwo City n Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area in Kano State, the Governor of Kano State Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso reintroduced the ree planting campaign in the tate in order to create warness on the dangers of desertification and deforestation.

The governor flagged-off the distribution of 6 million assorted plant seedlings to schools, community development associations and the 44 local government councils in the state.

In his statement, Governor Kwankwaso said: “Desert encroachment and deforestation remain threats to the environment. These two problems affect human life wildlife and the entire ecosystem. We must therefore plant as many trees as possible

to halt them as well as work collectively to manage the environment well”.

He went further to say that

Desert

people in the state must cultivate the habit of planting trees not just for economic and domestic reasons but because of their medical value, pointing out that this practice obtains even in the most developed countries of the world.

The governor told the people in the gathering that his administration drafted a plan to plant trees along streets in major urban areas in the state not just for beautification but for environmental sustainability, stressing that Bandirawo City was particularly selected for the launch of the programme in view of its vulnerability to desertification.

Governor Kwankwaso urged people in the largely agrarian state to prevent their domestic animals like sheep, goats and cows from destroying the seedlings planted, noting with dismay that stray animals not only destroy the much needed vegetation but also cause unwarranted road accidents.

In Anambra State, the position that bothers on the subject matter is not different as the Anambra State government (State Ministry of Environment) in collaboration with Rural Community Development Outreach (A Non Governmental Organisation) launched the start of over one million tree planting campaign in Nnewi (the ward of the late Ikemba Nnewi) in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The launching was coordinated by the NGO, Rural Community Development Outreach with assistance from the Nnewi North Local Government Area. The launch of the tree planting campaign coincided with the World Environmental Day – June 5, 2012.

In 2014, World Environment Day took a theme, “Raise your voice not the sea level” with

focus on Small Island Developing State (SIDS). It focused critically on adaptation strategies for Island areas or states that are vulnerable to climate change and its devastating effects.

According to the Department for International Development (DIFD), the Niger Delta stands to lose over 15,000 km 2 (75%) of land by the year 2050, with just a one meter rise in sea level! In real terms, this means that at least 80% of the people of the region will be displaced due to the low-Iying level of the land ant its contiguity with the sear the floods of 2012 are vivid reminder of what could be a daily reality in the Niger Delta with impending rise in sea levels.

SIDS territories share similar sustainable development challenges, including vulnerability to external shocks and excessive dependence on their natural resources. By implication these states are poorly developed, and have demonstrated, up to this present moment, a lack of internal dynamism to bring about the kind and extent of change necessary to lead them out of this economic bind.

It is important to note that coastal communities in the Niger Delta share similar developmental challenges as those enumerated above, and are vulnerable to climate change. In the case of the Niger Delta, this is made worse by a reckless oil industry that ignored for far too long, the tell-tale signs of climate change, and continued to spill oil and flare gas without consideration for what this does to our fragile environment.

Perhaps far worse are the activities of oil thieves and artisanal refiners, whose operations have made a bad case worse. It is on this note that Foundation for

Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) is raising its voice and sounding a note of warning that we are living dangerously, and that our fragile ecosystem is tottering under the weight of this industry.

FENRAD is an Environmental and Human Rights Organisation that seeks the advancement of proper environmental protection, the enthronement of healthy community levels, the support of peace, justice, Development Human Rights and Good governance and enthronement of Reforms in the Electoral and Democratic structures across the country.

FENRAD was incorporated into Corporate Affairs Commission under the Trusteeship Act of nonpolitical, non-religious and non-profit making organisation in November 2011. It has been working and participating in awareness activities campaigns and interventions since September 2003 on environmental sustainable and climate justice.

Nigeria is bounced together by common concern for the lingering environmental degradation of the Niger Delta Region, occasioned in part by oil spills, gas flaring and illegal oil bunkering. Right before our eyes, we can see a systematic and steady depletion of hitherto rich mangroves and other flora.

Fresh water swamps that used to be rich breeding grounds for a variety of aquatic life have become so polluted that in some cases nothing biotic literally can survive.

Consequently the livelihood of Niger Delta people in also severely impacted. Our people cannot farm anymore, not because they have become lazy, but because those among them who tried, received uncharacteristically poor crop yields. The inevitable poverty faced by communities has forced many to seek refuge in towns and cities around the region. This urban drift is environmentally

unsustainable.

The Niger Delta, as we know, lies on the Atlantic Coast line, and is the second largest Delta in the World. It Spans over 20,000 km 2 and hosts about 40% of the population of Nigeria. Its oil and gas resources are the mainstay of the Nigerian state, accounting for about 90% of the country’s revenue and total export earnings.

However, even a cursory look at the region show an unmistakably wasteful oil and gas economy that consistently leaves the poor behind.

Statistics show that an estimated 168 billion cubic meters of natural gas is flared world wide, and that 13% of this is flared in Nigeria alone! Through this wasteful act, the country loses about $2.5 billion in potential revenue annually, a total of $72 billion in the period 1970-2006. Gas flaring also contributes to climate change and extreme weather conditions that render the coast line amenable to erosion, among other effects.

A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reveals that coastal vegetation, especially the mangroves, have been lost to costal erosion, futher compounding the problem of climate change. In addition, the Federal Ministry of Environment in 2010 warned about the alarming rate of forest loss in Nigeria and if depletion continues with no abatement measure in place, it is estimated that the remaining forest, majority of which is located in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, would likely disappear by 2020.

It is against this backdrop that Nigerian government should organise enlightenment progrmames and public education, on how and why people should plant and encourage others to plant trees.

When this is done, it will help to boost climate change that would be favourable to all Nigerians.

This is the time to embrace and develop the culture of planting trees thereby making it to metamorphose into becoming a tradition among all Nigerians.

Promote life, start now, plant a tree today!

View Point LIKE a smoldering fire, oil theft better dressed as illegal oil bunkering has become an industry of its own. Since far back as year 2000, Nigeria has been reportedly losing between 200,000 and 300,000 barrels of crude oil to theft each day.

Between 2003 and 2008 alone, N14trillion was said to have been lost to theft and disruptions by militants. From pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering to fuel subsidy and other high-level frauds, the onslaught on Nigeria’s economic lifeline has been sustained under government’s nose.

According to Nigeria’s petroleum minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in one year $5billion was spent on pipeline repairs; the loss of revenue was estimated at least $11billion in that year. In better perspective, federal government’s 2012 budget was, for example, N4.69trillion or $30.11billion at the current official dollar exchange rate. This means a loss of a little more than a third of the 2012 budget.

On the loss in production, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, revealed that due to bunkering, oil production in the country has dropped by 400,000 barrels per day at a 2.5 million bpd production capacity.

Delta State Waterways plays host to different tributaries including the Escravos River which flows for 57 kilometers, ending at

Gov Emmanuel Uduaghan

the Bight of Benin of the Gulf of Guinea where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Chevron, a major US oil company, has its main Nigerian oil production facility located at the mouth of the Escravos River. This oil terminal pumps approximately 460,000 bbl/d (73,000 m3/ d) making it a target point for oil bunkery activities.

Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua described illegal bunkering as “blood oil’ akin to the trade in “blood diamonds” that fueled the bloody civil war in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

To at his state’s value to curtailing the national economy threatening oil theft as well as hostage taking and general youth restiveness in the Delta State, in June of 2007, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan took his first practical step when he inaugurated a 19-man Delta Waterways Security Committee with Mr. George Timinimi as Chairman and former Military Administrator of Niger-Delta, BrigadierGeneral Cletus Emein (rtd.), Chairman of Advisory Board to the Committee.

He mandated the committee to, within six weeks, submit its plan of appropriate actions it deemed fit for forestalling insecurity and threats to life and property on the waterways. In March 2011, the committee constituted an Anti-Kidnap Task Force headed by Mr. Henry Baro,

Battling Oil Theft In Delta

By BRISIBE PEREZ

to provide intelligence information and checkmate kidnappers’ activities in the State.

During the visit of the Good Governance Tour in Febuary 2013, the Delta State Governor while receiving the Information Minister Labaran Maku attributed the end of militancy to the rise in illegal bunkering and other criminal activities in the coastal lines of the State.

In renewed vigour to check this ugle trend, Governor Uduaghan after disolving the George Timinimi led Waterway Security Committee, on Febuary 25th, 2013, reconstitutued the committee executives with former member, Chief Ayiri Emami now at the helm of affairs. Other members are Hon. Opudu M. Boro as Vice Chairman while the Permanent Secretary, Government House Annex Warri, Mr. Patrick Origho, serves as Secretary.

Prof. Amos Utuama, Delta Deputy Goveror who represented Uduaghan at the reconstituted committee’s inauguration stated that security agents

alone cannot tackle the rising security challenges, adding that the work of the committee include alerting relevant security agencies of any possible threat to peace and security in the state and also taking necessary measures to nip such threats in the bud.

In rising up to the situation, the committee in conjuction with security operatives in the area issued a ban on illegal oil bunkery within and around the Escravos River. A major strenght of the committee is their indept knowledge of the terrain with majority members being natives of various coastal line communities in the where the oil theft is rampant.

Despite the successes of the security committee, oil theft still thrives in the waterways. A tour of the Escravos River with most of its shore line lying along Ugborodo Community in Warri South West Local Government Area of the State reveals a seeming working synergy with the Federal Government instituted Joint Task Force (JTF), deployed to police

the waterways.

Passing the blame for the continued vandalism and stealing of the crude, in October 2013, Royal Dutch Shell accused the Nigerian security forces of aiding oil thieves and profiting in the collusion. Shell stated that its decision to sell off its assets in the regular target spots was informed by government’s failure to checkmate the relentlessness illegal bunkerers who steal an average 100,000 barrels of crude per day.

The company which pioneered Nigeria’s oil business from Oloibiri oil field in 1958 has also closed down its Trans-Niger pipeline that used to pump about 150,000 bpd oil to the giant refinery at Bonny because the pipeline was repeated being hot-tapped at different points by oil thieves.

This revelation was further buttressed in October, 2013 by the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), in an independent report detailing high profile massive oil theft in the area.

The group extensively evidenced corrupt JTF members’ active participation and profiteering from crude theft and illegal oil refining.

