Nigerian observer 19 08 2013

THE NIGERIAN

The Nigerian

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

cmyk

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PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968

FOCUS Pgs. 16/17 Combating Oil Theft In Nigeria:

Matters Arising

• Vol . 38 NO. 296 • MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013 • N100.00

Govt demolishes illegal structures in Evboriaria EDO State Government has commenced the demolition of all illegal structures in Government land and acquisition in Edo State

The exercise was carried out on Government layout located at Evboriaria in Benin-City.

The State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Barr.

Osikhena-Boih Donald led top officials of the

Ministry of Lands & Survey to the layout and was disappointed at the rate people encroached and build on Government land Continues on page 2

Removal of Minimum Wage From Exclusive List

INT’L

FEATURES Pg 25 Egypt Enters Uncharted Territory

Workers To Resist NASS

AWKA - Nigerian workers have threatened to resist the removal of minimum wage from the exclusive list to concurrent list in the new constitution by the National Assembly.

Dr Ayuba Wabba, in dealing with minimum President of the Medical wage, freedom of assoand Health Workers’ ciation and collective Union of Nigeria bargaining.

(MHWUN) made this He said that already, known in an interview the Trade Union Conwith journalists in Awka gress (TUC) and Nigeria yesterday.

Labour Congress (NLC) He said the Senate had petitioned President had tinkered with the Goodluck Jonathan on provision in the constituthe issue. tion amendment in conHe said they had also travention of the Internapetitioned the Senate tional Labour Organisaand House of Repretion’s (ILO’s) convention sentatives that the or-

ganised labour would do everything within its power to mobilise Nigerian workers to resist

such exploitative tendencies.

“You are aware that before now, the 1979,

1999 constitutions and all previous constitutions have captured minimum wage under the exclusive list.

“This was taking into cognisance that there is an ILO convention dealing with it,” he said.

Wabba commended the House of Representatives for not considering the amendment, and seeing reasons that it was a direct contravention of ILO convention, which NiContinues on page 2

Environmental Protection

Edo To Partner FG

GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has pledged the state government’s commitment to partner with the Federal Government’s National Environmental Standards and R e g u l a t i o n s Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to tackle environmental problems in the country.

Oshiomhole was speaking weekend when he granted audience to the Chairman and Chief Executive officer of the National Environmental Standards and R e g u l a t i o n s Enforcement Agency in Benin City.

According to the Governor “we need inter-ministerial approach sometimes.

Some of the flooding disasters we are experiencing in Edo State was as a result of negligence on the part of

some engineers involved in the designing of roads.

“The monster we are contending with at Queen Ede is a result of the design error arising from the construction of the Benin-Asaba road dualization. Now that the road has been dualised, some people had been driven from the community as a result of flooding which ought to have been fixed immediately but was neglected and now it is a huge disaster and is going to cause billions of naira to fix”, he noted.

The Governor explained “Nigeria has laws that are observed only in breach. It is not for us to lament the breach of the past but to

put an end to it. We must ensure that environmental laws are enforced strictly and steps are taken to make sure that the violation will attract sanction” He argued “if we don’t protect the environment we cannot have s u s t a i n a b l e development. We must do our part as individuals and Continues on page 2

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS: Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the DG/CEO of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Dr. (Mrs.) Negeri Benson and Mr. Timothy Okewor during the Agency’s visit to Government House, Benin City. Photo: CHARITY OZIGBO-ESERE.

By VICTOR OMOALU BENIN CITY – The Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has hailed the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Internal

Revenue Service (EDIRS), Chief (Sir) Oseni Elamah for his e x c e p t i o n a l performance and commitment towards optimizing the revenue profile of the state.

By ANDY EGBON/ RAYMOND OSOGBE BENIN CITY – A foremost socio-cultural

group in Edo South senatorial District, the Benin Forum has honoured elected political office holders in

Edo South Senatorial District of the state.

They are, Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen

IGR: Oshiomhole commends

EIRS boss

This was contained in a letter dated August 15, 2013, signed by the

Group honours Odubu, others

Odubu who was elected with Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the chairman and Continues on page 2

Chief of staff, Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon on behalf of the governor, and addressed to the EDIRS boss.

According to the letter, “I write to commend the efforts of the management and staff of your board in increasing the revenue profile of the state since

your assumption of leadership of the board, despite all odds.

The governor who expressed his appreciation for Chief Elamah’s untiring drive towards boosting the revenue base of the state despite the attendance hazards and challenges described the achievement as not only phenomenal, but a diligence and Continues on page 2

THE NIGERIAN

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

News

Group honours Odubu, others

Continued from page 1

councillors in the seven Benin Local Government Areas who were elected at the last local government election.

It was at a cocktail party held at the palace of the Benin Monarch, His Majesty Oba Erediauwa under the auspices of the Benin forum.

Governor Oshiomhole said the honour was to remind the elected officers not to see their new position as an excuse to rest on their oars.

The governor who was represented by the Chief of staff, Government House, Benin City, Hon. Patrick

Workers

Continued from page 1 geria is a signatory.

He said that it was only the senate that had tinkered with the provision, taking the powers and giving it to the State Houses of Assembly to make laws on general wage.

He described the proposal as “a call for chaos”.

“The organised labour in its entirety will resist any attempt to remove minimum wage from the exclusive list.

“Any constitutional amendment on it must take into cognisance the yearnings and aspirations of the workers.

“We went to the collation from local governments to the constituency levels, those issues were never canvassed.

“All the states we have visited there was no voting for the removal of minimum wage from the exclusive list, the report is there at the national assembly,” Wabba said.

Obahiagbon urged them to also see the honour as a statement that the Benin forum, the Oba and the traditional institution are watching everyone.

On his part, Dr. Odubu assured that “we will not disappoint Edo people, we will fulfill our electioneering promises”.

Recalling that the Oshiomhole led government has positively transformed the state, the deputy governor noted that all the candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for the last local government election were carefully selected.

Appreciating the forum for the honour done them, he acknowledged the front row position that members of the forum have always taken in matters affecting the collective interest of the senatorial district and the state generally.

“Often, you have fought doggedly against unjust actions directed at our people while skillfully articulating well structured and logical opinions on behalf of Benin people on national issues”, he said.

He added that, “your unwavering efforts at reversing some of these negative trends are commendable and we urge you not to relent”.

Describing the forum gesture as a more show of solidarity, Dr. Odubu appreciated the Oba for giving his consent to the hosting of the event.

According to Dr. Odubu, “what this tells me is that the good people of Benin

Kingdom supported the ACN , now APC in Edo State”.

This, he said caused Governor Oshiomhole to immediately on assumption of office in November 2008 embark on a fact based planning for the short and long term basis for the purpose of re-invigorating the decayed infrastructure of the state.

In spite of what the state government had done so far, Dr. Odubu disclosed that the structural design for many roads have been completed and now awaiting for award of their contracts.

Chairman of Benin Forum, Chief David Edebiri said: the event was organized on behalf of the Benin Monarch to honour his subjects who were recently elected in two separate elections”.

Chief Edebiri asserted”, Dr. Odubu deserved the honour, having regard to his meritorious service, as a federal legislator and as a two term deputy governor of the state”.

Dr. Odubu has greatly influenced the politics of the state with his humane nature, high sense of responsibility and undivided loyalty to his boss and traditional institution of our land”, he said.

Chief Edebiri said the local government officers “are eminently deserving of the honour because of their attitude and general behaviour during the campaign” that preceded their election.

“Because of the right attitude of the candidates and their leaders, the election turns out to be the most

Govt demolishes illegal structures Continued from page 1

despite several warnings and notices to that effect.

The Lands and Survey Commissioner also stressed that any person that builds on Government Land without authorization or valid allocation and approvals will have themselves to blame because the illegal structures

will be brought down.

He then added that those covered or listed for as built survey should immediately come for regularization or risks the loss of such property.

Barr.

Osikhena-Boih Donald appealed to the general public to beware of land racketeers who violate

Environmental Protection

Continued from page 1

community, as nongovernmental organizations, Federal and State agencies on the issue of environment.

We must be united and we must create sufficient time to deal with issues and articulate medium and long term strategies”.

Oshiomhole disclosed that Edo State has done a couple of things to protect the environment and deal with people who are looking at short economic gains without looking at the long term consequences.

“We live in one world and everybody must be encouraged regardless of

your level of development to pay attention to the environment”, he added.

Earlier, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ngeri Gbenebo commended the Governor for his development strides in the state.

According to her, “the opening of roads to the hinterland is a case in point.

This has boosted the economy of the state.”

She disclosed, that the agency plans to set up an office in the state which will have a hundred percent junior staff and twenty five percent senior staff and solicited for office accommodation.

Government laws and all enquiries about Government land should be directed to the Ministry of Lands & Survey for better clarification to avoid embarrassment.

During the demolition exercise at Evboriaria layout all illegal structures that violated the State’s acquisition were brought down.

The Commissioner maintained that the exercise would be sustained and advised all individuals and members of the public to properly carry out checks at the Ministry of Lands and Survey, Secretariat Building, Sapele Road before parting with their money for any piece of land at Evboriaria layout.

Those who accompanied the Commissioner for the exercises were the Permanent Secretary, Barr.

Duke Osunbor, Assistant Surveyor General, Mr. Godwin Osayande, Director of Lands, Mr. Aghama-Enofe and Mr. Henry Enabulele, the Secretary Land Use Allocation Committee along side with Security Agencies

credible, free and fair in Nigeria contemporary history”.

“We enjoined you to remain focus and dedicated to the tenets of honesty, probity and forthrightness”, adding that because of their individual pedigree, expectations from the people are very high.

He charged them to emulate the proactivness of Governor Oshiomhole, whom he said is in the forefront of all the 36 states in Nigeria in terms of infrastructural development and provision of social amenities.

“With the deputy governor who himself is a consummate politician and prudent administrator overseeing the affairs of the local government, councils, I want to assume you that you have nothing to fear in facing the daunting challenges”, he told the council functionaries.

“I wish to assure you of the full support of our royal father, the Benin Forum would continue to maintain close contact with every local government chairman”.

“The Omo N’Oba N’Edo would be delighted to see new urbanized township springing up in your area, thereby stopping the current rural/urban drift, he added.

The ceremony had in attendance, members of the state executive council, including the state Head of Service, Princess (Mrs.) Ekiuwa Inneh, and her husband, Commissioners for Works, Barrister Osarodion Ogie, his counterpart in the Technical, Vocational and Tertiary Education, Barrister Washington Osifo, Chairman, Ambrose Alli Governing Council, Prof.

Gregory Akenzua, former members of the State Executive Council, Engineer Jackson Eribo, Chieftains, ACN (now APC), Yoruba Community led by the President, Alhaji Rasheed Shola, Ibo Community led by the President General, Chief Luke Abbas and Chairman of Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas C o m m i s s i o n (EDSOGPADEC), Barr.

Vincent Uwadia.

Elamah

Continued from page 1 commitment to duty.

According to him, “A case in point of such hazards is the recent episode with the local branch of the Nigerians Airports Authorities, in which you were painfully subjected to unnecessary experience.

“This experience is highly regrettable,” the statement added.

The governor however expressed the belief that such challenges would not deter Chief Elamah efforts and enthusiasm to do more.

Iguobazuwa youths mark World Youth Day

By DANIEL EDOBOR IGUOBAZUWA – Youths from the 10 wards in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State recently converged on Iguobazuwa headquarters of the council to mark the 2013 World Youth Day. The Youth Chairman in the area, Pharmacist Kingsley Igbe in his address at the occasion appreciated the youths for their steadfastness and commitment to the peace and harmony in the area.

He described them as

disciplined and patriotic citizens of the locality who are never identified with vices and other anti-socio activities.

While urging them to engage themselves in productive enterprise, the youth chairman used the occasion to call on well meaning individuals, groups and or organisations to assist the youths to be more useful to themselves.

He, however, appreciated the local government authority for giving youths in the locality, a greater sense of belonging.

65 per cent of Edos involved in Agric - Commissioner

BENIN CITY – Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Abdul Oroh, has said that about 65 percent of the population in the state is involved in Agriculture.

The number comprised of youths and women who represent half of the farming population in the state, according to the commissioner.

Hon. Oroh made his known while fielding questions from the International Conference Coordinator of the 3 rd International Conference on Africa’s Indigenous Stimulations (ICAIS3), Mrs. Hilda Akanni who visited the commissioner in Benin City.

Oroh maintained that the state is a major producer of most indigenous stimulants, including Kola, bitter kola, alligator pepper, moringa oleifera, adding that he would consult with the officials and the ministry to attend the conference that would teach them what the stimulants could be used for.

While reiterating state government’s commitment to developing agriculture as a way of ensuring food security, raising income for farmers as well as making it business for the citizens, especially the youths, he emphasized that government has created the enabling environment for farming business to strive in the state.

This, he said has attracted so many local and

international investors who have seen the investment potentials of the state.

The commissioner told the coordinator that Edo houses the major oil palm producers in the country, adding that the state is the second largest producer of oil palm, 6th in cocoa and first in cassava production in the south-south region and 15th in the country.

Speaking on the success of the first ever Agro-business summit held in the state in 2012, commissioner Oroh said the event which he conceptualized was to sell some ideas to the world, saying that, it has so far yielded multiple results.

Enumerating others achievements so far recorded in the agricultural sector, he told the coordinator that the state was being considered for fish cage farming by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the N1 billion naira loan accessed by fish farmers and the Fadama III loans which was also accessed by farmers in the state.

Other achievements, he said were the training of some youths from the 18 local government areas at the I.O. Institute of Agriculture as well as the Libya returnees who were also trained at the Agriucultural Development Programme (ADP), an extension of the ministry and were subsequently formed into co-operatives to enable them access loans.

Don’t use religion to cause breach of peace

SOKOTO - The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar has called on Nigerians to desist from using religion and ethnicity to cause a breach of peace, and violence.

“We should never use our religious, cultural or ethnic affiliations to perpetrate or encourage violence, insecurity or sow the seeds of discord and disunity.

“Such obnoxious factors should also never be used by any selfish and unpatriotic Nigerian in whatever guise to overheat the nationís polity,” he added.

Abubakar spoke at a special Sallah lunch with the leaders and members of the resident communities in Sokoto at the weekend.

According to the Sultan, violence breeds violence and

under-development while causing mayhem or violence in whatever form or for whatever reason does nobody any good.

“There will not be any meaningful socio-economic development in a society where violence and chaos prevail.

“God has created us with diverse religious and ethnic background to co-exist harmoniously as a united force.

“These differences amongst Nigerians were allowed by God to unite us not to separate and disunite us,” Abubakar said.

The monarch promised that traditional institutions in the country would not relent in their determined effort to ensure the sustenance of an indivisible country.

THE NIGERIAN

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Inside Edo Owan East Mass Transit To Ply Lagos, Abuja Routes

The newly renovated referral centre in Afuze by Hon (Barr) Jimoh Ijegbai’s administration PHOTO: ODION AFIEHOBE

Be United, Commissioner Urges Social Workers

BENIN CITY – Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Lucky James has called on members of the Nigerian Association of Social Workers (NASOW) to be united in order to form a united front.

The commissioner disclosed this is Benin City during a courtesy visit by the executive and members of the association.

Commissioner Lucky James who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Rev’d Solomon

Ohonba urged the visitors to evolve strategies that would ensure all social workers are captured by the association.

He assured the association of the ministry’s support at ensuring that government gives it a greater sense of belonging.

State Chairman of the Association, Comrade Christian Oseghale said, their visit was to acquaint the ministry of the existence of the body in the state, its usefulness and the need to draw its

members from the councils.

According to him, the association was formed for the purpose of providing a forum where professionals and scholars at all levels of government, NonGovernmental Organisations

and self-employed person serving in areas/sections Directly concerned with finding solution to social problems could come together and devise means of promoting the quality of their services.

Comrade Oseghale further described social workers as the watchdog of government.

AFUZE-EMAI – Owan East Mass Transit, a transportation outfit of Owan East Local Government Council is soon to extend its operations to Lagos and Abuja routes in order to cater for the interest of her indigenes in the locations.

The Council Chairman, Hon. (Barr.) Jimoh Ijegbai disclosed this when he inspected the ongoing construction of an ultramodern motor part and a shopping complex in the Mass Transit premises in Afuze.

He said that apart from catering for the interest of her citizens going to Lagos or Abuja from Afuze, the initiative of a shopping complex would help boost commerce and equally enhance the Council’s internally generated revenue.

Hon. Ijegbai, who is also the Edo State Secretary of ALGON, said that with the expansion of the Mass Transit routes, more buses would be purchased to complement the existing fleet of 22 buses.

He expressed satisfaction with the spate of work on the shopping complex and advised the contractor to deliver the project as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, staff and drivers

of the Mass Transit have commended the Council Chairman for the prudent management of the council’s resources, which they noted, culminated in the purchase of three additional hummer buses and repairs of several broken down ones within three months of assumption of office.

Spokesman of the drivers, Mr. Johnbull Oisakede said they are particularly happy that the Mass Transit has witnessed a tremendous growth since the coming on board of Hon. (Barr.)

Jimoh Ijegbai’s administration.

He appealed to the Chairman to use his good office to give permanent appointment to drivers whose appointments have been on casual basis just as they pledged their unalloyed loyalty and support to the administration.

Hon. (Barr.) Ijegbai in his response implored them to be of good conduct, courteous, dedicated and dutiful in the discharge of their duties.

He promised to increase the number of buses in the fleet, just as he assured that those employable into permanent cadre would soon have cause to smile.

LG Boss Assures Schools Of Adequate Infrastructure

AFUZE EMAI – The Chairman, Owan East Local Government Council, Hon. (Barr.) Jimoh Ijegbai has reiterated that the Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s policy of one child, one desk would be replicated in all schools in the locality in Afuze.

Hon. Jimoh Ijegbai said this in Afuze when he played host to members of the Ao-Aye Elite Club of Ikhin, in Benin City led by Mr. Akin Akhidelor.

While commending them for the visit, he said he is well acquainted with the problems Ikhin Community is facing in terms of development.

He assured that the problems are not insurmountable and in so doing he has started the construction of new classrooms block at Ekpenga Primary School, Ikhin while the school will also benefit from the distribution of desks and chairs soonest.

The Owan East Council boss assured that there would be even distribution of the dividends of democracy across the eleven wards of the Local Government Area.

Spokesman for the club and Secretary, Mr. Tunde Omueti

had in his address remarked that the Council boss has set a pace for others to follow, stressing that in less than 100 days in office, Hon. Ijegbai has turned Owan East Local Government Area into a construction site.

Mr. Omueti however appealed to the Council boss to pay greater attention to some problems facing Ikhin Communities and the entire Owan East in terms of portable water supply, maintenance of roads through the use of road maintenance workers, provision of soft loans to farmers, enhancement of sporting events and facilities in all primary and secondary schools in the locality.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (right), presenting a souvenir to the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs at the US Department of State, Washington, Ms Eunice Reddick (left) during her courtesy call on the Governor at the Lagos House, Ikeja.

Afuze Erosion To Receive Govt Attention

AFUZE-EMAI – The Chairman, Owan East Local Government Council, Hon. (Barr.) Jimoh Ijegbai has said that the erosion problem ravaging some parts of Afuze, the administrative headquarters of the local government would soon be addressed.

The Council boss gave this assurance when he inspected the on-going construction of drainages along Sikpoba, Obofoni and Akhigbe Streets, which stretches across two

kilometers in the locality.

In order to address the erosion problems within these areas he said his administration is adopting a wholistic approach where all the flood water would be channeled into the Ugbomeda River.

The Council boss noted that the erosion problem in Owan East was assuming a worrisome dimension, hence his administration has decided to tackle it headlong before it becomes more problematic.

He said he is impressed with the level of work done on the erosion site and advised the contractor handling the project to speed up work and ensure the project is completed soon possible.

Meanwhile, the Council Chairman has charged contractors handling the various primary school projects across the local government to complete them within eight weeks and according to specification.

Hon. (Barr.) Ijegbai gave the charge during ongoing inspection tour of projects embarked upon by his administration.

He expressed concern at the level of job done at the Okpohumi Primary School so far and therefore ordered the contractor to speed up work in order to meet the schedule time for completion.

The Council boss however expressed satisfaction with the job so far done at the Uanhumi

Primary School and disclosed that the renovated six classrooms block at Evbiamen Grammar School would be ready for commissioning soon.

Other projects inspected were the three classrooms block and headmaster ’s office at Odion Primary School, Uokha; Ogholugbo Primary School, Imafu-Osi; Inumai Primary School, Ikao; Abadahigua Primary School, Amoya-Otuo and Ojeaboni Primary School, Otuo.

THE NIGERIAN

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Across The Nation Commercial Farming

Ebonyi To Train 2,600 Volunteers ABAKALIKI-The Ebonyi Government says it has concluded arrangements for the training of 2,600 volunteer farmers in commercial farming.

Mr Romanus Nwasum, Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, newsmen in Abakaliki that the volunteer farmers would be drawn from the 13 local government areas of the state. ‘’The youth volunteer farmers will be trained on various techniques involved in modern agricultural practises as well as get exposed to the new technology involved in the business.’’

He said that government was hoping that the skills acquired would assist them to embrace commercial farming. ‘’This initiative is line with the state government’s transformation agenda in the agricultural sector of the economy and it is designed to encourage youths to venture into commer-

cial farming. ‘’More so, the training will develop their capacity and enhance their skills for self-reliance as well as make them become employers of labour,’’ Nwasum said.

He added that it would also expose them to different branches of agricultural production such as rice farming, animal husbandry, fishery, beekeeping, snail-rearing and piggery, among others.

The commissioner said that the initiative was part of the government’s transformation agenda in the agriculture sector of the economy, adding that, it was aimed at boosting food production in the state.

He described commercial agriculture as a lucrative business and called on the youth to develop interest in farming to improve their revenue base with a view to boosting the nation’s economy.

CONVENTION: The Spiritual leader of Christ’s Chosen Church of God International, Most Snr. Apostle (Dr) Joshua Osasuyi (middle), Snr. Apostle Dr. David Unuefe-Ikhuiwu (left) and Snr. Apostle (Dr) Joseph Onaghise (right) at the 2013 International Convention of the church. Photo: MOSES OBOH

FG To Spend N1.7 Trillion On Salaries MINNA-The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama, said in Minna that the Federal Government would spend about N1.7 trillion on salaries this year.

Ngama recalled that about N1.6 trillion was spent on the same goal last year, arguing that such huge expenditure on noncapital projects was not healthy for the nation’s economy.

The minister made the statement when he visited Government House, Minna in company of states’ commissioners of finance.

They were in the state for the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) meeting.

Ngama said that before President Olusegun Obasanjo left office, he set up a committee headed by Malam Nasir el-Rufai to devise ways of reducing the huge recurrent expenditure.

“The committee discovered that a good number of civil servants were redundant and not even qualified to occupy some positions. So they were weeded out.

“But immediately Musa Yar’Adua came in, some people took advantage of his sickness and went to court to make sure that everybody that was sacked was returned.

“And that is why we could not, at the federal level handle our salary problem because we increased the salaries.

“We thought the number of redundant staff would be let go so that you can have concise civil servants with higher salaries.”

According to him, the country cannot continue to spend this much on recurrent expenditure, given that some of the establish-

ments are not productive.

“There are establishments we don’t even know how many people are employed there. Every company should have work chart.

“Every person would represent a responsibility. If there are people that do not fit anywhere, then you don’t need them,” he said.

Ngama said the recent report by the World Bank, showing over 10 million of Nigeria’s children were out of school, was a clear indication of the kind of restructuring needed to revamp the country.

“The statistics of the number of children that are out of school, showed that Yobe State had 64 per cent; Borno State, 68 per cent and Zamfara State, 72 per cent.

“The statistics showed that the best state in the north is worse than the worst state in the south.

“And we are getting the same money as states in FAAC. So we need to ask ourselves what is the problem.

“This is because it is not about the money but what comes out as well. So there are a lot of questions that we need to address,” he stated.

DUTSE- The Jigawa Emergency Management Agency has commenced distribution of relief materials to flood victims in the state.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim, disclosed this on in Dutse in an interview with newsmen.

He said that the agency had released 100 bags of rice and 50 bags of millet to the victims.

He said that 50 bags of maize, macaroni and spaghetti, among others materials, were also provided.

Ibrahim said that the state Ministry of Health had de-

Rural Projects: World Bank Spends

BIRNIN KEBBI - The World Bank has spent about N810.6million in facilitating the execution of 322 rural community development projects in Kebbi state in the past five years, the Bank’s official, Dr Stanley Garuba, has said.

Garuba,who led a World Bank delegation that came to the state to monitor the

N810.6m

projects, told the Acting Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu in Birnin Kebbi, that 247 projects had been completed while 75 others, were on-going.

He said that funding of the projects by the bank would stop in December 2013, while the state was expected to sustain

them pending approval of the request for extension of the bank’s financial support in subsequent years.

He expressed delight that the state had adhered strictly to the conditions set by the bank for the execution of the projects, especially as it affected poverty reduction.

He however called for the settlement of pending counterpart funding of N200 million,

covering two years.

Receiving the delegationg, the acting governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, assured that the projects would be sustained, especially with the training of the benefiting communities on the management of the projects.

He also assured that the counterpart fund for two years, would be paid,adding, “considering the impact of the projects on poverty reduction, we would also solicit for extension of support from the bank”..

Agency Distributes Relief Materials

ployed some medical personnel to offer health-care services to the affected persons.

“We have distributed relief materials to flood victims in Babura, Gumel, Gagarawa, Hadejia and Malam-madori local government areas,” he said.

The secretary said that officials of the agency were still in the field to estimate the value of properties destroyed by the flood before more assistance would be rendered to the victims.

He said that the flood ravaged 12 local government areas of the state while five people were injured.

Ibrahim said that officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Nigerian Red Cross Society were currently in the state to assess the extent of damage.

Private School Owners Protest Closure

CONVENTION: The Spiritual leader of Christ’s Chosen Church of God International, Most Snr. Apostle (Dr) Joshua Osasuyi praying for the congregation at the service. Snr. Apostle Dr. David Unuefe-Ikhuiwu (left) during the convention. Photo: MOSES OBOH

KADUNA- Some proprietors of Private Schools in Kaduna State on Wednesday protested over the closure of their schools by the state government.