“A consortium typically made up of at least three key parties (security, technical capacity and operational access) own each tap point,” the report said.

“During the tapping process, the JTF ensure the surrounding waterways are clear so workers can install the tap without disturbance.”

The research also suggests that lower ranking officers are criminally involved in the low earning segments of the business.

They “share the relatively small “transportation taxes” from distributor vessels as a supplement to their official wages,” the report said.

Reacting to the allegations, the Director, Defense Information, Brig.

General Chris Olukolade, said that it was a subtle blackmail and that anyone with real evidence against the JTF should forward such to the appropriate authority for investigation Continues on pg 22

INTRODUCTION is x?

We recall that a triangle is threeSolution: sided figure bounded by straight By complementary angles, lines. Though there are different o o = Sin 50o kinds of triangles - Equilateral Cos 40 = Sin (90 -40) Sin (0 + 30)o = Sin 50o scalene, Isosceles and the rightor 0 + 30o = Sin 50o angled triangle. The sum of the three

Complementary Angles angles of any triangle is 180o(Supplementary).

For the purpose of this topic this week, we shall consider the the rightangled triangle as shown below, where the angles 0 and (90 - 0) add up to 90o(complentary).

A 0

B

(90 - 0)

C

A + B + C = 180o or 0 + 90 + (90 - 0) = 180o When you open the bracket and collect like terms, the equation balances!

Applying the rule of Basic Trigometrical Ratio (SOH CAH TOA) to the diagram above we have: BC (1). Sin 0 = Opposite = AC Hypotenuse (2). Cos 0 = (3). Tan 0 =

Adjacent = A B AC Hypotenuse Opposite Adjacent

=

BC AB

Similarly, AB (4). Sin (90 - 0) = AC BC (5). Cos (90 - 0) = A C AB AC (1) = (5) and (2) = (4) i.e. Sin 0 = Cos (90 - 0) and Cos 0 = Sin (90 - 0) APPLICATION EXAMPLES Example 1 If sin (0 + 30)o = Cos 40o, What

and (6). Tan (90 - 0) =

Mathematics With Stanley Osobase 08023454887 Osobase2001@yahoo.co.uk

Example 5 Given that Sin(90o - 50) = Cos(180o - 0), Find the value of 0. o o o :- 0 = 50 - 30 = 20 Answer (WAEC)/Further Maths) (A). 15o (B). 22.5o (C). 30o (D)45o Example 2 Solution: If Sin x = Cos 70o, 0 < x < 90o, By the rules of complementary Find x. (WAEC) angles, Solution: Cos (180 - 0) = Sin [90 - (180 - 0)] o o From RHS, Cos 70 = Sin (90 - 70) Sin (90 - 50) = Sin[90 - (180 - 0)] or 90 - 50 = 90 - (180 - 0) = Sin 20o or 90 - 50 = 90 - (180 + 0 :- Sin x = Sin 20o Collect like terms to get: or x = 20oAnswer 60 = 180o Dividing both sides by the coefficient Example 3 of 0, we get: If Sin (x - ) = (x + ), what is x?

180 60 = Solution 6 6 By complementary angles, :- 0 = 30o Answer Cos (x + ) = Sin [90 - (x + )] Example 6 Sin (x - ) = Sin [90 - (x + )] Solve the equation Cos70 = Sin50, or x = 90 - (x + ) Where 0o < 0 < 90o. (WAEC 2007, or x = 90 - x F./Maths) Solution: collect like terms to get: From the RHS, the law of 2x - + = 90o complementary angles says or 2x = 90o Sin50 = Cos[90 - 50] Dividing both sides by the Cos70 = Cos[90 - 50] coefficient of x, we get: or 70 = 90o - 50 Collect like terms to get: 90o 2x = 70 + 50 = 90o 2 2 or 120 = 90o o :- x = 45 Answer Divide both sides by the coefficient of 0, we get: Example 4 120 90o If Cos x = Sin 50o, what then is x? = 12 12 Solution: :- 0 = 7.5o Answer Applying the rule of Drill complementary angles to the Right 68o, Find x Hand Side (RHS) of the given (1). If Cos x = Sin o Answer: x = 22 equation, we get: (2). If Cos(x -3) = Sin(x + 3), what Sin 50o = Cos (90 - 50)o is x?

Answer: x = 45o o or Cos x = Cos (90 - 50) Until next edition, remain blessed Cos x = Cos 40o solving Maths and remember to o :- x = 40 Answer watch EBS TV, Thursday at 4pm!

Legal Matters

The Waste Lands Of Human Rights Law

I am the legal ace in an unnoticed land of austerity, ignorance and simplistic personalities. A land of manically settled ignorance with an unending toll of violence and ingenious prospect. This is a land with more of shanties, slums as well as crofts. The untold hardship that has been in the business of ravaging the entire populace in this local has evidently dealt a telling blow on the face of universally entrenched human rights principles.

These people have all it takes to live heaven on earth but, the greatest brickbat has been the factor of seemingly would help wishful thinking. I have stayed with these people at the brink of violence, hard work, pain, but never knew what it felt like to relate a tale of despair and ordeal though survival had become their watch word and adaptation a second certainty like the sureness of old age to a growing child. The bulk stops at our table and this is my tale at moonlight.

It gleamed like chrysalides, when the sun fell on the faces of inglorious men who wittily appreciated the pensive alter of Justice. They stood as watchmen at the city gates of different African nations. who forbade both entry and exit jazzily with no duke to gratify the dukedom of his ever enduring national strength.

We are no preachers but the custodian of light justice, equity, good conscience and protectors of human rights ingrained in every earthly entity. Savaging the edge and mounting an

By IKHUEBOR VIKRAM OSARUMEN

insurmountable garrison on the course bullets began to rebel against the trigger just as advocacy began to prevail.

Africa has become a cemetery of hopeless dreams. This was not what we bargained for and all of a sudden the bright days are fast wading away unceremoniously. Is it that we are pushing our luck? Or our leaders have taken our caps of patriotism off our heads by deliberate attempts to birth disinclined derelicts. Surely, this is a pulsating scud of operational issue. Our assurances are no longer sure and our beliefs have become apiece of pizza to be eaten and metabolized into effluents. It’s a weakening tale to relate but, we must turn the hands of time back even if, it means us endangering our comfort zones. A whole lot of dove tales have taken common place all around the African comity and we sit as though a torrent wave of discord is not prowling in the air. I founder in a bug to the awareness that the African Union, commonwealth, United Nations and the international realm at large think that they can bring the insurgent groups to a grinding halt. A mind teaser is that these persons are not paranoid of death itself let alone the bringer of its endemic spread.

Now I speak to the world at large, such that if understood will provocatively invoke the breaking of a generational ice.

The world can take the fight out of the war, but will never address the core of the issue. We must become international learners to know the fight is an accessorized component of the war, so are inextricably linked. This in its self is a motherboard for senseless

and virulent negotiations.

To this end, to short circuit the fight is to stop the physical exhibition of the war. However, it is condign of note that, the war is externally inmate. It is in the heart of each reason to be aggrieved. So the

prominent duty of whatever leadership and at whatever level of dispensational horizon, is to take the fight out of the war by settling the war from a mental negotiation stead of understanding. Stop the war and the fight will never abound, let alone seeking various methods of peaceful resolutions. This is pensively encrypted, lets

decrypt it together. Peace is our only channel to just rewards.

It is my point that, the end of political independence is diplomatic resolutions, while the end of economic independence is diplomatic negotiations. The egress of

“It is my point that, the end of political independence is diplomatic resolutions, while the end of economic independence is diplomatic negotiations. The egress of global untidiness is not in the fact that the international community lacks the dynamic decoy to polarize global tranquility but, in the cliché that diplomacy is for national and continental sloppy peace.”

global untidiness is not in the fact that the international community lacks the dynamic decoy to polarize global tranquility but, in the cliché that diplomacy is for national and continental sloppy peace. However, I have chosen my line in the sand that, global tranquility can only be fronted through the threshold of international insensitivity dying on the sea shore. It therefore, behooves on the international community to cycle the parameters of their excesses by deploying well guarded garrisons on all

decisions of policy ascertained onwards. As if, the socio-political ado taking a huge toll on the nations of our world are not enough astride the nativity of national impasse and the violations of universally entrenched human rights principles. A recognition that the juniper of international politics is a well breasted approach to ensuring stronger political ties as a panacea to the ranging conflagration and inferno looming our world.

We must not get ourselves entangled in the web of self disillusion at the expense of the

underdogs who are preyed on at the slightest opportunity by the big wigs.

I do not mean to be modest that the viral global insurgency has spread its tentacles like the hydra and is taking over the whole scene like pirates. The epicenter of the whole issue is that all and sundry seem to be at home with the toll of insurgency wrecking the docks of international stability. I must confess am at sea. By this we lay credence to the preposition that a great chunk of persons want to strike the big drums, so many are at large from dancing to the music and a handful wants to play second fiddle. I am full of the joys of spring, when I look at this cosmos through a rose colored spectacle and thereafter discover that the world is not all together spherical but dynamically orchestrated to engender both peace and doom depending on which cord we strike and where we stand on the circuit. I refuse to be twisted around the little finger of ingenious ignorance. The global ethnic blast is such that a whole lot of persons bestride the greatest solution to universal problems as against running full pelt for well bleated and sounded trumpet of solutions. Against this back drop, the comity of nations has blown muted trumpets without acknowledging same. Yet has the world blathered on the rostrum of public speaking, frustrated the power of the altar, submerged the density of advocacy and blown away the baseline and saddle of continental crossbar. We must put on the raiment and helmet of selflessness as a mass exodus of international recidivist will be held incommunicado.

The world is a geographical abstraction that consists of the emptiness of mans thoughts amidst circumstances that defile the insignia of pointless imaginations. I submit that not on untill we become decisively incisive and seductively instructive there shall be no way.

View Point Continued from pg 18 and action. According to him, the JTF is carrying out its mandate successfully by checking and curtailing illegalities in the creeks and cannot turn around and be doing other things.

He said the military welcome proof of such allegations, stressing that if such complaints were received, Nigerians would see what happened next.