The state government has recently closed down 457 illegal private schools operating without registration, poor infrastructure and non-conducive environment for learning.

The Proprietor, Dialogue Girls Computer Secondary School, Ungwan Dosa, Malam Mahdi Shehu, told newsmen that although his school was fully registered with the government, it was closed“ for reasons best known to the authority”.

Shehu said the school had

fulfilled the requirement to ran academic activities as efforts were also put in place to correct some of the lapses observed by the authority.

Another proprietor, Mr Ochehe Ochehe of Ammega Model School, Romi, said his school had met the requirement set by the government since 2004 to operate nursery, primary and secondary schools.

Ochehe, however, said the state government did not give him any notice before closing the school.

Also speaking to newsmen the proprietor, Dan Fodio Schools, Malam Aminu Salisu, denied the allegation that the school was not fully registered.

He, however, said that the

school had not been paying the annual renewal fee to give him licence to operate academic activities.

Mr John Achenye, the Proprietor of Holy J. Academy, described the closure of his school as a mistake as his papers were complete and up-to-date.

The Commissioner for Education, Muhammad Usman, however, denied the allegation that the ministry did not notify the affected schools.

He said the affected institutions were given enough time to comply with the law to enable them continue with their activities but they failed to met the conditions.

THE NIGERIAN

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Across The Nation 40-Yr-Old Bridge Collapses

CONVENTION: The Spiritual leader of Christ’s Chosen Church of God International, Most Snr. Apostle (Dr) Joshua Osasuyi speaking to members of the congregation during this year convention. Photo: MOSES OBOH

ISHIELLU (EBONYI)The 40-year-old Eguhuo Bridge in Agba, Ishiellu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has caved in after a downpour.

The rainfall paralysed economic activities in the area as vehicles could not gain access to communities in the area.

The affected communities are Ogboji, Eguhuo, Eguotu, Eguogiji and Onunweke.

The bridge link the area to Amagunze in Enugu state.

Chief Julius Nworkpor, who represents the area in the state assembly, told newsmen that the situation had made it impossible for the people to gain access to their communities with vehicles.

“Before this unfortunate situation, a journey to Enugu State from the area took about 30 minutes but now its lasts for some hours.

“Indigenes of the area who wish to access their communities from Abakaliki now have to get to Enugu through the Enugu-Abakaliki expressway and then take Abani to reach the place,” he said.

Nwokpor said it was the second time the bridge was caving-in in three years.

He urged the people to exercise patience, adding that the government would expedite action on the new bridge it was constructing beside the failed one.

Conducting journalists and a

He disclosed that the African Development Bank (AfDB)supported Fadama II programme also planned to inject its uncommitted fund, amounting up to three million

dollars into the Irish potato value chain development programme in the state.

“We hope to tap into such programmes and explore our potential for higher productivity,’’ he said.

Plateau Govt Wants Potato Research Institute

JOS- The Plateau State Government has requested the Federal Government to convert the Jos out-station of the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike in Abia, into a Potato Research Institute.

Mr. Steven Barko, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, made the call in an interview newsmen in Jos. Barko explained that Plateau currently produces more than 90 per cent of the Irish potatoes in Nigeria and identified its biggest challenge as the dearth of clean seeds.

“Currently, most of the seeds varieties cultivated in the state are imported from Germany and the Netherlands at a very high cost.

“Plateau, as the largest producer of Irish potato in the country, has a lot of potential with 67 per cent rate of return on investment.

“With seven high yielding varieties of export quality and with potato being cultivated on more than 571,060 hectares, the state is producing 90 per cent of the potato in Nigeria but faces clean seed challenge.’’

He said that if the Plateau outstation of the research institute was converted into a full fledged potato research institute, such a measure could go a long way in solving the problem of seeds.

“If our request is granted, the institute will commence seed tissue culture and breed good seed that will give high yields.

“Currently, our yields are low; just an average of 12 tonnes per hectare and sometimes even less.

“Although with the introduction of the Agricultural Services and Training Centre, farmers, who have access to their services can obtain yields of up to 25 tonnes per hectare, but our ultimate target is to reach the highest yield performance of the crop.

“If good seeds are made available, there is the potential for 80 tonnes per hectare which could bridge a huge gap of 80 tonnes to 25 tonnes per hectare.

“If we can get up to 50 tonnes to 60 tonnes per hectare, that will be wonderful; it will change

everything about Irish potato in the country.”

He said that the institute, if converted, would solve the problem of weeds and bacteria, through the breeding of high yielding and disease-resistant varieties.

“We also believe that with the climate constantly changing, we need seeds that will adapt to all seasons and consistently ensure high yields.’’

The commissioner said that the Plateau Government opened discussions with the institute’s authorities three weeks ago on the possibility of the conversion.

“At the discussions, we were asked to first collaborate strongly with the institute to

enhance the productivity of potato before considering full fledged potato research institute,’’ he said.

Barko said that the state government would collaborate with the institute and work out ways to enhance the performance of the out-station toward boosting potato production.

The commissioner also said that the government was also discussing with private investors on the issue of processing.

“We want to start processing the crop into French fries, chips, starch, potato flour and a lot of other products that can be derived out of Irish potato.

“The economic value of potato is enormous and we shall try to maximize them,’’ he said.

FG To Begin Peer Review Mechanism ABUJA-The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is to start the implementation of a Peer Review Mechanism for Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Tope Ajakaiye, the Director (Communications) for Head of the Civil Service of the Federation

Agency Urges Women To Embrace the food we eat, even KWALI (FCT)-Prof. Sunday Bio-Tech produce in the urban area. Without carThomas, the Director-General, Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO) has encouraged women to take advantage of biotechnology to boost their agricultural yields.

Thomas gave the advice in Abuja at the training programme on biotechnology organised by the Biodiversity and Climate Research Group, a professional group of SHESTCO. The D-G, who spoke at the programme organised for women in Kwali Area Council, FCT, said by so doing the women would be contributing toward the nation’s quest for food security.

The training entitled: “Enhancing Food Security and Mitigating against Climate Change through Agricultural Biotechnology’’ was organised in collaboration with the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA).

Thomas said that SHESTCO was interested in the use of biotechnology to reduce disease and improve agricultural yields in Nigeria.

“We are interested in passing this technology to women and letting them know that using biotechnology to increase agricultural production does not cause any harm.

“As far as we are concerned in this complex we will not pass

to our people what will harm them.

“I encourage you to think how you can engage biotechnology to improve your agricultural yields to produce food for this country.

“No matter what you say, largely, the food we feed on in this country today is produced by people like these wonderful ladies. It is no mistake that we have brought you here today to train you,’’ Thomas said.

In his message, the DirectorGeneral, NABDA, Prof.

Bamidele Solomon, said that the agency was in collaboration with SHESTCO to reach the people at the grassroots.

Solomon said that the agency was training the women to avail themselves of the agency’s biotechnology activities.

“What we are talking about is not politics. It is for the people to overcome the pains of farming and make agriculture a very pleasant and profitable venture.

“We are talking about our ability to attract young men and women who will take to agriculture as a business venture.

“We also need to get to the grassroots because that is where over 70 per cent of our population resides.

“These are the people who

team of engineers round the bridge, the state’s Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr. Chukwuma Nwandugo, said the bridge caved-in due to heavy traffic.

“The pressure weakened the bridge and forced the abutment to cut off from the metal reinforcement.

“The unity bridge beside it could have been completed before now, but it was discovered it was poorly designed and could pose serious threat to users,” he said.

The commissioner said the contractor, who is now dead, did a shoddy job on the foundation design which forced work to stop on the project.

He urged the people to be patient, adding that the government would expedite action to work on the bridge to ensure that economic and social activities returned to the area.

rying them along, we will achieve very little,’’ Solomon said.

He said that biotechnology would make them better mothers by empowering them to be in a better position to contribute more toward their families’ needs.

on Tuesday.

The statement said that the Head of the Service, Alhaji Bukar Aji disclosed this at the end of the monthly meeting of Permanent Secretaries held in Abuja.

According to the statement, the exercise is scheduled to hold simultaneously at the Ecological Fund Office and the Federal Ministry of Works on August 15.

Aji said that the process involved permanent secretaries evaluating each others’ performance in order to maintain and enhance their quality.

According to him, presentations will be made by each permanent secretary on the general overview of the activities and challenges of his/her ministry.

It said this would be followed by an interactive session with

the reviewing permanent secretaries.

The statement said that Aji and the reviewing team would also make on the spot assessment of the ministry’s premises and facilities.

It said that he would also interact with directors and executive members of the Joint Staff Union to assess progress and areas of challenges in the ministry.

This initiative, he said was part of efforts being made to reposition the Federal Civil Service and evolve a well-motivated, professional and ethical workforce.

He said that the programme was expected to create an organisational environment in which ethical conduct was promoted and demonstrated.

CONVENTION: The Spiritual leader of Christ’s Chosen Church of God International, Most Snr. Apostle (Dr) Joshua Osasuyi admonishing members during the 2013 Convention held in Benin City. Photo: MOSES OBOH

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

South-West Auto Crashes Claim 64 Lives - FRSC

Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Maria Brewer (left), with Nigeria’s ambassador to the U.S., Amb. Ade Adefuyi, at the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission in Abuja recently.

Law On Medical Practice

Gov Fashola Calls For Review

LAGOS-Goveronr Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has called for urgent review of the existing laws on medical practice in Nigeria.

Fashola made the call in Lagos at the Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos Branch.

The governor was represented

by Dr Femi Olugbile, the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Health.

He said that the laws guiding medical practice in the country were “archaic’’.

The reports say that the conference had the theme: “ Litigation in Medical Practice: An Emerging Trend”.

Fashola said: “The medical laws needed to be reviewed in order to address the gaps in the medical legal system.

“Only in Nigeria are laws that pertain to medicine so archaic.

“They need to be brought up to date in reference to new practice and procedures.’’

The governor said that moral obligation was the only thing standing where legal boundaries did not exist.

“In the olden days, doctors used to be supercilious supermen, and you were lucky if they deigned to see you after two hours of waiting,” he said.

Fashola said that the idea of a superman doctor over a patient should be erased.

He said that there was resistance to change from lawmakers and medical practitioners who, he said, wanted to continue to make decisions for patients.

The governor said that it would be impossible for doctors to continue to make decisions for patients who, he said, were becoming aware of their rights and taking their grievances to the courts.

“You should earn the trust of

your patient by being professional and informing him of his options in order to make proper decision,” he said.

On medical insurance in the light of rising medical litigations, Fashola said that the best way to avoid being sued would be for doctors to properly com-

port themselves.

He said that rise in litigation could also lead to rise in false claims.

“We do not want a medical system where the primary income of certain lawyers comes from medical court cases.

“Doctors should be able to

protect themselves without resorting to unnecessary procedures that waste time and money, while patients’ rights need to be protected,” he said.

The NMA Chairman in Lagos State, Dr Francis Faduyile, said medical litigation was a reality which the medical profession could not afford to ignore it.

LAGOS- The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has called for establishment of more foundations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to address the growing needs of the nation’s health sector.

Chukwu, represented by Dr Yewande Jinadu, the Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, Lagos, made the call at the formal presentation of the Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi Foundation (MAMF) in Lagos.

The reports say that MAMF was founded in 2000 by the late Dr Moses Majekodunmi, the founder of St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos.

Chukwu said that foundations, NGOs, frequent lectures and seminars would create avenues for the development of the sector.

“Credible foundations and NGOs will contribute immensely to the growth of the sector, as more areas of attention will be tackled promptly.

“All these are crucial for continuous development in the medical profession,” he said.

Chukwu commended the private sector’s involvement in Nigeria’s healthcare system, especially to end medical tourism in the country.

Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, the Chairman at the occasion, said that good foundations had contributed immensely to the growth and development of many nations.

“It is worthwhile to set up foundations as these add to the

growth and development of different sectors in any nation.

“We have had foundations such as the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation and many others.

“These foundations have made great impact, not only to their nations, but to individuals and the global community,” he said.

Dr Olufemi Majekodunmi, the

Chairman of the foundation, said that MAMF was set up to create positive impact on Nigeria’s health sector.

According to him, the foundation’s aim is to create a positive impact on the health, education and welfare of Nigerians with particular emphasis on medical issues relating to women and infants.

Also, Dr Dapo Majekodunmi, a director of the foundation, said

IBADAN- The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Oyo State said that 64 people lost their lives in various automobile crashes between June and July.

Mr Godwin Ogagaoghene, the FRSC state Sector Commander said this in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan.

He also said that 185 people were injured in the 53 crashes during the period under review.

Ogagaoghene, however, said only one life was lost during the recently concluded Sallah holidays period, between August 6 and August 11.

He said that 23 people were also injured in seven crashes involving 44 victims during the holidays.

The FRSC boss attributed most of the crashes to over-speeding.

Asked what could be done to minimise accident rate, Ogagaoghene said that motorists must adhere to speed limits, on the highways, at all times.

“Lots of people still overspeed, especially on the expressways and they do this by taking advantage of our logistic challenges at the slightest opportunity.

“We are trying to curb this by devising a new strategy whereby we use our mobile patrol to go ahead of traffic to maintain a set speed limit,’’ he said.

Ogagaoghene added that, to check accidents in the “ember’’ months, the FRSC would flag-off a series of sensitisation cam-

Health Sector Needs More Foundation, NGO’s - Health Minister

that MAMF would also pay attention to some other areas which would be of benefit to Nigerians.

“Particular attention will be on girl-child, scholarship endowments, provision of books to schools, transportation and sustenance of medical outreaches,” he said.

paigns to check over-speeding by motorists during the period.

He said the first phase of the campaign, tagged “Operation Shield 3,’’ is scheduled to hold from August 18 to August 25.

Festival Committee Seeks UNESCO Assistance OSOGBO-The Festival Working Committee of the 2013 Osun Oshogbo Festival called for financial assistance from the UN Educational Scientific Organisation (UNESCO).

The Chairman of the committee, Chief Popo Bolarinwa, while addressing newsmen in Osogbo, said that any financial opportunity was yet to be given to support the festival since the enlistment of Osun Grove as a World Heritage site.

Bolarinwa said: “Since 2005 when Osun Grove was recognised no financial assistance from UNESCO or the Federal Government has been received.’’

He commended the sponsors - MTN, Nigerian Breweries and Grand Oak (Schnapps producer) for their support, calling on Osun devotees and visitors to the 2013 Osun Osogbo festival to do everything in moderation.

The annual Osun Osogbo festival, kicked off on August 12, with fun fares as devotees trooped out in hundreds for the celebration.

Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the Ataoja of Osogbo, supported by his chiefs was seen dancing round the major streets of the ancient town.

The festival continues with activities such as Ataoja Football Challenge final Competition and a festival film show.

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State (2nd right) and his aides at the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission in Abuja recently.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Lagos APC ’ll Ensure Changes In Nigeria - Lawmaker

L-R: Chief Medical Director, St. Nicholas Hospital, Dr. Moses Majekodunmi; Very Rev. Yinka Omololu and Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, at a health and Education for All Programme in Lagos recently.

Fraud: Estate Developer Arraigned

LAGOS - A real estate developer, Ishola Salauden, has appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos on a 210-count charge of defrauding 111 accommodation seekers of about N1 billion.

Thirty-seven-year-old Salaudeen, who resides at No. 59, Oriola St., Ketu Alapere, Lagos, was charged with stealing and obtaining by false pretences.

The Prosecutor, Mr. G.O. Osuyi, said that the accused committed the offences between April and July at his residence.

Osuyi said that the developer collected various amounts of money from 111 accommodation seekers in the guise of securing the same mini flats for them at

his residence.

He said that when each of the victims went to occupy the apartment, he discovered that the developer had rented it out to other persons.

The prosecutor said that when the victims sought to recover their money, the developer absconded.

Osuyi said that the offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Reports say that fraud attracts 15 years imprisonment.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

The Chief Magistrate, Miss S.O. Solebo, granted him bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.

Solebo ordered that one of

Building Collapse

Expert Urges Tribunal To Be Diligent LAGOS - A property consultant, Mr Chucks Omeife, has advised the Lagos State Tribunal of Inquiry into Building Collapse to be diligent in the discharge of its duties.

Omeife, the President, Nigerian Institute of Building, told newsmen in Lagos that the essence of the tribunal would be defeated if the laws were compromised.

He said that there were many buildings that were about to collapse, especially in the reclaimed areas of the state.

According to him, effective discharge of duties is the only way the tribunal can achieve the motive behind its establishment by the state government.

Omeife said that the tribunal was set up to check inci-

dence of building collapse by ensuring that rightful professionals, materials and methods were used at construction sites.

“The newly introduced Tribunal should get to work immediately by first sealing off any building that is a danger to lives and property,” he said.

Omeife noted that the issue of building collapse needed to be tackled effectively because of the increasing rate in Lagos.

It will be recalled that the state government, on June 25, inaugurated the tribunal to check rampant cases of building collapse.

One of the functions of the tribunal is to report to the state government any near collapse building for prompt action.

the sureties should be a property owner in Lagos State and must produce evidence of three years tax payment to

the state government.

She adjourned the case to September 9 for mention.

LAGOS - The chairman Lagos Assembly House committee on establishment and training, Hon. Omowunmi Olatunji Edet, representing Oshodi-Isolo, has asserted that All Progressives Congress (APC) will bring changes into Nigeria in year 2015 and over.

She made the prediction during celebration of her 40th birthday and empowerment program at SOS village Isolo.

She explained that APC is a conglomerate of All Progressives.

Hon. Omowunmi Edet lamented that there is no security in Nigeria, explaining that the primary function of government is to provide security of life and property. She added “with the birth of All Progressives Congress (APC) changes are coming to Nigeria. Hon Edet urged people to move with the train of changes.

On her attainment of 40th years of age, Hon. Edet said “I am happy to be 40 years old, when it comes to destiny you can not predict the will of God”. She sermons further “never judge a man by his ap-

pearance, every human being has something to offer”.

The legislator expressed joy on the day of her birthday.

She said the tragedy of old age is not that one is old but that one is young, adding that life begins at 40.

On her empowerment program, Omowunmi Edet explained “I want to touch life of over 180 people in my constituency, it is a way to say thank you to my people because they gave me their mandate”.

Present at the occasion were Hon. Lola Akande, Hon. Akinlola Rahmota Hassan, Pastor Timothy Omosanu and other dignitaries.

However Hon. Lola Akande, deputy leader of the House, described Omowunmi Edet as a reliable, humble, and trust worthy representative of her constituency.

Items donated to the needy were deep freezers, fridges, generators, hair dressing machines, bags of rice etc.

five or six, you should start having a re-think.

“That is why I say they should try and shift grounds a bit and go back to the classrooms because our children’s productive years are being wasted, “ he said.

He said that already, government had estimated and documented what was needed to upgrade and improve the universities.

He said that government was expected to live up to its responsibilities by ensuring that it released bits of the total amount every year.

“The consequences of this deadlock are that our children are suffering undue hardship.

“A course that ordinarily should last for four or five

seven years, and we really do not think it is funny.

“We still believe that the lecturers should give government one last chance by allowing the gradual release of funds for what they are agitating for, annually.

“Now that government knows the cost of their needs, let us work towards acceding to the one they can release now and wait for the others.

“Having said this, we also want to assure that if government fails to live up to its responsibility by ensuring that they keep to their terms of releasing these funds instalmentally, we the parents, will join ASUU in the struggle, “ he assured.

University lecturers, under the aegis of ASUU, had on June 30 embarked on what it described as ‘total, comprehensive and indefinite strike‘ across the country.

The lecturers were agitating the non-implementation of some part of an agreement they entered into with the Federal Government in 2009.

As a result of the strike, both the union and the Federal Government had been holding series of consultations without arriving at a common ground.

At a recent meeting, Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, who is also the Chairman, Universities Needs Assessment Committee, had expressed optimism that the strike would soon be over, as another meeting had been scheduled for August 19.

End Strike, NAPTAN Appeals years TonowASUU take up to six or

LAGOS - The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), has appealed to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reconsider their negotiation with the Federal Government in the interest of students.

The National Publicity Secretary/Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Association, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, told newsmen in Lagos that there was need for ASUU to reflect on the offers so far made by the government.

Ogunbanjo said that there was no way government would be able to accede to a complete package of the lecturers’ demands, adding that

there were other areas of the economy equally jostling for attention.

“I want to appeal to the lecturers to please revisit whatever offer the Federal Government is putting across.

“I have come to terms with one or two things as government has come out to declare that it would need between N90 billion to N100 billion to fund the universities.

“Government, through the Finance Minister, has said it cannot afford that now and I expect ASUU members to understand where they are coming from.

“The moment you ask for 10 things and you are given

From 2nd left: Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Yahya Miya; Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sagir Saleh and Vice Chancellor, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Prof. Muhammad Hamisu, at the Foundation Laying Ceremony of the ATBU College of Medicine, Gubi Campus in Bauchi State re-

THE NIGERIAN

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Across The Nation Oil, Gas Pool ‘II Benefit Insurance Industry - Operator LAGOS- An insurance operator, Mr Gbenga Ogunko, said that the Oil and Gas Pool set up by the Nigerian Insurers’ Association would build the capacity to underwrite oil and gas policies.

Ogunko, Executive Director (Business Development) Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc., gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

“With a pool for oil and gas, the industry can take advantage of the Nigerian Local Content Law and take over the underwriting of oil and gas polices.

“Now, oil and gas policies are

Deputy Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Dr Dogara Mato (R), with the Majority leader, Mr David Gurara, speaking to Newsmen on the impeachment of the speaker in kaduna recently

ceded to foreign insurance companies because there are no capacities locally to do it.

“This also means huge capital flight,’’ he said.

Ogunko said that insurance business relied on pool of funds, and that the funds were invested to make returns.

He said that premiums on insurance policies were scientifically fixed, and that insurance companies made profits by managing risks.

According to him, funds pooled together by insurance companies are investable funds that can help in the development of other sectors of an economy.

Chairman of the association in the state,Alhaji Mai-Aliyu Usman, said correct statistics were vital for success to be recorded in efforts at resettling herdsmen.

According to him, settling of nomadic livestock farmers “goes beyond land demarcation” as a solution to the problem of conflicts between farmers and herdsmen.

“The efforts by Federal Government to settle nomadic cattle rearers would only be successful when we have adequate statistics on livestock and farmers.

“There must be a comprehensive statistics to establish the population of the farmers and their livestock, which would determine the facilities required,” he said.

The chairman urged the committee on settlement of nomads, to involve all stakeholders and the targeted beneficiaries .

“Collate their opinions for them to be carried along for a successful exercise,” he advised.

IIORIN- Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission has fixed Saturday, August 31, for the conduct of fresh elections into Offa Local Government Council, an official has said.

The Chairman of the Commission, Dr Uthman Ajidagba, announced the plan in IIorin at a news briefing.

He said the conduct of the fresh local government election in Offa was in compliance with the judgment of the state High Court delivered on February. 22, 2013.

He said that an appellate court in another judgment delivered on July 23 ordered similar fresh elections for all councillorship seats in Offa Council area.

The chairman said that since the state of emergency declared by the state government in Offa on February 5 had been lifted, it was imperative to conduct fresh elections for the posts.

Ajidagba said all candidates, who took part in the last elections held in the local government area, were eligible to participate in the new polls.

He said the October 26 date for the conduct of the local government elections in the remaining 15 areas still remained.

The chairman promised that the commission would be fair, honest and transparent to all regardless of party inclinations or background.

Meanwhile, the commission has commenced a sensitisation tour of the 16 local government areas of the state for the conduct of the October 26 local government elections.

The tour started with Baruten and Kaima local government areas of the state.

The chairman, who led other six commissioners of the commission on the tour, solicited the assistance of the political stakeholders in the two local government areas to ensure the success of the election.

LAGOS - A businessman, Olanipekun Okeowo, 40, who allegedly defrauded another man of N9.1 million in the pretext of selling a car for him, has appeared before an Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

Okeowo, who resides at Ejigbo, Lagos, is facing a fourcount charge of obtaining under false pretences and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Cpl. Femi Adeleye, told the court that the accused committed the offences between June, 2012 and May, 2013 at No. 1, Inri Prosperity Estate, Oke-Afa, Ejigbo.

Adeleye said that the accused fraudulently obtained a Honda Cross Tour Sports Utility Vehicle valued at N6 million from one Elija Ayodele in June, 2012.

He said that the accused obtained the said car from Ayodele in the pretext of assisting him to sell it and use the proceeds to procure a Hummer H3 jeep.

The prosecutor said that the accused sold the vehicle but did not procure the Hummer jeep and did not remit the money to the Ayodele.

Adeleye said that sometime in May this year, the accused fraudulently obtained N3.1 million from Ayodele in the guise of selling a jeep to him.

The prosecutor said that Okeowo stole the money from Ayodele.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty.

Section 312 (3) provides the maximum of fifteen years imprisonment for persons convicted of fraud.

The Magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka, granted the accused bail in the sum of N300,000 with three sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case till October 28 for mention.

Reduction In Unemployment

Monarch Commends Role Of New Varsities

HADEJIA (JIGAWA) Emir of Hadejia, Jigawa, Alhaji Adamu Maje, said the newly established federal universities have reduced unemployment in the country.

Maje said this when he received the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Prof. Jibrila Amin, in his palace in Hadejia.

He said that the new universities had brought a lot of development in those states where the institutions were sited.

The monarch said that the university had created job opportunities and enabled many youths in the state to have access to higher education.

Maje lauded the Vice Chancellor for setting high standards for the new federal university in the state.

“I know the standard of the new school because when my children applied to the university, they could not gain admission due to their low scores in their JAMB exams.

“The school did not influence it because of my status, I am impressed,” he said. the Vice Chancellor had said that he visited the Emir to sympathise with him over the flood that ravaged his domain.

Association Calls For Census Of Herdsmen, Livestock DAMATURU-The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) in Yobe has advised the Federal Government to conduct census of livestock farmers and their

animals for proper planning.

Fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu on the frequent occurrence of clashes between farmers and herdsmen in some parts of the country,

L-R: Bauchi State Chairman, Nigeria Youth Orgainisation (NYO), Alhaji Mohammed Dauda; Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Sirajo Abdullahi and Zonal coordinator, Alhaji Abdullahi Barau, during NYO News Conference on relocation of Tafawa Balewa LGA to Bununu in Bauchi

Heart Diseases In Children

Paediatrician WArns Women Against Exposure To Radiation ENUGU-A paediatrician, Dr Ikenna Nwokoye, has identified exposure to radiation by pregnant women as a major cause of heart diseases in children.

Nwokoye, who heads the paediatrics department at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, told newsmen that an unprotected pregnant woman should not be exposed to any form of radiation.

“Undue and prolonged exposure to radiation is one of the factors that cause heart disease in children, so too much exposure to radiation such as X-

ray should be avoided so as not to cause problems for the child in the womb.

“Apart from radiation, there are many factors that can lead to disease in the heart and these are grouped in two areas namely, acquired and congenital or structural heart diseases,’’ he said.

Nwokoye said the structural disease was in-born and usually occurred at the formation stage in the womb especially if there was a defect in the chromosomes that could lead to a hole in any of the chambers of the heart.

He said the acquired factors could be from the environment,

after the birth of the child, from age five to 15, which could be as a result of some bacterial, fungal or viral infections.

The pediatrician said that maternal illness could also affect the heart of children in the womb, especially pregnant women with uncontrolled diabetes.

He said that drugs for the treatment of epilepsy and convulsion in pregnant women as well as women on hard drugs could also lead to heart defects in their babies.

“Some drugs for the treatment of epilepsy and convulsion in pregnant women as well as hard drugs could lead to heart defects

in babies.

“Toxic chemicals from industries like the chemical for the manufacture of paints and some native medication could also lead to problems in the heart,’’ he said.

“Genetic factors also affect the hearts of babies, if one or two family members have heart diseases, it is likely for the baby to have the disease,’’ he said.

Nwokoye said that the treatment for heart disease depended on the clinical manifestations in the patients as some could come with sore throat, fever, skin infections or blueness of the lips.

Offa LG Poll To Hold Aug 31

Bizman Arraigned Over N9.1m Fraud

THE NIGERIAN

9

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Abuja Include Non-Crop Farmers In Agric Transformation, AFAN Urges FG

L-R: Executive Director, Corporate Services, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mrs. Lola Abiola-Edewor; Director of Administration Mrs. Christiana Afabor and Managing Director, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim at the NDIC Management Conference with female employees in Abuja recently.

ABUJA - The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has urged the Federal Government to include non-crop farmers in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).

Dr. Tunde Arosanyin, the National Financial Secretary of AFAN, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

He observed that the livestock and fishery sub-sectors were not adequately catered for under ATA. ‘’We have highlighted these areas and this is an issue that we raised sometime last year and we believe that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is looking into these subsectors. ‘’Agriculture, like you know, is very vast. We have the crops section; even within the crop section we have the arable and the tree crops,’’ Arosanyin said.

He stated that farmers, especially in the livestock and fisheries sub-sectors, had not benefitted from the Growth Enhancement Support (GES)

Refuse Collection: Residents Commend AMAC

ABUJA - Some residents of Karu and Jikwoyi areas of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have commended the efforts by AMAC and the Satellite Development Agency (STDA) on refuse collection.

In separate interviews with newsmen in Abuja, the residents urged the agencies to sustain the exercise.

Mrs. Uzoma Ekeh, a teacher, said she was happy when she saw an evacuation truck along the main streets in her area packing the waste.

“When we start seeing positive impact of people en-

trusted with certain responsibilities, it becomes easier for people to adjust to change.

“I strongly believe that if it continues this way, people will be accustomed to keeping their refuse in a place since they know that people will come along to collect it.”

She said that this would discourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse and help ensure a clean environment free from unpleasant odour.

Another resident, Mr. Alloy Brown, a pharmacist, observed that a fraction of the money people spent on health-related issues

could be channelled into achieving good sanitation.

“You see, what we don’t know is that most of these little good habits help to build up a decent foundation that blessings flow from.

“Let us look at this simple way of collection of refuse; when people get used to it. it would go a long way to ensure a cleaner environment.

“I really commend the effort of AMAC and the Satellite Town Development Agency; they should sustain it for it will go a long way to reduce indiscriminate disposal of refuse,’’ Brown

said.

Mrs. Anna Oye, a trader, noted that since the arrival of the truck, the packing of refuse at the market had improved tremendously.

“This evacuation of refuse by government is very good because we market people generate greater chunk of the refuse and now that they come around we hand it over to them.

“It helps to keep the market cleaner and pleasant; it is really good because it is re-echoing the sanitary feelings of our olden days.

“I pray that it will be sustained as well as monitored to make sure that everyone is complying with the mood of the change,” Oye said.

Hajia Meumunatu Abubakar, the Head of the Environment

Department in AMAC had advised residents to take the issue of environment seriously.

He said that the agency had been trying to cope with the challenges of sensitising the people to the need to take care of the environment.

It would be called also that Mr. Azeez Sanni, the Environmental Health Officer with the Satellite Town Development Agency, had urged residents of the FCT to ensure proper management of their waste.

He said the agency was collaborating with all area councils in the FCT to ensure that refuse was properly managed and disposed, to engender a clean and safe environment for the citizenry.

ABUJA - Alhaji Ibrahim Baba, the Postmaster-General, Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), has said the service plans to introduce e-service in rural communities to enhance service delivery.

Baba told newsmen in Abuja that it was necessary for rural communities to be empowered with Information Communication Technology (ICT) to enable them to access information.

He said that urban areas enjoyed better services because of available IT equipment, better connectivity, and power supply compared to what obtained in

the rural communities.

“Our emphasis actually is looking at the rural areas, because the rural areas do not have options; but for those of us who are in the cities and so on, we may have options.

“Therefore, we believe if the post office is adequately positioned in terms of IT equipment, connectivity, and power supply, then the people do not have to travel in Kilometres away from their villages and homes to transact government businesses or even to transact their personal businesses.

“In essence there will be e-services for them,” Baba said.

scheme.

Arosanyin added that activities involving the non-crop sector should be continuous since they spanned through the year.

He said it was only when inputs were channelled to the noncrop sub-sector that there would be a holistic approach to inputs distribution to farmers through GES. He, however, expressed optimism that something urgent would be done in the non-crop sub-sector before the end of the year. ‘’The ministry is doing well both in terms of arable and tree crops because I am aware millions of seedlings of oil palm and cocoa are being released to farmers through the GES system. ‘’So, in the crop sector, efforts are being geared up to bridge the gap. But even within that crop sector, most farmers that were captured last year cannot get inputs this year,’’ Arosanyin said.

He stressed that the association raised the issue at the inception of the inputs distribution during the year, adding that this set of farmers could not redeem inputs for the year.

The GES scheme is a Federal Government initiative under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, aimed at subsidising the cost of major agricultural inputs, such as fertilisers and seeds.

Under the initiative, farmers access inputs through an electronic distribution channel known as the e-Wallet.

The condition of the e-Wallet scheme stipulates that a farmer registered under the scheme pays 50 per cent of the cost of farm inputs while the federal and state governments pay 25 per cent each.

One of the requirements for the scheme is the national farmers’ registration exercise, where farmers’ data are captured into the ministry’s central data bank.

NIPOST To Offer e-Service For Rural Communities

Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Bature Masari, presenting cash award of N500,000 to the Nigerian team that won the Students For Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) World Cup 2013 Competition in Abuja recently.

Management of Water, Sanitation

FG To Collaborate With NGO

ABUJA - The Federal Ministry of Water Resources says it will collaborate with the Youth Water and Sanitation Network in highlighting the management of water and sanitation in the country.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Youth Water Sanitation and Hygiene (Youth WASH) initiative and made available to newsmen in Abuja.

The statement signed by Miss Joy Okeagu, Secretary of the

organisation, indicated the interest of the ministry in partnering with the organisation toward organising the first National Youth WASH Summit in Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Baba Faruk, said that the collaboration was aimed at creating employment and a platform to engage youths in the development of best practices in the water sector.

He said that in line with the UN General Assembly’s 2010 declaration of water as a human right, youths would be instrumental to addressing the nation’s water and sanitation crisis.

“The water and sanitation crisis in Nigeria calls for urgent attention as it has the potential to create jobs for the nation’s teeming population while also saving the country from the onslaught of climate change.

“The forum is aimed at creating

a platform for Youth WASH and stakeholders’ dialogue, panel discussion, employment opportunities and education orientation on improving access to water and sanitation.

“More importantly, the Youth Summit provides an opportunity for youth groups around the West African region to share various programmes being implemented in the water and sanitation sector that addresses challenges of climate change.”

Faruk recalled that the Policy and Strategy for Mainstreaming Youth in Water and Sanitation Resource Management was approved at the African Ministers Council on Water EXCO meeting in Cairo in June.

He explained that in line with the policy approval and Nigeria’s Transformation Agenda, the ministry would partner the youth initiative toward the implementation of the strategy in the country.

He said that in addition to rural areas not having options, they also did not have computers while those with computers might lack the financial capability needed for connectivity, if any.

Baba said that the challenges were the reasons the federal government was working hard to ensure that e-service facilities were extended to rural communities.

It would be recalled recalls that the postmaster-general had disclosed that NIPOST would establish more cybercafés soon in all the post offices nationwide to meet the demand of the public.

He said, “As far as the present age of information is concerned, internet users can access the internet in the NIPOST offices.

“This is why we want to ensure that we put in place in almost all the post offices, nationwide, so that those who cannot afford to have computers, internet and printers, can go to the nearest post office.”

He said that the user should be able to make enquiries on the Internet, download, and print copies and send the document through NIPOST facilities.

THE NIGERIAN

10

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Business + Economy

Okonjo-Iweala Wants Emphasis On Capital Projects

By Govs

MINNA - The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has expressed concern about states expending their resources on salaries and operational cost rather than on capital projects.

Okonjo-Iweala said this in Minna at the National Council for Economic Development (NACOFED) conference.

She said that there was the need for states to make strategic choices about how to spend their allocation from the federation account.

“The structure of our public expenditure is lopsided, at the federal level and in most states, our budgets consist mostly of recurrent expenditures such as payroll and overhead expenses.

“Yet, we continue to have more demands for more recurrent spending.

“At present, ASUU wants government to pay N92 billion in extra allowances when the resources are not there and when we are working to integrate past increases in pensions,’’ she said.

According to her, we need to make choices in this country as we are getting to the stage where recurrent expenditures take the bulk of our resources and people get paid but can do no work.

Okonjo- Iweala, who is also the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, said that at the federal level, there had been recent progress in improving public financial management in the coun-

try.

The minister said that government was paying close attention to the management of the country’s foreign and domestic debt.

She said that the ministry was collaborating with the Debt Management Office to get a

clearer picture of outstanding debts incurred by state governments.

The coordinating minister also urged state governments to keep “an eagle eye on domestic borrowings’’.

According to her, the Federal Government is working hard to diversify the economy as part of its strategy, thereby reducing over dependence on the oil sector.

L-R: Chairman, NLC Oyo State, Mr. Olarewaju Bashir; Former Petroleum Minister, Prof. Tam David-West; ASUU National Treasurer, Dr. Ademola Aremu and others at the town hall meeting of ASUU, University of Ibadan Branch in Ibadan recently.

Housing Project: Gov Imoke Halts Work CALABAR - The Cross River Government has ordered the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing & Urban Development to stop work at the site of a proposed federal housing scheme.

Gov. Liyel Imoke of Cross River, who gave the order in Calabar, said the “stop work order” was on grounds of environmental impacts violations.

The reports say that the housing scheme is located in the mangrove forest of Calabar Municipality.

Imoke, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Efiok Cobham, during an on unscheduled inspection visit to the site along the Atimbo Swamp, said that the violations should be remedied.

“Henceforth no further development by any agency or

individual should go on in Atimbo axis till further notice,” Imoke warned.

He alleged that the federal authorities had gone ahead to execute the housing project without an approval from appropriate state agencies.

The governor cited adverse environmental effects on the host community as part of his decisions to stop work at the site.

He said that the State Government would not fold its arms and watch anybody expose citizenry to “untold hazards or distorting the ecosystem occasioned by the depletion of the swam.”

He said that if the federal authorities continued the project, the community would be exposed to erosion and aggravated flooding to which the area was already prone to.

He said these developments

were capable of impacting negatively on the ecosystem in the host community.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Sandy Onor, said that the project would negatively impact on the state which, he said was the 25th bio-diversity hot spot in the world.

Onor said that the Cross River Government would ensure that its environmental and forestry policy and programmes meant to conserve and protect the environment were adhered to.

He said the state had made progress in projecting its ecosystem, pointing out that it would do everything within its powers to ensure the tempo was sustained.

‘The state stands to lose its status as the beneficiary of the UN Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, which Cross River remains the only benefiting state in the country,” he said.

Okonjo-Iweala said that efforts were also on to grow the non oil sector such as agriculture and infrastructure.

“We are working to improve our non-oil tax revenue collection. Recently, we hired international consultants to conduct a diagnostic exercise on the bottlenecks in our tax collection process.

“They compared our official registry of companies at CAC to the official taxpayers’ database at FIRS. “The result was that 75 per cent of registered firms were actually not in the tax system, in addition about 65 per cent of registered tax payers had not filled their tax returns in the past two years.

“Overall, it was estimated that an additional N80 billion could be obtained if we improved our tax systems, given the recent decline in our oil revenues. This is additional money which is urgently needed.’’

Okonjo- Iweala also stressed the need for all states to adopt the Fiscal Responsibility Commission 2007 Act. “We need to cooperate more on our fiscal policies since all tiers of government operate in the same economy.

“We will need to coordinate more on how we spend our money, what we spend on and also when we spend it on.

“This will help us manage liquidity in the economy and keep our macro-economic indicators stable,” she said.

In his remarks, Vice President Namadi Sambo, said that there was the need to reduce recurrent expenditure to sustainable levels, while increasing capital projects.

Sambo was represented by the Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr Shamsudeen Usman.

The Vice President said that following the Orunsaye Committe report, the Federal Government had taken steps to

reduce waste as well as duplication of government agencies.

“Consequently, recurrent expenditures will be trimmed further from 71.5 per cent in 2012, to about 68.7 per cent of the 2013 budget, while the capital vote is expected to increase to 31.3 per cent from 28.5 per cent in 2012,’’ he said.

Sambo said that the government was working to restructure expenditure through its transformation agenda by improving capital expenditure in infrastructure to create employment and a business friendly environment.

“The annual budget of our administration is predicated on four main pillars, namely macroeconomic stability, structural reforms, governance and investments in priority sectors.

“It is our belief that the effort of the Federal Government in this regard would be complemented by those of the states and local governments.

“So that together we can lay solid foundation for sustainable economic growth,’’ he said.

Sambo urged participants to deliberate and come up with workable solutions that would help to improve public finance in the country.

Dr Yerima Ngama, the Minister of State for Finance in his closing remarks, thanked the Niger State Government for hosting the conference.

“We need to work more closely in tackling various public services which fall on the concurrent list such as delivering health and education.’’

Ngama said that he was optimistic that the nation’s economy would be on sound footing in the near future, following the implementation of government’s various economic development strategies.

The conference was attended by states commissioners for finance, accountants-general as well as permanent secretaries of ministries of finance from the 36 states.

Aftermath Of Banking Crisis

Commercial Banks Sign Resolution

ABUJA - Commercial banks nationwide have signed the Resolution Trust Fund Deed to help cover the cost of the banking crisis witnessed in the coun-

L-R: Secretary General, Association of Federal Health Pensioners of Nigeria (AFHPEN), Mr. Biodum Oladimeji; National President of the Association, Lawrence Akinbola and the Legal Adviser, Mr. Peter Ekundayo at the election of new executives of Jos University Teaching Hospital Branch of the Association in Jos recently.

try in the past three years.

The Director, Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs Tokunbo Martins, said this in Abuja when she briefed newsmen on the outcome of Bankers Committee meeting.

“One major event that took place today was the signing of the Resolution Trust Fund Deed. The deed is between the banks. The intention is to cover the cost of banking crisis that we had two or three years ago.

“Initially, what we had in place was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) where the banks on their own agreed to contribute 0.3 per cent of their total assets to the cleanup of the banking system at that time,’’ she said.

According to her, with the deed in place, the banks have agreed to contribute 0.5 per cent of the total assets and 0.5 of 33 per cent of their off balance sheet items to the sinking fund.

She said that the intention was to ensure safe “and there would be no incident of falling back to tax payer’s money.

“Currently in the banking sys-

tem, we have N21 trillion worth of assets held by 24 banks but the proportion of which they hold those assets differ.

“So, for each bank, the total assets of 0.5 per cent of that is remitted, and for the off balance sheet items, they will calculate 33 per cent of their off balance sheet item and take another 0.5 per cent of that,’’ she said.

On the 50 per cent withdrawal of public sector fund through Cash Reserve Requirement policy, the Managing Direct, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr Godwin Emeifele, said that the CBN Gov, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi took time to justify the policy.

“The reason being that there is a lot of liquidity in the system and the Central Bank had taken time to look at the balance sheets of banks and observed that the liquidity ratio was very strong. “ And there was the need to withdraw some of the liquidity in the system to be able to achieve its primary mandate of macroeconomic stability and also achieve stable exchange rate,’’ he said.

On cashless policy, the Man-

aging Director, UBA, Mr Philip Oduoza , said that there had been significant improvement in transaction in the five news states where the policy had been introduced.

The five states are Abia, Anambra, Ogun, Kano and Rivers. “ When we started this year, we started with cash transaction of about N8.3 billion as at July 2013, it has moved up to N13.6 billion which is substantial. “ In January last year, the number of point of sales in the system was about 5,900 and today that number has increased significantly to 120,000,’’ he said.

On agriculture, the Managing Director, Fidelity Bank, Mr Reginald Ihejiahi, said that banks looked at how best to reinforce the progress made so far on the sector and how to fix the value chain.

“What is clear is that for the banks to lend (the banks are anxious to lend) we need to have a new generation of agro-business entrepreneurs.

“We need access roads and that’s what will make the cost of entrepreneur lower, we need priority in power,’’ he said.

THE NIGERIAN

11

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT FRIDAY(16/08/13) Stocks

Open

Close

Change

Deals

Units

Value

MANSARD

2.29

2.28

-0.01

7

1,533,300

3,496,040.00

7UP

74.2

74.2

0

6

31,310

2,155,383.00

MAYBAKER

2.45

2.4

-0.05

15

515,977

1,241,143.15

ABCTRANS

0.93

0.9

-0.03

11

346,371

313,451.40

MBENEFIT

0.5

0.5

0

3

27,100

13,550.00

119

119

0

16

19,625

2,203,170.00

ACADEMY

1.76

1.76

0

3

17,730

31,204.80

MOBIL

ACCESS

11.2

11.01

-0.19

175

44,473,998

492,304,563.83

MRS

36.14

36.14

0

2

1,540

50,096.20

AFRIPRUD

1.88

1.88

0

27

47,096

89,313.75

MULTITREX

0.66

0.66

0

12

400,000

270,000.00

AGLEVENT

1.4

1.54

0.14

10

240,075

366,884.25

NAHCO

6.2

6.26

0.06

26

290,942

1,810,398.65

AIICO

0.93

0.94

0.01

53

4,443,030

4,176,258.64

NASCON

10.42

11.2

0.78

70

1,406,190

15,417,433.78

ARBICO

5.6

5.6

0

1

36

181.44

NB

167.9

169.5

1.6

170

1,151,337

195,552,567.35

ASHAKACEM

23.07

22

-1.07

31

250,093

5,526,868.95

NEIMETH

1.4

1.4

0

5

56,409

74,989.88

0.66

0.72

0.06

18

985,263

700,662.40

ASOSAVINGS

0.5

0.5

0

2

1,000,000

500,000.00

NEM

BECOPETRO

0.5

0.5

0

1

100

50

NESTLE

930

935

5

62

255,501

239,227,792.38

BERGER

9.61

9.61

0

4

11,065

97,258.40

NIGERINS

0.5

0.5

0

2

25,000

12,500.00

BETAGLAS

13.18

13.18

0

7

49,451

665,204.18

NNFM

29.7

29.7

0

2

18,574

533,898.00

BOCGAS

6.5

6.5

0

1

55

383.9

NPFMCRFBK

0.8

0.83

0.03

9

686,300

507,240.00

CADBURY

48.31

50.9

2.59

56

369,118

18,709,154.83

OANDO

12.8

12.2

-0.6

193

3,826,888

48,117,235.92

CAP

43.65

43.65

0

14

26,316

1,072,644.00

OKOMUOIL

43.75

43.75

0

53

386,040

16,981,141.70

1.87

1.7

-0.17

4

208,700

356,169.00

CAPHOTEL

4.55

4.55

0

1

10,600

43,460.00

PAINTCOM

CAPOIL

0.5

0.5

0

1

3,000

1,500.00

PORTPAINT

5.56

5.56

0

5

85,000

456,200.00

CCNN

9.3

9.3

0

22

148,744

1,384,153.60

PREMPAINTS

10.93

10.93

0

1

30

295.2

CHAMPION

19.35

19.35

0

29

139,095

2,558,449.53

PRESCO

36.29

36.29

0

13

76,967

2,683,503.28

CHAMS

0.5

0.5

0

4

75,000

37,500.00

PRESTIGE

0.55

0.55

0

2

31,820

16,228.20

CONOIL

33

33

0

26

131,435

4,137,364.15

PZ

37.6

37.6

0

66

395,808

14,987,565.16

4.84

4.69

-0.15

16

327,998

1,503,665.02

CONTINSURE

1.15

1.16

0.01

6

20,533,900

23,129,787.21

REDSTAREX

CORNERST

0.5

0.5

0

7

268,000

134,000.00

RESORTSAL

0.5

0.5

0

4

260,365

130,182.50

COSTAIN

1.18

1.2

0.02

28

1,033,833

1,233,900.10

ROYALEX

0.52

0.52

0

2

34,660

17,830.00

COURTVILLE

0.66

0.69

0.03

25

2,635,500

1,774,454.00

RTBRISCOE

1.55

1.42

-0.13

19

272,639

399,090.09

CUSTODYINS

1.58

1.48

-0.1

29

3,117,800

4,674,541.67

SCOA

5.32

5.32

0

2

10,000

47,900.00

CUTIX

1.99

1.8

-0.19

7

127,593

229,968.20

SKYEBANK

4.06

4.05

-0.01

139

9,175,565

36,883,370.41

DANGCEM

192

190

-2

54

1,236,867

235,263,586.81

SOVRENINS

0.5

0.5

0

1

50,000

25,000.00

17.5

17.2

-0.3

28

446,392

7,616,425.78

DANGFLOUR

9.5

9.5

0

40

480,767

4,567,312.20

STANBIC

DANGSUGAR

11.06

11.08

0.02

65

1,137,926

12,671,725.06

STERLNBANK

2.75

2.75

0

37

3,930,958

10,694,803.39

DIAMONDBNK

6.8

6.7

-0.1

71

30,971,600

210,526,496.30

THOMASWY

0.67

0.67

0

6

82,290

60,071.70

DNMEYER

1.58

1.58

0

3

7,218

10,321.74

TOTAL

155

155

0

14

25,864

3,810,423.00

DUNLOP

0.5

0.5

0

1

20,000

10,000.00

TRANSCORP

1.37

1.3

-0.07

55

6,850,971

8,983,913.92

ETERNA

2.87

2.9

0.03

7

223,804

647,283.60

TRANSEXPR

0.96

1.05

0.09

12

247,420

259,791.00

ETI

14.68

14.67

-0.01

72

2,010,933

29,564,553.62

TRIPPLEG

2.29

2.29

0

2

910

1,883.70

18

18

0

18

173,495

2,902,568.68

EVANSMED

4.74

4.74

0

1

600

2,562.00

UAC-PROP

FBNH

16.62

16.36

-0.26

463

69,684,902

1,149,021,283.88

UACN

61.89

61.89

0

33

90,322

5,414,226.97

FCMB

4.4

4.39

-0.01

65

3,139,395

13,763,954.17

UBA

7.85

7.91

0.06

192

7,470,737

59,113,666.63

FIDELITYBK

2.84

2.85

0.01

87

4,399,347

12,341,074.65

UBCAP

1.26

1.25

-0.01

54

2,634,658

3,289,034.64

FIDSON

2.05

2.06

0.01

20

510,500

1,050,795.00

UBN

11

10.9

-0.1

54

484,967

5,411,211.96

FLOURMILL

78.56

78.56

0

53

178,441

13,737,175.92

UNILEVER

65

63

-2

55

762,575

48,040,467.50

FO

38.91

40

1.09

36

172,212

6,621,442.34

UNITYBNK

0.52

0.55

0.03

39

4,947,680

2,717,385.40

FTNCOCOA

0.5

0.5

0

1

100,000

50,000.00

UNIVINSURE

0.5

0.5

0

1

120,000

60,000.00

GLAXOSMITH

65

65

0

7

21,160

1,344,130.70

UPL

4.1

4.1

0

24

202,186

824,231.80

GNI

0.5

0.5

0

1

30,953

15,476.50

VITAFOAM

4.3

4.3

0

9

52,092

204,074.04

GUARANTY

25

25.01

0.01

304

13,928,703

347,988,205.24

VONO

0.62

0.62

0

3

11,266

7,660.88

GUINEAINS

0.5

0.5

0

1

370

185

WAPCO

94.1

96

1.9

73

802,171

76,871,191.97

GUINNESS

265

265

0

30

37,269

9,388,659.45

WAPIC

0.75

0.8

0.05

14

548,150

431,975.45

1.09

1.05

-0.04

27

673,292

705,362.21

20.95

20.84

-0.11

191

5,939,300

122,958,413.97

HONYFLOUR

3.2

3.2

0

29

958,110

3,065,116.60

WEMABANK

IHS

2.67

2.6

-0.07

14

710,400

1,898,069.00

ZENITHBANK

IKEJAHOTEL

0.79

0.79

0

1

12,000

10,200.00

INTBREW

21.45

21.45

0

33

462,651

9,872,059.60

IPWA

0.95

0.95

0

5

114,636

99,665.95

JAPAULOIL

0.51

0.52

0.01

41

2,070,197

1,069,114.22

JBERGER

73

71

-2

9

83,229

5,945,365.50

JOSBREW

1.06

1.16

0.1

2

150,000

174,000.00

LASACO

0.5

0.5

0

1

20,000

10,000.00

LEARNAFRCA

1.7

1.7

0

6

95,200

159,826.62

LIVESTOCK

4.58

4.13

-0.45

29

635,452

2,629,429.76

TOP 10 GAINERS

TOP TOP 10 10 LOSERS GAINERS

Stock

Close

Gain

Stock

Close

Loss

NESTLE CADBURY WAPCO NB FO NASCON AGLEVENT JOSBREW TRANSEXPR NAHCO

935 50.9 96 169.5 40 11.2 1.54 1.16 1.05 6.26

5 2.59 1.9 1.6 1.09 0.78 0.14 0.1 0.09 0.06

DANGCEM JBERGER UNILEVER ASHAKACEM OANDO LIVESTOCK STANBIC FBNH ACCESS CUTIX

190 71 63 22 12.2 4.13 17.2 16.36 11.01 1.8

-2 -2 -2 -1.07 -0.6 -0.45 -0.3 -0.26 -0.19 -0.19

THE NIGERIAN

12

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

THE NIGERIAN

13

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Environment The Waste Lands Of Human Rights Law Continued from last week

THE cloudy rainbow of the west has become so mischievous that even the greatest propaganda of unsung heroes has sunk in the pacific of timeless betrayal of trust. On account of this international mischief transformed into a beast of burden which drives international impasse and national mayhem to the gallows of both self distrust and endless Pandora. Much as we want the rain of reprisals to fall on the hectors, however, the eccentric cloud of peace must be conceded to take its pride of place. Suffice it to say that the vector of peaceful existence has been compromised and the melting point of peace has been the demise of negotiations. Permission is granted to adduce that being rigid is good, being flexible is better and exercising a great dosage of discretion is much required. The cross section of continents have evinced over the years that a vent of discord has been opened as an orifice between injustice and the justice of the day in that they have become obscure and manically elusive. Just as the term justice is subjective, so the decisions handed down by international courts are subjectively objective. We the people of knowledge believe that the astronomic rise of armed conflict is more of a question of function rather than factor. The function theory is that an avalanche of nations cross pollinates the idea of reason and humanity as such justifying why attacks are launched because the aegis of humans being affected would come on the scene as a defense. The armed conflicts should not be a function of reasons but that the principles of humanity are not

applied as a factor of violations but as a functional approach to embarking on both non international and international armed conflicts. I am who I am when I say I am who I want to be. This is the foundation of international politics and this is why complacence has ravaged most international decisions.