On a coastal ride to verify the claims in the report, a visit to the oil rich Ugborodo Community of Warri South West Local Government Area from Ugbuwangue in the late hours of the night witnessed the unhindered activities of illegal oil bunkers with thick flames from illegal refinaries shrewed in different parts of the mangroves, stench of burning diesel rents the atmosphere while the locally refined products are transported to various destinations.

The journey took an average of 1:50mins through atleast three military checkpoints at different strategic locations checking the content of each boat as they pass. The begging question was

whether the volumes of illegally refined products being transported through the coastal checkpoints were invisible to the military men at the checkpoints or someone deliverately turn blind eye to the criminality?

In a chat with the State Waterways Security Committee chairman, Chief Ayiri, he said, “We are working in conjunction with the security operatives in tackling the menace of oil theft in the State Waterways.

“Though there are still some few incidents of oil theft in parts of the waterways, we are working tirelessly in total eradication of their activities. Our next phase right now is the total eradication of illegal oil bunkery which has currently been reduced to a minimal level.”

Citing challenges facing the committee, he said, “I am under obligation to ensure peace and tranquility in our coastal communities including my own Ugborodo community in Warri South-West council area of the state. I am also obliged to avert incidences of illegal oil theft and the consequent pollution of our

waters and devastation of the vegetative and aquatic lives.

“In the course of this arduous and very hazardous task in the creeks, we are confronted with all manners of obstacles from all sides of the divide as we have caused so many people to undergo security checks

.... Oil Theft In Delta and even put a stop to their once flowing business.

People have also taken on us severally and vicariously through false allegations and frivolous petitions with the intent to bring us down or at least get us out of their

Deizani Allison Madueke, Petroleum Minister

way.

“Some have even taken us to court and when it was time to prove their allegations in the same court, they would be nowhere to be found because they are aware that all the relevant security agencies have investigated their spurious and frivolous petitions and found them to be baseless and unfounded,” he added.

Though oil bunkering, experts content, is a necessity for maritime shipping within the maritime sector, it becomes an illegal oil bunkering when carried out without requisite statutory licenses or valid documents, or in violation of the Nigerian Maritime Sector and the guidelines made by the statutory institutions regarding it.

The recent upsurge of oil

“Some have even taken us to court and when it was time to prove their allegations in the same court, they would be nowhere to be found because they are aware that all the relevant security agencies have investigated their spurious and frivolous petitions and found them to be baseless and unfounded.”

Assessing Osun State’s Efforts In Food Production

THOUGH Nigeria has vast arable land suitable for agriculture, the country still imports food.

The International Food Policy Research Institute, warns that there is threat to food security in Nigeria, if the country maintains its current food production level.

The Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), was designed to address the problem of food deficit in the country.

Osun is among the states in the country that had keyed into the various Federal Government’s policies introduced to boost food production in the country.

Mr Kayode Olanipekun, Acting General Manager, Osun State Agricultural Development Corporation (OSSADEC), said the state spent N128 million to clear 800 hectares of farmland in 2013.

He said that government

By TOLA OKINBALOYE

paid 45 per cent subsidy for the clearing and ploughing of the farmland for farmers.

Olanipekun said Gov. Rauf Aregbesola had expressed government’s commitment to open up more arable land for farmers to facilitate mechanised farming in 2014.

He noted that provision of incentives would encourage the youths to engage in agriculture, thereby reducing the high unemployment rate in the state.

Olanipekun said that youths in the state would be positioned to engage in rice cultivation, ahead of the Federal Government’s planned ban on importation of rice.

According to him, the Federal Government’s decision to stop rice importation will encourage local rice production in the

theft or illegal bunkering has become an issue that now gives the Government, oil producing companies and Nigerians in general sleepless nights. As such, Nigeria’s economy has continued to dwindle even though the country is the biggest oil producer in Africa.

Federal Government cannot allow illegal bunkering to continue without finding lasting solution to the problem which is affecting the economy of the nation.

More decisive steps should henceforth be taken to combat the illicit business while those found guilty in this regard, no matter how highly placed, should be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

Brisibe Perez writes in from Delta State Cicatrix4@gmail.com

country.

“Although it can be difficult a bit at the beginning, it will be to our advantage because it will ensure food security in the country; and eventually boost our foreign exchange.

“Youths in the state will be encouraged to engage in the cultivation of rice and other crops,’’ he said.

On his part, Mr Mukaila Omisore, Project Manager, Osun State Agriculture Development Project (OSADEP), said 1,300 farmers in the state were given hybrid cassava and maize seedlings.

He also said that 18,192 farmers benefited from the Federal Government’s Growth Enhancement Support Scheme.

The project manager said that under the scheme, they were given rice and maize

seedlings, as well as two bags of fertiliser each at a subsidised rate.

Mr Olubukola Akinola, the Director of Fishery Services, Osun State Ministry of Agriculture, said the state government was also encouraging fish farming.

He said that the fish farming project, was a publicprivate sector partnership with Oshin Farms, expected to create about 100 jobs.

Akinola said that after deliberation, cage fish farming method was adopted.

The director pointed out that the government adopted cage fish farming system to ensure sustainability.

“With the cage farming, the farmers have the opportunity to locate their farm at water dams where there will be enough water for fish farming and production round the year,’’ he said.

He said that the programme would run for four years, adding that it would create many jobs at the end of the day.

Farmers in Osun, participating in the Fadama III programme, want the Federal Government to ensure the continuation of the World Bank assisted programme, as it boosted food production in the state.

A poultry farmer, Mr Julius Oyeyinka, appealed to the federal and state governments to ensure the continuation of Fadama Development Projects nationwide.

Oyeyinka said he was one of the beneficiaries of the project at its inception in 2009, noting that the programme had sustained many farming families in the country.

“Fadama Development Project has made great impact in our lives; it has helped us a lot,’’ he said.

Oyeyinka attributed the success of his farm to professional instructions, guidelines and effective monitoring by the state’s Fadama III Development Project.

The state Fadama

coordinator, Mr Ganiyu Adediji, assured farmers that all uncompleted projects would be completed in 2014.

Adediji said that about 16, 900 people were empowered through various Fadama projects, adding that many people in the rural areas were trained in various areas of agriculture.

He however complained that many local government councils in the state had not been paying their counterpart funds since 2011, while some beneficiaries did not live up to expectation.

Adediji appealed to the local government councils to cooperate, to enable more people benefit from the programme, designed to boost food production in the country.

Stakeholders want the government to sustain the provision of incentives to farmers, while the local governments defaulting in the payment of Fadama counterpart contribution should pay up.

Agriculture is a big business, and should therefore be encouraged and promoted.

International US Man Held For Attempting To Swim To N/Korea SEOUL — South Korean border guards arrested an American man who they believe was attempting to swim across a river to rival North Korea, a South Korean defense official said yesterday.

The man was apprehended Tuesday night while lying on a bank of the Han River in a restricted military area near the border, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to office policy.

The man told investigators that he tried to go to North Korea to meet leader Kim Jong

Mom Pleads Not Guilty In Son’s Death

NEW BRUNSWICK, USA — A Florida woman charged with killing her 5-year-old son more than 20 years ago in New Jersey has pleaded not guilty.

A lawyer for Michelle Lodzinski entered the plea during a brief court hearing in New Brunswick on Tuesday.

Gerald Krovatin of Newark told the court his client adamantly maintains her innocence.

“We still do not believe they (the prosecutors) have a good explanation for why the case was brought 23 years later,” Krovatin told The Star-Ledger after the hearing. “Criminal cases don’t get better with age.

She denies the charge and will hold the state to its proof.”

Lodzinski, 46, has been in custody since her arrest August 7. She was extradited to New Jersey on Friday and is being held in the Middlesex County jail on $2 million bail.

She has said her son, Timothy Wiltsey, disappeared at a Sayreville carnival May 25, 1991, but investigators said her story kept changing. His skeletal remains were found in a marshy area of Edison 11 months later.

Lodzinski went into seclusion after her son’s remains were discovered, and neighbors said at the time that she didn’t appear distraught. In late July, a county grand jury handed up a onecount indictment stating she “did purposely or knowingly kill” Timothy or did “purposely or knowingly inflict serious bodily injury” resulting in his death.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Middlesex County prosecutors described some new evidence that led to Lodzinski’s indictment.

They said that in 2011, investigators realized some of the items found with Wiltsey’s remains in 1992 had not been shown to people who could identify them. They said a blanket found with the boy’s remains was shown to Lodzinski and her mother, but both women said they did not recognize it.

Un, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing an unidentified government source. It said the man, aged around 29, is a computer repairman from Texas who came to South Korea 10 days ago.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry and the National Intelligence Service said they couldn’t confirm the report.

Americans are occasionally arrested after entering North Korea illegally from China, but a U.S. citizen trying to get in from South Korea is unusual.

In the 1960s, several U.S. soldiers walked into North Korea while on a patrol near the mine-strewn Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ. Those army deserters later appeared in North Korean propaganda films and taught English there.

In 1996, American Evan C. Hunziker entered North Korea by swimming across the Yalu River that marks the Chinese border. Hunziker, who apparently made the swim on a drunken dare, was accused of spying and detained for three months.

Hunziker, 26 at the time, was eventually freed after negotiations involving a special U.S. envoy. The North Koreans wanted to slap Hunziker with a $100,000 criminal fine but

eventually agreed on a $5,000 payment to settle a bill for a hotel where he was detained.

He killed himself about one month after his release.

About 27,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea to avoid poverty and political suppression since the end of the Korean War. Some South Koreans have attempted to defect to the impoverished, authoritarian North, but such cases are rare.

Last year, South Korean soldiers shot and killed a man with a South Korean passport who officials said ignored warnings while swimming across the Imjin River toward North Korea.

Some Americans recently

detained in North Korea include missionaries aiming to spread the gospel or draw attention to human rights abuses. On Christmas Day in 2009, Korean-American missionary Robert Park defiantly walked into North Korea from China calling for the dismantling of the North’s prison camps. Park, who was deported from North Korea in February 2010, said he was tortured by interrogators.