Politics has become a tool in the hand of most nations to extinguish the tyranny of equality. My people have become prisoners of conscience in their own land both voluntarily and involuntarily. Alas, I am well informed that the days of tyrannical rule is virtually coming to an end and the spate at which the end of man’s inhumanity to man draws near is exponential. Are we strangers in the land of the living?

Then if the answer is no, why then do we permit the upsurge of in undisciplined rulers bathing in the influence of the office they occupy. We are not puppets to be controlled involuntarily. Many people suffer from consistent gang rape in India they have become prisoners of conscience in China, the deprivation of their right to self determination in a lot of nation as these have taken common place in the palace of nativity. It has proven to me a reoccurring decimal that the crescendos of political marginalization and economic instability have heralded ninety nine percent of global problems currently in issue. Amidst these challenges, we have decided to survive when survival is for the jungle and good living for the people of God. The greatest brickbat of man is not hatred, wickedness, and complacence but that man lacks the zest to love genuinely. I must confess that records have made history

but history has not made record. Is it true that power only comes through the barrels of the gun?

CHILDREN OF WAR

(International Humanitarian Law) Alas! The very essence of war is lost.

Take my children home for no cost.

Oh! Oh! Please we need a gale of changes.

The dunes of a war child have covered us thus, In the midst of a troubled world with loose hinges.

We live in a less humanitarian world.

We have a chance of peaceful, but divided fine lines.

Vietnam is lost. Nazism has been submerged I hear the high sounding effect of drones, Causing so much of tears with nowhere to run.

Children have become both fathers and mothers The ironical situation warmongers find so external like the ruana People are now planted in supplanted homes of false protecting powers.

Scavengers in times of armed conflicts they have become.

Deliverers in the time to come they shall beget.

As bullets are about to

Law With IKHUEBOR VIKRAM OSARUMEN rebel against the trigger.

Child soldiers will never die of death.

But die to the very reason of our living ancestors.

Invisible but artful state

of war they have introduced.

The crimson is no longer red to a child of war Oh! Gas chambers and crematoriums have taken the haven of our passage to the great beyond Shall I despair? Shall I be hopeful? Perhaps I should.

Lets together treat the wounds like the fire woods to be fetched.

Protect the children till they come to full bloom to be clenched.

Live a life to fill the very culture of life’s drench Fly like the seabird that hardly perch.

We must see them as the notochords of peaceful existence.

They are the spotted winged birds in war.

Thus the agony of the child; the painless torment of a war child.

The pitiful moments of a crying man, let alone a child of war.

War children and children, who experience war, are not one and same Time and again, I hear the whimpering of a tormented child soul.

Finally divulging the secrets of the hearts in beads of perspiration.

My painless sleep, their hopeless dreams.

Their tasteless meal, my delightful meal My blissful night is here, while they pray for a night to heal Drenched in the morning mist of thought As we walk with them till the end.

“Many people suffer from consistent gang rape in India they have become prisoners of conscience in China, the deprivation of their right to self determination in a lot of nation as these have taken common place in the palace of nativity. It has proven to me a reoccurring decimal that the crescendos of political marginalization and economic instability have heralded ninety nine percent of global problems currently

THE NIGERIAN

14

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Interview

Electricity consumers many who now prefer the prepaid meters to the analogue ones have cried foul recently over the scarcity of prepaid meter or its non-availability. However, Babatunde Fadipe, the man in charge of public affairs, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, (PHCN) spoke to Tunde Eigbiremolen, Assistant Editor, IKIKA CLARA and ENONINA UNUERRI on the availability of prepaid meters among others issues.

What is all the noise about unbundling PHCN all about and the implication for PHCN? The issue of unbundling PHCN is basically a government policy, it is the unbundling that made the behemoth called National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) to be broken into small pieces in terms of power distribution. We had one transmission station, with the old National Power Authority (NEPA). Then it was one big family and now it has been broken into pieces. Unbundling simply means losing up the big NEPA. The implications are numerous which means at the federal level, that of course means that the decision making process has been made easier and faster, that is also, decision making process is made faster.

We also heard that PHCN does what they call load shedding to enable some consumers have power but a lot of people have been complaining that perpetually it is done to punish them. In places like Evbuotubu a lot of complaints abound so why the land shedding? What are the challenges involved in load shedding?

Well, load shedding is basically a product of inadequacy, okay? I mean lets take very simple analogy to demystify that word itself. You have one Comrade Bus from Ogba Zoo, may be some students went there on excursion, may be 5000 students. Definitely, one Comrade Bus cannot take 5000 students. And you don’t have more than one Comrade Bus going to Ring Road. We look at the number of students that can be taken by one Comrade Bus at a time. It means that one Comrade Bus has to go several times before it can complete the picking. Now, let’s go to the issue of transformer.

In most areas we have a 5000 KVA transformer. There is carrying capacity limit for a 500 KVA transformer. Apart from the domestic level I and the

New Pre-Paid Meters Obtainable In 45 Days. Now Out In Benin District

commercial level we also have what we call federal limitation may be you have a 15 KVA transformer at a place like G.R.A because their transformed station is closed to the police headquarters, around SSS we have about 2 transformers there 15 KVA transformers one of them has a number of small, small transformers which it can carry.

If it goes beyond that the transformer is programmed to go off on its own. Other wise, you will lose the entire thing. It cuts off the greater number of people than may be putting it off. Some areas we are not just cutting off some areas but you will also be cutting off for a long time because the replacement of that equipment itself is capital intensive, so if the money is not immediately there you cannot but leave them out of supply until you have the funds to do such replacement in load shedding. It is a product of inadequacy whether in terms of power itself that is generated or it terms of the equipment at any level. It is basically a product of inadequacy.

Question: we know that the Jonathan administration is so passionate about power reforms. As an insider and a stake holder, is the present administration doing enough to give Nigerians power?

I think before this administration, government ordinarily is a continuous exercise. Now, before this administration they have been able to bring the vibrancy of the power sector. Right from Obasanjo regime, upto Yarradua, Jonathan administration, there have been a consistent movement or direction of provision of adequate electricity for Nigerians and, of course that itself informed why government has even gone ahead to see that we must have the privatization of power sector to take care of inadequate electricity for Nigerians, and of course, that in itself has even made government to ensure that it sees to the end of the privatization process. For me, I think the government is doing a lot and even beyond the privatization.

You will see the government is pursuing with a lot of zeal the issue of the national integrated power project which also started before this administration, okay? now that organ itself is a

special purpose vehicle managed be delta power holding company of Nigeria, that body is the one managing the national integrated power project. Now in the entire power projects their generation which is the manufacturer, they are in transmission which is the bulk reader and their retail getting into homes and certain level into the industries just like that essentially government, that has been doing a lot that government is going to privatize PHCN, it doesn’t mean that government has taken its hands off the provision of electricity, Niger Delta power holding company of Nigeria is still there as a special purpose vehicle to continue to invest in capital project in the generation and transmission centers Okay?

Then the World Bank is still

Babatunde Fadipe

disadvantaged, we are not at a disadvantage because there is a neutral habitat to measure the value of energy the costumer is consuming. So, essentially that problem that we had sometime ago where meter was not available, where there were complaints, those things are settled already. We start a new scale because costumers will pick a customized teller in the office in the zone because we cover four states of the country that is out of 36 we cover that area that means they can go to our offices in Edo, Delta, Ekiti and Ondo states to pick up the customized teller. You go to the bank make the payment, and

with the bank and the bank will advise this costumer has paid and the bank will give us the information.

Am a bit satisfied with that explanation but there is some thing that also borders me, it is these prepaid meters that are difficult to secure.

What is the challenge?

No, my point is that at a point in time we ran into some stormy, weather but as I speak to you right now when you called for this interview, I was wondering whether some power of clairvoyance was at play, because as from tomorrow we are going to start the new metering policy on Monday,

Babatunde Fadipe, PHCN Public Affairs Manager, Benin District (right) fielding questions from our Assistant Editor, Tunde Eigbiremolen there to do some other projects then you still have rural electrification agency that still attend to other issues.

Why is it so difficult to get pre-paid meters nowadays?

What is the challenge PHCN is facing and what steps are being taken to obviate them?

The issue of non-availability of pre-paid meters or the delay in getting them for customers is still being tied to the issue of inadequacy that is raised earlier.

But thank God that it is being taken care of right now. In Benin\District, we are set to set a record. With the new arrangement it helps us put a meter where a costumer is not

that teller is their official receipt that they have paid and their money is in our custody. So we have eliminated the possibility of diversion of the costumers money in any form worth so ever, In time past, costumers will give us complaints about what happened to my bank draft so many complaints, but this time around you are the ones holding your receipt. The moment you walk to the bank it will not be I gave money to one fake PHCN worker. You walk to the bank yourself make your payment you are very sure if the money is in the bank we get to see it because we must get in touch

“Well the issue of mega watt if you are talking about the issue of Nigeria electricity is such that there is no amount of it that will be too sufficient because the more you have of it the more the need you have for it ok you suddenly find out that if you move above the 6,000 that seem to be around now if we move above.”

here the 5th of August, as directed by Nigerian regulatory ministry.

What is the policy all about?

It is called the credit advancement payment implication. The summary is that costumers will give us money we will buy meters for them, we install the meter and they refund the meter cost. The meter cost is lower than the meter amount they will pay because they are some component that the meter cost cannot be refunded to them over a period of time, the practice initially was for PHCN to collect the entire money and not refund anything but this time around the meter cost will be refunded by knocking of the fake charge component of the payment for electricity that costumers make monthly that stage and they add another 1000, 2,000 we will get up to 10,00 megawatt load will suddenly grow. Electricity is like a men’s level of affluence or a salary earner when you were earning 5,000 you find out that your

level of expenditure was at the level of #5,000 you find out that your expenses will grow to that level let government increase it to 20,000 or 30,000 you find that again that your expenses will move to that level, so that is the way electricity is, the more you have of it the more you find your need for electricity growing I tell people with my own and sense of humility with my status in life. Today if I pay 5,000 or 6,000, 7,000 per month is not too much because I have children who will still be on the computer most of the time, or playing computer game, watching television, using electricity most of the time for one or two things may be my social status again using washing machine my age now if am consuming 5,000 to 10,000 is not too much but by the time I grow older my consumption is ready to drop because they are so many things that will not attract me again so the point am making a lot of Nigerians that are in this age bracket that are consuming they need alot of energy so the moment we increase power we see that all there suppress load will come up immediately and people will start consuming them so the more we have of it the more we use. But you see that is still physical to the public especially the distribution aspect of it and the generation government is doing essentially is build power stations and then privatize it of course the basic reason for that is very clear the is capital intensive for you to have the capital of this you need to have the consumption financiers that will bring together their money and its not is some thing you pick up the shaft like that is some thing that takes a bit of time the investor may not be as patient.

Government has the social responsibility to the people then government can then over take that process, complete it and then sell to the investors and recop its money and government has not lost what has only happened is that government has tied down capital for a bit of time that he can regain back like 36 in 48 or in 48 months as the case may be.

What mega watt are we uploading on now? Because they keep telling us that we have reached some certain place, so what mega watt is required for Nigeria and where are we right now?

Well the issue of mega watt if you are talking about the issue of Nigeria electricity is such that there is no amount of it that will be too sufficient because the more you have of it the more the need you have for it ok you suddenly find out that if you move above the 6,000 that seem to be around now if we move above.

THE NIGERIAN

15

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Issues

AN African proverb has it that though one cannot stop the bird from flying above the head, but the same person can stop it from making a nest over the head. This saying has aptly described the crime rate globally. Although crime cannot be stopped totally, but it can be reduced.

Globally, the rate of crime has grown astronomically.

On daily basis, the media is awash with headlines of one crime or the other. Fighting this increasing spate of crime has become tasking to the security operatives. The case of Nigeria is not different.

With the Boko Haram sect maiming hundreds of people, there could be no other time in the nation’s history, except the civil war, that fighting crime has been more daunting.

However, with technological advancements that is affecting all facets of life, crime fighting has received additional impetus.

Globally, technological developments have proved useful in curtailing the rate of criminality.

Although Nigeria is yet to get to that level of technological progress like counties as U.S.A and the likes, technology has aided the fighting of crime.

Recently, a Police Officer, was video taped demanding for bribe from a motorist in Lagos. The security agent was caught on tape “begging” for N25,000 from the motorist. As soon as the motorist got out of the scene, the video clips of the police officer asking for money, went viral. This made the Nigerian Police Force, headed by the Inspector General, M.D Abubakar, to dismiss the officer, saying “the force will not tolerate corruption.” The age has passed when crime was fought by just arresting anyone found at the scene of the crime, when the real culprits must have left.

With technological development, crimes can now be fought with higher precision, greater results and in a timely manner. In this technological era, the need for proper recording of personal information cannot be undermined. If a working

national criminal and biometric databases are managed efficiently, it will go a long way in forestalling crime. These databases, would normally contain finger prints and DNA of individuals. If any crime is committed, hair, skin cells and other genetic evidence in crime scenes will normally be examined. When such evidence matches with the databases, the perpetrators can be apprehended easily.

Similarly, these databases will help in no small measure to get individuals with criminal record noted. In Nigeria, there is little or no record of hardened criminals who have terrorized the country. However, a proper database will help the security operatives in monitoring the activities of these people even if they are outside the country.

According to Cable News Network, CNN, “we leave small clues about our lives all over the internet like fingerprints.” In a recent survey in the US where 1,221 federal, state and local law enforcement who used social media, four out of five officials used social media to gather intelligence during investigations. The survey noted that this way of tackling crime via the social media, has a 2.8% margin of error and that facebook is the most fruitful social network for law enforcement.

Major breakthroughs have been made in combating crime via the social media. In 2008 the US, dismantled a local street gang and arrested 71 people after a nine-month investigation by using social media to identify key members. The Cincinnati Police in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati’s Institute of Crime Science, created databases of information scrapped from social networks, existing police records and phone records, then used software to analyze the data and establish links between suspects (CNN, August 30,2012).

Following the recent horrific bomb blasts at the Boston Marathon, the police were able to glean information speedily from dozens of social media video

Place Of Technology In Crime Fighting

clips. This subsequently aided security officials to track down the suspects of the bomb blasts.

In addition, various devices based on GPS technology are finding their way into urban police work currently. The Indian government, after a string of high-profile gang rapes, is developing a GPS that allows the wearer to send a message to the nearest police station by pressing a button. The GPS system will

By EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU According to Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department Spokesman, Lieutenant Nicolas Breul, CCTV cameras are placed at different location periodically. These cameras, he noted, are not monitored live, but the tapes can be reviewed if a crime occurs in the observed area. “These are very instrumental in picking

the purview of the Ministry.

The site allows people to provide information on the basis of anonymity. The Ministry also has a Blackberry Messenger (BBM) application that citizens can send images, sound recording, video etc of crime in their area. A review of the use of the facility for the period July 18 to

Using analytic software, they map out criminal trends to identify locations that may need more security. In American cities as Washington, New York and others, these system are in place. In 2010, the Memphis authorities in United States, worked with IBM to track illegal activity and predict where it might happen next.

A commander with the Memphis Police said, “Memphis Police

Mohammed Abubakar, Inspector General of Police

pinpoint the location of the wearer. The GPS watch also has an inbuilt camera that can record up to half an hour (BBC, January 30,2012).

With GPS tracking system installed in cars, building and others, explosives can be detected easily.

Also, close Circuit Television (CCTV) has proved of immense benefit to tracking down criminals.

These CCTV’s are installed in major roads and flash points in crisis-prone area to provide surveillance for law enforcement agents.

evidence. They have recorded shootings and other crimes. They are very effective and help to deter crime,” Breul said.

As common as mobile phones are to most people, it is a veritable tool in stemming the upward rise in crime rate. In Guyana Republic, The Ministry of Home Affairs has launched the “I paid a Bribe” website to enable people to provide information in relations to the payment of a bribe for public services rendered at any public office/agency under

“Also, close Circuit Television (CCTV) has proved of immense benefit to tracking down criminals. These CCTV’s are installed in major roads and flash points in crisisprone area to provide surveillance for law enforcement agents. According to Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department Spokesman, Lieutenant Nicolas Breul, CCTV cameras are placed at different location periodically. These cameras, he noted, are not monitored live, but the tapes can be reviewed if a crime occurs in the observed area.”

December 14, 2012 revealed that 51 reports were made to the police by members of the public from which 52 offences were identified. The Guyana Police Force was able to make seven arrests arising from the reports.

A police detective in Albany, US, James Miller, says his department has been working for the past years with technology to prevent crime.

One of the new technological techniques been used is ereporting. Miller says, “Officers carry laptops and take reports at the scene and immediately download the information. From there, it is handled by the crime analysts who map the entire city with real-time data.” This will then enable supervisors to determine crime trends more efficiently and use resources rightly.

Besides, most countries have adopted predictive analytics to detect crime.

Department now has the invaluable insight all of our staff can use to specifically focus investigative and patrol resources with the goal of preventing crime and making our neighbourhood safer.”

At this critical period where crime is growing in leaps and bound, the country cannot just fold its arms and watch.

Although, the issue of finance and the level of technological penetration in Nigeria may be adduced as drawbacks to the use of technology in fighting crime, expert opinion should be sought to input it into crime fighting.

Technology will help the security officials in getting one step ahead of the “bad guys.” Government must develop the political will, as not being complaint with technological tools will leave the nation behind in its quest to combating the rising crime level threatening its corporate existence.

THE NIGERIAN

16

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Focus SOME months back, it was reported that Nigeria losses $5 billion annually to oil theft (also known as illegal oil bunkering). We were not surprised at all at this revelation owing to the fact for several years now; we have been hammering on this and identifying the negative impacts of oil theft has brought to the nation’s economic well-being. The revelation was made known then by the Country Chair/ Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd (SPDC) and Vice President-Production Shell Africa, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, when he addressed the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) and the Navy; investigating the “unprecedented upsurge of illegal oil bunkering activities in Nigeria’s coastal region”.

According to reports then, what many saw as surprising was the absence of the Chief of Naval Staff, Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Managing Director of Chevron, among other key stakeholders. We hope to shade more light on this here for a better understanding.

Mr. Sunmonu also advised then that, “There must be political will by all stakeholders to be able to fight illegal oil bunkering. Every tier of government must be involved in the fight against illegal oil bunkering”. And this is a fact.

In the report, Nigeria was said to be losing approximately 150,000 barrels of crude oil to illegal oil bunkering daily and $5 billion annually. Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu who also raised the alarm on the activities of oil thieves, said the trend, if not properly checked, would spell doom for the country’s economy. This is very true, and we totally agree with the Shell (SPDC) boss that this

needs to be addressed. Ever since the commercial discovery of crude oil and later natural gas, and the exploration and production activities that came with this discoveries, it did not only bring in International Oil Companies (IOCs) like Shell (SPDC) and others into the country, it also came with its attendant challenges and grievous problems that are now constituting threats to the national economy, the livelihood and environmental well-being of the Niger Delta area, where these exploration and production activities are predominant.

THE PROBLEM To fully understand this position, and have a broad knowledge of how the nation is daily loosing enormous wealth through this illegal means of livelihood in the oil and gas/ condensate sector, there is need for us to re-examine the situation with crude oil/ condensate theft in the Niger Delta region and perhaps, shed more light on its “root” causes.

For a start, there are two major sides to the illegal oil activities that have been causing the nation a great deal. On the one hand, there are those who cut and mutilate oil/gas/condensate pipes and Flow Lines to steal crude oil, condensate or refined petroleum products; and there are those who willfully destroy pipelines to create room for economic opportunities (like compensations for oil spillage etc), and others who do so for the purpose of stealing oil tools and equipment, including valves or at the height of it, the movement of an entire Christmas Tree (also known as Well-Head) to be resold to another end user.

Like we have always emphasized; poverty, unquenchable greed, blatant ignorance and selfishness are amongst the underlining root causes of all the illegal oil bunkering, oil tools and

Combating Oil Theft In Nige equipment theft and about 85% of oil/condensate spillage in the Niger Delta region. With ‘poverty’ taking the lion share as the root cause of most crude oil or condensate theft, however that of ‘large scale’ illegal bunkering is caused by the insatiable greed of some selfish wealthy individuals, some of which are in government circles. Some locals cut pipelines to get condensate to either mix with fuel and sell on the road side or they use it in its raw form.

Others put ‘hot taps’ on pipelines to siphon crude oil/ condensate for sale to tankers or barges for onward transportation to neighboring and oversea countries. This is the large scale dimension of crude oil/ condensate theft, and as a result of the lucrative nature of the illegal trade, those who are into it find it difficult to pull out.

However, the fact still remains that the increase in these illegal businesses started like a small cancer and gradually spread to grievous dimensions that today, the nation’s economy is paying dearly for it. But crude oil/condensate theft (illegal bunkering) is daily encouraged by the relevant Security Operatives of the Navy (in the deep seas, creeks, water ways), the Security Operatives (in the land areas) and others.

Let us understand the fact that no single barrel of crude oil or condensate can be moved out from the Niger Delta area, especially in large scales (be it the creeks, sea, land areas) without the assistance, connivance, cooperation and knowledge of the Navy concerned, and some top powerful members/power brokers of host communities in question. In other words, it is a “network of connivance and cooperation” between

By ZIK GBEMRE

and within these individuals stated that has sustained the illegal trade of crude oil/ condensate theft, especially those in large scales that cost the nation greatly.

This large-scale illegal bunkering as the name implies, involves the use of big vessels and large barges to move crude oil or condensate to overseas.

These acts are usually perpetuated by some highly placed individuals in the

communities? And because of the large money involved, these “crude oil/condensate thieves” invest so much in the Nigerian politics, even down to the Executives of host communities concerned, just to ensure their illegal business thrives undisturbed. By sponsoring selected persons into the Executive arm of government at Federal, State, Council and community levels, their

that takes place within the land areas and creeks of the Niger Delta areas.

The big question is; Where are the Navy in stopping this illegal trade, especially on our waters?

Their involvement is the only simple explanation that has allowed this illegal oil trade to thrive all these years.

The Nigerian Navy and the other Security Operatives with their top officers; that are usually drafted to secure these national oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta

society, government circles and the Navy, with the knowledge of some powerful host community locals. There is no way crude oil and condensate theft can take place, without the knowledge and cooperation of some locals of host

illegal trade is protected from the claws of the law and eyes of the public. The Navy that are also involved becomes the icing in the cake of this illegal trade.

This is the apex height of the whole illegal bunkering trade. But that of the smallscale illegal bunkering involves the use of tankers, containers, drums etc to sell stolen condensate which is mixed with petrol and sold on the road side, and of course the ‘Killer Kerosene’.

We also have those who specialize in “illegal refining of crude oil”, that has now gradually become a widespread phenomenon

region, are believed to be the worst allies of illegal oil bunkerers. To save their face, especially when illegal oil bunkering activities cause much stir in the public, and the people get nosy of their exercise, some NAVAL officers pretend to cover their involvement. The most significant of such ‘facesaving’ tactics is the act of the periodic seizure of barges and vessels laden with stolen crude, and the destruction of same in the high sea.

When reports, accusations and counter-accusations begin to rise, they explode fake (counterfeit) barges and

“However, the fact still remains that the increase in these illegal businesses started like a small cancer and gradually spread to grievous dimensions that today, the nation’s economy is paying dearly for it.