North Korea is currently holding three Americans. The country’s Supreme Court sentenced one of them, Matthew Miller, on Sunday to six years of hard labor after finding him guilty of illegally entering the country to commit espionage. North Korea says Miller tore up his tourist visa upon arrival at Pyongyang’s airport in April.

Michelle Lodzinski arrives in court for her arraignment before Judge Bradley Ferencz in State Superior Court recently in New Brunswick.

Deadly Trooper Ambush

Pennsylvania Police Identify Suspect BLOOMING GROVE Pa. Pennsylvania state police on Tuesday identified Matthew Eric Frein, described as an antilaw enforcement survivalist, as the prime suspect in the ambush of two troopers outside their barracks last week.

An arrest warrant was issued for Frein, 31, of Canadensis, Pennsylvania, on first-degree murder and seven other charges, State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan told a news

conference.

“He’s armed and extremely dangerous,” said Noonan, who added Frein was believed to be on the loose with a .308-caliber rifle and scope.

The shooting late on Friday outside the Blooming Grove barracks, about 100 miles north of Philadelphia, killed Corporal Bryon Dickson, 38, and critically wounded Trooper Alex Douglass, 31. The officers were

shot during a shift change.

A local resident walking a dog in the area found a partially submerged green Jeep in a pond in the woods about 2 miles from the barracks. A search of the vehicle turned up shell casings that matched those found in a sniper ’s lair discovered in woods overlooking the barracks.

Also found in the vehicle were Frein’s driver’s license, Social Security card, vehicle registration, a game commission range permit, camouflage face paint, flashlights, two empty rifle cases, military gear and

information about foreign embassies, according to the court documents seeking the arrest warrant.

A search of his parents’ home in Canadensis, where police said Frein was living, turned up matching shell casings and a book titled “Sniper Training and Employment,” the documents said.

Frein’s father, a retired U.S. Army major, told investigators he had trained his son to shoot and described him as an excellent marksman who “doesn’t miss,” the documents said.

Russia: Billionaire’s Arrest

Sends Stocks Crashing

An Islamic State Militant (left), stands next to residents as they hold pieces of wreckage from a Syrian war plane after it crashed in Raqqa in Northeast Syria recently.

MOSCOW — The arrest of a Russian billionaire yesterday sent shares in his holding company into a tailspin, wiping away more than $2.5 billion in market capitalization.

Vladimir Yevtushenkov, who is worth $9 billion according to the Russian Forbes magazine, was placed under house arrest late Tuesday in a moneylaundering case which has drawn comparisons with a government crackdown on the

Human Rights, a monitoring group which gathers information from a network of activists on the ground, reported five air raids on Raqqa on Tuesday. Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the organization, cited sources close to Islamic State as saying the plane had been shot down.

Further north Islamic State clashed with Kurdish fighters near Syria’s border with Turkey, in fighting which killed dozens of people on both sides, the

The Syrian air force has been bombing Islamic Statecontrolled territory in the provinces of Raqqa and Deir alZor on a near-daily basis since the group seized the Iraqi city of Mosul in June.

Syria has offered to join a coalition the United States is assembling to fight Islamic State, but Western governments see President Bashar al-Assad as part of the problem and have ruled out the idea of such cooperation.

Islamic State Shoots Down Syrian War Plane

DAMASCUS - Islamic State fighters shot down a Syrian war plane using anti-aircraft guns on Tuesday, the first time the group has downed a military jet since declaring its cross-border caliphate in June, a group monitoring the civil war said.

The plane came down outside Islamic State’s stronghold of Raqqa city, 400 km (250 miles) northeast of Damascus, during air strikes on territory controlled by the group, a resident said.

The Syrian Observatory for

Observatory said.

The clashes took place outside the Kurdish city of Kobani, also known as Ain al-Arab, in an area where Kurdish fighters have been fighting off Islamic State attacks for months.

U.S. President Barack Obama last week authorized air strikes against Islamic State in Syria, potentially widening action against a group already being targeted by U.S. air strikes in Iraq.

Yukos oil company in 2003.

Shares in Sistema, a company which Yevtushenkov controls and manages, collapsed by 38 percent in Moscow, cutting the company’s market capitalization by over $2.5 billion in less than a day.

Earlier in the morning, the MICEX stock exchange had temporarily suspended trading in the shares due to the heavy losses.

Sistema controls Russia’s largest mobile phone operator MTS, oil company Bashneft as well as other lucrative assets.

MTS was down 9 percent. The stock exchange suspended trading for Bashneft when it dropped 23 percent early afternoon.

The Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, a group which unites Russia’s richest men, has petitioned to release Yevtushenkov on bail, dismissing accusations against him as unfounded.

International Belgium Grants Jailed Rapist, Murderer Euthanasia A BELGIAN man convicted of murder and rape is being put to death.

Yet the country doesn’t have the death penalty.

Confused? Authorities have granted a request for assisted suicide by the man, who says he’s a menace to society and can’t live knowing that.

Even in Belgium, which has one of the broadest euthanasia laws in the world, the decision is raising eyebrows, with some saying it’s proof of a failing justice and health system.

Belgium’s justice minister approved Frank Van Den Bleeken’s transfer to a hospital for euthanasia late Monday after doctors agreed his mental condition was incurable, making him the first detainee in Belgium to be put to death for psychiatric reasons.

Van Den Bleeken, who was found guilty of murder and rape in several cases, has been locked up for almost 30 years. He wishes to die because he has no viable treatment options left and cannot control his sexual urges, his lawyer said Tuesday.

“He has clearly said that he didn’t want to leave prison because he didn’t want to risk creating further victims,” Jos Vander Velpen said.

Seeing himself as a danger to society, he can “no longer live like that,” the lawyer added.

He declined to elaborate on his client’s psychiatric condition or to discuss

when the medicallyassisted suicide would take place, citing his client’s right to privacy.

The sisters of one of Van Den Bleeken’s victims, a woman he raped and killed while being temporarily out of prison in 1989, seemed appalled by the decision.

“Let him rot in his cell,” the sisters, referred to as only Annie and Liliane, were quoted by Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad as saying.

“All those commissions, doctors and experts concerned about the wellbeing of the murderer of our sister. Nobody has ever shown us that much attention,” they said.

Belgium has allowed euthanasia since 2002 for the terminally ill, but the vast majority of cases involve physical illnesses.

Carine Brochier, a project manager with the Brussels-based European Institute of Bioethics, said Van Den Bleeken should not be allowed to die but receive proper treatment as would be the case in all other countries.

“This is a great failure of psychiatric care and the prison system in Belgium altogether,” said Brochier, who opposes euthanasia.

The decision amounts to a “death penalty through the backdoor,” she said.

“And now this will set off a race of other convicts seeking to die,” she warned.

Van Den Bleeken, now in his fifties, had requested a transfer for treatment at

A general view of rows of buildings in La Grand-place in Brussels, Belgium.

a specialized psychiatric center in the Netherlands or, failing that, a mercy killing. Belgian authorities denied the transfer request earlier this year, saying it was legally impossible to transfer him abroad. On Monday, a Brussels appeals court then accepted an agreement to carry out the assisted suicide.

Proponents of euthanasia supported the decision but acknowledged that Van Den Bleeken’s case is complicated because he isn’t suffering from a physical illness, which makes it harder to prove that his condition is

incurable.

“The position that we have regarding a patient, detained or not, with a cancer is totally different from the position we have regarding what we can’t see, meaning a psychiatric disorder,” said Jacqueline Herremans, the president of Belgium’s right to die association.

However, since psychiatrists following him for years have concluded that his mental condition is incurable and he could therefore never be set free, it was right to grant his euthanasia request despite his despicable crimes

committed long ago, she said.

“Regardless, he’s a human being; a human being who has the right to demand euthanasia,” said Herremans, who also sits on Belgium’s governmentappointed euthanasia commission.

Euthanasia requests in Belgium have been rising over the past years, soaring from 1,400 in 2012 to 1,800 last year. The majority of patients requesting it suffer from cancer; but 67 requests citing psychological disorders were also accepted last year, according to a government

report. They included patients with Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, dementia and psychosis, the report said.

While euthanasia for the terminally ill is widely accepted in Belgium, a decision in February by Belgian lawmakers to extend the euthanasia law to terminally ill children stirred some controversy.

The law empowers children with terminal ailments who are in great pain to ask to be put to death if their parents agree and a psychiatrist or psychologist certifies they are conscious of what their choice signifies.

• Courtesy: AP

“The position that we have regarding a patient, detained or not, with a cancer is totally different from the position we have regarding what we can’t see, meaning a psychiatric disorder... said Jacqueline Herremans, the president of Belgium’s right to die association.”

International

Traffickers ‘Laughed’ As They Capsized Boat Carrying Refugees they waited to make sure that it had sunk completely before leaving. They were laughing,” one survivor told the Geneva-based organisation.

According to the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR), over 2,500 people have drowned or gone missing attempting the crossing in 2014, and

SURVIVORS of Europe’s most deadly migrant shipwreck in years have described the horrifying moment traffickers capsized their boat and left them to drown, as the EU cried murder and vowed to step up the fight against people smugglers.

Fresh witness testimony confirmed around 500 people drowned after their boat sank off Malta on Wednesday, including up to 100 children who had been making the treacherous journey from Egypt to Italy, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday.

“After they hit our boat

ORHUE – I, formerly called Miss Orhue Augusta Osareniho is now known and called Mrs. Ebengho Augusta Osareniho. All former documents remain valid.

University of Benin, Benin City, concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

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UKHUREBOR – I, formerly Miss Amenaghawon Ukhurebor now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Amenaghawon Osarenkhoe. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

MEDU – I, formerly Miss Medu Believe Mary now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Ikokoh Believe Mary. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the general public should please take note.

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AMIKHE – I, formerly Miss Amikhe Gloria Lamosi now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs. Gabriel Umole Gloria.

All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

EGUAVOEN – I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eguavoen Nekpen Vivian now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nekpen Viv ian Enomhensike. All former documents remain valid.

Concerned authorities and the general public should please take note.

in several separate incidents survivors have spoken of traffickers overfilling rickety boats or locking people below decks to suffocate.

“These are not accidents but murders. We’ll increase and intensify our

toddler remains in a critical condition.