But crude oil/condensate theft (illegal bunkering) is daily encouraged by the relevant Security Operatives of the Navy (in the deep seas, creeks, water ways), the Security Operatives (in the land areas) and others.”

vess impo the that time barg rele own deal parts mon think med witn crud illeg been

sent eng cond pipe cou unfo are the ‘ get t once othe goat pictu behi trad A som Petr (PTI Delt Olu

THE NIGERIAN

17

eria:

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Focus

Matters Arising

sels that are of less ortance to them, to give public the impression they are working. Most es, the real functional ges and vessels seized are ased to their original ners upon a negotiated l where the accomplice s with mouth-watering ney settlement. Come to k of it, despite all the dia hype, we are yet to ness a single top known de oil and condensate gal bunkerer that has n prosecuted and

speech, was beating around the bush in a matter that required suggestions/advice, towards putting an end to illegal oil bunkering that has continued unabated, in spite of the heavy surveillance of the Military, (the Navy other security operatives), patrolling the water ways, creeks, deep sea and land areas of the Niger Delta region. It was reported that Obasanjo was lamenting the huge loses of the nation, as a result of the large scale illegal oil bunkering in the

(pointing his fingers at the top Military-Army and Navy officers seated there).” This statement, from the fearless, bold and activist king, clearly shows that “the illegal oil bunkering issue is beyond what we are seeing.”

The host communities are to blame, the military, the politicians in government circles, especially both former and present state governors and Vice Presidents and their wives, children, concubines (mistresses), are equally to

tenced appropriately for aging in illegal oil/ densate bunkering and eline vandalization in the ntry. It is only the ortunate poor locals that often used as fronts by ‘big boys’, which usually the full wrath of the law e in a blue moon. And ers that are used as scapets to cover-up the bigger ure of the hidden-hands ind the whole illegal oil e.

At a stakeholders forum metime ago at the roleum Training Institute I), Effurun near Warri, ta State, former President segun Obasanjo in his

Niger Delta, right in front of top military and (Navy and Army officers) who were participants at the said stakeholders forum.

When it was time for the then Chief Benjamin Okumagba (JP) OON, who later became the Orosue (King) of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom in Warri, to speak, he went straight to the point and expressed that: “Your Excellency (referring to former President Obasanjo), if you are searching for those engaged in illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, search no more because the culprits are these ones sitting here

blame. The lucrative nature of the illegal oil/ condensate trade has made it so.

As regards the willful cutting of oil pipelines by some host community

locals for ‘economic opportunities’, it seriously boils down to abject poverty and blatant ignorance of the adverse effects, such actions have on the natural environment. The deliberate acts of some host community dwellers to cut oil/ condensate pipelines to create employment opportunities for themselves or create room for outrageous compensations can be regarded as one of the ‘self-inflicting’ challenges facing the Niger Delta areas.

To discourage the ‘compensation mindset on oil spills, it is a matter of policy that no compensation should be made by 10Cs like Shell (SPDC), if it was established through a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) that any said oil spill was caused by third-party interference, also known as sabotage.

However, there is a loophole in this policy. And that is, any contractor awarded the spill Clean-up/ Remediation Job will still rely on local labour to do the job. And just because of that hope of getting a temporary Clean-up jobs that may just last for couple of weeks or months, some host community locals are ready to indulge in pipeline vandalisation.

There are also times where oil/condensate spill & remediation contractors of IOCs deliberately sponsor local miscreants of other host communities (other than theirs) to burst/cut oil pipelines to cause environmental spills, so that they (contractors) can lobby for such spills & remediation contracts. We can see the whole complicated situation.

Government bodies on their part like the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Federal

Ministry of Environment, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), that are charged with the regulatory and supervisory responsibilities of the activities in the oil and gas sector, are not helping matters because they depend on the IOCs to take care of their logistics before they can perform. With this sort of scenario, how objective and strict will the government agencies be, when it comes to regulating the activities of the industry?

Also, where are the budgets of these government agencies to carry out such activities?

The remaining few instances of oil spill caused by pipeline/equipment failures, are also bedeviled with a lot of challenges. We will not be mixing words to say that most of the oil/ condensate pipelines in the region are somewhat ‘weak’, due to frequent clamping and re-clamping (repairs) of vandalized pipelines. Over the years, particularly in recent past, we are aware that IOCs like Shell (SPDC) have been known to go into areas where oil/condensate spills have occurred, contain the situation by clamping the pipelines, and ensure the environment returns to its normal status. But to complicate issues, the host community locals have been known to sometimes delay/ prevent granting ‘access’ for the IOCs to contain Spills for Clean-up and Remediation.

Or sometimes they deliberately delay in notifying I0Cs concerned, in other to allow maximum ‘spread’ of the oil spill and of course, the compensation and job opportunities that would come out of this. We can see how the locals have willfully sometimes positioned themselves to benefit from oil spills and illegal oil/condensate bunkering, all to the detriment of the environment and the

economy respectively.

However, there are reported instances where intelligence from relevant stakeholders and locals have intimated IOCs about observed oil spills, but their “delay in response”, usually do not help matters. The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) subsidiary of the NNPC, is even worst, because they do not respond at all to oil/ condensate spills reported.

We do not wish to discuss further about the issue of oil/ condensate spillage, but there is need to include this amongst issues to be looked into and addressed holistically under the subject matter. Let us understand that, in the face of the usual endless wait by the locals of host communities in the Niger Delta, for the government to fulfill all the promises made pertaining to developing the region, the people are sometimes forced to “attract the attention of the government and oil companies” by laying siege on oil pipelines.

THE WAY FOREWARD For the way forward as regards calming the tide of illegal oil bunkering (crude/ condensate theft), the first point of call that seriously needs to be looked into, is to ‘cleanse’ the rank and file of the Navy that are designated to monitor our water ways and the land areas where oil and gas assets are situated.

These security operatives seriously need to be shed off the saboteurs amongst them, who connive, collude with and support these criminals that perpetrate illegal oil/ condensate bunkering.

There is also need for the government and its relevant agencies to register or comprehensively update, all marine vessels, barges and tankers with their rightful owners, stating clearly specific purposes for Continues on page 20

“However, there are reported instances where intelligence from relevant stakeholders and locals have intimated IOCs about observed oil spills, but their “delay in response”, usually do not help matters. The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) subsidiary of the NNPC, is even worst, because they do not respond at all to oil/condensate spills reported.”

THE NIGERIAN

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013 With Bamidele Michael 08064496136

Leadership

The Leader’s Journey

OLD ways die hard. Amid all the evidence that our world is radically changing, we cling to what has worked in the past. We still think of organizations in mechanistic terms, as collections of replaceable parts capable of being reengineered. We act as if even people were machines, redesigning their jobs as we would prepare an engineering diagram, expecting them to perform to specifications with machinelike obedience. Over the years, our ideas of leadership have supported this metaphoric myth. We sought prediction and control, and also charged leaders with providing everything that was absent from the machine: vision, inspiration, intelligence, and courage.

They alone had to provide the energy and direction to move their rusting vehicles of organization into the future.

But, we are surrounded by too many organizational failures to stay with this thinking. We know, for example, that in many recent surveys senior leaders report that more than two-thirds of their organizational change efforts fail. They and their employees report deep cynicism at the endless programs and fads; nearly everyone suffers from increased stress at the organizational lives we have created together. Survey after survey registers our loss of hope and increased uncertainty for every major institutional form in our society. Do we know how to organize anything anymore so that people want to engage in productive and contributing work?

But there is good news also.

We have known for nearly half a century that selfmanaged teams are far more productive than any other form of organizing. There is a clear correlation between participation and productivity; in fact, productivity gains in truly self-managed work environments are at minimum 35 percent higher than in traditionally managed organizations. And in all forms of institutions, Americans are asking for more local autonomy,

insisting that they, at their own level, can do it better than the huge structures of organizations now in place.

There is both a desire to participate more and strong evidence that such participation leads to the effectiveness and productivity we crave.

With so much evidence supporting participation, why isn’t everyone working in a self-managed environment right now? This is a very bothersome question because it points to the fact that over the years, leaders consistently have chosen control rather than productivity. Rather than rethinking our fundamental assumptions about organizational effectiveness, we have stayed preoccupied with charts and plans and designs. We have hoped they would yield the results we needed — but when they have failed consistently, we still haven’t stopped to question whether such charts and plans are the real route to productive work. We just continue to adjust and tweak the various control measures, still hoping to find the one plan or design that will give us what we need.

Organizations of all kinds are cluttered with control mechanisms that paralyse employees and leaders alike.

Where have all these policies, procedures, protocols, laws, and regulations come from?

And why is it so difficult to avoid creating more, even as we suffer from the terrible confines of over control?

These mechanisms seem to derive from our fear — our fear of one another, of a harsh competitive world, and of the natural processes of growth and change that confront us daily. Years of such fear have resulted in these byzantine systems. We never effectively control people with these systems, but we certainly stop a lot of good work from getting done.

In the midst of so much fear, it’s important to remember something we all know: People organize together to accomplish more, not less.

Behind every organizing impulse is a realization that by joining with others we can accomplish something

important that we could not accomplish alone. And this impulse to organize so as to accomplish more is not only true of humans, but is found in all living systems. Every living thing seeks to create a world in which it can thrive.

It does this by creating systems of relationships where all members of the system benefit from their connections. This movement toward organization, called self-organization in the sciences, is everywhere, from microbes to galaxies. Patterns of relationships form into effective systems of organization. Organization is

a naturally occurring phenomenon. The world seeks organization. seeks its own effectiveness. And so do the people in our organizations.

As a living system selforganizes, it develops shared understanding of what’s important, what’s acceptable behaviour, what actions are required, and how these actions will get done. It develops channels of communication, networks of workers, and complex physical structures. And as the system develops, new capacities emerge from living and working together.

Looking at this list of what a self-organizing system

creates leads to the realization that the system can do for itself most of what leaders have felt was necessary to do to the systems they control.

Whenever we look at organizations as machines and deny the great selforganizing capacity in our midst. we, as leaders, attempt to change these systems from the outside in. We hope to change our organization by tinkering with the incentives, reshuffling the pieces, changing a part, or retraining a colleague or group. But these efforts are doomed to fail, and nothing will make them work. What is required

is a shift in how we think about organizing. Where does organization come from?

Organization occurs from the inside out, as people see what needs to happen, apply their experience and perceptions to the issue, find those who can help them, and use their own creativity to invent solutions.

This process is going on right now, all over our organizations, in spite of our efforts at control. People are exercising initiative from a deeper desire to contribute, displaying the creativity that is common to all living things.

Can we recognize the selforganizing behaviours of those in our organizations?

Can we learn to support them

“In the midst of so much fear, it’s important to remember something we all know: People organize together to accomplish more, not less. Behind every organizing impulse is a realization that by joining with others we can accomplish something important that we could not accomplish alone. And this impulse to organize so as to accomplish more is not only true of humans, but is found in all living systems.”

and forgo our fear-based approaches to leadership?

Belief in the System To lead in a self-organizing system, we have to ask ourselves, “How much trust do I really have in the people who work here? Have they demonstrated any of these self-organizing behaviours already?” This question of trust leads to a moment of deep reflection for any leader.

Those leaders who have embraced a more participative, self-organizing approach tell of their astonishment. They are overwhelmed by the capacity, energy, creativity, commitment, and even love that they receive from the people in their organization.

In the past they had simply

assumed that most people were there for the money, that they didn’t care about the welfare of the whole enterprise, that they were selfserving and narrowly focused. No leader would voice these assumptions, but most leader behaviours reveal these beliefs. Does the leader believe that his or her vision is required to energize the whole company? Does the leadership team keep searching for new incentives to motivate employees as if they have no intrinsic motivation? Does the organization keep imposing new designs and plans on people and avoid real participation like the plague?

Every so often, we open ourselves to a moment of truth and realize the conflict between our behaviours and our deeper knowledge. As one manager of a company said to me: “I know in my heart that when people are driving in to work that they’re not thinking, “How can I mess

things up today? How can I give my boss a hard time?’ No one is driving here with that intent, but we then act as if we believed that. We’re afraid to give them any slack.”

Most of us know that as people drive to work they’re wondering how they can get something done for the. organization despite the organization — despite the political craziness, the bureaucratic nightmares, the mindless procedures piled up in their way. Those leaders who have opened to participation and self organization have witnessed the inherent desire that most people have to contribute to their organizations. The commitment and energy resident in their organizations

takes leaders by surprise. But in honoring and trusting the people who work with them, they have unleashed startlingly high levels of productivity and creativity.

Strategies for Change If we think of organizations as living systems capable of self-organizing, then how do we think about change in these systems? The strategy for change becomes simpler and more localized. We need to encourage the creativity that lives throughout the organization, but keep local solutions localized. Most change efforts fail when leaders take an innovation that has worked well in one area of the organization and attempt to roll it out to the entire organization. This desire to replicate success actually destroys local initiative. It denies the creativity of everyone except a small group. All living systems change all the time, in new and surprising ways, Continues on page 19

THE NIGERIAN

19

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013 With Bamidele Michael 08064496136

Leadership

... Leader’s Journey

Continued from page 18

discovering greater effectiveness, better solutions. They are not acting from some master plan. They are tinkering in their local environments, based on their intimate experience with conditions there — and their tinkering shows up as effective innovation. But only for them. Information about what has worked elsewhere can be very helpful. However, these solutions cannot be imposed; they have to remain local.

This highly localized change activity does not mean that the organization spins off wildly in all directions. If people are clear about the purpose and true values of their organization — if they understand what their organization stands for and who it shows itself to be through its actions — their individual tinkering will result in system wide coherence. In organizations that know who they are and mean what they announce, people are free to create and contribute. A plurality of effective solutions emerges, each expressing a deeper coherence, an understanding

of what this organization is trying to become.

The primary task of being a leader is to make sure that the organization knows itself.

That is, we must realize that our task is to call people together often, so that everyone gains clarity about who we are, who we’ve just become, who we still want to be. This includes the interpretations available from our customers, our markets, our history, our mistakes. If the organization can stay in a continuous conversation about who it is and who it is becoming, then leaders don’t have to undertake the impossible task of trying to hold it all together.

Organizations that are clear at their core hold themselves together because of their deep congruence. People are then free to explore new avenues of activity, new ventures and customers in ways that make sense for the organization. It is a strange and promising paradox of living systems: Clarity about who we are as a group creates freedom for individual contributions.

People exercise that freedom in the service of the organization. and their the wonderful sense of

camaraderie that emerges as everyone gets engaged in making the organization work better than ever before, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Sustainability, Not Employability I believe there is one principle that should be embraced by all organizations as they move into the future, and that is sustainability. How can we endure over time?

What about us is worth sustaining long-term? This focus flies in the face of current fashion.

Our infatuation with fleeting “virtual” organizations misses an important truth: We cannot create an organization that means something to its people if that organization has no life beyond the next project or contract. We cannot promise people, for instance, only three years of employment — with vague assurances of their future “employability” — and

expect the kind of energy and commitment that I’ve described.

Employability in lieu of mutual commitment is a copout. We seem to focus on it as a response to the grave uncertainty we feel about the future. Since we can’t predict markets, products, customers, governments, or anything, we decide not to promise anything to anyone. Too many leaders are saying, in effect, “We don’t know what the future will be or how to manage this uncertainty, so let’s think of our employees as negotiable commodities.”

What they’ve really said is “Let’s buy flexibility by giving up loyalty.”

Commitment and loyalty are essential in human relationships. So how can we pretend we don’t need them at work? The real issue is that we don’t know yet how to engage people’s loyalty and

yet maintain the flexibility we require. But leaders should be searching for creative answers to this dilemma, not ignoring it by settling on the nonsolution of so-called employability. Employability is a far more destructive practice than we have imagined. The organizations that people love to be in are ones that have a sense of history and identity and purpose. These are things that people want to work for. The belief that a company has stood for something in the past is a reason to want to move it into the future.

The Real Criteria for Measuring Change You know when you walk in the door of an organization whether people want to be there or not. The sense of belonging (or not) is palpable.

Yet few change efforts take that into account — and far too many end up killing the organization’s capacity for more change. To measure whether a change effort has been successful. we need to

ask, “Are people in the organization more committed to being here now than at the beginning of this effort?” In terms of sustainability, we need to ask if, at the end of this change effort, people feel more prepared for the next wave of change. Did we develop capacity or just stage an event? Do people feel that their creativity and expertise contributed to the changes?

If we’re focused on these questions as indicators, we can create organizations that know how to respond continuously to shifts in markets and environments, organizations that have learned how to access the intelligence that lives everywhere in the system. We will have supported people’s innate capacity to deal with changing conditions because we will have learned how to engage them. We will have honoured their innate capacity for selforganization. And they will respond with the initiative and creativity that is found only in life, never in machines.

“You know when you walk in the door of an organization whether people want to be there or not. The sense of belonging (or not) is palpable. Yet few change efforts take that into account — and far too many end up killing the organization’s capacity for more change.”

Health Issues BIDEMI, a widowed petty trader, feels her life is crumbling because all her children frequently go down with cold.

Joshua, her five-year old son, has just been discharged from the hospital after treating a debilitating cold. After medical tests, the doctor said Joshua had a respiratory tract infection the symptoms which Bidemi’s three other children are already having.

She then wonders what could have caused this.

The doctor, however, told her that he suspected her three other children were infected because they, perhaps, shared not well-ventilated room and breathed the same air with the infected one.

Medical experts have, on many instances, stressed the need for clean environment which is also free from polluted air for good living.

Dr Kenneth Iregbu, a clinical microbiologist, says influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, common cold, acute bacterial meningitis, among others are some of airborne diseases.

According to him, these diseases are caused by pathogens and distributed through the air by inhaling the infected or contaminated air.

“Like tuberculosis is transmitted through the smallest particle of air, that enables it to remain suspended

in the air for a long time.

“Some infections you acquire when you are in close contact, like in a crowded environment, sleeping beside an infected person and the person sneezes or coughs or talks, or if the person’s hand is contaminated and you shake.

“For instance, if you have the virus that causes catarrh, just by shaking someone and the person touches his eyes or nose, one can get that infection.

“So, in terms of the air, it depends on the type of particle that carries them and the level of risk; if people are in a crowded place and someone is sneezing without taking the necessary precautions, he can infect almost everyone within one or two metre-distance instantly.

By and large, Iregbu believes that it is better to prevent than to treat airborne diseases, insisting that one of the cardinal things to do about prevention is not to be around the sufferers of any of the airborne diseases.

He also cautions sufferers to ensure that they don’t contaminate the air, advising them to cover their mouth with handkerchiefs or paper tissues when they cough or sneeze.

“Such used handkerchiefs and paper tissues must also be disposed of properly and hands must be washed properly under

Making Air Free From Diseae

By OKEOGHENE OGHENEKARO running water.

“Rooms and houses must be properly ventilated with adequate windows so that the wind can blow across and remove whatever is contaminated and disperses them.

“People should avoid raising dust to prevent infections; although vaccination against these infections is one of the best ways of prevention, vaccines are limited only to a few of the infections such as tuberculosis, influenza and meningitis,’’ he says.

Further to these precautions, Iregbu advised school authorities not to over-crowd the classrooms, stressing that children must be taught basic hygiene rules such as hand washing as a way of disease prevention “The classroom should be mopped with water not swept, so dust is not raised and ensure the classrooms are well ventilated, we prefer a wellventilated classroom to a classroom with fans.

“Parents have a big role to play by teaching the children basic hygiene rules and ensuring that they take their

medication.

“People must make sure to protect the environment, by protecting the environment; you are protecting people who will come into that environment,’’ he notes.

To stress the need for avoiding contaminated air, the

International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), has always been campaigning against “shared air’’ from the crowd.

It says a setting in which people share air in crowded neighbourhoods, public transportation and public facilities, such as health clinics, schools and prisons, is a breeding place for airborne

Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health

diseases.

The Union states that the overall acute respiratory infections kill more than 4.5 million adults and children each year worldwide.

“Globally, there are an estimated 156 million cases of pneumonia each year, 97 per cent in developing countries.

“Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children under five years while tuberculosis, an opportunistic airborne infection, is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV,’’ The Union says.

The Union says the risk is always greater where people in weak health, such as the aged or people with compromised immune systems, come into contact with people who are ill.

However, The Union underscores the need for proper infection control against airborne diseases to achieve safe air for everyone, particularly in public places.

It calls on parents, school authorities, hospital management, government authorities and individuals to ensure that the environment is protected by making shared air safe for everyone.

THE NIGERIAN

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Focus

Combating Oil Theft In Nigeria ...

Continued from page 17

acquiring such facilities.

The registered/updated vessels, barges and tankers must then be constantly monitored by the assigned agencies to ensure that they are not used for operations other than those for which they were registered for in the first place. This is because; these facilities are used by illegal oil bunkerers to steal crude oil or condensate across the border. There is also need for our borders, especially the water ways, to be strengthened with adequate security and surveillance.

We also believe it is expedient for the government to make it mandatory for IOCs and national oil companies to acquire their own vessels and tankers, instead of hiring from ‘Third-parties’ like is observed. Most of these third parties are known to have used such equipment/facility to steal oil and condensate, under the guise of working for the oil companies. These measures must be pursued with vigour and commitment.

Corruption and economic sabotage cannot be eradicated on mere moral persuasion and wishful thinking. The Government at all levels and their various agencies and Security Operatives must be on board to address this problem that is seriously causing the nation public wealth, which ought to have been used for the benefit of all. Those found wanting, must be brought to book and made to face the full wrath of the Law, no matter how highly placed they may be.

Moreso, since it has been identified that ‘poverty’ is the major root cause of illegal bunkering in the country, which has made the host community locals to

be ‘deceived’ by others to perpetrate the illegal trade, it is therefore imperative for the government at all levels to holistically address the poverty level in the Niger Delta and the country at large. It is rather unfortunate that over the years, the NDDC, the Ministry of the Niger Delta and State Governments of the Niger Delta region have done practically little or nothing to address the issue of poverty and developmental challenges facing the Niger Delta. They prefer to waste the accrued revenue and public resources for their self-centered interests, rather than for the good of all. Most public-oriented contracts awarded on papers without anything to show forth on ground. Those (officials) in the NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta, for instance, collaborate with contractors to misappropriate funds meant for developmental projects and programmes.

The situation is so bad that the EFCC recently disclosed that it will intensify efforts to prosecute NDDC officials and contractors who connive together to misappropriate billions of Naira meant for projects and programme execution. These are some of the issues the government needs to address.

Every public official at the Federal, State and Council levels should earnestly strive to address the issue of poverty in the Niger Delta, this will in-turn address every other issues of insecurity and illegal oil bunkering. If the NDDC, Ministry of the Niger-Delta and all the other State Development Intervention Commissions; always have their projects/programmes awarded for the purpose of “sustainable Development” with all sincerity of purpose,

we are very sure that by now, the Niger Delta region would have rapidly developed more than what is at the moment.

Where the host community locals are still wallowing in abject poverty, while “the few” privileged Niger Deltans in government circles are living in stupendous

of the host community locals concerned. But if the issue of poverty and all developmental challenges in the region are holistically and sustainably addressed, it will be practically difficult for the host community locals to get themselves involved in such illegal trade, since they will be economically comfortable like we see in

of his/her own. Where they have office, they do not have the equipment/materials to execute jobs. Or sometimes contractors deceive the Commissions/Ministry of Niger-Delta with the connivance of their officials by showcasing offices and equipment that are not theirs, and once the contract is awarded, that is the end of the story. We believe host community projects/programmes contracts should be awarded on merit and proven integrity and not on sentiments or ‘interests’ affiliations.

Another way forward is

ammunitions for crude oil/ condensate. In other words, steps have to be taken by the Nigerians Government to discourage foreign countries to patronize Nigerians outlets of this illegal oil bunkering trade.

Diplomatically engaging the international community to support embargo against illegal bunkering will go a long way to address this problem.

When there are no more buyers of crude oil through the back door, those selling will be discouraged and forced to discontinue with the illegal trade.

We strongly condemn

Deizani Allison Madueke, Minister for Petroleum

affluence of ill-gotten wealth.

The poverty level have made many host community locals to be susceptible to being used by illegal bunkerers to siphon crude oil and condensate.

Like we said before, no stranger can go into the interior areas and creeks of the Niger-Delta region to steal crude oil or condensate without the involvement, cooperation or connivance

over sea countries and their citizens. But that is not the case today. It is appalling that most community contracts are awarded (by the NDDC, the Niger-Delta Ministry and Commissions like DESOPADEC) to people who do not have the capacity, capability and commitment to deliver.

Imagine NDDC or the Ministry of Niger-Delta giving a contract to somebody who has no office

“Diplomatically engaging the international community to support embargo against illegal bunkering will go a long way to address this problem. When there are no more buyers of crude oil through the back door, those selling will be discouraged and forced to discontinue with the illegal trade.”

for the Federal Government to consolidate established Diplomatic relations with neighbouring Africa countries, emphasizing the need for them to sensitize their people/oil marketers to follow the legal channel of trade by dealing directly with the Nigerian Government if they want crude oil or other petroleum products. This should also apply to foreign countries of Europe and America as well.

These countries should be asked to worn their nationals involved in this illegal oil/ condensate bunkering trade with Nigerians, to desist from it. During the days when militancy in the Niger Delta region was predominant, some foreign countries are known to exchange arms and

the deliberate acts of sabotage and all the criminal activities that go with pipeline vandalisation. For two wrongs cannot make ‘a right’. However, we strongly urge that the locals in the host communities should carefully weigh the dire consequences of their ‘actions’ as it affects the natural environment and their future generations.

The willful destruction of one’s natural environment for ephemeral gains, paints a negative picture of ‘the character ’ of the government at all levels, to daily strive to sustainably address the issue of poverty and needed development in the Niger Delta region.

There is need for all stakeholders alike, to play their we urge.

THE NIGERIAN

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Archival Matters

Opinion

Velocity Of Olayiwola Afolabi ANYONE close to me know I celebrate people of honour, benevolence, kindness, vision, hardwork, honesty, scholarship, piety, courage and truthfulness.