The Palestinians, aged 27 and 33, told IOM their boat had been intentionally sunk by the people smugglers after the migrants refused to change to a smaller, less

they went to search for another of their children.

The woman and child survived, the parents did not.

IOM said the Palestinians were rescued on Thursday, while the rest were not picked up

people crammed below deck and 200 on top — including up to 100 children, the IOM said based on the survivors’ reports.

“The 300 people who were in the lower deck were trapped and

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OKOGBO COMMUNITY It has come to the knowledge of the Enogie, Odionwere and elders of Okogbo Community covering: Okogbo, Avbiugo, Iguohan, Aguowie, Idumwuneria and Iguerre Villages that some unauthorized persons have been going round to illegally sell the community’s land without the Enogie’s consent. All such buyers do so at their own risk.

BE WARNED!!!

Signed: HRH Prince Aghatise Akenzua The Enogie of Okogbo Community 08143376934, 09098354368

European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmstrom delivers a press conference in Brussels recently.

efforts to fight human trafficking,” said Michele Cercone, spokesman for EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom.

“This latest tragedy shows that despite the efforts put in place we’ll witness these kind of problems as long as the pitiless smugglers who are the real criminals behind this are free to act,” he said.

Malmstrom said the European Commission was “already working on a EU plan to tackle migrant smuggling,” but insisted member states must be “willing... to create more legal ways to Europe, such as accepting more resettled refugees.”

- ‘Forced into the water’ In the incident off Malta, just 10 people survived.

Two Palestinians were taken to Italy, two to Malta, while the other six, including a two year-old Syrian girl, were taken to hospital in Crete. The

seaworthy vessel — a story corroborated by the survivors in Crete.

“A violent argument ensued. The 10 smugglers, said to be Palestinian and Egyptian, began yelling,” the IOM said, citing the latest testimony from Greece.

The enraged traffickers “rammed” the boat which “began to sink immediately, while the smugglers stayed in the area until they were certain that the migrant’s vessel had sunk,” it said.

Those who had managed to jump to safety into the smaller boat were “forced into the water” by their assailants.

“When the boat was first struck, one of the passengers killed himself in despair by hanging,” one of the survivors said.

The Greek coast guard said the toddler’s parents had passed her in the water to a 19-year-old Syrian woman because she was wearing a lifejacket, while

until Friday — after two days in the water.

“The mounting death toll is a blight on the reputation of the EU and its member states who must urgently act together, now, to ensure that no more men, women and children lose their lives,” said John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Director at Amnesty International.

“With hundreds of thousands fleeing war and poverty across the Middle East and Africa, the priority must be to protect lives rather than creating an impenetrable fortress,” he said.

- ‘Trapped below deck’ The Syrian, Palestinian, Egyptian and Sudanese migrants had set out from Damietta in Egypt on September 6.

Four bus loads of migrants were loaded onto the boat, which was between 15 and 18 metres (50 to 60 feet) long, until there were some 300

drowned immediately. The survivors say they watched as those thrown in the water clung to each other trying to stay alive,” it said.

The two Palestinian survivors, who have requested asylum in Italy, said they paid a “travel office” in Gaza $2,000 (1,544 euros) each for the trip, with the money coming from grants they had been given to rebuild their homes.

While the EU said it was keen to prosecute traffickers, Cercone pointed out that their operational bases were outside European Union territory, “making it very difficult to track them and crack down on them.”

He urged greater partnerships with North African countries in the fight against people smugglers, but acknowledged that with countries like Libya mired in unrest and political chaos, the task is no easy one.

Little Elemental Beings And Their Works

THERE is nothing one earth which has not already been fashioned before hand in an even more beautiful and more perfect way by the little elemental beings in the medium gross matter.

Everything taking place in the world of heavy gross matter, even the skill of the craftsman, the creations of the artists etc, is only drawn from the preceding activities of the little elemental beings.

They have already completed this and much more besides in medium and finer gross matter. There, all this is even more perfect in its forms, because, the elementals work directly in the laws of the will of God which is perfect and which can therefore, only give expression to what is perfect in form (Abd-ru-shin).

Abd-ru-shin the author of “In the light of truth says that every invention, even the most surprising one is only borrowed from things already achieved by the beings on other planes. There are very many such things yet ready for men to draw upon in order to transfer them here upon earth into the world of heavy gross matter.

Abd-ru-shin says that the models are easily attainable for those who are not only serious but also, humble seekers, much has again been distorted here upon earth through the intellect because, in most cases those endowed with the ability lacked the requisite humility to draw in purity and furthermore, because, the inhabitants of the earth, through their conceit which hampers everything, have so far, paid no attention to the laws of God in creation.

Abd-ru-shin says not until they obtain exact knowledge of these laws will the inventing or more correctly expressed, the discovering on other planes and consequently also, the correct transfer into the heavy gross material substance of this earth, becomes much easier and more accurate than it has been so far. It will also, become much more extensive.

The astral plane is therefore, not a reflection of the world of gross matter. In the first place, this plane in itself still consists of gross matter, only of a somewhat finer species, than the earth and secondly, the reverse obtains, the heavy earthly

gross matter is a reproduction of medium gross matter of the so-called astral plane.

However, the astral contains two ways and thereby, also, two great basic divisions, one leading towards the heavy gross matter and another leading away from it again. The part striving towards heavy gross matter is the bridge which is necessary for the up-building in the earthly, the part striving away from it however, is the formed expression of the thoughts and actions of the bia man spirits which are upon earth in earthly garments.

Men’s knowledge of this has so far been isolated piecework only, whereby, owing to their ignorance, these few pieces are in a confused medley without any real connection. Thus, nothing but a fantastically composed picture floating in the air was devised which seems like a mirage and therefore, probably exerts a special fascination upon many people who are inwardly unstable.

Man can then revel so beautifully in irresponsible things. He can allow himself to establish daring suppositions in these matters, which he naturally likes others to consider as knowledge and certainty knowing that nobody can hold him responsible thereby, if he errs. In his opinion, he has been given the opportunity to be held in esteem for once without having any responsibility.

Yes before men. But not before the laws of God. Toward these everybody is fully responsible for everything he says. For every word and all those who follow his wrong opinions, even those whom he merely incites with his erroneous teachings to new and fantastic ideas of their own, all are firmly chained to him and he must help to free them again individually before, he

Man And Nature With O.C. MADU 08056379608

can think of himself and his ascent.

Abd-ru-shin opines that the little elemental beings fashion the astral body before hand as the necessary bridge for the soul, so that, it is able to control, direct and move the growing body. The soul is connected with the astral body and works through this upon the heavy physical body. Likewise the physical body with the radiation necessary for this can really bind the soul to itself only through the astral

medium heavy and the heaviest gross material substance. In this sense, the physical body also belongs to the heaviest earthly species and the astral body to the transitional species of medium heavy gross matter, that is, to that species which lies next to the heaviest.

Abd-ru-shin opines that when an incarnation is to take place this astral body is first fashioned by the elemental beings and immediately afterwards the physical body is formed so

always basically presented little knowledge he acquired by consideration it from his point of view.

It is true that after the soul has severed itself from the physical body the astral body decays along with the physical body. But this must not be taken as a proof that it is therefore dependent upon it. This does not even give a justifiable foundation for such an assumption.

movement issues also wants to ever itself from the astral body and consequently, strives away from it too.

Thus, after the earthly departure of the soul, the astral body always remains near the physical body. The further the soul then moves away the weaker the astral body also, becomes and the ever increasing severance of the soul finally brings the decay and the decomposition

body acting as a media – for.

The radiations issuing from heavy gross matter through which the animistic pulsates, must first penetrate the medium gross matter of the astral body, for otherwise, they cannot connect with the radiations of the soul, the outermost cloak of which is by then already of finest gross matter.

There are three basic species of gross matter, although there are still various intermediate and side species in addition. For the time being we will only consider the fine, the

that, it appears as if both occur simultaneously. In reality however, the fashioning of the astral body precedes the process in heavy gross matter. It must preceed it, otherwise, the physical body could not be completed and the soul would be unable to do anything with it.

The astra body is connected with the physical body, but is not dependent upon it, as has been assumed in the past.

The lack of knowledge of the actual process of development in creation brought in its train the many errors, especially, since man

Abd-ru-shin says, when it severes itself, the soul, being the mobile part, draws the astral body away from the physical body pulls the astral body out with it. That is how it appears. In reality, the soul only pulls it off the physical body, because, a fusion has never taken place, but only a telescoping, as it is with field glasses which go in and out.

In so doing, the soul does not draw this astral body along very far, because, the latter is not only anchored with the soul, but also, with the physical body and moreover, the soul from which the essential

of the astral body, which in turn immediately brings in its train the decay of the physical body, in the same way as it also, influenced its formation. This is the normal process in accordance with the laws of creation.

The astral body is the mediator to the physical body. Whatever happens to the astral body is also, definitely suffered by the physical body.

The sufferings of the physical body however, does not affect the astral body much less, although, they closely connected with each other. If for example, some part of the physical is taken away eg, finger, then the finger of the astral body is not also, taken away simultaneously, but, it still remains as before. That is why a person on earth can actually still feel pain or a pressure periodically at that spot where he no longer possesses a number of his physical body.

“The astral body is the mediator to the physical body.

Whatever happens to the astral body is also, definitely suffered by the physical body. The sufferings of the physical body however, does not affect the astral body much less, although, they closely connected with each other.”

Dortmund Could Have Put Four Past Arsenal - Kehl

Carlos Tevez (left) of Juventus celebrates the opening goal with team-mates Claudio Marchisio during the UEFA Champions League Group A match between Juventus and Malmo FF.

BORUSSIA Dortmund midfielder Sebastian Kehl feels Arsenal were fortunate to lose Tuesday’s Champions League clash by only two goals.

Ciro Immobile gave the Bundesliga outfit the lead in the dying seconds of the first half before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made it two immediately after the break as Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated proceedings.

Kehl claims he never had any doubts Dortmund would bag the full three points and feels the Gunners were fortunate not to lose by a greater margin.