Certainly, not wicked nincompoos, pretenders and mediocres.

It is for this reason I took interest in Barrister Olayiwola Afolabi since 2009 when he began to demonstrate his passion for helping the disadvantaged and neglected in our society.

That is a long time ago as you can see.

Unfortunately, it is only today most Edo people are waking up from their slumber to realize they have in their midst a man who truly cares for people in the lower cadre of society. I met one of these people last week at social location. He couldn’t understand why I was pouring encomiums on the Ekiti-born Barr.

Olayiwola Afolabi for sustaining his velocity of benevolence in Nigeria.

The man observed: “Why all the praise for the lawyer?

Is it because he gave scholarship to three students of Interest Group of School, Ugbowo on its graduation day in July 2013? Other Nigerians do a similar thing…”

I smiled: “But do you know that on the occasion he bagged an award for empowering the youths of Nigeria? Do you know why he has been conferred with the notary public award or why good people pray for him daily?”

The man didn’t respond to my question but stared blankly at me. As he did, I recalled the visit of Edo State’s secretary to government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, to the

ARCHIVES AND R E C O R D S DEPARTMENT in Benin in January 2013. during the visit, he had discovered the place in shambles. Out of a staff strength of 30, the department now only boast of 6 while the building looked like a rat-hole.

Displeased by his findings he promised to reposition the department because he appreciates its importance in socio-economic development.

Like him, I prioritize data gathering and record keeping because it assists me in making authoritative pronouncements on issues.

Hence, I was able to tell my co-discussant that Barr.

Olayiwola Afolabi’s velocity of benevolence for the under-privileged in Nigeria is very engaging. Because recorded facts from my archives are there to support my claim.

A little peep into my archives but let’s begin from 2010. Among other things, he gave a new motor-cycle and a bag of rice to a onehanded man for making a hobby of repairing roads in Benin metropolis with broken stones. To appreciate what Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi did, you should realize that in this city some of us drive in Sodomite ways that almost run over the physically – challenged mending our roads.

On January 26, 2011, Barr.

Olayiwola Afolabi donated an undisclosed sum of money to triplets in response to a public appeal from their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Obiozor, for help. After his donation, Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi joined in calling on members of the public to come to the distressed couple’s assistance.

By MICHAEL ODIGBE

In December 2012, he stepped out again. This time, he, gave out two awards. The first one went to Mr. Isibor, a junior staff of Edo Ministry of Justice for hardwork. He also got a deep freezer as a reward at a ceremony attended by Justice Cromwell Idahosa, Chief Judge of Edo State. The

February 28, 2013 he launched an annual scheme for two indigent but best law graduates of UNIBEN and AUU. Each one of them will be entitled to a wig and gown after being duly nominated by their dean of law faculty.

Then, on 11th August, 2013 he donated N20,000 to a

speaks out his mind on all state as well as national issues. For instance on June 16, 2013 he was on PeopleTalk-To-People programme of Independent Radio, Benin during which he spoke on Oshiomhole’s ban of Okada in Benin metropolis. On the occasion, Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi said that he had no quarrel with the ban but its short notice.

• Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi

second award of the year was given to Miss Oghagbon Agbivbiosa, best female of Edo City Transport Service, for her accident-free driving in 2012, punctuality and good manners.

This year 2013, Barr.

Olayiwola Afolabi’s charity include the following. On

policeman in hospital following an encounter with robbers in Edo State in which three others died.

Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi is not only into giving out awards and donations from his widow’s bowl of wealth, he is also a public commentator that bluntly

“A portrait of Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi is incomplete without saying he is a judicial activist also. As one, he has persistently advocated for decent court rooms and welfare packages for the bench. In 2010 he began to plead for instance, that official vehicles should be provided for all judges and magistrates in Edo State. By 2013, the government has met this requirement to his greatest satisfaction.”

He canvassed for 3-6 months’ leeway before the ban takes effect to give the Okada riders enough time to adjust and meet the challenges of the ban.

Later on 6th August, 2013 he commented on the pending local government election in Ovia North-East Local Government Area. His remarks: “Since APC was registered by INEC, it means A.C.N. is no more recognized in law. So, if A.C.N fields a candidate, it is illegal. Only APC candidates can now contest the local government elections.”

Mentoring pupil lawyers at the bar is another activity Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi is

engaged in. during their learning period at his chamber, he never fails to emphasise to them the triple importance of hardwork, honesty and prayerfulness in legal practice if they want to make a successful career of it. No short corners for him.

Also, all intern lawyers always leave at the end of their tutulage with law books donated to them by him.

A portrait of Barr.

Olayiwola Afolabi is incomplete without saying he is a judicial activist also.

As one, he has persistently advocated for decent court rooms and welfare packages for the bench. In 2010 he began to plead for instance, that official vehicles should be provided for all judges and magistrates in Edo State.

By 2013, the government has met this requirement to his greatest satisfaction.

Because he is equally a human rights campaigner, Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi has a passion for accepting the briefs of oppressed clients.

That is why he took up Rev. David Ugolor’s case when he was wrongly incarcerated for the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, former principal private secretary of Comrade – Governor Oshiomhole. To the glory of God, Barr.

Olayiwola Afolabi was able to rescue Rev. David Ugolor from the jaws of the state and some disingenuous policemen. He gave David Ugolor freedom.

Indeed, there is so much to celebrate about Barr.

Olayiwola Afolabi. All one can add here is that he is one of those persons in Edo State whose velocity of benevolence increases daily.

Hence the God he serves never lets him down. After all, as wise men say “giving is a form of true worship.

Let’s all join him in helping the disadvantaged and under-privileged in Nigeria.

When you help others, you are only helping yourself.

Much more, you are laying up treasures there in heaven.

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul by despising the poor? Nothing …Nothing… and Nothing!!!

THE NIGERIAN

22

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Science

With OYAKHILOME CEMENTINA

Characteristics Of Fresh Water Habitat

The Fresh Water Habitat

THEY are found on the surface of the land. And they tend to flow into the sea. They occupy a small portion of the earths surface compared to the marine and terrestrial habitats, out on the other hand, the importance they have to man is greater than that of the marine and terrestrial habitat.

Characteristics of Fresh Water Habitat Variable temperature with Depth and season Generally water has a unique thermal properties that would combine to minimize temperature changes which are high specific heat, high talent heat of fusion, latent heat of vaporization, while the highest density of water occurs at a temperature of 4oc that is why water becomes lighter both above and below this temperature. And that is why whenever there is a slight temperature variation in water it affects aquatic life because most aquatic organisms have a narrow tolerance.

Relatively Small Body of Water The water body, are relatively small and most times, they are often isolated from each other, either by land or by sea.

Low Salt Content The salt concentration is very low compared to marine waters Shallow Water Fresh water habitats are shallow, they include lakes and ponds which makes them relatively small body of water.

Transparency Inside the waters are suspended materials like slit, clay, and algae etc, which makes it difficult for light penetration thereby limiting productivity of the primary producer. In general, the water is turbid in nature.

Current The water current in these zones are limited hence productivity is limited on one hand causing the influence of the distribution of vital gases, salt and small organisms is found in the habitat.

Respiratory Gases Gases here are limited on one hands, because the water contains delayed substances, which will subside or. envelope the oxygen content in the waters.

Types of Fresh Water We have two types, they are stagnant water or standing water or lentic habitats e.g lake, pond and swamp.

Running water or lotic habitats e.g. spring, streams or

rivers.

STANDING WATERS Puddles There are temporary bodies of fresh water that may last for a few days or weeks.

Ponds They are temporary permanent bodies of water known for their shallow and small size. They may last a few hundreds to thousands of years. The temperature is uniform at all depths. Oxygen content varies, it is higher in the day time and lower at night, due to photosynthetic activities of the vegetation.

Lakes They are bodies of water, surrounded by land, they are known for their age, depth and the stagnant nature of their waters. Lakes are affected by temperature turbidity, oxygen concentration and wind. These characteristics depends on how deep or shallow the lake is. The deepest lakes in the world are Baikal in Siberia and Tanganyika in East Africa while the largest of all fresh water lake is lake superior in Canada.

They are isolated ecosystems. Shallow lake are less than 8 metres deep, have sunlight penetration noted for variations in temperature between their surface water and bottom waters. They have a uniform oxygen concentration and are fairly turbid in nature.

Zones of Fresh Water Habitat Bottom of Water Body of Water Water Surface The Edge of the Water

THE amount of water here fluctuates due to season variations.

The organisms found in this zone, during the rains are covered with enough water, but during dry season, they are exposed, because the quantity of the water has dried down, due to the severity of sunlight.

There are optimal temperature, light intensity and wind action in this zone.

Plants Found In This Zone They include sedges, bambos, algae, raffia palm.

Animals Found In This Zone They include crabs, water snails, dragon flies, water snakes, toads, frogs, mosquito larva and pupa.

Water Surface They receive enough sunlight, nutrients and oxygen.

There is optimum rainfall and wind in this zone.

Plants Present They include water lecture, duck-weed, microscopic plants and water hyacinth.

Animals Present They include scorpion, tadpoles, water bog, free floating plants and beetles.

Body of Water Light and wind actions are reduced in this zone.

There is high content of carbon (iv) oxide.

There is low oxygen content.

Plant Present Phytoplanktons and ceratophylum Animals Present Fishers, flatworms, mosquito pupa water snails, fishes and larva.

Bottom of Water There is low light intensity in this area There is darkness all the time here The oxygen content here is very low, while the carbon (iv) oxide is very high.

There is nutrient accumulation here due to lack of water currents.

Plants Present Algae and bacteria Animals Present Insect larvae, fishes, molluscs, crab worm.

“Generally water has a unique thermal properties that would combine to minimize temperature changes which are high specific heat, high talent heat of fusion, latent heat of vaporization, while the highest density of water occurs at a temperature of 4oc that is why water becomes lighter both above and below this temperature.�

THE NIGERIAN

23

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

View Point

How Far Can Religious Freedom Go?

I hope you will appreciate this advert: “CHANGE OF NAME: I, formerly called Charity now wish to be called and known as Aisha. Evidently, when religion changes, the adherent’s name must also change.

Pentecostal churches and the Islamic community in Nigeria to take note”. What a peculiar way to begin an article. Of course, peculiar cases demand peculiar treatment.

The case of Charity Uzoechina, daughter of Pastor Raymond Uzoechina, of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Abuja, is indeed, a peculiar one.

Although we know for a fact that we are all entitled to our freedom of religion as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution of 1999, the sudden switch from Christianity to Islamic religion in the case of Charity Uzoechina is one which is bound to provoke reactions from all who get to read about this story.

Charity no doubt, is a well brought up child. She was trained and nurtured according to the doctrines of Christianity. Things were obviously going well with the Uzoechina’s family, until six months ago.

It all began when Charity gained admission into the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State. Charity left her Abuja residence for school, and since then, has not set foot in her home, neither did she reveal her

upon, to take back his daughter, he was told that she was now under the custody of the Sharia Court which also granted Charity protective custody in the Emir’s palace for the time being.

The Sharia Court 1 said that they came to the decision when the daughter approached them for protection on the

intervene and give him back his daughter. He insists that his daughter has been hypnotized and brainwashed into accepting Islamic religion.

Meanwhile, nobody has heard Charity’s version of the story until she finally opened up when she was contacted on phone by Vanguard Newspaper. In the telephone conversion, she called on Nigerians,

grounds that the father would kill her if she returned home with him.

Reacting to the decision of the court, Pastor Uzoechina denied the allegation that he would kill his own daughter. He however, called on the relevant authorities to

including her own family to leave her alone to practise the religion of her choice, which to her is the best religion anyway. Hear her: “I did it on my nobody forced or enticed me to become a Muslim. I converted to Islam on my own. Am I the first to

By SANDRA ORIAKHI

change of religion to any member of her family.

Pastor Uzoechina, Charity’s father, did not have any clue as to what was going on until 1 March 2013, when he got a call from an aide of the Emir of Bida, inviting him to the palace as soon as possible.

At the Palace, he met two women and his daughter.

He was then informed that the women brought his daughter to the palace after she embraced Islam. They have already taken her through the rudiments of Islam; withdrawn her from the polytechnic, renamed her Aisha, and started looking for an Islamic school for her.

All these developments came as a rude shock to Pastor Uzoechina. At this time, he could no longer curtail his anger. He demanded that they give him back his daughter, but they turned him down.

Their refusal was on the ground that only the Emir had such power to allow the girl to go with him.

When he was brought before the Emir, Pastor Uzoechina was also turned down and asked to come back the following week.

On March 4, Pastor Uzoechina received a paper from two persons who said they were from Bida Sharia Court 1. They asked him to sign, but he declined. When he came back the week agreed

“For now, Pastor Uzoechina’s has to contend with the wise counsel of Joseph Campbell: “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us”.

convert to Islam in Nigeria? So what is it?”

Vanguard, 28 July 2013.

Charity also made it known that she was not interested in going back to her father’s house, as she is comfortable at the Etsu Nupe’s Palace. She further said that she can sue her father to court if he does not leave her to practise her religion as she desires.

The burden on Pastor Uzoechina is by no means light: this is a pastor in a reputable Pentecostal Church, the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, whose major preoccupation is to convert

religion or belief in worship, practice and observance.”

Again, the element of compulsion that is required in an abduction case has been removed by the invitation of Pastor Uzoechina to the palace.

The way we know them, abductors and kidnappers hardly invite anyone except in their demand for ransom. That was not the case here.

One thing is abundantly clear here: No right is absolute, not even the right to exercise full control over your own biological child. With all the

people from the Muslim to Christian faith. And now he is faced with the opposite case – as it were, the converter must be converted, no thanks to his daughter. It is painful!

All the same, his original case of abduction cannot be pursued further as his daughter who is an adult – 24 years of age – has admitted that she acted on her own volition and within her rights under Section 38 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999, which stipulates that “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his

constitutional guarantees around us, it is clear that one man’s right to swing his arm must stop where the other man’s nose begins. Essentially, Pastor Uzoechina’s control must also stop where Charity’s (oops, Aisha’s) religious freedom begins. In the collision of rights, no one can be sacrificed for the other. After all, they are both adults.

For now, Pastor Uzoechina’s has to contend with the wise counsel of Joseph Campbell: “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us”.

THE NIGERIAN

24

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

International Features Fallen Chinese Political Star To Go On Trial

DISGRACED Chinese politician Bo Xilai goes on trial Thursday on corruption charges in a case crafted to minimize damage to the Communist Party and avoid exposure of party infighting or human rights abuses.

Sunday’s announcement of a trial date for the former rising political star puts China’s new leaders on track to wrap up a festering scandal as they try to cement their authority.

The former party secretary of the major city of Chongqing fell from power last year in China’s messiest scandal in decades. It exposed the murder of a British businessman by Bo’s wife and a thwarted defection bid by his former police chief.

Bo will stand trial in the Intermediate People’s Court of the eastern city of Jinan on charges of taking bribes, embezzlement and abuse of power, said a one-sentence announcement on the court’s microblog account. The announcement was also carried by the official Xinhua News Agency.

Most trials in China last less than one day and Bo, 64, is almost certain to be convicted.

Bo’s downfall followed a failed defection attempt by his police chief at a U.S. consulate, which embarrassed Chinese leaders. The chief exposed a litany of complaints against Bo that gave political rivals ammunition to attack him.

Bo, the son of a revolutionary leader, was a member of the party’s 25member Politburo. But he alienated other party leaders by aggressively promoting his personal image and launched campaigns in Chongqing that invoked the radical era of the 1960s and ’70s.

The charges against Bo appeared to be crafted to make him look like a rogue leader brought down by hubris and immorality. That would allow Chinese authorities to avoid questions about how the party’s unchecked power enabled Bo’s misconduct.

The court could avoid allegations of wiretapping conducted by his former top aide and the use of torture in an anti-crime crackdown.

Judges could avoid asking about asset seizures from Chongqing entrepreneurs.

“These charges were tailormade for Bo Xilai in view of the sentence that they want him to get,” said Zhang Lifan, a historian and political analyst in Beijing.

“They decided how long they wanted to have Bo Xilai locked up for, and then according to that sentence, they made the appropriate charges,” Zhang said. “But these charges have left out a lot of things that he is

responsible for.”

Bo’s case was the last major unfinished business from the once-a-decade handover of power that began last November. Holding his trial now means the new leadership can wrap up the scandal before they head into a party meeting later this year that is meant to produce a blueprint for China’s economic development.

The outcomes of criminal cases against senior figures such as Bo are usually decided in advance in secret negotiations aimed at securing the defendant’s cooperation. Bo is only the third politician at Politburo level to be tried on graft charges in recent decades.

“When the indictment was finally announced, it meant that some sort of agreement was reached between the Politburo’s Central Committee and Bo Xilai,” said Zhang Sizhi, an eminent lawyer who has represented many defendants in high-profile political cases.

Bo’s wife, Gu Kailai, received a suspended death sentence last year after confessing to poisoning a British businessman, Neil Heywood.

Such sentences usually are converted to long prison terms if a convict is deemed to have repented.

The party also wants to present a spectacle of justice for the Chinese public and a warning to ambitious politicians not to defy the central leadership.

“They want to say “you have to obey the central leadership’,” said Dali Yang, head of the University of Chicago Center in Beijing. “It’s not simply about corruption. It’s also about central-local relations, about the need for senior local officials ... to pay heed to the central government’s guidelines and not try to build independent kingdoms.”

Authorities are trying to minimize potential disruption during the trial.

Fang Hong, a Chongqing forestry official who was put in a labor camp for a year for criticizing Bo, was taken by police to a lodge in the mountains where he was told to stay until the trial is completed.

Fang had said last month on a microblog that he wanted to attend the proceeding.

Song Yangbiao, a Beijing reporter in Beijing known as a supporter of Bo, was detained in early August after he posted a call online for people to protest outside the courthouse. A writer who uses the pen name Lu Qi and describes himself as a close friend of Song said the reporter was released on bail after about a week.

Official announcements about the charges against Bo have given no details.

But a person with direct knowledge of the case said Bo is accused of accepting bribes amounting to more than 20 million yuan ($3.3 million) and

embezzling 5 million yuan ($820,000) while he was in a previous post in the eastern city of Dalian.

The abuse of power allegation is related to the cover-up of the murder by his wife in late 2011 and the defection attempt by his former police chief, Wang Lijun, said the person. He asked not to be identified further due to the case’s sensitivity.

Analysts say the charges underscore the party’s attempt to keep the scope of allegations against Bo limited in order to prevent his case from undermining confidence in party leaders or their political system.

“It’s almost like open heart surgery, or laser surgery,” said Kerry Brown, a former British diplomat in Beijing and head of the China Studies Center at the University of Sydney. “You want to do the operation with as little collateral damage as possible.”

Questions that appear to have been left unaddressed include whether Bo should be held accountable for waging an antigang crackdown in Chongqing that ran roughshod over the legal system.

The crackdown resulted in 2,000 arrests, 500 prosecutions and 13 executions, including the former director of the city’s judicial bureau. Allegations of torture and shakedowns by law enforcement officials were common.

Bo also appears to have been spared some of the more serious accusations faced by his former police chief and right-hand man, Wang, including carrying out illegal surveillance.

Wang was convicted of putting people under electronic surveillance, which suggested he used bugging, wiretapping or computer monitoring.

Websites abroad that follow Chinese politics said Wang was helping Bo gather information on other leaders.

Zhang, the veteran defense lawyer, said authorities appeared to be avoiding mentioning this charge even though Bo might be to blame in order to skirt larger questions about political factions and party infighting.

“There is no question that Wang Lijun was not acting on his own accord,” Zhang said, adding that acknowledging that would lead to too many uncomfortable questions.

“If they were wiretapping phones, whose phones were they tapping? Why do they want to eavesdrop?” Zhang said. “It would definitely involve many relationships and problems. And right now they are not willing to raise these questions and magnify the problem.

PUBLIC NOTICE The general public is hereby notified that the under-listed organizations have applied to the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ezoti Street, Benin City, Edo State for registration under the Edict No. 7 of 1985.

NAMES/ADDRESS OF ORGANIZATIONS

Friends of Common Interest, 9A, Etinosa Street, Off M.M.Way Benin City.

De Supreme United Club, 5, Ediagbonya Street, Off Uwaifo Off Siluko Road, Benin City.

Caring Mothers Club, 65, Erediawa Street, Off Upper Sokponba Road, Benin City.

Ultimate Brotherhood Club, 10, Idahor Street, Off Uwelu Road, Benin City.

True Vine Mission, 3, Gab Akpata Street, Off Okhoro Road, Benin City.

Tailoring Association Usen, 13, Okemole Street, Off Mission Road, Usen.

Noble Royale International, 2, Igun Lane, Benin City.

Arokpagiegbe United Club, Ebelle- Okpekpe, Etsako East L.G.A. Obagienevbosa Youth Association, Obagienevbosa Km12, Benin/Sapele Road, Benin City.

Great Star Club, 53, Old Benin/Auchi Road, Urora, Benin.

Palace Schools Old Boys Association, Office of the Secretary to The Oba of Benin, Oba Palace.

All Directors Club of Benin, 20, College Road, Aduwawa, Benin City.

New Hope Baptist Church, 22, Odenore Street, Off Imuetinyan Street, Off Uwasota Road, Benin City.

The Great One Love Club, 10, Omo- Edokpolor Street, Off Alohan Street, Off Dumez Road, Benin City.

Niger Delta Youth Empowerment Forum, 12, Osagie Street, Off Dumez Road, Benin City.

World Safety Organization, 1, Oba Market Road, Benin City.

Osasumwen Ladies Club, 95, Sokponba Road, Benin City.

The Destiny Brithers’ Club of Benin, 254, Upper Sokponba Road ,Benin City.

Authentic Social Club of Benin, 2, Amayo Street, Off Kojo Motor, Benin City.

Committee of Friends Igarra, 398, Old Auchi Road, Igarra, Akoko Edo L.G.A. Aluminium Fabricators And Roofing Association, Ikelebe Sport Arena, Auchi.

Akugbe Social Club, 1, Osakpamwan Street, Iguelaiho, Ovia South West L.G.A. Eghosasere Co-operative Club, 7, Omigie Street, Uwasota Road, Benin City.

Ogbe N’aghidi Youh Association, 5, Iwebo Lane, Ogbe Quarters, Benin City.

Unity Association of A.T &P Workers, Okomu, Ovia South West L.G.A. Divine Goodnews Christ Mission, 8, Unity Street, Ekpoma.

Unity Lorry Drivers’ Association 2, Egbede Lane, Off New Lagos Road, Benin City.

Kingdom Life Gospel Church, Ukpenu, Ekpoma, Edo State.

Uromi Tillers Association, Paramount Hotel, Old Ubiaja Road, Uromi.

Great-Lovers Brother Club, 1st Power Line, Ogida,Useh Quarter, Benin.

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS/ TRUSTEES Evbayo-Osa-Okungbowa (C) Corn. Aigbe Jonah (5) Hajia Fatima Umoru (T) Osas Osadolor (C) Odion Ehiorobo (S) Omoregbe Orhue (T) Mrs Osayande Joy (P) Miss Imarhiagu Isoken (S) Mrs lzegbe lyawe (T) Adun Emmanuel (C) Noruwa I. Nelson (S) Alfred Aigbe Rev. Amos Ehigie Evang. Alice Ehigie Pastor Charles Atuma Andrew Uhenbor Oliha (P) Mrs Omotunde Alimuetu (S) Umukoro Christiana (T) lkechukwu Ezeh (P) Tochukwu Avuvu (S) Tochukwu Onyekwere Sule Samuel (P) Omokhagbor Isaac (S) Batholomew Regina (T) Efosa Erumwunse (C) Emmanuel Aigbedo (S) Uyiekpen lgiebor (T) Kingsley Agbaragbonse (C) Amowie Aisosa (S) Usiosefe Endurance (T) Peter Omoruyi lgbinedion (C) Com. Henry Ekhosa Uwumagbuhun (S) Saturday Odaro (T) Micheal Ovensiri Osazee Felix Akpan Oviasogie Pastor Innocent O.Ojebun Robert .0. Arasormwan Dns. E.A.O. Emelike Elvis Ajieh (C) Fidelis Ujiagbedion (S) God’s Power Aimuirovbeaki (T) David lsiraogie Osemudiamen (P) Valentine Obadoni (S) Angela Favour lleabumah (T) Olalokun Soji, (P) Agbonkpolo Crane lkponwosa (S) Uwuango Ehizogie (T) Comfort Aghedo (P) Juliet Agho (S) Christy Owie (T) Enoguan Felix (C) Ekhator Monday (S) ldahosa Edwin (T) Sunny Nwajiei (C) Mike lmagoh (S) Ehibhiator Richard (T) Chief E.O. Otaru (JP) (C) Kelly lkhide (S) Okevanwo Juliu Lawani (T) Ayomotor Peter (C) Oyeibhor Friday (S) lkharo Yunus (T) Osakpamwan lyekoretin (C) Enaruna Osaretin (S) Mrs Amen Osakpamwan (T) John Osadiaye (C) Harrison lgbinedion (S) Blessing Ogieriakhi (T) Com. lfaluyi Obasogie (C) Austin Jesus (S) Osarumwense Fregene (T) Nosa Enogheghase (C) Lawrence Omegu (S) Stephen Aghama (T) Rev. Dr. Isa Ineomon Ojeifo Ndidi Ojeifo Faith Edion Paul lmade (C) Prince Owanlengba (S) Obas Wilfred (T) Rev. Samuel Njigha Rev. Pastor Mrs Njigha Frank Umakhihe Frank Aha (C) Amedu Benedict (S) Vincent lyayi (T) Bright Omorodion Osamede Dennis Omoregbe A. Adeyemi

Any objection to the registration should be accompanied with a sworn affidavit and Non-refundable fee of N2,000.00 or N3,000.00 for organizations within and outside Benin City, respectively, to be forwarded to the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ezoti Street, Benin City within 14 days of this publication.