“Arsenal never really

Tevez Breaks European Drought As Juve Beats Malmo

CARLOS Tevez scored his first Champions League goals for more than five years to give Juventus a 2-0 win over stubborn debutants Malmo in Group A on Tuesday.

The feisty Argentine flicked the ball to Kwado Asamoah in the penalty area and then ran on to the Ghanaian’s back-heeled pass to slot the ball past Robin Olsen in the 59th minute.

He then secured the points by curling in a free kick from the edge of the area in the 90th minute of the Group A match.

Tevez’s first goal bailed out Juventus who appeared to have run out of ideas as they battled a well-organised Malmo defence.

The visitors, who reached the 1979 European Cup final but had never qualified for the Champions League group stage, had the best first-half chance when Magnus Eriksson’s close-range effort at the far post was stopped by keeper Gianluigi Buffon’s feet.

A stoppage time strike from

Burak Yilmaz earned Galatasaray a 1-1 draw with Anderlecht in their opening Group D Champions League fixture on Tuesday after Dennis Praet had put the visitors on course for victory.

Praet found the opening in the 52nd minute, gathering a cross on the left, passing two players along the edge of the penalty area and firing in a shot to Galatasaray keeper Fernando Muslera’s right which flew in off the post.

Into injury time, Galatasaray’s Aurelien Chedjou broke through the defences on the left of the area and found Burak who shot past Anderlecht keeper Davy Roef from a few metres to the relief of the home side.

Goals from Hulk and Axel Witsel helped Zenit St Petersburg get their campaign off to the perfect start as they beat 10-man Benfica 2-0.

NORWICH took advantage of playing a day ahead of Nottingham Forest by powering to the top of the Championship table with a 30 win at Brentford.

Alex Tettey put the Canaries ahead in the 68th minute and then Cameron Jerome netted twice, the second of which was a spectacular long-range strike.

Watford also edged above Forest, for the time being at least, after a 68th-minute Matej Vydra penalty proved enough to secure maximum points in a 1-0 triumph at struggling Blackpool.

Wolves had to come from

behind to earn a 1-1 draw at Charlton, with Danny Batth equalising after Andre BikeyAmougou had put the Addicks in front.

Caretaker boss Neil Redfearn boosted his hopes of getting the Leeds job on a permanent basis with a 3-1 success at Bournemouth, where Andrew Surman put the Cherries in front early on but United hit back through Souleymane Doukara, Giuseppe Bellusci and Mirco Antenucci.

Stevie May and Jeremy Helan hit the target as Sheffield Wednesday won 20 at Birmingham, while

Hulk put the visitors 1-0 up after five minutes when Oleg Shatov fed the Brazilian with an excellent pass and the forward finished with aplomb.

Things went from bad to worse for Benfica on 18 minutes when goalkeeper Artur was sent off for bringing down Danny outside the penalty area and Witsel doubled the lead with a header four minutes later.

Monaco showed they could still be a force in Europe despite losing James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao with a second-half

Joao Moutinho goal securing a 1-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen.

Portugal international Moutinho, one of Monaco’s big signings last year, fired home from Dimitar Berbatov’s header in the 61st minute.

Monaco, who sold Colombia international Rodriguez to Real Madrid and loaned compatriot Falcao to Manchester United, had been second best to Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen for the first hour, but took their chance and join Zenit at the top of Group C.

Aggressive Malmo Made Life Hard For Juventus - Chiellini JUVENTUS defender Giorgio Chiellini has admitted that Malmo caused the Serie A giants plenty of problems in their 2-0 Champions League win on Tuesday.

A Carlos Tevez double helped the Italian champions

Norwich Take Over At Top Ipswich beat Brighton by the same scoreline at Portman Road thanks to goals from Jonathan Parr and Daryl Murphy.

Enrique Garcia Martinez put Middlesbrough ahead at Cardiff after just two minutes and that was how it stayed, while Huddersfield and Wigan drew 0-0.

Struggling Bolton enjoyed a welcome boost when edging out Rotherham 3-2 thanks to a Joe Mason hattrick and Simon Cox struck twice as Reading beat Millwall by the same scoreline to register a third successive league win.

to a vital home win in their Group A opener, but Chiellini has acknowledged it was by no means a stroll in the park for Juventus.

“It was not an easy game.

After last season’s experience we know there are no games are easy in this competition. It was important to start with a win,” Chiellini told uefa.com “It was difficult to find space against Malmo’s defence, they were aggressive and well organised.

“They tired in the second half and we managed to score through Tevez and create more opportunities, especially with [Stephan] Lichtsteiner on the right.

“We are all happy for Carlos’s goals after his long wait.”

Juventus resume Serie A action away against AC Milan on Saturday

offered much. I was very confident after we got the first goal and I knew we’d be going for it again in the second half. We could easily have won three or four-nil,” Kehl told the official Uefa website.

“I’m not really surprised by how dominant we were. We know we can be very good when we put a lot into it and that’s what happened Tuesday night.

“Arsenal never really got

into the game, they never really got going, and in the end we scored and deserved to win based on the way we played. We were alert, in good form and that caused them a lot of problems.

“I never really felt that [it wasn’t going to be our day] because they never got a hold in the game.”

Dortmund meet Anderlecht in Brussels on October 1 in their second Group D encounter.

ARSENE Wenger defended Danny Welbeck after the +21 million signing from Manchester United missed several opportunities against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday evening.

The England international had a number of chances to score for the Gunners but spurned them all, with Dortmund eventually running out comfortable 2-0 winners.

Ciro Immobile and PierreEmerick Aubameyang struck either side of half-time to put Jurgen Klopp’s men in control of Group D after just one game.

But Wenger refused to single Welbeck out for criticism following the defeat, instead praising his work-rate at Signal Iduna Park.

“He [Welbeck] was dangerous but he tired in the second half,” Wenger told Sky Sports. “He couldn’t finish tonight but he looked lively and for all the rest of the game he did well. He needs a goal to get that off his shoulders.”

Wenger also insisted that his

side created enough chances to win the game, though he conceded that Dortmund deserved their eventual victory.

“I think we were not at the requested level tonight,” he added. “They deserved their win.

I still believe that we were a bit unlucky because [we conceded] 10 seconds before half-time and after that goal it was difficult of course.

“Despite our very average performance we had plenty of chances. That’s a little bit of a paradox of the night. We could’ve been leading the game.

They as well had plenty of chances.

Wenger Defends Misfiring Welbeck

Arsene Wenger

Police Probe Racial Abuse made Claim A fan has been detained by aware of an allegation of police following an allegation of racial abuse towards a Peterborough player during the League One clash with Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium on Tuesday night.

The alleged incident happened in the second half of the Gills’ 2-1 victory and the club has indicated anyone found guilty of such behaviour will be banned for life.

A club statement read: “ During the second half of Gillingham’s first-team fixture against Peterborough on Tuesday night stewards were

racial abuse towards a visiting player.

“After a preliminary investigation a person has been detained and police are conducting a formal investigation.

“Gillingham Football Club will not tolerate racial abuse and will take whatever action that is appropriate at the conclusion of the investigation with regard to any persons behaving in this fashion at our ground.

“Anyone found guilty will be banned for life from Priestfield Stadium.”

ARSENAL appeared to have 12 men on the field during their Champions League Group D match with Borussia Dortmund after the referee opted to wear a top which resembled the Gunners’ strip.

Despite playing in their traditional red and white colours in the corresponding fixture last season, Arsenal took to the field

in a navy blue kit on Tuesday evening.

Fans took to Twitter to express their confusion as referee Olegario Benquerenca roamed across the midfield in a dark shirt without touching the ball: Fortunately for Arsenal, his white shorts and socks combo made him just about distinguishable.

Referee ‘Wears Arsenal Kit’ For Dortmund Match

Madrid Fans Insult Gareth Bale After Training

I’m Still Getting Used To Madrid -James JAMES Rodriguez has stressed that he is still getting used to his new surroundings following his summer move from Monaco to Real Madrid.

The attacking midfielder has yet to replicate the form he showed at this summer’s World Cup after his +80 million transfer but he is confident that he will improve over time.

“I am still adapting and getting used to my new surroundings,” the Colombia international said at a press conference.

“I’m in a new group and I’m gradually getting better.

Every day I get better, physically and mentally.

“I just want to play and train. I came here as just another player and I want to train well to perform well when I play.”

Juve Set To Move For Pedro

JUVENTUS could move for Barcelona winger Pedro Rodriguez when the transfer window re-opens in January, according to reports The Bianconeri were reported to be targeting a winger in this summer’s window, losing out on Juan Iturbe to Roma and apparent interest in Alexis Sanchez proving fruitless.

However, Catalan newspaper Sport are headlining today that the Turin club could move for Spanish international Pedro in January.

Despite being a regular for Barcelona over the last few seasons, Luis Suarez’s introduction from October is expected to be at the 27-yearold’s expense.

Sport states that Pedro’s release clause is set at +150m (£120m), but Tuttosport suggest Barcelona would be willing to negotiate with Juve, rather than risk losing the player on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of next season.

Pedro is not believed to be the Old Lady’s main target, however, with Sport reporting that Juve would only bid for the Barca man should they be unable to secure the signing of Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata.

The 23-year-old then went on to say that he feels honoured to be playing at the Santiago Bernabeu and is keen to make his first Champions League appearance for Madrid.

“The Bernabeu is a wonderful stadium, and it is great to play there. I always dreamed of playing here.

Since I was a kid it has been something I wanted and now I’m here I want to give my all.

“I’m also happy to make my Champions League debut.”

James Radriquez

FIFA Exco Probed Over World Cup Watches

FIFA is investigating whether any ethics rules were broken when members of its executive committee received commemorative watches from sponsors of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) at the World Cup. celebrations) to various “The CBF distributed people, including the commemorative watches members of the FIFA at the FIFA World Cup in executive committee,” said Brazil from their own soccer’s governing body in sponsor (as part of the a statement. association’s centennial “The ethics committee

Barcelona’s Pedro

was informed about this accordingly in June 2014 and is dealing with the matter.”

FIFA said the chairmen of its ethics committee, Michael Garcia, and audit and compliance committee, Domenico Scala, had previously barred the executive committee members, as well as president Sepp Blatter, from receiving watches provided by Hublot, its own official timekeeper.

“The two chairmen determined in June 2014 that this would not be permitted under the organisation’s compliance rules and as such it was decided not to distribute

‘Ibrahimovic Up There With Messi And Ronaldo’ FORMER Ajax and Netherlands midfielder Andy van der Meyde believes Paris SaintGermain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the best players in the world together with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Van der Meyde played alongside the Sweden international at Ajax between 2001 and 2003 and the Dutchman has nothing but praise for his former team-mate.

“Ibrahimovic is one of the best players in the world

with Messi and Ronaldo,” Van der Meyde told Goal.

“He is such a big and strong guy. He can be an intimidating figure. Plus he has amazing technique as well for someone with a big body like his.

“He’s the type of player who wants to win at all costs. He is arrogant, but that’s him. It’s a positive sort of arrogance if you ask me. He is a true great.”

Van der Meyde admits he was often left speechless when watching Ibrahimovic in training.

“We didn’t need long to

realise that he was going to be a great player. He did things on the training pitch where we could only look on with our mouths open out of admiration.

“The kind of actions he makes now as well, with his acrobatic backheels.

Although he didn’t really managed to perform during games early on.”

Ibrahimovic returns to familiar ground on Wednesday when PSG take on Ajax at the Amsterdam ArenA in Group F of the Champions League.

any of the watches to any members,” said FIFA. “The fact is that FIFA has not distributed any watches to any of the members of its executive committee nor its president neither to its secretary general.”

A group of Real Madrid supporters have made their feelings known following the 2-1 home loss to Atletico Madrid last weekend.

Fans were waiting outside for the players after Monday training at Valdebebas in the hope of getting autographs or photo opportunities.

However, the Cuatro television cameras showed footage of a few followers insulting Gareth Bale after he failed to stop for them, while some even kicked out at his car in frustration as he drove away.

The Welshman was not the only one to feel the fans’ wrath, with Toni Kroos and Raphael Varane also subjected to some choice words when they stopped to sign autographs.

It follows the whistles both Iker Casillas and Karim Benzema had to endure at the Bernabeu during the Atletico defeat.

Gareth Bale

Barca Training Ground Named In Honour Of Tito Vilanova BARCELONA have paid tribute to former boss Tito Vilanova by naming a training ground in his honour.

The club’s board agreed on Monday that the pitch at their Ciudad Deportiva de Sant Joan Despi, where the first team

Tito -Vilanova

train, would be renamed Tito Vilanova after the former coach.

Vilanova was in charge at the Camp Nou in the 2012-13 season after succeeding Pep Guardiola, who announced he was taking time out from the game to recharge his batteries, having been the current Bayern Munich boss’s assistant.

However, after being diagnosed with cancer and being forced to give up the job, Vilanova went into remission but during a check-up in April this year suffered complications and sadly passed away.

Nottingham Named City Of activities in NOTTINGHAM has Football football Nottingham being able to beaten off Manchester and Portsmouth to win the right to stage a £1.6million two-year pilot project aimed at testing ways of getting more people playing football regularly.

The Football Association had £1.6million of public funding for the amateur game cut by Sport England in March after failing to reverse a decline in participation - last year there were 1.84million people playing football regularly, a fall of 100,000 since April 2013.

In a new funding

initiative, Nottingham has been named as Sport England’s City of Football.

A statement from Sport England said Nottingham clinched their bid “by mobilising an impressive group of private, public and voluntary sector partners from both inside and outside the traditional football family, to do whatever it takes to get more people - particularly those aged 14-25 years playing all kinds of football regularly.”

One key element is a digital platform ‘Playbook’ - which will help people planning

target a sector of the population with relevant offers.

Nigel Cooke, head of One Nottingham, said: “Over the next two years, we will create new

Claims Schwarzer

football partnerships; develop new technologies; encourage more people to play, especially 14 to 25 year olds, women and girls and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds; and share our learning so that the rest of England can benefit from our insight.”

the crucial, final result of the week in Hull.

It is not clear whether the punter is either a Hull or a West Ham fan, but should they ever encounter any of the players involved in Monday’s match, a round of drinks could well be in order.

YOUNES Kaboul has been named as Tottenham’s new captain, the club have announced.

The Frenchman has led the side on several occasions this season and has now been chosen by manager Mauricio Pochettino as the permanent successor to fellow central defender Michael Dawson, who joined Hull last month.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and striker Emmanuel Adebayor will both act as vice-captains.

A post on the club’s

ASTON Villa striker Christian Benteke has returned to training to end a five month injury lay-off.

Boss Paul Lambert confirmed the Belgium international rejoined the squad on Monday for the first time since rupturing his Achilles in April.

Benteke missed Belgium’s World Cup campaign this summer after the injury but

Younes Kaboul

Jose Mourinho Still Rues Ronaldo Penalty Miss In 2012

JOSE Mourinho says his frustration at Cristiano Ronaldo missing in a 2012 Champions League semifinal penalty shootout for Real Madrid has never gone away.

Mourinho and Ronaldo reached three consecutive Champions League semifinals during their time together at Real Madrid, coming closest to making the final in the middle year when losing on penalties to Bayern Munich in the second leg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Ronaldo took the first kick in the shootout, but saw his effort saved by Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Madrid’s Kaka and Sergio Ramos then also missed, leaving the German side’s Bastian Schweinsteiger to slot the winner as his

official Twitter feed read: “Mauricio has announced that Younes Kaboul has been named our new Club captain with Hugo Lloris and Emmanuel Adebayor as vice-captains.”

Adebayor made his 100th appearance for Spurs in Saturday’s Barclays Premier League draw with Sunderland.

The 28-year-old Kaboul joined the club for the second time from Portsmouth in January 2010 and has made 131 appearances in his two spells in north London.

Benteke Trains For First Time In Fire Months

West Ham’s Draw At Hull Nets Lucky Punter Small WHEN Enner Valencia’s Fortune header hit the crossbar deep into injury time at the KC Stadium on Monday night, Hull City fans breathed a huge sigh of relief as their team secured a point in their Premier League clash against West Ham. Despite having led twice over the course of the evening, one point could easily have turned into none right at the death for Steve Bruce’s side and the Tigers boss could be forgiven had his heart been in his mouth during those tense final moments on Humberside.

Bruce would not have been alone though; the majority of the KC Stadium was with him. But there was another for whom there was a great deal riding on the result - a lot more than mere points.

When a punter walked into a bookies last Friday and stuck +5 on a nine-match accumulator, the odds were stacked against the bet coming in. So much so that the potential winnings stood at the princely sum of +23,383.77, a huge return on the modest sum laid down.

Yet when the full-time whistle blew in Hull and with the score locked at 2-2, that is precisely the amount that lucky person pocketed after their unlikely wager came in.

The punter had the foresight to correctly predict the outcomes of nine matches in England and Scotland over the weekend, including the upset of Liverpool by Aston Villa and three draws, including

Kaboul Handed Tottenham Captaincy

team won the shootout 3-1.

The now Chelsea manager told Portuguese channel TVI that for his team’s best player to miss such an important penalty kick was something which was hard to move on from.

“To lose a semifinal on penalties when your best player, your best penalty taker, the player in who you put all your faith and pick to take the first penalty, reaches the spot and fails,” Mourinho said. “That is a frustration which never goes away.”

The quotes from Mourinho would appear to quash any possibility of Ronaldo choosing to rejoin his former coach at Stamford Bridge, should reports that the 29-year-old is considering leaving Madrid come true.

Ronaldo had been linked with Chelsea, as well as his former club Manchester United, after he made public comments which seemed to be thinly veiled criticism of the transfer policy of Blancos president Florentino Perez.

When recently asked about the possibility of Ronaldo moving to West London, Mourinho, who last year indicated he did not have a positive

relationship with his compatriot, replied: “Pfff... forget it.”

The reigning Ballon d’Or holder has since stepped back from that stance, claiming his words had been misinterpreted, and speculation over a move has died down in the Spanish press.

Chritian Benteke

is on schedule with his September comeback expected.

Lambert told the club’s official site: “I’m delighted with the efforts of the medical team here at Villa for working incredibly hard with Christian to get him back to fitness so quickly.

“Christian trained today, though it was a light session.

“Hopefully, with no effects from that, he’ll train again tomorrow with the group.

“Obviously, we’ll be monitoring his fitness and we’ll continue to build him up towards a return to the team.”

Benteke has scored 34 goals in 67 appearances for Villa since a £7million move from Genk in 2012 and had hinted at his return on Sunday.

He tweeted: “5months today! The road was long but tomorrow it’s the big day!

Doing what I love the most.

Thank you all for the support you’re the best.”

Villa have Under-21 games against Derby and Bolton this month where Benteke could feature as he builds towards a Premier League return.

Minister Urges NFA, Others To Emulate Handball Federation THE Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo, has urged football stakeholders to ensure that peace returns to the football house the way it has returned to the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN).

Danagogo, who said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the inauguration of HFN board, noted that the peace achieved in the federation was worthy of emulation.

“I call on other sports federations that have internal wrangling to emulate handball federation’s peace deal,’’ he said.

The Mega Veterans Handball Association (MVHA) had dragged the Yusuf Dauda-led board of the HFN to court challenging its election of May 2013.

The court subsequently restrained the board members and their leaders from parading themselves as the elected officers pending the determination of the case.

MVHA later withdrew the case in the interest of the game following the intervention of authorities at the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Danagogo pointed out that rivalry among sports stakeholders had most times slowed-down development in the sector.

“One thing that is actually killing our sport is rivalry within the ranks of the management, rivalry among those of you that should give government the necessary support to ensure that these various games succeed.

“No matter how determined government is to promote sports, no matter how much we are ready to spend, if you are quarreling, then it will be difficult for any government policy to be implemented,’’ Danagogo said.

2013/2014 NPFL Season To End Nov 9 THE League Management Company (LMC) said on Tuesday that the 2013/2014 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season would now end on November 9 as against the initial November 23.

Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the LMC, said this in a telephone interview with newsmen in Abuja.

“We have to come backwards to Nov. 9 because of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Nov. 23 “All the competition must finish before then, so we have to reschedule our matches to finish by November 9.