THE NIGERIAN

25

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Internation Features

Opinion

Economic Recovery Increases

PRIME MINISTER David Cameron may be close to pulling off one of the most significant feats of his premiership: delivering a solid economic recovery ahead of a 2015 election.

Two consecutive quarters of growth have shifted the sands of British politics: six months ago, MPs in his Conservative party warned him that failure to lead the country out of stagnation could cost him, and them, the election. Those fearful voices have fallen silent.

After cutting the biggest budget deficit since World War Two by a third, Cameron leads what could be the fastest growing major economy in the European Union this year.

“Will the better economic data change the political landscape? Well, economics is the biggest issue,” said Steven Bell, director of multi-asset investment at F&C Asset Management which has about 98 billion pounds under management.

“Having pursued a policy of austerity, the government will get credibility both for prudent management and for the recovery,” said Bell. “They will get the credit for this.”

Britain’s $2.5 trillion (1.59 trillion pounds) economy grew by 0.6 percent in the second quarter after a 0.3 percent rise in the first quarter, putting it on course to grow by at least 1.4 percent this year.

That would be the strongest annual growth since 2010, the year Cameron forced Labour’s Gordon Brown from office by forming a coalition government with the Lib Dems after no party won an outright majority in a general election.

Some investors say Cameron’s policies may in fact be partly to blame for the recovery’s long wait. But they still expect the government to benefit.

“The recovery could have happened a lot sooner with a bit more government support for infrastructure spending in particular,” said Trevor Greetham, asset allocation director for Fidelity’s Investment Solution Group,

Cameron’s Political Capital

who has responsibility for $14 billion of assets.

“But that is not the way things tend to work in the minds of the electorate - you cannot say ‘well actually this would have happened earlier and we would all be a lot wealthier with a policy that didn’t happen’. In reality it is the strength of the economy at the time of an election that tends to matter most.”

For Cameron and his Chancellor, George Osborne, the political gamble was always on economic growth. But even as signs emerge that their bet may be paying off, they remain cautious.

Party sources say they are acutely aware of the risk of premature triumphalism 21 months before the election.

When asked on almost a daily basis whether Britain is seeing “the green shoots of recovery”, Cameron’s spokesman says only that the economy “is healing” or “out of intensive care”. He always stresses that tough times still lie ahead.

IT’S THE ECONOMY STUPID Staking their reputation on reducing Britain’s debt mountain and nursing the economy back to health, Cameron and Osborne knew they had just a few years to make inroads into what they said was the profligate legacy of the 1997-2010 Labour governments.

But as the economy stagnated, Britain’s two most powerful men were branded “dipsticks” by Rupert Murdoch’s Sun newspaper and their privileged backgrounds both went to expensive schools and were members of the same exclusive high-society dining club at Oxford - were mocked.

One outspoken Conservative MP even called them “arrogant posh boys” who “don’t know the price of milk”.

Cameron’s party lost ground in opinion polls and was convulsed by internal rebellions over Britain’s ties

with the European Union and over gay marriage, while Labour warned voters austerity was killing off the recovery.

But from services and consumer spending to house prices, Britons’ best loved measure of economic virility,

broadening,” Carney said at his first news conference as Bank chief while unveiling a promise — with caveats — not to raise interest rates above 0.5 percent until unemployment falls below 7 percent.

While a recovery is

premiership.

If he can keep the recovery on track right up to the next election, Cameron’s chances of winning - possibly even the Conservatives’ first outright victory since 1992 - increase.

If he wins, Cameron has

rather than Cameron and Osborne, who are mocked by the domestic press.

After a protester threw an egg at Miliband’s head during a visit to an East London market in August, the Sun branded him “Scrambled Ed” and cast him

promised an in-out referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union by the end of 2017. Economic growth could ease voter unease at immigration - one of the drivers of anti-European Union feeling in Britain.

LABOUR Growth leaves Labour and its leader, Ed Miliband, in a tough spot. Labour’s drive to convince voters it can run the economy has fallen flat so far: support for Conservative economic management soared to 40 percent from 28 percent in June, according to a Guardian/ICM poll.

The poll put Labour’s overall support at 35 percent, a mere three percentage points higher than the Conservatives.

Labour’s lead was 12 percentage points in the same poll in February.

Now it is Miliband and Labour finance chief Ed Balls,

in a cartoon as the broken-egg character from the English nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty.

But Labour says improving

• David Cameron, British Prime Minister

data now shows the world’s sixth largest economy may be about to do better than at any time since the onset of the 2007-2008 financial crisis.

Under its new governor, Mark Carney, the Bank of England upgraded its mean growth projection this month by 0.8 percentage points to 2.5 percent in 2014. If achieved, that would be Britain’s fastest annual growth rate since 2007.

“A renewed recovery is now underway in the United Kingdom, and it appears to be

underway, the economy is a long way from regaining its pre-crisis strength. Britain remains vulnerable to any more shocks from the euro zone debt crisis and voters’ incomes are at some of their lowest levels in a decade.

Yet ultra-loose monetary policy, support for the housing market, the potential of North Sea oil production, and the ability to ease the pain of austerity with tax revenues give Cameron one of the best economic backdrops of his

“While a recovery is underway, the economy is a long way from regaining its pre-crisis strength. Britain remains vulnerable to any more shocks from the euro zone debt crisis and voters’ incomes are at some of their lowest levels in a decade.”

economic data shows no signs of translating into higher living standards.

“It may be a recovery for those at the top, but it is not a recovery for most people,” a senior Labour source told Reuters. “For most, living standards are being squeezed as inflation outstrips wages more and more. This is what we’re going to be pointing out.”

In a change of tack, Miliband has put the cost of living at the heart of his economic policy, noting rising costs for everything from utilities to train fares.

He plans to attack Cameron with the slogan: “They’re out of touch. You’re out of pocket.”

(Courtesy Reuters)

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Internation Features

WITH astonishing speed, Egypt has moved from a nation in crisis to a nation in real danger of slipping into a prolonged bout of violence or even civil war.

Egypt has become increasingly polarized since the Islamists rose to power following the 2011 revolution that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Fault lines touching key and potentially explosive issues like identity, the rights of Christians and other minorities, and democratic values have never been greater.

The Muslim Brotherhood and their hard-line allies stand at one end of a bitter standoff with secularists, liberals, moderate Muslims and Christians.

That schism grew after President Mohammed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected leader, was ousted in a July 3 military coup. But it was Wednesday’s deadly police raids — with armored bulldozers and security forces plowing through two protest camps — that will be remembered as a turning point when what had been primarily a political standoff erupted into bloodshed.

“The spark of civil war is out,” wrote Islamist columnist and author Fahmy Howeidy in Thursday’s edition of the independent alShorouk daily. “The nation is on the edge of an abyss.”

Adding to the mix is the branding by the state media of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood and allies as “terrorists” and growing calls for authorities to take a tougher approach on the Islamists.

In a glimpse of what may be in store for the most populous Arab state, dozens of revenge attacks and

Anti Mursi protesters

Egypt Enters Uncharted Territory Opinion

Pro Mursi protesters

clashes spilled over into a second day Thursday in Cairo and other cities — showing the capability of Islamists to strike and laying bare the depth of their anger over Morsi’s ouster and the crackdown that left hundreds dead.

Angry young men attacked government and security buildings, setting some ablaze, cut off roads, damaged or torched dozens of churches and stormed

more than 20 police stations.

In one particularly gruesome attack, four officers in a police station just outside Cairo were killed after the building was shelled with rocket-propelled grenades.

The assailants then slit the police chief ’s throat, a brutality reminiscent of an Islamist, anti-government insurgency that raged in Egypt in the 1990s before Mubarak used force to suppress it, killing and jailing

thousands of Islamists.

In response, the government authorized police Thursday to use deadly force against anyone attacking security forces or government installations.

While the international community largely condemned the overwhelming use of force to clear out the camps on Wednesday, the militarybacked administration’s fight against the Brotherhood so far has been supported by many Egyptians, who are mainly Muslim but object to hard-liners.

“The army and the police will strike hard and ordinary people will be supportive,” prominent rights lawyer and activist Gamal Eid said.

To such observers, it is beyond doubt that a majority of Egyptians supports going after the Brotherhood and its hard-line allies.

Millions took to the streets for days prior to the July 3 coup to call on Morsi to step down, angry over what they saw as efforts to monopolize power for himself and the Brotherhood, failure to implement crucial social and economic reforms and his public quarrels with the

judiciary, the media, the military and police.

The mass protests morphed into celebrations on the day of his ouster. And a similar number responded to a call by military chief Gen. AbdelFattah el-Sissi to take to the streets on July 26 to show support for his moves to tackle “violence and potential terrorism.”

The military and police also have gone after the Muslim Brotherhood and like-minded groups on the legal front, arresting dozens including senior leaders.

State-run TV and newspapers, meanwhile, are filled with commentators and other content full of antiBrotherhood sentiment, often portraying Islamists as enemies of the people and tapping into nationalistic fervor by alleging that the Brotherhood is a violent group that is secretly enlisting foreign help against the rest of Egyptians and that views Egypt as just a part in a greater Muslim nation that transcends borders.

A backlash against Mohammed ElBaradei’s decision to resign as interim vice president to protest the

violence illustrated how widespread is the antipathy to the Brotherhood and its allies.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former director of the U.N. nuclear agency said he quit because he did not want to be held responsible for bloodshed.

“It has become difficult for me to continue to take responsibility for decisions I disapprove of, and I fear their consequences,” he said in his letter of resignation. “I regret that those who benefited today are the proponents of violence, terror and the more extreme groups, and you will remember my words to you.”

His resignation earned him public rebuke from Tamarod, the youth group that engineered the mass protests preceding Morsi’s ouster. It said he was dodging his responsibility at a time when his services were needed.

Even the umbrella of opposition groups he led during Morsi’s year in power regretted his decision and bemoaned that he did not bother to consult it beforehand.

A front-page editorial in the state-owned al-Akhbar daily on Thursday said ElBaradei’s resignation “amounts to a breach of his position and, consequently, is a case of treason that should not be allowed to pass without accountability.”

In anticipation of mass protests by Brotherhood supporters on Friday, Tamarod, or Rebel, has called on Egyptians to form popular committees to counter any violence by the Islamists during the demonstrations, proposing a scenario that places rivals face to face on the streets with a chance of violence breaking out.

Already, Islamist hardliners in the strategic Sinai Peninsula are waging a worsening insurgency against security forces, with near daily attacks. Sinai has for several years now been roiled in unrest, but the dramatic increase in the number of attacks on security forces there began as soon as Morsi was ousted, leading many to deduce that the Brotherhood and militants in Sinai were somehow bonded.

“Sure civil war is a possibility,” said Michael W. Hanna, an expert on Egypt from the New York-based Century Foundation. “It will be bad, with suicide bombings and assassinations but not necessarily another Syria or Iraq.” (Courtesy AP)

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

Health

The Rising Cases Of Kidney Disease And Trauma Of Dialysis THE increasing cases of chronic kidney disease across all age groups in recent times have been a major source of concern to medical experts.

The experts say that unhealthy lifestyles and other neglected health tips largely contribute to the growing occurrence of the disease, particularly among young persons.

A study by Prof. Afolabi Lesi and Dr Taiwo Ladapo, both paediatricians at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, indicates that kidney disease among children accounts for 8.9 per cent of the reported cases of the disease in the hospital between 2008 and 2011.

Observers, therefore, express concern about the worrying development, citing the case of Uchenna Emeka, a 13-year-old boy in Abuja, who was diagnosed of renal failure, as an illustration.

Emeka became ill when he was in class six of a primary school and a doctor pronounced that he had entered the end stage of kidney disease two years later.

Emeka says that dialysis — the process of cleansing the blood by passing it through a special machine — is quite painful, adding that it takes more than three hours a day for five days.

“I have to drop out of school because I could no longer cope, my parents sold all their plots of land

to put me on the treatment, which is very expensive; I always cry for what I am going through’’ he adds.

Dr Dorcas Angbazo, a consultant nephrologist in Abuja, explains that some of the factors that could lead to kidney failure in children include infections, congenital factors and ingestion of toxic drugs, especially herbs, among others.

She, however, says that kidney failure is in stages and could be managed before it degenerates into the “end stage’’ where the sufferers would require kidney transplant or dialysis.

“Dialysis filters the blood and removes excess fluid; this is what the kidneys normally do when they are functioning; a catheter is inserted into one of the large veins in the neck or groin.

“The catheter is connected to the dialysis machine with tubing and blood is removed via the catheter and tubing, cleaned in the dialysis machine and returned to the patient via the catheter.

“This procedure is called hem dialysis but there is another type of dialysis called peritoneal dialysis, in which a catheter is inserted into the abdomen and special fluid is inserted into the abdominal cavity via the catheter.

“The fluid helps to remove toxins and is removed from the abdomen after several

By ANNA ANGBAZO

hours,’’ she explained.

Angbazo emphasises that kidney failure often occur when the kidneys partly or completely lose its ability to carry out normal functions.

She, however, advises

“A lot of parents do not follow the instructions given in administering drugs to children, while some do not consult doctors for diagnosis and drug prescriptions,’’ she says.

However, Angbazo says

parents against the indiscriminate use of drugs by their children, saying that such practice predisposes them to kidney disease.

She also urges parents to desist from giving their children herbal medicines, stressing that that medicines should only strictly be given to the children, in line with medical prescriptions.

that uncontrolled high blood pressure as well as inadequate treatment of malaria and hepatitis could also cause kidney disease, adding that tobacco smoking is another causative factor.

The nephrologist, therefore, underscores the need for people to inculcate the habit of checking their blood and sugar level at least once or

“Dialysis filters the blood and removes excess fluid; this is what the kidneys normally do when they are functioning; a catheter is inserted into one of the large veins in the neck or groin.”

twice in a year.

Dr Ebun Bamgboye, a consultant nephrologist in Lagos, bemoans the growing rate of occurrence of end-stage kidney disease worldwide, saying that urgent medical action should be taken to reduce the rate.

She also expresses

Olalekan reiterates that people should make tangible efforts to control their blood pressure, stressing that uncontrolled blood pressure could damage the kidneys and other vital organs.

He, nonetheless, advises people to cut down their

concern over the rising prevalence of kidney disease among the youth, noting that most of the patients with end-stage renal disease usually die due to paucity of funds to undergo regular dialysis, which is very expensive.

Nevertheless, Dr Olatise Olalekan, an Abuja-based consultant physician, stresses the need for diabetic and hypertensive patients to go for regular check-ups to guard against contracting kidney disease.

He insists that diabetes and hypertension are among the leading causes of chronic kidney disease, warning that the therapy of acute kidney disease is very expensive.

salt intake, warning that consuming raw salt increases the likelihood of developing kidney disease.

The consultant also stresses the need for people suffering from diabetes and hypertensive to desist from smoking and drinking alcohol.

Assessing the impact of the disease on the society; observers say kidney failure does not just affect the patient alone, adding that it also affects the entire family members, friends and caregivers.

They, therefore, call on the Federal Government to integrate dialysis into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) because many citizens cannot afford the prohibitive cost of kidney disease treatment.

(NAN)

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

English Premiership ... English Premiership ... English Premiership

• Arsenal’s midfielder Santi Cazorla (right), takes a shot past Villa defender Ron Vlaar

Chelsea Prepare New Wayne — and would much Rooney Bid price prefer to see him leave for

CHELSEA are preparing to launch a final bid of £40 million for Wayne Rooney within the next two days, according to various reports in the British media.

Jose Mourinho has made it clear that he sees Rooney as the missing piece in his squad, and wants him to lead Chelsea’s attack. Owner Roman Abramovich is prepared to offer Rooney a four-year deal with wages of £300,000 a week.

However, David Moyes remains adamant he will not sell Rooney, who provided two assists in United’s 4-1 win at Swansea after coming on for Ryan Giggs in the 62nd minute.

And if Chelsea cannot change United’s stance, they are set to switch their attentions from Rooney to Robert Lewandowski, the

Borussia Dortmund striker.

Lewandowski has one year remaining on his contract at Dortmund, who blocked the striker’s attempts to emulate Mario Gotze in leaving this summer for Bayern Munich.

However, Chelsea are hopeful of securing their firstchoice target. The club believe the bumper fee will convince United owners the Glazer family that it is in their best interests to sell Rooney.

The Glazers would be unlikely to command such a high fee for Rooney after the transfer window closes as he has just two years left on his contract.

Mourinho is believed to be desperate to land Rooney, but Chelsea think Dortmund would definitely sell Lewandowski at the same

Fernandinho Hungry For City Success FERNANDINHO has revealed that he forfeited £4 million to realise his ambitions by joining Manchester City.

The Brazilian midfielder, who was a £30 million signing from Shakhtar Donetsk, said he would have made more money had he stayed in the Ukraine.

“Why should people be surprised by that?” he told British Sunday papers. “Maybe England should have more players who don’t only think of money.

“If I only wanted money and a comfortable life from my career, I would have stayed in the Ukraine.

“I was in Donetsk for eight years and I was happy there. I won six titles, I knew everyone and I was a big part of the club.

“But I was presented with the challenge of coming to Manchester City. The owner and

the people who are managing the team want to win titles and other trophies, and I wanted to be a part of that. I came here to win. Of course I will be paid as a professional footballer but the only thing I am greedy for is success.

“In my country, we say that football is like a huge plate of food — well, I want to eat everything because I want to win every trophy I can for Manchester City.”

And the 28-year-old revealed that he could have joined either Chelsea or Tottenham before signing for City.

I know there were negotiations between Shakhtar and Chelsea. Shakhtar told me they had refused an offer. There was also a stage a year ago when I spoke to people from Tottenham but nothing came of that.”

England than to join rivals Bayern, who defeated them in last season’s Champions League final, for free next summer. Lewandowski would have to be persuaded to leave Germany, though.

Samuel Eto’o, who won the treble under Mourinho at Inter Milan in 2010, is also being considered by Chelsea as a short-term solution up top.

• Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney runs with the ball in front of Swansea City’s Miguel Michu.

Wenger Shrugs Off Arsenal Sack Tale

THE Gunners manager does not fear for his job despite a trying summer and a 3-1 opening-day Premier League

• Arsene Wenger

defeat to Aston Villa that prompted fury from supporters Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists that he has no thoughts of losing his job, with pressure mounting amid a disappointing start to the season.

Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa drew fresh and furious criticism after the Gunners’ inactive close-season in the transfer market as, despite Olivier Giroud’s early strike, a double from Christian Benteke was compounded by Laurent Koscielny’s dismissal and Antonio Luna’s late debut goal, with Arsenal looking shaky in defence throughout.

MANCHESTER United manager David Moyes praised both Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney after his first Premier League match in charge of the English champions ended in a 41 win at Swansea.

Van Persie and Danny to work with,” said Moyes.

Welbeck scored two goals “He is really keen to work to apiece at the Liberty Stadium improve and get better — you while Rooney, repeatedly linked may wonder how he can get with a move to Chelsea after better. falling behind Dutch striker van “His two goals were terrific, Persie in the Old Trafford the athleticism he showed for pecking order during Alex the first and the power for the Ferguson’s final season in second.” charge, came off the bench in Moyes, who oversaw the start the second half. of Rooney’s professional career Wilfried Bony snatched an in his previous role as Everton 82nd minute consolation goal manager, added: “Wayne did for Swansea on a day when van well when he came on and made Persie confirmed his status as a great run for the one goal and the Premier League’s leading a great pass for the second. He marksman. helped the team and played a “The biggest thing for me is part getting the result.” that Robin has been a pleasure Rooney received a standing

ovation from United’s travelling fans when he came on to replace club great Ryan Giggs.

“The supporters recognise good players and they recognised that when Wayne came on,” said Moyes.

“He’s got quite a bad kick down the back of his Achilles and he is still lacking match practice. He played well for the team and he helped set up two goals.

“Wayne has worked very hard when he has been fit. You cross that white line and enjoy your football and I thought he did that today.”

Although Swansea had dominated much of the game in terms of possession, United struck twice to send Moyes in with a smile at half-time.

However, the Frenchman is not giving his future any thought, highlighting his longevity with the Gunners and the loyalty that he has shown during his near-17-year spell with the club.

“We live in a media world and everybody has opinions that are definite and I have to live with that,” Wenger told the press.

“In 16 years, I’ve shown my loyalty to this club. My worry is to do well. That’s the only worry.

“As long as I’m here, I want to do well. I’m absolutely hugely disappointed because we’ve come out of a 10-game run in the last season without any defeat and we start the new season with a defeat at home.

Moyes Hails Van Persie, Rooney

Van Persie controlled Giggs’s lobbed pass after 34 minutes before beating compatriot Michel Vorm from a dozen yards and then, two minutes later, Welbeck turned in Antonio Valencia’s cross.

Van Persie added his second goal — a stunning strike from 20 yards — after 72 minutes.

Although Swansea’s £12 million ($19 million) striker Bony came off the bench to snatch a consolation, eight minutes from time, Rooney’s through ball in stoppage time enabled Welbeck to lob Vorm for his second goal.

“I think like any manager, to win the game there is always an element of relief,” added Moyes.

“I thought we were incisive, our finishing was fantastic.

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Levante’s Iborra Joins Sevilla SEVILLA confirmed Saturday that Vicente Iborra has become their latest recruit of a hectic transfer window, signing from Levante for an undisclosed fee.

“Vicente Iborra is now officially a Sevilla player after having signed his new contract this morning at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan,” said a statement on

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

the club’s website.

The 25-year-old becomes the Andalusians 11th new signing in recent months and he is even in contention to make his debut against Atletico Madrid on Sunday night after also taking part in training with his new teammates on Saturday.

Iborra was a standout performer in the last two seasons as Levante achieved their highest ever league finish in 2011/ 12 and then reached the last-16 of the Europa League last season.

And he is likely to step fill the void created by the sale of Chilean Gary Medel to Premier League newcomers Cardiff City last week.

New Signing Dimitri Payet Lifts Marseille

DIMITRI Payet scored his third goal of the Ligue 1 season to help Olympique de Marseille ease past Evian 2-0 on Saturday.

Payet, who signed from Lille this summer, scored a brace last week on his Marseille debut and he was on the scoresheet again Saturday.

Mathieu Valbuena freed Payet, who dribbled past defender Jonathan Mensah before slotting home a low left-foot shot just after the hour mark.

“It’s a dream start for me and

for the team,” Payet said. “We have six points out of six, we’re very happy tonight.

We’re managing to find each other’s rhythm, work well together.”

Andre-Pierre Gignac, who also scored last week, broke the deadlock in the 15th minute. Rod Fanni delivered a good cross toward Gignac on the edge of the area and the France international went past Mensah and fired past

Bayern’s Guardiola Happy Despite Off-Key Win

BAYERN Munich manager Pep Guardiola blamed last week’s international friendlies for the European champions’ below-par performance in Saturday’s laboured 1-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Gladbach with Swiss winger A superb volley from Croatia Xherdan Shaqiri in for Arjen striker Mario Mandzukic was Robben, while new-signing the highlight of an otherwise offMario Goetze was included in key performance as Bayern the match day squad for the first failed to dominate Frankfurt time, but spent the game on the despite enjoying 70 percent posbench. session.

The result means Bayern have Guardiola pointed to the fact the maximum return of six that he had 15 of his 26-man points from their opening squad away on international matches as they equalled the duty last Wednesday with their club record of 27 Bundesliga respective nations, allowing him matches without defeat. only limited time to prepare for But Eintracht captain the trip to Eintracht.

Alexander Meier had a penalty The ex-Barcelona boss also appeal turned down in the 90th said he was pleased to see the minute and Bayern goalkeeper defending champions control the Manuel Neuer admitted the game better than they had done Bavarians rode their luck. in their 3-1 home win over Maier had also had a goal Borussia Moenchengladbach on ruled offside early in the second the opening weekend of the seahalf, which left Neuer admitting son. he had been “hoping” to hear the “We had much more control whistle at Frankfurt’s 51,500 over the game compared to last capacity crowd at the week,” said Guardiola, with his Commerzbank Arena. side level at the top of the table “It was tight at the end, but with Bayer Leverkusen after the we have only ourselves to first two matches. blame,” said the Germany goal“We allowed Gladbach far too keeper. many chances on the break, but “That second goal was missit was much better today. ing from our game.”

“It’s never easy after an international break, because we only VALENCIA marked coach had three days together.

“We still created plenty of Miroslav Djukic’s first game chances, so I’m happy and 100 in charge with a 1-0 victory over visiting Malaga on Satpercent satisfied.”

Guardiola made just one urday as La Liga began.

After a dull 63 minutes at change to the team which beat

Bertrand Laquait.

Evian paid for missing a host of chances. Nicolas Nkoulou nearly equalised before halftime with his strike only just going over the crossbar.

Newly promoted Guingamp are still without a point after losing 1-0 at Saint-Etienne, following a 3-1 defeat at home to Marseille last weekend.

Fabien Lemoine played a swift one-two with Brandao on the edge of the area before firing into the top left corner to score the only goal of the game in the 52nd minute.

Nice were also reeling from a hefty 4-0 defeat at Lyon last week, but they picked up their first points of the new campaign with a 2-1 victory over Rennes. The match was played behind closed doors because of incidents in Nice’s match against Lyon in May. Dario Cvitanich gave Nice a deserved lead in the 20th minute but the home side failed to finish off their opportunities and Rennes leveled with their first chance of the game in first-half stoppage time. New loan signing Nelson Oliveira was left completely unmarked to control Yassine Jebbour’s cross and volley home a powerful effort.

Jeremy Pied restored Nice’s advantage five minutes after the interval. Rennes midfielder Vincent Pajot was sent off in the final minute following a foul on Valentin Eysseric.

WERDER Bremen’s bad-boy Austria striker Marko Arnautovic has rejected a move to Scottish champions Celtic, according to a report on Saturday.

“Marko will not transfer there, I have already informed Celtic’s manager,” Arnautovic’s agent Roger Wittmann told German daily Bild.

Scottish giants Celtic are reported to have offered Arnautovic a four-year contract worth two million euros (US$2.6m) per season, while Bremen had agreed to a transfer for four million euros, but Arnautovic has made it clear he does not want to move to Glasgow.