“Don’t forget that we must make submission by November 30 for our

Tammy Danagogo, Sports Minister.

Eagles Lack Technical, Tactical Abilities - Babayaro

AN ex-International goalkeeper, Emmanuel Babayaro, yesterday in Abuja said that the Super Eagles lacked both technical and tactical abilities.

Babayaro said this when national team just have a way he spoke with newsmen of always winning somehow. while reacting to the Super “Go and watch the just Eagles’ opening matches of concluded World Cup tapes the 2015 Africa Cup of and find out how many saves Nations (AFCON) Enyeama made averagely in qualifiers. every game.

The Super Eagles lost 2-3 “ Also, compare that to how to Congo Brazzaville and many chances the Eagles got were held to a goalless draw and probably convert one or

by South Africa in their first two to win a match and do the and second 2015 AFCON arithmetic yourself. qualifiers, respectively.

The former national team goalkeeper said he was not surprised that the team was struggling at the moment despite their title as ‘African Champions’, adding that the team lacked both technical and tactical discipline.

He said that it was the Eagles’ goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, who had been saving the day for the national team over the years.

“Some of us had seen the handwriting on the wall long ago and had also insisted that we go back and play the tapes of the Super Eagles so as to review their past performances.

Stephen Keshi “Apart from the match against Cote d’ Ivoire during the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, tell me when and if THE Nigeria Football the Super Eagles have ever Association (NFA) on Tuesday played better technically and reiterated its resolve to hold an tactically against any other extraordinary congress in Warri, team.

Delta, on September 20.

“It has never happened,’’ This is contained in a Babayaro said. statement issued by Ademola He also said that most Olajire, the Assistant Director of teams, even the so-called Communications in Abuja. ‘minnows’, had always been The statement stated that technically and tactically Musa Amadu, NFA Secretarybetter than the Eagles.

General, said the event would be Babayaro said “our

“It basically tells you that if Enyeama has not been saving, the Eagles would have been losing and would have probably not won the Nations Cup,’’ he said.

Babayaro further said that God had his way of doing things, adding “even though God loves our country, He makes us understand every once in a while that we also have work to do.

“For instance, if Enyeama had played in our match

against Congo Brazzaville where we lost 2-3, I know at least one of the goals, I am 100 per cent certain that he would have saved.

“What that probably means is that, the match would have ended in a draw and Nigerians wouldn’t have been bothered by now.

“So, once in a while God allows these things to come to the fore so that we can see and if possible make the much needed changes,’’ he said.

Congo is on top of Group A with six points, followed by Bafana Bafana with four points while Nigeria sit precariously in the third position after picking a point from available six.

The Super Eagles will continue their quest for qualification next month when they will travel to face Sudan on Oct.10 and this would followed by the return leg in Calabar on Oct. 15.

Sudan remains the whipping team with no point from two games played.

With only two teams guaranteed automatic slots to Morocco 2015, Eagles are in grave danger of missing out of the biggest soccer showpiece on the continent.

representation in CAF competitions, that is the last day so we have to finish the league by November 9,’’ Abubakar said.

He, however, said that resumption of league action after a two-week boycott by the referees had brought a tight schedule for the clubs as well as the LMC. Abubakar added that the boycott had given players the opportunity to rest, stressing that “we are going to have tough time organising the matches and going forward.

“As it is now, we have to play midweek and weekends for four weeks and we have to conclude 11 matches between now and the end of October. “ So, it is going to be hectic and tight for us and that is a big challenge.’’

On the salary arrears being owed players of some NPFL clubs, Abubakar said that action would be taken immediately if the LMC received any official complaint.

According to him, if we have information from any player or any group of players, then we will set in and take action on it, but if we don’t have any information there is nothing we can do.

“We assume that everything is going on fine, they have to make a complaint first before we can take action.’’

He urged fans to come out enmass to support their clubs, noting that clubs that regularly pay their players would get good football and results as reward.

The minister urged sports stakeholder to always use internal mechanism to settle their differences, adding that national interest should be placed above selfish desires.

The NSC Director-General, Gbenga Elegbeleye, said the newly inaugurated HFN board would leave office at the expiration of other federations elected alongside with them.

Elegbeleye also said that tenure of the board had started counting from the time of the election in 2013, irrespective of the court case that had restrained it from performing its duties.

Yusuf Dauda, the newly inaugurated President of HFN, assured that with the peace deal, handball in Nigeria would move to the next level.

NFA Extraordinary Congress Holds On expected at the congress. the first of two such congresses Sept 20 areCoaches Association, Referees as advised by FIFA. According to the statement, the two congresses are expected to usher in a new NFA board.

“At the extraordinary congress, the General Assembly will elect persons into a fresh NFA Electoral Committee and a new NFA Electoral Appeals Committee.

“The General Assembly will

also at the same event decide on a date and venue for the elective congress which we hope will take place before the end of the month,” the statement stated.

It stated that chairmen and secretaries of the 36 States Football Associations and the FCT as well as chairmen and secretaries of the various leagues

Association and Players’ Union are also expected to be in attendance at the event slated for Brownhills Events Centre, Warri.

Amadu also said that the grand finale of the 2014 Men and Women Federation Cup competitions would hold only after the elective congress of the NFA.

CMYK

An Open letter To The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele

DISTINGUISHED First Banker: Barely 41 days ago, this column carried the piece titled “Bank Charges As Criminal Overkill”. In that piece, we showed enough excitement at the prospect of one of our own attaining the enviable position of Governor of the apex bank in the land. In earnest, that article was intended to aid agenda-setting for your high office.

Understandably, you were too new in office and too busy to be distracted by any journalist inclinations; hence it has now become necessary to adopt a more direct approach in revisiting the same issues with a few modifications based on recent developments.

The CBN has just decided to re-introduce the Automated Teller Machine, ATM, withdrawal charge or fee, which was scrapped a few months ago by your predecessor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

For one thing, it is bad politics to go into office and immediately begin to dismantle the policy thrusts of your predecessor. For another, it would be recalled that Sanusi did not just embark on that policy.

Rather, it was foisted on him by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Banking and Currency. In the circumstance, it is doubtful if you can face an impending war against the entire people.

It is, however, not too late in the day to beat a retreat from the repugnant decision before the National Assembly releases its claws on you.

Kwame Nkrumah (19091972) shows by happy illustration that the best way of looking at the future is to keep an eye on the past. It is instructive that your immediate past predecessors – Prof.

Charles Chukwuma Soludo and Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi – were men of very strong character and independent judgment. You cannot be

different. Neither can you allow your colleagues at the commercial banks to destroy your future by permitting them to push you around with their shylock profitmaximization ploys. After all, you have the rest of your life to live with yourself.

Morning shows the day.

What should be of interest to Nigerians now is to hear that you are fighting relentlessly to reinvigorate the value of the Naira by arresting its gradual glide into worthlessness; addressing the inflation in the economy by pulling it down from the rooftops where it currently resides; and ensuring that the ATM centres function efficiently instead of the comatose machines that now litter everywhere.

The banks are giving us a raw deal in every direction. Admittedly, the Commission On Turnover, COT, is as old as the banking industry itself.

Over time, the COT has become a major source of revenue to the banks. We are, however, worried that “Vat on COT” is also a debit on the customer at the end of the month.

COT is a revenue source for the banks; while, like any other tax, Vat on COT is revenue to the Government. The banks collect COT from their customers and also pass the tax burden on this revenue to the same customers. This is double jeopardy. It is also stealing by trick and the very height of economic injustice. This is one issue that Mr. Governor will do well to address very quickly.

As the repression continues, the customer might soon begin to challenge the rationale behind the COT, particularly when in the course of the month, he pays for virtually every service rendered to him by the bank – he pays for inter- and intra-bank transfers, stamp duty, statement of account, alert charges, etc.

Elsewhere, cheque books are given to customers as inducements. But Nigeria remains perhaps the only country where cheque books are acquired at exorbitant costs. Even where secondary and tertiary institutions of learning are able to offer those bulky answer papers free to their students, our

look at the composition of the Bankers’ Committee shows that it is indeed the sellers’ market: the CBN Governor is chairman; each Commercial Bank is a member; Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, (member); Chartered Institute of Bankers (member); Financial Institutions Training

corporate prostitution, which has become a way of life for many of the new generation banks, so called. Mr. Governor, wouldn’t you like to be remembered as the man

Mr. Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor banks still charge heavily for those pieces of paper called cheques.

How much fairness would the bank customer expect when policy issues affecting banks/customer relations are considered in the Bankers’ Committee where he has no iota or representation? A cursory

Centre, FITC, (member); and Banking Supervision Department of CBN (Secretary).

Equity demands the quick inclusion of the Association of Bank Customers of Nigeria on the Bankers’ Committee.

We are also not in a hurry to forget the aspect of

who abolished this obnoxious practice?

There is still another evil lurking around – the open sale of new Naira notes on our streets. The banks have become places for morbid, tattered and deformed notes, fit only for cremation. The crisp Naira notes called variously by

such names as mint, chassis, etc, have since migrated to the street corners and other social gatherings, where they are sold to “sprayers” at exorbitant prices, without the least consideration for the embarrassment and infamy it brings on the nation.

Come to think of it, what are the possible implications of this nefarious practice for inflation? Into which category of banking do we place it? These should be of interest to Mr. Governor.

From every standpoint, the law-abiding citizen in Nigeria is on his own.

Nobody cares for him; and this easily lends credence to the thinking that crime pays. Most civil society organizations exist to protect criminal elements – from the point of arrest to the court; down to the prisons and even post i n c a r c e r a t i o n arrangements for rehabilitation!

Mr. Governor, Sir, history beckons at you. These are some of the societal ills plaguing our financial world, which if checked, will not only make yours a most successful tenure, but also put you permanently on the path of righteousness, depicting the true meaning of your name – Do not misbehave!

Please accept our best wishes.

“The banks are giving us a raw deal in every direction.

Admittedly, the Commission On Turnover, COT, is as old as the banking industry itself. Over time, the COT has become a major source of revenue to the banks.

We are, however, worried that “Vat on COT” is also a debit on the customer at the end of the month.”

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