The Austria forward, who has played for Holland’s Twente and Italy’s Inter Milan, is under contract with Bremen until June next year, but has not played in the Bundesliga since April, when he was suspended by the club after being caught speeding by police.

Arnautovic spent Bremen’s opening game of the season last weekend on the bench.

Werder’s director of sport Thomas Eichin has said Arnautovic has a future at the club — providing he behaves after other misdemeanours including a training ground bustup in March with a Bremen team-mate.

“He is an important, high quality player. If he brings 100 percent of his quality to the pitch, then he is a big plus for us,” said Eichin.

Luiz Gustavo Calm After Debut Win

LUIZ Gustavo is keeping his feet on the ground after a dream debut for Wolfsburg saw them win 4-0 against Schalke.

Pep Guardiola

Ricardo Costa Fires Valencia By Malaga

Ricardo Costa

Bremen’s Arnautovic Rejects Celtic Move

Mestalla Stadium, Ricardo Costa took what proved to be the winner for Valencia when Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero fumbled his attempt to catch a looping high ball, with the ball falling for the defender to stab in.

While Djukic enjoyed his first win, Malaga’s Bernd Schuster saw his new team struggle to produce scoring opportunities.

The former Barcelona and West Germany midfielder took over Malaga from Manuel Pellegrini this offseason and has received a squad depleted of its main players following the exit of Isco and Jeremy Toulalan, among others.

Carlos Vela scored one goal and set up another Saturday as Real Sociedad picked up where they left off last season by outclassing Getafe 20.

The Mexico forward netted the first goal of the 2013-14 season from a pass by Chori Castro in the 42nd, and then assisted Haris Seferovic for the new signing to get a deserved goal in the 70th.

Castro helped Sociedad convert their dominant possession into the opener when he used one touch to play Vela clear of the defense. Vela did the rest by coolly chipping the ball over the onrushing Moya to record the first goal of the season.

Moments after Diego Castro had Getafe’s best scoring opportunity, Vela picked out Seferovic’s run and slipped the ball through for the Swiss to dink it over Moya from a tight angle and secure the three points.

Later, Ernesto Valverde began his second stint as the coach of Athletic Bilbao with a 2-1 win at Valladolid thanks to goals from for-

wards Markel Susaeta and Iker Muniain.

Susaeta finished off a brilliant combination of onetouch passes from a corner kick to put Bilbao ahead in the 28th. Bilbao worked the ball away from Valladolid’s area before new arrival Benat Etxebarria used a no-look pass to serve Susaeta inside the box for the forward to fire home.

But Patrick Ebert drilled in Valladolid’s equalizer three minutes later when Oscar Gonzalez spotted him arriving late to the area unmarked by the visiting defense.

Muniain was quick to pounce and knock in a ball sent off the post by Valladolid defender Marc Valiente to restore Bilbao’s lead for good five minutes after halftime.

Ander Herrera nearly extended the advantage when he hit the goalframe in the 75th.

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Gustavo was a transfer target for Arsenal but chose instead to remain in the Bundesliga and he played the full 90 minutes just 24 hours after completing his move.

He is now concentrating on helping the Wolves challenge for a European spot, but he believes any talk of challenging for the title is premature.

“There are Bayern and Dortmund so it’s not going to be easy — they are leading the way,” he told reporters at the VW-Arena.

“Then there are many clubs behind them who want to qualify for Europe and have the quality for it.

“We also have very good players, though, and we want to stick together and play good football, and of course we want to play a role up there.”

He added of his debut: “I’ve only just got here and not even had the time to talk to people at length.

“But I’m a simple kind of guy and I know what I can do. My team-mates made it easy for me and Wolfsburg are a top club.

“Today was just the beginning. I still have to get used to my team-mates and I don’t even have a home here yet. When I get that sorted and my girlfriend is here, then I’ll feel a lot bet-

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Ethiopia’s Defar Wins 500m Title MESERET Defar added yet another global 5,000 metres gold to her bulging collection when she won the world title with a textbook performance on Saturday, aided by her Ethiopian team mates.

Defar, twice Olympic champion and now double world champion, also has a world silver and three global bronzes in the event after an extraordinar-

Yobo Regrets Opening Day Loss JOSEPH Yobo said he was disappointed his goal was not enough to get Fenerbahce off to a winning start in the Turkish league.

Fenerbache lost 3-2 in the opening game of the campaign at Konyaspor on Saturday.

Yobo, who gave his side the lead in the 26th minute with a diving header, said he was disappointed Fenerbache lost the game as he would have loved to have got off to a winning start in the new season.

“I wish my goal gave us all the three points,” the Nigeria skipper lamented.

“It’s really a tough situation.

We have learnt our lessons and we need to fix ourselves. We were disappointed.

“We have to put this defeat behind us and now hope to get victory against Arsenal (in the UEFA Champions League playoff match on Wednesday).”

The highly experienced central defender has stayed put at the top Istanbul club amid speculations in the close season that he could be shipped out on loan.

Yobo’s compatriot Emmanuel Emenike debuted for the Istanbul giants after his bigmoney move from Russia’s Spartak Moscow, but fired blanks.

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

ily consistent run over the past nine years and she was never threatened in her latest assault.

A pedestrian first half of the race briefly suggested some of the fast-finishers might be able to make a fight of it but with four laps to go Defar’s team mate Almaz Ayana put her foot down and immediately spread the field.

By the bell it was just the two Ethiopians and Kenya’s Mercy Cherono and Ayana played her role of domestique to perfection, towing Defar to the 200m mark when the favourite blasted clear to win with ease in 14 minutes 50.19 seconds Cherono came on to take silver in 14.51.22 ahead of Ayana (14.51.33).

Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba won the 10,000 metres earlier in the week.

Bolt Storms To 200m Gold In Moscow

USAIN Bolt completed yet another crushing sprint double and hardly needed to extend himself to achieve it as he took his third successive world 200 metres title in the year’s fastest time of 19.66 seconds, despite easing down at the end.

Fellow Jamaican Warren Weir improved on his Olympic bronze by taking silver in a personal best 19.79 from lane eight while Curtis Mitchell won bronze for the United States in 20.04, just preventing another Jamaican podium sweep as he beat Nickel Ashmeade by a hundredth of a second.

Bolt insisted that the win was as easy as he made it look.

“There was not any pressure.

I went out there, focused, I was

ready to go. It was just about running a good corner, and that’s what I did,” he said.

“I’m happy with what I did and happy to have it done. One shoot, back to back now, so I’m happy.”

Britain’s Adam Gemili came off the bend in third place but faded to finish fifth, a superb showing from a runner who is still just 19 years old.

Yet the young British star will

complete a hat-trick in the 4x100m relay on Sunday, when gold would draw him level as the all-time most decorated athlete in World Championship history: he would be alongside American trio Allyson Felix, Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson with eight world titles, but he says that prospect does not worry make any extra pressure.

“No, I’m not worried about that. For me I have made my legend start, that was the key,” he said.

“Now, I’m just adding the greatness. I’m just going to continue trying to win championships and then look forward to next Olympics.

“I’ve discussed it with my coach about what we should do.

I was telling him ‘Coach we should relax next season’.

“But my coach said ‘we need just to continue pushing, pushing because it’s good to follow up every year with a good year so your body is used to it.’

“So we’re just going to continue working hard, pushing myself, continue going to the championships day by day and hopefully everything will work out.”

Former FA Chairman Suggests World Cup Re-Bidding Process

Winner Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates with second placed compatriot Warren Weir (right) after their men’s 200 metres final during the IAAF World Athletics championships at the Luzhnike Stadium in Moscow

Temile Double Lifts Maltese Champions

FRANK Temile scored twice to earn Maltese champions Birkirkara the maximum points on Saturday.

Temile was on target twice for the defending champions as they beat Rabat Ajax 2-1 away from home.

The former Nigeria U20 forward found the back of the net in the seventh and 45th minutes.

Champions Birkirkara were thus the opening day leaders of the 12-team Maltese league.

Last week, Birkirkara beat Hibernians 3-2 to win the Maltese Super Cup with Temile again among the goals.

Last season, Temile played for top Ukrainian club Dynamo Kiev and has said he expects great things at his new club.

“We have a good squad and this augurs well for the new season,” he predicted.

no doubt be bitterly disappointed that he failed to match or better the 19.98 he ran in the semi-finals, a time that would have secured bronze.

Bolt, the world record holder with his 19.19 from Berlin four years ago, won the 100 metres last weekend having completed the sprint double twice at the Olympics and also in the 2009 world championships.

He was always in command from lane four on Saturday and halfway round the opening bend he loomed over diminutive British teenager Adam Gemili in lane five like an ocean-going liner swamping a dinghy, before disappearing into the distance.

After a slow start to the season when he was hampered by injury, Bolt has been on an upward curve in the last few weeks and his 19.73 in Paris six weeks ago was the fastest time of the year before Saturday’s race.

American Tyson Gay, who ran 19.74 in June and was the last man to beat Bolt in a global 200 when he won the 2007 world championships, was unable to challenge him again in Moscow having failed a doping test.

On Sunday Bolt will hope to

Meseret Defar of Ethiopia celebrates winning gold in the Women’s 5000 metres final

FIFA should consider a rebidding process for the 2022 World Cup rather than move the competition to winter, according to former English Football Association chairman David Bernstein.

Qatar was chosen to host the World Cup but temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the desert state during the summer, leading to calls to switch it to earlier in the year.

However, that would have severe consequences for the world’s biggest domestic leagues such as the English Premier League which has already voiced fears over a winter World Cup. “My end view is either that it should be left where it is or there should be a re-bidding process,” Bernstein, whose successor Greg Dyke described a summer tournament in Qatar as ‘impossible’, told the BBC. “It was a strange award in the first place, we all know that.”

Bernstein said he was against the idea of the tournament be-

ing moved as Qatar won the right to host the World Cup on the basis of a summer bid, using air-conditioned stadia.

“My personal view on this is unchanged. In 2010 FIFA awarded two World Cups at the same time. It was a controversial thing to do and I believe that FIFA regret doing it now,” he said.

“Bidding for a World Cup is a serious business. There is a lot of money and national prestige involved.

“The bid that Qatar submitted was a summer bid. It was accepted by FIFA as a summer bid so I don’t believe that it is impossible to hold the competition in the summer.

“It may be undesirable, with fans coming out of cool stadia into boiling heat clearly an issue,” he added.

“But I think the idea of just arbitrarily changing from summer to winter smacks of what I would call a false prospectus.”

Qatar beat bids from South Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States. Russia will host the 2018 World Cup.

Olympic Champion Kiprotich Adds Marathon World Title

UGANDA’s Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich showed he was no one-hit wonder by breaking Kenya’s stranglehold on the men’s marathon at the world championships with victory in two hours nine minutes 51 seconds on Saturday.

Kiprotich was the surprise winner at last year’s London Games but started as one of the favourites in Moscow and became the first non-Kenyan to win the title since 2005.

Ethiopia’s Boston marathon winner Lelisa Desisa was sec-

ond in 2:10:12 and compatriot Tadese Tola took third a further 11 seconds back on a warm sunny day in the Russian capital.

Part of a large leading pack for most of the race on a course which included three 10km loops along the Moskva river turning at the iconic Red Square, Kiprotich began pushing the pace just after the 30-km mark and the group slowly started to

break up.

With just over two kilometres to go, the battle for gold was between Kiprotich and Desisa and the Ugandan finally broke his rival as they ran through the Olympic Park and entered the stadium alone, waving to the crowd.

Kiprotich had a quick look back across the bright blue track when a cheer went up as Desisa entered the stadium but there

was half a lap between them and the Ugandan ran through the finishing tape with his arms in the air and a smile on his face before bowing to the crowd.

“I realised I could win after 40km. Then I just kept pushing.

I decided to break off but my competitors were strong and I had to apply some tactics,” the 24-year-old told reporters.

“I prepared for the race really well. It is fantastic that I actu-

ally train together with six of my competitors, said Kiprotich who is coached by Kenya’s 1992 Olympic steeplechase silver medallist Patrick Sang in Eldoret.

It was Uganda’s second ever world championship gold after Dorcus Inzikuru won the women’s 3,000 steeplechase in 2005.

Peter Some in ninth was the first Kenyan finisher for a team that was missing twice world champion Abel Kirui through injury.

THE NIGERIAN

31

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

2013 National Championship

Golden Gloves’ Nwakpa Praises Organisers For Reviving Boxing In NiOBISIA Nwamkpa, the organisers of the 2013 Nageria immediate past head coach, Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), has thanked the

3SC Stop High-Riding Bayelsa

Goal scorer Ediwo (right) a g a i s n t Salomon Junior of Bayelsa on Saturday

Coach Seeks Financial Assistance For AFN

A top athletics coach on Saturday called on government and corporate organisations to extend financial assistance to the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to enable it reorganise its programmes.

Yusuf Alli, a 1990 Common- programmes.

“If the federation has the rewealth Games gold medallist, sources it could have been able was reacting to the inability of the AFN to produce top male to train all potential medalists, athletes for the ongoing 14th including male athletes.The IAAF World Championships time to act is now.”

He appealed to governments in Moscow. and sponsors to rally to the He spoke in an interview support of the federation. with newsmen in Lagos.

“We need to do more work.

According to him, the AFN does not have the resources to The other countries are workradically refocus its ing, we need to do more work than engage in only prayers.

Ahmed Musa Shoots AHMED Musa scored CSKA the winner for CSKA Moscow to beat visiting Kuban Former JUTH FC and Top Krasnodar on Sunday and Kano Pillars star Ahmed take them to the top of the Russian league.

CSKA Moscow lead the table with 11 points from five matches pending the outcome of other games later on Sunday.

Ahmed Musa

Musa told MTNFootball.com he is delighted with his match winner.

“I am excited with the goal, it was an important one for us as we won the game. I will keep doing my best for my club to see that we win our games. I am just doing my job to the best of my ability.

It was not an easy match,” he said.

Ahmed Musa returned to Russia to join his team on Friday night after helping Nigeria to beat South Africa in a friendly on Wednesday.

He grabbed the match winner in the 11th minute for his third goal in five games this season.

Last season, Ahmed Musa’s CSKA won the league

“Other countries are investing resources into the training of their athletes. The typical examples are the Jamaicans and the Americans.

“Our government and sponsors need to try hard as the coaches are ready to work.’’

He pointed out, however, that it was sad that the government did not really have the structure to carry out the work.

Nigeria has so far won a silver and bronze medal, all from Blessing Okagbare in the long jump and the 200m events in the ongoing IAAF championships.

Alli said he was happy over Okagbare’s showing in the championships, saying: “she has become the first Nigerian to win two medals at the world championships’’.

He also said that the 14th edition of the championships, remained Nigeria’s best outing.

“This year’s competition is Nigeria’s best outing at the world championships. “She (Okagbare) has really done the country proud.’’

Okagbare won the bronze

medal, finishing in a time of 22.32 secs to place third, behind, Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce who posted, 22.17 secs for the top spot.

The Ivoirian Murielle Ahoure was placed second in a time of 22.32 secs.

The competition which began on Aug.10 ends on August 18.

TROUBLED 3SC defeated high-riding Bayelsa United 20 on Saturday in a Nigeria league Week 26 match to move clear of the drop zone.

They now have 33 points from 26 games.

3SC showed purpose from the blast of the whistle in their last home game to be played behind closed doors as they had the ball inside net as early as ninth minute through Samuel Akinbinu, but the effort was disallowed by the referee.

However, on-form striker Kingsley Ediwo scored the opening goal for the Oluyole Warlords in the 18th minute.

Substitute Ighodalor Osagona scored the second goal to seal victory for 3SC just six minutes after his introduction for Akinbinu, when he headed home Mutiu Adegoke’s corner kick.

Coach Hakeem Busari told MTNFootball.com it was a good result for his team and that it is not over for 3SC in the league as there are matches to be played.

“If not for the little crisis that we had, we would have had a different story. No team in the Nigeria league that is a push over, sometimes teams do have crisis which can come at any point in the league, ours came at the beginning of the second round, but we are striving hard to get over it, “ Busari said.

“We psyched the players up and it worked for us. We are looking forward to good game in the next match and pray for luck as well.”

Car, Cash Gifts For Promoted Giwa FC GIWA FC are set to receive car and cash gifts promised them by club owner Chris Giwa for winning promotion to the premier league.

The Jos-based club are the only team from the Nigeria National League (NNL) who have so far booked their place in the premier league

come next season.

A cross section of the players told MTNFootball.com that the owner of the team promised each player and official of the team one million Naira if they made it to the top flight, while regular players will be rewarded with a car gift each in addi-

“I have been training with the squad for four weeks now, I am okay. I am just happy to be back and ready to get back into the good form I was in before I got injured, even better.”

The Portland Timbers striker suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a pre-season game against Seattle Sound-

ers on February 5.

Dike has scored five goals in 12 appearance for Portland Timbers.

He hit the limelight after he scored a fantastic goal for Nigeria in a friendly against Catalonia leading up to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, but he did not make the final squad for the tournament.

Bright Dike Sets Comeback Date NIGERIA striker Bright Dike has told MTNFootball.com he hopes to be back in action by month’s end after a long-term knee injury.

“Everything is fine with me.

I will start playing matches at the end of the month,” Dike revealed to MTNFootball.com

tional Open Championship for the rebirth of the sport.

Nwamkpa made this known in an interview with newsmen in Lagos on Saturday.

“I want to thank you people for making boxing come alive once more in the country with this National Open Champions that started in Lagos today (Saturday).

“With the series of international competitions lined up for the national teams, this competition has come at the right time.

“This will help in the picking of boxers to represent the country,’’ he said.

The former Commonwealth champion told NAN the eight-day event deserved commendation as it would facilitate identification of more hidden talents.

“I was not impressed with the standard displayed by the boxers at the last National Sports Festival; the standard of boxing at festival was low.

“Many of the boxers may have been technically sound, but they lacked the stamina that good boxers needed to excel,” he said.

He noted that since the December 2012 festival, there had not been any competition at the national level to raise boxers.

Nwamkpa praised the organisers for coming to the rescue of the boxing and urged them not to relent.

According to him boxing as a combat sport needs constant competition to keep the boxers fit at all times.

“They have been occupied since their arrival in Lagos for the competition going through the accreditation and weighing process in readiness for kick off of the competition.’’

The competition will run from August 17 to August 24 at the National Stadium, Lagos.

tion.

“We are happy to have booked a place in the premier league; we are waiting for our proprietor to fulfil the promise of one million naira each if we got the ticket. He is a man of his words, we know he will definitely fulfil his promises,” a player said.

“Nobody gave us chance to win promotion, but we did it.

We have made our owner and supporters happy with this achievement. Our father, Ambassador Giwa promised us a million Naira each and a car each for those players who are regulars.”

“We know he is capable of it. We know he will definitely give us, we are eager for the season to end so we could get the gifts,” another player added.

THE NIGERIAN

CMYK

32

I

N a recent TV (Silverbird TV) Programme, one watched with interest the outburst of Mr. Evrah of the Ijaw National Congress on the need for the President (a son of the soil) and Governors of the Niger Delta States to come down and begin to take actions that will address the seeming inability of the “rehabilitated and trained former militants” to be gainfully employed.

He bemoaned the abundant rubber plantations in Sapele region that are under-utilised; the fish resources that are not exploited; the plantain and cassava farms that are abound in the region amongst others that remain untapped.

No doubt, this cry, given the “closure” of the amnesty programme in 2015, an election year and the aftermath, portends a “looming dark cloud” that needs to be addressed.

While the amnesty programme, as initially conceived, appears to have provided a respite for the oil industry with the stable work environment in the region and the attendant increase in oil production over the past two years, the recent incidences of oil theft and bunkering seem to have only “relocated” the problem to another dimension.

While appreciating the enormous task of creating physical development in the Niger Delta region given the years of neglect, and the efforts of various governments and agencies to provide infrastructural facilities such as roads, bridges, shoreline protection, etc, it should be emphasised that such projects do not necessarily provide sustainable development.

What is crucial should be a more conscious effort to harness, develop and utilise the abundant natural and agricultural resources which abound in the region.

Indeed, development experts are unanimous in agreeing that with the endowed human and natural resources of Niger Delta region, a sustainable prosperity can be achieved if they are properly and adequately harnessed by the development of an integrated agro-based rural industrialization. Recent surveys indicate that the region is blessed with natural and agricultural resources, which are prevalent in the rural areas where over 70% of the population reside. Over 75 % of this population ac-

count for the production of food and fibre crops which due to lack of post harvest processing and conservation result in a loss of as much as 40% of the annual production.

The success story of the

common man.

In an earlier article on “Delta beyond Oil - Harnessing the Cassava Potential of the State” I had emphasised that the devastating effects of the recent flooding experienced nationwide had

telecommunication sector, with the GSM phone usage now well over 100 million, goes to show that the economic gains of our large population are yet to be fully exploited in solving our other “developmental wants”. For instance, with a potential “an egg - a-day- eating” population of over a 100 million, this would translate into an in-

brought to the fore the “real agricultural potentials” of the rural communities on the one hand and the dearth of the appropriate processing facilities that would have turned the “prematurely harvested food crops” into a more permanent and useful

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2013

ByBy ENGR A.E. OJOBO, FNSE OKHAREDIA IHIMEKPEN

Evolving A Sustainable Development In The Niger Delta Region

President Goodluck Jonathan Affairs

come generating industry of well over N500 million per day if an egg can be mass produced and sold for N5.

For an average of 300 days/ year, this adds up to N150 billion a year. This is in addition to other income sources of other poultry products such as chicken and its assorted parts.

No doubt, with an investment focussed on the Poultry industry chain link, ranging from the raw materials (maize, soyabeans etc) production, through to feed mills, poultry equipment manufacture, actual poultry operations, marketing, distribution and sales of the products, a bee-hive of industrial production activities will be created for this sector for which the employment generating capacities are better imagined. The resources and technology to achieve this are “no rocket science” as they say, and are within the reach of Nigerians and governments in the Niger Delta region.

Such sustainable development should engage the attention of the various governments in the region rather than the much taunted construction of “new Governor’s lodge, Commissioner ’s quarters, Police stations, Community halls and other edifices that add no value to the life and well being of the

erational: Well over 60 persons will be employed directly in the factory and over 1000 persons involved indirectly in the cultivation of cassava tubers, supply of other materials to the factory and distribution of the finished products.

cessing industries.

There is however the need to holistically address the role of government in the development and growth of such industrial establishments and the administrative structures required to ensure sustained operations

Godsday Orubebe, Minister for Niger Delta

product on the other.

From Oshimili South Local Government areas, through Ndokwa, Isoko North and South, Ughelli and Bomadi Councils areas in Delta State where the flooding was severe, the predominant food crop loss was cassava tubers, which has remained the widely cultivated crop in these communities. Even when the flood eventually receded and the little that could be salvaged gotten, the ability and facilities to immediately turn the cassava into starch, flour or garri was a big challenge.

While it is estimated that about one-third of the total national output of cassava production (average annual production of over 35 million tons in the last 5 years) comes from the Niger Delta region where many livelihoods depend on it as a main source of food and income, the varied economic benefits and the attendant job creation and employment opportunities, are yet to be fully exploited.

Using the 50 tons/day Cassava Processing Plant earlier established by the Isoko South Local Government Council which sadly like most government-sponsored projects has now remained idle as an example, the following economic benefits are derivable if fully op-

With an envisaged annual requirement of 15,000 tons of cassava tubers, this translates into the cultivation of 750 hectares of farm land at an average farm yield of 20 tons per acre.

Such requirement, given the renewed focus on agriculture ought to create farming opportunities within 25 km radius of the project location and a boost to Isoko land.

A financial projection of the operating expenses of the factory at full operation indicate that the following cash injection should accrue to the host community and the environs: Cassava tubers supply income of well over N200 million per annum; Salaries and benefits of factory personnel at well over N50 million per annum; Factory supplies, consumables and other materials at over N30 million per annum; Other social and general services at over N20 million per annum.

It is this regard that one considers the new emphasis on “Delta State beyond Oil” by the State Government as timely and should focus, amongst others, on harnessing these natural endowments through the establishment of appropriate integrated agro- based pro-

of such projects once completed. The desired initiative by the private sector, given the enabling environment by government, to establish such industries does not seem to be forthcoming.

Whereas the oil industry, for which Niger Delta is typically known, employs only a very small fraction of its population, the agro sectors have very high employment potential. The government should therefore adopt a new economic and industrial policy that promotes the development and growth of employment- intensive industries for which the agroprocessing sector is foremost.

The constraints which have held back these industries such as plant and machinery acquisition, physical infrastructure particularly power and transport, access to finance, bureaucratic investment environment and dearth of technical skills and manpower required for their operations on the desired scale will need to be addressed.

The various state governments in the Niger Delta should articulate developmental policies that will integrate the agricultural potentials with rural development with the objectives of : Providing critical infrastructure and social services in

the rural areas; Using agriculture as a vehicle for economic development and job creation; Improving the quality of life and of the habitat in the rural areas and reverse the tide of rural-urban migration.

In achieving these objectives, Farm Settlements complete with a Training Institute, mechanised facilities and supporting infrastructures, plant and machinery maintenance workshops, in-farm housing units, should be established in strategic locations in the region with young school leavers and the unemployed given limited hectares for the cultivation of the appropriate crops to meet the requirements of the agro-processing industries to be established.

Industrial Production Parks with clusters that combine factory spaces, small and medium scale manufacturing facilities, workshop units as well as retail units for business-tobusiness and business-toconsumer sales at one location should be established in the region.

It is reckoned that each of the clusters should be capable of accommodating up to 10 separate industrial outfits and would give direct employment opportunities to well 3000 persons and another 10,000 persons indirectly, providing the raw materials, goods and services, across the region.

Such an aggressive sustainable development will no doubt address the seeming restiveness and bring about a more gainful employment of the “repentant militants” as well as the millions of peace-loving unemployment youths that refused to be “militant” in the region.

We need to take our destiny in our hands and the time to act is now.

Engr. Adolphus Ojobo, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), is an Engineering and Manufacturing Consultant and a Former Commissioner of Works, Edo State.

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